Product Description

In a world that is dominated by the chainstore and the throw-away culture, this book reveals the inspirational side to recycling, helping you to assess and exploit flea-market, junk-shop or attic finds as a resource for our own creativity. The author shows how to develop that all-important keen eye, guided by your own sense of style and backed up by practical advice on spotting star potential and avoiding bad buys. Presented in a question-and-answer format, clear instructions and simple techniques advise you how to rejuvenate and re-invent the neglected or the mundane. Thus informed, follow your instincts to detect hidden treasure in unexpected guises, and make impressive transformations with fresh finishes and new uses.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #817798 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-12
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Review
If you like car-boot sales, antique fairs or flea markets, you'll find this book invaluable. Written in association with "Country Living" magazine, it is an informative and knowledgeable guide to every sort of collectible to be found. China, basket-ware, textiles and glass are but a few looked at in depth: history, care, restoration and display or use. How to tell pottery apart from porcelain, detect a real Lloyd Loom chair or bakelite ashtray, where to find your local market and innovative ideas on how to use your finds in attractive ways. Packed with advice and many colour photographs, this is another practical "Country Living" guide, presented in a question and answer format for easy reference. - Lucy Watson

About the Author
Caroline Atkins is a freelance writer and editor specializing in interiors. She writes for many magazines and is the author of Country Living Country Christmas.

Customer Reviews

Good tips, if you love old stuff.
This is kind of like a flea market/antique buyers manual. It tells you what to look for, when buying old things, how to determine authenticity of items, clean and restore them, and even how to display and make use of them, sometimes in an untraditional way. It has given me lots of ideas on how to incorporate small items in to a design plan, and to look for items I might not have even glanced at, before reading this book.