Luxe vs Less
Is it worth spending large to furnish your home? Read what interior stylist Amy Collins Walker has to say in our Luxe vs Less feature. Read here.
Just where is it worth spending large in the home?
While we’d all love a limitless budget when it comes to home furnishings, for most of us, the reality is far less exciting. From sofas to cushions and accessories, it’s often hard knowing when to save and when to splurge.
“High-impact interiors needn’t cost the earth—it’s simply a matter of buying smartly,” says interior stylist and writer Amy Collins-Walker. “I advise purchasing a couple of investment pieces and styling them back with inexpensive, on-trend homewares you can rework on a seasonal basis.”
A timeless hero piece
Collins-Walker says your sofa is one item of furniture you should aim not to compromise on. “A beautiful, timeless sofa with clean lines should stand the test of time. Plus, it can act as the room’s hero piece and really pull it together.”
Key things to look for when investing in a sofa are design, fabrication and versatility. “Look for clean, minimal lines in a hard-wearing fabric in a neutral, forgiving hue. You want to be able to play with re-styling your sofa over the years as trends change. I find a cool brown or grey is always a safe choice,” Collins-Walker says.
As for the style, there are certain silhouettes that never go out of fashion. “A leather chesterfield is a timeless choice—they should age well provided they’re neutral in colour,” she says.
Keep it fresh
“All of these homewares can be found in mid-range retailers, so there is much more choice than there used to be,” Collins-Walker says. “The beauty of it is that you can move the pieces on when you tire of them or the trends change.”