50 of the best independent design shops in the UK
You’re probably reading this article – visiting this website in fact – because you have something in common with the House & Garden team: you’re hooked on the thrill you get from a new discovery. My job and my sense of curiosity take me all around the country, and one of my greatest pleasures is visiting a small town or a big city that I don’t know very well, and rooting around for a brilliant little shop. I’ve got nothing against the department stores, the big box stores and the chains which are convenient and usually serve their purpose; they are not evil in and of themselves. But they rarely have that special ingredient that the very best independent shops have in spades: soul. I love the idea that sole traders bring soul to a business.
Shops of all sizes have had a hard time since long before Covid. But successive lockdowns teamed with a cost of living crisis have meant an accelerated drive to online shopping, not to mention plenty of belt-tightening. It has wreaked havoc on bricks and mortar businesses. Last year, a BBC story about the state of the British high street revealed that a shocking 38 shops were closing every day. This unfortunate reality was illustrated to us when we began to put together this list of 50 brilliant independent shops: three of those that we wanted to feature had closed by the time that we finalised our selection.
So, this list. A few months ago we did an Instagram shout out asking you what your favourite small homeware shops in the UK were, and we were blown away with the feedback which helped us no end. More than 6,000 of you responded. Plenty of shopkeepers got in touch too, including Phoebe Clive of Tinsmiths in Ledbury. ‘Independent shops often lead the way with new ideas and approaches, we champion new makers, and strive to supply things with the criteria of quality and integrity, things that we believe are beautiful and excellent first and foremost,’ she wrote. ‘It can make for an eclectic mix but at least it has heart and soul and has not been selected by formula or accountants’. This is a round up of 50 brilliant one-off independent design shops - ones we have visited, ones that you, our brilliant readers, have recommended in droves.
One of these was designer Jessica Buckley’s little interiors shop which she has run in Edinburgh for the past eight years. ‘Business is small, but steady,’ she explains. ‘And not without its challenges. The majority of our sales are online and many of our customers are from abroad.’ Why should you make a beeline there? ‘I personally select everything so that all the items we have for sale are items I would happily have in my own home,’ she says.
Small shop owners are often really great at connecting and collaborating with local makers too, so they can be a fantastic place to discover the unusual or the one-off. That’s one reason I love Berdoulat, Patrick and Neri Williams' shop in Bath. It’s only four or five years old but already feels like an institution. ‘Most of what's sold here is unique to our shop,’ Patrick explains. ‘Not only that, but by authoring the pieces ourselves, and working with the makers to produce them, we gain an intimate understanding of the process involved in their manufacture’. They recently restocked their popular confit pots, made just five miles away. ‘And they were still warm from the kiln when we placed them on the shelves.’
This list also has some brand new shops, including Pascale, in Norwich. Pascale’s previous pop up shop was in Woodbridge, Suffolk and she only opened her new permanent space in a long derelict shop just a handful of weeks ago. ‘It’s been very positive so far,’ she says. ‘People are grateful to see such a beautiful building refurbished and back in use. It’s been great meeting customers who are like minded and care about beautiful, well made products of integrity.’
Early in December, we'll be announcing the winners of seven awards, chosen from this list. We'll name an Independent Shop of the Year, plus awards for social impact, lifetime achievement and more. What we need your help with is our ‘Readers’ Choice' award. You have until the end of November to nominate your favourite from our list of 50 to win this award – please read through the list and then click into the form below to make your choice.
Meet the winners of our first ever Independent Shop Awards
50 of the best independent design shops in the UK
Edvinas Bruzas1/50Bard, Edinburgh
A simply unmissable destination if you're interested in craft and design, Bard was founded in Edinburgh in 2022 by Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens as a way of banishing the idea that tartan shortbread tins and Highland coo fridge magnets are the inevitable products to take away from their home country. Both have been deeply invested in the importance of craft throughout their careers: Macdonald as an editor for Wallpaper* and Monocole, and Stevens as an architect, and they set Bard up as a way both of promoting Scottish craft and of encouraging people to live with craft more generally. The pair work with a wide range of Scottish makers and those who are based in Scotland, and stocks a huge range of beautiful things: traditional Orkney chairs by Kevin Gauld, contemporary ceramics by Frances Priest, beautiful knives handmade on Skye, and much more. The shop itself can be found in the old port of Leith, amidst a growing community of artists and creatives.
- 1 Customs Wharf, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6AL
- bard-scotland.com
- @bard.scotland
Mike Garlick2/50Tinsmiths, Herefordshire
This dainty little shop on the high street in Ledbury (a vibrant and creative Market town in Herefordshire) was started in 2004 by Phoebe Clive – who, a ceaselessly energetic, curious and whimsical character, began by curating reasonably priced, excellent quality fabrics, lighting and homeware. Twenty years on, its growing offering attracts visitors far and wide, who come to shop for anything from nautical-style brass lighting and hand thrown ceramics to artistic prints and sturdy but elegant curtain poles. Phoebe also works alongside Tilley Printing, a 145 year-old printing press which produces a series of posters using traditional Victorian machines, many of which can be bought from Tinsmiths. As part of its 20th anniversary, it is currently hosting an exhibition of new ceramics by Paul Young, Patia Davis, Mark Hearld and Russell Kingston, and on 6th December Tinsmiths will join a host of local shops taking part in a late night shopping event. Expect plenty of brilliant gift ideas alongside street food, a brass band, Morris dancers and carol singers.
