The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
SEARCH AND RESCUE
Before buying new, why not hunt around closer to home for the perfect piece of furniture and bring it back to life, asks
Chances are, that great piece of furniture you’ve been looking for is already in your home. If it’s not staring you in the face, check the garage, the loft, or anywhere else you store things you think you don’t want. “Older furniture is built to last, such as iconic brands Stag and G Plan,” says Alison Dickie, who along with Amy Sawers, set up professional restorers Flock.HOME in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, four years ago.
Restoring, re-upholstering and rejigging older furniture has been a major interiors trend, but as Amy points out “it’s a lot of work and if you don’t get it right, it won’t last”.
If you like the idea of updating a piece but want to make sure it’s less of the shabby and more of the chic, getting a professional to do it for you is an imaginative, greener alternative to buying new.
You’ll end up with something eclectic, individual and precisely to your taste.
It’s not just about a fresh lick of paint, but looking at it with a designer’s eye and completely transforming it – by repairing, adding lights, castors, a gorgeous new fabric or even an unexpected material such as concrete.
Alison understands people are often wary about altering heirlooms, even if they are not to their taste, and advises even small changes can make a big impact, such as part-painting or changing handles.
“Trends change,” she says, “You can respect it’s been in your family, but if you don’t like it, it’ll end up in a loft.”