How to Create a Pre-Loved Interior

This time of year we are all feeling the pinch after the expenses of Christmas and New Year. However it doesn’t always take thousands of pounds to transform your home into a unique and stylish space. With some simple thrifty ideas you can create a ‘Pre-Loved’ interior that is elegant and extremely cost effective.

Firstly plan where you are going to hunt for some pre loved items and accessories that you can give a new lease of life in your home. Before you even set foot out of the house take a look in your garage, shed and attic and see if you have any hidden treasures that you may have forgotten about. Old chairs, furniture items and curtains can easily be cleaned, tweaked and altered to suit your new interior colour scheme and design.

Pay a visit to some family and friends (I always find my grandparent’s attic a treasure trove of fabulous vintage items). If they are not using these items then it is fair to say that they won’t mind donating them to you (if you ask nicely). Just remember if something is free it doesn’t mean that it is rubbish, sometimes people throw away some high quality items that they do not realise the value of.

Once you have pillaged the attics and storage of your nearest and dearest it’s time to go hunting in local stores and sites for some inspiration. Start with local charity shops that often feature a large range of crockery and ceramics that will look fabulous in a wide range of interiors and pick up any clothes that can be used for fabric for some reupholstering or haberdashery. For larger items then head down to a reclamation yard where you will find a fabulous array of furniture items, chairs and lighting that you can choose from. Try to look past the initial appearance of the items as they may require a lot of cleaning and alterations before they become a finished piece.

Once you have a selection of old fabrics or clothing items it is time to decide what to do with them. Floral fabrics look great as upholstery on a stool, chair or sofa and old or pre-loved items can be easily re upholstered without the need to pay an outside source for their work. Purchase some fabric scissors, glue and an industrial staple gun and search for some information videos online that will guide you through the process. If you’re handy with a sewing machine (or know someone that is) then you should have no trouble creating a unique and personalised pair of curtains out of your fabric haul. Choose plain fabrics with a trim of coloured or patterned designs or create a classic vintage look with some psychedelic or bold floral motifs.

China ware and glassware will add detail and colour to your home and are a great way of decorating a plain or neutral interior space. Ensure that you clean all of your pre-loved items thoroughly especially items such as tea pots, cups and plates and if any are slightly chipped or cracked then use this strange but effective technique to re-strengthen them to prevent any further damage:

If you have any broken pieces then glue them back together using strong ceramic glue and if there are small chips around the rims of your items then gently sand them to ensure they will not hurt your fingers or lips.

Place your cracked items in a large pot on the hob and cover them with milk (yes you heard me right). Heat the milk at a low temperature for around an hour and then turn of the heat and allow the items to cool in the milk.

Remove the items and rinse thoroughly. The cracks (if not too far gone) will have resealed themselves, making the items strong and ready to use again.

Try displaying your crockery on a large shelf, sideboard or an eye-catching dresser for a shabby chic look that is perfect for vintage home interiors.

If you were lucky enough to find some second hand furniture items then this is your chance to give them a stylish and individual make-over. If you like the current look of your reclaimed wooden items then you simply need to give the furniture a thorough clean, sand a re-varnish to bring it back to its original beauty. If you prefer a shabby chic look then clean the surface of you chosen item and then paint with a primer to prepare the surface for painting. Choose light and bright white and beige colour tones and paint the item in 3 thin coats to ensure strong and precise coverage. If you like a classic vintage look then once the paint has dried slightly distress the edges using some fine sandpaper.

For a truly unique look then take some small samples of old wallpaper or whatever you have left over on recent rolls and use some strong glue to attach the paper to the top of a table, cupboard doors or draw linings for a colourful and patterned finish. If you are feeling truly thrifty then try creating some unique furniture from old crates and palettes and use the same paint techniques to add colour and texture to the finished item. Add recycled cupboard doors or suitcases as drawers and be imaginative with your design.

For more ideas on creating a pre-loved home interior then take a look at our latest Pinterest board - Pinterest - Pre-Loved Interiors