Top 10 Styling Props For Under £10

We are stuck at home, literally. Times are tough, but we need to focus on our health. I’m trying to use this time to be more creative, tap into all those ideas I’ve been saving up and really put them into action.

It’s difficult with less work coming in (the realities of being a freelancer) and when the industry I work in is not thriving. This all sounds awfully depressing, but I’m actually feeling pretty positive. I’m deep down really such a homebody, so enjoying my time at home instead of running around or exhausting myself socialising (lol I’m actually a social butterfly so this is not true) is actually quite a nice change. Josh is working in the other room, so I have a little company which is a nice change from being on my own most of the day, and can go harass him until he gives me a hug every couple of hours.

Being at home, though, has made me realise how much I shop online (eek!), and how much wasted time I have spent scrolling endlessly through pages and pages of props (double eek!!), ideas for styling tools, backdrops, spoons, weird little napkin holders, etc. Let me not waste anymore of your time …so I’ve put together a list (hopefully super relevant) so that you can get cooking, get designing, get shooting and whip * your * home * studio * into * SHAPE * all for under £10.

1. Linen Napkin

If you purchase nothing else, let this bargain be your best friend. My red linen napkin can fold up and fit in my bag, I travel with him, I use him at home and I recommend him to my friends. I would be nowhere without him and this is my top pick. If I had to get rid of everything except the napkin, I would be ok with that (I wouldn’t be ok with that, but you get this gist of this).

My linen napkin was purchased directly from Season’s Cookshop and is the exact linen napkin in the image above, but I’ve linked another set from H&M below which has more neutral colours. I think that the red is best to be used to add pops of colour to dishes that may be monotone or bring a little more going on into simpler images whereas the neutral is nice to have when the dish should stand on its own in terms of colour & texture.

2. Plates

Servingware is really important as it can help you create a “style for your image” more than the colour napkin you have laid under or around it. You decide if you are going for a simpler modern feel, classic shabby chic or completely rustic. When I’m styling at home, I tend to go more rustic or shabby chic, but sometimes a simpler and cleaner modern feel is nice. Below are my top choices for each category.

Typically, I’d recommend using salad plates for plating if you plan on having a close shot or more than one plate in your image. If there is a salad plate available, I’ve also listed that below (plus they tend to be less expensive as they are a teeny bit smaller).

3. Ramekin / Small Bowl

I love to set up a little serving platter on a cheese board with sauce or dips, and my ramekins are my favourite thing for this. I do like a bit of baking (sometimes… it’s not my forté) but typically my ramekins are used for holding things. These things could be a side of coleslaw (pictured below), some mayo for a delicious build your own burger plate or even some hummus for a snacking board.

4. Shallow Bowl

For all those curries, noodle soups, doused in gravy roast dinners, spaghetti alle vongole and more, this is the plate (or bowl… not really sure to be honest which category it is, I was calling it a bowl but online it says deep plate so SOS someone help explain this to me) for you.

5. Cutlery

How to spice up a little photo, just throw in some cute spoons, a golden fork, a gorgeous butter knife. There is cutlery for everyone and below is a set perfect for shaking up your salads, stirring your coffee or just placing gently next to your plate once your home studio set up is complete. I’ve also thrown in some cute wooden engraved chopsticks for good measure as sometimes you may give up on using them for your entire mean (this is me) but they do look cute perched across a bowl of ramen…

6. Cups

Let’s be real here, I’m not often making drinks to share on my page, and for the most part, my cups or glasses at home are filled with wine, Prosecco or a g&t, but I think it’s a necessity to have wine glasses and short glasses to add to photos where you may want to add a drink (or give the appearance of one being nearby). The Ikea ones below are the EXACT ones I have at home and LOVE.

7. Fabric

Yes, you can get nice backdrops online, but they’ll cost you at least £25 for one. If you’re already feeling advanced with your styling then definitely consider investing in a couple (or if you’re just starting out, buying one is great idea) but I’m here to give you the DEALS DEALS DEALS!! So with that in mind, and something I do all the time is… using bedsheets. It sounds a little bit crazy, but hear me out.

Nice texture, you can wash them a million times, you can also use them when you have guests come stay or on your own bed! It’s basically a win win situation, and you can find sheets pretty cheap online.

The image with the plates is my own, using a bed sheet! Without further ado here is the under £10 that I’d recommend with a few great muted colours to choose from.

8. Large cutting board

This one requires no explanation. Besides the linen, I probably hang out with this cutting board more than I do my friends (or even my boyfriend). It’s great in the kitchen, and also as a fabulous “backdrop” that costs less than a tenner. P.S. I’ve literally just placed an order for a new one, and my previous one has lasted me 2 years and that’s in the kitchen as my everyday cutting board, too.

9. Small chopping board

For use with all the spreads: cheese boards, snack spreads, fruit platters, burger stacking, steak sharing and more. It’s ideal to have a smaller board to add depth, texture and to put all the food on when a plate isn’t the right base.

10. Flowers

To add another little dimension to the photo, grab some flowers. These can be dried or fresh. I’ve attached my favourite dried flowers as it’s best to order fresh flowers online (and this can be pricier) or pop to your local supermarket for some blooms under £10.

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