Run by veteran antique dealer Paul Downs and his partner April, SWAG is a stylish and unique…read moreshowroom that displays distinctive pieces of antique furniture. Everything is sourced by the couple themselves and as a result, you'll find old leather arm chairs and 1930s sofas next to stainless steel cabinets, wooden chests, trunks and unusual lights. The quality and originality of the stock means the prices venture towards the expensive. For those with a smaller budget however, there's also a small selection of paintings, decorative letters, statues, world globes and mirrors. Since the couple are so friendly, it's also worth making them an offer if there's something you really want but can't quite stretch to.

On first glance I thought this antiques shop looked slightly austere, and in fact I wasn't even…read moresure it WAS an antique shop at first, so sparsely arranged and high quality is the furniture. However, on closer inspection Swag proves to be a very stylish showroom of the highest quality antique furniture and home furnishings. It is an unusual experience compared with many of Brighton's other secondhand furniture dealers, who generally inhabit musty, cavernous shops, characterised by clutter and chaos. Swag is clean and polished; full of 1930s and 1940s office and home furnishings that would fit perfectly in a Film Noir set. I particularly like the metal desk lamps...they really capture something of another time. Although I personally enjoy the rummaging treasure-hunt aspect of the more casual antique/ junk shops in town, I do admire the experience and precision and with which the owners have sourced their collection. The stock is beautiful, just a little pricey for me! A great place to find striking one-offs if you have money to burn.

Abode is the perfect place to find homeware gifts for a loved one…read more Or for a loved one to find gifts for you! Situated about halfway down Kensington Gardens, it's charming boutique store that has lovely side tables, console tables, room dividers, fringe panels, floor lamps, table lamps, pigeon lights, marimekko fabrics, wall stickers, mirrors and luxury bedding. If you already have everything you need in the lounge and bedroom department, they also sell gorgeous kitchen and bath accessories from china, glasses, tea-pots and coasters to candles, soaps and towels. Don't know if they still have any in stock, but last time I went in I fell in love with the wicker bulls head and the Ibride ostrich console table.

Abode is a lovely little lifestyle boutique, which sells all sorts of fancy things for your home…read more Scented candles, velvet cushion covers, vases and more are laid out in uncluttered, attractive displays around the shop. They also sell small items of furniture, including some really classy wooden side tables and stools. Christmas is by far the best time to visit the store, as they have all sorts of beautiful decorations for your tree. They have a gorgeous selection, including gold Christmas trees and stars as well as some really beautiful glass decorations in the shape of parrots and other pretty birds. I bought a few last year in turquoise, white and gold and they really transformed my tree! In fact, they're so lovely that I've hung them up in my bedroom all year. Abode is a shop full of things you'd rarely buy yourself...quirky light fittings, gilded bird cages and some really delicate chinaware. It is almost impossible to walk around without starting a mental wish-list, making it the perfect place to start your Christmas list, whilst picking up a few gifts yourself! You can even create your wedding list at Abode! NB. Everything feels a bit delicate, so it's not a great place to bring the kids!

Such a cool shop with nice furniture selection.read more

Great home decor store with lots of options. Very stylish and reasonable prices.read more

They closed WAY earlier than closing time and my sister just gave birth and we asked them to hold a…read moreblanket for my sister that they said to get today!! TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!!

This is a great shop to pick up some quirky gifts or pieces for your home…read more I'm obsessed with their animal plant pot range that starts at only £7.99. Go check it out!

I am writing this review having just come back from the Oliver Bonas store in Brighton…read more A friend of mine is getting married on Saturday and I have been looking for the ideal gift for him and his wife to be. I dropped in at Oliver Bonas as I have been to their stores in London and have found lovely gifts for people in there before. I was undecided whether to get body lotions/creams/bath stuff or candles. I saw a lovely gift set for £25 that I was just about to pick up and buy, when one of the ladies that works there came over to me and asked if I needed any assistance. She pointed out that it would probably work out cheaper to buy the items in the gift set separately, and proceeded to let me have a smell of some of the bodywashes and soaps. She was very helpful and not at all going for overkill, which I find happens at a lot of stores these days. I didn't feel pressurised at all. In the end I went with buying some nice shower gel with some handwash and cream. The sales assistant very kindly offered to giftwrap them for free! Sadly, the gift box I needed was out of stock, so the sales assistant then let me have a really nice gift bag for free! It would have cost £4.50 usually. I thought this was a wonderful gesture. I'll definitely be going back.

This is a fascinatingly strange place, specialising in elaborate masks…read more The range includes some wonderful examples of mask-making: bright colours, elaborate decoration, full feathers. The prices aren't as extortionate as you might expect either, and while some masks are pricey, others are available for under £20. The only problem is - what the heck would one do with these things? I'd quite like to own one, but I very much doubt it would get much use. Perphaps as a wall decoration?

