Kitchen Tile Stickers!

I fear I have been chatting too much about food recently (what with it being my new obsession and all) so I thought I'd write about something else that I have done recently.

You see, as I live in a rented apartment, it goes without saying that there will be something hideous. That, my friends, is in my apartment in the form of kitchen tiles.

Errrrr. Gross. They remind me of summer houses in the Mediterranean. Not a good look in England.

But back when I was at university, I revamped my hideous kitchen with some groovy tile stickers. So I figured I'd do the same here!

First I got out some leftover stickers (because I do save things like that for 2 years...) and tested them out to see if Matthew would give me the thumbs up.

And he did! But not in pink. Our place is far too girlie as it is, and it's a bit harsh on the boy to have almost everything feminine, so I chose green as a good colour. That would tie in well with the cupboards and cream walls (who designed this place?!) and make it feel a bit more 'funky' in there.

I only needed one packet so it cost me a grand total of £9! Woo! £9 to update a kitchen? Er, yes please!

So okay, it's not a drastic makeover or anything, but it feels a bit more contemporary in there now. Who chooses 'bumpy' tiles in the first place is beyond me, but hey - I did the best I could. And looks totally cute with the scales.

And here's the whole kitchen in all it's new green mosaic glory!

An improvement, don't you think?

Updating a Rented Bathroom

Bathrooms are funny rooms in rented properties. They're always a bit rubbish - and it's pretty hard to imagine updating a bathroom without being able to rip it all out and put in a new one.

We have 2 bathrooms. One loo, and one actual bathroom with a bath in it. They're both alright but not amazing - so I've had to update them a little.

The bathroom with a bath in it is still currently being updated. Remember when I mentioned how it helps being nice to your landlord? There is no cabinet in that bathroom and it is driving me crazy! It also has a shower screen which I'm not getting on very well with (the shower is way too powerful so the shower screen doesn't actually keep water off the floor) so after a few more kind words, I'm getting them both sorted (yay!) although I am forking out for the cabinet myself - I thought it only fair as I have been asking for a lot lately.

But for now, the loo has been updated.

This is what it looked like before. Okay, but nothing really that nice.

It's so plain! White and plain and boring. I can't change the wall colour or the suite. But I can change the mirror and add a few much needed accessories. So behold, it's transformation!

A vase of artificial flowers means they can survive the lack of natural light, and also keep forever so I don't have to keep replacing them. The picture in the frame is the same paper I used in the bedroom frames on the shelf so as I had it leftover, it was free! And the mirror? Well, that mirror is my favourite. Half price in the sale at Argos, so it cost me £20! It adds a touch of glamour and hides some of those ghastly tiles behind the sink!

Overall, I don't think it's bad for a rented bathroom. Especially as I feel I've updated it a lot with not very much. I'm rather happy with the result.

Christmas Decorations in a Room With No Fireplace

It's a bit of a pickle, really. All our lives we see glorious images of stockings hanging over an open fire and a garland over the mantle. But it isn't the reality for those who live in small apartments. Tiny living rooms with a TV as the point of focus can make it a bit tricky to decorate for this time of year. So I have tried to come up with a few ideas.

Our decorated living room. Matt was admiring the snow out of the window and there was a sense of joy and peacefulness that I had to capture in that moment.

For those of you who struggling to find space to put a tree, why not try a slim pop-up artificial tree? We bought ours last year and it's small enough to store easily, and fits perfectly in a corner, not causing too much disruption to the layout of the room.

A festive red plant is a great way to introduce Christmas colours and can replace any other old plant of vase of flowers. I love the Poinsettia and I have mine sitting on the new coffee table!

A huge bowl full of baubles is a great way to add decoration without hanging some from rented walls. I bought 2 glass bowls I found in the sale and filled one with baubles and another with a huge tin of Quality Street. Having chocolates available in a pretty bowl is a big part of Christmas for me, and is a wonderful little treat when guests are around. And the bowls can be used for deserts or for potpourri at other times in the year.

