Flint at Home is the sister shop to Flint down the road. This is shop is much warmer in feel…read morethough, with beautiful wooden floors and a nicer balance between the beachy shabby chic look and minimalism. They sell small collections of home decor items like candles, cushions in muted antique rose patterns, simple stoneware mugs, as well as some furniture and lots of design books. It's all quite expensive but very good quality. I can't afford much here but I go and look for inspiration- I love the color of the walls in the shop- a fabulous grey/pale blue.

This branch of Flint now houses both Flint at Home (the housewares) and the Flint clothing…read morecollection. The housewares are on the ground floor, the clothing upstairs. On the ground floor they have lots of coffee table books, a few cosmetics by REN and fragrances by Miller Harris, some nice vases and ornaments, embroidered cushions and flowers. Everything is in pale colours, whites, greys, pale blues and creams, and there is lots of unfinished wood. Upstairs the clothing has a similar feel, pale neutral shades by designers such as Margaret Howell. I couldn't afford to shop here, a plain linen scarf will set you back a good £70, but I suppose the aesthetic is fairly pleasant in a sophisticated but unstuffy kind of way. Unfortunately I tend feel a bit uncomfortable when I go in because the shop lady stares at me a bit, and says hello like she doesn't really mean it.

Papillon basically sells gifts/homeware items, such as picture frames, candle holders, scarves,…read moresilverware, incense, etc. The flyer says 'Delight In The Beauty Of The Midle (sic) East,' and although quite a bit of the stock is obviously sourced from the Middle East, such as silver jugs, glass lanterns, and a couple of ornate wooden chairs, some of the stock seems to be in a more old-lady style, such as some floral clocks, and these umbrellas that the shop keeper kept going on about. Basically these umbrellas were normal black umbrellas, but on top of the normal waterproof umbrella fabric was a black tulle layer. The shop keeper kept insisting that this meant you could use it either as a parasol or an umbrella. Overall the shop lacked cohesion, and the shop keeper's attitude was a little bit off putting because she kept nervously asking 'do you like it?' and 'what do you think?' like she needed reassurance. The venture seemed fairly new, so perhaps it will get better with time. Or perhaps not.

This is the shop to go to for the real thing if your looking to find the best go here and compare…read moreit will take the cake and you will be glad you make the choice. The Pine Chest has a great reputation for 30 years can you believe this !!! It is, no wonder you will get the best of the best in every way... go and check it out and don't go to another store. The furniture and service it 5 stars all the way....

The design of this shop so perfectly echoes a kilim, it is very well though out. I really love…read morekilims, they have an intricate aged look even when brand new and prove that some things need change very little to still be appreciated. Thi shop is a beautiful place to browse and admire but definitely one for collector's or those looking for something special to hand on a wall or take pride of place on floor- the kilims are old and pricey or new and pricey. All fantastically beautiful and lovely to see. If you are a fan it is always worth a look and if you have been hunting for the perfect one this may be your lucky day.

Gardner and Cook advertises 'decorative and useful objects for the house and garden', which isn't…read moretoo far off the mark, although I think the emphasis is probably more on the former quality than the latter. It's one of those shops where you could get yourself a floral-patterned trowel and a cast iron bird-table, but you wouldn't go to get a pair of secateurs... unless you wanted floral ones, I suppose. It's quite twee and Cath Kidson-esque, but seeing as I don't have a garden its emphasis on style rather than substance doesn't worry me - I'd more likely be in here looking for a present for an elderly relative. It sells cards and wrapping paper too, so the owners are obviously conscious of the fact that people are more likely to be in here purchasing for somebody else. One thing that does set this particular twee home/gift shop apart is its good selection of rare and second-hand garden and cookery books, which really is a useful resource and makes it a more unique place to buy a gift for a fanatical gardener or cook.

May's General Store looks from the outside more like a shabby chic interiors shop or vintage…read moreclothes boutique, but don't be fooled. As you step inside, a vigorous perfume of cinnamon, orange peel and sandalwood pervades your senses as your eyes adjust to the dim glow and you realise that this is a grocer, apothecary and gift shop all rolled into one. The food area of the shop is to the front, and it sells a very wide range of herbs and spices as well as 'organic sustenance' in the form of dry goods and fresh vegetables. They also sell crusty fresh bread from the Real Patisserie, which goes so well with the rest of the shop that you'd almost think it was part of the decor. To the rear of the shop is a home ware, gifts and clothes section, selling polka dot milk jugs, wooden toys and silk scarves, and all manner of little decorative bits and bobs. The owner was genial and helpful, and left us to browse undisturbed. It's not the sort of place I'd come to pick up something for lunch, but I'd definitely return for spices, biscuits, unusual ingredients and advice. I shall have to bring a wicker basket though, and accessorise with a couple of wolfhounds and a briar pipe.