The best thing about a beautifully decorated room is often not the most expensive. Though interior designers can work with generous budgets, the savvy ones also know how to spot great design in unlikely places (hello, B&Q).
If you don't have the budget for a full renovation, but still want to add a little design nous to your home, some help is at hand. We asked a range of experts in the interiors world for the pieces they've got their eye on - all of them less than £100.
The Apex desk clip lamp is simple, stylish and practical. Designed by the London-based product and furniture designer John Tree, it is inspired by the classic banker's lamp. It's perfect on my desk, but the timeless design means it also works in a bedroom or living room. It has a fun, folded steel shade that can be rotated 360 degrees, so you can direct light where you need it. Mine is emerald green, but it comes in pink, oyster and black, too.
Dominic Myland, managing director, Mylands Paints
Coffee is an essential part of my morning ritual, and the vessel I drink it from matters as much as the coffee itself, which is why I love these Venice mirror cups with saucer and spoon. I like their simplicity, the clean silhouette, the geometry of the cup, the way the spoon slots into the saucer: these elements all speak to considered design. There's something subtly retro about them - late 70s, early 80s, a period I return to time and again for my own designs. They feel utilitarian but decorative, and the scale is just right - compact but not precious.
Lee Broom, product designer
When assimilated into interior design, hanging plants deliver a significant aesthetic impact while providing great value for money. Cacti are extremely forgiving, from my experience, in terms of maintenance and longevity. This Rhisalis paradoxa, or chain cactus, native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America, is a winner. Characterised by cascading chains of vibrant green stems, it thrives in the UK and has the capacity to create a living curtain of greenery.
Great for creating zones, adding texture and visual interest, a hanging plant is an invaluable tool for layering within a scheme; a pot of exuberant leafiness can often enhance an awkward corner. Plus plants actually improve air quality and the living environment, which is a double win!
Edwina Boase, interior designer and consultant
I'm always drawn to splatter-glazed ceramics - there's something so joyful and spontaneous about their painterly finish. This hand-painted Splatterware wine cooler comes in the dreamiest shade of butter yellow. It's practical but also poetic, keeping your wine perfectly chilled while acting as a striking centrepiece. It's a piece you'll reach for time and again, whether for a simple supper for two or for a dinner party that gives summer vibes right through the winter.
Carly Allison, head of brand and product, Fired Earth
Growing up in the 70s, I fell I love with a beautiful peacock chair in my friend's house. It was huge and had that glamorous, bohemian vibe that summed up the decade. Those curves and that natural texture made me feel as if I was sitting in something really special. Roll on a good few years and that retro style is now popping up everywhere, and I've found the perfect modern-day match.
This real (no faux plastic here) rattan chair has the most gorgeous petal-shaped back, giving a subtle nod to those statement pieces of the past. As perfect in the garden as at the dining table, it has a designer look at a high-street price. For me it's a slice of 70s nostalgia reimagined for my home today.
Emma Morton-Turner, interior stylist and founder of Inside Stylists
Intriguing and secretive, designer boxes are the sort of things one can never have enough of in an elegant home. Whether or not one collects them, they evoke memories of travel and craftsmanship, and spark curiosity about what might be hidden inside. They may be small, but they are detailed and refined objects, with so much to say about your taste and home. This Piper striped circus box by Doing Goods, crafted from gold-tone brass, wood and red resin, makes an eye-catching addition to any dressing table.
Tommaso Franchi, founder and director, Tomèf Design
As an interior designer, I believe even the smallest objects can elevate a space, and the Alessi Pulcina espresso coffee maker is a perfect example. With its sculptural, almost architectural form, this isn't just a coffee maker - it's a design statement. Crafted by Michele De Lucchi, the Pulcina blends form and function flawlessly, making it as much at home on a curated kitchen shelf as it is in use on a stovetop.
Alicia Meireles, creative director, Own London
I love dressing tables so much that I have a dedicated tablecloth wardrobe filled with market-found fabrics, memorable napkins I've collected over the years and runners that add instant impact. One of my go-to brands is Lisa Corti, a small Italian label that blends bold colour and traditional craftsmanship. With its striking blue-and-white stripes and block-printed florals, this table runner brings me joy by transforming a simple setting into something special.