Candles are also by far my favourtie way of creating a great atmosphere. Tea lights in a variety of holders scattered around the room create yet another twinkle and they work even better in small rooms (I think, anyway). These can be picked up for around a pound and work a treat at dinner parties and other occasions - so really another cheap but great investment.

The Noel sign on the bookshelf was bought on eBay last year and spray painted silver. It cost just a couple of pounds and sits quite boldly in a place that is already crowded with colour.

Finally, add baubles to doornobs and handles of cabinets. It's the simple touches that make all the difference.

A Long Awaited Present to Myself

There has been a new addition to my livingroom.

In our previous flat, I wanted a coffee table so much but as Matt hates them (and I wanted to keep him happy) I didn't get one. When we moved, we had an even bigger room and I begged him to let me have one. I showed him some to see which one he'd prefer and we came to a middle-ground.

I could get a coffee table if it had storage. That was it was really practical. This was the one he agreed on and it took me 8 months to finally get around to buying it. Because it cost a little bit more than I would have liked to spend. So I saved and finally bought it. And it looks beautiful.

It stores guest bedding at the moment (and has given Matt back the drawer in our room that I stole from him to store it all) so he's happy. And no doubt it'll store some extra Christmas decorations, blankets and throws.

It took me so long to get this chest, but I'm really happy I waited to get something I loved, instead of buying something cheaper that would 'just do'. It's the little things that make me happy.

I would stronly recommend to anyone that they should wait and get wonderful gems of furniture, instead of getting the cheapest and quickest thing available at the time. It's false economy really, because you'll only want to get rid of it when something better comes along, and it won't make you smile every time you look at it.

A Long Hallway Table

Remember when I showed you my hallway? I had just found a huge table that would fit in it. Well, it arrived I was at the office. "Bloody hell this table is huge!" was the text I received from Matt. At first, he wasn't convinced by the table. Hell, even I was a little unsure when I saw the unsightly thing in our hallway - but I knew I could see the potential.

Still - it's pretty ugly.

We'd already chosen the paint as I had already created my display case so I got to work painting two layers of primer and followed it with two layers of 'Aladdin'. I picked up some inexpensive dust sheets to protect my floor - way cheaper than thicker sheets and much larger than bin bags. It took well over a day to get the finished result - and I got very impatient - but it looks a million times better!

I really love how the mini cabinet creates an added feature. And you get a little glimpse of the decorative paper inside when you walk past!

It's definitely livened up the hallway and I hope it will continue to grow with decorative objects as the months pass.

This is the first time I've ever painted a piece of furniture - and I'm so pleased with the results. It's so easy - and I still have loads of paint left over so I can create matching items.

Don't dismiss an item of furniture on first glance - just think of the possibilities!

The Hallway

My hallway is long. Very long. Over 7m long, in fact, and I have spent 6 months having no idea what to do with it.

Ideally, I'd like to have the walls covered in photographs but as I'm in rented accommodation, I don't think my landlord would be too happy with that amount of holes in the wall. Because of this, I've left it empty.

Which is a shame, really. Because it really is a large part of the flat, and one which is used multiple times daily to go from one end to the other. But because it's so long (and made to look even longer with my mirror at the end) it needs something huge to fill it, and I've never been able to find anything big enough (and which doesn't cost over £100) that would look right... until yesterday.

Spiral Charity Shop - where I got my chair - is the best place to find cheap furniture and I went looking without actually imagining I would find something. But I found a table that would be perfect. 190cmX36cm - narrow enough that it won't stand out too much and long enough that it will look as though it was meant to be there.

I may not get the table delivered for another week but I am desperate to get started on it (painting it up nice and decorating it for the festive season) so I wanted to show you a 'before' shot and give you a glimpse of the empty hallway before I start on my new makeover.

Oooh I'm excited!

