After three years on the drawing board, Chris Hawkins is happy to demonstrate the signature piece from his Corvid collection. With no solder or riveting, each link of the silver vertebrae bracelet clips together perfectly: hugging the wrist heavily, following its contours round. A piece of jewellery. A work of art. A feat of engineering. Like many of his designs its inspiration comes from the natural world. “I’ll come across something – a interesting bone or a shell – and I’ll sketch it. Then when I’ve gone as far as I can on paper I’ll take it into three dimensions. As I do that, it will start to develop a life of its own.”

With furniture and accessories ranging from the 18th Century through to modern retro, Dodo resurrects items destined for extinction and restores them fit for decades to come. It’s the vision of owners Simon St John Best and partner Kirstine. “We’re trying to persuade people that living in a Victorian or Thirties Deco building, doesn’t mean you have to choose furniture from the same era,” Kirstine says. “Every house has evolved through time – so you should mix and match. It will feel more like a home if it’s an eclectic feel rather than filled with the things you think should be there.” While Kirstine fronts the shop, Simon is planning monthly art exhibitions. They’ve gutted the former bathroom showroom, stripping it back to reveal its origins as a 19th-century stable. “Once the space emerged it just shouted gallery,” Simon says. “It will show how the art will work in home setting.”

Rick Irvine has a very large stack of porn, a dodgy knee from too much jiving and an anachronistic air of rebellion. But it all makes perfect sense when you visit the emporium of collectibles and curiosities that is Rin Tin Tin.

Brighton is fortunate to boast Rina Tairo’s only stand-alone shop. And if you’re looking for a truly unique piece of luxury fashion jewellery, the selection is outstanding. Her hand-woven 18ct gold and silver designs offer wonderful textures – from delicate spun meshes that mould to your fingers to bangles comprising amazing sculptural formations of tiny silver orbs. Helsinki-born Rina studied fine art in Finland, Florence and London. And now her designs are in demand around the world.

Punzi is a jewellery shop with a difference. As well as beautiful beaded gemstone jewellery and rings made by Margherita Hale it also sells many interesting rough and polished gemstones and fossils from all over the world. Service is bespoke. Margherita treats each design like a painting, using mixtures of colours and textures to produce truly unique results. Many pieces are made to customers requirements – either on the spot or in a few days.

This diminutive former pub, just a stone’s throw from Brighton mainline station, is a veritable Tardis of treasures for your home. Its dimensions may be small, but that doesn’t limit the enticing and unusual selection of furniture, lighting, glassware, accessories and jewellery. A predilection for natural textures and colours means the overall effect is light, calm and beautifully harmonious. Not surprising when you

Brass Monkeys has quickly established a reputation for selling beautiful, unusual and affordable handmade jewellery and metalwork by over 40 established and emerging British designer-makers, many of them local. The diverse selection includes colourful earrings made from recycled bottle tops, exquisite cufflinks, rings, bangles, brooches and pendants in various materials, precious and non-precious. Prices range from just £12 to £1,200.

Appendage is a gallery and shop stocking innovative work by British makers, accessories for the individual and the home. There is a strong emphasis on colour and an eclectic use of pattern and materials.

My next rug is going to be a ‘runt’. “They’re made from the leftovers of traditional, hand-knotted Pakistani gabbehs,” says Gaff owner Russell Salter. “Every six to eight rugs provide enough extra dyed-up wool to make a one-off. It’s hand-knotted like a traditional rug, but always different. And two-thirds the price of a traditional design.” That’s how Gaff (great art for floors) works. You see a rug. You hear about it. You want it. It’s what makes this tiny, irresistible shop on Trafalgar Street so compelling. “We can find a rug to fit any budget,” Russell says. “We have about 500 designs from 18 different suppliers.” And all come with the reassurance of being ethically sourced.

Only when you meet Ollie Learmonth does the name of his shop really make sense. The unique appeal of this homage to 20th-century design is down to the absolute personalness of the selection. “All throughout my life I’ve been collecting,” Ollie says. “Then I realised I would never have enough room to house it all. “My ethos here was to create a space that wasn’t limited by any time zone or fashion. I just wanted somewhere for people interested in design. I like fun things. It’s not at all sombre or pigeon-holed around familiar names that I know will sell well. I’d get bored doing that.”

Silver is a little shop with a big personality – which belongs to its owner Paul Lewis. Actually, I lied about the size of the premises. Although Silver appears rather narrow and dark from the street, inside it stretches back and opens out into a wider workshop area where many of the glass and wooden pieces on display have been made.

specialising in bespoke, hand-finishing, King Framers certainly offers a superb service that ensures your artwork is complemented by the perfect surround. And if you don’t already have a piece to frame, just gaze around its constantly changing mix of prints and you’ll find plenty to inspire you. (When we visited owners Peta and Stephen King were preparing for their latest temporary selling exhibition by Mark Hearld.) But what the shop name doesn’t give away is the vibrant and eclectic selection of gifts, stationery and accessories that reflects Peta’s love of travel – and her eye for the truly unusual.

Its fabulous selection of hand-crafted jewellery is just one of the gallery’s many attractions.