Newly opened furniture store on City Road, just a few meters down from the easily recognizable…read moreKing's Furniture, the content of Picci could not be more different. A retro 70's inspired colour scheme seems to be evident throughout, with the soft geometrical shapes in hues of bright orange, lime green and magenta. The building seems to be some kind of warehouse conversion and offers a range of furniture such as couches, coffee tables and foot stools, as well as funky lighting fixtures, lamps and decorative pieces. Even if not looking to buy something Picci is still worth a look if you have time for a quick browse. The bright colours will give you if nothing else a hit of inspiration to take with you on your day.

"The greatest collection of everything but nothing in particular." How aptly said. This is the…read moretagline from the Supply and Demand store website. Yet, as a home ware store, Supply and Demand does its jobs well enough and offers a huge range of crockery and cutlery, napkins, table matter, candle holders, vases, tea towels, bathroom gear, art and selected pieces of furniture. It also carries a great range of vintage inspired tin signs, plenty of glassware and bits and bobs to give your home a fun, quirky appeal. I absolutely love the French inspired vintage garb, new (old) milk crates, milk bottles and the elegant collection of affordable provincial style décor items. And even though the shop is quite cluttered (and it will take you some time to soak in the atmosphere), it is because of this that Supply and Demand is so much fun to shop in. Great for gifts and picking up home décor items that you don't necessarily need but just add a fun touch to your décor scheme.

If you are a devoted interiors person like I am want to be, Supply & Demand does fill in the gaps…read more A great go- to place for a wide variety of homewares at heavily discounted prices. Some are contemporary, some provincial, some industrial, some retro kitsch... You get the idea here. It does offer a lot, and they seem to be working on their layout of things, which these days seem more grouped according to style and also function. Yay visual merchandising! Makes for a more pleasant buying experience. True, a selection of the items sold do make you wonder about the longevity and overall quality, but like I said, an interior stylists needs the range to work with, within budget and most importantly looks great and looks the part that they are crafting in terms of achieving the style. Good stylists know that you do NOT put a room together with things from ONE single store alone even though you could and no one will stop you. But beware the raised eyebrow! Sometimes, things just need to look good from a distance. The staff mostly leave you alone until you approach the counter with your goods. Still, don't really expect the ultimate customer service here. They have an offshoot store on High Street, Armadale called Industria which focuses more on, you guessed it, industrial furniture and home wares.

What a gorgeous shop front. Those windows! And that's just the exterior…read more Inside, it's even better. The ground floor is full of mint condition mid-20th-century furniture. Beautiful pieces of furniture in such good nick can demand a high price and they do. Knowing I can't afford much on this floor, I usually cast a quick glance over the goods just as a treat to my eyes, and then head up the stairs to the vintage clothes. I'm always pleasantly surprised by the prices here. For this location on Smith Street, the stall holders could really ask for more for their vintage finds, but they don't, and I for one, am not only grateful, but feel vindicated for being annoyed at retailers for upping the price tag just because they can. This is how it should be done. Beautiful store filled with earthly delights for all the enjoy (and possess).

A treasure trove of antiques and vintage furniture, if you wanted the decor of Mad Men all you need…read moreto do is visit the Smith Street Bazaar. Beautiful tables, sleek chairs and intricate sideboards are scattered throughout the enormous store. There are also some fantastic lamps, tea sets and vases, that look as thought they belong in your grandparents houses in the 1950s and 1940s. Up towards the back is a modest clothing section that has a great range of shoes, bags and accessories too (90s backpacks are back in people!). They also have an impressive range of costume jewellery. It isn't surprising that the Smith Street Bazaar always has some devoted retro fans or artists crawling through and marveling at the woodwork or kitsch posters. Last week I was very tempted by a slick wooden chair that was low, sexy, and remarkably modern, but with a price of $700 (quite reasonable for a quality piece but a mere dream to a student), I unfortunately had to kiss that beautiful piece of work goodbye. One day when I have an income and a house, I'll buy some furniture from the Smith Street Bazaar. But until then, it's always a pleasure to just look.

Surround Interiors showroom is a large, trendy furniture store that stocks luxurious contemporary…read morefurniture and home accessories. It also carries a stunning range of custom lighting options and dramatic wall surface treatments so you can dress your home for success. Located conveniently on Inkerman in St Kilda hints at the unique range of customers it services: clientele who know what they want and have a distinctive style and elegance. It's definitely not enough to just walk past this store if you're in the market for furniture because they carry a wide range of pieces that are available in custom sizes and fabric options to suit your design needs. I also love the quirky accessories such as the bevelled box edge mirror, cute decorative mossy elephants, gorgeous black dyed sheep skins and an assortment of cool, graphic vases.