Laura Jackson, co-founder, Glassette; creator of The Art of Hosting
I've always been captivated by colour that feels joyful, and Gather's Miami collection captures that spirit perfectly. This hand-blown glassware is inspired by the sun-soaked vibrancy of the Florida city, full of sherbet pinks, citrus brights and that dreamy, hazy light. This Miami Darling glass, which comes in eight foot colours, feels like a small piece of functional art: equally at home on my desk, in the kitchen ready for a sunset cocktail, or even as a bud vase. It has a playful silhouette and brilliant colour that instantly lifts the mood - the kind of object that makes everyday rituals feel a little more special.
Damla Turgut, founder and creative director, Otto Tiles & Design
Bread and butter always feels like home to me. With most of my school holidays spent in Ireland, memories of freshly baked soda bread and salty Irish butter will stay with me for ever. These days, weekend breakfasts with the family still involve fresh bread and, of course, butter. Presentation is as important as the contents, so a beautifully handmade receptacle, like this pottery butter dish with lid,in either a speckled finish or block colour,does the trick.It has a familiar,nostalgic feel that elevates the moment and carries on the tradition of a simple pleasure,b ringing comfort and delight,time after time.
Tori Murphy, textile designer
I've learned that the way you experience a space is not based solely on how it looks, but on how it makes you feel. This can be massively affected by fragrance. Different aromas can set the tone for your home and add that extra layer of joy or nostalgia. I love to change my home's scent depending on the season or my mood, and this ceramic electric diffuser does the job beautifully. Sculptural and contemporary, it is designed to mist and infuse our spaces with soothing oil scents.
My favourites include Grapefruit & Mandarin, which feels light and fresh, for misting during the day. Then, for dinner with friends, something deeper - Geranium & Basil or Teakwood & Tobacco from PF Candle Company (trust me - it's delicious). Before bed, I add a few drops of something calming,such as peppermint ,tea tree or lavender (Starter essential oil gift set).
Mo Mason-Jones, interior designer ,Flint London
I am obsessed with my checkerboard Shrimps x Daisy jewellery case. It's a great print ,used in Shrimps' ready-to-wear collection ,and is always open on my chest of drawers ,on a piece of natural linen ,next to books and framed photographs .It's a great pop of colour and the most useful piece .I'm forgetful ,so having one spot where I take off my jewellery every night is so helpful .It is also great for travelling :lots of compartments for earrings ,rings and necklaces ,so nothing gets tangled up .Just zip it up and off you go .
Natalie Sytner, founder ,Bettina Ceramica
I keep coming back to these aged metal auxiliary tables ,which I have bought for myself and numerous clients .Chic ,versatile ,affordable and useful ,they are available in two sizes ,and work well as a pair .They’re lightweight and sit beautifully indoors and out .Elegant of silhouette ,they add the right touch of sophistication to a living room ,balcony or bathroom corner .Use to hold your evening glass of wine ,a potted geranium or favourite scented candle .
Sophie Rowell, interior designer and founder ,Côte de Folk
The Wavy Ceramic Vase x Collagerie is a statement piece that instantly caught my eye. Designed for Zara Home by fashion gurus and Collagerie founders Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood, its unique shape makes a great focal point and chic addition to any table - and at £35.99, it’s a bargain. Whether it’s left empty or filled with simple foliage or flowers, it is one of those pieces that just pulls everything together.
Lee Thornley, founder of Bert & May tiles
I always keep an eye out for beautiful yet functional kitchen objects. I found a pair of contemporary hand-thrown oil pourers at the Kiln Rooms festival recently. They’re perfect: simple, refined, beautiful objects, handmade in the UK. In neutral tones, finished in a soft flecked-cream glaze, they work in almost any kitchen setting. They’re subtle too (I don’t like having labels on show in the kitchen), lovely to look at and wonderful to hold, which is important because they get daily use.
Louise Willocks, managing director ,The Modern House and Inigo
This bright blue Logan side table is a perfect hero piece. The cemented design, painted to mimic a tiled surface, adds texture and charm, while its cheerful colour brings a burst of happiness that will brighten up grey autumn days. While designed for indoor and outdoor use, it really shines as an indoor addition. I’m a big fan of side tables in bathrooms, and this one would be perfect by the bath, providing a practical surface for your essentials.
Clare Gaskin, director ,Clare Gaskin interior design studio