Celebrity Journalist Angela Sara West @angela_sara_west chats with TV’s upcycling queen Georgina Burnett about how sustainability can make your home ‘sing’, whether ‘greige’ is still the way to go, how a pop of purple should be on your interiors radar, as well as how to make a healthy home. Plus, the possible perils of painting with Pantone’s Very Peri!

She’s the queen of going green when it comes to interiors and boasts many famous fans of her inspiring work. “Well, Tomasz Schafernaker is an incredible upcycler himself, so we often share pictures!” upcycling guru Georgina Burnett tells me.

With numerous other notable accolades to boot, the TV upcycling star says the biggest highlights of her career have been finishing successful projects. “There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a vision become a reality – whether it’s one of my own properties or one of my clients’.”

Georgina’s become a familiar face on ITV’s ‘This Morning’. “Working regularly on the show has been amazing as I get to work with a fantastic team, chatting about what I love best – and the live element keeps me on my toes! It’s also been so lovely to hear feedback from viewers who have tried some of my ideas for the first time.”

Trash to treasure

ALL about sustainability, Georgina is a genius on turning trash into treasure. “I love the challenge of making something beautiful out of something ugly, but I find the actual process of upcycling incredibly therapeutic as it takes my mind off the stresses of life and gives me a well-earned break from technology!”

Highly influential in this field, she’s among those leading the way in environmentally-friendly home styling. “It’s all been so organic; I find the term ‘influencer’ really bizarre when I hear it! But then I receive all these messages from people who have never done any kind of crafting or DIY but are now upcycling, and I just can’t describe how much it thrills me to have provided inspiration.”

With sustainability such an important factor for her, this influencer’s innovative ideas have impressed and made an impact on the nation for sure. “I just try to make sure that as much as possible of what I use is recycled. I’m not perfect, but I’m such a womble, I do manage very well!”

Going green with interiors is big business these days… What gives Georgina the edge in this area? “Oh, there are so many massively-talented people out there, I’m not sure I could say I have an edge… I guess the fact that I’m very comfortable on camera from all my years of presenting and can film and edit myself means I’m able to reach a wider audience though – and hopefully inspire more people to upcycle.”

From weather girl to This Morning’s resident upcycling guru

A BBC weather girl too, Georgina is a DIY interiors and property expert and vlogger, and chats about property and interiors with Martin Roberts on Talk Radio, too. All this alongside being a life and business coach, assisting those looking for tips from a top adviser in her fields.

Often making an appearance on ‘This Morning’, seeing the show’s resident Home Genie busy creating all things green on our screens, she’s also showcased her handy lockdown DIY hacks, crafting tips and creations to keep kids busy and entertained, too. Her inspiring upcycling slots on ‘This Morning’ always go down a storm.

“I must admit, I wasn’t sure how welcome upcycling would be to a mainstream audience, but my slots have often been the most popular of the show. They have been received brilliantly, so it’s been very exciting!”

What does she love most about being part of the ‘This Morning’ team, alongside Holly Willoughby &  Phillip Schofield, and now the hilarious Alison Hammond & Dermot O’Leary, too?

“I love the variety of what I do there… My name ‘The Home Genie’ came about because I cover all aspects of home improvement and I really get to cover that on the show – from decluttering, to DIY to home styling. It also makes me experiment more with upcycling. It’s a dream job as the people I work with on and off screen are so lovely, and I thrive on the thrill of live presenting.”

Upcycling guru Georgina says she’s inspired by a few other sustainability influencers. “One in particular is Chris Billinghurst from the House of Upcycling, whose team produce some extraordinarily-beautiful pieces. I also think Annie Sloan has been phenomenal in inspiring a nation of upcyclers.”

Her tips for being a top upcycler? “I would say make sure you have a really decent tool kit as it makes life so much easier and more enjoyable. Have a cupboard you can put any bits you save in and just have fun – never expect perfection but keep going with it until you are happy.”

Talking trends

Any trends influencing her current projects? “I’m not really a trend follower… I just go with the flow and whatever is inspiring me at that moment.”

As for the interior design trends she’s seeing coming through in 2022… “I’m pleased there is still a big focus on sustainability, as this is genuinely a subject close to my heart – and something I’ve been banging on about in the interiors world for years!” she says.

“Bringing the outside in is along these lines and is still a strong theme,” Georgina explains, and she’s also embracing experimentation in the world of interiors. “There seems to be a move to experiment a bit more with colour as we move away from ‘greige’, which has obviously been a firm favourite for so long. Whilst this is still the ‘safe’ go to for most people, I’m seeing more accent colours infiltrating rooms. We will also see more purple, which hasn’t been on the list for some time.”

There is a particular trend she’s currently enjoying, which can really enhance the home. Georgina LOVES a bit of colour blocking. “I have done quite a bit of this, with plans to do more! It’s great for zoning a room, which is becoming more important as our homes are more multifunctional with the increase in working from home.”

Very Peri perils….

Any advice for using Pantone’s Colour Of The Year, Very Peri, to keep our interiors fresh and à la mode?

“I’ll be honest – Very Peri is not my favourite!” Georgina divulges. “I think we may see some disasters with people using this colour too much…”

Although she admits it can be a great accent colour when used in the right way. “So, I’d either soften it with pale pinks and greens, go for more of an analogous scheme with other variants of deep blue and purple, or use it sparingly as an accent colour in accessories and cushions. I don’t want to see whole rooms painted in it!”

