H&M Home Wish List

I think it's clear by this point that I really can't resist the opportunity to do a little virtual window shopping, especially for homeware bits and pieces. Lately I've been using the excuse of moving house in the not too distant future as an excuse and I'm loving putting together mood boards for each room! 

I didn't really have too much of a plan in mind when I clicked onto the homeware section of the H&M site but in no time at all I'd filled my online basket and when I looked at it, it pretty much summed up how I want my living room! I'm planning on it being fairly neutral with a charcoal sofa and then pops of colour from soft furnishings etc. There are also going to be quite a lot of shelves either side of the chimney breast so there are quite a few bits which I think would look great up there! 

Mirror, £14.99

In my opinion no room is complete without a mirror or two as it adds so much light  and can make the space seem much bigger which is crucial in a cosy London flat! 

3-Pack Candles, £4.99

My candle obsession is well and truly out of control. I already have a cupboard full of ones I'm 'saving' for the move (crazy I know) but I can't resist. I love love love the grey and white geometric patterns on these ones! 

Small Porcelain Bowl, £4.99 

We're desperately in need of some new crockery when we move and I can't get away from the idea of having mix matched bowls! The contrast between the teal (one of my favourite colours) and the pop of metallic around the rim is so beautiful. 

Ceramic Plate, £6.99 

Every blogger on the planet seems to own something from the marble collection at H&M but with good reason! Marble is so simple, understated and chic and I for one cannot wait to incorporate some into our new place. The real question is what would I actually use this for...? 

3-Pack Plant Pots On A Tray, £14.99

Cacti appear pretty much everywhere throughout my flat, as does copper so why not combine the two!?

Scented Candle, £9.99

Candles and metallic combined, need I say more? 

Cotton Cushion Cover, £3.99

To add a pop of colour to our charcoal sofa we're going to have lots of brightly coloured cushions which we can switch around throughout the year and this mustard yellow one will be perfect! 

Where's your favourite place to shop for affordable homewares? 

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New Home Inspiration

It's been a little while since I did a little round up of my Pinterest faves as life kind of got away from me without me realising. I'm in the process of buying a flat so the process of that and all the little bits and pieces that need to be sorted out have taken over my life! But despite all the chaos I always find time for a little bit of Pinterest browsing to brighten up my day. 

We're going to have quite a bit of work to do when we finally get the keys for our first flat and I genuinely can't wait for it. The great thing about this is that now I have a space to personalise is that I can start gathering some inspiration for how I want the rooms to turn out. Before you know sizings etc it can be a little tough - at least thats was my experience. 

Home Office

Some kind of office space is something that is super important to me and yet can be quite a challenge in a small flat. I'd love to be able to dedicate an entire room to being a home office but that's just not an option at the moment so instead I'm going to have to create an inspiring office space in the corner of my spare bedroom. Not ideal but there's so much inspiration online so I know I'll get it just right! 

Kitchen

As is typical in a London flat our kitchen is going to be small, and I mean really small. The photo above looks positively palatial in comparison to what we'll have! But in my opinion this is just a new challenge for us to make the kitchen as user friendly as possible and still have enough storage for all of our bits and pieces. I absolutely love the dark wood floors in the above kitchen and am very tempted to get this type of flooring throughout our whole flat! 

Bedroom

Onto the main bedroom, as with the kitchen, storage is going to be super important to us here and I'm hoping that my amazing dad will be able to put together some built in storage for us which will take the worry out of that element. This means I get to focus on the fun stuff, making the room cosy and relaxing so it's the perfect place to wind down at the end of the day. I'm obsessed with upholstered headboards which add a little bit of luxury to the space. I also love the colour combination of the teal and grey so this will definitely be making an appearance somewhere. 

Living Room 

The biggest space in our flat is going to be the living room and so I can't wait to get in there and start to style it so it's perfect for us. A corner sofa is an absolute must for us as we want it to be a super comfy space with lots of space for everyone to put their feet up and relax. Essentially the above living room is pretty much my dream and I will definitely be trying to recreate it! My only addition will be a dining table but I'm hoping to find a beautiful extendable reclaimed wood one that will go perfectly with the style that I have in mind. 

Bathroom 

Last but not least, the bathroom. I'm a huge fan of a long relaxing bath so I would love to have a big bathroom with a free standing bath, big shower and beautiful sink & counter top. Unfortunately at this point that is going to have to remain a dream as our bathroom is the size of a shoe box... The one thing I will be able to have is a big rainfall shower which I am ridiculously excited for. I'm hoping that despite its small size we can still make the bathroom a luxurious space although at this point I'm not entirely sure how to do it... 

This whole process of buying our first property has been a rollercoaster. For months and months we were looking at flats and putting on an offer only to have it be declined as someone offered more. It was incredibly upsetting - particularly for me as I get emotionally involved pretty quickly. So, when we finally had an offer accepted and everything started to proceed with the solicitors I finally got the opportunity to get excited and I am loving it. All that's left now is to exchange contracts and pick up the keys!

