Those of us who can’t splash the cash whenever we feel like it need to be clever with our purchases to create the illusion of expensive glamour.
John Lewis has always been my go-to for smart buying, because it has a high-end feel with a price tag that doesn’t make you feel nauseous.
As a Christmas gift to one and all, I’ve scoured the shelves – both digital and physical – to find you the homeware bargains that look as if they might be bespoke pieces.
This handy guide will help you to fit out champagne home on a lemonade budget.
House by John Lewis Sweep Armchair, Light Leg, Saga Ocean, £175
This gorgeous teal number is a total bargain. Simple and stylish, we can imagine curling up with a good book. It comes with a 15 year guarantee, too.
Hammered Teardrop Tealight Holder, John Lewis, £30
This is part light; part sculpture and it makes a dreamy table centre. It’s elegant, it’s useful and it’s gold – do you get anything more expensive-looking than gold? No, you do not.
Metal Window Mirror, John Lewis, £125
Mirrors are expensive, and nice mirrors even more so, which is why I did a gleeful jig when I saw that this ultra-luxe looking, feature mirror wasn’t hundreds of pounds. Looking at your own reflection has just never been more satisfying.
Candy Table Lamp, John Lewis, £35
Have you seen Tamara’s World, a short-lived TV series all about the day-to-day life of Tamara Ecclestone and her family? No? Well I have and let me tell you that she has lamps pretty similar to this and I’m going to guess that they didn’t cost £35.
Padma 2 Drawer Bedside Table, John Lewis, £199
Now listen, I know that £199 isn’t a tiny amount but I’ve seen bedside tables like this at big, fancy department stores (I won’t name names) and they cost at least double this. The rich, earthy tones of the wood combined with the delicate carving and industrial-feeling, metallic detailing is just heaven.
Tortoiseshell Drinks Tray, John Lewis, £30
If this doesn’t immediately make you want to host a drinks party then I don’t know what will. A retro-inspired, delicate drinks tray can set you back over £100 but this one means there’s more money to spend on the actual tipples.
Hairpin Desk, John Lewis, £299
This is a desk that means business. If I’d had this desk at university I would have definitely worked harder. It’s made of oak veneer which is the reason why it costs less than it should.
Ceramic Fondue Gift Set, John Lewis, was £20, now £10
Who knew that a lifetime of dipping crisp bread chunks into melted cheese only cost £20? Well, I’m sure the cheese adds up over time, but the equipment only costs £20. This is the prettiest fondue set I’ve ever seen and several of my friends will receive this one soon.
6 Bottle Wine Rack, John Lewis, £65
Wine racks are expensive, which makes sense given that it’s a certain type of person who ever has more than one bottle of knocking around at a time. This one is mid-range in price but it looks high end in terms of design.
Related…
We all work hard to earn our money – so it shouldn’t feel like hard work to spend it well. At HuffPost Finds we’ll help you find the best stuff that deserves your cash, from the ultimate lipstick to a durable iron to replace the one that broke (RIP). All our choices are completely independent but we may earn a small commission if you click a link and make a purchase.