I’ve always said that we have the best High Street in the world, and this goes for homewares, too.
I have so many good High Street buys in my home, so thought I’d share my tips for making it work.
MIX AND MATCH
It seems obvious, but try and limit your purchases from one shop. Yes it is easy to buy everything from Ikea (I know this, firsthand!) but the beauty of a home is all the bits and bobs you collect from different stores. And it also stops your home from looking like a showroom. These Primark cushions still look as fresh as the day I bought them (the cross cushion is over 4 years old) and mixed a luxe sofa, they hold up on their own pretty well.
DON’T BE A BRAND SNOB
A lot of what I set out on my blog to do is eliminate the stigma attached to High Street shopping – yes, we are inspired by designer homes and amazing Pinterest images, but I always use this as a starting point to find what I want on a much smaller budget. I recently discovered Matalan’s lighting section and I honestly can’t believe I didn’t find it earlier!
Other brands on my radar are Dunelm (we just bought a great wardrobe for Peggy’s room), Next, TK Maxx and H&M Home.
BUT SOME THINGS CAN’T BE COPIED
Yes, I’m a High Street fan but even I accept that sometimes (but definitely not always), some things can’t beat the originals. I bought this Hay chair 4 years ago now and I still love it to this day, it’s an investment piece but something that will transform a room, and changes every time I put a different cushion on it.
Brands I look to for a more elevated approach to home styling are: Hay, Ferm Living, House Doctor, Jonathan Adler, and most of the independent brands on Trouva.
LA REDOUTE IS ONE OF THE BEST FOR ONLINE INTERIORS
Yes. sometimes you have to wait about 6 weeks for delivery and sometimes things sell out really quickly but they really have some of the best quality pieces out there for the price. It’s every Fashion Editor and Blogger’s not so well-kept secret. And if you time it right, they often do amazing 30-40% off discount codes, too.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE THINGS YOUR OWN
We bought this cabinet from Homebase about 7 years ago when we bought our first flat, it was actually a coffee table but it was the perfect dimensions for the cove in our flat and had excellent storage. The only thing that let it down were the handles, they were chunky and not very modern but I didn’t let that put us off – I knew this was the one thing that could be changed easily. We have since changed the handles on this cabinet a few times over the years, they currently have some Buster & Punch ones and they have given it a new lease of life.
MIX IN THRIFT, SECONDHAND AND CARBOOT FINDS
Again, I love mixing in furniture with a bit of history, a story to tell – whether that’s something handed down that you’ve painted, a sideboard picked up from a local secondhand store, or a repurposed record storage cabinet from Etsy (I’ve got my eye on one, currently) – it all adds layers to your home with a bit of personality, stopping it from looking too High Street obvious.
And if you’re not too vintage/secondhand savvy, like me, don’t be scared to try online shopping like Vinterior and Etsy – I favourite stores I found were good and make them my ‘go-tos’ – The Garage Vintage is my current favourite on Etsy.
HABITAT IS MY GO-TO FOR FRAMES
I love framing prints, it can really make a little something you picked up look really spectacular. I like my frames to have glass rather than plastic (and have found Ikea very cheap looking these days). I have found Habitat to be the best (I love the oak and the gold frames), and have become a bit obsessed by mounting lately, too, and Eze Frame is a bit addictive as you can even upload your pictures to see how it would look in the frames!
I don’t tend to buy prints from the High Street, I’m not sure why, it just doesn’t feel as genuine, I suppose – I would rather buy a cheap print or a map or a postcard and use that for art (the palm print above was one I picked up from Battersea Carboot and just changed the frame). And there are loads of amazing up and coming artists I love to support (from everyday affordable to more fine art). I buy prints from Etsy (for typography, or Lola Donoghue who is one of my favourites), Partnership Editions for a treat (I asked for a print by Jonathan Scofield for my birthday), Atelier Big Jon and I just got an amazing Italian Riviera photograph via Pampelone which I LOVE).
IF IN DOUBT, GO FOR MINIMAL PIECES
If you’re not sure on whether something on the high Street will stand the test of time, go minimal. It will simply look chicer for longer, and you can always jazz it up with accessories – case in point, Ikea £39 basic cot made ‘wow’ with the extra bits. We couldn’t decide on which cot to buy, they all had three drawers, extra pockets and handy shelving, and in the end we just went with what we liked – and it ended up (luckily) being the cheapest.
IKEA IS GREAT, BUT TRY TO LIMIT YOURSELF
I mean, we all love Ikea, right?! The Daim bars, the hotdogs, the Stockholm cushion that just about every single home has….
This is my point. My fear is that someone will walk into my living and say ‘oh, I have that, too!’ to everything I own. It’s mainstream, I know, and it’s bound to happen, but wouldn’t it be nice to have an inch of personal style in your home?
I have a lot of Ikea in my house, but (I sincerely hope) it doesn’t feel like I have a lot of Ikea in my house. Why? Because I hide all the chairs behind cool cushions, I try not to go for the obvious stuff (black and white NYC canvas with a yellow taxi, anyone?) and I limit myself to things I truly love and will go with other things I own.
Finally, a little comforting quote I picked up whilst reading the Soho House ‘Morning Noon Night’ book, which resonates with me a lot:
“It’s important to buy the pieces you like and not concern yourself too much with whether things will match or go. Sometimes great things happen when you mix it all together” Vicky Charles, Interior Designer.