- Tinsmiths, High St, Ledbury HR8 1DS
- tinsmiths.co.uk
- @t1nsmiths
Paul Whitbread3/50Berdoulat, Bath
Those fond of Patrick Williams’ sensitive renovations were thrilled when the interior designer and his wife Neri opened their three-storey shop three years ago in Bath. Nestled between the Royal Crescent and The Circus, it sells a covetable collection of Berdoulat designs, all of which have been handcrafted using traditional techniques – everything from oak furniture to ceramics that are hand thrown at a pottery just an 8 minute drive away. Everything is functional, but also supremely beautiful and that is what Berdoulat is all about – living life well. The shop itself is also a visual treat, retaining its 1890 front, signage, first floor gallery and fittings, including the mahogany unit behind the shop counter that has been painstakingly restored with 28 replacement drawers and glazed mirror-backed vitrines that were found in pieces up in the attic. It’s the perfect showcase for all that Patrick’s design studio stands for.
- 8 Margaret's Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP
- berdoulat.co.uk
- @berdoulat_interior_design
Lauren Hebblethwaite4/50Prior Shop, Bristol
Something of a one-stop-shop for those in need of an injection of creativity, the PRIOR SHOP is a not-for-profit independent shop in the centre of Bristol. The space is also a community hub for local makers, used as a workshop and gallery, with recent events in their programme including ‘Scent Blending & Candle Making’ and ‘Multicoloured Lino Printing.’ The shop itself stocks 150 creatives, many of whom are Bristolians. They have a wide range of beautiful things, from small gifts like handmade soaps by The Bristol Soap Company, prints and original artworks by artists like Harriet Popham and Fiona Hamilton, and throws and blankets locally woven by The Bristol Weaving Mill. They also run a thriving monthly ‘Sustainable Design Fair,’ which is free to sell at.
- Unit M10, Quakers Friars Cabot Circus, 23
- priorshop.uk
- @priorshopbristol
OneVillage.com5/50One Village, Oxfordshire
Don’t let the rudimentary website or unassuming shopfront in Woodstock put you off this gem of a shop, which sells handmade sustainable homewares created in collaboration with craft co-opeatives in Asia and Africa. Having opened in 1979, this shop was something of a precursor to the fair-trade movement and is committed to giving its makers a better standard of life by providing a platform for their creations. The House & Garden team have long been fans of their pieces, which are reasonably priced and are the sort of objects that will easily slot into a corner of your home and make it look better in the process. Our favourites include the spectacular range of bamboo lampshades made by makers in the Philippines who have been working with One Village for over 40 years, and their collection of smart little jute rugs that are woven in Bangladesh.
- 27-29 Oxford St, Woodstock OX20 1TH
- onevillage.com
- @onevillagewoodstock
6/50Townhouse Spitalfields, London
Over its 20 plus year tenure opposite Hawksmoor’s Christ Church in Spitalfields, Townhouse has evolved from selling antiques to expanding into ceramics, books and art, all while simultaneously serving as a coffee shop (with excellent homemade cakes) and gallery too. There are many strings to Townhouse's bow and they pluck them all equally well. The shop is on Fournier Street and offers a rare chance to visit one of these historic houses, especially as the cafe is housed in the kitchen itself. It's beautiful, deeply rooted in its surroundings, and full of things to draw the eye. Even for the regular visitor, there is always something new on offer, whether that's a fresh artist exhibition or a lovely piece of pottery to add to your collection.
- 5 Fournier Street, Spitalfields, London E1 6QE
- townhousespitalfields.com
- @townhousespitalfields
Leona Chapman7/50AARVEN, Margate
With its sunshine yellow frontage and wiggly door handles, Aarven's Margate shop is as appealing on the outside as it is inside. Step through those double doors, though, and a treasure trove of goods await, from ethical homewares to sparkling jewellery. The owners, Bee Friedmann and Amy Fleuriot-Reade hold sustainability at the heart of everything they do, carrying out in-person audits of their suppliers, who are mostly small-scale artisan groups based in East Africa. You can expect a whole host of appealing pieces, from mud cloth cushions to woven lampshades.
- 34 King St, Margate CT9 1DA
- aarven.com
- @aarvengoods
Domestic Science8/50Domestic Science, Gloucestershire
The Cotswolds isn’t short of fantastic shops and Domestic Science is no different. Headquartered in Tetbury, it was founded by antiques dealer Libs Lewis in 2013, with the vision of combining good-looking vintage and new utilitarian items. Now spanning three locations: Nailsworth, Tetbury and Stow-on-the-Wold, you’ll find charming goods from coloured glass to enamelware, ceramics, linens and fragrances available alongside every kind of accessory you can think of for your home. The Nailsworth and Tetbury locations also house cafés at the back of the shops, which serve up food and coffees to replenish your energy stores after shopping.
- 53 Long St, Tetbury GL8 8AA
- domesticsciencehome.co.uk
- @domestic.science
Hare & Wilde9/50Hare & Wilde, Yorkshire
The attractive North Yorkshire market town of Malton has steadily been making a name for itself over the last decade or two as a foodie destination, but don't discount it as a place for stylish shopping. Top of the interiors shops is Hare & Wilde, who specialise in understated, neutral-hued homewares that will look good in practically any space. Think quiet striped or block printed cushions in organic cottons and linens, well-formed stoneware mugs and plates, and kilims in earthy colours. The shop also does a great line in utilitarian kitchen and cleaning products – enamel soap dishes, pleasingly shaped dustpans and brushes, and good French soap. A must-visit if you're in the area.
