Hema is one of those great shops that may have passed you by, if you live in the UK. It’s a Dutch lifestyle store and has some amazing home and living products (don’t worry, you can shop online from the UK and Ireland). Here’s our Hema interiors edit.
Anything we’ve ever ordered from Hema has been good quality and well designed. Hema is like a little cocktail of Sostrene Grene, Paperchase, a dash of Tiger, all shaken up with Ikea pricing.
Disclosure – having happily shopped online for several years, Hema gifted Roomy Home these items. We love them, and are thrilled to recommend them. This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through and buy something from a website we recommend, we earn a commission. You don’t pay any more, and we just get rewarded for showing you something new and lovely.
How to shop – Hema interiors edit
Since 2014, Hema has had seven actual stores in the UK, in the south-east and Birmingham. (Incidentally, Hema has more than 700 stores in nine different countries.) Customers from the rest of the UK, including Northern Ireland, can shop online – no great hardship when the website is colourful and easy to navigate like this one. UK delivery is free if you order over £20, and £4 for orders below.
Irish customers – Hema also offers delivery to the Republic of Ireland via the Dutch website at www.hema.nl
What’s Hema’s style?
Hema is definitely a “value” retailer, and items are priced accordingly. It’s a much-loved Dutch brand (established in 1926 as a department store for “ordinary” people), and their affordable products are full of personality. Having shopped online with Hema for a few years, we warn you that if you see something you like, don’t hang around. While staples like their great coffee beans are always available, bigger home items seem to sell quickly. If you like it, buy it now!
Although we’re focusing on things for your home in our Hema interiors edit, the store also sells stationery, clothing and beauty products.
Hema interiors edit – shop for home
Vases
Firstly, we found lots of great vases. We cut our wishlist down to two. Both are perfect. This bigger blue one is 22cm high, just right for your average bouquet. It’s available in blue and dark green, and both were tempting. The moody green would look great with eucalyptus or foliage too. We’re talking ourselves into a second one …
The blue is truly cheering with these pink flowers. Better by far than a clear vase, because although you can see the stems, you don’t get the murky-looking water view. It looks good against different colour schemes – dark walls, bright white kitchen island, and is particularly fine with tonal greens and blues.
Tray
Almost every surface in the home – hall table, coffee table, kitchen island – looks better with a well-styled tray. Last count, we had eight downstairs alone. Trayddiction!
This gold and glass one is the latest to hit our surfaces. For the price (£8) it’s fantastic quality, with a felt base to protect what’s underneath. Would look good with a plant and candle on your coffee table, or styled with perfume bottles and hand cream, as a jewellery tray beside your bed.
This second smaller vase (£4) is perfect for your hall table (on a tray of course) with one lovely bloom from the garden.
Bathroom storage
Been looking for a circular, wooden stool for beside the shower for ages. This one is super-simple, with black metal legs (£15). Perfect for a plant and towel.
This black metal case (£10) is headed for bathroom storage right now, but would be a lovely display case for treasures in your living area, or (with the lid open) a candle or plant holder. After the summer, it’s coming back downstairs and will display cut hydrangea heads.
Pick-me-up parcel
Thought this would make a great gift for a coffee loving host. Giant bag of deliciously strong coffee beans (£5 for 500g) and on-trend botanical napkins (£2).
Bossy boots stationery
Love this clipboard with weekly planner (£3) and this starry case (£2), as a gift for the organised souls in your life. Turns out it’s too good to give away!
Fun parcels!
We love these daisy seed bombs (£3.50), also available as forget-me-nots. They would make fab presents, or even party bag offerings for older kids or wedding favours (note – Hema also does brilliant party ware for kids and grownups).
Basically, you make up the seed bombs at home using the clay provided, then scatter them in any dull corner you choose. The packaging suggests a public park … then come back in a few months and, as if by magic, flowers have appeared. This is going to be a bit of family fun, will keep you posted.
Hope you enjoyed our Hema interiors edit, and feel inspired to check out this Dutch institution for some beautiful design bargains.
If you like our choices, how about checking out how to add some personality to your bedroom decor?