Top Shops

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday June 26, 2008

Melissa Penfold

If you're after classics, or something a little different, you can't go past these Sydney stars.

Anibou

This place stocks Artek originals by Alvar Aalto, one of Finland's crown jewels and a key figure in the history of modernism (almost all living design-greats list Artek as their fave stuff). 726 Bourke Street, Redfern. 9319 0655 www.anibou.com.au

Arte Domus [18]

A market leader in rare, high-quality limestones and marbles, especially in an Armani palette of creams, whites, mid-taupes and charcoals. Go for the 100mm-thick edges for maximum benchtop glamour. 46a Euston Road, Alexandria. 9557 5060, www.artedomus.com

Bed Bath n' Table

The standard-bearer for quality bed linen and towelling. Reliable basics include crisp white sheeting, waffle-weave duvet covers, towels in Armani shades, Portuguese-style bath mats, Cath Kidston bed linen and even embroidered laundry bags and shoe bags. Branches statewide, 9960 3366

Bunnings

About $30 will score you a sleek brushed stainless-steel door handle lever set that easily passes as a three-figure Italian design. Look for the Gainsborough brand. Branches statewide. 9846 7100

www.bunnings.com.au

Cavit & Co [10]

Big-boy American furniture for big-budget interiors. Major brands that create timeless staples, using quality materials such as woven rattan, leather and timber to create fad-free tables and chairs that you can take through life. 148 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills. 9326 9161 www.cavitco.com

Classic Chairs

The award-winning B Harmer sofa and easy chair are the Cartier watch of interiors. Like all classics, B Harmer looks fab in any pattern repeats, to world-weary leathers and horsehair. 19/21 Byrnes Street, Botany. 9316 7856 www.classicchair.com

Coco Republic

Sofas to suit most needs, from big, squashy English and American-style designs to mod-Italian styles, along with the best armchairs in town. Shops at Alexandria, Auburn and Crows Nest. www.cocorepublic.com.au

Cotswold Furniture Collection

Smart casual furniture in teak, woven fibres, oak and kraft paper. Also, great inexpensive French aluminium tables, armchairs and stacking side chairs. Shops in Artarmon and Mittagong. 1800 677 047

www.cotswoldfurniture.com.au

Dulux

Offers a mind-boggling 6000 shades. Vivid White (a bright white) and Stowe White (a cream white) are the best around, according to designer Iain Halliday of Burley Katon Halliday. Stockists everywhere. 132 525 www.dulux.com.au

Freedom

Great versions of the latest trends at fabulous prices. From B&B Italia bookshelf lookalikes to Martha Stewart bedside replicas and French-inspired slipper chairs. Branches statewide. 1300 135 588

www.freedom.com.au

FY2K [3] [16]

The glam showroom stocks leather bigwig Fasem, storage-system titan Tisettanta, bentwood maestro Emmemobili, soft-seating royalty Ferlea and bed guru Ciat. 17 Thurlow Street, East Redfern. 8399 1644 www.fy2k.com.au

Garden Life

Targeting inner-city design addicts, Richard Unsworth stocks affordable Australian-made architectural furniture and lightweight furniture ideal for balconies and decking where weight might be a consideration. 373 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst. 9332 1199 www.gardenlife.com.au

Grafton Galleries

Put together as well as any museum display, the 60-year-old family business moved a couple of years ago from Double Bay. Hartley Cook has a good eye: you'll find Gothic bookcases beside an 18th-century leather wingback chair, a Kang table, rare Hepplewhite chairs, zebra skins, French elm farmhouse tables and an outstanding line-up of decanters. Excellent prices. Suite 1, 15-19 Boundary Street, Rushcutters Bay. 9361 3567

Howell & Howell

One of our favourites. Renowned dealer Georgina Howell sells some of the best French cupboards, chairs, shelves, gueridons, commodes, tables, stools, mirrors and lighting in town, with more than a few Italian and Spanish pieces thrown into the mix. Always inspiring.

