GET THE LOOK

PERIOD charm is a marketable commodity in the property business.

But even if your home lacks original features, there are plenty of ways to inject some character into your living space. If you're lucky, you may find panelled doors and fireplaces hidden beneath layers of plywood, or cornicing lurking under lowered ceilings. But even if your rooms are cleanlined and bland, second-hand finds such as old mirrors and armchairs can help create atmosphere.

You needn't spend a fortune: as this Gourock couple discovered, fleamarkets and junkshops can prove just as productive as costly architectural salvage yards.

There's no need to be a slave to one particular historical era. The tenement flat pictured on the previous pages mixes sharply contemporary pieces, such as lights, clocks and prints, with reproduction and antique furniture. Take inspiration, too, from the movies, books and albums that mean most to you. This couple chose lines from works by their favourite authors and used them to decorate their walls and fl oors. Family heirlooms and documents, including an old suitcase and postcard, are examples of the kind of ephemera that costs nothing, but can help create an individualised home that is decidedly yours.

Stockists: Habitat www. habitat. net or 08444 991 111 Axis axisweb. org John Lewis www. johnlewis. com or 020 7629 7711 Ikea www. ikea. co. uk or 0845 355 1141

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