🖤 My Black Friday Hit List for Holiday Lets (So You Don’t Blow the Budget on Rubbish)

Black Friday now seems to run from the 1st of November until… who even knows anymore.

It's easy to browse aiming for some guilt-free upgrades or “just have a little browse” and suddenly you’ve spent £400 on stuff your guests will neither notice nor appreciate.

So I’ve done a bit of digging for you and put together a shortlist of places to add that Boutique or Boujie (love that word) vibe.

Design is always about intentionality and curation so here's where I’d focus if you want the biggest visual impact for the least money.

1️⃣ Faux plants that don’t look tragic

Blooming Artificial & Abigail Ahern

If you want a couple of proper “wow” plants for photos, these two are worth a look.

Blooming Artificial – brilliant for realistic palms and larger statement plants, eg Ficus, Olive trees
Abigail Ahern – moody, textural stems and botanicals that look very high-end.

And budget for nicer pots or baskets as well – that’s what makes a cheaper plant look expensive in photos. The vibe is very rustic and rough-hewn these days and you can actually find that kind of thing in places like the Range.

2️⃣ Cushions & throws that scream “boutique”

H&M Home, Zara Home, La Redoute

This is where I’d go for those finishing touches on sofas and beds. Just keep to your existing palette – don’t let “50% OFF!!!” drag you into a totally different colour scheme.

H&M Home / Zara Home – great colours and textures, often with decent Black Friday discounts.
La Redoute – brilliant for patterned cushions and throws, especially if you like a bit of French/boho flair.

Cushion tip - 2 pairs of cushions on a large sofa, and 3, or 5 cushions on a bed

But please AVOID feather pads - H&M have some lovely recycled synthetic inners

3️⃣ Bedding & towels that feel like a treat

DUSK & M&S

If your bedding and towels are a bit sad, Black Friday is the time to sort it.

DUSK – really good for simple white bedding, large bedspreads, mattress toppers and bed frames with chunky discounts.
Marks & Spencer and White Company – solid white bedding and towels that feel more “hotel” than “spare room”.

I’d prioritise the main bedroom and two decent towel sets per guest.

4️⃣ Rugs that pull a room together

La Redoute & Dunelm

Rugs are such an easy win for photos.

La Redoute – loads of stylish rugs and runners, often heavily reduced.
Dunelm – good textured rugs and runners if you’re more budget-conscious.

Think: one large decent rug under the sofa or bed rather than three tiny mats dotted about.

5️⃣ Art that actually looks curated

Desenio

If you’ve got blank walls, do one good gallery wall and call it a day.

Desenio – great for sets of prints that work together, especially with their Black Friday offers.

I’d do:

a gallery wall in the living room or hallway, and
1–2 prints above each bed to tie the colour story together.

6️⃣ Lamps & mirrors with main-character energy

John Lewis

Perfect for a few special pieces.

Statement pendant over the dining table
A big hallway or living room mirror
Decent bedside lamps that don’t look like an afterthought

You don’t need loads – just one or two things that really show in photos.

7️⃣ Side tables & consoles that finish a room

Wayfair

If you’re missing those “where does the lamp go?” pieces:

Wayfair is good for side tables, slim consoles and storage pieces, especially in the sales.

Just triple-check reviews and measurements – some of it is fab, some of it is… not.

8️⃣ Beds & mattresses guests will actually rave about

Emma at Argos & DUSK furniture

If you’ve been putting off bed upgrades, this is your sign.

Emma mattresses via Argos often have chunky discounts.
DUSK do decent bed frames and ottoman beds with big Black Friday reductions.

A comfortable, supportive bed will do more for your reviews than another piece of wall art, honestly.

9️⃣ Scent that makes your place smell expensive

ScentAir & Hotel Collection

Real candles aren't an option for holiday lets – fire risk, wax everywhere, and guests will forget they’ve lit them.

Oil-based reed diffusers can be messy too – they spill, they stain and they’re not fun for cleaners.

If you want that “this place smells expensive” moment without the faff, look at:

ScentAir – professional-style fragrance systems and diffusers that give you consistent scent without open flames or oily spills.
Hotel Collection – dry reed diffusers and electric options inspired by luxury hotel scents.

These are great for:

The entrance/hallway – first impression when guests walk in
The living room – subtle, not overpowering
Maybe the main bedroom if you pick something soft and calming

One or two well-placed diffusers is plenty. You want “ooo that smells nice”, not “headache in a bottle”.

🔟 Faux botanicals on a budget

M&S, John Lewis, Dunelm, The Range

If Blooming Artificial/Abigail Ahern are a stretch, have a scroll through:

M&S & John Lewis – good mid-range faux plants.
Dunelm & The Range – hit and miss, but you can find decent ones if you avoid the super shiny, neon green ones.

Upgrade the pot, bend and fluff the stems, and they’ll look much pricier in photos.

How to not go mad with it all

Before you hit “checkout”, ask:

Does this improve a key photo (lead image, living, main bedroom, hallway)?
Does it fit my colour palette and style?
Is this a priority upgrade, or just “oh that’s nice and it’s 40% off”?

If you’re not getting a solid yes, close the tab and walk away. 😂

Want me to sanity-check your basket?

Pop in the comments:

What you’re shopping for (e.g. rug for main bedroom, hero light for dining area)
Your rough budget
Any links you’re considering or screenshot your basket

I’ll give you a quick “buy / maybe / avoid” and help you make sure your Black Friday haul actually moves the needle on bookings – not just fills the owner’s cupboard.

Right, I'm off to Gunwharf Quays in Portstmouth to check out the Black Friday outlet deals

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