Add a touch of summer with these feelgood homeware buys under €50

A little home update can boost your mood, and doesn’t have to be expensive either, as these cheerful finds show. 

Just as nature changes throughout the seasons, it feels fitting to tweak our homes accordingly. And while you’re not going to make any drastic changes just because the weather is improving, a little summery update can quickly refresh a room.

Whether it’s a vase for fresh flowers or a serving platter for lazy summer lunches, treating yourself to something new for your home is a simple way to embrace the new season at home.

Summer is hands-down the best season for drinks. Whether you’re enjoying lemonade, some home-mixed cocktails, or even just good old water packed full of fruit slices, you’ll need a great jug for serving.

This one from M&S not only looks suitably summery with its fresh green hue, it’s also made of plastic, while still looking like glass. A win for the aesthetics, and guaranteed not to smash if it gets knocked. Boston plastic jug, €10.40, M&S.

Even if your houseplant is looking a little worse for wear, this pot holder will make it look cheerful. Made from 100 per cent Irish linen, this bag has been designed, screen printed and sewn in Dublin by the talented duo Liz and Monika of 29 Bride Street. XL Plant Pot Holder, €49.50, Irish Design Shop.

We haven’t been able to see friends and family in what seems like forever, so it’s more important than ever to have our favourite photos of them around us. This photo holder will look cool perched anywhere in your home, with its cool terrazzo print.

It’s also much easier than a traditional frame to change the photo, so you can swap things around whenever you feel like it. Terrazzo photo stand, €20, Industry & Co.

When I think of summer meals, I think of big serving dishes with gorgeous, fresh food spread out for everyone to share. Whether it’s meat fresh from the barbecue, a huge platter of salad, or just sliced fruit to snack on, I want it served on this terracotta platter, reminiscent of the Mediterranean holidays we can’t enjoy this year. Two-tone terracotta serving dish, €15.99, Zara Home.

Natural fibres always feel so fitting for the summer months, and this wall basket made from natural grasses is a great way to incorporate them. Made in Malawi as part of the Anthropologie X Hadeda collaboration, each basket will have its own unique irregularities. Hadeda small wall basket, €45, Anthropologie.

Fresh flowers and foliage will always make your home feel full of life, and having a gorgeous vase will remind you to keep an eye out for some to bring home. This one has colours that remind us of a sultry summer sunset. Chemistry Glass Vase, €19, Woo .Design.

Part of the Creatives against Covid initiative, this print by Jacob Burrill is a reminder of the better days that are coming. Not only will it brighten up any wall, it also raises funds for the ISPCC, Childline and Women’s Aid. Jacob Burrill print, €40, Creatives against Covid-19.

This vase will add a touch of fun to a shelf, with or without flowers inside. Designed by Irish Brookyln-based graphic designer Deva Pardue, 5 per cent of the sale of each vase is donated to women’s empowerment causes through Deva’s organisation For All Womankind. Girl Power black vase, €35, April & the Bear.

Featured image: Soft Ice lunch plates, €13 each, Hay.

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