Get the Look Decor: An Eclectic Renovation
This weekend’s Get the Look Decor is inspired by Kate and Ed’s incredible budget-friendly renovation. Their Edwardian terrace home in Ely (near Cambridge in the U.K.) was in desperate need of repair, and the couple was forced to make some quick and clever decorating decisions on a shoestring budget. They created a home filled with character and charm using second hand items, wall paint rescued from a car boot sale, and vintage deals found at auctions and charity shops. The results are nothing short of amazing, filled with cheerful colors and unexpected decorating ideas.
Check out Kate’s blog for inspiring before and after photos of her home renovation, and visit her Etsy shop, Goodnight Prudence, for vintage items for you and your home.
Describe your home decorating style.
Eclectic and colourful. I don’t really do minimalism (quite the opposite!) and like to be surrounded by lots of inspiring patterns and objects. I think our home is a mixture of styles: 1970s bohemian meets English country cottage. I try to strike a balance somewhere between granny and contemporary.
Eclectic and colourful. I don’t really do minimalism (quite the opposite!) and like to be surrounded by lots of inspiring patterns and objects. I think our home is a mixture of styles: 1970s bohemian meets English country cottage. I try to strike a balance somewhere between granny and contemporary.
[Clockwise from top left: Vintage Pair of Koi Fish Vases by MidMod; Vintage French Poster 16"x23" by Aprint; Vintage Navajo Rug by Cellar1237; Vintage Wooden Stool by vintageseventyfive; Blue Floral Curtains by thewingthing;Antique Trunk by solstice home.]
Did you decide to decorate in this style or was there an evolution to your decorating process?
Until we bought this house 8 months ago, we were in a rented flat, so our decorating options were very limited. I think we had been dreaming of how we would decorate our own house for a long time. We definitely had a vision of how the house would look, and I think we have achieved it. Having said that, the house was in a terribly run-down state when we got the keys. We had to do the whole place up at once in order to be able to live there, so a lot of decisions were made very quickly. Budget definitely had an impact, but I think a positive one, as it meant we didn’t always go for the obvious option. For example, we couldn’t afford a new fitted kitchen. Instead, we opted for a free-standing antique dresser base and open shelving, which was so much cheaper and I think creates a much warmer, homey look. We also got a lot of paint for free, as my boyfriend works for a music venue and swapped some Hayseed Dixie tickets for a car boot full of rejected paint tins. Some of the colours were picked out totally by chance!
Until we bought this house 8 months ago, we were in a rented flat, so our decorating options were very limited. I think we had been dreaming of how we would decorate our own house for a long time. We definitely had a vision of how the house would look, and I think we have achieved it. Having said that, the house was in a terribly run-down state when we got the keys. We had to do the whole place up at once in order to be able to live there, so a lot of decisions were made very quickly. Budget definitely had an impact, but I think a positive one, as it meant we didn’t always go for the obvious option. For example, we couldn’t afford a new fitted kitchen. Instead, we opted for a free-standing antique dresser base and open shelving, which was so much cheaper and I think creates a much warmer, homey look. We also got a lot of paint for free, as my boyfriend works for a music venue and swapped some Hayseed Dixie tickets for a car boot full of rejected paint tins. Some of the colours were picked out totally by chance!
[Clockwise from top left: Aged Oak Sideboard Table by 2ndCenturyFurniture ; Good Morning Linen Tea Towel by TeaWorksCottage ; Pot Rack Wall Shelf Spice Rack by decoratelier ; Retro White Kitchen Colander by KTsVersion; Sunny Yellow Vintage Enamel Tea Kettle by VestalVintage; Wood and Tile Trivet Red Rooster by heartkeyologie.]
What inspires you when it comes to decorating?
The décor in old films and TV series. One thing I had in mind when decorating our home was Tom and Barbara’s house in the 1970s sitcom “The Good Life!” I also buy old magazines and cut out good ideas. Inspiration can be found all over the place; the trick is to pick out the individual elements that appeal to you and mix it up in a way that works for your home. I take photos wherever I go and am also a bit of a sucker for looking in other people’s windows!
