Where to save and where to splurge!
Be stylish and savvy by mixing bargains with investment pieces, says Emily Payne
HIGH STREET, hardware store or harrods? When it comes to sprucing up your home, where are the areas you should splash out, and where can you make the pennies count?
SPEND BIG SIT COMFORTABLY
LIKE it or not, a sofa will soon become part of the family; so choose wisely. If you want it to last, leather is the answer, says kris Manalo, upholstery buyer at heal’s: ‘the beautiful texture will improve with age.’ Matt Deighton, at Sofas by Saxon, warns: ‘cheap sofas use just enough low-quality padding to be passable. and we’ve all experienced a sagging sofa as a result of poor suspension.’ try heal’s Barrington two-seater, £1,999 or liberty Smoky Grey Velvet, 1st avenue £1,200, houzz.co.uk.
CLASSY TOUCHES
DETAILS like doorknobs are the jewellery of a room — you can’t fail to notice them. ‘anything you touch is worth spending money on,’ says charles Bettes, director of Gpad london. ‘the finish and grade of a door handle is dictated by the material and mechanism, and the quality of these is reflected in the price.’ look at top of the range Nanz hardware, prices upon request. Or try anthropologie’s cast iron artemis door knob, £68.
FANCY FABRICS
YOU can’t disguise cheap material. Gemma Drury, at ashley Wilde, says: ‘luxurious fabrics with a sumptuous drape will transform beautifully into curtains or roman blinds.’ keep it simple with natural fabrics at ada & Ina ( linenfabrics.co.uk).
STAND OUT PIECE
ONE talking-point piece can make all the difference. ‘Spending money on a particular piece of furniture can set the tone for a space,’ says charles Bettes. atkin and thyme’s Fern chest, £599, is built to last in solid mango, atkinandthyme.co.uk.
INVEST IN SLEEP
BACK pain, neck trouble and even stress can be down to a bed with poor support. Rest easy on the Natural collection silk pocket spring mattress from £2,299.50, johnlewis. and treat yourself to good quality bedlinen. ‘Jersey sheets have superior air permeability, so more efficiently transport moisture away from the skin,’ says sleep expert toby Walzer, of rested.com.
GO BUDGET SIDE TABLE STEAL
SAY what you will about Ikea; they do a good table. So much so that auction site Barnebys recently predicted that one design, the lovbacken (right), could be worth over £5,000 in 20 years. the sleek side table was re-released for £45 this month and would smarten up any room. Or pick up a simple coffee table in solid acacia at houzz.co.uk for £72.99.
ROLL OUT A RUG
OFFERING a splash of colour, pattern or a change of texture, a rug can shake things up. try the navy Foley cotton Rug, £49, heals.com, or a geometric rug for £19.50 at marksandspencer.com.
CHEAP AND CHEERFUL
THAT metallic owl you once loved will almost certainly look like tat in a few years. ‘Very trendy items can soon lose their shiny attraction and look dated. Opt for cheaper mimics so that when you get bored they can easily be replaced,’ says Diana Greenhalgh, of houzz. the supermarkets have a great selection of fripperies. an aqua ceramic vase from Morrisons is just £10; or add some instant Seventies chic with Sainsbury’s home macrame wall hanging for £14.
BRIGHT IDEA
WHILE a statement lamp can elevate any room, replicas work just as well. You can buy a very handsome navy ceramic table lamp from Morrisons for £10. those statement single light bulbs? Matalan have them for £15. Slightly more cash will bag you the stylish emmet floor lamp at M&S for just £89.
SAVE ON A FRAME
UNLIKE a mattress, your bed frame has little to do with how you sleep, so considering a budget option is unlikely to leave you feeling like the walking dead. For a simple wooden frame, try the plymouth frame by home & haus, currently at Wayfair for just £86.99. Or go metallic with the hamby frame by Mercury Row, £100.99, also at Wayfair. alternatively, choose a beautiful headboard if you can’t afford the whole frame and pair it with a less expensive divan.