As soon as I walked into this grand furniture showroom on Whiteladies Road, despite the fact that…read moreit's a chain, I thought of the houses on the Downs. Can you imagine living in one of those beautiful mansions? Oh wow. Suffice to say, if I owned one of those houses, I'd furnish it with pieces from Wesley Barrel, especially one of their floral print classic sofas. Also not to be missed is their magnificent dining range. Be careful though; grand furniture for a grand house, or it could end up looking a little dated and stuffy.

From the frames of each bit of furniture being hand crafted from seasoned wood to the springing,…read morepadding and covering - each item of furniture here is made with love and care. It may carry a price tag that looks more like a phone number, but in this place it's really worth it. Sofas, armchairs and dining accessories the same - everything about this place oozes charm and sophistication. This is the sort of thing Country Living thrives upon. And so it should. Bravo.

If I had a thousand pounds to decorate my room, I would come to Sense…read more Very contemporary, very chic, very nice! I couldn't help but feel a little in awe wandering round this shop, they have thought of just about everything from furniture, to decoration, lighting of every kind even garden accessories. At the moment they have some huge, and I do mean huge, cups and sauces outside which I assume you would plant a pretty plant in, though they looked way to good to put soil in if you ask me! As well as quite extravagant things they do have a good selection of affordable bits and pieces ideal from presents or to brighten up your room, like picture frames, fairy lights, and statement cushions! Not everything in here is to my taste, I think you will either love or hate some pieces but it's definitely work popping in on your way past.

"DO NOT ENTER if you have a dreary, grey, misty, Autumn outlook, as you may be distressed by the…read morecontents of this shop and might have convulsions". This sensory warning should be displayed prominently at the door of the excellent shop - 'Sense Clifton' - all bright and glittering, colourful pinks, blues and shiny metals. On the other hand, if you have a sparkling magpie persona, fine. Or if you just want to be shocked out of your November torpor, come to Sense for a quick fix. You dont have to buy anything, just browse and you'll fell much better. Though of course, the owners would also feel much better if you did buy something, so why disappoint - they will have done you a good turn. According to some blurb, Sense "...offers a smart mix of design-led products with a contemporary edge...". Apparently, the owners' frequent trips to Holland have given them a new perspective on design. They wanted to attack all the senses and create a complete home environment, everything from comfortable leather seating, exciting lighting and soft furnishings to unusual gifts. Pay a visit yourself, check it out, but take heed of the sensory warnings - highly recommended.

Oskar, the furniture shop is definitely a cool place to go to deck out your abode. It's something…read moreof an expensive and better quality Ikea, and more central, which is definitely a plus point for a pedestrian like myself. I really like the style of the furniture here, it's kind of Eastern, but also modern and trendy, and I always nearly persuaded to buy something every time I go in here. The price tag is a little off putting though, but I will definitely visit again when I can afford to.

This modern furniture shop, situated towards the bottom of Whiteladies Road, is a great place to…read morecome for inspiration, even if your wallet can't quite stretch to some of the price tags. A mix of Eastern and Western design ideas, Oskar is certainly more upscale than Ikea and slightly more individual than nearby Habitat. As well as the shop, which acts as a showroom, there is a warehouse around the corner which can be seen by appointment. I found the woman in the shop to be a little distracted the last time I went in but this place is still worth a visit, particularly for the accessories, which are more affordable and a great way to jazz up a living room.

As I mentioned in one of my previous reviews of a Clifton Village business it is often those at the…read morehigher end of the price spectrum who tend to cling on to the past a little longer than the rest. Focus on the Past on Waterloo Street is a prime example. The first thought that comes to mind for me is 'old stuff being sold for loads of money'. Now this may seem like a layman's jaunt at any antique shop but I'm actually no stranger to such stores. Many an hour have I spent perusing the worlds of my ancestors in various dimly lit rooms and backyards. I am no stranger to the world of antiques. This place really strikes me as one that has got a little carried away with itself. Admittedly there are some beautiful items of furniture on offer but it just seems way too steep for what it is.

With its attractively chaotic-looking jumble of items on the pavement, this shop is good fun for a…read moregood rummage and explore. There is absolutely heaps of stuff for sale here, from the more expensive things like big pieces of antique furniture, through complete teasets, to pictures, bits and bobs of crockery, and jewellery. The jewellery section is marvellous: strings and strings of beads, and broaches by the dozen. The owner is very friendly and doesn't mind at all if you're clearly just in there to admire and mooch around. He strikes me as an owner who knows each and every item in stock and could tell you more about it all if you asked. I'd definitely come back here to browse for gifts or maybe if I was looking for bits of furniture for my house.

It's all for char-i-dee dahlings! Homeless people of Bristol are given worthwhile jobs here (and an…read moreensuite room)- restoring second-hand furniture and then selling them on from the shop- helping them get a foot on the shaky ladder of housing & employment. I took a few odds and ends - to take pride of place in someone else's living room, and returned with a newly sanded coffee table for just a few pounds. Unlike the soul-draining limbo world of Ikea, here you feel ethically good about shopping and get to see real daylight at the same time!

This second hand shop over in St Philips is a really good find. From sofas to bedside cabinets…read morethey have a full range of furniture in varying conditions. Granted, some of the stuff isn't particularly great, but some items are surprisingly good quality for the same cheap price as the rest of their stock. There's a few friendly staff who work there who will try to dig something out for you if you let them know what you want, and there's also a small potential for bartering - always worth a try! I managed to pick up a couple of cool prints to put on the walls in my new flat when we came, and my flatmate got hold a good chest of drawers for under £20. Definitely worth a look in if you're furnishing on a budget.

I love this store, I am madly in love with about 3 of the windchimes on display here, I already…read morehave 2 from here - there are only so many chimes a person needs, but they are so pretty. I know nobody needs a geisha snowglobe in their life but again, its hard to resist when you are surrounded by cute trinkets! It isn't just cute and silly, it sells some nice accessories. I got a bag from here which got loads of compliments. This is a great place to buy some pretty pretty gifts or just treat yourself to something fun.

Evolution is a gift shop in The Galleries in Broadmead. I think this is my favourite shop to buy…read morepresents from thus far! They used to be quite a Balinese style gift shop buy quickly has moved towards a more Brittania, cutesy and kitsch feel lately. I would happily decorate my apartment with the stuff here. There are great welcome mats here that I've been eyeing up recently that look really well made and are affordable too, at £12. They have a few pieces of kids wooden furniture, some chairs sold here are so very cute, with carvings of animals on the chair backs- however I have no children to buy them for as yet! A few presents I have bought here are their rustic metal gifts; like wall clocks made to look antiquey and wall hangings with old style postcards printed on them. I bought my best friend one that said 'live well, love much, laugh often', which she loved. When on sale, I bought a huge amount of candles here which lasted me ages, and smelt great (they were mighty cheap). I could go on talking about the many various things they sell, but the best is if you keep this place in mind to check out for when you next need a gift!