With a return to more traditional ways of decorating our homes – finding inspiration from reusing and recycling antiques and old family furniture, as well as trawling junk shops, car boot sales and second-hand shops for hidden gems that can be stripped back, repainted and recovered – we are discovering all over again how good ´junk shop chic´ can be.
Getting right into the spirit of recreating style and purse savvy interior schemes, grab yourself a copy of House Beautiful, with pages of advice, tips and how-to guides for replicated your very own junk shop chic look. Whether it´s transforming ripped bed sheets, old tea towels and forgotten suitcases into the latest must have accessories for your home, Deputy Editor, of House Beautiful, Karen Stylianides shows how it can be done with her tops tips for making the most of what you´ve got:
Transform furniture. You don’t have to spend a fortune on brand new storage. Instead, look for bargain furniture in flea markets, junk shops, and on eBay and then give your find a quick and easy makeover. For wood pieces, simply remove old and worn paint or varnish, sand down and then apply a fresh coat of paint, wood stain or varnish.
Make use of wallpaper. Try adding a whole new dimension to panelled wardrobe doors, drawer fronts or bookshelves by covering them in spare lengths of wallpaper.
Make a bedspread. Take an old sheet to form the backing for your bedspread, have a length of wadding cut to size and find a pretty fabric, or vintage embroidered sheet for the top layer.
Add a rug. Update and protect carpet or floorboards with an inexpensive rug. Take a look at B&Q, Dunelm Mill, Tesco Direct and Next for a wide choice of great-value designs.
Sew a cushion. Give an old scarf a new lease of life by making it into a cushion cover. Or if you can knit, cushion covers are simple to make and are a good way to use up spare yarn.
New use for old. Vintage suitcases and trunks look great, can be picked up for a few pounds and are an ideal way to store out-of-season clothes and bedlinen.
Curtain call. Linen sheets, lace tablecloths and even smart tea towels can be turned into stylish curtains. Simply use curtain clip rings to hang them from your pole.
