GIVING your home a designer makeover – but with a bargain price tag – sounds like an impossible task.
But while Janine Santos was browsing the Chinese retail website, Shein – known for selling clothes super cheaply – she suddenly spotted a ‘Home & Kitchen’ category.
There, on her screen, appeared to be the solution to her problem.
Attractive-looking curtains, cushions, tapestries, bedding, storage baskets and much more were being offered at rock bottom prices. It seemed too good to be true.
One thing led to another and soon Janine had bought around 50 items to give her Cardiff home a stylish new “boho” look that has transformed it from top to bottom.
The bill for her haul came in at just £269.
“I wasn’t sure about it, as it was so cheap,” says Janine, a 47-year-old cruise fleet manager. “But the quality looked good.
“Even if I’d gone somewhere else which is considered good value, like Ikea, I would have spent over £1000, easy.”
Before she discovered Shein homeware, Janine had a weakness for splurging on high end, expensive items.
“I used to use brands like Andrew Martin, Osborne & Little and Farrow & Ball,” says Janine, who is mum to Keanau, 26, and married to Damon, 53, a tiler.
“I also used to love Flamant, a high-end Belgian brand. They were my go-to for timeless pieces.” But when she decided to give her three-bedroom semi a refresh last December, Janine was looking to economise.
“I spend six months away at sea each year with work and when I come home, all I want is a space to relax,” she says.
“I’d been meaning to do this for a while and make it feel more homely. But I wanted to tighten my belt. I prefer to spend my money on experiences these days, like holidays, and thought: ‘How can I do this affordably?’”
Janine was shopping for clothing on Shein last December when she noticed they also sell homeware.
The China-based retailer’s popularity is currently soaring in the UK, with sales jumping by nearly 40 per cent to £1.5bn last year. It is expected to become Britain’s sixth largest clothing retailer by 2027.
For Janine, the prices seemed too good to ignore, so she ordered two photographic prints and some pampas grass to test the waters.
“I used to buy my prints from King & McGaw, which specialises in fine art prints,” says Janine.
“I paid £300 each for two prints years ago.
“But these 50cm x 70cm Shein prints were £3 and £7. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were delivered eight days later, in a cardboard box, and were printed on high quality cardboard. They also came rolled up, so there were no creases.
“They didn’t come with frames, so I got some from Amazon, at £50 for three.”
A couple of weeks later, Janine placed a second, bigger order, then a third.
She bought, among other items, a rug to go in front of the fire (£5.24), a king size duvet cover set with pillows (£26.48), two single curtains (£21.75 each), a beige woven wall tapestry (£2.29), dried pampas grass (£4.19), two artificial ivy plants (£1.85 each), three white woven storage baskets (£6.12 each), a wall sticker (£1.30) and a cute ornament of someone reading (£1.10).
‘Cushion crazy’
“When I told my husband how much everything cost, he said: ‘There’s no way, you’re lying to me.’
“And one friend who came round couldn’t believe it when I told her so much of my stuff was from Shein – she literally screamed. I think she was expecting me to say some fancy, overpriced designer brand.
“She went straight to the website and started filling her basket. People have this idea that Shein is only for clothes – but the home stuff is genuinely stylish and surprisingly good quality. Nothing I ordered felt below par.”
When I told my husband how much everything cost, he said: ‘There’s no way, you’re lying to me’
Janine’s star buy was a pair of cream curtains for the bedroom. Curtains are sold individually on Shein and Janine bought two for £21.75 each. “In the past I’ve paid over a thousand pounds for a pair of curtains,” she says.
“They were handmade, very thick, like quilts. I don’t feel I need that sort of thing any more.“They’re my favourite – they’re lined and they’ve got this lace overlay – they’re really drapey and beautiful. I bought the pole off Shein as well for £11.44.”
Janine is also impressed with the bedding she bought from the retailer. She paid £25 for a king size polycotton white duvet cover and two matching pillowcases.
And the cushions were so cheap – just £3 each – that Janine went “cushion crazy”.
“I’ve got them all over the house,” she says.
“One is a tan leather look, the others are like the tapestry on the wall, with tassels on them. Damon loves the new look. The only thing he has said is: ‘Please, no more cushions’.”
‘Boho with a designer twist’
Another big hit was the pampas grass.
“I ordered the large size,” says Janine. I thought: ‘It’s going to be limp, but I can try it.’ Luckily, it’s really full.”
Janine’s method is to spend more money on big-ticket items – she recently bought a bed and chest of drawers from Freemans for about £1000 and a sofa from DFS for around £2,000 – and save on the accessories that finish off a room.
She describes her style as “boho with a designer twist”, mixing budget buys with statement pieces. “Spending so little is great, because if I want to do a different theme, I can buy a load more stuff from Shein,” she says.
“I will give these to charity, then I can buy new things. I’m just layering on to make a new theme. The foundations stay, they are good quality.”
Shipping is free, too, if you spend more than £35. And there are other incentives, says Janine.
“They give you vouchers. They say: add another item to your basket to receive a bigger discount.
“Then when I look at it, it’s as if I’ve got those curtains free.”
But Shein is not popular with everyone. The brand has been criticised for its sustainability practices, with concerns raised about textile waste and excessive carbon emissions.
I’m not here trying to impress anyone, I’m creating a space that feels like me
Last August, Shein admitted it had found two cases of child labour in its supply chain and factories failing to pay the minimum wage.
Janine says: “I know there are conversations around sustainability with brands like Shein and it’s something I do think about.
“When I was decorating, I made sure to choose pieces I actually love and knew I’d keep – not something trendy for a quick fix. I’ve never been sent the wrong product, or had to return anything, either.
“I think sustainability is also about how you use things and how long you keep them, not just where they come from.”
“I’ve mixed and matched, like I would with clothes. I might buy a designer outfit, but wear a T-shirt from Primark.
“I’ll change a few things in winter, like adding a fluffy rug and throws. I like that I can switch things up without spending a fortune.”
Janine has converted the garage in her house, adding an upstairs level and separate entrance to create an Airbnb.
She also has an Airbnb property in Egypt. Both are decorated with Shein homeware.
“I love my ‘Shein house’,” she says.
“It feels warm, modern and personal – and that’s what matters, not that I’ve had any negative comments – quite the reverse.
“I’m not here trying to impress anyone, I’m creating a space that feels like me. It’s like I’ve curated a little Pinterest board in real life.”