- 4 Market St, Malton YO17 7LY
- hareandwilde.co.uk
- @hare_and_wilde
Gordon Burniston10/50Niki Jones, Glasgow
Situated on Glasgow's desirable Great Western Road and founded by interior designer Niki Jones, this shop brings together Niki's beautiful homewares – heavenly bedding and soft furnishings including some beautiful patchwork pieces – with objects by other craftspeople and designers. There is a seriously considered aesthetic running through the shop – organic, understated and contemporary. From handmade ceramics by Lydia Hardwick and Sheffield-based potters Pottery West to organic home scents by Apotheke Fragrance, there is something to suit every kind of interior here.
- 496 Great Western Rd Glasgow, G12 8EW
- niki-jones.co.uk
- @nikijoneshome
RE-Found Objects11/50RE-Found Objects, Northumberland
Despite occupying a former workshop at the back of a petrol station in Corbridge, Northumberland, there is a distinct bazaar-like feeling to RE, with its bright colours, shiny ornaments and curious objects piled high. Founders Simon Young and Jenny Vaughan – former colleagues in the fashion industry – put their heads together in 2003, with the aim of tackling the growing issue of mass-production in the design industry. The pair began collecting a mixture of antique, salvaged and artisanally made textiles, glassware, baskets, lighting, hardware, candles, the list goes on. You may well enter in search of a vintage glass carafe and leave with a collection of sardine tins, higgledy-piggledy wooden spoons and rusty metal decorations in the shape of crucifixes: but that is the brilliance of this shop. It is rather bonkers and there is always some joy to be found.
- Bishops Yard, Main St, Corbridge NE45 5LA
- re-foundobjects.com
- @refoundobjects
Deadstock General Store12/50Deadstock General Store, Manchester
Deadstock General Store (who exist online as BindleStore) stocks a carefully curated selection of homewares, accessories and gifts out of their super-chic store in the trendy Northern Quarter of Manchester. Founded by Liam Jackson, the shop is an antidote to fast-paced, mass-produced quality of the homewares market today, and they pride themselves on stocking rare and special items: “We’re very particular about what we stock, and source our products from all over the world, with a focus on classic, and well-designed goods.” Their consummate collection of what they call ‘fancy goods’ includes items from brands like Margate’s seaside scent specialist Haeckels, Japanese tableware specialist KINTO and Copenhagen-based interior manufacturer Studio Arhoj. Attracting very well dressed Mancunians in their finest selvedge denim jeans and Margaret Howell workman’s jackets, this is something of a design mecca in the city.
- 48 Edge St, Manchester M4 1HN
- bindlestore.com
- @deadstockgeneralstore
Katy Beveridge13/50Pentreath & Hall, London
Ever since throwing open its doors 16 years ago, this little double-fronted shop has been something of a Bloomsbury stalwart. Named after its founders, the architectural designer Ben Pentreath and artist and maker Bridie Hall, sells a lovely, unusual mix of homewares – everything from colourful resin table lamps to decorated earthenware crockery. The shop has grown out of the things that Ben and Bridie both love to live with, whether that be a Peter Hone plaster cast or a beautiful ostrich feather duster (although they sell a few less of these utility bits nowadays). Today, it sells many of Bridie’s own classically-based designs – from her now infamous alphabet pen pots to her intaglio adorned soaps.As well as making for an inspiring visit, the shop is also at the heart of the Lamb’s Conduit Street and Rugby Street community, organising everything from Christmas bonanzas to summer dog shows.
- 57 Lamb's Conduit St, London WC1N 3NB
- pentreath-hall.com
- @pentreathandhall
© ZAC and ZAC14/50Jessica Buckley, Edinburgh
A few years after opening her Edinburgh-based eponymous design studio in 2011, Jessica Buckley stumbled upon a tiny shopfront for rent on St Stevens Street in Edinburgh. ‘Opening a shop had always been a fantasy of mine, and it was so small that I thought I would give it a go’, she says. ‘I wanted to bring that colourful, traditional English aesthetic to Scotland, where I thought it was missing’. The design studio and shop have since grown, and in 2017 Jessica and her team moved into a much larger space: a Georgian building on the picturesque William’s Street. The shop today does exactly what Jessica had hoped: it provides a shoppable version of the interiors she creates, which are underpinned by colour, pattern, beautifully chosen antiques and locally-made crafts pieces. She has cushions made up in a range of fabrics, including those from Jasper Fabrics by Michael S. Smith or Nathalie Farman Farma of Décors Barbares, glassware blown by Northern Ireland-based Scott Benefield and marbled paper accessories by Harris & Jones which sits alongside antique furniture chosen by Jessica. At the back of the shop is a sitting room which acts as a showroom and exhibition space for a range of artists. Recently this includes Katy Eccles, whose plaster flowers are ‘just fabulous and beautiful’, says Jessica.
- 39-41 William Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7LW
- shopjessicabuckley.co.uk
- @shopjessicabuckley
Anya Rice15/50The Merchant's Table, Suffolk
Everything at The Merchant's Table in Woodbridge, Suffolk, has a narrative to it and the thread that runs throughout is very much one of nature. Seeking beautiful things from British makers, founder Susanna Cook has curated a shop full of pieces that come from our surroundings. There's even a 'Willow' category on the online version of the shop, and ceramics are adorned with twig-shaped handles. You'll also find hearty woollen throws, beautifully detailed lighting and ceramics, and modern takes on Staffordshire dog statues amongst the offering, all with a love of heritage and preserving British craft.
