Interiors experts reveal their tips to avoid overspending on homewares

Almost one in ten Brits replace their homewares every month: Here’s how to avoid overspending

• 83% of Brits aren’t aware of how to be sustainable when it comes to shopping for home décor, and almost one in ten replace their homewares every month.
• DIY and interior influencers reveal their top tips on finding your own style, and decorating your home sustainably

With searches for ‘sustainable interior design ideas’ up by +133% in the past year¹, it’s clear that Brits are looking to make environmentally friendly changes when it comes to their home interior.

With this in mind, carpet and flooring specialists, Tapi, conducted a survey² to find out whether Brits are aware of how to be sustainable when it comes to buying new homeware.

Only 17% of Brits are aware of how to be sustainable when purchasing home décor

Tapi asked participants if they were aware of how to be sustainable when it comes to buying homeware, and it was revealed that a shocking 83% didn’t.

While 25-34 year olds were the most aware of how to be sustainable when it comes to purchasing new homeware (28%), it’s 18-24 year olds who make up the largest proportion (41%) of people who actually consider sustainability when buying new homewares.

However, it was 18–24 year olds who said they were most likely to jump on new interior trends (19%).

Tapi’s study also found that almost one in ten (9%) Brits shop for new homewares every month, and 15% replace their home decor every couple of months. The age group that shop for homeware most often (at least once a week), is those aged 35-44 (10%).

5 top tips on how to find your own interior design style and avoid buying into passing trends

To help Brits find their own style, and avoid contributing to wasteful consumption when it comes to interior decor, Tapi have teamed up with interior design influencers Claire Moran (@claire.moran.designs) and Leanne Ward (@sixtysevenbelmont) to reveal some top tips to get you started:

1. Consider your interior design style as an extension of your fashion preference

Leanne says: “Think about the type of clothes you wear, whether this be colour, texture or pattern and consider how this can be transferred into your own home. If you wouldn’t love wearing a style for years to come, don’t put it in your home!”

2. Once you’ve decided on your style, try not to deviate from it

Claire says: “Set out your style from the outset, remembering it doesn’t need to match something you’ve seen a friend doing or something you’ve seen trending online – you could be making costly mistakes by buying something that you might want to replace in a few months time.”

Leanne adds: “By sticking to one style consistently, you can try something called ‘shopping the home’, which is where you swap existing items around to create something new. Soft furnishing and artwork are great for this, bring a new colour into the room by swapping over a throw or some cushions.”

3. Longevity is key

Claire says: “Choose quality furniture that’s built to last from the outset so you can avoid having to replace it quickly in the future.”

“Consider fitted joinery rather than freestanding pieces, as they’re more secure and likely to withstand future use.”

4. Shopping second-hand is not only sustainable, but stylish

Leanne says: “I love vintage shopping as I think this is where you can find really individual pieces, as well as a bargain! Charity shops, Car boots and Facebook marketplace are great places to look and you could end up with something really unique– and it’s more sustainable than buying into mass-produced homeware!”

Claire adds: “You may find an item that requires a little TLC that you could easily restore, which is another way to make your home unique to you.”

5. Revamp what you have, instead of buying new

Claire says: “Create a timeless interior by upcycling furniture you already have. If you’re doing this as part of a home renovation project, you can add in modern finishes with a nod to the age of the property.”

Leanne adds: “Old pieces, like ornaments, vases, trinkets etc, that are so easily disposable, are easy to upcycle. If the colour of the room has changed, how about using some left-over paint to change up the colour of some old accessories or use wallpaper samples to create some new artwork?”

Johanna Constantinou, Brand and Communications Director at Tapi says: “When installing new carpets, flooring, and other general interior décor, it’s important to consider the longevity of it, rather than just the aesthetic. If your flooring is likely to see a lot of traffic from family or pets, it’s usually a worthwhile investment to install hardwearing options, as well as choosing something that fits your personal style, rather than buying into a quick trend.”

To find out more about how to invest in sustainable, long-lasting flooring, visit Tapi’s blog here: https://www.tapi.co.uk/the-ideas-hub/lifestyle/sustainable-ways-to-decorate-your-home