Best student homewares on a budget: photo frames, fairy lights and wall art for less
Congratulations if you’re heading off to uni this autumn!
Whether you’re planning to stay in halls with your fellow Freshers or you’re moving into rented student accommodation, there are a few things you can take to make your new digs feel more familiar.
While your new place is likely to have all the fixtures and fittings like a bed, shelves, cupboards and kitchen equipment, some personal touches can really make an anonymous space feel like your own.
From decorative pillows, to reading lamps for your desks and cool photo displays, here are our favourite homewares for student accommodation.
See our favourites below
Ollny LED String Lights, 100 LEDs Fairy Lights USB Powered
If you only pack one decorative item for uni, make it this set of fairy lights. They change colours and rhythm to suit your mood and can be operated with a remote control - so you don’t even have to get up if you don’t want to! The ambient lighting makes any space instantly magical and cosy.
Best of all it’s USB operated so you can use it with a power bank or connect it to your laptop and save crucial Student Loan funds on batteries.
Buy now £12.66, Amazon
Blanketswarm Artistic Sculpture Ceramics Head
Sculptural vases are the Insta interiors trend of the moment. They look great on their own, but even better when filled with a bunch of your favourite blooms.
Find more statement vases for the home here.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
Bother household management tool
Save yourself the back-breaking effort of lugging home heavy bottles and chunky tubs thanks to this new service, which drops off all your bulky items in one monthly order. Bother offers a wealth of products on its online supermarket, from food and booze to laundry and house cleaning products. There are even refillable options to ease the burden on your finances as well as the planet.
Minimum spend £40, and if you order by 3.30pm you’ll score free next day delivery.
Buy now £40.00, Bother
Plastic collapsible fruit vegetable crates, medium x3
Storage solutions that look great too? Find this colourful crate set over at Amazon; there are three collapsible pieces a set and they can be folded flat when not in use. Use them to bring order to your wardrobe, kitchen, bathroom, or coursework. A perfect and practical buy. The medium measures 24.9 x 16.5 x 7.5cm.
Buy now £23.99, Amazon
Feminist Art Prints
Bring your boring old walls to life with a feminist art print - or two, in this case. The 12x16 inch prints are frameless so you’ll need to buy a set, unless you plan to hang them like a poster.
Buy now £17.99, Amazon
Prezzybox Smartphone Projector 2.0
No space - or cash - for a proper telly? You can still have a big screen in your room with this clever smartphone projector. It’s made from eco-friendly cardboard and is fitted with an high-quality magnifying glass lens at the front to create a home cinema without wires or the expense. Fits most smartphone devices.
Buy now £14.99, Prezzybox
Argos Home Desk Lamp - Black
An all-nighter is part of the undergraduate experience. Make working into the wee hours easier (on your eyes, at least), with the help of this desk lamp. Argos’ budget design has a flexible neck so you can adjust the angle and can be paired with low energy and dimmable bulbs.
Buy now £12.00, Argos
Lumie Sunrise Alarm Wake up to Daylight Table Lamp
Sure they have an alarm on their phone, but they also have a snooze function too. Make sure you never miss a lecture or class - even in the depths of winter - with this cute sunrise alarm clock.
Buy now £39.99, John Lewis
Volcanics Set of 2 Faux Wool Decorative Cushion Covers
The quickest no-nail way to refresh your interiors? Change your cushion covers. This textured set of two is perfect for all-seasons, as long as you’re into the Scandi-chic look. Just be careful with glasses of red wine. Each one measures 45 x 45cm.
Find more statement cushions here.
Buy now £11.99, Amazon
SIMBOOM Bedside Storage Pocket
Keep all your bedtime essentials close to hand with this nifty storage pocket. There are multiple compartments to store everything from your phone to tablet, specs and reading materials nearby without the need for a table.
Buy now £11.99, Amazon
MADE Kane Steel Over The Door Ironing Board, Black & Mint
You’ll be thankful for bagging this space-saving solution the next time you need a pressed shirt or trousers for a big occasion.
Buy now £42.00, MADE
HUANUO Laptop Stand with Cushion on Bed & Sofa
For those rainy weekends when all you want to do is curl up in front of a box set, this laptop tray is genius. The substantial pillow wedge beneath is comfortable to sit on top of your lap, while the anti-slip bar will prevent your laptop or tablet from sliding off.
It’s light and portable, and thanks to the breathable lycra cushion cover, you can also flip it around to use as a pillow if needed.
Buy now £24.96, Amazon
Dunelm Elements Bamboo Over Door Hooks
When space is at a premium, it’s important to look for all kinds of ways to maximise storage. This over door design offers five hooks to hang your clothes and accessories, helping to keep the floor clear and trip-free.
