![]() Quartz is the most hard-wearing choice for a worktop, says Childs, but if that’s out of budget a compact laminate is tougher than chipboard-filled, and far cheaper than stone. One thing to avoid? “A stainless steel fridge – ours is constantly covered in grubby fingerprints.” Halfpenny recommends choosing a darker colour for your units in a paint which is easy to use for touch-ups: “I have a chocolate eggshell shade from Little Greene on mine and it is so forgiving.” She also recommends handles in an unlacquered brass, which develop a lovely patina with use so they look better over time. If you’re designing a kitchen from scratch, consider how many built-in units you actually need, says Harding: “A kitchen maker is motivated to sell you as much cabinetry as possible, but a solid wood cupboard will often cost less and be better made.” Photograph: Debra Bardowicks Kitchens: think outside the kitchen shop Sofa coverings are needed if you have dogs. For her wet room, fashion designer and interiors aficionado Kate Halfpenny lined the shower wall with horizontal shiplap sprayed with car paint by a local garage: “It’s a super-durable finish and it doesn’t mark like tiles or glass.”īathrooms are especially costly to redecorate, so be wary of following trends, like black taps and shower heads, which many plumbers caution against, as they can show up white water marks. Tiles may be the most obvious choice for bathroom walls, but painted tongue and groove panelling can be cheaper and just as hard-wearing, provided you opt for a waterproof MDF, says Childs. ![]() She also suggests saving on expensive and often cheaply made vanity units by repurposing something vintage: “We’ve found old marble-topped washstands, which a stone yard can cut a sink hole in for very little money.” A solid wood piece is then easier to sand or repaint than laminated off-the-peg pieces, which “you can’t do much to fix when it peels and cracks”. Visit a showroom to test the function and weight of a tap before buying.” Money can be saved on the bath and basin, which can be bought secondhand or re-enamelled. Interior designer Ali Childs says decent taps are where your bathroom budget should go: “Even some high-end brands are guilty of making ones that break easily. Some imperfections are part of the charm: “In a recent project, we asked the restorer to keep a peace sign scribbled on the top of a mid-century oak chest of drawers, as it seemed part of its story.” Bathrooms: save on sinks, spend on taps ![]() With some hunting around you can pick up a bargain: “Just make sure you check for woodworm, sticking drawers, hidden cracks or wobbles,” says Gordon. It’s also more forgiving in a house packed with kids and pets. Older furniture was not only made to last, but designed to be repaired, says Isobel Gordon, founder of antique furniture sourcing company, Origo House. Tiles are the most obvious choice for bathroom walls, but tongue and groove panelling can be cheaper and just as hard-wearingįor light-coloured curtains add a dark or patterned border along the leading edge (the bit you pull) to prevent finger marks: “Sewing this on to shop-bought drapes will also give a more bespoke look,” says Sharp. Try Tinsmiths, which stocks earthy, autumnal shades ( .uk). “The lanolin in it repels water, which makes it harder to stain.” For a heavy-use sofa, Harding also loves corduroy – “a good, robust, family friendly material” – layered with cushions and rugs to protect from sticky hands and muddy paws. The fabrics have some synthetic element, but brands such as Camira, which uses recycled ocean plastics, or Weaver Green, whose washable rugs are made from single-use plastic bottles, help reduce the environmental impact.Īmong natural fibres, wool is a great option for upholstery, says interior designer Nicola Harding. Luxury outdoor performance fabrics such as those from Perennials – designed to withstand everything from rainstorms to red wine stains – are becoming more popular for indoor upholstery, but they’re expensive, so Sharp suggests a more affordable stain-resistant fabric from a brand such as Linwood. ![]() Otherwise, a well-placed pattern can hide a multitude of sins: “A small print on a sofa is not only much more forgiving of stains, it’s actually lighter on the eye than a big, single block of colour,” she says. Embroidered fabrics are less suitable for seating as they’re more likely to fray, says Sharp, but work well on a headboard, as the texture disguises marks left by hair products, which a “flatter” fabric might show up.
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