Colour drenching comeback

Forthcoming interiors trends that should be on our radar right now? “Colour drenching’s started to make a comeback. It started in the fashion world, and I think we will see more rooms in all the same colour, or tints, tones and shades of it. You need to go floor to ceiling – including woodwork, furniture and furnishings – if you’re really going for it,” she advises.

“I’m doing a bit of this in a current project, but I can’t help but throw in the odd complementary colour myself as I just feel a room needs that energy you get from an accent colour!”

Property lessons – a streetwise ‘angel of thrift’

Investing in and developing properties since 2009, this sustainable TV star has seen many a lesson learnt. “My main lesson has been to recognise that these projects are never going to mean as much to someone else as they do to me! I’ve not been doing quick ‘get ‘em up’ projects; every one I do is a labour of love, so I don’t just leave it to other people to make decisions and make sure I’m always one step ahead of anyone who is working on it with me!”

She reveals each project has become bigger and bigger. “So, in turn has become more lucrative, but my husband calls me an ‘angel of thrift’, so I still don’t throw money at unnecessary aspects and can always achieve a luxury finish with less, but never cutting corners; just reusing and repurposing for the most part.”

The property and homestyling expert has even written an informative book on the subject – ‘The Street-wise Guide to Buying, Improving and Selling Your Home’

So, grab a copy of Georgina’s informative how-to guides and get streetwise!

Adding value to a family home – don’t follow fashion!

Her top tips on how to improve your home, and the golden rules to stick to for adding value?

“If it’s your home that you will be living in for quite some time, then make sure you choose the colours and style that make you and your family, or whoever you share the house with, feel good,” she advises. “Too many people try to follow fashion and then end up getting it wrong and despising a room! Do it well – so put enough time aside and see it through to the end.”

And, of course, “Reuse and repurpose,” she adds. “This is a way you can make your budget go further and help the environment at the same time!”

Creating the WOW

How can we easily add the ‘wow’ factor to our home, whatever our budget, even if tight?

“Less is often more,” she says. “So, think about decluttering rather than filling your home. I think it’s worth talking to a stylist – you don’t have to go the whole hog and pay for full interior designing, but just a consultation may help you to get it right and take you slightly out of your comfort zone to achieve the extraordinary – in a good way!”

Make your home sing

“I also can’t stress enough how upcycling items of furniture can really make a room sing as you end up with a unique piece in whatever colour you want!” says this leading homestyler.

“If you’re just too scared to do it yourself, it would probably cost less to pay someone to do it than buying a new piece of furniture and sending the old to landfill!”

Georgina says getting the colours right is just key. “And this takes time and experimentation, so it’s not to be skimped. Rather than just painting small bits of wall with samples, do it on big pieces of lining paper which you then study on all walls in all lights. Whatever the budget, always think of all levels of a room. There’s no point in having great cushions and carpet if it makes the room look bottom heavy, so think of the whole of the wall space and how you can get that colour scheme represented higher up.”

A healthy home

She also has advice aplenty for making a house a healthy home. “I think this should be publicised more, as many people seem to be unaware that your home could actually damage your health.”

“This is particularly important if you have kids, or anybody has certain health conditions. Using breathable paint and researching the kind of flooring you use makes a huge difference. Also, filling it with air-purifying plants and making sure there is plenty of ventilation are key considerations.”

A sustainable self-builder

Last year, she finished her first self-build. “It has been the ultimate upcycling project, turning a derelict garage into a house!”

Would she undertake another? “It was interesting because I had always renovated older houses – so it just had different challenges! One of which was trying to finish it as the pandemic started… I’d love to build my forever home and make it totally sustainable, but finding the plot will always be difficult as you are going up against the big developers.”

Her latest renovation project is a historic home in Folkestone. “I’m loving doing up a little cottage there! It’s where I started my property journey, and a place close to my heart… It’s not been a major renovation project, so I’m able to mainly enjoy it as an interior project.”

You can watch a series of videos showing the journey of her build on Georgina’s website www.TheHomeGenie.com

DIY disasters!

Georgina’s experienced her fair share of DIY disasters over the years… “Although any DIY disasters have always been from trying to rush things. So, for example, reupholstering a chaise longue, which I started doing at 10pm one night and didn’t quite get the shape of the fabric right… I managed to save it though, and it looks great now!”

She says with DIY, it’s crucial to always set more than enough time aside, make sure you have the right tools, and really research what you’re doing rather than just jumping in.

“With most projects, a decent finish comes from spending time on the prep (which unfortunately isn’t usually the most fun bit!) Oh, and not starting at 10pm!”

Her tips for staying motivated and seeing a project through? “Visualising the end result is key. I always imagine myself standing there with a glass of Champagne admiring the finish. I also like to look back at previous ‘to do’ lists to show me how far I’ve come.”

 

Light up your lives…

How can we best bring in natural light, and brighten up our home through décor, no matter the budget?

“It’s very fashionable to put lots of glass into a build, and this does make a huge difference to the light, but also be warned that you can lose a lot of heat through glass, so it’s important to bear this in mind.”

So, what’s the solution? “Simply putting large mirrors opposite windows can make a big difference to light. To me, a room without plants is unfinished and it really helps to have them at lots of levels. So, have large plants extending from floor to ceilings… Plants hanging from ceilings, as well as tabletop plants, can really soften a room.”

And décor-wise? “Just go for simple,” she says. “Get yourself a colour wheel and choose the most simple types of schemes to easily get the ‘wow factor’ into a room. Learning about the colour wheel changed my life!”