Surprisingly well stocked : as a professional that needs graphic, colour and technical material you…read morehave to go way into Covent Garden to match it. The staff are always very helpful too. it's a gem that the 'chain' art stores can't quite match.

Oh how I love an arts supplies shop. Always so much glitter, ribbon and fun-coloured scissors. I…read morealways go in for a pencil sharpener or such object and leave, £50 down but bags of arts-and-crafts goodies to play with when I get home. And no, I don't have a child. London Art, currently decorated with the sweetest Christmas display that does involve those old paper-link chain things you made in primary school, has more cool bits and pieces that you can imagine. Papers, glues, calligraphy pens, pencils...you name it, they've got it. Heaven.

No one can deny that Habitat is a place of good taste. You might deny it if you were a sultan or…read moresomething or one of those weird shirking consumer good types, but most people would agree Habitat rocks. I like this store because it has beautiful bedding and faux fur throws. I like this store because it doesn't abuse colour and has nice terra cotta robes. I like this store because it has two floors and sells a multicoloured owl (for 35.00?!). I like this store for the glasses, for the laid out rooms with lime paint ( and I hate Lime but it works here). I like Habitat for it's naff prints for your wall. I like it for rugs and bumpy sofas that are comfortable yet slightly ill fitting. Yes, I'll be richer one day and shop at Habitat. I'll live in West Hempstead and be raw and bleached regularly. Hope is alive.

Having the luck of staying close by on Finchley Rd, we passed by the O2 Centre every day. We did…read moreof course enter Habitat every day to look at the great home decor and furnishings. Unfortunately we can't bring funishings back with us, but we did however find great articles for around the house. Why would we travel with these items from the UK to the USA? Well, they were beautiful and get this, even with the dollar to pound conversion ... cheaper than we can get here. It is true! Pretty and not pricey. I love it!

I stopped by at this shop which has lovely French neutral kitchen plates, cups and some interior…read morechairs. I love the look of it all and bought a large breakfast cup and a lovely knitted cushion. Still in good condition so good quality and the price was right for them. I will definitely go back for more for my new place.

From the owner: Welcome Bienvenue in Coco Home Style, a celebration of the…read morehome a la Française! Coco Home Style is a new boutique that offers stylish French furnitures, home accessories and feminine romance essentials. Within our boutique, you will find beautiful home furnishings for today's lifestyle. Coco Home Style has everything you need to adorn your home. Home accessories are a perfect way to refresh a house/flat in a more reasonable way than moving to a new one. At Coco Home Style we give you the opportunity by offering a whole range of beautiful French home accessories, from cushions, mirrors, lamps, home fragrances, candelabras, candles, clocks and more to give a new look at your interior. French stylish furniture Give a unique look at your home within Coco Home Style, you will find elegant authentic French designs furnitures. We source our quality products from France from established brands such as Cote Table, Jardin d'Ulysse and Comptoir de Famille, Mathilde M. shabby chic, vintage, ...

If you have children or grandchildren or are just young at heart, this toy store is where you want…read moreto shop. Not only is it overflowing with all kinds of imaginative and creative toys and games, the staff and owner give the kind of service that box stores and even large department stores just do not give anymore. Run, don't walk to shop here. It is so worth it. My husband and I went in seeking a game that our daughter could not find that is from Denmark that our granddaughter had played and loved. While the store owner did not have it, she happened to be going to Denmark. On her own time, she made a special effort to find it, and bring it back in time for us to get to our granddaughter by Christmas. When you find that kind of dedication to a child's joy, it tells you a lot about what a great place it is to shop.

I used to come here as a child and always loved it. Great selection, kind staff and good prices…read more I live in New York now but whenever I visit my parents in London, Happy Returns is a guaranteed stop for my daughter. She loves everything about the place - great selection of JellyCats, super toddler toys and even some educational gifts for my older niece. Excellent inventory and they are always bringing in new toys, so it never gets old. The current owner Jenny is really wonderful. My daughter was playing with a Peppa Pig backpack but it was a bit too big for her, so Jenny got her a Peppa Pig handbag she wears the whole time now. She's great; really cares about the kids and the parents. I absolutely love Happy Returns!!

Escotts is a shop that you would expect to find in Kensington or Chelsea, not West Hampstead. They…read moredo very posh upholstery,curtains and blinds, focussing on just a few designers, which include Jane Churchill, Andrew Martin, Malabar and Liberty Furnishings. Their prices are borderline extortionate, but they have made some spectacular blinds for me over the years so I thought that they deserved a mention.

Three generations of our family have used Escotts. We've all been pleased by their fine…read morecraftsmanship, attention to detail and honesty. They provide an excellent service and you get what you pay for. If an item of furniture is going to cost a lot, they are completely upfront about it, leaving you to decide whether to go ahead or not. You might call it pricey but when it lasts for decades, it's a worthwhile investment! Mark's cheery singing is worth a listen, Jean's advice on fabrics is spot-on and Derek turns getting a quote into a fun experience. The last piece of furniture they re-upholstered for me was a sofa, which got compliments from every visitor to our home, 'on sight', followed by further satisfied sounds 'on seat'. Unlike other 'upholsterers', Escotts make a real effort with the stuff on the inside that you can't see, as well as exteriors. I would trust them to do a good job on chairs, curtains, blinds and even last minute adjustments on wedding dresses (I couldn't think of anyone else I could trust with such an important job! lI don't think that's a usual part of their trade though.) I even have a stool that needs re-covering in mind for the next generation of our family, who is due to join us early next year. If you want bespoke upholstery work from a local family business, definitely try Escotts.