Essential Purchases For a New Flat

Picture the scene: you’re hosting a dinner party to celebrate your recent move and things seem to be going rather swimmingly. Your cat has only attacked half your guests, you remembered to hang the thought-provoking paintings you bought yesterday and the drink is flowing merrily. Or it would be, if you had remembered to buy a bottle opener.

There are so many things that slip our minds when we're furnishing a new home, and many of these belong in the kitchen. One way to avoid being left high and dry is to visualise cooking your three favourite dinners and the utensils you’ll need to prepare them – pots, pans, baking trays, sieve, chopping board, spatula, grater, knives, mixing bowl, vegetable peeler and vegetable steamers. The length of your shopping list will depend on your culinary prowess.

Aside from the kitchen, it's also worth giving some thought to the colour scheme of each room, as this will determine many future choices when it comes to buying accent pieces. Whereas most of us will try to keep in mind a definite colour scheme, some will also attempt to create a theme, such as bohemian or minimal. It does require a lot more effort, but the end result is usually striking.

Once you’ve got an idea of what you want your flat to look like, you’ll of course need the basic furnishings (bed, wardrobe, dining table, chairs and sofa) if you haven’t got them already. Then come the homely touches that personalise your flat, such as bed linen, curtains, cushions and rugs. Ensure you take measurements of your rooms with you when you go shopping – curtains especially need to fit your windows exactly.     

With well-placed lighting, the tone and size of a room can be easily manipulated. To make a room appear larger you can direct uplighters onto a pale ceiling, or simply ensure each corner is adequately lit. Alternatively, to bring a cosy feel to an imposingly large room, opt for table lamps or low-hanging lighting that creates intimate pools of light.  

There are numerous finishing touches to consider, such as candles, plants and ornaments. Storage is also hugely important: the addition of a few hooks and racks can swiftly tidy up your belongings and make your flat seem more spacious.

When furnishing your flat, there's no better shopping companion than a Nectar Credit Card from American Express (Representative 19.9% APR variable), enabling you to collect Nectar points for every £1 you spend. Alternatively, receive cashback on your purchases to make your money go further, with the American Express Platinum Cashback Card. Representative 18.7% APR variable.