Tag: interior decoration

How to furnish your place from scratch on a tight budget

Post author By Yuri Nagata
Post date July 1, 2021
No Comments on How to furnish your place from scratch on a tight budget

Starting from scratch in a new home, whether you’re renting or buying, is not cheap! Winston Tu, founder of Luxo Living, shares his top four tips for feathering your nest on a budget.

Choose bigger items first

“It’s easy to get carried away and add a number of mismatched items to your cart at the start of your journey,” says Winston. “I’m sure you’ve felt that pang of regret once everything arrives and it doesn’t exactly match up.”

To avoid this, Winston says it’s best to decide on your style and vision for your home from the get-go. Will it be Scandinavian, Hamptons, industrial, Art Deco, French Provincial, or even a mixed style? Once your vision is set, invest in the bigger furniture pieces first, such as this leather sofa (pictured above). Soft furnishings such as mirrors, rugs or side tables can always be sourced later on and cater to style.

Rank pieces by priority

In a dream world, we would buy every furniture piece that our hearts desire. However, the reality is that we have to make sacrifices so that every room has at least one piece that fits our style. “Rank each item in order of priority and then decide how much you could realistically spend on it,” Winston says. “Keep this list handy as you may acquire more money down the track and you could purchase that piece of artwork or bar stool you had your eye on.”

Go bold with key furniture items

Each room typically has a key furniture piece that attracts the most attention. This can be a couch, dining table, or bedhead. If you choose bold colours, textures, shapes, curves or fabrics for these pieces, such as the mother of pearl Inlay coffee table (pictured above), the room will feel instantly elevated.

Once you have your statement piece, you can tone the room down and add warmth through more neutral décor. You’ll also find that you won’t need to invest in as many styling pieces, otherwise, the room will feel cluttered and ‘busy’. Let your statement piece do the heavy lifting!

Find pieces that serve multiple purposes

If you’re short on budget or storage space, an excellent idea is to find items that have more than one use. For example, this velvet ottoman (pictured above) acts not only as a centrepiece but can also keep your spare throws or cushions. Sideboard units can be used as a living room credenza, bedroom storage, or hallway and entryway console table. The options are endless!

Luxo Living is an Australian owned business offering a wide range of furniture and homewares to buy online.

The DIY Decorator’s top 5 budget decorating tips

Since its inception in 2015 The DIY Decorator has amassed an impressive online following. Almost 90k people tune into Perth-based interior decorator Zoe Gilpin’s Insta-feed and blog to take advantage of…

Tags budget, decorating, expert tips, furniture, interior decoration, interior design, luxo living, redecorating, winter

DIY Expert Tips Furniture Homewares Interviews Shopping Styling

The DIY Decorator’s top 5 budget decorating tips

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date August 13, 2019
No Comments on The DIY Decorator’s top 5 budget decorating tips

Since its inception in 2015 The DIY Decorator has amassed an impressive online following. Almost 90k people tune into Perth-based interior decorator Zoe Gilpin’s Insta-feed and blog to take advantage of her keen eye for bargains and learn how to style fabulous spaces on a budget – rooms that look a lot more expensive than they are. Today, Zoe shares her top five tips on how to create stylish spaces without breaking the bank.

Styled by Zoe, this bedroom look was created entirely from Target wares — Styled by Zoe, all of the items in this room are from Target. The Easycraft wall panels from Bunnings were a DIY project that Zoe undertook.

Shop smart: Plan before you spend
“Going into a home decorating project without a plan can be costly,” says Zoe who thinks it’s worth spending time creating a digital mood board to this end. “Planning exactly what you need not only helps you stay within budget but avoids having to return or swap items that aren’t working in the scheme,” says Zoe.

And while it sounds like strange advice when budget is top of mind, you should refrain from buying too much in the first instance. Start with bare minimum of items and work up from there – as is often the case, less really is more “Minimal often works best. My tip is to work out what each large furniture item needs. For example, how many cushions does the sofa need? Or how many decorative items should sit on the entertainment unit?” says Zoe.

A Kmart bedside looks rather luxe when paired with a Beacon Lighting lamp and a piece of Darren Palmer Collection coral from Myer

Mix pricier items with budget ones
Like the savviest of fashion girls, Zoe is a fan of mixing high-end pieces with high-street finds and even second-hand pieces. “This is my top tip for creating your own unique style that suits your home and doesn’t look like a copy of a catalogue,” says Zoe.