- 10 Church St, Woodbridge IP12 1DH
- themerchantstable.co.uk
- @the_merchants_table
Jane Beck16/50Jane Beck Welsh Blankets, Wales
The exterior of this tiny tin shed just outside of Tregaron, in the south west of Wales, does little to prepare you for the emporium of textiles which it holds. But piled high inside is a technicolour world of woven wool, all curated and much loved by its founder Jane Beck, a bone fide expert on the history of local weaving techniques. Alongside a selection of vintage and antique blankets — some dating back to the 18th Century, Jane also sells an array of new blankets woven by local craftspeople and long-established mills. As for smaller accessories, there are few things lovelier than the patchwork hot water bottles made from welsh flannel and vintage textiles.
- Emporium, Llwyn-y-Groes, Tregaron, Ceredigion, SY25 6QB.
- welshblankets.co.uk
- @janebeckwelshblankets
.jpg)
17/50Alice in Scandiland, Cornwall
This Scandinavian-inspired contemporary and vintage interior design shop in Lostwithiel, Cornwall isn’t just a marketplace of beautiful things, it’s also a hub of design and lifestyle tips via Alice’s award-winning blog. It’s in this journal that she shares design tips, Cornish travel advice and handy, personal renovation stories. What started as an online business run from the garden shed blossomed into an official brick-and-mortar store on Lostwithiel High Street in 2018. Alice focuses on supporting Scandinavian and local independent makers, who create everything from Swedish artwork to Cornish stoneware. Her vintage stock is highly curated, including vintage silverware, beautifully aged wooden dough troughs, Danish mid-century furniture and lots more. This neat collection and Alice’s nifty advice would be a useful resource for anyone at the start of their antique furniture journey.
- Lostwithiel PL22 0BL
- aliceinscandiland.com
- @aliceinscandiland
Matt Glover Photography18/50Harriman & Co., Leicester
Tucked away in an old industrial works south of Leicester city centre, Harriman & Co isn't a place you're likely to pass by spontaneously, but don't let that put you off the trip if you're in the neighbourhood. The place is full of charming homewares, from stripey cushions to brightly patterned kilims, vases in marble, glass and stoneware, and beautifully woven baskets. There is a wealth of interesting furniture pieces in the store too that you won't find online. The light-filled space is beautiful and unusual in its own right, and also plays host to pop-ups by local designers, so you're bound to find something new on each trip, as well as events (sign up to the mailing list if you're a Leicester local). The shop isn't open every day, so do check the website for hours before you head over.
- 14, St Marys Work, Burnmoor St, Leicester LE2 7JL
- harrimanandco.com
- @harrimanandco
Leonora Stathakis19/50Evoke, London
This beautiful and unusual craft shop in Marylebone brings together a range of African and Indian objects for the home that you're unlikely to find anywhere else. Founded by Vandana Poddar, Sridhar Poddar and interior designer Leo Stathakis and open since 2021, the shop brings together new and antique pieces made by artisans – we love the beaded Yoruba chairs from Nigeria and the glorious gelims by Shirin Guild from Iran with rich blocks of colour. These are goods that will become future heirlooms.
- 27A Devonshire St, Marylebone, London W1G 6PN
- evokelondon.com
- @evoke_london
20/50The Curious Merchant, Yorkshire
Shopkeeper Alison James thanks Blue Peter for fostering her early childhood craft obsession, which she has now developed into a thriving business selling a mix of decorative antiques, ceramics and textiles from a Grade II Listed building in Masham, North Yorkshire. “Whether it is something useful for the home, or something you don't need at all but just want simply to admire, all these things can make everything seem right with the world,” says Alison. Unlike many other homeware stores, The Curious Merchant operates from the brick-and-mortar store only, so you’ll have to head to Masham to enjoy the eclectic mix of French antiques, stationary and homewares by emerging designers, many of whom are local to the North Yorkshire base.
- 22 Market Pl, Masham, Ripon HG4 4ED
- thecuriousmerchant.com
- @thecuriousmerchant
.jpg)
Robbie McFadzean21/5028 Langside, Glasgow
In a quiet parade on Glasgow's Southside is this charming interiors shop, just the place in Glasgow for pretty accessories such as kantha quilts and Bordallo Pinheiro ceramics. Owner Richard Cullen opened 28 Langside as a second career and a way to indulge his creative side, and has attracted a keen following of locals drawn to his lovely, ever-changing window displays. It's a delightful place to shop for presents or quick interiors fixes – we love the selection of sustainable wool blankets, recycled plastic baskets, linocut tea towels from Cambridge Imprint and much more. The shop has no web platform, so you'll have to stop by in person.
- 28 Langside Pl, Shawlands, Glasgow G41 3DL
- @28langside
Mark Cocksedge22/50Home Barn, Buckinghamshire
Dubbing themselves ‘The New Curiosity Shop’, the Home Barn in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, sells antique furniture and new pieces made from reclaimed materials and designed for modern living by their team. They have a particularly strong collection of wooden furniture, from small antique side tables, to large dining tables crafted out of salvaged wood. They also have an ‘inspiration blog,’ which is a great touchstone for designers and homemakers at the start of their journey who may want to see the products in situ. They also have a large range of one-off antique smaller accessories, like their collection of rustic round wooden chopping boards, or antique palembang shipwreck preserve pots.