Ecelecticism at its best. No wonder I love all of Soho House’s style.
Love this article! I have just bought a house and you are helping me along the way 🙂
Congratulations! xxx
I love La Redoute home. So many unusual pieces at great prices. I absolutely love your home. I’ve just moved from a big house to a one bed flat and struggling with what to keep, what will fit and what to donate or sell. It’s very stressful.
Me too – and such good kids clothes, too! OhI feel you….I love a good clear out but still have so much to go through! If you can handle it, we love selling at a carboot – social, upcycling and we leave empty-handed! So liberating!
I hadn’t spotted Matalan’s lighting before…some really lovely designs there. I’m also a big fan of La Redoute too…for so much…interiors, baby clothes…
Agree with all the advice here and it’s got me feeling inspired again. Great article, thanks Alex.
The baby clothes are SO good – and much more realistic sizing, I’ve found…and matalan lighting is my new thing!
Matalan lighting, eh? That’s a complete revelation. Somewhere to look for lighting now that our BHS store has gone. Some good tips there and I SO love that IKEA armchair . It looks so much more expensive than it is but still remains stylish.
Yes it has totally filled that BHS gap! I still have a few BHS lights in my hallway, they’ve really stood the test of time x
Such a great article with many good ideas. I also love the vintage style travel posters (to places I’ve been) that are dirt cheap on amazon!
Love a travel poster! I framed an old LA map I picked up for a $1 and its one of my favourite things! x
This is a great little post with some valuable tips. I totally agree. The way you bring passion and engagement into the things you do can really change your outlook on live.
Great post and great advices ! 🙂 I actually would love to have more time to go and find some vintage furniture and accessories to give a little vintage twist to our home … but I haven’t ! so I get lots of stuff from La Redoute. and it may be look a bit like a showroom haha but I still love it !
It always seems that the best vintage fairs etc require you to be there at 5am, which is not for me! I have a cabinet and mirror passed down from my nan which adds a story, otherwise most of my home is La Redoute, too! x
Thank you for this piece! I’m moving back to London after 2.5 years in New York soon and was feeling daunted by the task of setting up/making our next place homely again on a modest budget. I’m definitely going to check out the lighting department in Matalan ?
Oh new York, one of the few places in the world i think I could live other than london! Good luck with the move and yes to Matalan xx
Great post! Can you advise what colour you painted your baby’s room in? Thanks!
Farrow & Ball ‘Pink Ground’ x
Really useful post, thanks so much x
I love your interiors, you’re not afraid of experimenting, and following your own way, and it pays off.
I do think mixing from different places is the key. I’ve seen an interior with high end pieces, but it ended up quite bland because it was too matchy matchy. We have some high end pieces (some bought second hand), a few inherited pieces (including my FIL’s apprentice piece cabinet), but the majority is high street (albeit Danish high street).
For me it’s the ecclectic-ness of it, a lot of our pictures reflect my British heritage, but the furniture is more Danish minimalist. It’s a mix that makes it personal to us as a couple!
Thank you! yes I love building up our style over time, too – feels so much more authentic, I don’t doubt your place is very Scandi chic xxx
Your interiors are absolutely stunning! You have such a brilliant eye for style! I’m redecorating at the moment so this post is exactly what I needed right now – currently on the hunt for some cushions and I didn’t realise how difficult it would be to make up my mind on even the smallest things!
Sending you good vibes!
Nati x | http://www.naticreates.com | @naticreates
Thank you so much, and thanks for your mention today! xx
I’ve been following you for a while on insta but just discovered the blog today- it’s excellent! Thanks!!
What colour is your sofa? I ordered the Emerald Green swatch and it doesn’t look the same 🙁
Also where did you get your shutters from in the living room?
I’m pretty sure it’s emerald green…maybe it looks different on a bigger surface area? The shutters are from Californian Shutters x
Alex, I really love your sense of style. Every time you post about interior stuff (or fashion or anything really!) I always go „YES!!“ in my mind. I would have zero problems moving in to your house and leaving everything as is.
Oh what a lovely thing to say!! In truth, I’m feeling a bit meh at the moment, probably because we’re stuck in limbo with no money to do any more reno work (we still cook with camping stoves etc!) – so this comment has made me feel v happy indeed – need to appreciate it more! x
Thanks for the post Alex, were at such cross roads with our house interiors, but you’ve given us so much inspiration hope you don’t mind if I copy aspects I absolutely love your style x
Of course not – why I share! I love that others might be inspired to get a few things! x
Ive recently moved and are waiting for our cafe style shutters to be fitted in the meantime we have old curtains up, Im looking for new but done like anything I have seen so far, do you have curtains up with your shutters or have you left them without?
We don’t have curtains, no – but since this pic we have shutters up to the top of the window now (our neighbours opposite could see me doing my ironing in the evening!) xx
Great blog thank you for all your insights and tips. I absolutely agree -it takes years to make a house a home and its so lovely to add pieces from travels mixed in with new and old. I’m new to instagram and although I love so many of the images of people’s houses, I often think they follow an ‘insta’ formula and lack that personal touch. I am looking forwards to seeing Peggy’s room when its finished along with the rest of your house! x
Love all these tips. We’re about to start doing up our new flat, loads of great inspiration here as always, thanks Alex 🙂
Thanks for sharing your ideas and design with us