feather your nest

feather (one's) (own) nest

1. To furnish and beautify one's residence. Now that the apartment is officially mine, I can't wait to feather my nest!
2. To enrich oneself by using one's influence or position or with other people's money. I'm sure he feathered his own nest with the money he allegedly raised for charity.
See also: feather, nest
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

feather your nest

If someone feathers their nest, they take advantage of their job or position in order to get a lot of money, so that they can lead a comfortable life. People seem to feel that politicians only care about helping out their rich friends and feathering their own nests. Note: This expression is used to show disapproval. Note: Some birds line their nests with soft feathers which they take from their own breasts or gather from the ground.
See also: feather, nest
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

feather your (own) nest

make money, usually illicitly and at someone else's expense.
This phrase refers to the way in which some birds use feathers (their own or another bird's) to line the interior of their nest.
1998 Spectator It won't solve a damned thing except feather the nests of a lot of dodgy pen-pushers and party hacks.
See also: feather, nest
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

feather your (own) ˈnest

make yourself richer, especially by spending money on yourself that should be spent on something else: He’s been feathering his own nest at the expense of the people he was supposed to be helping.
See also: feather, nest
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • at (one's) doorstep
  • at doorstep
  • (one's) old man
  • (one's) old lady
  • at (one's) expense
  • at expense
  • at somebody's expense
  • at someone's expense
  • be remembered as (something)
  • be remembered as/for something
References in classic literature
"Feather your nest," it ran--and went on to say that it could furnish all the necessary feathers for a four-room nest for the ludicrously small sum of seventy-five dollars.
Jungle
Feather your nest with this bird print cushion, PS25 from House of Fraser.
Watch the birdies; SHOP IT From cushions to clothes, our feathered friends are flocking to a high street near you. EMMA JOHNSON has been twitching
1 Feather your nest with designer Christopher Guy's black and white warbler silhouettes with French White frames (set of 6, $1,409).
Bird watching
EASTER is a great excuse to feather your nest with themed decorations, handmade or bought, and all those personal touches will make family gatherings even more special.
Cracking good style! Celebrate Easter with eggstra-special home decorations and table settings
Feather your nest Many birds build their nests in spring, ready for egg laying and chick hatching.
SUNDAY CWTCH Do something different this weekend
A A one-stop shop for all things country is the Feather Your Nest Shop, from ginghams and checks to chickens and leaves - this shop is worth visiting.
Sofa so good for festive visitors; ask amabile