Barnitts is a lovely shop selling things like lighting and other home ware. It's a big well laid…read moreout shop and although I often go in I've only bought one thing from there-a gorgeous big feature lamp which people always comment on when they come round. The only reason I rarely buy things there is because it's quite pricey compared to the likes of Ikea and in this day and age price is important!

Need something for your house? Go to Barnitts…read more Need something for the garden? Go to Barnitts. Doing some DIY? Barnitts again! If you need it, Barnitts will probably stock it and won't charge you an arm and a leg for it. Student discount is available on most items that aren't already subject to discount. From wooden spoons to wood screws and from pans to pond liner, Barnitts literally have it all. Sounds like we're on commission? Well we're not, get yourself down to the shop that goes on and on and on. Worth noting that they currently open on Sundays in the run up to Christmas only.

The Divan Centre is the sort of place one might visit if they were looking to purchase new bedroom…read morefurniture, only, they might choose to visit somewhere a little more snazzy these days. Should you be less desperate to spend in expensive/showy type shops I might suggest that you try here instead. It is down to earth and really quite reasonably priced too. Of the bedside furniture I saw they had a range of cute little drawer sets. There was a 'kent pine' ottoman for £59 (on sale, original price was £99) which I thought was fantastic. They also had a 'pembroke' four drawer set, which did look a little granny-tastic, but it was reduced down to £149 from £179. As well as those items they had mattresses, frames and more, all again at similarly reasonable costs. Not bad, especially since you only need visit the city centre.

James Macintyre & Co specialise in floral pottery, lamps and a range of other home ware as well as…read morecards and artwork with a similar style. The products all have a vintage and quite pretty art nouveau style with gently curving plants and highly stylised flowers and insects. The aesthetic runs throughout the shop, though with a wide range of variations on the theme. The smaller items like cards and picture frames are good if you like the style, but aren't prepared to splash out on a lamp. The shop is compact, with a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere and helpful staff.

This shop specialises in art pottery and has a vast selection of vases and art work for your home…read more They have some really unusual pieces and some are actually quite humorous. They have catalogues that you can choose items from to be ordered and also offer gift cards, lamp bases and shades and collections from Prestige Moorcroft. The shop is small and homely, pop in and have a look around.

I came back here recently for a look as I'm a complete antique and vintage magpie and was…read morepleasantly surprised by how much easier it was to access the shop, in spite of all the snows. Out the front there was a hoard of goodies displayed, fully equipped with snow covers on the particulars that required it, and inside the shop was as ever full of furniture to peruse. I hadn't realised before, as there wasn't room for one to access the door, but there is a downstairs section too which is also full of items to glance over. The upstairs still has the infamous cobra-piece, which I'm no more tempted to purchase, but still enjoyed looking at it. They've numerous chairs, sofas, tables and more to have a gander at too, although nothing is priced so you have to ask the chap if you're interested in buying something. Downstairs there are a ton of different dining chairs and a few more antique items, such as a sweet writing desk, but on this occasion I didn't spot anything I particularly felt drawn to. I've no doubt I shall be back, there's too much temptation to keep checking the selections, but for the moment I've yet to make a spend in this place. You never know what hidden gems may lie within so I'd certainly recommend this as a place to visit if you're on the look out for some cheap and charming furniture.

An excellent little shop with a large selection of anything that could be reused in someone else's…read morehome after being sadly discarded. The pieces here do tend to be quite original and would create a lovely rag-tag chic in someone's home if you choose to select odd bits and pair them together yourself. Many a leather settee can be found on the forecourt of this shop and there's usually one or two bizarre unknown objects/ornaments to peruse and ponder what it could be. The prices are normally fair but sometimes a bit of a shock, there is a delivery service for larger items.

Love Dunelm. They sell loads of home stuff such as kitchenware, bedding, textiles, and furniture…read more Most of their stuff is really good value and it's never too expensive there. The shop is massive and there is loads to choose from although it can be a bit cluttered sometimes.

Love it here. Great designs in a quirky building with a cafe built in…read more This is the second time I've visited, having stumbled in there a year or so ago when not much else was open in Harrogate. The shop has an Aladdins cave feel with 4 or 5 rooms opening out from each other. They stock smaller items such as lights, tableware, pictures, cushions etc and have some elements of their furniture range on site with more on line. The cafe is a great place to hang out and try some of their furniture by sitting on it while you enjoy your food/drink. Lots of different tea pigs flavours to try and lots of cake too.

Very stylish DANISH furniture and lighting. They have the…read morefeel o great design

Dunelm is one of those places where you go in not needing anything in particular then find yourself…read morecoming out with bag fulls....! I visit here frequently if I want to update my house with a few new pieces of furniture or a new flower display. They have a massive craft section with bits and bobs from making your own christmas cards to arranging your own flower display. They have several different sections that cater for both home and garden and you can literally find almost anything you might need for your home. This Dunelm is a super store so thankfully has a coffee shop. Take advantage of the Latte mid shop...you won't regret it! I love Dunelm for buying bedding, although some ranges can be expensive (they stock Kylie Minogues collections), a lot of the ranges are very reasonably priced. That reasonably that I can pick a few sets up even on my student budget. If you want to find something to spice up your living room like a few unusual cushions or a new vase then you'll love looking around in this place.

Although there are many good shops with cheap bits and pieces and everything you need close by and…read moreon easy bus routes in and around Leeds city centre this shop is an absolute bundle of amazement and joy for those wanting to DIY home furnishings and buy loads of interesting materials and some bargain prices. Having got there, decided what you want and are ready for the off you'll more than likely be carrying more than what you originally planned to go in for. And now, well now is January and we all know what that means...SALE.

A pretty bog standard Ikea just off the motorway by Leeds - a place to spend time where minutes…read morebecomes hours and hours become days - you never get out as quickly as you think you will! But I really like what Ikea does and I love their design ethic in terms of value to high end, most stuff is usually pretty cool and as long as you don't do an Edward Norton in Fight Club and you have the whole apartment decked out page to page then it's all good. I've gotta say though that I find the food in the cafe becoming a bit too Anglicised/Americanised with less Swedish influence than it used to have. I had to really search for the gravlax and the daim bar cake seems to be getting poorer in quality. Saying that it's not biggie but I hope they do stick to their food values and always sell their Swedish wares!

I honestly like Ikea and I particularly like the restaurant and I love meatballs (but enough of…read morethat). There is no doubt that Ikea has some very appealing items and, generally speaking, the prices are OK but I so hate the layout and the way I am herded along the pre-determined route to make sure I see absolutely everything. The one thing I hated even more than the layout today was the checkout. I only had one item but, because I was paying cash, I had to queue for a 'manned' till behind about 7 people who had obviously chosen today to refurnish their entire house with Ikea goods. I could only gaze longingly at the express checkouts which are all card only