This treasure trove of wonderfully unique bits and pieces is a great find on an otherwise…read moreuninspiring Penthurst Street. The big purple throne in the window gives you an indication that you'll be looking at some pretty interesting things if you enter inside. The store is a well put together mish mash of vintage, antique and new furniture. I clocked a vintage globe that I can't seem to stop thinking about. I was surprised by the reasonable price at $150. It is worth popping in here on a continual basis because the stock is always rotating so there is always the chance to snare that once in a lifetime piece.

We ended up at Moss looking for a Caesarstone outdoor table, and they are undoubtedly adept in this…read morefield - you can order any shape or size of Caesarstone, in one of two depths, which is then mounted into your own weighty piece of furniture. If after delving into the Caesarstone option you are deterred by some factor - its weight, maybe, or the lead time to get your piece cut and delivered - Moss also stocks a small collection of other furniture, ranging from cheap-and-cheerful plastic to designerware, plus some pretty authentic imitations (though these are sold with the proviso that they do not wear as well as the originals). Some nice indoor and outdoor homeware accessories too, but I think the main drawcard is the Caesarstone.

I recently bought a Caesarstone table with castors from Moss. The table takes about three months to…read morebe made. It is well made and looks lovely however the one error by the manufacturer was in the dimensions. I ordered a 740mm height table and received one that is about 726mm. Given they have to cut legs to put on castors I can understand maybe 0.5cm difference but not almost 1.5cm. The response from the manufacturer to MOSS was that they always make them 730mm. Doesn't seem right to me that you are told they will custom make to the size ordered ( and 740 is the standard height they have) and then the manufacturer just builds to some usual standard they are used to. I raised the issue with them and MOSS did offer to do a new one but given time for completion and a bit of a loss of confidence in the manufacturer given their response have opted to keep table. The table is great apart from the slightly lower height so I would recommend MOSS if you want a nice Ceasarstone piece but make sure you pin them down on the height and get what you ordered. These tables are not cheap.

I seem to be drawn back to this corner of Artarmon for all sorts of odd reasons - it's home to an…read moremixed collection of warehouses and distributors that need space. Sure enough, Dickson Avenue has a sizeable showroom, with attention drawn via a display of candy coloured plastic wicker outdoor chairs on the sidewalk. It's a good source of outdoor furniture - both the plastic weave stuff and more traditional teak. Staff are attentive and interested - they want to chat through your needs at length and propose alternatives and ideas, which is useful if you're not set on a certain path. Lead times are quite long - and can stretch out. Despite enjoying the shopping experience here, we actually bought elsewhere, though paid considerably more than we would have at Dickson Avenue - just a choice we made in favour of higher quality and durability, though Dickson's products were good value for money.

From the owner: Dickson Avenue is proud to bring you the high quality teak and woven outdoor furniture and indoor…read morefurniture. All our outdoor and indoor furniture are quality guaranteed with affordable prices. Dickson Avenue is based in Artarmon, Sydney.

Coco Republic makes me wish I had a clue about decorating…read more Whilst some furniture showrooms feature furniture, Coco Republic features ideas. Who would think to put weathered woodwork alongside a starkly modern lamp, or a traditional leather Chesterfield-look lounge in a beachside setting? Or use a cowhide ottoman? Evidently not me - but somehow they make it work. I need to be braver. So far I'm just dabbling in the safer pieces, though I know how well their mixes work. Time for the Coco Republic Design School? Think I'm kidding myself - just time for the Coco Republic Interior Design service.

What a disappointment !! We received such poor service and communication, we will not be…read morereturning. We ordered a new lounge from Suzy at the Crows Nest location. She suggested we purchase the eco fabric shield (with the lounge being off white, we agreed). The lounge was delivered on Wed. On Friday evening at 7:30PM we received a call from a gentleman asking if he could come over Sat 9AM (the next day) to spray the lounge with the eco fabric shield - we were flabbergasted! We were led to believe it had already been protected, and were sitting and enjoying it with our new puppy! We had no idea Coco Republic subcontracted the fabric shield application, as the sales rep did not advise. Since we were already committed on Sat, and Chris was going out of town to Brisbane, we were unable to have the lounge sprayed until almost 2 weeks later. It looked lovely covered in blankets! ;-) In addition, the "eco" fabric shield is anything but - even though we took the lounge outside to spray, we were sneezing and wheezing the remainder of the day. You can view the ingredients at furniturecareproducts.com.au - not necessarily 'eco-friendly'! When we rang Suzy the sales rep to complain, she became irate, advising the chemicals were safe to use and that Coco Republic could not spray the lounge in their facilities due the the 'dust' in the air. Very disappointing experience overall. Given the service and the exorbitant prices, we won't be returning.....

Sporting a bemusingly ironic name, Shack is really anything but. This lovely homewares shop is…read morealways beautiful to experience - organised in such a way that you meander through and discover little pockets of stylish house and garden goodness. If your style is shabby chic or if you're looking to add a splash of oriental colour to your modern surrounds, Shack is well worth a look. And while it's certainly got large pieces of furniture - beds, dressers, tables - there are also lots of smaller items, perfect for wedding or housewarming gifts. Have I already admitted my addiction to homewares? Probably. So well, there you go - I was always going to end up at Shack.

You know what's you're gonna get from any place with the word "fantastic" in the name. Cheap stuff,…read moreyo! Whether it's kebabs, or bedside tables. Knock a couple of zero's off and get negotiating. Kidding you can't negotiate here - I think - but there's a very large range of beds, coffee tables, dinings settings, mattresses, and assorted home and living furniture. You won't find the latest designs and styles here, but then, this isn't Country Road Living, so shelve those expectations and get shoppin'. I got a mattress for $299, a wooden bed frame for $199, and had it delivered to my apartment for $60 or thereabouts. *dusts hands*. Spare room, sorted.

Great local business. Friendly family…read more Huge variety of plants. Great block of land. Will always choose this place rather than the big business.