Sparkly Things

There is a shop that I walk by each and every week when I go food shopping. It is a shop called Cristabel and it is full of pretty things.

I had a bit of a nosey the other week and was in awe as I walked around the tiny shop, admiring all the beautiful pieces of jewellery and miniature glass bottles draped in crystals and clear beads.

I picked up one of these bottles and looked at the price tag. £20? For a teeny tiny bottle? I don't care how pretty is it - I am not paying that for something I could make myself.

So I will. But for now, I have taken inspiration from the way everything was presented in that shop and have re-vamped my vanity area appropriately.

My new necklaces are now on display - perfect for not only looking pretty, but so that they don't tangle. A new case to store all my make-up now matches the space and perfume bottles add a bit more sparkle. Eventually I would like to hang a few necklaces on the wall, as it would be more practical to be able to see all of the mirror when I'm putting my make-up on, but for the moment that necklace is my favourite and I generally am always wearing it whenever I need to freshen up!

This has brightened up this corner of my bedroom so much. It was definitely needed. And it makes sure I clear up after myself as everywhere has a place to go! Definitely much better than walking into my bedroom and finding a chest of drawers cluttered with my face.

Decorate With Shelves

It can be hard to make rented accommodation reflect your personality. You can’t add wallpaper, or paint and you can’t rip out those awful tiles in the kitchen or pull up the carpet and replace it with something of a better quality.

You can, however, put up pictures and paintings and fill bookcases full of colour. You can try and match kitchen appliances to the colour of the tiles, or (if they are truly hideous) cover them with stickers as I did in my student flat. You can lay down a giant rug if the carpet is getting thin and if you ask really, really nicely, you might even get away with putting up a few shelves.

My landlord is super nice. It’s worth getting on your landlords good books as the better they think of you, the more likely they’ll agree to things like this. I make regular contact with my landlord to keep her updated on bits of things; the progress on the damp patch in the living room, what I should do if I needed to adopt a cat (long story) and when I’m going on holiday for two weeks. Regular polite contact shows that I’m a good tenant who wants to keep the property in good working order, and is willing to talk about problems instead of hiding behind them. It also helps that my rent is paid without fail every month.

By emailing my landlord, I have written proof of any changes that I might have done so they can’t be used against me when I finally leave. I will want my deposit back in full!

So, back to the original topic: my shelves. The walls in my flat are massive. 3 metres high and empty. Giant canvases are great for huge spaces but I wanted something a little different in my bedroom. To be honest, I saw this picture on your wishcake and fell in love a little bit – so I decided to make one for myself.

I bought two mega cheap i-need-some-help-if-i’m-going-to-look-pretty shelves from Argos. Less than £10 for two, and I had some black and white paint handy to jazz them up a little. Once painted they looked so much better than plain pine (yuck – so cheap looking) and I put them up! All by myself!

This is my bedroom before. Nice enough, but lacking in something.

And after! Complete with a new bedside lamp for reading and the shelf. Which just adds something to the room, doesn't it?

Here is a bit more of a close-up.

And even more close up

This shelf was decorated with some picture frames which I had hanging around in a drawer. I added some fancy wrapping paper and instant pictures achieved! The lotus candle stick (which I doubt will ever be used as a candle stick) and the ‘Dream’ lettering were bought in the sale at Cargo Home and the pebbles were a Christmas Gift from Matt’s mum which I hadn’t been able to find a place for.. until now!

The white shelf in the dining area isn't completely finished yet. It's up, but not really home to anything. It might play home to my herbs now that the sunshine is disappearing. We'll see.

The Reading Nook

I think the key to making small rooms look bigger is to create mini sections within them for different purposes.

In my living room I have my craft area, the dining area, the seating area, and now my very special reading area.

Just over a month ago, this area was empty. This area, and indeed the area where my craft table now is, was where all our leftover bits of stuff were stored. Chairs we needed to get rid of, the ironing board that I didn’t have room for, paintings that hadn’t yet been put on the wall..