- Wilton Farm, Marlow Road, Little Marlow, Marlow, SL7 3RR
- homebarnshop.co.uk
- @homebarn
Tom Meredith23/50Ffynnon Homestore, Wales
Located in the picturesque seaside town of Newport in Pembrokeshire, Ffynnon Homestore is camouflaged at the end of a terrace of chocolate-box cottages characteristic of the area. You’ll spot them by their seasonal window decorations and array of baskets welcoming you through the threshold. The shop is just as pretty on the inside, stocking a plethora of locally sourced goods, from cookbooks to crockery, Welsh blankets to speciality chocolate. The locals praise it as an excellent addition to the town, perfect for gifts (like their array of dinner candles in all colours of the rainbow) and beautiful bits for your home (like the rustic ceramics made by Alanda Wilson in the deepest West Wales).
- Long St, Ffynnon SA42 0TJ
- @ffynnonhomestore
Jon Forson24/50BTS Concept Store, Northern Ireland
Tracy McAllister packed in her career working at a university to set up this boutique homeware store on the small seaside of Portrush, a town on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The said ‘Concept’ of the store is simple: to celebrate simple coastal living with a Nordic twist. The products for sale, from original artwork to unique stoneware, are inspired by the local area and rugged landscape. As well as supporting some local brands, they also stock some of our all-time favourite brands like Mustard Made and Ferm Living.
- 58 Main St, Portrush BT56 8BL
- btsconceptstore.com
- @btsconceptstore
Salts Mill25/50Salts Mill, Yorkshire
Just north-east of Leeds, Salts Mill occupies a Victorian former textile factory overlooking the river Aire in Shipley. Its many spaces serve a variety of purposes: including creative studios available for rent, a gallery and a shop. The gallery boasts a vast collection of original works by David Hockney, and in the shop, many of these have been translated onto prints, posters and ceramics. There is a well-curated selection of modern and contemporary furniture here, too, including pieces designed by Jasper Morrison, Arne Jacobsen and Charles & Ray Eames. A brilliant example of the inextricable link between art and design.
- Victoria Rd, Saltaire, Shipley BD18 3HU
- saltsmill.org.uk
- @saltsmillofficial
Period House Shop26/50Period House Shop, Shropshire
There are hardware stores and then there’s Period House Shop in Ludlow (also known as Holloway’s), which specialises in faithfully sourcing, reproducing and manufacturing fixtures and fittings that are appropriate for restoring, renovating or recreating heritage buildings. Since the 1970s, the family behind it has been restoring properties in the area and it was this background that launched the business, which has expanded from one shop into the neighbouring building. Everything is manufactured in the UK and whether you need handmade Herefordshire ironwork, door handles with a proper patina or some of their own designs of lighting, Period House Shop will stock it. Even if you don’t need anything and aren’t renovating a property, a poke around at their finds and designs is a must when in Ludlow.
- 141 Corve St, Ludlow SY8 2PG
- periodhouseshops.com
- @periodhouseshop
%2520high%2520res.jpg)
Alastair Hendy.27/50A G Hendy & Co, Hastings
Trips to the favoured seaside town of Hastings would not be complete without a stop off at the beloved shop A.G Hendy, the perfect preamble before a local fish lunch. Occupying a Grade II listed former townhouse on High Street, the space is the brainchild of the food writer and photographer Alastair Hendy, who bought the building in 2008 before launching an extensive restoration project to return it to its former glory, helped in large part by a host of local craftspeople. The shop opened in time for Christmas 2011, and today it is brimful of vintage and new treasures, all sourced by Alastair: there is enamel cookware, brushes for every imaginable use, sets of vintage French cutlery, carefully sourced furniture and a seemingly endless selection of curious objects, including a 1930s desktop calendar, a set of silver ice cream coups and vintage dolls house accessories.
- 36 High St, Hastings TN34 3ER
- aghendy.com
- @a_g_hendy_co_homestore
Split Figs28/50Split Figs, Surrey
Based in the Surrey village of Shere, Split Figs was opened in 2022 by mother and daughter Moya and Hannah Connell. With backgrounds in interior design and fashion marketing respectively, their joint dream became a reality when the pair stumbled across a ‘For Sale’ sign on a shop and impulsively decided to take it on. Split Figs provides a brilliant shopping destination in the picturesque village famed for featuring in Bridget Jones and The Holiday and now stocks beloved brands such as Hot Pottery, Bertola Home, Amuse La Bouche and Bloomsbury Revisited. As Hannah explains, 'we wanted it to have the glamour and range of a flagship department store, mixed with the excitement of a vintage flea market, the frivolity of a holiday gift shop and the wonder of an artist’s studio'. She describes working with her mother as a 'dream', adding that ‘growing up, our house was often the centre of gatherings of family and friends. I think we’ve carried this warm and welcoming feel into the shop.’
- The Square, Shere, Guildford GU5 9HG
- splitfigs.com
- @splitfigs
%2520high%2520res.jpg)
Debi Treloar29/50Baileys Home, Herefordshire
Housed in a series of historic farm buildings in the rolling countryside of Herefordshire, a visit to Baileys Home Store run by Mark and Sally in the Wye Valley is an interior lover's dream day out. Brimming with beautifully curated furniture and homewares displayed in the most appealing way around their barns, there’s something quite American about this picturesque homeware destination. Maybe it’s the sense of abundance or the ease with which you could pick up anything – be it soap on a rope, a handwoven basket or one of the many ticking printed fabrics from their collection – and quickly fall in love with it. The careful curation and organisation throughout the series of barns makes it easy to weave through and leave with an overflowing car boot. The Threshing Barn is a lofty space where you’ll find the best version of any small accessory you didn’t realise you needed, or the best present for someone similarly passionate about organic cosmetics or candles. The Cartshed displays an array of textiles and delicious pantry bits, and The Cowshed has everything you’ll need for your kitchen, from handmade porcelain jugs hung around the room, to piles of vintage French tea towels. They also make their own range of reasonably priced and customisable sofas.
