A Lunchtime Mooch Around HomeSense

I used to love TK Maxx. I use the past tense because in recent years I think it's gone down hill. What used to be quite a revolutionary, exciting shopping experience has become a bit limp and a bit tired, with any real opportunities to find prestigious brands at bargain prices few and far between. In the past I'd frequently unearth all sorts of gems amid its cluttered rails. Patience and diligence have always been a necessary requirement when shopping at TK Maxx, but the rewards used to be worth it - you'd regularly find some amazing brands in among the chaff if you looked hard enough. Nowadays, though, it seems to rely more on mass market, mid-range clothing and the beauty aisles are much less exciting than they used to be.

One area that TK Maxx still does well, though, is homeware, so on a recent trip to Hengrove I made a stop at the store's dedicated homeware outlet, HomeSense. Located in the Imperial Park development, HomeSense is a great place for a rummage if you're after inexpensive pieces for your home. On a previous visit I picked up some Cath Kidston spotty melamine plates and cowboy themed cups at a fraction of the RRP. This time around my eye was drawn to some of the more 'big ticket' items as I'm on the hunt for a comfy, retro-style armchair for my living room. There's a eclectic mix of styles on offer, from design-led contemporary pieces to the more traditional. I spotted a gorgeous, British-made armchair covered in tartan wool which was £400 - the equivalent in somewhere like John Lewis or Laura Ashley would be more around the £800-mark. 

I can see these in my son's bedroom...

The china and kitchenware selection is also good and I was tempted by some stylish white dinner plates by Denby at £3.99 a pop instead of £11. I've you've a hankering for otherwise prohibitively expensive pieces, say a Le Creuset casserole dish, for example, this is the place to treat yourself and enjoy change from a £50 note. If you want to go cheaper still there are books, candles and other unusual bits and pieces that can help spruce up your home on the cheap. 

Would look very nice in my home office...

The stock varies from week to week, and some weeks will be better than others. It's a good place to visit in the run-up to Christmas, though, as I've found some gorgeous decorations, wreaths and Christmas cards in the store's Christmas department, from hand-blown glass baubles from India to folksy twine wreathes not dissimilar to those by Cox & Cox. 

Iconic Eames design for £50

You'll find an edited homeware selection at both TK Maxx in Broadmead and Cribbs Causeway, but if you'd like to check out the bigger range at HomeSense you'll find it at Imperial Park, Wills Way, BS13 7TJ.

Take a look online here.