Great for quirky gifts for loved ones (they do fab wrapping paper), and the place lives up to its…read morename in that it really is quite a small nook - be aware of where your bag is in case you knock anything over! I LOVE their crockery and kitchenware here, but find it slightly scary that they can charge 7+ quid for some cheap-looking plastic plates. The aesthetic of this shop's offerings is very much what you'd expect the love child of Marimekko and IKEA to look like, so definitely worth a visit for some beautiful (if slightly overpriced) homewares.

Let's put it simply; I could have bought the entire store. (If I had the money, that is)…read more It's a truly ace place to find presents as well, especially for the home-buddy amongst your love ones (have you heard? Christmas is coming?)

All your DIY and gardening needs under one roof - this is the place to come to stock up on supplies…read morebefore attempting your latest 'Project' at home. There always seems to be promotions on as well which keeps costs under control pretty well. However, I cannot get a grip on the layout of the place and end up wandering round aimlessly trying to tick off all the items on my list. An absence of assistants doesn't help matters and sometimes I wonder whether I spend longer here than on the task at hand back home. Hopefully, i will unlock the key to the maze one day soon...

Big store with tons of DIY and readymade stuff for your house. For the best deals, make sure to…read morecheck the area with houseplants on sale. They just need a little TLC. Sometimes there are also deals in the main floor display area just straight on as you come past the entrance. Also, there is an amazing deal on the basic value lamp - the kind that stands vertical and has a frosted cone shape with lightbulb at the top - less than £6 will get you this lamp, and you can even choose from black, red, or chrome finish for the base part. I was really pleased as this helped me bring light into my new room and didn't break my bank as some lamps will do. Of course there is a huge selection of lamps so you can pay more if you like, but the basic value lamp is working great for me. I also got an £20 Studio Desk lamp in black, which is cute. They have all the lightbulbs you'll need as well, including eco varieties.

Finally! A designer in the East end producing wonderful and collectable work at an affordable…read moreprice. I can't say enough good things about this store. From coasters to place mats to stunning cushions and mugs, she's single-handedly turned the ordinary home commodities into works of art. If you're looking to dress your table up for the perfect dinner party, or for some designer wrapping paper and cards cheaper than Paperchase, look no further. Check out the website too, beautifully designed and I guarantee will have you running down there as soon as you can.

Strolling down Stoke Newington Church Street on a lazy Sunday afternoon, we discovered this little…read morehome decor shop. It's all too cute and and fits in perfectly among all the vintagey shops catering to the local stroller-pushing crowd. - I might say that with a slight tone of irony, but I'm actual quite a sucker for these kind of stores and love visiting them. Here at Homage we fell in love with their rustic pottery in Danish style. The glazes were all very pretty (see my pictures) and we ended up buying a set of 6 rustic mugs that will soon serve as water glasses during our dinner parties. Aside from ceramic goods, they sell vintage furniture (more made to look like actually vintage) and other decorative items.

I feel like I'm transported to Afghanistan when I'm in this shop. Especially in the back room with…read more the rugs and smells of far off lands. The couple running the shop are utterly lovely. Informed, generous, kind. Thank you!

Treasure Land must make a killing in profit from importing their products. Good for them and good…read morefor me to be able to get comparatively cheap Egyptian and Arabian gifts without getting an Easy Jet fare to Cairo. At Treasure Land in Holloway, you can acquire a Egyptian Papyrus for 4.99 (It's like an Egyptian scroll with Hieroglyphics on it) and some bone bracelets for 1.50. Also of note was the shag-pile rug for 3.99 and some gilded statues for 20 quid. These store smells nice and sells ugly multicoloured shells in a bag for 1 pound ( maybe good for your bathroom?). I'm mostly into the ethnic jewellery, personally. This bracelet I bought in Wood Green got busted and I need some ethnic flair in my life. I'll be back here to get it!

They got a big shop in here... Wander about. Funny old place, they say they sell rugs and…read morecarpets. There are some hanging up, and some big piles of them in the centre of one of the rooms. And I found it really hard to 'flick' through them, not sure what you're meant to do. Also on offer in Lalee are household goods like towels, sheets, pillow cases: all very nice. And then clothes, weird funny leather trench coats. And errm, only womens' clothing. And it's all quite 'Islamic' in style, not to detract from how good they look, just clothing for women (not girls), all floor-length, all quite simple and conservatively decorated. So I couldn't really get a feel for what this shop was trying to be. The entrance claims 'Pierre Cardin', implying they do Cardin rugs. I couldn't see any...

They offer delivery for £15+, which includes moving piece into your flat, not just the lobby! This…read moreis typically done by a man named Jim, and Jim is super sweet and runs his own removals business...so I'll be keeping that card for the future! Ok, now that we've settled up on the detail of "how the hell am I going to get all these beautiful things back to my flat in one piece without busting a hernia!?" -- we can move on. My husband actually found House of Twenty's website on the internet. I know, old school -- wasn't even on Yelp -- YET. We made a day of it, traipsing north on the 55 bus and landing squarely in House of Twenty's front door. It's not a huge shop, but it packs a punch. Despite having furniture stacked to the ceiling, it is organized and you can view everything. They'll politely move things around to get a closer look as well. There is a workshop in the back and they are always acquiring new pieces. There are some fantastic couches, sideboards, desks, chairs and odds and ends/bits and bobs for the finding. Scored a Danish high-backed armchair in excellent shape for under 200 quid -- very happy! Fits perfectly in my corner near the fake fireplace, and the dog has already claimed it. They accept credit cards -- I actually made my decision after leaving the shop and they quickly sent me over a paypal invoice and then arranged delivery for me. Very easy. Natalie (one of the owners) was truly delightful and a pleasure to work with. I write this sitting in my chair -- its a beauty! *lunch afterwards while overlooking the river at Prince of Wales is also a nice break from shopping.

From the owner: Specialists in mid century vintage British and Scandinavian furniture and homewares, we have a…read morelarge selection to suit all interiors. An eclectic mix from Danish sofas to industrial cabinets and retro lighting, if we don't already have it we'd be happy to source for you. We also hire out furniture and props on request. Call into our Hackney showroom for a browse!

The checkout staff are the politest and kindest people I've ever come across that are always so…read morefriendly and helpful with their customers.