Affordable luxury is a term we hear a lot, but how do you actually do it? HB’s Editor-in-Chief, Elle Lovelock, reveals how to achieve an interior-designed look at home for less.
The details
Choosing the right colour palette
Colour choice is often the jumping off point for a decorating scheme. Here, we used the curtain fabric as our inspiration, pulling out the green as an accent throughout the furniture and accessories. This tone-on-tone approach to colour is a great way to achieve a ‘designed’ look, but be sure to temper it with a natural material, too, like the blind and cushions here.
Selecting the hardware
Curtain rods, door handles and even drawer pulls can really elevate your room and there are so many wonderful materials to choose from. Aged bronze and brass, polished nickel, raw timber or coloured finishes that coordinate with your interior scheme will impart a sophisticated look. These updates are simple to do and can make a room feel resolved and properly designed.
“Have curtain rods custom coloured or do it yourself with spray paint to add a designer finish to your windows”
Elle Lovelock, Editor-in-Chief
Materials
How to choose the best quality materials
There are some materials and finishes that exude quality and elegance, such as bone china, tortoiseshell and mercury glass, but they needn’t cost a fortune. When shopping for tableware, turn the dishes over to see what they’re made from – bone china is the highest quality dinnerware you can buy and pieces can cost as little as $10.
When it comes to fabrics, linen is an eternal classic for your bedding, tabletop and upholstery. Velvet is, too, and the key here is to choose what’s known as a ‘dry’ look – meaning a finish that’s matte, not shiny
This cafe curtain dresses up a dining room window, offering privacy and polish with Liberty ‘Shepherdly Meadow’ fabric in Ivory from Tuiss Blinds Online. An Emerald Hill ‘Paxton’ tension curtain rod expands to perfectly fit the window recess. Below a sconce from Amazon, the Castlery ‘Callie’ storage banquette in Beach Linen is topped with velvet Città cushions.
Budget-friendly Spotlight fabric cloaks the table, set with Wedgwood ‘Intaglio’ dinnerware from Myer, Pillow Talk placemats, Casa e Cucina napery, and glassware from Country Road and Maison Balzac. Decor from Pepperwhites by Tara Dennis and a bread basket from Alex and Trahanas add the finishing touches.
Considered window treatments, like these custom but cost-effective Liberty print cafe curtains from Tuiss Blinds Online, will elevate any room.
Elle Lovelock, Editor-in-Chief
Furniture
Nearby, a Roman blind in ‘Esther’ fabric in Denim from Tuiss Blinds Online makes a big impact in the little dormer window (opposite). Fabric offcuts were used to craft the lumbar cushion for cost-effective cohesion, and a Ferm Living ‘Apple’ basket from Designstuff and Ruggable ‘Ayla’ rug in Gold deliver storage and style
Smart upholstery
Custom upholstery is a surefire way to get a designer look, and there are ways to achieve it on a modest budget. Retailers such as Bemz sell slipcovers for Ikea furniture (see the ottoman above), and the DIY route is easier than you think. This sweet bedhead (below) is covered with a sheet that matches the bedding, simply stapled into place with neat origami corners.
Enduring designs
Look for timeless shapes and finishes and no-one will know whether your purchase was a spend or save. This timber bobbin side table (below) is a design that has been popular for centuries, but cost less than $50 from Pillowtalk. The ceramic lamp, too, is a classic shape and was only $29 from Kmart. High-street buys, yes, but they will never go out of style.
The bunting, crafted from Spotlight fabric, a merry mix of bedlinen strikes a stylish note in this adorable bedroom. The St Albans mohair throw in Toffee, custom cushion in Andrew Martin ‘Kingdom Outdoor’ print from The Fabric Editors and H&M pillowcase set an autumnal scheme, while the gingham ball cushion from In Bed complements the bedhead.
“Pattern on pattern is a wonderful way to achieve an interior-designed look”
Elle Lovelock, Editor-in-Chief
Designers often buy quality vintage to achieve a high-end finish. Here’s what to look for:
Crystal
You can tell the difference between crystal and glass by remembering the saying ‘crystal clear’. When looking through crystal, the image will be clear, whereas when looking through glass, the image will be blurry and distorted. If there are cracks in the crystal, don’t buy it, but if there are ever-so-slight chips along the rim, these can be lightly sanded down with fine-grade sandpaper.
Silver
Quality silverware is always hallmarked. If you see a lion stamp, you’re onto a winner– that means the piece is British sterling silver. Other markings, including EP or EPNS, mean the piece is electroplated nickel silver. It’s still great quality, but not as hardwearing or valuable. Don’t be afraid to buy silver that is tarnished as it can always be polished up. But avoid pieces that have the silver worn away – this will
show up as brassy or copper spots under a silver coating.Linen
Good-quality pieces will have a consistent weave and feel soft yet strong. This is due to the long linen fibres. Shorter fibres will feel rougher, looser and will be less durable. Being vintage, many linen fabrics won’t look fresh, but yellowing and browning can often be fixed with a soak in an oxygen bleach or vinegar. See if you can find out the origin of the linen textile, as countries such as Belgium and Ireland are renowned for making the best.
Whay to know when buying vintage
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