Slowly but surely, these things were sold, found a home and hung on the wall and the area had become the empty space you see in that picture. But then the craft table was put up and the charity shop chair had been given a makeover and the empty spaces began to become cosy little nooks within this room. So cosy, in fact, that I felt I just needed one little thing to make it perfect. A floor lamp.

I chose the colour ‘blackcurrant’ because, as Matt rightly pointed out “you always see home magazines with big statement lamps and I think this is more statement than white.” Also, it adds another punch of colour in a white walled, beige carpeted, brown and grey seating filled room.

The lamp isn’t so bright as to fill the entire room with light when it’s on (I like dim light as it’s cosy, and I never put the main light on) but bright enough to fill the chair with light, making it an excellent spot to read. Perfect in these darkening evenings.

It has now become my favourite spot to sit and read my cookery books. I think it might also become my spot to listen to the radio on a Saturday morning and start on the scarf that I will so desperately need as the days become colder.

Little reading nook. You have made me livingroom appear that little bit bigger and a lot more comfortable.

The Second Bedroom

When I moved 300 miles to a brand new area, one of the requirements of a new apartment was that it had two bedrooms.

I do not have any children. No babies or toddlers that require another room to sleep in. Nor do I have a lot of friends visiting who need a proper bed to stay in for the night. In fact, I do not have an extra room that I can decorate and make look pretty because this second bedroom is not my requirement. It is very greatly needed by my other half. You see, my beloved is a musician... and has a lot of... how should I say it..? ...Stuff.

This added room makes us appear so much wealthier than we actually are. Not only does he have a Studio to work from, but the rest of the house stays pristine and less like a college dorm.

His friends and colleagues say I'm very kind to have allowed him to have his Studio but let's face it... can you imagine me allowing him to keep all that in any other room? I think not!

The Craft Nook

The second bedroom in my apartment belongs to Matthew. It is his studio and a room he spends a lot of time in. When we moved into this place we had an agreement – he could have his room however he wanted and I got to decorate the rest.
The bedroom is pretty. The living room has splashes of colour and the kitchen is full of quirky girly items. But it wasn’t enough. I needed a space of my own. A space that Matt didn’t use in the slightest, and a place where I could have all my crafty things sitting happily together.

With our apartment being in an old Victorian mansion, the rooms are a little oddly shaped. We have an ‘entrance’, so to speak, into the living room. A square of nothingness before the living room begins and I found a table that fit perfectly between the door and the wall in that nook.

It has become my craft table. Home to buttons, rolls of paper, scraps of paper, material and thread. I want my collection to grow so that in time, I can make things without having to go out to buy what is needed. This way, I am sure, I’ll be able to cut down on spending even more. That is something I am very excited about.

I did some hunting for my table. It had to be cheap, but couldn’t look cheap. I was willing to spend up to £70 on one, but not any more, as that is what I had saved for it. When I say this table fits perfectly, I mean it fits perfectly. With a single cm between the two walls and the radiator and the door. It was meant to go there, and so with that, I went on a hunt for the right price.

Luckily, the table I had found was a Corona table and quite a lot of them are sold on eBay. It took me a few weeks to see the high and low prices and to know a good deal if I saw one. I called one guy who offered free shipping, but I was just out of his zone and the additional tenner would have made it more expensive than his competitors. But eventually I struck gold. A ‘best offer’ seller, and I put in my bid. £55 and free shipping (which I could even be told of an arrival time so I knew when to be in) – a hands down winner.

It is so worth doing a hunt before buying something that costs a fair whack – every penny really does count.

And after hours of hard work (and very red and sore palms) I had put up the table before Matthew got home and could show him the fruit of my labour. He was impressed. But immediately put his keys on it. No – no keys. You get your mitts off it.

