I'm a big believer that your home should be filled with things that make you happy — and that they don't have to cost the earth. Great design doesn't have to come with a huge price tag, and an emotional response certainly doesn't.
It can be that a piece brightens up your day, becomes part of a ritual, or ignites a sense of nostalgia. And as the executive editor of Livingetc, it's something that I know people want for their homes. In the houses we feature, and from the interior designers I talk to, it's often those small design moments that are the most memorable — a playful vase at hand when a guest brings over fresh flowers or a pretty cup of coffee that starts your morning off right.
However they work their magic to brighten up your space and all that it holds, these 18 home decor items all bring a sense of style, character, and pizzazz to the home. Oh, and best of all, they're so affordable (especially thanks to the current home deals happening).
Price: $59.99
I recently bought this exact table lamp for two reasons: First, so many designers have told me lately how much and why they love oxblood that I've succumbed to its charms, too. It's sophisticated, moody, and wonderful. Second, I wanted a little lamp to place on the cocktail table at the end of my sofa so I could hunker down under a blanket and read the winter away. I couldn't be happier with my choice; its glow is so warm.
Price: $18, Was: $24
I can't believe this bowl is this affordable and, for me, the price tag certainly sparks a lot of joy. It looks so expensive, the type of piece I've been seeing in showrooms of most luxe furniture ateliers in Milan, artful and sculptural and as interesting and empty as when filled with a plant.
Price: $48 each
One of the big design trends for the season is the return of the 1970s dinner party. But this time, it's done with a refinement and sense of clean lines that wasn't there before—instead, it takes the decade's colors and reimagines them in ways that make you want to celebrate. Take these candlesticks, and how they refract the light across your table, sparkling in the glow of the candles above. They are the tablescape equivalent of a pair of statement earrings and the perfect finishing touch.
Price: $9.95
Decanting a bag of peanuts into this with my post-work cocktail turns drinking alone at home into an art form. It's the elevation of not eating snacks directly from the bag plus how designer the asymmetry of the bowls feel.
Price: $59.99
This is not the most eye-catching mirror in the — frankly, pretty stellar — mirror section at H&M, but I don't believe every piece has to command attention for it to spark joy. And for every chunky blue snack plate, there's the calming beauty of this beaded white mirror, which I'd pair in a pared-back bathroom for a sense of real serenity.
Price: $20/set of 4
Talking of elevating the at-home drink, these etched green coupes by the designer John Derian for Target are as elegant as they are affordable. In both cases, that's very, and I can't wait to load up a tray filled with them to serve at pre-holiday parties.
Price: $16 (+40% off for UO Rewards Members)
I'll be honest — I am usually a minimalist when it comes to plates. I tend to favor plain white and purely round (though sometimes with a slight handmade asymmetry). But this cute plate made me smile because it's so playful — almost childlike — and I can imagine having several loaded up with hors d'oeuvres and spread out across the table.
Price: $13.99, Was: $28
I used to have the fox ornament from the same line on my kitchen shelf all year round. He sat cheerfully in front of my curated jars, making me smile whenever I saw him. He broke when I knocked him over, reaching for the jar of pasta, but master potter turned master homeware designer Jonathan Adler's tree trinkets still spark joy for me — and now they're in the sale, it's definitely time to replace my fallen hero.
Price: from $43
I was recently introduced to the brilliant online art repository Artfully Walls, a trove of thousands of prints in a vast array of styles. What was most joyful about it was its clever AI search function, where you can type in any descriptors, and it'll offer you dozens that fit the bill. I tried "abstract pink" to find this one, but I also enjoyed trying "black and white dog" and "relaxing on a beach." It makes curation very easy.
Price: $16/set of 6
When I have guests over I always like to create an unexpected and slightly unnecessary moment that adds to the theatre of the evening. A gold straw tucked into a Negroni is ultimately totally not needed but adds to the spectacle of the moment and says, "You know what? This is a party!"
Price: $78/set of 2
I am always happiest when watching videos Gwyneth Paltrow shares of herself cooking. Those "boyfriend breakfasts" have a relaxed yet studied easiness to them, she may be pottering in the kitchen but all her utensils and serving dishes are very well thought out. Just like these two serving spoons — tuck them in a salad and you're done. "Oh, this? I just threw it together..."
Price: from $29 (+40% off for UO Rewards Members)
The Playfulism trend we coined earlier this year was all about mixing luxe surfaces with checkerboard patterns, pairing surrealist tendencies with blush colors. And, as the name suggests, it was all about creating homes that were fun to be in. This rug — at just $29 — is the ideal joy-making base for more sophisticated furniture to go on top of.
Price: $14.99, Was: $22.99
The trend for deckchair striped furniture and pillows is going nowhere— it's still such a joyful reminder of vacations and beaches. But I am enjoying this more subdued take with a beige stripe, which would allow you to include this smile-raising style in even the most neutral of living rooms.
Price: $12.60, Was: $18
I think a lot about what makes the perfect mug because my husband broke my favorite one two weeks ago. Nothing makes me happier than my coffee in the morning when all is calm and it's just me and my Wordle. This stoneware mug could be my broken mug's replacement — its width is perfect for cupping with two hands while daydreaming, and its glaze looks careworn and curated on the shelf.
Price: $39.99, Was: $179 (+ 40% off for UO Rewards Members)
I would prefer to use this as an end table rather than a nightstand (because I always need a nightstand with drawers to prevent the top from getting too messy). But in a living room, this sculptural piece would look so dynamic, like it was hewn from rock, and therefore, at least ten times the price. Joy-sparking, indeed.
Price: $91.99, Was: $193.99
A little lightweight reading chair that is slim enough to be moved to wherever the most peaceful corner of the house is will always bring joy. This has mid-century leaning in the angles of its legs and arms, and very modern hunting green cushioning only adds to the appeal. Oh, and it's over $100 down!
Price: from $25.99
I've long been a fan of the retro charms of the Kinto cups and saucers - they speak of family outings in an RV, stopping by the roadside for a flask of hot, sweet tea. The nostalgia they bring is an instant mood-lifter, and the fact they're in a warming amber tone helps, too, of course.
Price: $55.50, Was: $74
Handkerchief vases were a huge design trend back in 2007, and I'd like this ceramic version to mark a comeback. Previously they were all glass, but this shape — so named because it looks like a crumpled handkerchief — has a haunting beauty to it. And, like the other vessel from Lulu and Georgia near the top of the page, looks so much more expensive than it is.
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