'The best quality you can afford': Six home items that are always worth splurging on

In this era of fast homewares and trends that barely last a full season, it can be difficult to determine which home items you should invest your hard-earned money in.

So, what is worth spending a bit extra on? Industry experts helped us determine the top six home products to splurge on.

Outdoor furniture

Jayne Cross-Hunter, furniture category manager at McKenzie Willis, said outdoor pieces should be high on people’s lists of furniture to invest in.

Opt for pieces that would stand the test of time outside, especially in the harsh Australian weather and its hot and cold extremes.

Cross-Hunter said there was no longer a clear divide between indoor and outdoor spaces “but rather an organic flow through the different areas of entertaining.”

“Where outdoor furniture was once thought of as the poor cousin to indoor furniture, we are now seeing beautiful sofas and dining furniture for the outdoors that look just as good as their indoor counterparts,” she said.

As a result of this, Cross-Hunter recommended styling your outdoor space as you would your interior.

“Choose furniture pieces that suit the way you live and then add cushions, rugs and accessories to really personalise the space.”

• Related: The renovation of a period pub
• Related: Mistakes people make with open-plan living
• Related: Designers share misconceptions about their industry

Beautiful bedding

You sleep in your bed for up to eight hours a night, so why not make the experience as comfortable as possible?

Victoria Bibby of Bibby and Brady said that beautiful bedding was a worthwhile splurge.

“Whether you’re in your own home or live in a shared house where your bedroom is the only space that’s just yours,” Bibby said. “Buy the best quality bed you can afford and invest in a beautiful linen duvet and sheet set.”

Think of it as recreating the feeling of staying in a 5-star hotel and luxuriate in the soft, cocoon-feeling of linen sheets and a cozy mattress topper that makes it feel like you’re lying on a cloud.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper can bring a room to life with colour, design and texture and with thousands of options on the market, there’s something to suit all tastes.

“Feature wallpapers create a talking point for guests and can be used to set the scene and provide inspiration for the rest of the room’s colour scheme,” Karen Warman from Resene said. “Wallpaper can also help hide less than perfect walls.”

These days wallpapers were simple to hang and could be removed easily should you find a new favourite style.

Rugs

A quality rug can not only protect high traffic areas in your home, but it can also create an additional point of interest in a room.

Angelique Armstrong of Armstrong Interiors said, “a large rug will add texture to a wooden or tiled floor. Whether it is sisal or shag, it adds warmth and comfort to a living area.”

There’s no shortage of ways to style a rug. For example, you could use a statement piece in the entrance way to set the tone for the house, select a Persian rug to anchor a sofa in the living room or even opt to hang one on a wall like an artwork.

Antiques

Fallen in love with an antique but are unsure about whether or not it’s worth the investment? Banish those doubts right now.

Bibby said she would definitely recommend introducing a few antique pieces into the home.

“They’re full of character, add a uniqueness, and can look amazing mixed with more modern pieces. You may be lucky enough to have inherited pieces from family, which adds a rich history and story to your home.”

House plants

Whether you’re green fingered or black fingered, it’s worthwhile to invest in indoor plants.

Not only can they bring life to a dull space, but they can also provide a sense of depth and will give a space a brighter, livelier feel.

— This originally appeared on Stuff