In September, I moved out by myself for the first time into a flat with 5 other people to begin my university adventures. Because I went through clearing, I didn't get into uni halls which is where most first year students end up. So I had to find somewhere to live quickly. The ground floor flat that I'm currently staying in is a very old and spacious building with a lot of outdated furniture. It has 3 bathrooms, a lounge area, a very spacious kitchen/dining room, 5 double bedrooms and one single. Luckily I was able to move into a double room, but because of the high ceilings, the entire house is FREEZING cold, and being poor students, we only allow ourselves a couple of hours of heating a day. I'm only on a 6 month lease, therefore I will be moving home for a while in March, but here is how I've made the room feel more homely.
The first feature of my room is my mirror, and it's my favourite! It's a really old basic rectangular mirror - not even full sized and it's been in my dad's spare room for years. I decorated this simply with fairy lights (from the pound shop) draped over the top and pinned with cutesy bird pegs. As you can see, I have also attached an air freshener which was in the Christmas range from Tesco, and a shabby chic styled heart shaped decoration.
The next feature is my desk. The flat came fully furnished, including the desks, drawers and chair in my room, so they are not to my taste, therefore decoration is my only option. The night lamp is from Argos and produces pretty patterns when it catches the light. I've had to improvise with vases since my boyfriend tends to show up with a bunch of flowers on my doorstep now and then, so I have resorted to using wine bottles. I like it though, it feels kind of, DIY. Both wooden picture frames were gifts, one from my boyfriend and one from my best friend, so they sit proudly on either side of my desk. Being a candle fanatic, I have 3 or 4 at once on my desk and I'm currently burning 'Vanilla Cupcake' by Yankee Candle.
Dotted around the room, I have a couple of accents on the walls. The first is my jewellery hanger which was a birthday gift a couple of years ago and I mainly use it to store my necklaces and bracelets. Earrings are quite a hassle to attach so they have alternative storage. I bought the wall clock from Argos in the sale, a fiver I think? It gets a lot of compliments and I love the unique baroque design. Finally, another wooden heart decoration because I get gifted so many! This one sits above my TV and i think the fact that it looks a bit worn gives it a vintage effect.
Next we have the bed, basically where I spend the majority of my time. Luckily, I got a lovely bed frame and a brand new mattress when I moved in. The sheets are a white, blue and yellow floral design again, from Argos in the sale, and they are reversible with a picture design. I have a white velvet Ikea cushion which serves a decorative purpose, but I would love more! I think having a few bed cushions make it look so comfy and cosy. My friend bought me the cream knitted throw for Christmas which may possibly be my most prized possession and I have a couple of soft blankets at the foot of the bed in case it gets super chilly. There are more pound land fairy lights tangled around the top and bottom of the bed which give off a soft and pretty lighting.
I seriously love this gem of a candlestick from Tesco and I was lucky to have gifted from a friend. I think it would look gorgeous with a simple thick white candle but at the moment I am using this glittery Redcurrant and Cranberry candle from Stoneglow. The scent on this isn't very prominent but how adorable is the candle holder? It has a sort of 'outer rim' which contains a red sparkly gel with stars which was perfect over Christmas. I also have a few storage bits and bobs to hold my earrings, bobby pins, lipsticks and rings, and yep, another Yankee candle. I picked up 'Mandarin Cranberry' in the Yankee store just after Christmas in the sale, it smells fruity and warm and just so good!
Lastly, I have a really ugly wardrobe/mirror/drawer type thing - the kind of furniture you'd find in an outdated hotel if you know what I mean? On top, I store all of my laundry products including this cute white basket from Ikea, along with a few books and DVD's. Yes, there is another Yankee candle up there too which is 'Paradise Spice'. I store my bodycare products next to the mirror, some in a basket and some are loose. Pictured is my Ted Baker make up bag which was £16 from the Swindon designer outlet centre (bargain!), my tea tree water from Lush, Taylor Swift 'Wonderstruck', a pot full of brushes and my Bumble and Bumble surf spray.
Come Mid March and i'll be moving back home for a couple of months temporarily before my new house becomes available and I will really miss having my own space. Although my room is quite grotty and outdated, decorating and making it homely is such a fun thing to do. Let me know if you'd like to see another room tour when I move into my new house in July!
How do you decorate your room? I love 'Home decor' posts, so if you have written one, leave me a comment with the link so I can check it out!
