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Budget student homewares: Everything you need to decorate your university halls bedroom

These affordable, practical and stylish picks will make student halls feel more like home (The Independent)
These affordable, practical and stylish picks will make student halls feel more like home (The Independent)

August was a difficult time for most A-level students, especially for those planning on heading to university in September.

Their results day was mired with controversy, after nearly 40 per cent of A-level marks were downgraded after grades were determined by an algorithm as all exams had been postponed or cancelled due to the nationwide lockdown.

This meant many missed out of their first choice places to study. However, the government, led by secretary of state for education Gavin Williamson, made a dramatic U-turn decision to allow students to opt for teacher-assessed grades instead.

The hectic mismanagement of grading has made it a more stressful time than usual, but if you have secured a place at university to start studying this September, there’s a lot to look forward to.

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Moving into halls of residence is an exciting milestone, and for many it's the first time living away from home. Often the people you live with can become lifelong friends and it’s where you’ll get the chance to fully immerse yourself with campus life.

Your new living space typically tends to be quite bare and uniform when you first arrive, but having a blank canvas gives plenty of opportunity to make it your own.

It’s also one of the only spaces in halls that is yours and yours alone, as other areas such as the kitchen, bathrooms, common rooms and lounges are usually communal.

Therefore, we’ve curated a guide to the budget-friendly homewares to buy that will add colour, cosiness and style to your new room. They are as functional as they are fun, too.

If you're heading into your first student flat outside of halls, don't worry, we've got you covered too. These interiors will add character to your space without breaking the bank.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Bedside table

When shopping for student homewares, there are two main factors that need to be taken into account: space and budget.

Look for space-saving items such as this Habitat oken sage green folding side table (Habitat, £40) that we loved in our guide to the best bedside tables.

Habitat
Habitat

As a contemporary bedside table, it is fresh, stylish and clean-lined. It’s also foldable with a removable tray top, making it a versatile piece you can easily repurpose should you need it for a move into your first student house in second year.

We loved its muted sage colour and glossy finish, as well as its unobtrusive X-shaped frame that didn’t compromise our floor space.

Bedside lamp

Ambient lighting will also make a new room feel like home and is perfect for evening reading.

In our guide to the best bedside lamps, we loved this tanner copper and glass table lamp (Dunelm, £25).

Dunelm
Dunelm

Praising its style and functionality, our reviewer said: “Featuring a curved faucet-like stem, the lamp takes up little space on the bedside table yet offers the perfect diffused light for reading. We loved the way the tinted glass shade colour matches the bright copper.”

At £25, it's an affordable choice for such a design-led piece.

Laundry basket

For most, a university bedroom is the only space that isn’t communal, so it can easily become cluttered as things can quickly pile up.

To avoid letting your dirty washing dominate your desk chair or bedroom floor, invest in a compact laundry basket that can be neatly stowed away until you make a trip to the laundrette.

We love this Brabantia foldable laundry basket (John Lewis & Partners, £17.99) for its practicality and versatility.

John Lewis & Partners
John Lewis & Partners

It’s a collapsible design that’s lightweight with sturdy handles so you can carry it back and forth or safely stowe it away with ease. Plus, it’s made from water-resistant material meaning your damp clothes won’t ruin the shape.

The neutral colourway will suit most colour schemes, making it a sure win for student bedrooms.

Rugs

If your room comes with bland (or garish) carpet, or wooden flooring that isn't in the best shape, cover it up with a cosy rug.

While you can easily spend thousands on elaborate pieces, you can also find plenty of cheaper options that look just as expensive.

Soften up a living room with this Boyden high pile berber diamond blue cream rug (Wayfair, £25.99) that’s an inexpensive, yet stylish find. Split the cost with your flatmates for an even better bargain.

Wayfair
Wayfair

It has a shaggy look that will feel soft beneath your feet and looks a lot more luxurious than the price tag suggests.