- Whitecross Farm, Bridstow, Ross-on-Wye HR9 6JU
- baileyshome.com
- @baileyshome
Andrew Montgomery30/50Petersham Nurseries, London
Hidden away in the bucolic fields outside Richmond in south west London, Petersham Nurseries is hardly a place you’d stumble across and yet, it’s never not buzzing with people. Home to the Boglione family, it offers so much variety for a visit that people flock there daily. There’s an excellent restaurant and a more casual cafe, but the draw has always been the shopping. Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor plants, gardening supplies or beautiful, unique decorative pieces, you’ll find something here. There are essentially three shopping areas within the sprawl; an indoor plant shop (where you’ll also find truly lovely incense sticks that are worth adding to your bad), outdoor plants and garden furniture and accessories and then a greenhouse filled with antiques, glassware and ceramics sourced from far and wide. Given the Boglione family’s heritage, a lot comes from Italy but it’s all unique and so very lovely.
- Church Lane, Petersham Rd, Church Lane TW10 7AB
- petershamnurseries.com
- @petershamnurseries
YOU THEM US31/50Maven, Belfast
For a hit of Scandi chic in Belfast, look no further than Maven, which focuses on furniture and accessories from well-known brands such as HAY, &Tradition, Muuto and Carl Hansen, with a smattering of pieces by independent makers and local designers. Set up in 2013 by sisters Catherine and Patricia McGinnis, the store offers personal shopping and design consultations, making it easy to put together a contemporary scheme from what's on offer. There are plenty of smaller things too for a quick pick-me-up, from smart glassware to graphic cushions.
- The Bank, 364 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GL
- wearemaven.co.uk
- @wearemaven_
Rimbaud Patron32/50Inhoos & Hoos, Glasgow
About a twenty-minute walk apart on Glasgow's Great Western Road, Hoos and inHoos are sister shops and the creations of Karen Harvey. With a focus on Scandinavian design, Hoos offers more of a boutique feel, mostly focused on accessories such as HAY containers and Ferm Living cushions, with the occasional bit of furniture such as MustardMade lockers. inHoos is a bigger store with a larger selection of furniture, lighting and textiles, from Muuto sofas to Normann Copenhagen lamps. If you're a lover of Danish design in this part of the world, this has to be your destination.
- Inhoos: 91 - 93 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G4 9AH
- Hoos: 715 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 8QX
- inhoos.co.uk | hoosglasgow.co.uk
- @inhoos_glasgow| @hoos_glasgow
Jonathan Woods33/50Woods Fine Linens, Yorkshire
While many of us look to London for our sourcing - especially for luxurious towels and bed linen - it’s worth looking further afield. Harrogate based Woods Fine Linens is an extraordinary shop, set over several floors, stocking many brands of linen, every colour and quality possible of towelling, including its own customisable bed linens and towels. A family company, it was founded by William Wood in 1895. Linen was in his blood: generations before him had worked in mills or dealt in textiles. It is now run by William Woods' grandson, an interior designer, also called William. Alongside his daughter, Sarah, who now runs the interior design side of the business too, he has expanded its own range to include over 100 colours of two types of cotton bedsheets: the ‘Luxury Italian Bed Linen’ sateen cotton, and ‘Egyptian Long Staple’ cotton. The cottons and towels are all woven in Milan and each can be personalised with a contrasting border or embroidered in a range of colours. You can choose from an existing embroidery design, such as ‘Notre Dame’, a classic ladder stitch or the scrolling floral ‘Scorrere’, or create your own design. The service offers the chance to ‘completely tie together a scheme’, says Sarah Woods. ‘Often it's these last small details to a room which really make the difference’.
- 65-69 Station Parade, Harrogate HG1 1ST
- woodsfinelinens.com
- @woodsfinelinens
The Cloth Shop34/50The Cloth Shop, London
Situated on the Portobello Road, just north of the Westway, The Cloth Shop sells a huge range of fabrics for furnishings and clothing, impeccably organised and reasonably priced. The Cloth Shop was originally set up in 1982 on Berwick Street in Soho by Sam Harley, a musician who saw an opportunity to make the longstanding textile trade in the area a bit cooler and fresher. The original shop had great success selling to the fashion industry, until skyrocketing rents in Soho forced them out. After a break, a resurrected Cloth Shop took up residence on the Portobello Road, now run by Susie and her son Henry. The Cloth Shop’s clients range from interior designers and film set/costume designers, to customers who walk in from the street and buy just enough fabric for a cushion. Henry and Susie pride themselves on being able to fulfil most orders on the spot - if you need 30 metres of fabric for a large project, chances are you can walk out with it the same day.
- 290 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TE
- theclothshop.net
- @clothshoplondon
KIERAN DUNNING35/50Edinburgh Mercantile, Edinburgh
The elegant Georgian neighbourhood of Stockbridge iin Edinburgh is home to this elevated hardware and homeware store, set up in 2020 by Rosslyn and David Spencer. Inspired by the aesthetic and philosophy of old-fashioned general stores, the shop is a simple, pared-back space full of beautiful objects. Functionality is a common theme in the things they sell – think studio pottery, Japanese incense and honest, well-made tools such as brooms and classic scissors. 'Good honest craftsmanship' is something the pair prioritise, working with trusted designers and makers who share their ethos.
