Can kitsch be cool?

This week, the Blockheads have been more experimental with their styling of the Challenge Apartment. The brief is “St Kilda” and has been interpreted as kooky, eclectic, with just a touch of kitsch.

Kitsch is a bit like adding chili to a recipe. A little bit goes a long way and if you add too much – wowsers.

It’s when terrible taste becomes the whole point. Kitsch items are also referred to as “tacky” or “cheesy”, but the key to pulling it off is to make sure you’re using it intentionally and in an ironic, or cheeky way.

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE COURTNEY AND HANS' COOL KITSCH WINNING BEDROOM

“Kitsch is a word that is usually derogatory,” said judge Neale Whitaker this week. “But [Courtney and Hans’ styling] shows you can call a room kitsch and mean it as a compliment.”

It’s not the easiest thing to pull off, but when you do it certainly makes a statement and attracts people’s attention.

Here’s how to get it right.

Be sparing with your touches
Don’t overdo the kitsch or you will just be creating something tacky. One well-placed item creates a pop – ten makes an explosion. This lamp, quirky cute pics and glossy reclaimed side table, plus space and clean, fresh walls = perfect.

Get fruity!
As Australia hits summer, we naturally tend to get out the kitschy pieces in the forms of flamingos, pineapples and palm trees. Add a few fruit or tropicana touches to your home to inject some sunshine in your daily life. Think Palm Springs pink and palms, or cactus, copper and mint greens. Or even an old fashioned, quirky little avocado.

Enjoy it!
The whole point of kitsch is to inject a hit of fun and humour into your day. Don’t hide your item away – be bold, creative and embrace it! Otherwise, you run the risk of it looking like an accident, instead of a deliberately fabulous statement.

Pronounce it correctly

One last thing – when everyone compliments you on your effortless style, be sure you can say it right. It’s “kit-sssh.”

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