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I asked three interior designers to share their favourite affordable homeware
Shop designer-inspired pieces from John Lewis, H&M and more
Whether you’re settling into a new place or simply itching to refresh your space, knowing how to approach interior design can feel overwhelming. With so many elements to consider, from crockery and cosy textiles to artwork and lighting, pulling together a home that feels cohesive is all about striking the right balance.
Just as runway collections influence what ends up in our wardrobes, ideas from leading studios, designers and global brands shape the way we decorate our homes. From material choices and lighting styles to colour schemes and tiles, high-end interior trends inevitably filter down to the high street, much like they do in fashion.
For those seeking genuine inspiration, it pays to look to the experts. While interior designers may source luxury pieces for residential and hospitality projects, they’re also adept at spotting standout high-street buys – whether that’s a structural table lamp or a statement vase.
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Great design doesn’t require starting from scratch, but making thoughtful updates can help. “It doesn't have to be a full-blown redecoration but rather integrating small decorative pieces on top of existing furniture,” Rosie Gangar, founder and interior designer, says. “Try adding a new vase on top of an existing sideboard or swapping your lampshade for something more daring.”
To bring this season’s interior trends into the home, I asked three designers what’s on their radar right now – and which affordable high-street pieces are worth buying.
Zara remains a reliable destination for sleek, minimalist designs with a mid-century feel, while John Lewis’ partnerships with Collagerie and Sanderson offer an accessible route into luxury style. Meanwhile, H&M and M&S continue to deliver on-trend homeware at wallet-friendly prices, from cast-iron Le Creuset alternatives to Alice Palmer-inspired cushions.
Meet the experts
Andreas Christodoulou is the founder of House of Dre, a Hackney-based design studio behind the interiors at the Kensington hotel, Ember Locke, and the upcoming East Sussex retreat, Crafted at Powdermills.
Rosie Gangar boasts nearly a decade’s experience in the industry. Having worked in some of the industry’s biggest studios – including David Collins – she has founded her own studio, GANGAR, working on large-scale residential projects in some of London’s most-coveted postcodes.
Tabitha Organ is the founder of a boutique interior design studio, Tabitha Isobel. Working on residential, hospitality, retail and workplace projects across the UK, she’s designed spaces from Carl Friedrik’s Regent Street store to Islington townhouses.
Colour palettes
“There is often overlap between the fashion and interiors industry, like the reemergence of chocolate and earthy browns,” Gangar says. “Pantone’s colour of the year for 2025 was Mocha Mousse but as we head deeper into this autumn/winter, these tones are becoming richer and more sumptuous.”
“We are seeing much more earthy, richer and grounded colour palettes consisting of browns, olives, rusts,” Organ elaborates. “These aren’t just being used as accent colours but with much more confidence within joinery, fabrics and surfaces.”
The key to incorporating a deep chocolate brown into your home is complementing it with the right colour palette. Try a “bright, sugary aquamarine or a lemon yellow – the kind seen at Louis Vuitton's Objets Nomades Collection, which launched at Milan Design Week earlier this year,” Gangar says. “It feels fresh and unexpected but with just a hint nostalgia.”
Christodoulou adds that “high-gloss finishes are back, but only in rich, saturated tones.”
Anthropologie loving string empire woven cotton lampshade
Sometimes small additions can make all the different to a room, like this striped chocolate brown lampshade. “Try swapping your lampshade for something more daring,” Gangar suggests.
Little Greene chocolate colour
When it comes to painting your four walls, Gangar suggests Little Greene’s chocolate Colour, or the purple brown paint (£36, Littlegreene.com), “which conveniently has a colour-matched tile from Bert & May (£106, Bertandmay.com).”
Glassette baby blue and chocolate brown serving bowl
An easy way to elevate your kitchen counter or dining table, this stoneware serving bowl is irregularly shaped with a blue and chocolate brown striped rim.
Glassette glass brown and blue striped coaster
The blue lifts the chocolate brown in this glass striped coaster, brightening up your coffee table in the process.
Zara x Collagerie table lamp with striped base
Zara x Collagerie is a match made in fashion and design heaven. A highlight from the collaboration, this striped table lamp nods to two of this season’s hottest hues.
Modern folk
“Modern Folk is the design style I’m most excited about right now,” Christodoulou says. “It feels cosy yet elevated.” A particularly good design choice for older homes with existing character, Christodoulou says it’s surprisingly easy to achieve.
