Six secrets to creating a chic home with preloved buys

Outside of appliances, Kya deLongchamps has very few new items in her home. She shares her money-saving and sustainability savvy

Don’t go straight to painting furniture and vintage veneers. Clean the wood first, just lightly and consider its value as is. File picture

From furniture to decorative accessorising and even electronics — the sustainable call is to make use of everything that’s not desiccated and fit for the bin. However, when it comes to stuff we bring into the house, there are a few ground rules worth remembering before embracing the pre-loved. 

Mistakes can not only be costly, but can send that piece back to the market, or even see it misdirected to the tip. I’ve made every blunder known to mankind, but outside of appliances there’s very few conventionally “new” things in my home. With a rusting car trailer and a pinched budget, here’s what I’ve learned.