Where To Buy Beautilitarian Home Goods
One effect of all this time at home is looking at my surroundings with a
critical eye. What works and what doesn't work? What do I need to make home
function better and look more attractive? And conversely, what don't I need to
be spending my money on?
I admit I was much more free-wheeling with my home purchases previous to the
pandemic. I would think nothing of blocking time in my calendar to make a
quick trip to HomeSense just to browse the shelves and see what was new. I
didn't really need anything but I was entirely open to making a purchase if
something caught my eye.
And now? Budgets have been tightened and I've better scrutinized what I really
need (if anything). Which brings me to my new mantra: only spend money on
Beautilitarian items.
Note: affiliate links have been included in this post for shopping
convenience
Beautilitarian Home Goods
As William Morris once said:Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful
That is essentially the definition of Beautilitarian - products or things
that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. One could argue that a
Tesla car,
this chair, or a
Frame TV would be considered beautilitarian products. But the idea of beauty +
function can happen at any level. From grand living room sofas to tiny soap
dishes, there are beautilitarian goods for every space in your home.
There are lots of shops that offer consistently beautiful and functional goods
but that can come at a high cost. It's easy to create stunning pieces out of
expensive materials and custom fabrication. But what about mass goods at an
affordable price point? Where can you find functional & pretty home
accessories on a budget?
Best Budget Beautilitarian Home Goods
Here's my recommended sources for budget friendly sources for pretty and
useful home goods. I've highlighted some of my current picks and given tips on
key categories for each shop.
H&M Home:
H&M is a reliable source for affordable fashion so it's no surprise that
their
home products are just as desirable. H&M is my #1 choice for chic home decor at a
great price point. Where H&M Home
really shines is with their textiles. There's always a
pillow cover
or
duvet set
that I'm coveting from their collection.
Amazon:
What can't you find at
Amazon? Not much, but it
does require some effort to weed through the thousands of listings and find
those products that are beautiful. I find that Amazon has many items that are
just okay and do the job as intended but they're not my first choice when it
comes to aesthetics.
Lucky for you, I've done some of the work. I've put together
a category of beautilitarian home products
in
my Amazon Shop. Amazon is my top choice for kitchenware. Utilitarian objects like a
baking sheet and
everyday dishes can be
beautiful!
Studio McGee at Target:
You can a wealth of home products at Target, but the most stylish ones are
in the Studio McGee at Target collection. It's a diverse product line but I find that Studio McGee
does beautilitarian furniture exceptionally well. I'm excited by
their
Patio and Garden
collection. This
Wicker Patio Dining Set, which no doubt is inspired by the designer-favourite Palacek Fritz Rope Side Chair, is sure to be a sell out.
Etsy:
Etsy
is another rabbit hole of diverse and plentiful home goods. There's lots to
choose from but I find Etsy a great source for attractive eco-friendly cleaning tools, affordable
printable art, and custom pieces like
lucite hardware
and
bespoke lighting.
Bed Bath & Beyond:
As the name implies, Bed Bath & Beyond has offerings for all rooms in
the home. Their in-house brands One Kings Lane Open House
and
Bee & Willow are worth checking out. This store is a top pick for small
furnishings like this
accent cabinet, and kitchen and entertaining products.
There's lots of options for home goods and hopefully I've given you ideas for
ones that are functional and beautiful!
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