“An interior created with items from all walks of life – designer, budget and small business – tells a far more interesting tale,” says Zoe who explains that this technique is a great way to balance the books too. “Spent too much on that coffee table? Even out the budget by spending less on the items to go on it,” says Zoe.

Zoe salvaged this cane chair from the side of the road and the cane chest from a second hand store. The rug, plants and planters are from Bunnings.

Spend on larger items & save on smaller ones
When it comes to dividing up your funds, it’s best to channel more of your dollars towards the larger items – think furniture pieces such as beds, sofas and dining suites. Not only do cheaper products usually not stand the test of time, but quality pieces have a greater resale value.

Conversely, Zoe advises spending less on the smaller finishing touches. “To save a few dollars, opt for cheaper products when it comes to items such as vases, cushions and lamps. These items don’t get used and are simply to look at, so their quality isn’t as important,” says Zoe.

Top tip: Upgrade an inexpensive cushion by swapping out the original insert with a feather one for an instantly more luxe result.

Embrace DIY
Given the name of Zoe’s blog, it’s no surprise that she’s a big proponent of DIY and not only do they impart a sense of achievement, but they are a great way to save a few dollars too.

Again, Zoe recommends browsing second hand stores, scrolling Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree to find unique items and give them a second life. “Whether it be a paint project or an upholstery project, it only takes a few inexpensive products from a craft or hardware store to help you create your DIY masterpiece,” says Zoe.

This bedroom features a black Kmart mirror that Zoe painted gold to suit the scheme

Go green
That the explosion of indoor greenery took place at a similar time to a global economic downturn is no coincidence. A pop of greenery is a fabulous, inexpensive way to really lift a room.

“Buying a nice plant, large or small, and popping it in to a planter that suits your home decor style, instantly adds life to a room. If you like a more natural look consider housing your plants in decorative baskets. When it comes to choosing the plant, it can be a simple green leaf plant or something with flowers,” says Zoe who cites easy-care plants such as devil’s ivy, giant elephant ears and rubber plants as some of her favourites.

Photography: Zoe Gilpin

For more on The DIY Decorator | Budget DIY ideas: Our six most popular posts!

Tags budget decorating tips, budget tips, diy, interior decoration, interior decorator, perth, styling, the diy decorator, zoe gilpin

Designers Interviews

iscd graduate Manel Daetz on why you should apply for the Interiors Addict + inSTUDIO Scholarship

Post author By Olivia Shead
Post date May 19, 2015
No Comments on iscd graduate Manel Daetz on why you should apply for the Interiors Addict + inSTUDIO Scholarship

Australian nursery ideas: with Sunday Collector

Post author By Olivia Shead
Post date March 9, 2015
No Comments on Australian nursery ideas: with Sunday Collector

Recently, we spoke to Briar Stanley, the blogger and interior decorator behind Sunday Collector. As a specialist in creating gorgeous rooms — especially for little people — we thought she would be the perfect person to share some tips on designing your nursery.

“Decide on the piece you want to splurge on (maybe the cot that converts into a toddler bed) and then don’t be afraid to mix vintage pieces with new. Have fun trawling op shops for a day or check out Gumtree for cute timber bookshelves or change tables. Update these pieces with a coat of paint and you will end up with an original nursery that has loads of character. Places like IKEA, Cotton On and Target are also your friend when it comes to nurseries — mix in a few pieces from affordable shops here and there for a truly unique space.”

Briar also puts a lot of emphasis on the colour palette, recommending colour over its monochrome counterpart. “I’ve seen lots of black and white rooms lately, but I am happy to see colour is making a big comeback. I like the idea of kids growing up around the innocence of ‘happy’ colours. Cool painted wall murals are proving pretty popular, as is cute wallpaper.”

Alongside a beautiful looking room, for Briar functionality is also of the utmost importance. “A change table with handy storage close by for nappies and wipes is a good idea. You want to be prepared in those early months with a newborn. Sleep deprivation can make the simplest task (like finding a nappy in the middle of the night) impossible! Also, a dimmer for the ceiling light is always handy. You need to be able to see your hands without bright overhead lighting that may stimulate your baby from slumber.”

