FOUR OF THE BEST ONLINE SHOPS

These little-known indie retailers deliver unique style at the click of a mouse button

PORTEGO

What does it sell? The best contemporary crafts from Venice and the Veneto region. Portego is named after the Venetian word for porch, a common location for exchanging goods in the city. Best buys Lovely wood and steel ‘Self Portrait’ table mirrors made by an Italian carver (right, £197), inlaid wood and brass ‘Genesini’ coat hangers (from £193 per pair) and ‘Laguna’ tableware decorated with silk-screen decals of algae (from £45 for three dessert plates). Log on at puntaportego.com

ROUGE SHOP

What does it sell? Beautiful vintage and modern Chinese furniture. Every piece is hand-picked by owner Lei Yang on her regular buying trips to China. There’s also a bricks-and-mortar boutique in Stoke Newington, London. Best buys The vintage fretwork kitchen cabinets (right, from £1,895) are to die for; we also love the beautifully distressed console tables and rustic wooden stools. Log on at rouge-shop.co.uk

WRIGHT & SMITH

What does it sell? Describing itself as ‘a global forum of artisans and makers – wrights and smiths!’, this website focuses on the stories of craftspeople as well as the products that they create. It stocks an original and varied mix of ceramics, textiles, art and furniture. Best buys Batik wood tiles from China decorated using traditional wax techniques (left, £80 for six); ‘Nightingale’ pottery by Maria Jeglinska ( left, from £12.27 for a side plate). Log on at wrightandsmith.com

TYPEO

What does it sell? Curated by creative duo Micha van Dinther and Magnus Wittbjer, this Swedish website specialises in stylish and colourful Italian cookware and understated Japanese porcelain, as well as a line of beautiful petrified wood stools. Best buys ‘Circa’ brass incense burner by Cinnamon Projects ( left, £141); petrified wood stool, made from Sumatran timber that is 20 million years old (above left, £474). Log on at typeo.se