OS Ovo Studio
We’ve always liked Ovo, even when it was a start up home store on Queen’s Road East. Then it branched into the floral business, and more recently designer Chinese food with great success (does the storyline sound familiar?) But it all started with one strong concept: smart home furnishings. In their Johnston Road showroom, the generous space shows off their well made pieces for the modern abode, and demonstrates they’ve still got the market covered for stylish décor. You can pick up solid wood bed frames, lacquered end tables, and some items that seemingly have no purpose at all other than to look polished – and gorgeous. G/F, 60 Johnston Rd, Wan Chai, 2277 6366; www.ovostudio.com.hk.

Runner-up: SunSing Tea
If you’re a tea connoisseur, SunSing is probably the best kept secret in town. The serene space is located on the 32nd floor of one of the tallest buildings in Causeway Bay, and hosts a huge collection of teas and cha paraphernalia, including antique pu’er and rare vintages from the 1920s. However if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, just ask the courteous quad-lingual staff (Cantonese, Putonghua, English and Japanese) to pull out the good stuff. And by that, we mean vintage teacakes that can cost upwards of $10,000 each. 32/F, Soundwill Plaza, 38 Russell St, Causeway Bay, 2832 2889.

Second runner-up: Pantry Magic
Satisfy all your foodie vices in one store. For instance, while you probably never knew you needed an egg timer, or an imported French oven for that matter, you’d probably still be walking out the Pantry Magic door with both. What we love most, though, are the friendly staff and the international foodie magazines sold at cover price. If nothing else, this shop inspires us to aim for a larger kitchen. Citywide; www.pantry-magic.com.

Honourable mention: Sephora
It didn’t quite take the plaudits, but this try-before-you-buy cosmetic and body care chain nevertheless made a huge impression on us this year. They offer free makeup lessons, though they tend to be a bit heavy handed for minimalists, and shelves packed full with affordably priced products, including brands such as Stella and Benefit. It’s always good to have options, and here you’ll find more choice than anywhere else. G/F, Hollywood Plaza, Sai Yeung Choi St, Mong Kok, Kowloon, 2771 8061; www.sephora.com.

Reader’s choice: G.O.D.
How can we disagree? Ever since it first opened its doors, Goods of Desire has given us a design alternative to IKEA’s cheap and functional, making home décor fun and ironic (Chinese checker bean bags anyone?). Most importantly, however, they’ve made contemporary Chinese living cool. Bravo. Citywide; www.god.com.hk.