- 18 N W Circus Pl, Edinburgh EH3 6SX
- edinburghmercantile.com
- @edinburgh.mercantile_store
The Hambledon36/50The Hambledon, Winchester
If you find yourself in Winchester, a visit to The Hambledon is a must. In a charming square near the Cathedral and next to some of the trendier coffee shops in the city, The Hambledon is a beacon of good design. It is welcoming from the get go, with huge windows on either side flooding the space with light. You enter into accessories and homewares, go up a mezzanine to soft furnishings, stationery, beauty and toys, up again to women’s fashion and men’s is down from the ground floor. The edit is excellent, with a mix of heritage brands and newer names, so you can pick up a Molly Mahon cushion alongside some new Niwaki garden snips. Think of it as a smaller, better department store where brands you love jostle with ones you’ll come to love.
- 10 The Square, Winchester SO23 9ES
- thehambledon.com
- @thehambledon
Daniel Shearing37/50Closet & Botts, Lewes
Perched almost at the top of a hill on Lewes High Street in east Sussex, it’s hard to not be intrigued by this homeware store, with its charming turquoise and gold shopfront. It looks like it could have come from another era – a vibe that very much continues inside with a deeply appealing mix of handmade homeware, furniture and vintage finds. Celebrating its 10th birthday this year, it’s the brainchild of Chloe MacArthur and Harriet Maxwell, old school friends who bonded over their love of carboot sales and beautiful objects. There’s everything from colourful candles to a covetable array of quilted bedspreads. They also happen to have a cracking childrens offering – think retro spinning tops and flying gliders – which make perfect stocking fillers.
- 37 High St, Lewes BN7 2LU
- closetandbotts.com
- @closetandbotts
Andrew Moran38/50Labour And Wait, London
For utilitarian homewares that you'd be happy to put on display, Labour & Wait are the original and best. Their retro aesthetic has spawned many imitators, but they were doing Shoreditch cool almost before Shoreditch was cool. Their beautifully tiled Redchurch Street store (plus excellent online shop) stocks everything from sightly yet robust toolboxes to marbled bakeware, hurricane lamps to enamel milk pots in an assortment of colours. You can also find well-designed, distinctly un-frou-frou stationery, including cloth-bound notebooks and staplers that seem to have emerged unscathed from the 1950s. A visit to their store has a therapeutic effect and is highly recommended.
- 85 Redchurch St, London E2 7DJ
- labourandwait.co.uk
- @labourandwait
Bailey Suhr39/50A New Tribe, Bristol
Originating in Hackney but since relocated to Bristol, A New Tribe started out from a love of Moroccan rugs and has grown from there. Ella Jones, who founded the shop in 2016, previously worked in fashion and fell in love with handmade rugs in Morocco whenever work took her there, so she decided to set up her own outlet for them here. Since then, the offering at A New Tribe has expanded hugely, with a mix of sourced and designed pieces from brands such as LRNCE and BFGF. It is the pieces sourced by Ella that stand out most though and she says “there are no major rules to what I sell, I just have to love it.”
- 177-179 North St, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1JQ
- anewtribe.co.uk
- @anewtribe
Kristen Peres40/50Milagros, London
Anyone in search of authentic handmade tiles, glassware and decorative items from Mexico should have Milagros at the top of their hit list. The Columbia Road-based store, which has been going strong for the past 30 years, is the address to know for delightfully colourful and creative Mexican goods, from encaustic and saltillo tiles to bright, patterned options and hand-blown glassware. It was founded by Tom Bloom, an American academic who has travelled far and wide in Mexico – even moving his family there for a six month stint – on his sourcing trips and spends his time visiting his roster of craftspeople and constantly seeking out new inspiration and wares to bring back. In Spanish slang, 'Qué milagro' loosely translates to 'What a miracle to see you again after so long.' That's precisely how we feel walking across the threshold of Milagros.
- 61 Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG
- milagros.co.uk
- @milagros_london
Liz Seabrook41/50Choosing Keeping, London
Choosing Keeping has something of a cult following – and for good reason. This London-based stationer is a treasure trove of beautiful things, stocked with the loveliest papers (decorative and for letter writing), most tempting Christmas decorations and charming desk accessories. The team source their wares from small suppliers, with an emphasis on creating objects of the highest quality, as well as designing and producing their own range of stationery in-house. The curation is flawless and they specialise in making you feel as if you’ve gone back to simpler times, even being the go-to shop in London for wax and seals, if that’s how you want to close your envelopes. Choosing Keeping's aim is to keep under-appreciated products thriving and offer high quality objects of use that may have come to be thought of as old-fashioned, or too expensive in relation to cheaply-made, lower-quality alternatives. It is a transportative place to while away some time in the city, but at Christmas, it truly comes to life.
- 21 Tower St, London WC2H 9NS
- choosingkeeping.com
- @choosingkeeping
Lin Lin42/50Objects of Use, Oxford
Oxford’s answer to beautiful, practical homeware. Objects of Use nails making the everyday extraordinary with tools, cleaning products, kitchenware, homeware and stationary all of the highest quality. Their products frequently grace the pages of House & Garden, thanks to their most handsome good looks and oft handmade provenance. The shop is owned by Hazel Rattigan, who has a graphic design and fine art background.
- 6 Lincoln House, Market Street, Oxford OX1 3EQ
- objectsofuse.com
- @objectsofuse
Kin43/50Kin, Birmingham
Kin store in Birmingham stocks some of our favourite brands and makers, from HAY (the go-to for clean-lined but romantic Scandinavian design) to contemporary Danish design brand Ferm. Whether you’re local to Birmingham or not, Kin is a super handy resource for those looking to educate themselves on the best furniture designers today, particularly in the world of Scandinavian and mid-century style. Located in Edgbaston, a suburb just south-west of the Birmingham city centre, the Kin store has a focus on customer experience and fostering a sense of community.