This is the table after all of that effort. As you can see, this was a couple of weeks ago, before the new chair was put in its place. I am now spending my time decorating my area and shall show you when it is complete. That lovely, lovely craft section of my livingroom. Oh how I will pretty you up so.

Hiding a Monstrosity

There is one thing wrong with my flat. The kitchen is too small to fit a tumble dryer so the tumble dryer is in my bedroom. I have an oddly shaped bedroom. It has a sort of entrance hall of it's own and luckily it was big enough to fit both the dryer and my chest of drawers/dressing table. The dryer is generally hidden behind the door when it is open, but it doesn't stop me being able to see it when I leave the room, or put on my make-up.

It's also been home to a cardboard box. It is the only box which has been left unpacked because I have nowhere to put the contents. Material and cushion pads and other bits of things that have to go in storage - the one thing I really don't have right now.

Look at it. Just look at it. Awful.

Tonight I decided enough was enough. I was tired of seeing the ugly thing and sick to death of the cardboard box stuck on top of it because it was the only area in the flat that was hideous enough to put up with it. It suddenly hit me that there was something I could do. And I had the materials in that very box. I dug out the curtains that hung in my living room in my previous flat and one was big enough to cover the two visible sides of the machine. With just a few pins, I created a cover pretty enough to keep me happy when I see that area of my bedroom.

At last, the one thing I hated about this flat has been fixed. It's not perfect, but a damn sight better than it looked before. I promise myself it won't take me 5 months to fix a problem ever again.

A Vintage Sewing Machine

The lavender is coming on brilliantly so at the weekend I went out to buy some fabric to make some lavender hearts. I would quite like to have a mixture of materials for the hearts, so my aim is to buy a few different fabrics every week and build up my collection.

With all this extra fabric I think I will start to sew a bit more. I say a bit more, but I have only actually made one cushion and the lavender hearts will be sewn by hand. I need something to do so I can use my sewing machine.

This sewing machine is one of my best ever buys. They are surprisingly cheap (mine cost just £15 and I got it from an online ad) because even though they are decorative and beautiful, there are a lot of them out there. Never pay a large price for a sewing machine like this because they really are worth pence.

(For an example of just how many of these things there are – this is a shop here in Brighton that has used these sewing machines to decorate their window display).

But I’m not bothered about what it’s worth! I’m bothered about what it cost (almost nothing) and how little it cost compared to other sewing machines (£60 for a cheap standard one that doesn’t even look nice!). My sewing machine doesn’t sit in a cupboard when it isn’t being used… it sits proudly on display, inviting people to marvel at its beauty. It’s both functional and ornamental and that is why I love it.

Of course, with only having made one cushion so I am in fact a complete novice when it comes to sewing. I don’t need all the fancy attachments because I only want to make simple things. I will buy a fancy one when I need a fancy one, but for now I want basic function and gorgeousness.

The thing about this sewing machine is that it really does look expensive. It adds a sense of grandeur to my cookery bookcase and that makes me happy. If you can find a 1920s Singer or Frister and Rossman sewing machine… buy it. Buy it now. You really won’t regret it. Trust me.

An Inflatable Bed

I wish I had a spare bedroom. A guest bedroom. A bedroom with flowers on bedside tables, and a bed that was always made. A bedroom that welcomed guests with open arms and promised them a good night sleep.

I don’t have a spare bedroom. Well, I do have a spare bedroom – but it is currently being used for a different purpose. The spare bedroom is Matt’s studio and is kitted out with a Mac and amps and guitars and other equally boyish things. It could never be a pretty guest bedroom even if I tried - but at least it isn’t a living room, and at least people sleeping in it won’t have to worry about waking up early so Matt and I don’t have to stay in our bedroom for hours until we hear signs of life coming from the other side of the wall.

Of course, with the spare room being Matt’s studio, there is no room for a bed. So we’ve had to get the next best thing – an inflatable one! Ha, it does make me giggle but it does the job. I got a modern black and white duvet set so at least it matched the décor of the room, and it will just have to do until we have a bigger place – but I’m quite proud of having a guest bed – even if you do have to pump it up before they arrive!

