KEY POINTS:
If you're serious about decorating on a budget, you'll probably find the thrill of the chase is almost as satisfying as living in the final product. "There's nothing more rewarding than finding something second-hand and giving it a new lease of life by re-covering it in a designer
fabric," says interior designer Christine Collaine of Trove Design.
And she should know. Her west Auckland villa, moved to its bush-clad spot in the 1990s, has been decorated on a budget Collaine describes as "half of nothing". But money matters aside, it's the way she most likes to work.
"I prefer homes with a mix of furniture far more than a house full of designer pieces. I like that eclectic look. It's a very Kiwi thing. It's nostalgic and it harks back to the bach holiday and flatting days. Some of what I have might be junk but to me it's all good junk."
Although looking at Collaine's home you'd be hard-pressed to label anything junk. Her beach-style dining chairs are from the 80s - but the canvas parts have been replaced with a sturdy cotton in Florence Broadhurst's famous Japanese Floral print. The Lip chair in a corner of the dining room was an inorganic rubbish collection find. It has been treated to new upholstery.
It's not just about giving "found" objects a new lease of life. Collaine's home also reflects the time she and her former husband spent living in Europe and her childhood years in the United States also played a part in her appreciation of pieces with history.
When the family moved to the house 12 months ago, the interior was painted in an array of bright colours. Collaine painted them white to provide a backdrop for her art and treasures.
"Things tend to migrate from room to room here. In two months' time I might decide to change everything around and, with a blank canvas, I can decide to change things on a whim - it's wonderful."
Eclectic energy
* Get inspired and try something new. Plaster over an old brick fire surround, strip a laminate table and paint it as Christine did, with her children's favourite characters.
* Artwork doesn't have to hang on walls. Rest an artwork on a piece of furniture or simply lean it against a wall where you can stand back to appreciate it.
Don't hold back on expensive fabric if it's a small chair that needs recovering. The price per metre might make your eyes water but a bold fabric is more versatile against a neutral setting.
* Consider silk flowers for year-round colour anywhere in the house. They won't wilt in the sun or sulk in the shade.