Written by Eleanor Booth, Department of Education, Practise and Society
Whether you are shopping a month before term starts, or have arrived in London and realised that student digs don’t have everything you could possibly need - finding where to pick up homeware in London can be a bit of a challenge. So I’ve brought together five stores which stock pretty much every item of homeware you could possibly dream of!
To keep things interesting amongst the pre-move panic, I’ve thought of five themes to inspire your living space. However, please note, all stores stock a variety of products in a variety of colours, patterns and styles – this is just a fun sample! If none of our themes are “your type on paper", then let your creative juices flow wild!
Also, London is a lot bigger than it looks, and while we have listed the store nearest to UCL, some of these are pretty far out! It might be a good idea to order products online, rather than lugging a bookcase back from Wembley! It is also worth noting, that most stores won’t stock their whole selection, especially the smaller ones. A lot of websites let you check what they have in store, before you travel.
Keep it monochrome with IKEA
The holy grail of homeware can provide Scandinavian chic, as well as a rainbow of other colours for those not wanting a minimalistic colour scheme. It is the perfect place to pick up on bookcases, washing baskets, plastic plants, crockery and well pretty much anything! If you're in need of inspiration, IKEA have some useful articles and images on their website.
No move-in is complete without an IKEA trip, so head down for a day at IKEA – complete with a meatball lunch of course.
Tube: for the Wembley store, go to Neasden
Fly high in the sky with Dunelm
Another store which stocks pretty much everything you could dream of is Dunelm. Whether you choose to relax with our avian friends, laugh at banterous slogans, or keep it simple with a rainbow of plain options, their vast array of patterns and colour schemes will be a welcome addition to your fresher bedroom.
Tube: for the Brent Cross store, go to Brent Cross
Chic and Cheap with B&M
While everywhere on this list stocks pretty much everything your student room could need, B&M stocks pretty much everything you could possibly ever need, period. They have kettles, microwaves, towels – as well as all the garden essentials, if you got lucky with a student house this year!
Tube: for the Brook Street store, go to Oxford Circus or Bond Street
Go rustic with Wilko
Like B&M, Wilko provides homeware on the highstreet at a very reasonable cost. It is worth keeping an eye out for their student bundles – which can provide everything you need from their basic range at a discounted price. Handily, Wilko’s has a list of everything you will need in your student life on their website. If you’ve forgotten anything, they’ve remembered.
Tube: for the Kensington High Street store, go to High Street Kensington
All aboard the novelty train at ASDA
At the beginning of the year, the majority of supermarkets will have student bundles and products in-store and online, but ASDA probably is the main supermarket to stock cute novelty products all year round. Like all the stores above, they stock towels, bedding, kettles, and pretty much everything you could possibly need. But who doesn’t need a London themed mini fridge to keep your milk cool, or a tortoise themed mug to remind you how long that night bus took to get home last night? Sometimes funner is better, so if you can’t go full novelty at uni, when can you?
Tube: For Old Kent Road Superstore go to South Bermondsey; for ASDA Living at Tottenham Hale – go to Seven Sisters.
Don’t forget to check out second-hand
There are some things you might want new, but there are also many things that you could bring from home, and even more that you could pick up second-hand in London. Try out Ebay, Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree to get a good deal and help save the planet too! But keep safe on these platforms. Take someone with you when checking out goods. Or visit charity shops. Most of the bigger ones will have furniture which you can take for a fraction of the price in shops.
However you choose to decorate your room, happy shopping!