- 15 Greenfield Crescent Edgbaston Birmingham B15 3AU
- kinstore.co.uk
- @kinstore.co.uk
44/50Wickle, Lewes
This ‘mini department store’ in Lewes is one of the most charming shops you’re likely to come across - packed with a colourful and playful mix of textiles, decorative objects and tableware. There’s a strong Scandi influence at work, but a delicious sense of humour too. Founded in 2004, it’s a relatively longstanding member of the community of independent shops, and long may it remain that way.
- 24 High St, Lewes BN7 2LU
- wickle.co.uk
- @wickle.co.uk
Elle Brotherhood45/50Form Lifestyle Store, Manchester
While you're in the Northern Quarter, don't miss this smart shop with its intriguing array of ceramics, candles, glassware, and paper goods. Open since 2017, the shop has a strong focus on craftsmanship and sustainability, positioning itself firmly against the prevailing throwaway culture. Highlights include earthy harlequin-patterned mugs by the ceramicist Paige Mitchell, gloriously wonky iron candlesticks, locally made linen cushions, and a smattering of well-chosen vintage art. It's one of those shops (as we hope many on this list are) where we defy you to walk in and not buy something.
- 6 Bradley St, Manchester M1 1EH
- form-shop.com
- @formlifestylestore
Alexandria Fleming46/50Knepp Wilding Kitchen & Shop, Sussex
Sitting at the heart of the Knepp Estate, the visionary rewilding project in Sussex, this homeware and farm shop has grown out of the estate's ethos. Everything has been sourced with sustainability in mind – whether in terms of materials or carbon footprint. From pretty garlands by East End Press that are made from entirely recycled paper to soft furnishings created in collaboration with Fine Cell Work, a charity that teaches needlework in prisons, everything here is beautiful and also good for the world. You can also pick up supplies here too – there is delicious produce grown a couple of hundred metres away in the regenerative market garden, as well as a great selection of low intervention wines and store cupboard essentials (again, all as sustainable as possible).
- Worthing Rd, Dial Post, Horsham RH13 8NQ
- knepp.co.uk/wilding-kitchen/shop
- @kneppwildingkitchen
Mary Pritchett47/50Pascale, Norfolk
Pascale Smets’ unwavering eye for beauty led her, in 2020, away from her career in fashion design and towards a new path; curating handmade furniture and accessories from a range of international makers. This includes tableware by Cape Town-based Corinne de Haas to baskets handwoven by collectives in Swaziland. Until recently, her selections were available either online or through a series of pop-up shops: first in New Street Market, Stourbridge, in 2019 and then within Heal’s on Tottenham Court Road. Just last month, Pascale opened her first permanent location in Norwich City Center. The large space is the amalgamation of two townhouses (one 17th century and the other 18th century), and for those who have come to covet the pared-back, eclectic aesthetic which Pascale represents, is really quite an excitement.
- 27 London St, Norwich NR2 1JB
- pascalestore.co.uk
- @pascalehomewares
Rosie Rendell48/50Maker's Barn, Sussex
Nestled within the undulating hills of the South Downs National Park, this former agricultural barn in Petworth, West Sussex, is practically bursting at the seams with contemporary craft. Founded in the spring of 2022 by coppicer Rosie Rendell, Maker’s Barn is more than a shop (though you are sure to find something utterly wonderful and handmade here, whether you are looking for stone and wood tools made by Beren Fitzgerald, or the very pretty, colourful ceramics thrown by Melanie Russell). It is also a hub for local, independent makers practising endangered crafts who have found not just a stockist in the barn, but also a community. As is becoming the barn's Christmas custom, on Sundays throughout December Maker’s Barn will play host to a series of demonstrations and workshops. Among those taking part is glass artist Kay Bickell and woodworker and spoon carver Andrew Byham.
- Horsham Rd, Petworth GU28 0HB
- makersbarn.co.uk
- @makersbarn_petworth
Georgina Piper49/50Dyke & Dean, Hastings
The founders of Dyke & Dean – Oliver Dean and Edward Lloyd-Dyke have somehow managed to create a space that feels at once quaint and comfortable, yet airy and contemporary. The shop sits in between Hastings railway station and the RIBA award winning Hastings Pier, making it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. The furniture, accessories and lighting sold here leaves very little to be desired, regardless of your taste. You can, for instance, enter in search of a bamboo toothbrush and leave with a cast iron bathtub, recipe book and a jaunty, electric blue coffee maker. The thread that runs through every piece is a delightful balance of practicality and beauty.
- 14 Claremont, Hastings TN34 1HA
- dykeanddean.com
- @dykeanddean
Chris Hurlstone50/50Covet, Yorkshire
The lovely spa town of Ilkley is situated amidst some of West Yorkshire's most spectacular countryside, but if you can tear yourself away from the dales for a moment, a trip to Covet is sure to reward you. Founder Lorraine Hurlstone has an experienced eye that errs slightly towards the bohemian: this is a brilliant local place for kantha cushions, recycled glass, stoneware serving dishes and jute placemats. The stock is deeply eclectic and frequently changes – look out for Berber rugs, witty modern delft tiles, and colourful glass lamps.
- 37 The Grove, Ilkley, LS29 9NJ
- covetstore.com
- @covetshops