Made from a stain and dirt resistant fabric, it’s ideal for student houses where house parties can get out of hand.

Or for your bedroom in halls, this circular annex palm leaf shaggy green indoor outdoor rug (Wayfair, £65.99) is a durable alternative to add to a smaller space.

Another stain-resistant buy, it would make a great statement piece in a room that needs a bit of love. It doesn’t need a rug gripper either, so it won’t be sliding about the floor. The pattern will add a touch of foliage to your room if you don’t trust yourself to keep a real plant alive during your first year.

A wool blanket

For chilly evenings and lazy hungover mornings in winter when your radiator just isn't up to scratch, buy a wool blanket to throw onto your bed or across a chair.

Warm but breathable, it’s a material that’s durable and will last. In our review of the best, this James & May cobweave wool blanket in mustard yellow (James & May, £55) can be used to wrap up when it’s cold, or look stylish when draped over furniture too.

The Independent
The Independent

If you've moved on from halls and are living in a student house, you can also use it to hide a tired sofa and switch up the colour palette in your living room.

Extra cosy, it’s a versatile number that can easily be machine washed. We love the rich autumnal colourway of mustard and cream and the affordable price tag.

Beanbags

Whether you're looking for extra seating to have friends over or to avoid spending all of your time working and watching Netflix in bed, a bean bag is a great investment.

It’s an easy way to introduce colour and you can move it wherever you like if you want an easy refresh. Plus, it's much, much cheaper than buying a sofa you might not be able to bring with you once you move out.

In our guide to the best, this Great Bean Bags designer retro velvet classic bean bag (Great Bean Bags, £63.99) came out on top for its luxurious velvet fabric that hit the perfect balance between sturdy and slouchy.

The Independent
The Independent

It comes with a top handle for easy carrying, so packing it into the car when moving out shouldn’t be a problem. This one is available in five sizes, from small to XXL.

Dressing table mirror

While many university rooms come with a mirror of some sort, whether it’s on the inside door of the wardrobe or above the wall-attached desk, you may want a smaller design that can be moved about, especially for applying make-up and doing your hair.

Our favourite is this Ikea ikornnes table mirror (Ikea, £20) that we found easy to clean, portable and flexible, allowing you to get the maximum use out of it.

The Independent
The Independent

It can be used as an adjustable table mirror or a hanging mirror; the stand swings flat to form a small shelf while on the wall. It’s a generous size (27x40cm) compared to others in the same price range, and fared well when tested in the bathroom as well as the bedroom.

Serving tray

When sharing a kitchen, sometimes you just don't feel like socialising and would rather opt for a few hours of solitude.

In that case, it's best to have a handy serving tray to hand to transport your meals safely without spilling. It's also handy to have by for endless supplies of tea and biscuits while you're up late finishing an essay.

In our review of the best serving trays, our tester loved this remember solena tray (Connox, £14) that's perfect for art lovers.

Connox
Connox

Our reviewers enjoyed the eye-popping pattern of overlapping curves and colours.

It's made from a glossy and durable melamine – a thick and food-safe plastic that’s said to be virtually indestructible – and it offers a versatile and stylish solution for a purse-friendly colour pop in the kitchen.

Reed diffusers

While we love a scented candle as much as the next person, a reed diffuser is a much safer way to fill your room with fragrance, as there’s no open flame. Plus, most halls of residence don't allow candles in student accommodation.

Diffusers are very low maintenance too, once opened and placed on a windowsill or bookshelf, you don’t need to do anything to upkeep them, except the occasional dusting.

In our guide to the best, we loved this Meraki Nordic pine diffuser (Trouva, £15.95) that has a spicy, slightly sweet but welcoming scent.

Trouva
Trouva

It’s subtle too, so won’t overpower a small room and the minimalist bottle is ideal if you don’t want your space to look too cluttered

For more student essentials, read our guide to everything you need to take to university and our review of the best laptops under £250

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