This is a great shop for DIY enthusiasts nestled in the lovely shopping area in Kemp Town…read more The good thing about this kind of establishment is they are so friendly, you don't feel like a complete muppet when asking for advice on which tools to buy or just for advice on a current project. They have some great bargains in here if you ask or dig deep. I recently bought a Makita drill from there and it came with a good discount.

I looked in on these guys today out of nothing more than passing interest and was rewarded to find…read morethat there is a totally practical and well stocked out hardware store in Kemp town. This is refreshing as, to my knowledge, for years all you were ever to find on St James street and the surrounding area were great cafes and lifestyle shops, the bohemian attitude shunning such practicalities as tools. But now the good people of Kemp town can arm themselves with all they need to take on any DIY or basic home repairs without having to travel across town. As it says in the other write up's of this place the service is flawless. Not like the spotty disinterested teen that may have shown you around BnQ or the burly blokes in the trade centres that seem to be fluent in builder. No these guys seem to have the Kemptown Attitude to running a shop and the knowledge to give you exactly what you need.

I do love a bit of banter when you walk into a shop and I guess your probably going to get that in…read morea good old fashioned independent decorators merchants. I went into Hove Paints to purchase a tin of basic white gloss to get my doors and skirting boards looking a bit newer and felt like I was in the middle of a sitcom. There was a small gang of rosy cheeked, hairy builders sitting around guzzling tea laughing their heads as they poked fun at the shop manager who, while trying to keep a straight face, was very helpful. They cater for trade and DIY here and they do deliver when you order over a certain amount. I love shops like this though as there's always someone around to give you some advice or crack a good joke!

This shop was recommended to me by Grieves DIY when I was looking to do some redecorating. They're…read morereally friendly in here and if you describe a colour that you have in your head or take a swatch of something you want to match, they're pretty good at doing it, you can choose from hundreds of colours in their colour guides books. The main brands they stock are Macphersons, Sandtex and Crown and they also sell coving packs too.

Artist and sculptor Nigel Emery is based permanently here creating bespoke, one off pieces for the…read morepublic to pop in, have a good look and then hopefully buy! Its a great place to spend some time looking around as everything is so interesting. A lot of the art is acrylic on canvas which I think always looks best to me. Gives it plenty of depth. My favourite is a piece called 'Cows', really sweet cartoon like cows on a beautiful coloured landscape. There's so much in here that will look good on your walls.

Great little shop run by the resident artist Nigel. Service is really friendly and low pressure…read more The shop stocks original art as well as a good mix of home wares from vases to furniture. Well worth a visit if you are passing through or dont live too far away.

It has everything that I could possibly want for my house. For real! I love everything in there…read more They have amazing stuff from tableware to woodenware, textiles and enamelware, from glassware to tea pots, jugs and mugs on a shop with such a nice decoration and pleasant staff that makes a shopping experience being so good. The shop is really cool, on a building with a lovely colour and all the wonderful things are organized in a neatly and tidy way that makes it even harder to resist. Ok, I couldn't decide on what to buy (luggage restrictions - but good for my wallet, otherwise I would just bought everything!!) so I had to go one second time to check again and buy as much as I could! Thus, two times on the same day and they already knew me! Oh well, is just the way it is, but they were friendly, chatty and their product knowledge is amazing. So, feel free to go around, buy all you need (and what you don't need but there are so many awesome things that is just impossible not to) and try not spending all your money! Totally worth it.

Utility is a fun little shop selling all those household items you didn't realise you needed until…read moreyou walked through the doors. Their philosophy is supplying goods that are both attractive and hard waring, the name of the shop and the idea being drawn from WWII rationing. They have a large range of bakeware, storage pots, utensils, dining ware, aprons and tea towels. Some items even come with explanations in case their use isn't obvious. I came away with a couple of old fashioned preservation bottles and a nifty little device to stop teapots dripping - a highly original Christmas present and lots of fun while the recipient tries to guess the function of said gift! The shop owner is really friendly and loves a chat as you browse. They also have an on-line shop if you're not local but still want to check out what they have to offer.

I like this branch of Cargo and usually come out with something. The goods are temptingly displayed…read moreand they have a good range of gift ideas as well as the normal funiture, kitchen utensils and home decor. I was strong & ignored the Christmas decorations (I usually succumb) but bought some prezzies and was strongly attracted to some of vases, great for Christmas twigs & lights. In the summer they have really unusual outdoor furniture & accessories. I have a Cargo discount card which gives 10% off, I was given it free sometime ago but I think they may cost £5 now. Still worth it if you are going to buy furniture. Staff are always helful.

I went to this shop recently to look at the bedroom furniture. I was quite disappointed as it…read moreseemed to be badly put together, with doors not shutting very well. However whilst I was there I saw loads of original ideas for christmas presents. If I was not for the fact I have finished mine I would probably have got quite a few! They had some lovely rugs, but despite having them on display was told they were out of stock for a few weeks?? I would definately recommend a walk around this shop if you are stuck for ideas for presents.

I'm not a big fan of interior design or decorating but under instructions from the wife I was sent…read moreto collect samples. I'm amazed at how easy the staff at Farrow & Ball make the whole process for you. It really had that kind of feel about the place that they cared what you chose rather than get the money and get rid attitude that so many places have. The wide range is quite daunting also but again with staff that know what they are talking about I would advise anybody this should be the 1st (and probably only) port of call.

This shop is excellent for almost anything you need for the home. So much so, I collected my Mother…read morefrom Southwick to take her there to save on the hustle and stress of going to "Stresco" for a new Kettle, Toaster and Microwave. The Toaster and Kettle are made in Britain and are Stainless Steel too, the whole lot for £100! I too DON'T shop with Amazon, purely due to their ethics. Plus I don't understand why you wouldn't go to the shop and get something there and then, rather than waiting for days for the item to arrive. Baffling! Chris and the team are super helpful and they deserve to have far more customers considering there's 5000x residents in Henfield. The Henfield residents ALL need to put down their tablets and phones and pop in to this amazing shop!

Hamfelds is a family run business in the heart of Henfield. There is almost nothing you need at…read morehome, that you can't find in the store. If there is something you want but it isn't in store the owner will order it in for you. It has a great variety of products. I personally recommend this store to keep our High Street alive. I refuse to shop at Amazon, however "convenient" it is as they are putting small family businesses out of business. Shop smart, shop local!

This is the Hove original of the Bert's Homestore chain (there's now one in Brighton too), located…read morein the pleasantly pedestrianised shopping area of George Street. (George Street is small but reasonably quiet, even on a Saturday - it's the complete opposite of Brighton city centre.) They sell lots of stuff for kitchens and bathrooms, concentrating on accessesories such as knives, chopping boards, tea-strainers, tea-pots, mug tress, washing up bowls in funky designs, etc. rather on standard crockery and cutlery (although there are a few basic items). It's attractively laid out and lovely to browse, and excellent for things such as olive spoons, tea-bag squeezers, lemon rind peelers, which in my book are not essentials, but make those specific tasks so much easier. The staff are lovely too. It's hard to leave without buying something

This is a trendy little shop selling everything you need (and a lot you don't) for your home. While…read moreI try not to shop at supermarkets if I can, the one thing I think is worth buying from them is kitchenware as its so much more expensive in shops like this. I just wouldn't pay £14.95 for a fold away colander. Why have a fold away colander? That said, they do sell a really good range of kitchen knives here at good prices and that's one thing you should spend a but of money on.