There's something a touch Eyes Wide Shut about Mariposa…read more An old fashioned antique shop in the Lanes, it's been selling unique and chintzy figurines, ornaments, presentation plates, glass fruit bowls and lamps for the last two decades. The thing that dominates the walls and windows however, are an eye-catching array of handmade, papier mache masks with decorative feathers, glitter, silk and paint effects. According to the owner, some people buy them just for display purposes whilst others snap them up for balls, special occasions and fancy dress parties. Personally, I can't look at them without thinking of Stanley Kubrick, Tom Cruise and amoral sex games with masked strangers.

On the look-out for a new armchair or lamp?…read more England At Home is a lovely boutique shop that sells furniture and home accessories that wouldn't look out of place in Elle Decoration or Living Etc. As well as a small assortment of leather and wool chairs and loungers, they sell swish side-tables, lampshades, chandeliers and mirrors. If you're after something unique as a gift, they also have buddha statues and cool cushions embroidered with everything from Union Jack flag to burlesque girls in kitty heels and underwear. If you plan to go soon, could you pick me up two of the latter?

One of several quirky home decor store in Brighton. I love the tail wagging clocks of dogs in…read moreblack hanging on the wall as soon as you enter the store! They sell interesting stationary too.

I have a thing for skulls. Not real human skulls, but I tend to collect decorated skulls and…read moreskeletons from wherever I travel to. I once shleped home a foot tall hand painted wooden skeleton from Guatemala just because I had to have it in my collection of paper mache sugar skulls. Yes, there is a review coming! Walking through Seven Dials I noticed a mirrored mosaic skull hanging in the window of this second hand furniture and house clearance shop. When I went in to inquire about the price, the very lovely owner said to my surprise "£15". I immediately said "sold" and he offered to deliver it to my flat. AMAZING! The point being that even though R.W Berry & Sons deal in house foreclosures and real crafted wooden furniture, you can stroll by and find the most amazing bits and bobs. Be sure to get your hands on it straight away, because most likely it won't be there tomorrow.

Every home decor magazine from Elle Decoration to Living Etc seems to be running features on…read moreupcycling at the moment. For those not familiar with the term, it involves modernising and updating old furniture rather than buying new and using more of the planet's resources. A small secondhand furniture store in Seven Dials, R W Berry is perfect for established and wannabe upcyclers. Unlike a lot of the antique shops in the North Laines, the stock is reasonably priced and there's an interesting mix of desks, dining tables, chairs, dressers, wardrobes, mirrors and clocks. Since most of the stock comes from house and office clearances, there's also the odd filing cabinet, standard lamp and animal head amidst the ornaments and furniture. All you need to start upcycling is cans of paint, varnish and your imagination!

The Witch Ball is one of those lovely Lanes oddities: perched in the centre of the Lanes area, it…read moreis an easy place to miss on a meander, and a real treasure trove once found. Specialising in antique prints and maps, The Witch Ball offers some really exceptional pieces, well worth their price, and an excellent addition to any home. In terms of the pieces on display, The Witch Ball offers an excellent selection of various prints and maps. With pieces from all over the world, including maps of some ridiculously far flung locales, as well as hundreds of British and Brightonian pieces, there is truly something very any art lover. Everything is kept in excellent condition, and there are so many buried away that a good browse can take up more than the better part of an afternoon. In particular, I recommend going up the very tight staircase for a look-around upstairs: some of the best pieces are hidden away up there. There is little I can complain about in this excellent little antique shop. It is just the right side of pokey: not too difficult to explore, and yet small enough to feel homey and friendly. While the owners can sometimes be a little prickly, don't let that get in the way, as it is such a joy to browse through. If maps and prints aren't your thing, this isn't the place for you; if they are, give yourself a couple of hours on the weekend and take the time to find the piece for you. The reason for the high star rating, primarily, is the originality factor: you truly won't find pieces this good anywhere else, let alone in Brighton.

From the owner: Antique maps and prints, vintage and antique jewellery.read more

Try the cafe from breakfast to Sunday lunch , ask for Mark the cafe manager always willing to help…read moreall the girls are patient, nothing is too much trouble , oh ask louis to cook your breakfast I'm doing weightwatchers and he has been very helpful. The main wyevale garden centre offers so much it's hard to list . Always an array of colours a bountiful haven for any budding gardener , or just to look at .

Property is so expensive in Brighton that what would be considered a bin yard up North is…read moreconsidered a spacious front or back garden here! Being lucky enough to have both a spacious front and back garden, I am always on the look out for gorgeous new plants. I usually buy my lavendar and herbs from Flower City round the corner and go to Wyevale Garden Centre for everything else. It's expensive but the stock is always varied and extremely good quality. They have plant pots, soil, gardening furniture and seeds inside and a massive selection of seasonal and perennial flowers, plants and fruit trees inside. I've bought everything from rosemary, thyme and chilli plants to dahlias and rose bushes and everything has grown beautifully. In fact, if I could afford it I'd go back tomorrow and order fig and olive trees for next spring.