Drove past this place so many times I lost count and always wondered what was inside! When we…read morefinally made it in I couldn't believe it, had such amazing products of antique furniture and odds and ends as well as a cafe! Had an amazing lunch and ended up leaving with some gorgeous indian throws, will certainly be back and will bring the hubby next time, apparantly they do live music too!

This is a huge building filled with unusual and slightly exotic furniture and furnishings. Whether…read moreyou're looking for a new bed or a new kitchen table you will find many beautifully crafted articles and some quite unusual ones too. If you don't want to spend that much though it is also a lovely place to buy small gifts for Christmas including jewellery, scarves, ornamental trinkets and a nice range of greeting cards. Also on site there is a small plant shop and a cafe selling a range of teas, coffees, light lunches and a delicious section of cakes which I highly recommend.

The first things I noticed upon entering Florentin (other than the delicious smell! It could have…read morebeen a bakery...) were the douvet slippers in a basket on the floor. I immediately wanted to put them on and curl up in front of a fireplace somewhere. They were the cosiest things I've ever seen. Other slippers - the knit variety - were close by, but the majority of things on display on the ground floor were stuffed animals in various genres. The best was the large deer head mounted on the wall - a tongue-in-cheek approach to taking the violence out of such images. The basement contained clothing - mostly skirts and dressier tops - with sale items left for the far, back room. In here were cheaper articles of clothing and a few stragglers on shelves. I was confused by the knit egg-cosies...I think mine are doing alright in the carton.

Maybe I caught this place on a good say, but I couldn't believe the value of some of the designer…read moreclothes in here! Replete with plenty of trendy items (and a no bags downstairs policy) Florentin is the quintessential, upmarket Brighton clothes store. While Dirty Harry's and To Be Worn Again are rocking the second hand world, Florentin stocks one of a kind items that are brand new and immensely stylish. If you can't get it in your size, you'll have to hang your head and sigh. The jacket I picked up was marked down from the £100+ mark to (get this) £25! I was ecstatic, as not only did it look uniquely amazing, but it smelt fantastic, and think that the fact I can't do it up its so small just makes it that bit more awesome! Anyway... enough rambling about that, Florentin stocks caters for all audiences with a mix of men and women's clothing and accessories. You can find bags and shoes as well as immense jackets, and while the slightly haphazard layout may irritate some, it makes it a great place to do some window shopping, and maybe walk away with a great buy if you're lucky.

I first stumbled across Yashar Bish on what had been a long, labourious and fruitless search for a…read morefriend's birthday present. I was mesmerized by some grogeous little lanterns hanging in the window and when I noticed the amazing textiles inside, I had to go in and take a look. As you walk in, you feel as if you're entering a Middle Eastern bazaar (only without the noise and hustle and bustle!)...there are beautiful prints everywhere you look: floor, wall and shelf. The place has so much atmosphere, you can almost smell the hookah smoke! That said, it also very tranquil, a really nice place to mosy about admiring rugs, curtains, cushion covers and more. The items are mostly sourced from Asia and the Middle East and they get new stock in quite regularly, so its always worth popping in for a look. They have a beautiful selection of hand-made mugs- I bought some for myself and they are really lovely to drink coffee from. It's worth checking if they have any damaged ones, as they will be reduced to £3 (less than half price)- an absolute bargain!

Staying on a home tip, Yashar Bish is a unique shop that sells distinctive rugs, carpets and…read morefurniture from Turkey, Central Asia and the Middle East. Everything is lovingly sourced by the owners on their travels and the stock ranges from deep colours to rich patterns. If you've already got your floors furnished, they also sell a small selection of wooden cabinets, drawers, throws, blankets, cushions, photographic prints and Eastern lamps.

Every Saturdays, from 7 am to 5pm, on Upper Gardner Street there is a lot of independent stalls…read morethat sell everything from secondhand books, antiques, records, clothes to street food and vegetables. Every time I go there I usually manage to find and buy a vintage cookery book. I have now four cookery books, they were published between 1911 and 1970. On Upper Gardner Street there is also a very big two storey antique shops which I really like: North Laine Antique & Fleamarket, it is the perfect place to find old fashioned plates and cups of tea for example.

The best thing about this market is it has such a variety of stalls, which makes it much more fun…read moreto walk around than if it was just fashion or organic vegetables. This street really does come alive every Saturday with sellers and prospective buyers. I sometimes wonder how these people have the energy to move larger items like bookcases and tables from place to place, especially first thing in the morning. You've got to have a passion for it is all I can say. Personally I'm a fan of perusing the vintage jewellery, the second hand books and records, the retro clothes stalls and the cakes!

Jugs is an ambitious name for a shop in Brighton and after sprinting across the road and nearly…read moregetting run over thinking I'd be able to buy some interesting DVDs, I realised it is in fact a furniture shop. (Just Interesting Gifts) If you want to turn your living room into something straight out of Slumdog Millionaire then this is the place for you. Beautiful carvings, pottery and lamps etc that would really set a place off. All the products are imported from sources abroad so definately haven't been knocked up in some hippies garage so if you want something authentic and original, this is the place for you.

I love the little carvings in this shop. Not because I would want them in my own home though, but…read morebecause they make a great tongue in cheek offering as a housewarming present or token gift. Is that wrong? From a monkey face carved into a tree stump to an elephant wine bottle holder, you're certainly not going to be trumped by your average Habitat gift bearer now are you?

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.

I love this tiny home accessories store on two level in Brighton. The owner was very friendly…read more Apparently, all the products on sale are from Japan & Scandinavia which explain the mutted yet simple clean lines of the product. The immediate feeling of zen as you enter the store.

Bellis gallery sells not only artwork, but a collection of aromatherapy, which gave the shop a…read moredelightful smell - I think it was lavender. Much of the art was hanging on the walls - oil paintings ranging from £450 - £1200. My favourite was a large abstract piece painted onto handmade paper. Other unique items included eco-friendly, recycled lace light fixtures for between £30 -£ 55; silk scarves from Turkey and delicately crafted silver jewellery. For the Christmas season, there were several tree ornaments and a selection of Christmas cards handmade by artists.

This shop-come-gallery specialises in handmade crafts and jewellery by local artists and designers…read more The store itself is a large open space, with clean white walls and wooden floorboards. Beautiful ceramics, bone china ornaments and jewellery line the displays, alongside handmade lights and lampshades, woven coasters and paintings. Each product is complemented by a description of the artist behind the creation detailing how it was made. A stunning collection of glass infused porcelain jewellery by local artist Neil Sykes is available, including his ceramic star shaped buttons. There is also a lovely selection of handmade, brightly coloured, hardback notebooks, perfect for diaries, if a little expensive. Sculptures and canvas oil paintings can be found on the other side of the shop, as well as striking drawings from Brighton illustrator Harriet Butler. One of Butler's most interesting drawings, of the Duke of York cinema, has pride of place amongst the rope and anchor draped window display. Although you'll be hard pressed to find a bargain in here, you can get your hands on some really unique and beautiful things, and be safe in the knowledge that you're supporting Brighton's artistic communities.