The Cull: Furniture Edition

With Mr Jason Grant.

While we’re all safely in lockdown at home, we’re rethinking our set ups and getting our space in order. What better time to take stock of the clutter and take control of the one thing we can in this unique time – it’s time for, the cull.

Never before have we spent so much time in our homes. We’re so lucky to be able to bunker down in our four walls, but looking at them 17 hours a day is planting ideas… Ideas of how things could look a little different. A little better. If only that table wasn’t there or that chest was smaller, the couch that bit comfier. (Heaven knows we’ve pushed that particular piece of furniture to its limits lately.)

And so, the cull begins again. This time it starts with a shuffle, turns into a switch around and without fail, something ends up getting the boot.

Stylist, author and designer @mrjasongrant tell us what he feels it’s important to have in your home. “As with everything it's all about an edit, less is often more,” Jason says. “Things you have in your space should have purpose or reflect your personality. Just like your wardrobe it's good to have a high-low mix of investment pieces and daily basics. I love mixing new with vintage. I always love to introduce nature elements and bring the outdoors in, be it flowers, house plants or natural materials or hand made items.”

When deciding what to keep and what to part with there are some easy guidelines. “I love to keep things that have sentimental value or evoke nostalgic feelings, I like to have things that have a story and evoke fond memories. Investing in quality foundation pieces is always worth the expense, a great bed frame and a good mattress, a comfortable sofa and a great dining table and chairs are key pieces to start with. I'm not a fan of disposable decorating but more so a carefully curated approach, purchasing items with a considered mindset. It's also nice to have a collection of something for me. It's handmade local ceramics and artworks by friends.”

First, try to reinvent things instead of throwing them away. “I love moving things around at home, trying your art on different walls, moving furniture and objects around. Be inspired by the seasons and switch things up. I love to update my console and create a fresh new look with things I already have.”

So once you’ve moved that chair to the other corner, swapped the frames around and flipped the TV, what do you do with the pieces that didn’t make the cut? Our Sustainability team is our voice of reason in all things recycling, reusing and disposing of, so we asked them.

“The most important thing is to extend the life of your items,” Says Rebekka Carey-Smith, THE ICONIC’s Senior Sustainability Manager. Consider upcycling what you have into something fresh with a coat of paint or new fabric – it will sometimes surprise you what a transformation a small alteration can make.

If you do really want to part with it, try to give it to someone else so that it can have a longer life. As Rebekka says, “People sometimes forget to have a look on, and list your own furniture on, things like Gumtree free classifieds.” There are plenty of places online to advertise your items, from Facebook Marketplace to eBay to Freecycle. Give your local op shops a call and see if they will take furniture. Ikea also has a buy-back scheme for items in decent condition. All of these options will help to keep your furniture out of landfill.

Refresh your space