With Black Friday approaching at the end of this week, and many sales already in progress, it can be tempting to succumb to those deals. You might end up spending more than you intended to (and just before Christmas too) when a deal sounds too good to miss but Black Friday isn’t the only way you can get a bargain on furniture…
Read More
If you’ve never bought from an auction house before it’s a fun, action-packed second-hand shopping experience that could save you ££s so here’s how to start buying at auctions without – & here’s the best bit – leaving the comfort of your own home…!
Read More
Timeless decor items will be different for every person, but once you find them it can give a sense of comfort and permanence to your house. Plus, I’m a firm believer in ‘buy well, buy once’ so it’s a good idea not to follow interiors trends with your bigger investment pieces, such as the sofa, storage, tables etc. You can, of course change up your style over the years using soft furnishings and paint colours, but having those classic pieces as the basis for your future designs will save you money throughout your lifetime. Here’s how to figure out your style before you invest…
Read More
After decades of use and sun exposure in a conservatory many classic Lloyd Loom chairs are faded or damaged. While it’s still possible to buy the originals (I picked these up at a car boot sale) it’s likely that they’ll need a little care and attention to bring them back to life. Here’s some simple tricks to renovate vintage woven chairs and bring a touch of retro design onto your patio this summer…
Read More
If you’re planning a party for New Year’s Eve, why not make it a retro one? Step back in time to the 70s and recreate the cocktail cabinet that all mid-century housewives wished they had. We’ve styled up this G Plan Fresco cabinet with vintage barware and snacks so here’s how you can do the same…
Read More
If you long to create the home office of your dreams but have been shocked by the price of office storage furniture, today’s DIY project could be the solution. Here’s how to upcycle a rusty old filing cabinet so that you can add castors for a flexible office configuration, or turn it into a desk with built-in drawers…
Read More
If you need a cabinet in your bathroom for all your beauty bits ‘n’ bobs here’s an easy DIY cupboard you can make in a day using pallet wood. It’s a great way to recycle an old pallet and mirror, and you can make it any size to suit the space you have in your bathroom…
Read More
Today I’m sharing an expert guest post about antiques and, in particular, the ways that you can help to preserve their value – and what not to clean them with..!
Read More
Ahh isn’t it nice when the sun shines? Don’t you just want to sit out in the garden and watch the world go by? Here are some ideas for making your own bench (using pallets – a big win for upcycling!) and finding lovely garden furniture if you’re on a budget…
Read More
I’ve been DIYing again this month and I’ve come up with a fun upcycling project to turn an old MDF shelving unit into a LEGO play table and toy store…
Read More
Today I’m sharing an easy project to make a DIY wheeled coffee table. My husband made this within an hour, while I was painting another of our DIY furniture projects so I’m sure it’ll be simple enough for any enthusiastic DIYer to make for themselves.
Read More
Since moving into my home and starting to renovate room-by-room, I’ve realise just how expensive furniture can be. I’ve been especially surprised by the cost of chairs and have therefore only had an ancient folding chair (that was my desk chair as a teen) to sit on at my kitchen table since we moved. I […]
Read MoreOur world is changing and it’s more important than ever that we find new and innovative ways to help make it a better, more healthy and restorative place by putting less in our landfills. It only takes a little creative effort to find some amazing ways to recycle the things we already have in our […]
Read More
I’ve made my own Hollywood mirror – well, if you can’t feel like a star in your own home, when can you, eh?! It took a bit of planning to get the right size of fairy light bulbs for the mirror frame, and to the find the correct diameter drill bit to cut out the […]
Read More
Out of all the places in our home, the garden is probably the most easily forgotten area, especially during the colder months. Sure, we might hire a gardener or we might drag ourselves out there in order to get some work done, but it’s easy to forget about the garden and, sooner or later, it’ll […]
Read More
It turns out that moving house is the perfect time to clear out your wardrobe. Digging out those items from the back of the cupboard lets you really see what you need and rediscover things that you’ve not worn in ages. Plus, it’s easier to see why you’ve not worn something and can give it away so that you […]
Read More
Space-saving design is incredibly popular as it helps people get more out of their home. If you save space, then each room has more room to breathe and looks far less cluttered and compact. Not only does this improve a room’s functionality, but it also improves its aesthetic appeal. When space is tight – as […]
Read More
The New Year is a great time to think about freshening up our homes with new indoor furniture, updated colour schemes and a few of the hottest accessories in line with the latest trends. It’s also the time of year that trend forecasters pull out their crystal balls and announce the home décor trends coming […]
Read More
Tomorrow is one of the most exciting dates in any thrifty blogger’s calendar – 24th June is National Upcycling Day. If you have any plans to do up a piece of furniture or have been pinning sewing ideas on Pinterest for months, tomorrow is the day to start that task! I’ve always got a handful of […]
Read MoreRefurbishing your kitchen does not always have to be a costly venture. By picking your finishes wisely and by planning and doing certain things yourself, you can really cut your expenses right down. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to revamp your kitchen, as many DIY stores will still have New Year […]
Read More
Whether you’re working in an office environment or you’ve got your own personal space at home, keeping your work area neat can sometimes be a tricky task. I know I struggle to keep that stack of paperwork under control! Throw in numerous cups of tea and lunch at my desk and things are starting to look […]
Read More
After packing away all the Christmas decorations, this time of year always gets me thinking about having a good old clear out and a bit of a tidy up. I often take a look around my home in January and pick out the things I haven’t used over the past year. With space at a […]
Read More
With the festive season just around the corner I’ve started to tackle some DIY projects to get ready for the big day in advance. After finding a cute little kitchen trolley at Wayfair, I was inspired to create a Christmas cart – a place to store all my festive ingredients for hot drinks and somewhere […]
Read More
In the summer I work in my caravan. I spend hours in that little tin box, writing, sewing and drinking tea. The birds are singing and a cool breeze is blowing through the open windows. I love every minute of it and I can’t wait for the start of ‘caravan season’. In the meantime – […]
Read MoreLast week I shared photos of my ‘new’ piece of furniture for the caravan. It was a tiny little desk unit, which I bought from the carboot sale. It had clearly been unloved for years, with peeling wood and scratches and stains all over it. I spent a lot of time sanding it down, cleaning […]
Read More
When I first heard about the Renovation Sensation project my mind went into overdrive – so many ideas went whizzing around my mind and I was super-excited to get started. The challenge was set by Direct Blinds and I knew straightaway that it was right up my street: I love the thrifty nature of a makeover […]
Read More
As you probably already know, I’ve been decorating my bedroom on a budget and have been trying to ‘get the look for less’ over the past few months. I hope that you’ve been inspired by some of the sewing and DIY projects I’ve shared and will be trying out some ideas in your own decorating plans. Not […]
Read More
If you’re looking to create a welcoming, stylish and homely look in your living room, giving your home décor a retro twist is a great place to start. The versatility of the retro look means that you can make your interior design as subtle or as all-out as you want. Plus, as it’s easy to […]
Read MorePlease agree to the use of cookies to continue using this website. Read our Privacy Policy for more info
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Cookies store information about a user’s interaction with a site but no personal details. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Any information gathered is anonymous and will not be used for marketing purposes. Read our Privacy Policy for more information.