I love interior design magazines and use them for inspiration however; the result is beautiful but often surprisingly lacking in soul. Not many of us have a huge budget to decorate and over the years, with a limited budget, here are some key findings.
Stripped, Painted or Papered
Yes, it can be a pain but the results are worth the effort. First, look around at what you have, rethink how you might use it. Can it be stripped, papered or painted? My favourite is to paint – there is instant gratification and change. I have used this approach in a tiny French apartment and when we had too much furniture in our Berlin place to pull together a harmony in decor. I looked around and selected a Chinese cabinet that has held bedlinen, glassware, books and shoes and got the paintbrush out. Fast forward several years and it is now a soft pistachio green.
Repurpose
Consider the piece, is it lacquered, painted or oiled? The Chinese A-frame has a lacquer which requires a special paint – I am still not sure the paint skin will hold but it is worth the effort. Feng Shui tip – select a colour that matches the Bagua map. Find the right paint to cover whatever the current surface is. Select tools, mini rollers are a favourite to use on flat surfaces and you can buy packets of them. I haven’t had much success with spray paints but others swear by them.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Lightly sand the surface and then wipe clean. Tape is a must and a recent find is Frog tape. Cover hinges, any key parts not to be painted and plan on which part to paint first – always think of the drying time. Think of the position, you may want to paint it upside down first, or from the bottom up. How is the piece held as that is usually the last part to paint. Be careful with drop sheets or paper – they stick to the paint – lesson learnt!
Bargain!
Look at furniture in a different way – there are plenty of fantastic IKEA hacker websites you can Google and be inspired by. Can an outdoor chair be used inside, turn a bookcase horizontal, use kitchen cabinets as a bureau. You can add panels to the doors, change the door knobs, cut off or add legs.
When we decorated a tiny French apartment with space issues, we looked for furniture bargains and found 2 side tables for a song, a perfect project. After painting 2 drawers grey and adding Zara Home silver leaf drawer pulls, they looked perfect in the small space. My favourite revamp. Sometimes all a room needs is a change of colour with a throw or cushion. Feng Shui tip – not too many cushions, all about balance. Not being a fan of curtains preferring blinds, you can instantly change the look with tab curtains – keeping it simple. Favourite tool – iron hemming tape!
Floors
I once had to strip a peeling 1970s brown laminate floor around a front door. It revealed bare concrete and after painting it with dove grey cement paint and using a white and grey mat from the local supermarket, instant change. Not being a fan of carpets, I use rugs as a simple statement and if you can afford it, use natural fabrics – Feng Shui tip. I have one wool rug in my apartment and that is fine by me. Search for cotton rugs, a friend stencilled a plain white one using fabric paints with great effect.
Glassware
Off to the flea market, flohmarkt, brocante with you – depending upon where you live. You can pick up great vases, vintage glasses and trinkets for a song. Think laterally, you can use a 1970s salad bowl to float candles outdoors and dessert bowls for jewellery. Ah, candles and fairy lights – where would we be without them! Having once lived in a shabby and not chic French apartment, filling a glass vase with battery operated fairy lights lifted the whole space. Let me know what inspires you!
