Looking for a low-cost wok, pot, or steamer? There is no need to trek all the way to Shanghai…read moreStreet with this gem located in Sheung Wan near the MTR. They sell all manner of metal cookware and other items. They have several different grades, from low-cost consumer grade parts, to heavy-duty items for restaurants. I have stopped in here several times to get a large kettle for beer brewing, a thermometer, and metal cutlery. All of the items I have purchased have been of good quality for their price and the staff was always very kind and helpful.

Amazing store! In addition to an excellent selection of traditional Chinese and Western supplies,…read morethe staff is extremely helpful. We had a good discussion of different types of woks, knifes etc. Without asking for one, I received a tutorial on how to season a wok. A must for any chef in Hong Kong.

Pretty good kitchenware shop in Sheung Wan. A lot of the store is dedicated to glassware (wine…read moreglasses, decanters) and barware, but you can also find some basic plates, bowls, and mason jars, too. If you're into entertaining, they sell serving dishes, snack markers, and those big glass drink dispensers- perfect for serving infused water, jungle juice, or whatever tickles your fancy. Pricing is affordable. I wouldn't say this would be the place to go if you're looking for a nice gift for someone; rather, it's the kind of spot you visit if you're starting out on your own and looking for functional kitchenware (or not into spending much on such things.)

Franc Franc is a Japanese home decoration and furniture store. Even though it's a Japanese brand,…read morethe styles here are more western or classic than cute prints and animations-esque. Franc Franc pretty much sells every home-related item under the sun. Furnishing your apartment? They've got tables, chairs, rugs and everything you need to make your house the perfect home. Need cutlery? They've got classic forks and knives, and they have really nice plates and cups too - you'll be sure to find a design that you like. I find that Franc Franc is a good place to buy gifts for people when you aren't sure what to get them, just because there's such a large variety of stuff. For the ladies, there are a nice range of candles and candle holders - I actually have one myself and have bought a set for a family friend before. They've got tons of reed diffusers - not only do the scents smell good, the jars are adorable too! Franc Franc is a more feminine store - you won't find many guys in there - so this probably won't be the best place to look for gifts for your guy friends. The store that I frequent most is the one in Homesquare in Sha Tin, but it's also one of the smaller ones. You'll find mostly bits and bobs here like mugs and photo frames, but if you go to the bigger ones, like the one at Festival Walk or the two over at Causeway Bay, you'll see displays of furniture. They don't do things like beds though, but they've got you covered with living room furniture. Even though Franc Franc is a little pricey, I think it's worth checking out if you're moving in, thinking of redecorating your house, or just need a good gift for a friend.

Looking for unusual gifts? I thought this place was full of unique, cool, unusual gifts and…read morethings. As noted in some information I saw, the HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Developement Council) mission is to promote creativity, innovation and product excellence. They showcase the newest and best products of Hong Kong designers and brand manufactures. They use the gallery to launch and test market products and build brand awareness among international clientele. Local as well as an interesting concept....I like that. Quirky, fun, MOMA type gifts for self, spouse, friend or kid. As noted the great tunes playing on the showroom floor (an ambiance perk for a retail shopper!), you can browse everything from a cat shaped purse to a chicken electric kettle. From the bizarre to the functional, this store has a little something for everyone. They appear to have shop operations here a the Convention Centre, at the Departure Hall of the airport and also PMQ in Central.

