In these straitened times, spending money on redecorating may not be a priority, but you can enjoy the psychological benefits of upgrading your home without spending a fortune simply by resurfacing your existing furniture.
As well as saving money, revamping or adapting what you already have is unquestionably the most eco-friendly way to go about any redecoration project. Just as green, although it might cost a little more, is having your way with vintage or second-hand furniture. Hong Kong has a thriving online second-hand market and a number of weekend flea markets where interesting furniture can be found.
Some DIY will be necessary, but the impact of the following methods owe more to imagination than to renovation experience.
The cheapest and most obvious is painting. Bright white latex paint is a popular choice for those wanting to give their old furniture a contemporary look, while matt alabaster white is more suitable for 'shabby chic' endeavours. For a storage piece, consider leaving either the frame or drawers unpainted; the two-tone pairing of creamy white and natural wood is vintage-inspired, but also quite at home in modern surroundings.
A good source of inspiration for this kind of look is the website of White Attic, a Chicago shop that specialises in refinished vintage furniture. Owners Terry Ledford and Doug Stucky look for furniture in need of recreation and Ledford handpaints their finds, often using bold or contrasting colours.
The style is easily adapted to any colour scheme and can add a lot of character to the dullest furniture. Take it slightly further by painting the inside of drawers and cupboards in a colour that contrasts with the main body of the piece. Black and pink, lavender and mint, orange and gold - you can try all sorts of over-the-top combinations knowing that one of your colours will generally be hidden away, only flashing at you from time to time.