apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Head over to Dumbo...there's good stuff. Open Source, Bo Concept, Journey, etc. etc.

Also, all along Atlantic Ave in cobble hill/boerum hill there are loads of great antique stores.

Design Sponge posted a brooklyn design guide recently: http://megrace.blogspot.com/2006/09/brooklyn-design-guide.html

Rounding out the Fifth Ave, Park Slope leg of this . . . which has ALOT between 1st St and Lincoln Pl, a short six block span
as you said, Matter http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/062304/park-slope/matter-solo-modern-design-store-000163
3R Living http://www.3rliving.com (expensive quality recycled house/officewares)
(which is on the same block with lunch @Bonnie's Grill, if you like burgers or catfish burgers with the best fries ever and chipotle mayo, and/or hot wings AND some groovy girl clothing design stores AND Blue Ribbon Sushi - actually, there's a ton of good food on this strip)
Cog and Pearl http://www.cogandpearl.com/ (artist housewares and accessories, made with a lot of salvage like road signs)
and one block from there Posey Baker Interiors - "Swedish Modern Furniture, Contemporary Art, and Objects for the Home" http://www.poseybaker.com/
they have those tiny graffiti lamps in the window

South Slope/7th Ave has
Nest andRare Device http://raredevice.net/
rather like Matter -- you might have enough on that short strip on Fifth and then head over to
Williamsburg and/or Dumbo
http://www.choplet.com/store.html is one, and there's lots more that perhaps someone else can fill in . . .

http://www.smalltownbrooklyn.com/overview.html
has scrolling street maps with all storefronts labeled

http://www.brooklynnow.com/ is a better designed site, but no scrolling streets. It more a Chamber of Commerce directed thing. Super cute maps and paid listings.

Have fun!

Don't forget Moon River Chattel in Williamsburg and RePOP in Fort Greene.

http://www.moonriverchattel.com/
http://www.repopny.com/

Thanks for the mention above (the guide covers all of Brooklyn and the stores mentioned here, as well as places to snack along the tour)- I'd also like to add that if you're in Brooklyn this weekend be sure to check out Horseman Antiques' massive massive sale. I stopped by last week and it's full of great bargains. They're staffed by a pretty gruff group of older men but the furniture can be pretty fantastic if you poke around enough.

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7359917

designsponge, that's the BEST list!
I hope you keep updating it . . .

if you're on 5th in the late afternoon and want a really fantastic margarita (and lets face it, whats better after a day of shopping?) Lobo at 5th and sackett is acceptable mexican with great margaritas...not to mention the staff is really nice, my boyfriend and i were the only ones there yesterday and they turned on Rookie of the Year on the big screen. Fun times!

o dear . . . Lobo is roundly hated for wretchedly bad TexMex by everyone I know that has ever darkened their door.
I think that's why you had the place to yourselves!

no offense intended, just a warning for visiting friends of AT
there are MUCH better lunches, dinners, and cocktails to be had in that area

oh that's why i said "acceptable"...i know the food is sub-par, but i think the margaritas are rather good. and the chips are free, which isn't true for some of the "better" mexican places. and $5 happy hour at the bar... we're still in the dirt-poor twentysomething phase...

Speaking of Lobo, Brownstone Treasures, http://nymag.com/listings/stores/brownstone_treasures/ is located near Lobo's Court Street location at Court and Butler. The furniture always struck me as very reasonably priced. I found a little sewing table and a cool chair both for under $50, as I recall.

If you are willing to walk down to Red Hook/Carroll Gardens West/Columbia Waterfront (whatever that area is called these days), on Columbia you'll find General Nightmare, http://www.generalnitemare.com/. A lot more upscale since it was bought, renovated, and organized a couple years ago. The prices were a little steep for my student budget, but if you know your antiques there might be some great finds. Also, last time I was there they had a free map of all the antique places in the neighborhood. Might be worth to see if you can get your hands on one of those. And if we're recommending TexMex joints, I'll plug Alma on Columbia with its roof top deck and view of Manhattan.