A Little Shop at Hema

The first time I came across this Dutch retail chain was in France. The items in store are colour-coordinated, which was the first thing that drew me in. The Brits call it “posh Poundland” (Poundland being a shop where everything is sold for a pound — think Daiso from Japan) or the “Dutch IKEA”.

The Evening Standard once summed it up as a place that “operates on utilitarian Noord-Europese charm as opposed to austerity-driven despair”, because everything is bright, colourful, cheerful, and priced surprisingly low — just as they promise. With just a tenner, you can walk away with two photo frames, a mound of stroopwafels, candy-shaped erasers and baby socks. To me, it’s a wonderful place.

You’ll completely understand if you’re someone who has moved out of home and enjoys (or even bothers with) decorating the space you call your own. I don’t live in a moat-surrounded castle with a budget larger than a government deficit, but I do love being surrounded by pretty whatnots and knick-knacks. So HEMA is a great place to be — at least until I can afford marble, gold-trimmed pieces, velvet… or a Mondrian.

From pastel baking brushes to star-shaped burger presses, cute Post-its to retro paper plates and muffin cups — it’s all there.

It also has its own cafeteria, much like IKEA, where you can pick your food canteen-style and pay for whatever is on your tray.

I like HEMA because they offer really chic yet affordable designs that, with a touch of personalisation, can turn a corner of my home into something almost anecdotal. On this trip, I picked up a pineapple ice tray and some summery napkins — essentials for a Hyde Park or Holland Park picnic. The rest — neon notebooks, printed candles, grey candlesticks and photo frames — were part of my haul from a previous visit.

I think I paid €2 for this… I mean, how irresistible is that? With some pale pink lemonade and these green-and-yellow pineapple ices in a jar, I’d have the most enviable summer drink.

Goodnight!

With love x