Thrifty Chic by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell

Rather than rushing out and buying a load of new things for your home, now is the time for Thrifty Chic, interior style on a shoestring. Rethink your home styling by making do and renovating. You probably have all you need for a makeover and with a little bit of thought, you can create a new look interior for next to nothing.

HOUSE STYLE

Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell are old hands at styling, having both worked for national magazines and newspapers. In Thrifty Chic, their most recent book, they part with some tricks of the trade to get home owners on the road to styling success.

To start, it's a worthwhile exercise to strip out a room of all the clutter that has gathered over the years, leaving just the bare bones, such as furniture, curtains, soft furnishings. This can be incredibly cathartic, re-energising a room and making you focus on what's important. Take a look at your belongings as a whole and then devise a plan.

DESIGN KNOW HOW

This is where Thrifty Chic comes in, not only providing inspiration but also the know-how on creating the right look. As Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell say, thrifty doesn't have to look worn-out and threadbare and in fact, it can look quite the opposite, the height of chic.

Using nine different locations to pull the look together, you can create contemporary, classic, retro, modern and eclectic interiors, without spending a fortune. Think about grouping items together. You might have a collection of coloured glass bottles, put them on a windowsill together in a neat line. Victorian pressed glass plates can be picked up in junk shops and then grouped together on a table near a window. Dreary brown furniture can be given a new lease of life by painting it in a Scandanavian palette and then distressing it. Fill with pretty china or glass and the job is done.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

In kitchens, save money by using open shelving above the work surface. Crockery that is used daily can be stored here, thus saving time when unloading the dishwasher and it's always to hand. You can then spend a bit more on work surfaces and if you're buying a chain-store kitchen, the overall effect can look much more expensive. Copper piping can be used for hanging kitchen utensils and even garden trellis is a good place to hang or store more every day essentials. Gardens and outdoor spaces get the thrift treatment too. Collect garden chairs in different styles, just be sure to choose a theme such as teak or wirework.

EASY TO MANAGE PROJECTS

There are some easy projects to follow from making patchwork pillows, a button lampshade and a padded headboard, which is the easiest thing to make but can make all the difference in finishing off a bedroom.

Thrifty Chic is a book of our times and Simon Brown's photography shows that it's all possible from start to finish. You will be amazed at what you can achieve on so little.

Publication details:
Cico Books
£20
ISBN 1906525234
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