OK, I get it, you need to get a gift for a friend back home, but you have absolutely exhausted…read moreLadies Market. There is no more Hong Kong tat that you can buy, now that you have already gifted the chopsticks in the little silk sleeve, the fake Mulberry bag, the belts that hide away your money, the waving fortune cats - arghhh, who would have thought you would run out of rubbish presents to buy! If this is indeed you, I would thoroughly recommend a visit to the HKTDC Design Gallery in the Convention Centre, Wan Chai. This haven of "stuff" is all 100% designed in Hong Kong, which means it is just that bit more genuine then those tea sets from Stanley Market. With a focus on young HK designers, and local brands, this is about as Hong Kong as you can get. Sure, the range of products is quite eclectic, anything from jewellery and iPhone cases, through to plates and lacquered boxes, and the designs themselves range from funny and childlike cartoon characters, through re-imaginings of historical photographs from Hong Kong. But this does make it an ideal place to shop, because you are bound to find something that you like. For me, it is a great place to buy greeting cards, and small gifts to take home. They even have a shop in the airport, in case of last-minute visits to Auntie Norah - you can't visit your auntie empty-handed now, can you? The prices of the products vary as much as their range. Nothing is too expensive, but in the same vein, nothing is particularly cheap. The products are very well-made, though. There is an ethos and focus on being a gallery, but I don't think it really resembles a gallery at all. The store is a retail store - bottom line, but if calling themselves a gallery helps shift a few more silicon ice-trays, then call yourself Dave for all I care.

A (new to me) modern Japanese housewares chain store in the city plaza. They sell from kitchen…read moredinnerware to bathroom towels and decor, to small furnitures like coffee table and sofas in a very affordable price. It is a great alternative than ikea products for paying a bit more what you would pay in ikea. But I love how their products look so stylish, modern and trendy. It's definitely not those traditional Chinese dinnerware places. Most dinnerware are ceramic with some glass options that cover different style for your home!

To my knowledge I only know of two stores on Mui Wo that specialize in Furniture. May Art Furniture…read moreDecoration Co. is the more budget friendly one. It's across the road from my apartment so when I first moved in it only made sense to give the place a visit, after all my home as naked of furniture. I walked into MAFDC with a set budget, eager to see how I could fill my living room and roof. I thought, by judging the stores outside, that I could get a couple of things, a table and set of chairs at least. The phrase, don't judge a book by its cover springs to mind. The store offers a decent standard of furniture with nothing (that I saw) under the $500 apart from the odd chair or stool. It's a long store with leather couches filling along the entire way. On either side the walls are lined with shelfs, cupboards, drawers, and a sign reading "custom made!", which I assume just means adding another 0 to the price for a choice of color. I walked from the entrance to the far end where the counter is and asked about outdoor furniture. The lady behind the counter simply pointed to a catalogue filled with all sorts of things. Primarily I was going for a parasol. They had one going for $650 with an average delivery time of 15 days, I have no idea if that's a good price or not, but I figured I'd need a table to eat on first before worrying about pimping up my rooftop! I asked her about her cheapest table and chairs, or if she had any discounts. She obviously wasn't used to dealing with customers like me and I highly underestimated the standard of the store. I left but promised myself to research the price of parasols... I probably should have put a time limit on that promise.

Mr Blacksmith is cool, super cool. It is a design-ware store that mixes practical designer…read morehome-ware items, with retro-chic throwbacks, and beautifully craft but perhaps useless gifts. It's the sort of place you would wander into on a hot Saturday afternoon to get out of the heat, but then end up in there for an hour playing with the cool trinkets and funky gadgets. You'd come here to buy one or two quirky things for your house, especially if you have had enough of the local flavour "OMG, not another set of chopsticks in a little silk purse", or gifts for the person who has everything. The products aren't particularly Hong Kong or local (unlike GOD), but still interesting anyway. The stores are piled high and somewhat crammed with stuff, so you will need a bit of patience to find that ideal gift. To give you an example of the sort of thing you can buy, why not try a bath whistle. This is a small plastic bird you half fill with water and then blow into. The water makes a chirping bird noise which is pleasant enough in the bath, but utterly useless! If the bird whistle doesn't interest you, how about a chair made out of radiators, or a massive wine cork stool? It's not cheap, I suppose designer gear isn't really supposed to be, but it is pretty. They do offer some wedding list services, but this seems to be in it's infancy as I found it hard to organise this with their head office. There are a couple of locations, one in Central and one in Wan Chai.