A company that sells mid century furniture from WITHIN a mid century building are either extremely…read moreflukey or crazily committed. Im going to choose the latter. A 1950's yellow brick house in Westgarth is the location for this recent addition to the vintage designer furniture/home wares market. The stock is made up the expected sleek Danish pieces, arm chairs, side boards, dressers, tables and cabinets. Theres a real mix of the high and low. So even if you arent able to pick up the four figure Swedish buffet you can still walk out with a cheaper selection 60s/70s crockery, bric a brac and art. I have seen a few pieces (70's vases, framed prints) considerably cheaper in op shops and larger vintage stores but there is still enough variation in their stock to warrant a visit from keen collectors.

I have a friend who went from ordering atomic 'inspired' chairs from Ebay - provenance: China,…read morevintage: last week - to filling his bachelor pad with exclusively mid-century Scandinavian design within a matter of months. People who fall for Scandinavian design tend to fall hard. For mid-century design junkies in Northcote, Know Your Product is the place to go. Stocking a small but extremely well edited range of 60s and 70s furniture and design from Scandinavia and Australia alongside cult pieces like 70s West German pottery lava vases and the like. Sure, an original sixties Danish teak cabinet will set you back a cool $2,000 but for those serious about good design or simply seeking some inspiration ahead of a trip to Ikea, Know Your Product is a great place for a browse.

I was walking down Smith Street when I discovered a lovely store I hadn't seen on my prior trips…read more Meet Oliverbirch- a boutique store where their buyer (Marissa-sp?) takes pride & care in selecting beautiful products that invites all of your senses- smell, touch, see etc. From linen shirts, dresses, and pants that are good for summer & travel for any future destination, to accessories for the home (think gorgeous decor and that little tiny bowl you just want to drop your earrings into), this place is a must-stop for a gift you have been seeking for the special persons in your life-including yourself! While I was there, I enjoyed perusing through all the leather bags (some are created & made in Australia or produced in India/China), in addition to nice linen/cloth totes that are practical but stylish for everyday chores & wear. I also loved all the different candles that are perfect for gifts- such as "Bestie" or "Soul Sister" etc. And this place is not just for the ladies. Men will find curated shaving goods and hand lotions that will fit on your bathroom counter but give it that extra pizazz before you start your workweek. The location is on Smith Street very close to the corner of Gertrude Street (about one block down) and on the opposite side of where Crumpler is located. There are glass windows surrounding the boutique which gives it a light and fresh atmosphere for those who need relief from the sporadic Melbourne weather & heat. I couldn't decide what I wanted to buy when I was there (I was eyeing a green leather Tasmanian designer tote or a soft sage green linen tote). It was so much fun to look at how everything was placed for visual acuity. But I hope to return after much contemplation of things I may want to buy. It's a beautiful space w/ lovely staff that will attend to your needs but not overly doting, which is a good combo.

I can whole heartedly recommend Thomas & Co. to anyone looking for something a little more unique…read morethan is ordinarily found in homewares stores in Australia. Beyond the vast (and eclectic) range of goods, the service from all staff is exceptional. They are truly willing to go well beyond expectations to make absolutely certain you are happy with your purchase. Having purchased a custom made Salon couch from these folks (that ended up not fitting in the house - long story, but the store is looking after the issue perfectly), I can honestly not sing their praises highly enough. I've read a few reviews from unhappy customers and simply can't understand how their situations arose - you'd really have to try to have a negative experience here.

Thomas Gannan is one of those great shops that just seems to attract people. From its clever window…read moredisplays and quirky products, it certainly seems to have a lot going on. And this is very true. The busy store carries a wide range of homeware - from dazzling lighting, jazzy cushions, trendy table matter, witty décor pieces and functional kitchen ware. It also has a lovely range of children's toys, room accessories and gifts. But more importantly, Thomas Gannan carries a good mix of exclusive Jardan sofas and stunning Arthur G lounges. It also features a selection of environmentally sustainable Australian timber furniture, which can be custom made to suit your needs. I've bought quite a few presents from this store and have always been impressed by the service. It's not often that a sales person asks whether you would like a new piece but they do here!

Think Provincial Home Living without the exorbitant high price tags, and you've got a good idea of…read morewhat Fusion Loft is all about. Contemporary, modern pieces, orient inspired themes or go back to the Victorian era, any sort of theme for home decor and interior design is located at Fusion Loft. Every piece is classic and therefore the shop is quite eclectic in style; it's not overladen with useless junk, they stock furniture and furnishings that are unique and of high quality. At the moment I'm in love with black and white canvas prints, Fusion Loft have a beautiful assortment of famous landmarks and Hollywood glamour prints including Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. Check out the range of chest boxes also. Parisian designs, Audrey Hepburn in black and white and many other themes; they're all just beautiful and a very crafty way of storing away unsightly objects in your home that have no other place to live. Beautiful lighting and antique furniture, as well as jewellery. If I could live in this shop, I would.