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Top tips for a fantastic staycation

With travel off the agenda for a while, many of us are considering using up holiday leave while staying at home. But is it possible to switch off, relax and enjoy yourself without flying off somewhere exotic? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’. By spending the money you’ve saved on travel and accommodation on some amazing home comforts and special treats, you could enjoy a fabulous staycation to remember… with no jet lag. Read on for our 10 top tips for a fun and relaxing holiday at home.
Lifestyle Design Inspiration
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1. Set aside a budget for your holiday at home

Brits often spend huge amounts on their holidays, the cost of flights, accommodation and all the added extras really adds up, but now we’re unable to do this, it’s the perfect time to take a staycation. Take this time to treat yourself, splash out on a few luxuries, services and experiences you and your family can enjoy and appreciate.

How about gorgeous silk pyjamas with a matching sleep mask, a three-course meal from a local eatery delivered to your home or that gorgeous new dining set or fabulous garden furniture you’ve always hankered after? You’re missing out on going away, so make sure you stay at home in comfort.

14600_Hero_Splendid staycation day trips and outings

2. Splendid staycation day trips and outings

A holiday at home means you’re staying at home every night, but it can still include fun day trips out. Find places and activities that interest you – from browsing your local farmers’ market or garden centre to visiting a beauty spot or nature reserve. Many farms, including city farms, offer pick your own fruit experiences. You could even play the tourist in your own town, looking at it with fresh eyes and finding out more about its history. Meet friends or family for garden or park picnics and you might find it’s even better than going away!

3. Holiday at home in 5-star luxury

Would you like to feel as if you’re waking up every morning in an exclusive, luxurious boutique hotel? Invest in small touches or bigger purchases, to make your boudoir luxurious – from fine Egyptian cotton sheets or a new pillow to a grand upholstered bed frame or – for a superbly restful and refreshing night’s sleep – a fabulously comfy new mattress. Choose from pocket sprung, memory foam, latex or combination using our handy mattress finder.

To add to the luxury of your homecation experience, how about fluffy white bathrobes and towels, fresh flowers, scented candles, a bowl of fruit and rose petals in the bath? The beauty is, these lovely upgrades will last long after your holiday is over.

14600_Hero_3. Holiday at home in 5-star luxury
14600_Hero_4. Make staycation dining as fabulous as eating out

4. Make staycation dining as fabulous as eating out

You may not be able to eat out, but you could treat yourself by sending out for meals during your holiday at home, or buying high quality ready-to-eat delicacies from your nearest upmarket supermarket? It will feel like a special treat, could work out cheaper than eating out, and nobody will have to cook. How’s that for a win-win-win situation?

To truly set the mood, you can also update your dining space to give it a refreshed feel. If you’ve got a corner of your kitchen that’s in need of a little love, bring in a corner dining set to make the most use of your space. Alternatively, for a look that’s right on trend, consider a dining bench which will make your home resemble a hipster café, then complete the look with potted plants to diversify the space with rich foliage.

Once you’ve picked your perfect dining table, set it with beautiful crockery and cutlery, flowers and cloth napkins – worthy of a top restaurant. If you like to eat indoors, you might want to update your dining set with some luxurious new dining chairs. Or treat yourself to a sumptuously comfortable garden dining set and make an occasion of eating al fresco.

14600_hero5-. Holiday at home with fun, creative projects

5. Holiday at home with fun, creative projects

Your staycation could be the perfect opportunity to pursue that creative project you’ve been thinking about, but make sure it’s something enjoyable and not too much hard work. No DIY allowed! Perhaps try a new art class, try your hand at writing that novel you’ve always been meaning to start or get stuck in with some crafting. Of course, you’ll need somewhere for the inspiration to flow and what better way to get the creative juices flowing than with a new desk? We have options for every home and décor style, from scandi-chic to industrial inspired spaces.

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6. Have a homecation spa day or yoga retreat at home

Take a day to really unwind with everything you’d enjoy at a Spa. Face masks, bath oils, salt scrubs, hair treatments. Fill your home with relaxing music, and turn off your phone for a few hours. There are plenty of yoga and meditation or mindfulness sessions online, all you need is agreement from your family to leave you to it – or join you!

All-inclusive resorts and the best hotels often have luxurious and sometimes quite private outdoor living spaces, filled with sumptuously comfortable loungers, garden sofas and stylish tables and chairs. Recreating that luxury holiday vibe on your patio or in your garden could be almost as good as the real thing and, thanks to the wonders of modern all-weather PU rattan, garden furniture has never been more attractive, comfortable and easy to look after.

7. Change your scenery with gorgeous new accessories

Sometimes we just need a change of scene, but that’s tricky on a staycation. How about some fresh new finishing touches in your home to give it a whole new look? Drape your sofa or accent armchair with piles of luxurious cushions, so you can sink back and truly relax with a good book or whilst watching a movie with the whole family. If you’re dealing with a smaller space, consider bringing in mirrors to provide the illusion of extra space. And nothing makes a relaxing change more than house plants, whether real or artificial. Mix it up with plants of all sizes, put larger ones in places where they can take centre stage, then dot smaller ones around the room to add texture and a pop of colour.

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14600_hero_8. Create a living room that promotes relaxation

8. Create a living room that promotes relaxation

If you can’t get away, but want spend your holiday at home in relaxing, luxurious comfort (with a box set or two), now could be the time to treat yourself to a new sofa or chair. From spacious corner groups to chic velvet styles and indulgent leather recliners there are so many to choose from. Then you can relax and watch the latest shows and movies, in deluxe comfort.

Nothing puts a dampener on a staycation more than if there’s lots of clutter lying around your living space, so take this time to reorganise and create a room that promotes relaxation. Tidy away books in a stylish bookcase and place any odds and ends into a sideboard that ties in effortlessly to your existing décor. You’ll be surprised how much larger a room looks once it’s free of the jumble of everyday life and what a weight it’ll lift from your mind too.

9. Transform your spare room

If you’ve got a spare room in your home and are missing date nights or fun trips out with the family, this is the perfect opportunity to bring the fun to you. Why not create a room that’s entertaining for all with a home cinema? Choose creative lighting that mimics a boutique cinema, add in a corner sofa that’s big enough for your loved ones, then don’t forget a couple of side tables for housing those much-needed snacks too.

What’s more, if you’re worried about giving up the room and being unable to accommodate guests in the future, switch out the corner sofa for a sofa bed, so when all the chaos in the world has calmed down, you’re ready to welcome friends and family once again.

14600_Hero_9. Transform your spare room
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10. Make memories with your family

Lastly, and most important of all, a staycation (like any holiday) is an opportunity to create lasting memories with the people you care about, through shared experiences. It could be the perfect time to try cooking some exotic new dishes or for making special memories with loved ones. Make time for movie nights with the family (you could have one outdoors if you have a projector), indoor and outdoor games, watching live theatre online together or camping in the garden and pretending you’re at a music festival – only without the queues for the loos!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our 10 top tips for holidaying at home. With a little bit of imagination, a positive mind set and a break from those work emails you could have the staycation of a lifetime!

For more design tips, take a look at our home of inspiration and find out how you can transform your space.

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