84 Queen Street, Woollahra. 9328 1212

Ikea [14]

Consistently our favourite haunt for dead plain glasses, plates, mugs, knives, forks, serving spoons, tea towels, tablecloths, oven mitts and aprons at affordable prices. No wonder Giorgio Armani filled his luxury yacht with the Swedish tableware. Make sure you check the quality and finishes. We have masses of the wine glasses, cutlery and white ceramic ware. Rhodes Shopping Centre, 1 Oulton Road, Rhodes. 8002 0400 www.ikea.com.au

Kim Snow Furniture [6]

A favourite. The Box range of American-designed, hand-carved furniture in plantation mahogany or teak never goes out of style, or check out the Melbourne-based Temperature Design collection of solid oak tables, carved tub chairs, low stands and desks-cum-consoles. Shop 203, 197 Young Street, Waterloo. 9319 2011

www.kimsnowfurniture.com.au

Laminex

Still a classic: tough, seamless and it comes in a huge range of colours, textures and finishes. We love it. Your kitchen-maker will set you up. 132 136 www.laminex.com.au

Linen & Moore [23]

Timeless designs of French-style quilts, bedspreads, sheets, pillowcases and valances - probably the bedding most likely to bring a bedroom to life. Order online and expect delivery within a week. 1800 213 863 www.linenandmoore.com.au

My Island Home

Everything to do with Caribbean-style living, which is perfect for Sydney. Rattan desks, pavilion chairs, woven wingbacks and wicker steamer trunks. Not to mention the ultimate woven mattresses to pop around your pool. 5 Transvaal Avenue, Double Bay. 9362 8760 www.myislandhome.com.au

Natural Floorcovering Centre

For the price of a pretty frock you can get a lifetime of pleasure from the easy-to-clean, hard-wearing, latex-backed sisal rugs here. Stores in Marrickville and Mosman.

www.naturalfloor.com.au

Orient House

A-list designers go nuts over this place. Regular shipments of old and new Chinese, Korean, Thai and African furniture. Also cut-and-split bamboo furniture. But it's the Armani Casa bedside cabinet that outsells everything. 45 Bridge Road, Glebe.

9660 3895 www.orienthouse.net.au

Papaya [15]

Buy less but buy better here, where it's best to stick to classics like crystal napkin rings, iron urns, glass lanterns, ceramic votives and wirework tabletop candelabra. Shop 5015, Level 5, Westfield, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction. 9386 9980 www.papaya.com.au

Papier d'Amour [2]

This bijou boutique is pure Paris, with bespoke change-of-address cards with hand-painted borders and a sitting area for planning invitations and printed stationery.

8 Cross Street, Double Bay.

9362 5200 www.papierdamour.com.au

Poliform [4] [19]

This place launched the fashion for glossy white polyurethane finishes and monster benchtops. But it is just as famous for its technical innovations, kitchens, storage systems, wardrobes, beds, dining tables and sofas. 184 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills. 9690 0777 www.poliform.com.au

Robert Burton

The Sydney style guru's sheeting gives the imported European stuff a run for its money and it comes with big fat borders. 10a Queen Street, Woollahra. 9332 2944 www.robertburtondesign.com

Space Furniture [17] [20]

Six floors of edgy Italian design, topped with a new Poliform-designed apartment. Go to be inspired. 84 O'Riordan Street, Alexandria. 8339 7588

www.spacefurniture.com.au

Spence & Lyda

If it's in, it's in here. Cult brands Montina, Modernica and Redaelli, as well as own-brand tables, chairs, sofas, beds and storage systems at surprisingly affordable prices. 16 Foster Street, Surry Hills. 9212 6747 www.spenceandlyda.com.au

Spotlight

Raid the chain for fab fabrics at bargain-basement prices. Buy a few metres and hurl it over your table - you'll be amazed how good looks. Stores statewide. 1300 305 405

Thurlstane

Supplies top hotels with its own-brand bargain, thick white cotton sheet sets, lovely towels and big-brand bed linen at discount prices. Corner William and Reserve streets, Beaconsfield. 9310 4600

91 Bourke Street

We always recommend the French-style booty here. Find bespoke timber kitchens, armoires, refectory tables, sofas, flooring and hand-forged wrought-iron beds for starters. 91 Bourke Street, Woolloomooloo. 8356 9401 www.91bourkestreet.com

The Country Trader

Geoffrey Clark's drop-dead-gorgeous emporium has some of the best-looking, showiest French antiques in town, as well as items at the edgier end of the antique spectrum - crumbling Roman marbles, Gothic windows, follies and fountains.

197 Young Street, Waterloo. 9698 4661 www.thecountrytrader.com.au

Universal Lighting

Top interior designers make regular raids for quality German Holtkotter adjustable swing-arm bedside wall brackets, standard lamps and picture lights. Universal also custom-makes lampshades. 130 New South Head Road, Edgecliff. 9328 7633

Westbury Textiles [11]

An incredibly smart upholstery range. You're welcome to visit here but you'll have to order through your upholsterer or decorator. 6/15-19 Boundary Street, Rushcutters Bay. 9380 6644 www.westburytextiles.com

Extract from Melissa Penfold's Little Black Book, by Melissa Penfold and Jenny Tabakoff (Penguin, $29.95).

Cover illustration: Andrew Joyner

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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