Maxinebradystyling

24/10/2026

Put a ‘hey 👋’ in the comments if you’re renovating a small home (on a even smaller budget) and are looking for colourful inspiration, clever upgrades and a whole lot of pattern clashing! ⬆️

Hello, I’m Maxine. I’m an interiors editor in Brighton UK renovating my 1890s cottage solo - it is my safe space after a messy break up ❤️‍🩹 I’m on a mission to make my home 1% at a time with little upgrades which I share here.

I’m slowly building a community of small home renovators and I’m here to cheer you on. As if I can do this through a heartbreak, then you can too.

Love Maxine 💕

22/10/2026

Anyone else going through it at the moment? It’s been a rough few months and it’s hard to know how to feel ‘normal again’ 😢 Healing is a commitment but I can’t wait to be out the other side soon.

22/10/2026

20/10/2026

Straight to cart 🛒 💡 I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found these at and they are very good dupes of more expensive ones 😉

They are USB rechargeable, and they have 3 light modes (I like the warm mode). I loved them so much I bought two and have styled them into dark corners of my home. For £18 each, I’m tempted to get more. Plus no need to call an electrician. You just hang them on hooks on the walls.

📍 This is my latest post for my Making A Home 1% Better series

📲 Make sure to follow me to enjoy more content.

➡️ And send this reel to someone who you know loves a bargain buy 😉

19/10/2026

ad OMG! Is this the best makeover so far for my 1% challenge? I think it might be!

So, back story... this unloved corner is the first thing friends and family see when they step into my home, and it really wasn’t giving. It looked sterile and unstylish. After procrastinating for a year, I finally addressed my tall, draughty back door with a little help from

As a solo renovator on a budget, I never thought I could afford made-to-measure curtains, which is one of the reasons I put this job off for so long. It came to £[X] all in, which honestly surprised me how affordable it was.

Blinds Direct make everything to your measurements, and the SureFit promise means the whole process is stress free.

I knew the timeless look of the Bude Harbour striped fabric was THE ONE once I saw the samples in my home. I’ve definitely entered my stripe era. And since I’m thrifty, I added thermal blackout lining to keep my heating bills down and boost the cosiness here as well.

My trick? A double pole. That way, you can filter the daylight with the Linen Cream curtains during the day, and then at night, the curtains keep the heat in (and the cold out). And let me tell you, I feel sooooo grown up with the double pinch pleat heading. This little corner with the lush, heavy draped curtains is now worthy of a Bridgerton film set. 🥂

I’m pretty proud of this one. This 1% win has really made my home a little bit more me... I hope you love it too.

📲 Follow me so you don’t miss my next ‘Making A Home 1% Better’ challenge.

➡️ Give a follow and check out their made-to-measure range.

📍 Save this post if you live in a small home with an even smaller budget.

📩 And send this post to someone who loves a good before and after.

18/10/2026

Same? Too tight to put the heating on? Me too!! I’ve layered up my bed for autumn instead and I’m honestly a bit too warm at night now, but that keeps the thermostat locked up for a few more weeks 🤣

Thermal top sheet, electric blanket, my clip together duvet with the winter half clipped on, linen sheets in autumn colours, karate chop pillows, a velvet throw and a few scatter cushions. It looks lush and it’s made my bedroom feel so much cosier, which is exactly what this time of year is all about, all the layers and the pjs coming out 🍂
Did your Nana tell you off for having an electric blanket on all night? Mine always said to turn it off before I got in, and I did used to worry it would catch fire, but I’ve never slept better 🤣
This is all part of my making my home 1% better at a time series, where I stop waiting for the big expensive makeover and instead make one small change that makes a real difference. The bedroom was this week’s, and there’s plenty more corners to come. Follow along if you want to see what’s next x

12/10/2026

OMG! Having a perimenopause day, so this reel nearly didn't make it out of drafts. But here we are.

First, a sheer polka dot top from a vintage market, £7, which I think is a keeper. Then a red and blue striped top from Zara, £15, which needs its matching skirt, same print, before I can make my mind up.

So, this is a job for you, Vinted hunters. Find me that skirt and I'll give the stripes a proper verdict. Which top wins in the meantime?

09/10/2026

Has this ever happened to you? You spend months preparing for something and then on the day, it all comes down to a bit of luck and a lot of hoping. 🫠

That was me this week. My little Brighton terrace was being photographed for a national newspaper, and I can't tell you who for just yet. After months of hard work, a few meltdowns in my pyjamas, one panic-bought cushion too many and more rearranging than I care to admit, the day finally arrived. And I was still scrubbing the kitchen floor as the doorbell went. Obviously. 🙄

But you just push on through don't you. So I styled the rooms, second-guessed my outfit about six times, added the little touches that always make the difference in photos, and let a lovely team loose on my home.

And then something lovely happened. They loved it. 🥹

I genuinely cannot wait to tell you who it was and show you the full feature. It has been worth every single meltdown, and I feel a little bit proud.

Have you ever dreamed of your home being in a newspaper or magazine? Let me know below and I will share all my tips!

08/10/2026

Cooking for one can be an absolute minefield. Either you spend a fortune on ingredients you end up throwing away, or you have nothing in the fridge and it's toast again. 🍕

That's why I love this posh pizza. It costs about a quid a slice and feels like something from an artisan bakery. It's on permanent rotation in my house.

To make it, you'll need ready-made puff pastry. Pinch the sides, then slice and fry leeks with rosemary and layer them on the pastry. Add thinly sliced tomatoes, some olives if you want them, and feta. Don't make the mistake I did and use a feta-like cheese, as it doesn't go crumbly.

I'm sure I can put something other vegetables on here to jazz it up. What would you suggest? I tried peppers and that didn't work!

Cook for about 20 minutes and you've got a posh pizza which tastes even better the following day. Straight from the fridge, no plate needed.

07/10/2026

How to Furnish a Home on a Budget: 8 Bargain Hunting Homeware Tips to Try This Weekend

I love to furnish a home on a budget! I'm a professional interior stylist and I bargain hunt for absolutely everything, My own home, client projects, shoot styling, all of it. Finding a brilliant piece at an incredible price is genuinely one of my favourite things about my job, and it is a skill I have been building my whole career....

Interior stylist Maxine Brady shares 8 practical tips to help you furnish a home on a budget, with bargain hunting strategies she used to style her own cottage from scratch.