The Sofa

Room 1

Chloe Finley, Market editor, fashion and lifestyle
Total: $1478.08

Re-use and recycle: Don't overlook what you already have at home: try re-covering a stack of old books to create a sculptural piece. Or, group old jam jars and fill them with tealight candles or masses of flowers and greenery from the garden.

Be clever with colour: A clearly defined colour scheme is important to keep an eclectic mix looking chic, rather than haphazard. Finley has chosen a strong colour (Dulux paint in Bogart, $35 for one litre) for a feature wall to anchor the room and to give it a modern update. "When you're on a tight budget, a confident wall colour is a cheap and easy way to create a new look," she says. "I've also used red as a bold accent colour, which runs through the accessories and ties the look together."

Expert tip: "Rather than a framed artwork, create an evolving one, which doubles as a kind of noticeboard," suggests Finley. "I picked up a piece of wire and some bulldog clips and then added my favourite images, photos and travel mementoes."

Clockwise from top left: Keep Calm And Carry On poster, $19.95, from Lark; map wrapping paper, $7.70 each, from Bookoccino; hanging wire, $2.20, from Whitworth's; bulldog clips, $4.88 for a pack of 12, from Officeworks. Pugg clocks, $59 each, from IKEA; letters, $3.50 each, from No Chintz; red spray paint, $9.50. Crates, $70 each, from Doug Up On Bourke; Lydum table lamp, $49, from IKEA (shade not shown); lamp shade, $110, from Chee Soon & Fitzgerald; glass tabletop, $26, from Willoughby Glass; printing of book covers, $1.50 each, by Dashing Print; books and jar stylist's own. Carpet offcut, $40, and trimming, $58, from Carpet Court. Suitcases, $40 each, from Kirribilli Market; glass tabletop, $58, from Willoughby Glass; books and jars stylist's own. Cream/red cushions, $30 (small), and $35 (large), from Lee Mathews; brown linen cushion, $49.95, from Country Road. Blanket, $149, from Country Road. Replica Eames chair, $295, from Matt Blatt.

Room 2

Rachel Brown, stylist
Total: $1474.35

White wash: As a rule, interior stylists stick to either all-warm or all-cool tones of white, but, to add interest, Brown opted for a mixture of both. "When you're working with white, you also need lots of texture and tonal shifts to add depth and to create a welcoming feeling. The original, empty room was very sterile, but we've added warmth with the rug, the casually hung art posters, the wooden table and leather cushion," she adds.

Add humour: Not every item in a room like this needs to be too grown-up. "I've spent a lot of money on great pieces, but don't look past the tiny 20c dinosaur," laughs Brown. "I put it in there to add some personality - it doesn't all have to be serious."

Expert Tip: To lift a room from low budget to high class, Brown suggests choosing a few key pieces. The replica designer chairs she's chosen look deceivingly expensive, although Brown did splash out on two smaller items: the leather cushion and Jonathan Adler ceramic owl, as they're both timeless and add a touch of luxury.

Clockwise from top left: Leran pendant lights, 29cm, $49, and 37cm, $69, from IKEA. Mark Rothko poster artworks, Grey On Grey (far left), $29, and Untitled (below), $14.50, from Blue Dog Posters and Prints; postcard stylist's own. Replica Eames RAR Rocker, $99, from Matt Blatt. Skirting board, $32 for five metres, from Bunnings. Replica Verner Panton chairs, $99 each, from Matt Blatt. Jonathan Adler ceramic owl, $210, from Orson & Blake; Flokati rug, $129, from IKEA; books stylist's own. Leather cushion in tan, $360, from Attia; Gosa Aster cushion, $12.95, and Sanela cushion cover in white, $20, from IKEA. Coffee table, $220, from w.s. traders; ceramic cup and wooden saucer, $31.90, from Attia; book and dinosaur stylist's own (for similar figurines, try Toys"R"Us).

Which room do you like better? Leave a comment below.