The décor in old films and TV series. One thing I had in mind when decorating our home was Tom and Barbara’s house in the 1970s sitcom “The Good Life!” I also buy old magazines and cut out good ideas. Inspiration can be found all over the place; the trick is to pick out the individual elements that appeal to you and mix it up in a way that works for your home. I take photos wherever I go and am also a bit of a sucker for looking in other people’s windows!
[Clockwise from top left: Oilcloth Tablecloth by HomeDeconomics; Owl Decanter Bottle by SwankyLadyVintage; Nelsonville Music Festival Poster byjustaja; Vintage Rattan Chair by RhapsodyAtticr; Vintage Blue Glass Genie Bottle by velvetandshag; G Plan Fresco Teak Credenza by MidCenturyMobler.]
Where are your favorite places to shop for home items?
Auctions, antique markets, charity shops and car boot sales. Because I sell vintage items, I spend a huge amount of time trawling round these places, and the vast majority of items in our home were second hand. I think it is important to be environmentally aware and do not believe in buying everything new, especially as many antique and vintage items are much better quality as well as being more unique.
Auctions, antique markets, charity shops and car boot sales. Because I sell vintage items, I spend a huge amount of time trawling round these places, and the vast majority of items in our home were second hand. I think it is important to be environmentally aware and do not believe in buying everything new, especially as many antique and vintage items are much better quality as well as being more unique.
What is your favorite part about your home?
I love the living room. The green colour on the walls is really inviting and relaxing, plus it has all of our books and knickknacks, loads of pictures and colourful blankets, cushions and lots of houseplants. All these aspects make it feel really cosy and uniquely our own. It is a great place to chill out with a bottle of wine (or two).
I love the living room. The green colour on the walls is really inviting and relaxing, plus it has all of our books and knickknacks, loads of pictures and colourful blankets, cushions and lots of houseplants. All these aspects make it feel really cosy and uniquely our own. It is a great place to chill out with a bottle of wine (or two).
[Clockwise from top left: Vintage Afghan Blanket by drowsySwords; Hand Painted Vintage Chest of Drawers by rosesnmygarden; Italian Tole Table Lamp byConceptFurnishings; Pair of Vintage Ceramic Cat Figurines by PoppyRoseVintage;Mechanical Alarm Clock with Twin Bells by GoGoBerlinette; Vintage French Provincial Pink Headboard by HandpaintedbyCookie.]
Does your home hold any strong memories?
We have only been here 8 months, so we have not had long to build many memories yet, but I know we will never forget the 3 months we spent decorating when we first moved in. We were sleeping on a futon in the spare room and had no kitchen or bathroom for much of the time. We were running back and forth to Ed’s sister’s house to wash and eat. Day after day was spent tirelessly scrubbing nicotine stains from the walls and windows, ripping up carpets, sanding the floors and painting. The smell of bleach and nicotine will stay with me forever! Also, although the house is fairly new to us, it does hold a lot of memories. So many of our things were inherited from friends and family, like the G-Plan sideboard that belonged to Ed’s grandma, and all of our enamel kitchenware, which belonged to my Nanna. We are surrounded by memories all the time; everything in our home is so personal to us.
We have only been here 8 months, so we have not had long to build many memories yet, but I know we will never forget the 3 months we spent decorating when we first moved in. We were sleeping on a futon in the spare room and had no kitchen or bathroom for much of the time. We were running back and forth to Ed’s sister’s house to wash and eat. Day after day was spent tirelessly scrubbing nicotine stains from the walls and windows, ripping up carpets, sanding the floors and painting. The smell of bleach and nicotine will stay with me forever! Also, although the house is fairly new to us, it does hold a lot of memories. So many of our things were inherited from friends and family, like the G-Plan sideboard that belonged to Ed’s grandma, and all of our enamel kitchenware, which belonged to my Nanna. We are surrounded by memories all the time; everything in our home is so personal to us.
Looking for more styles and interiors? Check out our video series, There’s No Place Like Here, where creative types show us their unique spaces — infused with their aesthetic and filled with the treasures they collect. Get involved and show us your amazing space in this Flickr pool.
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