Eight quick fixes to revitalise your home

7. Vintage frames

“From a sustainability standpoint, we already have so many objects in the world,” says artist Booth, whose 1970s bungalow in Cornwall is crammed with vintage collectibles, stone busts, eel spears, random crockery and repurposed objects. “I love the idea that everything you could possibly need already exists somewhere, you just have to find it.” Booth uses old frames for her work and interiors, finding them online or at car-boot sales. “Old frames add so much character,” she adds. “I love the mix of antique alongside modern. Most of the artwork in my home is a complete mishmash: beautiful hand-carved folk frames next to simple Ikea ones. The contrast is what makes it interesting.”

Retrouvis/ Simon Upton/ Rodel

8. Imaginative upcycling

Re-use is a creative exploration: finding something you love at a flea market or online then weaving it into your interiors takes you on your very own design adventure. An old wooden ladder could be a clothing rack; vintage bottles as vases or light bases; wooden crates, old tins or trunks make neat storage. Speake uses unusual cast-offs in her design projects – including old cheeseboards, cigar moulds, parquet and other flooring – to create cladding for doors, walls and cabinets, adding texture and warmth. 

If we learn to embrace the history and imperfection of used materials, then their second, third or even fourth life proves that style and sustainability naturally co-exist.

Retrouvius: Contemporary Salvage – Designing Homes from a Philosophy of Re-Use by Maria Speake is published by Rizzoli.

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