Making Your Place Feel Like Home On A Budget
Homeware and interiors aren't something I've written about for almost a year? Which is surprising because they are by far one of my favourite things to talk about, browse and generally gaze it. If you've moved you will know not only how expensive it is but how hard it can be to put your stamp on somewhere so it feels like home. So here are some of my favourite ways to make a place feel like yours and none of them feel too bad on the purse strings.
CANDLES/SCENT
It's terrible that I've photographed a Diptyque candle to talk about budget homeware but it's more the concept than the brand. But if you're into your high-end candles I adore Diptyque, they're not something that I can afford to buy more than once a year but they last for months as you don't need to light them to enjoy their delicious scent. Candles, in general, are a great way to make anywhere feel cosy and comforting and they can also help to make your space smell like home too. You know that wonderful feeling you get when you walk in from being out all day and get to enjoy the scent of your home? I always find it's a mixture of the strangest things that come together and smell wonderful. If candles aren't your thing, which is understandable as they aren't the most amazing things to burn all the time [read this to find out more]. Things like reed diffusers or electronic diffusers are awesome to have around the house. Personally, I love my electronic diffuser which was a little bit of an investment at first [they would make the perfect housewarming gift for someone]. As you can leave them running all day without worrying about them setting the house on fire and they create quite a calming serene atmosphere and often you can also use them as a small light.
BEDDING
Ever since I was a child I always got slightly overexcited about what bedding to choose. And now I'm an adult and going to bed is my absolute favourite thing to do I'm even more excitable over the prospect of a fresh bedding set. In your bedroom, your bed is probably going to be the main focal point of the room so you want your bedding to be something that not only looks nice but feels incredible to sleep in too. I'm a sucker for white sheets but sometimes they can be a little sterile and look like you're living in a hotel [not always a bad thing but hey each to their own]. Even if you do go for white sheets mixing things up with throws and pillows is such an easy way to make things feel like home. If you've bought bedding before you will know how quickly things can wrack up in price and places like Primark, Wilkinsons, Asda and IKEA are all wonderful places to find awesome sheets that wash and last incredibly well. I recently picked up this dreamy palm print bedding set from Primark and at a mere £11 it's perfect. Even though it's completely unseasonal it's brightened up my room a treat.
PRINTS & ARTWORK
Putting things on the wall is quite stressful, especially if it's something with nails as you really have to commit to wanting it in that place for at least probably a year to make drilling into the wall worth it. Leaning prints against a surface or wall is quite a popular trend at the moment which is good as at least you're not putting holes in the walls but you get to enjoy having artwork around. And this is great if you rent an apartment or house as you're not always allowed to put things up. Prints or artwork don't always have to be super expensive either as you can download prints off Etsy and print them yourself. A great website for good quality cheap prints is DS Colour Labs. Or you can get crafty and repurpose things like cards. I always think that beautiful cards are so easily wasted but if you put them in a frame you're not only keeping something that's special but you've got awesome artwork for free. And having something like a gallery wall gives you the freedom to put your stamp on your place but you don't have to follow a strict theme.
BOOKS & PERSONAL TRINKETS
There is a large chance that you've already got a lot of books and I absolutely love using books and magazines for decor. So often they get tucked away and hidden when so often they have incredible spines and they deserve to be shown. Without a doubt, IKEA is the best place to find large book shelves and storage units that aren't incredibly expensive. As well as having books around I also love displaying personal trinkets. And maybe it's just me but when you get to a certain age you're expected to tuck away your personal trinkets and go for more mature pieces to decorate your home with. And don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore a nice vase but it doesn't quite bring me as much joy as seeing something that I've had for years or was bought at a special time nestled on my shelf. And you don't have to deck your home out with everything from your childhood and plaster your fridge with things that you did in playschool but just a little nod to your personal life can instantly make your space feel like your own.
What are your favourite things to decorate with to make your home feel like yours?
R x
