Home entertainment is back and with that, many of us are looking to give our homes a refresh to impress guests. It’s therefore no surprise that there has been an increased demand for affordable, yet on-trend homewares, with home, furniture and DIY being the most popular eBay categories in the past year.
New data from eBay reveals that after a challenging year, people who are giving their homes a makeover make:
- 262% more searches for ‘bed’
- 848% more searches for ‘sofabed’
- 29% more searches for ‘bunkbed’
- 789% more searches for ‘sofa’
Comfort, style and top interiors trends are high priorities, causing:
- 2890% more searches for ‘coffee table’
- 2877% more searches for ‘travertine tables’
- 3200% more searches for ‘japandi’
- 420% more searches for ‘maximalist’
To help shoppers create a home they love that won’t break the bank, eBay is adding thousands of new stylish items to its Home range, from dining chairs from £39.99 to double beds from £109.99.
To celebrate the expansion, eBay has challenged interior designers, 2LG Studio, to style an entire home on a strict budget, using their favourite eBay products. 2LG Studio have a series of expert tips to help those who want to refresh their own homes for less using their new hero products from eBay’s range as inspiration, all purchased from small businesses.
“Our homes, now more than ever, have to work really hard for us. We have all just spent a long time at home looking at all the things we would like to change or improve. These don’t have to be huge changes, small things can make a big difference. We have always loved eBay for sourcing unique vintage items, but have recently discovered their expanded home collection and found some really great brand new pieces from small businesses that can transform your home at great prices.”
– 2LG Studio
Soft and Moody Living Room
The living room is the heart of the home and according to 2LG Studio, “punctuating spaces with colour is a good way to help create soft structure in the day and separate your spaces.”
Your sofa can be a great place to start injecting colour – or experimenting with accent armchairs in brighter colours.
2LG Studio selected this plum two-seater (£429) which inspired the rest of the room, elevated with a statement pink armchair (£129.99)
The plush two-seater sofa can be bought from eBay small business seller Simply Stylish Sofas and is available in 24 different colourways, perfect for introducing a pop of colour to your home. Simply Stylish Sofas focus on quality sofas at affordable prices, which are available for immediate dispatch – meaning no long waiting times for the sofa of your dreams.
Calm and Serene Bedroom
“So often it’s the bedroom that is the forgotten space in a home” say 2LG Studio, “so we wanted to create somewhere that was really calm and serene.”
A comfortable yet stylish bed is the best place to start, and how about a minimalist design that doesn’t break the bank? This platform bed (£109.99) is a “must have piece” according to 2LG Studio, and looks great paired with black side tables (£29.99) and brightly coloured bedding (£22.49).
Now that we’re socialising more, find a way to spruce up your storage and display your most stylish clothes with minimalist oak open wardrobes with black metal frame (£144.99 WAS £309.98).
Mellow Kitchen
With dinner parties taking centre stage once more, you may be looking to spruce up your kitchen and dining space.
“In the kitchen, it is the hero powder blue dining chairs (£34.99) that enliven the natural palette”, say 2LG Studio.
Home Office
Working from home has become the norm for many, and hybrid working is set to continue. To create a space you enjoy working in and that’s perfect for that video call background, eBay home has you covered in creating a transformational space.
This oak workstation (£109) is ideal for both functionality and design. With plenty of storage space, accessorise with desk plants and stylish stationery.
Natural and Sociable Garden
The sun has finally made an appearance so it’s time to upgrade your outdoor space with some stylish, comfortable and affordable seating.
2LG Studio picked out this white mesh garden set perfect for al fresco dining with family and friends (£129).
2LG Studio would also suggest bringing “some of the materials from indoors, outside to connect the two spaces.”
2LG Studio’s top tips to help you refresh your home for less
- Punctuate the spaces with colour and use colour to suit your lifestyle
When we live, work and grow all in the same space it is important to create clear definition between spaces. Visually punctuating those spaces with colour is a good way to help create soft structure in the day and separate your spaces – vibrant blue to energise your work space, calming green for the bedroom, deep burgundy for the inviting living space.
- Connection with materials
A limited palette of materials will help to connect defined space and create a throughline. Here we have cork, ply and terracotta. Even the garden has connection with the indoor space with this throughline of materials and colours.
- Go Natural
Cork, clay, linen. Curated craft pieces to connect you to nature and to your local scene of makers. The kitchen is a great example. Make mealtimes a beautiful calming experience to break up your day by curating a selection of tactile dishes and cups.
- Bring in the colour with statement pieces
Colour doesn’t have to come from the walls. Key pieces carefully chosen in complementary shades can bring a neutral space to life. Colourful art can be a great way to bring that colour in. Equally, In the kitchen it is the hero powder blue dining chairs that enliven the natural palette.
- Transformational space
Sofa bed, Foldable desk, storage space, moveable room dividers. Helping to keep your space flexible for your needs. Make the most of the space you have with plenty of storage so that everything has its place and furniture that can move or fold away when the space needs to perform a different function. Because life needs flexibility.
“We have been really pleasantly surprised with the range of affordable pieces from eBay that can really change the way you think about designing your home. The pink velvet armchairs are a real design statement, and we love the pale blue dining chairs that were designed originally for the Barbican! So chic.”
– 2LG Studio