Buy now £12.00, Dunelm
Linen Laundry Hamper
Leaving home for university is the first step into adulthood - and there’s nothing more grown up than having to sort out your own laundry. Make it less of a chore with this stylish linen hamper which folds flat when not in use.
Buy now £10.00, Homebase
Oliver Bonas multicoloured Reusable Glass Straws Pack of Six
It’s never been more important to do your bit for the environment. Kick your single-use plastics habit with this colourful set of six glass straws. They come with a brush cleaner so you can keep them clean for their next use.
Buy now £10.00, Oliver Bonas
Paloma Home Tibetan Tiger Filled Cushion
Take a walk on the wild side with the help of this medium-sized 55x55cm cushion featuring a Tibetan tiger. From Paloma Faith’s home collection, it’s one for lovers of pattern and colour.
Buy now £43.00, La Redoute
Wilko Mink Waffle Throw 200 x 240cm
Chilly days are around the corner. Stay toasty with an additional layer on your bed like this waffle-textured throw, now half price at Wilko. It’s made from super soft polyester - perfect for snuggling.
Buy now £8.50, Wilko
John Lewis Large Salad Spinner
You can find real gems as part of John Lewis’ own-brand kitchen offering and this salad spinner is one of them. It comes as this large (H19.5 x Dia.25cm) or in a smaller variation (H14.5 x Dia.20cm, £15) and at an affordable price tag, proving it need not cost an arm and a leg to get fresh leaves, herbs and berries that are washed effectively and ready to enjoy. The spinners come with an internal colander and with the manual spinning mechanism - just turn the handle.
Buy now £20.00, John Lewis
H&M Small glass vase
Bouji on a budget? You can pick up elegant homewares for much less than you would expect at H&M Home. We love this small green glass vase, ideal for displaying everything from a fresh bunch of flowers to makeup brushes and stationery.
Buy now £8.99, H&M
Mambo Eyes Pattern Cushion
All eyes will be on this fun faux-suede throw cushion, which is covered in a blinking eye pattern. The soft cushion comes in three sizes and is finished with a white zip for a seamless finish.
Buy now £22.00, I Am Fy
Spruce Starter Kit Duo
Start your journey with Spruce and you’ll never go back to standard cleaning products again. This starter kit is ideal for newbies, with two aluminium spray bottles included alongside sachets of non-toxic multipurpose and bathroom cleaner.
Just add water and you can get to work scrubbing away grime and dirt. Both will leave behind nothing but a gentle geranium or eucalyptus scent. Vegan and cruelty-free, sign up for a sachet subscription and say hello to a new dawn in clean cleaning.
Buy now £15.00, We Are Spruce
SodaStream Spirit One Touch Electric Sparkling Water Maker
Whether they’re old enough to remember SodaStream at the dizzying heights of its fame (circa 70s - 90s) or you know they’ll just like the idea of fizzy water on tap, SodaStream is the must-have home carbonation system your best mate never knew they needed.
Putting the kitsch in kitchen, the Spirit device comes in a selection of fun colours and is perfect for making your own drinks with the brand’s syrups - flavours include lemonade, cream soda, orange mango, cola as well as flavourings from 7Up and Pepsi, alongside fizzing up plain old H2O.
Buy now £134.99, Amazon
Ottoman Mansion Bodrum Hammam Towel Monochrome Multi Stripe
Forget California - you’ll be Aegean sea dreaming with this luxury Hammam towel in a chic monochrome stripe from Ottoman Mansion. Fashioned from 100 per cent Turkish OEKO TEX certified non-GMO cotton, the design has been prewashed and will only get softer with time. An excellent quick-dry towel, it can also be used as table linen, beach blankets and sofa throws in a pinch.
Buy now £40.00, NOTHS
Sistema Stackable Lunch Box, 1.2L, Assorted
Sometimes a sandwich just isn’t enough to power you through the day. Hungry diners can give themselves even more options thanks to this lunchbox, which features a divider tray in the lid to keep fruit and salad from meddling with your homemade sandwich in the more spacious section below. The clip-lock lid will give you peace of mind that your meal is safe and sound until you’re ready to devour it.
Buy now £9.00, John Lewis
IKEA FRYKEN Box with Lid, Seagrass, Set of 3
When no amount of budget hot dogs or Swedish meatballs can persuade you to wander around IKEA’s giant marketplace, head to Amazon. The site sells a number of homewares from the flatpack-famous store, minus the hefty £40 delivery cost that IKEA charges. Bring this set of three seagrass baskets home, and use them to hide everything from bathroom essentials to living room clutter.
Buy now £14.49, Amazon
Verdict
Good lighting can make or break a room, transforming the barest of halls room into a cosy little den. Ollny LED String Lights are stunning and as they come fitted with a USB charger, it means you won’t have to constantly shell out for batteries - making them cost-effective and eco-friendly too. Win-win.
