Carlene Duffy's tips on where to save (and splurge) in a living room makeover

She’s renovated everything from converted office blocks to vintage caravans, so it’s fair to say Carlene Duffy has an eye for both style and savings.

We spoke to the serial renovator – who’s renovated numerous properties with her husband Michael, including two seasons of The Block – about her own living room makeover, the things she splurged on, and where she was able to save.

Duffy describes herself as a “bowerbird” in that she’s more of a collector than a shopper.

“This room came together with items that I stumbled across – it’s a bit of a mish-mash of things and bits and bobs … but the outcome I absolutely love,” she says.

Splurge

Fan mirror from Jardan

“It took me about two years to find something that I loved enough to place above [the fireplace] … there was just nothing else quite like it and I finally took the plunge, and I’m so happy I did,” Duffy says of the statement mirror. 

Its curved shape ties in seamlessly with the arch of the fireplace and acts as a stylish focal point.

Cushions

Generally, cushions are something you can save money on, but Duffy argues that investing in quality cushions is worth it in the long run.

“I went through a stage where I was rotating cushions a lot, I was sort of in a fast-fashion mode, in that I was buying inexpensive cushions and I’d get sick of them very quickly. Now I just buy good quality cushions,” she says.

Duffy says to opt for a feather insert instead of foam, as foam can flatten out over time. “Feather has a bit of luxury about it, you can plump it up, it has movement … it just feels little more opulent.”

Duffy also repurposes custom fabric scraps to ensure nothing goes to waste, creating unique cushions for the home that you won’t find in store.

Save

Side tables and coffee tables

Who says you need to splurge on expensive tables in your living zone. You can save plenty of money if you have a little imagination and a DIY attitude.

“You don’t need to spend a lot of money on side tables. I’ve found them at op shops, I’ve used cut down tree trunks, we’ve even cut down bench stools … There are so many options out there,” she says.

Duffy’s coffee table was actually a dining table. She made it work for her living room by removing the legs and sourced a new base on Facebook Marketplace.

Chair

Duffy bought what she dubs her “favourite chair” for $200.

“It’s a Queen Victoria chair that I bought from eBay years ago and had it re-covered,” she says. It cost $800 all up: $200 for the chair and $600 to reupholster.”

Duffy admits she probably could have found a new chair for a similar price, but is glad she went to the effort to source second hand.

“It would have been cheaper for me to buy a new chair, but it wouldn’t have had the same result, it wouldn’t have had the same character, it wouldn’t have been as interesting, so I was happy to spend the money on this.”

Led by a passion for interior design, Carlene runs Cedar and Suede, a full-service interior design studio based on the Gold Coast.