‘Shopping like this is so much fun’

Meet Katie McCarthy, the savvy antiques lover who decorated her home on a shoestring

When Marketing Manager Katie McCarthy moved into her two- bedroom Edwardian flat in 2016, she knew she wouldn’t have much money to spare for the interior decor. ‘It needed a lot of work so the budget had to be spent on the basics,’ she says. Keen to draw attention to the age of the building, she decided to try to furnish the place with antique and vintage pieces and so began a protracted shopping spree that has taken her to markets, second- hand shops and even the local dump. ‘Shopping like this is so much fun,’ she says. ‘I much prefer the effect you get by incorporating older pieces – the colours, scale and finishes are often unique and these objects become talking points in your home.’ Her best buys include a hotel sign she bought for under £10 at a second- hand store, a round Victorian mirror with beautifully foxed glass found for £5 at the dump, and a green velvet seat made from an old sofa bed and upholstered using a pair of curtains that came with the house. ‘It’s practical and the fabric reminds me of the original history of the house.’

The end result is eclectic, of course, but Katie has learned through trial and error that old and mismatched can look modern and fresh so long as the background is simple. ‘I’ve kept the wall colours muted and the ceilings and woodwork crisp and white so the furniture and other pieces stand out and don’t have to compete with the bones of the house,’ she adds. See more of Katie’s home on Instagram: @renovatingnumber38 What Katie bought: a chest of drawers, an armchair, three rugs, a marble table, a set of mid- century chairs and more decorative objects than she can count. Total spend: £ 400. Best bargain: a ‘Pay at the Desk’ sign. ‘Old signs and typography are a particular interest of mine. I spotted this at the mechanics and asked if I could have it. He said yes!’