How to decorate your bedroom on a budget

I still live at home so I don't really have too much free control over my bedroom. All systems go towards that house deposit - so near yet so far! But I have been enjoying adding a few bits and pieces to my bedroom to make it feel like 'mine'. Here are a few ideas to help put your stamp on your own space even if you can't decorate away until your heart's content.

Wall prints
These can be a great way to cheaply add a little bit of your own personality to your room. You don't even have hang them on a wall. Simply pop them in a frame and onto a shelf. I fell in love with this pretty print while I visited Sarah a few months back. It summed up the way I've been feeling recently and incorporated my love of travel. Keep an eye out on Etsy for some fantastic prints - I've got these Harry Potter ones on my list. Nothing quite like a Dumbledore quote to make you feel all sassy and ready to take on the world.

Duvet sets
I think you'll all be with me when I say the bed is the most important thing in any bedroom. Plus a good duvet cover can make all the difference.  You can pick up some great ones in Primark which mean you can have a few on rotation. I was sent a special anti-allegy duvet from Sleepy People in time for Allergy Awareness Week in April. It's designed to offer protection against mites and bacteria making it great for allergy sufferers. I can say I haven't had any trouble since sleeping with it!

Candles
It's only in this last year that I've totally got the hype of candles. I always thought they were a bit of a waste of money and wasn't keen on burning my cash. But, now I absolutely love them, my favourite thing is lighting one before snuggling under the covers to read a book. You really don't have drop £50 on one to bag a decent one either. This fun pineapple candle was a bargain in the New Look sale at £3 - check out their homeware section. Oliver Bonas always do some gorgeous smelling scents that really fill your room. This limited edition Pomegranate & Patchouli candle smells absolutely gorgeous.

Shelves
Shelves are a great way to add little trinkets to give your room your own stamp. I love to add photographs, perfume, candles and basically anything that I think sums up my personality. As my room is a black and white theme I like to add a little colour on my shelves. Charity shops and bootsales can be great pieces to pick up trinkets for a few pennies. They're often be slightly unusual too - you'd be surprised what people chuck out.

Read more

Review: Whyte & Brown, Kingly Court, Soho

Kingly Court in Soho is one of my favourite places to go for a bite to eat. It's a cluster of brightly coloured restaurants offering cuisines from all over the world. This time we opted to head to Whyte & Brown, a specialist chicken restaurant on the ground floor. All of the chicken is free range from a grain-fed farm in Yorkshire. Making the most of the rare sunshine, we asked for a table outside and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Carnaby Street.

Coming from work, we were absolutely starving so promptly ordered some crispy chicken skins to keep our bellies ticking over. I wish we'd ordered more. And more. The thin, salty crisps were similar to pork crackling but a much lighter taste. Very addictive. Keen not to over order - as usual - we ordered a black pudding scotch egg to share. With a perfectly cooked bright orange yolk, the chicken meat made a nice change from the sausage meat - the black pudding gave it a nice tang.

For mains we opted for pulled barbecue chicken in a sweet bun topped with spicy jalapeños and sour cream and the puff pastry chicken and tarragon pie with kale, roasted red onion and a rich, creamy celeriac mash. Of course a side of parmesan and truffle fries were needed too. The tender pulled chicken just melted in my mouth and the brioche bun withstood the serious party going on inside. Anyone else hate it when they fall apart at the seams? The celeriac mash was a revelation. So creamy. So rich. So flavoursome. I may have finished off most of this portion...

Whyte & Brown is a good solid choice. The food is reasonably priced, tasty and it's in a great location in the centre of town. The food is hearty, tasty and varied. This is the second time I've visited and both times they've been on top of their game. It's not going to win any awards for being the most innovative but for British comfort food it can't be beaten.

These pictures were taken using a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. As a iPhone nerd I'd always wondered about the other side. And when I crossed over to the other side I was delighted. The camera on the phone is absolutely great and hands down is one of the best phone cameras I've ever used. An Instagrammers dream. 

Read more

Recipe: Japanese turkey katsu curry

Goldfish brand got in touch and offered me some curry concentrate sauces with a cooking challenge to rustle up some delicious meals. Challenge accepted! Goldfish Brand have been making curry sauces for over 30 years and were founded by Mr Lee for professional chefs. As soon as I spotted the Japanese style curry sauce I immediately had a kind of Katsu curry planned. I wanted to make it a little healthy so opted for lean turkey escalopes and a cornflake coating instead of bread crumbs. The curry sauces are delicious, it tasted just like my favourite Wagamama dish. We opted for a thick sauce like you get in the restaurant. They're really simple to use and you just mix with water. You just add more water depending on how thick or thin you prefer the sauce.

On another note, anyone else struggle to make curries look photogenic?!

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 turkey escalopes
1 egg
A handful of cornflakes
200g white rice
100g Japanese style curry sauce*
300ml water
1 tsp of olive oil

Method
1. Put the rice in a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Crush the cornflakes into crumbs using your hands. Coat the turkey escalopes in the egg before coating in the crushed cornflakes. Put to one side on a white rack.

3. In a small saucepan, mix the curry sauce and water together until it has dissolved completely. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4. Fry the escalopes in the olive oil 3-4 minutes each side depending on their thickness.

5. Drain the rice, put on a plate and plate the escalope on top. Pour over the sauce.

As always I would love to know if you attempt this, make sure you drop me a tweet! Use the hashtag #curryoncooking

Read more