8 minute read

Tick tock

Time for a change? It can be hard to find a spare window but we’ve found ways to transform your interiors in three time slots: under an hour, in a day, and over a weekend. Ready? Let’s go…

On a level Rearranging the knick knacks, photos and books on your shelves will makeover the feel of a room in a flash. Start by taking everything off the shelves and giving them a good dust, then give the shelf a wipe down. Pack away anything you haven’t noticed yourself looking at for a while. This will streamline the number of items on display so that they all have a chance to be enjoyed. You can circulate these items and bring out the pieces you’ve packed away when you need a refresh in a few months’ time.1

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Under an hour! Speedy solutions that can be achieved in less than 60 minutes

Baldwin desk lamp, £55; Soren desk, £699; Pols Potten hourglass, £42.50; Roberts Revival radio, from £169; Tom Dixon air candle, from £105; stripe vase with handles, £28; Baxter swirl wallpaper, £30 per roll, all John Lewis & Partners

Wooden marble accent serving board, £12.50; acacia wood chopping board, £11; mono stackable cake tins, £12; Blue ceramic utensil pot, £8.50, small canister with cork lid (used as a plant pot), £6.50, Matalan

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC

Add a sense of drama with a statement lampshade. These large features help to ground a room and pull furniture together. They’re the icing on the cake of your schemes and make the overall effect more ’complete’. Remember that pendant lampshades will appear smaller when they are hung in the room, so measure up to get a clear idea of the size of shade that would suit your room best, or choose something that feels slightly too large when it’s in your hands in the shop.

Non-slip tray with handles, £39.99, Zara 2 Hide and seek If ugly sockets and switches are spoiling the look of your kitchen, propping up a few large items, such as stylish breadboards will keep them hidden away. Layering up boards will create a textured effect that will look intentional, rather than a lone board that might feel out of place. Pair them with a utensil jar or a pretty bottle of olive oil to complete the transformation. If breadboards aren’t your thing, try herb plants in pots, they’ll cover a larger area as they grow and you’ll forget those eyesores were ever there!

Torared lampshade, £15; Evedal floor lamp, £215; Möckelby table, £699; Persisk Mix rug, £1,200; Bergmund chair with cover, £10, all IKEA

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Clear the decks

No matter how hard you try to keep things neat, everyday items will always find their way out of cupboards and start cluttering up work surfaces. Save time by containing all those items you like to have close at hand on a stylish tray. They’ll be easy to access, and faster to tidy up, which means your worktops will stay clear for longer. It’s a great trick on your dressing table too, opt for easy-to-clean materials, such as glass, plastic or lacquered wood so that you can quickly wipe away spills or stray powder and keep things clean.

5Paint a picture Painted arches can turn overlooked spaces into stylish design features and adding an extra curve in a darker shade also creates a sense of depth. This faux alcove effect is perfect either side of a chimney breast, on the landing or behind a sideboard to frame favourite display objects. Head to yourhomestyle.uk and search for ‘How to create painted wall arches’ for our guide. Once your primary arch is finished and dried, paint in the extra detail. Draw an arch that’s the same width, but around 20cm shorter and to the left of the original. Paint the gap between the arches in a darker colour and... ta da! An on-trend architectural curve.

24 hours. or less

Get creative and you’ll be amazed at how much you can do in a day

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PICTURE PERFECT

Turn a neglected wall into a flexible gallery space by spending the day putting up narrow picture ledge shelves. Hang them at around eye level so that you can easily change the display. Switch it up in seasonal style according to the time of year. 7 While you might struggle to wallpaper a whole room in a day, papering one wall is a fast and effective way to add colour and pattern to areas you’d like to highlight. Try it on the wall behind your headboard or sofa, or alongside a dining table. Walls with doors and windows can be a little tricky, but you’ll need less paper to cover a larger area. You Paper craft can also have fun with pattern matching your blinds or curtains to the new walls. If you’ve got some extra time and leftover paper, think about ways to use it up, like popping it into picture frames, or using it to wrap storage boxes, or see Number 8 for more ideas on using up old paper.

