I bought everything from Mrs Hinch's new Home Bargains range - the two items I'd NEVER buy again

This article details the transformation of a four-story Victorian semi-detached house in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, emphasizing a strong commitment to sustainability and the use of secondhand items. The homeowners, after moving from London in search of more space and a garden, meticulously renovated their dated but structurally sound house. Their design philosophy, described as 'contemporary heritage,' prioritizes recycling, reusing, and sourcing pre-loved items, with a stated aversion to buying new. Upon acquiring the house, the initial step involved painting all walls off-white to create a clean and bright foundation. The homeowners then assessed their existing furniture and identified needs, incorporating pieces brought back from Singapore, largely sourced from charity shops. This approach allowed them to achieve a unique and personalized aesthetic while adhering to their eco-conscious principles. The dining room, for instance, features a scaffolding plank table purchased for £200 on eBay and Rockett St George dining chairs. The kitchen, designed with future extensions in mind, received simple yet impactful updates. Collaborating with local interior designer Danecia Scheepers, known for her shared ethos on recycling, the homeowners applied a dark grey woodgrain film from B&Q to existing Ikea units. Reclaimed French ceiling tiles from Room Seven Interiors were incorporated into the island, and scaffolding board shelves were acquired from Facebook Marketplace for a minimal cost, contributing to an industrial aesthetic. The living room, despite being the most challenging space to design, became the homeowner's favorite. They removed a pendant light, opting instead for LED backlighting on custom-built red shelves, creating a warm, cozy ambiance. These shelves, along with a rug from Gumtree and a charity shop chair, were painted in Farrow & Ball’s Blazer Red estate eggshell, demonstrating a bold use of color that ties the space together. The homeowner's background in textiles and passion for sustainability led her to establish @haines_collection, a business selling leftover designer fabrics to prevent them from going to landfill, allowing others to access high-quality materials at a lower cost. Throughout the house, vibrant splashes of red, blue, and green, consistent with the homeowner's soft furnishings collection, were strategically added to warm up the rooms. The master bedroom features a reupholstered headboard from her collection, showcasing a green and blue design, complemented by Farrow & Ball’s Strong White emulsion on the walls and cushions from Shiv Textiles. Many of the curtains and cushions were handmade by the homeowner, a skill learned from her grandmother. A mother-of-pearl chest of drawers and a £40 charity shop chair, both from Singapore, further personalize the space. An ottoman, acquired for free and painted, serves a practical purpose and is adorned with handmade cushions in coordinating fabrics, leading to a bold blue en-suite bathroom. This en-suite was designed with a Moroccan vibe, featuring a custom frameless shower screen, Little Greene’s Ultra Blue matt emulsion, a blue basin from Etsy, and tiles from Topps Tiles. The daughter's twin bedroom includes two basic online beds, personalized with self-upholstered headboards featuring a chic palm pattern fabric. Old school desks and chairs, a £25 Facebook Marketplace find, are used as study areas, decorated with framed animal prints. The article concludes with practical advice on how to upholster a headboard, reinforcing the DIY and sustainability themes central to the home's transformation. #HomeRenovation #SecondhandDecor #SustainableLiving #DIYHome #VintageFinds #InteriorDesign #VictorianHouse #TextileDesign #EcoFriendlyHome

The author recounts her initial purchase for a new apartment, highlighting the significance of selecting window treatments. Despite lacking essential items like a guest mattress or living room rug, her apartment quickly felt cozy due to a pair of brown bouclé curtains from H&M Home. The author had been observing H&M Home's drapery selection for some time, prioritizing affordable window solutions as a renter. The decision was solidified upon encountering these particular extra-wide, textured dark brown panels, which led her to abandon other linen options from Zara Home and Amazon. She purchased two packs of the curtains. A primary factor in her choice was the rich, chocolate color, which she considered highly fashionable at the time. Equally important were the dimensions of the curtains. The guest bedroom window, where they were intended, measured 94 inches high and 86 inches wide. The H&M Home curtains met the design guideline of being mounted four to six inches above the window frame while still gracefully touching the floor, making them an ideal fit. The author expresses satisfaction with the physical quality of the curtains. While they appeared luxurious online, she was even more impressed upon their arrival. The bouclé fabric, crafted from 100 percent recycled polyester, was noted for its softness and substantial weight. She also appreciated the subtle texture and the fact that the panels allowed a modest amount of sunlight to filter into the room during the day. Her only reservation about the purchase was the price point. Each single pack of bouclé curtains retailed for $119, bringing the total cost, including shipping, to approximately $220. To balance this expenditure, the author opted for a more budget-friendly curtain rod. She selected Twopages’s Jaylon Curtain Rod, priced at $70 for the long size, which could extend up to 140 inches. The choice of adjustable brass hardware for the rod was intended to introduce an additional layer of warmth to the guest space. The overall effect has made the guest bedroom so inviting that the author playfully considers swapping it for her own room. #HMHome #BoucleCurtains #ApartmentDecor #WindowTreatments #GuestBedroom #HomeStyling #AffordableDesign #InteriorDesign #RentalDecor