Winter can get dreary in London when the drizzle sets in. There are a couple of ways to brighten up your house, of which the most obvious is with colour; by buying cushions, flowers (real or silk), quilts and throws, candles and arty pin boards.

But there are some ways you can bring cheer to an evening around the dinner table or in front of the fire with a glass of wine without shopping in the trendiest stores and depleting your pay check. Keep an eye out for materials and products that are recycled but which can bring some cheer to your property in London this Christmas:

-Pick up a basket-full of raggy wool and cashmere strips from your local haberdashery and make a recycled Christmas wreath to hang from the door or above the fireplace. Using garden wire, wind the wool scraps into a store-bought or homemade wreath, in rainbow or colourful patterns.

-Buy a bright print or take your favourite photograph to a print shop. Laminate or mount it and brighten up your walls with your loved ones’ faces or motivational messages. Some popular prints at the moment are the wartime Keep Calm and Carry On and Don’t Panic slogans, which are appearing on towels, mugs, t-shirts, bags, chocolate bars and more.

-Pick up a colourful plant: Visit your local nursery and look through the Christmas plants on sale. There could be a range of plants from fragrant citrus to poinsettias to elegant orchids. Flowers can help bring soothing scents to your home, along with a dose of freshness that soothes and comforts, despite the winter cold.

-Buy a bright set of Chinese bowls, painted with flowers, birds or polka dots, or if you’re feeling artistic, purchase white, non-varnished bowls and paint them yourself. Brightly coloured crockery is available in fresh and creative styles on sale or at low prices. If collecting dinner sets isn’t quite your style, look out for brightly-coloured tea sets, which are a great reason to host a tea party with warm scones and cream.