WHEN friends visit Simone Radley’s home with its green bathroom suite and orange walls they are transported back to the Seventies.
Since moving into her three-bed semi-detached house a year ago, the mum-of-two has packed it full of second-hand furniture inspired by the colourful decade.
Savvy Simone, from Welton, Lincs, has bagged bargains for everything from a 99p bathroom suite to free sofas and retro bedding for £2.
The 38-year-old nail artist says: “Our house was all white when we moved in and it was awful.
“I like to see people’s personality come through in their homes. The grey and white trend for homes you see on Instagram is my idea of hell.
“If people love it, then great. But to me it’s so bland and boring. I wish more people were brave enough to do what they want and have some fun.”
Simone has transformed the £250,000 property, which she lives in with husband Jonathan, 38, a project analyst, and their daughters, Rose, nine, and seven-year-old Fleur.
She has found inspiration from retro magazines and memories of her grandparents’ home.
Simone had to spend £15,000 on the basics such as plumbing, joinery, tiling and carpets. But she snapped up a huge solid wood sideboard on eBay from the British Heart Foundation for just £11.34, and a week later bagged a matching corner unit for less than a tenner.
‘One man’s trash is another’s treasure’
She has found much of her furniture on Facebook Marketplace.
She picked up two vintage sofas for free and, after scouring the internet for an Ercol coffee table like one she had seen being sold for £565, Simone found it on the website for just £150.
But her best find was the avocado-green bathroom suite from eBay for just 99p.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t buy second hand,” says Simone, who even nabbed some retro bedding from a car boot sale for £2.
“I find it really funny that things people are ripping out of houses now, we are putting into ours — like how we ripped out the white bathroom suite and replaced it with avocado. It shows that one man’s trash is another’s treasure.”
Simone believes furniture isn’t made like it used to be — another reason she opts for vintage over new.
“The quality of second-hand things is just better. Nothing is flat-packed, and the sofas are still comfortable 50 years on,” she says.
“And if you want that retro look, you just can’t buy it new. New products may have the patterns, but they never look as good as the originals.
“Buying second-hand and sustainably is a fantastic way to shop. I love Seventies-style clothes too — 95 per cent of my wardrobe is retro.”
Simone has also bought curtains, cushions, dinner plates and crockery second-hand.
She says: “I’ve got a full set of Hornsea Pottery in Contrast that won a style award in the Seventies. I love that.” Her love for the era began a few years ago when she bought a sideboard and some ornaments for the family’s former home, which was decorated in neutral colours.
But when they moved, she fully embraced the decade.
As well as dedicating hours to online browsing, Simone spends her free time at antiques and charity shops, plus car boot sales.
And no distance is too far when it comes to bargain-hunting. The brown striped armchair was from Brighton, around 225 miles away, and she sent Jonathan to Wales for the tiger-print sofa.
Simone’s husband is on board with her taste, as long as he is allowed to keep his record player.
But he did insist on a modern 55in flat screen in the living room, rather than the 1970s square TV Simone preferred. She says visitors to the house either love it or hate the Seventies style, with some being “very vocal”.
The couple’s daughters, who have modern furniture in their bedrooms, sometimes remark on how they wish their house was “normal”.
‘I’m proud to have a house that has my personality’
But Simone says: “I think it’s really good for kids to know that it’s OK to be different, to like what you like and not like something just because everyone else does.
“I’m proud to have a house that has my personality in it rather than just following a trend.
There have been some obstacles along the way, with Simone having to make do with carpets in Seventies colours rather than the retro patterns she loves.
And finding tradesmen willing to work with second-hand items has been tricky. “Often they are absolutely horrified,” she explains.
“The joiner had a nightmare getting the kitchen units to fit and we struggled to get a plumber to fit the bathroom because some won’t fit second-hand suites in case they’re damaged.
“I was originally trying to find a Seventies kitchen but, of course, they aren’t easy to find and the ones I saw weren’t quite right. When I saw this one from the Fifties I loved it so I went with it.
“The units and sink cost £250. Even though it isn’t from the Seventies it’s still retro and second-hand so I love it.” As well as shopping second-hand, Simone keeps costs down by upcycling where she can.
She says: “I have DIYed some things. I’ve painted the fireplace myself and I’ve stuck a Seventies-inspired vinyl on it.
“I just love searching for new things. If I have an afternoon off, I go to charity shops, because you never know what you will find.”
And, her biggest source of inspiration isn’t a home makeover show such as Changing Rooms — it’s the Trotters’ Peckham council estate flat in classic BBC comedy Only Fools And Horses.
She adds: “I just love watching the show for ideas — Del Boy’s home is just fantastic.
"I haven’t got a bar yet but that’s definitely on my list — and a pineapple ice bucket!”
Simone’s rules for 2nd-hand shopping
Haggle: At first, you feel awkward but the more you do it, the more confident you become. You almost always get a discount so it’s always worth an ask.
Always keep an open mind: For ornaments, cushions, and smaller items, what’s on offer can vary widely, so you’re often disappointed if you go with something in mind. For larger items, remember you can upcycle, so even if it’s not exactly what you want, it still has potential.
Don’t leave something you love behind: It’s unlikely to be there when you go back. If you do your research, even if it’s a Google while you’re still with the item, you’ll know if there is anything similar around, or if you want to haggle on the price.
Don’t let smells put you off: If you buy an old item, it might smell a bit musty but when you clean it up, it will be worth it.
Measure everything: I measure the space available before I go, write it down and take my tape measure on viewings. Otherwise you might have to leave the item and risk losing it.
Freebies are out there: There are bargains on Facebook Marketplace. Some people just want you to take items off their hands, without charge.