“The look is defined by an earthy palette, a healthy dose of mid-century influence, and an eclectic mix of curiosities,” Christodoulou explains. “Done right, it feels like heritage: as if a space has been lovingly curated over time, with each piece carefully chosen from across the decades – think the best of the past two hundred years brought together under one roof.”
Nezt x Nina Campbell side table
“Compact, colourful, and contemporary, this little table ticks all the boxes,” Christodoulou says. “It comes in a range of glossy lacquered finishes that give the cosy feel of a refurbished older piece of furniture – an easy win for adding a folk-meets-modern accent to your living room.”
Maison Flaneur set of four olive check and scallop side plates
This set of four side plates nods to mid-century style while retaining a contemporary feel, thanks to the bold prints.
Dusk relaxed accent chair
Dusk is a favourite for high quality, yet affordable furniture. This accent chair is finished in a deliciously autumnal rustic shade, adding a vintage feel into your home.
Ruggable jute brown check rug
Ruggable’s washable rugs are a staple in many homes, thanks to their machine washable top layer. This jute style features a check brown finish for a timeless aesthetic.
Patchworks
“Patchwork seems to be appearing across many applications from rugs, to mirrors, to ceramics and within timber,” Organ says. “It adds a striking graphic quality whilst also being quite playful.”
Christodoulou looks to patchwork quilts to “bring warmth and softness to a room – it’s just as happy on the bed as it is dragged downstairs for a sofa duvet day.”
Anthropologie tufted wool geometric rug
The scallop edges work in complete harmony with the geometric print of this bold, tufted wool rug.
John Lewis patchwork quilt
“This quilt has that handmade feel that makes it perfect for the colder seasons,” Christodoulou says. “It’s just as happy on the bed as it is dragged downstairs for a sofa duvet day.”
Craftsmanship
This season, traditional craftsmanship is firmly on the moodboard. As Gangar explains, “with most of us living such digitised lives, we're seeing a revival of traditional craftsmanship, be it hand-painted ceramics, hand-turned woodwork, hand-blown glass or hand-dyed or hand-woven textiles, like Loewe’s cult teapots.”
Arket cotton wool cushions covers
Arket’s cotton and wool cushion cover is detailed with a jacquard pattern at the front and back, giving it that hand-woven look.
John Lewis berber rug
Inspired by Moroccan Berber styles, this rug boasts a green and white finish, adding texture and depth to a room.
Anthropologie lotus pod vase
This stoneware piece boasts a glossy glaze and cream stone finish. Whether housing plants or used for decorative display, the handmade look and feel of the pot is right on trend.
Toast Rob Towler slipware bud vase
This honey-hued bud style vase is hand-thrown by Worcester-based potter Rob Towler. It’s made with terracotta clay with a dipped slipware pattern.
Lighting
Creating the perfect ambience, any design-nut will agree that lighting is of paramount importance in any home. This season, “the application of lighting is being pushed further and we are seeing an increasing move away from purely functional lighting, but lighting in sculptural and statement forms,” Organ says.
“There’s a lighting revolution happening, and it’s all about softer, lower-level illumination” Christodoulou says. “Swap out harsh ceiling spots for small but impactful lamps like the Habitat x Morris & Co below – with a hint of deco and a warm amber glow, it’s affordable and mood transforming.”
Habitat x Morris & Co glass shade lamp
“With a hint of deco and awarm amber glow,” Christodoulou describes this lamp “as affordable and mood transforming.”
Zara ceramic lamp
Organ recommends this uniquely sculptural lamp from Zara Home, which adds instant intrigue to the corner of a room – and an ambient warm glow.
Chrome and silvers
With Christmas just around the corner, chromes and silvers are part and parcel of tablescaping season. “Chrome and silver are the metals of the moment,” Christodoulou says. “They bring a subtle modernist edge while reflecting the tones of their surroundings.”
Whether it’s “part vintage/part contemporary” pieces like the Oliver Bonas x Shrimps’ sculptural daffodil holders or H&M’s set of glossy snack bowls that “nod to old school cinema glamour”, the trend is rooted in mid-century influences.
Oliver Bonas x Shrimps large daffodil candle holder
“These sculptural daffodil holders have real presence”, Christodoulou says. “They work beautifully with simple beeswax candles, but you can also play with tonal shades for a bolder dinner party statement.”
H&M stainless steel serving bowl
A top pick from Christodoulou, H&M’s silver serving bowls are ideal for hosting. “This set of glossy snack bowls feels like a nod to old school cinema glamour, the perfect upgrade for your box set nights in.”
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