Turn your hand-me-downs into decor treasures

PROPERTY NEWS - Hand-me-downs are often given freely by parents, grandparents, and older siblings; however, they might not always suit your taste or match well with the style you envisioned. But it's also too sentimental to throw away.

"But remember," says Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Christie's International Real Estate, "free is a beautiful thing and pieces that mean something will always be special, even if they're a bit worse for wear.

"If you've been handed a treasure cove of hand-me-downs and you have no idea how to utilise it, don't fret – there are ways to be smart about working with inherited goods and it's easier than you think."

It's difficult to have an uber-modern aesthetic if you have your grandma's old rocking chair in the corner of the living room, right? Collected pieces have more meaning and character, so if you have inherited a bunch of vintage items, you will have lots of textures and colours - but also, each piece will tell a story, and that counts for something.

Do not fight the mix – learn to love the juxtapositions. Should you be concerned about having too many looks and feels in one space, opt for clean-lined accessories or basic-shaped items whenever you want to make a new purchase.

Photo: www.thecreativepair.blogspot.com

If you've been given a piece that really does not fit the flow of a room, find a workaround. Don't shy away from using non-traditional spaces to showcase something special. For example, if you have inherited a painting that does not work with your living room aesthetic, look at hanging it in your bedroom instead.

The key to re-purposing inherited furniture is taking something with "good bones", says Greeff, and tweaking it to fit your lifestyle and taste.

An easy way to do this is with a new upholstery job. You can bring an older piece back to life with a more modern print, while maintaining the integrity of the original piece. For example, you can strategically drape a fun-patterned fabric over an old headboard, sofa or chair and you won't even notice that it's years old.

Photo: www.tiles-direct.com