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Made.com Wish List

I can't believe it's less than a month until we are due to complete on our new flat! For months and months it felt like we were never going to find anywhere even close to our budget and then all of a sudden we have an offer accepted and they're talking completion dates! This is without a doubt the most exciting thing that I have ever done although also a little scary... 

But one of the many joys of buying your own place? Having a valid reason to spend altogether too much time browsing homeware sites to get inspiration for your new abode. As a Pinterest addict I already have lots of ideas in my head as to what I want the rooms to look like so now all I need to do is find the perfect affordable pieces, affordable being the operative word! However, after getting lost in the depths of the internet on more than one occasion, affordable homeware, or more specifically furniture can be more difficult to find than you might think! 

One of my favourite places to browse for furniture and home accessories has been made.com which although not altogether 'affordable' does stock some beautiful pieces and has given me a lot of inspiration and I'll be looking for dupes wherever I go now! 

1. Bourbon Vintage Storage Bench (£249) - the perfect hallway ottoman / bench! 
2. Cullen Marble Clock (£49) - no home is complete without a touch of marble and copper. 
3. Miller Floor Lamp (£129) - I have an obsession with tripod floor lamps so this is a must. 
4. Bari Corner Sofa Bed (£949) - a dark grey corner sofa isa must have for me and it would be such a bonus for it to double as a bed too. 
5. Tilt Rug (£249) - this would look beautiful on a dark reclaimed wood floor. 
6. The Rodnik Bank (£249) - cover up flooring you don't like with large rugs until you can afford to replace it. 
7. Stroller Desk (£379) - a home office area is a must for me but I'm also lusting a vanity table so this one that works for both is perfect! 

The next month cannot come fast enough in my opinion. I may have a million things to do between now and then to make sure that it all goes off without a hitch but it is so going to be worth it! I can't wait to share the transformation of my new place with you guys - I love interior design so finally having my own space is going to be the best! 

Where are your favourite places to browse for furniture and home accessories? 

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5 Recipe Books Everyone Should Own

Whether you cook from scratch everyday or once in a blue moon there are a selection cookbooks which, in my humble opinion, should be a compulsory element of everyones bookshelf. Hey, if you don't cook you should still have these just for the pretty pictures! 

Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course

No matter how competent you are in the kitchen this is a must have. It contains everything from the basics of how to poach an egg through to dishes which will wow the guests at your next dinner party. 

The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

If you haven't already heard of the Hummingbird Bakery then quite honestly you must have been hiding out in a cave for the last 10 years! Not only are the pictures stunning but the flavour combinations are unique and all of the recipes are super easy to follow - you'll be applying for The Great British Bake Off before you know it. 

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals

This is probably my most reached for recipe book primarily because after a long day at work I just want something quick, easy and preferably healthy for supper. There's a huge range of recipes here and I love how every recipe includes a main and side dish! 

Cook With Jamie

Yes yes I know, another Jamie Oliver book, I just love him! Like the Delia book this aims to teach you everything including the basics and genuinely improve your cooking skills not just teach you one new recipe at  a time. 

Wagamama Ways With Noodles

Noodles are one of the ultimate comfort foods in my opinion but stir fry's can get a little monotonous so that's where this book comes in. Although you may not find the recipe for your favourite Wagamamas dish there are so many amazing options you really can't complain! 

Do you love to cook? If so, what is your go to recipe book or do you make it up as you go along?

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Never Ending Flowers

There's something about having fresh flowers and plants around that completely changes the atmosphere of a space. Whether it's a beautiful bouquet of flowers or a few pots of fresh herbs it really does make all the difference. Having pots of herbs on your kitchen counter is completely feasible but to have fresh flowers regularly costs a fortune and often isn't worth it considering they only last around a week! There is an alternative though....artificial flowers! 

Like me, you may be a little sceptical of artificial flowers, thinking that they look very fake and therefore ruin the whole idea! Although this may have been the case in the past, in recent years the quality has increased dramatically and often you can hardly tell they aren't real without touching them. 

I absolutely love artificial flowers and plants and have far too many dotted about my small flat and yet for some reason I can't resist buying more...! They last forever, there's a never ending number of options and are far better value for money. It's actually got to the stage that I try and encourage my other half to buy me artificial instead of real believe it or not! 

There are a number of general options - individual stems and put together your own bouquet (which allows for a lot more freedom), pick pre-prepared bouquets or even go for arrangements complete with pot/vase and even fake water. 

There really is an option for everyone and you won't feel quite so guilty next time you pick up a bunch! Just don't forget to get the duster out on them every now and then or you'll give the game away! 

Are you a fan of artificial flowers or do you still prefer the real thing?  

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