I think it’s important to welcome guests into your home with opening arms and it is especially important for me as I live a good hundred miles away from even the closest people I know properly. I don’t want people to visit and have to pay for a B&B so a simple inflatable duvet makes a big difference. I then make the stay better by whipping up a batch of pancakes for breakfast and turning the radio on for a dance in the kitchen.

Even better – I got the duvet and mattress for free! Thanks to the vouchers I received when I sent my phone to Mazuma Mobile. I could have wasted them on something frivolous (which I kind of did, as I also bought an ice-cream maker) but by buying something sensible I am able to give visitors a place to stay and save us all a pretty penny.

Expensive Looking Hand Soap

Mother knows best.

And in many cases, Mother gives me very handy hints and tips. She's a whizz when it comes to saving a few pennies and I have learnt a lot!

My favourite tip of hers is the liquid hand soap tip. And once you know it - it will become a firm favourite of yours, too.

I hate (hate, hate, hate, hate, hate) cheap looking toiletries. Bathrooms should look pretty and bottles that are on display should always look nice. Unfortunately, pretty looking bottles are expensive and it's not a good idea to keep buying them just because they look nice.

Mother's tip is to invest once. They're not really that expensive. £3 or so, but not the type of money you want to spend every other week on soap. So buy a nice bottle just the once. One that has a screw top and one that is ideally a not clear. If it's clear, that's okay - but it just means you won't necessarily get the best results in the next stage.

Once the pretty soap has run out - go out and buy your regular cheap soap. Empty the cheap soap into the expensive soap bottle et voila! Expensive looking soap without the expensive price tag! Your guests (and you) will appreciate seeing attractive bottles in your bathroom, and you can gloat inside knowing that it's actually tesco value and cost you pence!

Feel free to do the same with shower gel, shampoo, bath essence and anything else you want to look pretty in your bathroom.

Enjoy!

My Inspiration Board

When I started university in 2005 I did everything in my power to make my room in halls the nicest it could be. I had a lovely duvet set, bought some children’s rugs from Argos, and decorated my door with bright pink hanging beads. In fact, the duvet was pink, the rugs were pink, and the rest of the room was pink and black.


It wasn’t sophisticated in the least, but I was ‘cool and alternative’ in some sort of way. And to show my fellow students that I really was cool and alternative, I covered the giant notice board in my room with black paper and filled it with concert tickets, photos, wristbands, letters and cards (and my timetable, of course).

(I have searched everywhere to find a picture of this room and notice board – but I got a new computer in 2008 and they must be on the old one – must search that one when I go back to my parent’s in September!!)

But after my first year I took an 18 month sabbatical and when I went back I was 20 and much more mature. I wasn’t in Halls of Residence this time – I was in a flat of my own. No sharing with other students – just me and my one bed flat. And this time it was going to be a ‘grown up’ flat. Not a place filled with teenage angst and loud, heavy music.

I loved the notice board that I had last time, but I wanted a board that was filled with inspiration instead of memories – and so I created my little masterpiece (if I do say so myself).

The first thing I needed was a background. None of this bare cork rubbish – it needed something pretty so that even when it didn’t have anything inspirational on it – it still looked nice. So I put on a nice outfit, and wandered on down to Laura Ashley. I had so much fun there pretending to be decorating my bedroom and searching for wallpaper. I asked for samples of quite a few of their designs and was very enthusiastic when they showed me matching curtains and duvet sets. It was my time to pretend to have an ounce of money while still leaving with plenty of goodies and not having spent a single penny.

I then did the same at B&Q in their wallpaper department but it wasn’t quite as glamorous…

And when I got home I placed all my ripped wallpaper samples together and pinned them to the board! Beautiful! Decoration without having costing a thing and the chance to play the little rich girl in the Laura Ashley shop!

