Jill
So I'm a US girl who is going to an arts college on the south east side of London. To avoid shipping hassles, and the fact that I'd rather not buy things like an alarm clock and lamp here, to then ship them with expensive fees and then pay more to get adapters for each item, I'm just going to skip the trouble and buy them over there since I'll arrive a few days early.
But I know just about nothing about UK stores and where to shop and get things, I've looked up a few things but I cant find equivalents of my go to stores over there, and I'm a little bit lost on which places will give me good quality but not break my bank.
So to you UK knowledgeable, wheres a good place to buy:
Sheets
Pillows
Desk lamps
Alarm clocks
Mini fridge
Cook wear (I'm told it's a shared kitchen but each student brings their own pots and pans)
and other dorm needed things. I much appreciate the help : )
Answer
hey~ congratulations! are you to going to goldsmiths or LCC?? ; )
you might be on a budget, bt try to get the best you can afford; cheap wears out faster, especially bedding. and always buy the best pillow you can get; totally worth it for for extra comfort!
ok, first, we dont have comforters here, only duvets, or occasionally sheet and blankets instead. & prices are higher than in the US.
you can get pretty much everything on your list from budget shops like argos.co.uk, which has a good website, but the quality isnt always the best. they do sell a lot of major brands, though, at cheap prices, so its worth a look ; ) & they have branches everywhere
mid priced stuff- again for *all* home stuff, as well as clothes & food, are marks & spencer, & john lewis. they are pretty standard, excellent uk brands. both have excellent quality, mid priced, own brand ranges, & john lewis sells other brands too. come into central london for an afternoon's shopping (a short bus or tube ride), & you can find HUGE branches of both shops at the marble arch tube station end of oxford street, which is a major shopping street. i bought a john lewis brand duvet a while ago, which is as good as a much more expensive one i also have. both shops have really helpful staff and exchange services if you make the wrong choice.
john lewis has some great duvet covers- http://www.johnlewis.com/Home+and+Garden/Bedroom/Duvet+Covers/Duvet+Covers/791/ProductCategory.aspx i like the ones with the rabbits, robins etc on them! if you buy all your stuff at m&s or j.lewis, they both allow you to pay then leave it, to collect later, which is handy. if your mattress is uncomfortable, you can buy mattress toppers, which are like duvets which tie over the mattress, & make it softer to sleep on~ http://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/search?field-keywords=matress+topper&viewID=results&intid=gnav_search&node=42966030
theres also ikea, of course, though there isnt a shop in central london, just one on the outskirts. might be worth the treck, as they are certainly the cheapest for decent quality bedding http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/bedroom/10651/ if you want to add some colour to your walls, you can buy huge curtains or pieces of fabric and pin it to the walls. try ikea, or online. thicker fabric will absorb sound a bit, which could be handy : )
for kitchen use, if there isnt one,do get a hand/stick blender. you can chuck (throw) some fruit, juice, yoghurt etc together and have a smoothie for breakfast in about 30 seconds. also makes soups-http://www.johnlewis.com/231003669/Product.aspx also makes cocktails w crushed ice. YOU NEED ONE. they do rule.
walking distance from j.lewis and m&s is regent's street, a beautiful curved regency street (200 years old) http://www.regent.st/Regent_Street_files/RegentStreet20040807_CopyrightKaihsuTai.jpg, and there's a big anthropologie store there. near the end of oxford street, next to the big m&s, is selfridges, which is a big department store. it has a bedding department, though it tends to be pricier- but could be handy if youre hankering after ralph lauren etc. they have a large food hall, which sells lots of american brands, so you can stock up on candy. there are also a few american sweet (candy) shops in london, though loads of brands are sold in normal supermarkets too.
habitat is a really nice shop with cool designs. there is a branch on tottenham court rd, which is a short bus or tube trip from oxford/regents street. clocks- the okko bird ones are cool! http://www.habitat.co.uk/clocks/accessories/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true
like all the other shops, they also sell lighting, kitchen stuff, but it tends to be a bit cooler~ ive got this one http://www.habitat.co.uk/clocks/accessories/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true & they have nice garland lights http://www.habitat.co.uk/charmed-led-fairy-light/decorative-lights-&-garlands//fcp-product/22537
if you want used items, try ebay and gumtree.com, but also post requests on freecycle.org, a site to give away/ask for stuff. you can pick up tvs, bikes etc that people want to get rid of, for free! i just offloaded some stuff, & picked up some vintage angle poise lamps. all useful for more expensive, bt fine to buy as used, like rugs, or lamps.
oh, & remember that any electricals you have will need converter plugs~ muji is another chain to browse round, with basics, http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?V=1&Sec=18&Sub=76&PID=2211 so think about whether you want to bring strighteners, hair dryers etc over as well!
welcome to london~ how to have maximum fun! london magazine which lists everything; http://www.timeout.com/london/
New house, new room: Shabby Chic room help?
Inlansa
I am 14 years old and my parents have bought another house but this time it is in the city area. I am from the countryside but not the countryside with animals, cows, chickens and a dam or vegetable field.
And since my dad moved to work in the city area, the company again made him buy another house closer since it was 4 hours away. I think that they paid a little bit for the house, but it's really far away and I'm not sure I can cope. So I will show you some pictures on the website:
http://www.thehomepage.com.au/property/residential/34-tormey-street-balwyn-north/250231
By the way, this is not the real address, it's the Real Estate place.
This house is a lot smaller and there was originally furniture inside but my room was emptied since I am fussy.
My bedroom is going to be the second bedroom picture when you click right. It is not as big as the old one but it's more newer, which is good.
So my mum let me only change the furniture, add posters or pictures, add new curtains and rearrange things and I was wanting some ideas for a room.
So what I was looking for was a Shabby Chic bedroom. Go too Google images and see.
Is this possible for my room, or do you like it right now?
Give me some furniture links at any price since I don't have a limit at the moment.
Answer
Hi - first of all I must say what a beautiful and elegant house - you are a very lucky girl :)
Well, I have had a look on some sites and came across this one - the thing is I'm not sure if it is anywhere near where you are living and I don't live in the USA - so not sure how far these shops are away from you, but am sure you could get your furniture delivered.
Items of furniture for your room: Dressing Table/Desk, perhaps a couple of Dressers (Chest of Drawers) as you have a very large room. A Mirror above your desk/dressing table and a nice chair to sit at. Then it would be nice perhaps if you had a small coffee table with 2 chairs for when your friend comes to visit and you can chill out. Two bedroom night stands at each side of your bed. More or less set out how it is in the picture you supplied. With the added addition of course for the desk/dressing table and chair. And.. perhaps an ottoman at the end of your bed to put clean linen in? And a lamp either side of your bed.
Have a look at this link - this particular page has some nice desks specifically the kidney shape one and i love the pink chair too :) I know these say 'Vintage' but 'Vintage' and Shabby Chic are more or less the same in style :)
Because we can only put so many links on here - if you click on it to take you to the websites - you can then browse on that site at your leisure for each individual piece of furniture in the same style:
This site also gives you ideas for some wall art.
http://www.thebellacottage.com/furniture/vintage-one-of-a-kinds-2/desks.html
And... I don't know if you like these or not - but there are some 'wall crowns' to go above your bed - on this same site i.e. Also, have a look at some of their 'decorative accessories' you might find something you like :)
http://www.thebellacottage.com/wall-decor/bed-crowns.html
Hope the above has helped a little although when I was searching they were mainly uk and irish sites coming up as I live in Ireland :)
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