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Marketing

Dime Store Decorating: Using Flea Market Finds with Style

A find at a flea market, something snatched from a yard sale, a store-bought bargain that barely affected the wallet: if you're trying to decorate at a discount--but with style and panache--some help is coming your way! You don't have to be a seasoned crafter to dip into these creative and innovative ideas, because every unique project takes almost no time to do and requires only minimal skills. Choose from among such colorful categories as Think Pink, Stars and Jars, Quite Bright, Leopard Spots and Pots, and Right with White, and begin transforming those everyday items into candle bottles, animal-print table settings, frames, scrapbooks, picnic baskets, bedroom decor, vases, and lots more! You'll never pay full price again.

Guests were invited to take a fresh look at ‘furnishing’ the eco-friendly way (whilst helping those in need) by merging the pre-loved and the contemporary and shown first-hand exactly what can be achieved with a little TLC and a sprinkle of imagination!

Leading Australian visionaries joined us for the event, and brought ‘Furnish With A Conscience’ to life by dedicating their time and talents to the campaign and creating a variety of pieces for the home using hand-picked finds sourced from various Salvos Stores throughout Sydney. These included the likes of:

Patchwork cushions made from sweaters, knitwear and fashion garments by fashion designer Kirrily Johnston; a chandelier made using silver knives, forks and spoons by interior designer Gregory Mellor; a throw and two lamps (all which had an “I Dream of Genie on holiday in Hawaii, feel about them”) by Interiors mentor and Orson & Blake owner David Heimann; a four-foot picture frame which was turned into a mirror / reference board by Megan Morton (who lives and breathes all matters of the home); a dressing table and stool by professional ballerina and model Natalie Decorte; two foot stools called ‘Arthur & Martha’ by Julie Paterson from ‘Cloth Fabric’; a complete dining room setting including tables, chairs and a side board which was completely revamped and upholstered by Better Homes and Gardens DIY expert Tara Dennis; a hat stand which was dressed in cheerful bits and bobs to create an eclectic unique look to your home, wardrobe and style, by Pip Edwards, as well as four extraordinary, complete room set-ups (a sitting room, a bedroom, a terrace and a dining room, all of which were shot at Rose Seidler House, Wahroonga, for the Furnish With A Conscience campaign), by the highly creative and talented interiors stylist Sibella Court.

These unique pieces assisted in transforming the St Peters Salvos Store into a serene and magical place for a relaxed and thought-provoking sit-down ‘brunch by bills’ to celebrate the official launch of ‘Furnish With A Conscience’. Chairs were a mixture of ‘reclaimed and refurbished’ ones from Salvos Stores, as well as a handful of bentwood style and button linen chairs brand new from Orson & Blake. This mix of the vintage and reclaimed combined with modern furniture, “gives a sense of whimsy, playfulness and humour” as David Heimann from Orson & Blake expressed.


However, ‘furnishing with a conscience’ did not stop there…. The table for 60 guests was decorated in a simple and casually elegant fashion – all fairly fun, quirky and unexpected, similar in style to an impromptu English garden party. Red and pink roses and a selection of small and sweet flowers with a, “clipped straight from the garden type feel”, were popped into various small low-to-table vessels and vintage cut glass, mixed up with a sprinkle of silver objects (from Salvos Stores) and a selection of modern white ceramics such as tall bird vases, pear shaped bud vases and various other objects including little birds, large white, elephants and other animals. Napkins were placed on vintage, irregular china plates with a different pattern for everyone, (sourced at Salvos Stores), half were white Linen and Moore (from Orson & Blake) and the other half were a selection of assorted napkins of various fabrics with a sunny Sunday feel to them, which had been created by-hand especially for the occasion. Glasses were also mixed and matched adding to the fun, relaxed and summery feel of the morning.

Guests were treated to a delicious brunch by bills including Fresh strawberries with yoghurt and honey; Crusty white baguettes filled with a fine herb omelette; Open sandwiches of our cured ocean trout, fresh ricotta with a caper and parsley salad; a selection of fresh fruit muffins, Parkers Organic Juice and a ‘Sunrise Smoothie” of orange juice, banana, yoghurt and berries; as well as a small ‘Coffee and Tea Cart” – all of which was served with a sweet smile.

Even the goodie bags continued the ‘Something old, Something new” theme. They included a variety of cherry picked individual pieces selected from Salvos Stores, various gifts from Orson & Blake, Murobond Paint samples, paintbrushes, measuring tapes, Guylian chocolates, Parkers Organic orange juice, as well as a selection of other bits and bobs which would assist in a day of home renovation and DIY!

The event was certainly a success and an elegant reminder of what can be achieved when you put your mind to it – AND whilst helping those in need!

Photo Credit: TITO MEDIA
Event organiser and PR: PLUME PR - Philippa Morfitt

Barbara D'Arcy was not only the author of the wildly popular Bloomingdale's Book of Home Decorating, she was also the designer behind the psychedelic styling of their store environments. Credited for bringing renowned modernist designers to the attention of a mass market, this book features furniture and lighting designs by Kartell, Noguchi, Mies Van Der Rohe, George Nelson and Frank Gehry. See profile for more details.

From the most popular decorator on TLC’s hit show “While You Were Out” comes a guide to the coolest kind of decorating on the skimpiest of budgets. Just a few dollars and a bit of creativity go a long way toward adding spice to your living space without breaking the bank. Stores like Dollar Tree and 99? Dream are popping up in every city in America with a treasure trove of items from frames to faux flowers. With these materials?and some easy instructions from Mark?readers will learn how to create and embellish everything from lampshades to storage areas for a fraction of the cost they would pay anywhere else. These projects are so cool no one will ever guess how little was paid!
Edgy and stylish, this book is the hippest guide available on shoestring budget decorating.