This inspiration board grew over time. It’s all made from articles from magazines. Some magazines that I have bought myself, some than I have taken from magazines in dentist receptions (shh) and others that my mother has sent me in the post because she thought I’d like it!

(I wish I could have this kitchen, but some how I don't think the other half would allow it)

I have this inspiration board in my bedroom. I have used it for inspiration when moving home, and I use it to help develop my daydreams of owning a wonderful house in the country with a big back garden and wreaths on the front door.

Unfortunately my kitchen is not big enough to allow me to have another in there – but when it does, I will, and it will be a recipe inspiration board of dreams and I may get fat even by just looking at it!

A Bookcase

A bookcase isn't just a bookcase.

It's a feature. A place to put not just books, but ornaments. Figures and plants, potpourri and piggy banks. Don't be fooled by it's name - a bookcase is simply a few shelves and can become whatever you want it to be.

I bought this bookcase from Ikea at a steal of a price (and pretty much a steal from another person, as they'd tried to 'save' it by hiding it near different packs of furniture) and when I got it, I didn't even know where I was going to put it. All I knew was that it was a beautiful shape and would have a purpose one way or another.

This bookcase was positioned in my hallway when I initially bought it, and when we moved it was brought into the livingroom. It has been a main feature in both these areas because of what it holds - everything.

Books, fairies, plants, a small wicker basket, a strange wooden ball that I bought for no apparent reason, a small statue of a lady, cards, notebooks, piggy banks, a big glass bowl full of potpourri, a small pink bucket which holds more pens than I could ever possibly need, a box full of memories, dvds, board games, a clock, 4 bright green vases that don't (and have never) held flowers and my bright pink filing box.

It oozes colour and brightens up the area in which it stands. It stores objects that I have no storage space for and yet even though it looks used, I hardly ever take anything off it. It serves no other purpose than to just be.

I loved the look of it so much that I took photos and when I moved house the first thing I did was look at the pictures and work out how to put it all back together again into it's beautiful state of organised chaos.

I didn't buy anything specifically to go on the bookshelf. I used what I had to build colour, depth and excitement. It cost me nothing to decorate it, and yet it looks as though everything was bought to intentionally make it look the way it does.

Be bold. Don't be afraid of wild colours. Have a bright little spot in the corner.

Moving Day

Improving A Kitchen

In business, you have to spend money to make money.

And unfortunately, you also have to invest a little at the start in order to give the impression that you're always able to buy good things.

I never pay over the odds for something, but I never buy the cheapest, either. Personally I find that the cheapest thing is never the best thing to buy. Sure, it might be cheap, but you'll hate the sight of it and want to get something new anyway, and so the money you spent on the cheap thing is actually wasted (note the tea, coffee, sugar pots and kettle in the picture below - both of those were bought when I first moved in and changed for better quality a few months later).

Always buy the next one up. It really does stop the false economy. Cheap looks cheap. But the next best thing can often look a million times better.

eBay is a brilliant place to go hunting for things to spruce up your living space. The kitchen at my University flat was hideous. Absolutely vile. Stained tiles and an unsightly boiler. So I measured up the size of the tiles and hit the net. I managed to find some tile stickers and promptyly bought them. The stickers were also easily removable so I could take them off when I left, but whilst I was there I could at least be happier with my kitchen.

I also bought the occasional fridge magnet and started to add a bit more colour to the kitchen that way. I buy them every once in a while, and also get them as gifts from friends. I like using the small ones to stick up photos and cards from friends. And that way I get more of a surface area covered!

It's also a good trick to hide any unwanted marks. The fridge I have now is built in but the freezer we have is in a terrible condition. Matt had it in his student house and his housemates thought it would be a good idea to draw all over it in black pen - a lot of cleaning and not all of it has come off, so now the freezer is jam-packed full of magnets for no more of a reason than to hide the pen marks left behind.