Portia wallpaper, £42; Oakridge by Laura Ashley medium sofa in Dusky Seaspray, £1,225; Balmoral side table, £295; Maya mirror, £280, all Next

Picture ledge shelves, from £10 each, Next

Dunelm Peacock eggshell emulsion paint, £16 per 1L; drawer handles, from £6; Moroccan mirror, £45; Hallie dining chair, £129; ridged glass vase, £12; Moroccan lantern, £45; Bahvra rug, £39; Moroccan tray, £28; glass desk storage, £18; ceramic plant pot, £4, all Dunelm

Get creative

Pick up a preloved piece of furniture and transform it into something that really feels like yours. Be brave and paint it in a colour that will turn a piece into a focal point for the space. Try this dramatic peacock shade from Dunelm, or go for a softer effect with pale pink or lilac – it will still be a showstopper. Pop on new handles for a luxe feel – the heavier the better – and keep the old ones for a future project. You can also line the bottoms of each drawer with unused sections of wallpaper as it’s a great way to make the most of leftover ends of rolls or large-scale samples.

9Create a feature Adding texture to walls creates a modern look that always appears high-end. You’ll need to attach small strips of wood or MDF to a wall, then paint the slats and wall in the same stylish shade. If you’re using MDF the strips should be sealed before you attach them to the wall, while pine or wood may need to be treated with a knot solution to stop excess oils spoiling the final finish. If you’d like to create a continuous effect by placing lots of slats closely together, use the edge of a spare as a ruler to help you mark out the gaps between the slats. This will be faster and more accurate than trying to do it by eye. Attach the slats using a liquid nails-type glue and tap in a few veneer pins or brad nails for extra strength and a long-lasting look.

Over a weekend

Roll up your sleeves and dedicate 48 hours to a transformative task

Crafted by Crown matt paint in Collage, £32 per 2.5L, Wickes

11 Make a grand entrance by spending your weekend renovating your staircase. If you’re planning to use a specialist floor paint, like Rust-Oleum, you won’t need to sand everything down completely. Give the whole staircase a rub with fine grain sandpaper to give a nice ‘tooth’ for On the up the paint to stick to and fill in any holes or dents. You can paint every other step so that you’ll still be able to get upstairs when nature calls, or when it’s time to go to bed. Leave it to dry overnight and tackle the alternate steps the next day. Wear fluffy socks to avoid scuffs and marks.

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Exterior eggshell in Hudson, £36 per 1L, Graham & Brown

WELCOME HOME

Revamping the front door improves kerb appeal and puts a smile on your face when you return after a hard day. Use an exterior eggshell, or specialist uPVC paint for secure adhesion, protection from the weather and long-lasting good looks.

Begin at the edges of the door so that they have the longest time to dry, they’re likely to stick and spoil if the door is shut before the paint has had a chance to harden, even if it appears to be dry. Then move on to the moulding around any panels or glass, then to the panels themselves. When complete, work on the horizontal rails and finish with the vertical rails. Working in this order will help to avoid ‘tide lines’ in the paintwork. Take your time between coats and make sure each one is fully dry before you start the next. Complete the new look with a stylish knocker.

Capture Collection flooring in Painted Oak White, £37.99 per sq m, Quick-Step

Rust-Oleum matt finish furniture paint in Graphite, £18.99 per 750ml; Rust-Oleum chalky floor paint in Graphite, £38.99 per 2.5L, The Range

12 Sometimes the answer to a new look is right under your feet. Laminate Focus on the footsie plank flooring can be installed over a weekend, especially with a pair of helping hands. Whichever flooring you choose will come with its own set of instructions, but there are tips worth keeping in mind before you start.

Begin by opening all the boxes and mix up the planks you’ve bought. There can sometimes be subtle variations in colour between boxes and this will help to avoid an obvious change in your finished floor. It’s also a great opportunity to arrange your planks so that you don’t lay identical designs next to one another, which can spoil the effect. It’s tempting to start by laying your first line against the wall, but you can’t rely on walls to be straight. Begin your first line of planks a little way away from the wall, then work towards it for a neater look.

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