Mini Home Haul 2015

Sion and I have put a deposit down on a gorgeous flat for the next academic year, which means that we’ll be moving in this summer. It’s not your typical student flat (thank goodness) and has far more of a homely feel – which I think is perfect for your final year when you really have to knuckle down! In light of this, I’ve been rather overzealously shopping for home decor bits so that I don’t need to splash out upon moving in. Collecting things slowly over time has proven to be far more affordable, especially as it allows you to take advance of sales and discounts without feeling too under pressure. So, without further ado – here’s a couple of bits I’ll be adding to the flat.

‘S’ Carnival Light | Link

I’ve been looking for a light like this for several years now however each time I found a potential contender, they were almost immediately written off due to the price tag, ordinarily nearing the £200 mark. Although I love them – as they remind me a little of funfairs or dressing table mirrors – such an extortionately priced item was never going to be on my radar, so I temporarily halted my search. A couple of weeks ago however, I found this gorgeous little lamp from Not On The High Street, which in itself is a very addictive site for home decor! Standing at 9 inches tall and sold by Rocket & Rye, it’s a perfect size for slotting on a dressing table – or a bedside table, without looking overly intrusive. They do actually sell a larger version (13 inches) for £60, however this was more than big enough for me – and it’s very well made for such a great price tag (£30). This will take centre stage in our living room – as it accounts for both of our initials and really adds to the homely feel we’re going for!

Slate Cheese Board | Link

I’m not even sure we eat enough cheese to justify a cheese board – but this is the perfect excuse to host a couple of cheese and wine parties once we move in – plus it doubles up as a bread board and a general ‘kitchen board’! We were given the option to have this engraved, so I did – with our names. Perhaps it’s a bit cringe-worthy and cliche but I think it’s lovely to have a couple of personalised items, especially in a rented property – as it’s these things that make someone else’s house, yours!

Salt & Pepper Shakers | Link

It’s not until you start the very important ‘salt and pepper shaker’ search that you realise quite how many styles there are out there! Eventually, I opted for these very tall – and I think rather elegant (yet bold) shakers, which with alternating colours means that I don’t have to stick to a specific colour scheme. These are from the Eden Project Online Shop – which is a hidden gem in the world of home decor, they’re really affordable – but offer some really quirky, lovely items!

Vintage ‘LOVE’ letters | Link

I know this are quite an unoriginal room feature but having been on the lookout for some sort of shabby chic letters and spotting these for £5, I couldn’t really say no. They are from The Range – which is a great (and super affordable) home wear shop. Until I moved to Bournemouth I’d never come across the chain store before but now I’ve been introduced, I’m a regular! Some of the items look very mass produced and a bit cheap but if you hunt around, you can quite easily spot some gorgeous pieces!

Do you have any recommendations for great home wear stores? If so, please let me know – as I’m always hunting for new items!