Swansea's Lesley Taylor is an interior designer and author. She has joined the team as our interiors expert. Lesley also holds the role of design director at Taylor's, SOCIETY tells us, on a daily basis, that the way we look and feel is directly linked to how much money we spend on trying to enhance our lives in some way, shape or form.
Replica Porsche Design Watches"Spend Pounds 100 on this dress and the man of your dreams will sweep you off your feet" (as if!), "buy this handbag and all of your worries will disappear" (okay, so sometimes this works). This crazy "out with the old and in with the new" way of thinking has worked its way into the world of interiors and I think it's about time we stop and take a second to reflect.
If your home was filled to the brim with brand new everything, it would be difficult for any character or personal charm to shine through.
En-vogue high street buys are brilliant for seasonal must haves, but for your home to evoke a true sense of identity that you and your family can relate to, you need to look just that little bit further. A few years ago, an old friend of mine was in the process of moving and she asked me to assist in the (usually) mundane chore of sorting the "good from the bad" to make way for new furniture and expected "welcome to Replica Vero Cuoio Shoes your new home" gifts. What I thought would be a tiresome few hours turned out be an exciting and inspiring session that would lead to a sleepless night.
I spent hours pondering the loss that may have been, had I not rescued some of the most beautiful pieces I had ever laid eyes upon. Among the hoards of LPs, tatty books and old clothing, were some truly beautiful rustic candle holders that hadn't seen the day of light in decades, a collection of baroque style photo frames (left by her late grandmother) and an antique Oak vanity unit.
I started work on the photo frames first, grabbing an old can of black spray paint from the shed and the previous day's newspaper for protection. In less than five minutes, there sat three ultra-chic, ornate photo frames; similar to what the high street is currently offering, but for a fraction of the cost (you could argue free). Feeling rather proud of myself for proving that sentiment beats splashing the cash every time, I dug out an old photo Swiss Army Watches of me and my friend on holiday, popped it into the frame and wrapped it up to present as a housewarming gift. Next came the challenging task of giving the wooden vanity unit a completely new lease of life. It was in a pretty grubby state so it was necessary to sand it down and treat it to a coat of varnish. I then replaced the tired handles with sparkling new ones from the high street for under Pounds 20 and informed my team of designers at Taylor's Etc that I wanted a ceramic basin and work surface to adorn the unit. For under Pounds 100, I managed to transform a shabby, neglected furniture stand into a beautiful washstand.
The candle stick holders were easy; a lick of white paint and a pack of scented candle sticks was all that was needed to bring them to life. The fact that a number of my friends have commented on how glorious they look and how well they complete the dining set proves to me (and hopefully now you) how effective the inexpensive restoration of family heirlooms and old antiques furniture pieces can be.
.Call Taylor's Etc on 01792 797 712
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