If you've just moved house or want to find some nice old pieces to add to your current collection,…read morebrowse the Brady's Used Furniture website or pop inside for a gander. There's heaps of used furniture, both old and new, as well as antiques and collectables, kitchenware, crystal and glassware, lounge suites, tables, chairs, china and silverware. Product lines include Royal Doulton, Shelley, Noritake and Beswick. I've bought a bunch of nice plates from here, at pretty reasonable prices and always of good quality. The floor stock is constantly changing so pop in regularly or browse the extensive website to see the latest influx.

I recently bought a sofa and TV unit from Brady's online business - sydneyusedfurniture.com and I…read morewas so impressed. Buying furniture online is one thing, but second hand furniture at that - even scarier. Obviously Gumtree is the first point of call for that sort of thing but given a baaaad experience in the past with furniture from there, I wanted to buy in a shop, but couldn't afford to go Harvey Norman or the likes. So, with serious trepidation, my partner and I saw the stuff we liked and took the chance, thinking 'how bad can it be'?! And it wasn't bad - at all! Their descriptions online were completely accurate - they pointed out a stain in the arm of the sofa which was not even that noticeable when it arrived - and their prices were totally fair. They delivered, on a Saturday too, and bang on time - even giving me a call 24 hours before to discuss the time. All in all, from order to delivery, we were sat on our new sofa with 3 days and all my fears subsided! It was clean, comfy and the TV unit was actually a really strong and well made thing - no plywood or dodgy loose connections! So, seriously recommend this place and I am so happy I have found somewhere I can buy from again and don't have to trawl through the awfulness of Gumtree again!

The Bower is a characteristically quaint tin shed wholesaling and co-oping beautifully restored…read moreantiques and reminds me of all those antique gem warehouses you can find through Mittagong and Bowral. There's sets of chairs that are selling for $70 for the whole set. It's the perfect place to practice your Bower skills particularly if you renovating for your home or business and you need to find special pieces that are not too expensive. In any case its a good idea to commit some time but otherwise if you are hunting for anything in particular wander and forage through to really enjoy some time here. There is a park outside with benches were you can enjoy a coffee and snack at one of the cafes in the vicinity of The Bower either before or after your rummage. Enjoy!

If you're wondering where all these new hipster cafes are buying their furniture then look no…read morefurther than The Bower in Marrickville. Here you'll find all your retro kitchen furnishings, wooden ladders of all sizes, old record players (both dead and working), beautiful frames, cupboards, dressers and a seemingly endless range of frameless doors. The Bower is a treasure trove of junk and one of my favourite places to shop when furnishing rooms or searching for props/theatrical sets. Whilst most things in the shop are quite cheap, the small section of repaired/refurbished items at the front of the shop are a little pricier.

Gorgeous shop with everything you could possibly want! Really beautiful witchy stuff and not…read moretoooooo pricey

Okay, so we all don't like knick knacks and from the outside of this glorious shop in Newtown…read morethat's about all it looks like....But don't judge a shop by its cover, because inside you'll be consumed for hours. I had initially stopped by because I was looking for an oil burner, but what I found was so much more and left with an armful. There were pillows and African fabrics, Japanese china and Moroccan lamps, candles and jewellery, handwoven baskets and hand painted frames. The textures and smells hypnotized. I could see a spot for each found gem in my place at home. I need this right? I kept telling myself. The staff is friendly and the prices are affordable. Don't forget to head upstairs for larger pieces such as dressers and stools. They take cards and cash so don't worry and prepare to spend some time.

I first learnt about Sibella Court when searching for her book Etcetera as a gift for my sister in…read morelaw who is an Interior Decorator. The search took me to her tiny 1860's corner shop in Paddington and was pleased I had the book for a reason to visit and to learn about more about Sibella. This book is now enjoying international success having spotted it in Anthropologie during a recent visit to the States and Selfridges in London. Sibella is an interior stylist from Sydney and she contributes regulary to Vogue Living and Inside Out. She has spent considerable time in New York with two of her clients being Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales. Her store in Paddington is magically inspiring with a collage of the bohemian, the old, the new, the well loved, mix of home wares and fabrics and pre-travelled items from twine, luggage tags, antique paper clips to pegs. I wander for some time admiring lIttle sailing ships, rusty antique scissors, medicine jars filled with little knick knacks and a hanging armchair. These items are reflective of her signature talent to bring extra to the ordinary. We learn that Sibella Court joined the Merivale team and worked on the creative direction with Kelvin Ho for this upmarket noodle bar and York 75 the newly renovated sports themed bar that was originally CBD. Society Inc is used to showcase this designer's talent and all the beautiful things she finds on her travels. It is well worth a visit just to see how Sibella Court can turn an everyday object into an extraordinary beauty.

So upon closer look, Newtown Old Wares has a smaller sub-shop to its right with more household-type…read moreitems. If you're even on a grand quest for an antique rotary phone, a retro radio, some decorative vases or perhaps a television circa 1950, this is your place! The long corridor through the center of the shop will lead you past nooks and crannies filled with treasures your grandmother once had. From gumball machines to Bakelite dishes, the antique merchandise has been well selected. If I had all the money in the whole world, I would have purchased two things here. First, I would have become the proud owner of a 60s desk with laminated world map covering its surface. However, by far the most interesting item in this whole shop is the 1960's home sauna. This contraption looks like a refrigerator with a head hole cut in the top. I can only guess that one climbs on it and shuts the door trapping oneself inside from the neck down and then.... Bakes? Or steams? Or stews? Either way, pretty ridiculous and therefor, pretty brilliant.

Macrame wall-hangings never died, they were just comatose for a while. Walking in here was like…read morewalking into my aunt and uncle's house when I was a kid. The abovementioned macrame, a cane chair-pod thing that hangs from the wall, dreadful kitsch nudes as art. Specialising in art and antiques from the 40's, 50's and 60's this is an absolute retro timewarp. You don't see pineapple-head money boxes and a green enamel electric stove for sale every day. While I was wandering the aisles, the two gentlemen staff were engaged in a very stern discussion over chair placement. People who take their furniture seriously. While not cheap from a buyer's point of view, the sign claims they hire and buy items as well. I still think macrame looks like an activity forced on 1940's mental patients awaiting their turn at the electroshock table.

Smallish local presence for the second-bigest hardware chain in Australia. It's usually got the…read morestuff I need, but I don't usually require (or know how to use) anything too specialised. Staff are OK.