Having designed an array of nurseries, Briar can’t help but admit her favourite was her daughter, Sunday’s. “It was a true labour of love and a slow process of pulling together a space I imagined my daughter would like while I was pregnant. As luck would have it, I pretty much imagined her toddler personality (cheeky, funny, bold, artistic) perfectly. As a nearly three-year old, it’s a space she loves to play in and she’s always telling our visitors to, ‘Come see my room, now!'”

With Sunday now a toddler, Briar recently transitioned the nursery into a kids room, a process that wasn’t time-consuming or expensive! “If you’re like me with my daughter, transforming your nursery into a kids room could be as easy as replacing the cot with an appropriate toddler bed and some fresh bed linen. I also added a second bookshelf to deal with a huge over-supply of books, and updated a few things on her walls. I’ll often find a client has applied a nursery-themed wall decal before I’ve come on on the scene, so removing that and replacing it with some great art is a really easy way to update a nursery.”

For more information.

Tags australian nursery ideas, blogger, briar stanley, decorating nurseries, decoration, design, interior, interior decoration, interior decorator, kids rooms, nurseries, nursery, nursery ideas, styling, sunday collector

Bedrooms Designers Interviews Styling

How Sunday Collector’s Briar Stanley fell into interiors

Post author By Olivia Shead
Post date February 26, 2015
1 Comment on How Sunday Collector’s Briar Stanley fell into interiors

Whilst working in advertising, Briar Stanley found herself on the set of a Kellogg’s television commercial and was immediately enthralled by the job of the set decorator.

“It had never occurred to me that the job even existed,” explains Briar. “You could say that I had my calling that day. I quit my day job, worked nights as a waitress and offered myself up for work experience during the day on film sets.”

After six months of working for next to nothing, Briar started getting paid jobs as a props buyer and set dresser. Over the years, she’s worked on everything from low-budget ABC television series to better known shows such as Underbelly and Rake and big films like Australia, Wolverine and The Great Gatsby. However since having her little girl Sunday, Briar has changed tack; focusing on residential projects through her interior decoration business, Sunday Collector.

With an accompanying blog of the same name, Briar creates rooms from scratch and even provides an affordable Work with what you’ve got package, where in a two-hour consultation (available in the Sydney metro area), she talks about everything from wall colours to sofa positioning.

With a personal style that’s a little quirky, she loves mixing old with new and having clashing colours and patterns, but always with a base of whites and soft greys. “I’m also hugely sentimental, so my cupboards are bulging with memories,” explains Briar. “Although, if my house burnt down tomorrow and I had to build from scratch, I’d say the interiors would end up completely Scandinavian with a ‘by the beach’ vibe.”

However, when it comes to her work style, she is very aware of listening to what her clients want. “I’m never going to turn up to someone’s house and insist that they like the things I like. I think it must be my film training, but I like to get into their headspace and understand their style and what they love — even when some clients insist they have no style! I’m a big believer in reviving old pieces too. Not sure about the old armchair in the corner? Let’s re-cover that armchair and make it a focus in the room!”

For more information.

Tags blogger, briar stanley, decorating, design, design blog, designing, interior decoration, interiors, styling, sunday collector

Interiors Addict

You’re invited to the Enmore graduates’ exhibition, STRATUM

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date November 14, 2013

The Design Centre Enmore churns out some serious talent each year with Greg Natale and Steve Cordony among its alumni. If you want to be inspired, make sure you check out the students’ work at this month’s annual Interior Design & Decoration Graduates’ Exhibition.

TK cafe perspective — Design by Tabitha Kygsman

The event represents the culmination of hard work across the design board and provides a platform for graduating students to meet and greet design and media representatives, members of the public and the design industry, whilst also showcasing their work to family, friends and colleagues.

Tags blogger, design students, enmore, greg natale, interior decoration, interior design, ish and chi, steve cordony, tafe, vivian panagos

Interiors Addict

At PAD “it’s all about finding pieces you’ll love for a lifetime”.

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date May 21, 2012

Two old friends with backgrounds in fashion, interior decoration and styling have brought their many skills together to create the most wonderful shop, loved by professionals and consumers alike.

At PAD (Passionate About Design), in Young Street, Waterloo, it feels more like a series of rooms than shop displays, and that’s the whole idea. The co-owners are buyer, merchandiser and interior decorator Olga Lewis and interior stylist Kellie Murray. Third owner Chris Yang works in finance but loves interiors and spending time in the store.

Tags chris yang, furniture, homewares, interior decoration, interior design, kellie murray, olga lewis, pad, passionate about design