‘I revamped my house with DIY hacks’

style idea V o i l e c u r t a i n s a l l o w s u n l i g h t t o s t r e a m t h r o u g h w h i l e p r o v i d i n g p r i v a c y

M y s t o r y

I randomly came across this house one day during a routine Zoopla search. It seemed to tick all my boxes – it had a couple of bedrooms, outside space, and was in a good location – so I booked a viewing right away. I knew as soon as I walked in that it had the potential to be the vibrant and happy home that I had envisaged creating for my family. It was a little outdated on the inside, but nothing that a lick of fresh paint and some DIY know-how couldn’t fix.

Thankfully, my offer was accepted – that was the easy part. Getting a mortgage, on the other hand, was a nightmare. It was an incredibly stressful period, particularly as my son Benjamin was only a baby at the time, but it was well worth it. We bought the property from a family, and when we eventually got the keys, they had left us some lovely gifts. It just confirmed that we had done the right thing in choosing this as our home – it’s the one thing I’ll never regret spending so much money on.

The interior needed a lot of love, and I knew I had my work cut out for me. There was dated wallpaper, cheap flooring, and some colour clashes bright enough to give you a headache. However, I’ve decorated room by room and filled the space with bright colours, fun prints, and oodles of personality. I’ve lived in lots of houses in my life, and now I finally feel settled.

A BIT ABOUT ME

I’m Robyn Duffy, 28, an advanced nurse practitioner. I live here with my children, Benjamin, six, and Madeleine, three. I post about my interior journey on Instagram @colourfulcastlebank.

WHERE I LIVE

My home is a two-bedroom 1950s semi in Cupar, Fife, Scotland. I’ve lived here for five years.

WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE

Pretty much everything! It was very basic with some odd colour clashes that used to drive me crazy.

HOW I MADE IT MY OWN

I’ve got creative with colour and painted the rooms in sunny, happy tones and decorated with second-hand bargains and on-trend buys from the high street. For me, it was about creating a home I could be proud of and telling my children that mummy did it by herself.

MY FAVOURITE PART

Either the gold leaf ceiling or my gold sink and tap, both of which are in the bathroom. The sink isn’t the most practical with toothpaste marks but it’s amazing regardless.

W e l c o m e t o m y h o m e

‘All of the living room furniture is either second-hand buys or family hand-me-downs, including the beautiful solid oak coffee table’

‘My mum gave me a few posters and it started the whole gallery wall obsession. Since then, I’ve always looked out for unique prints and frames. As soon as I walk through my front door, I see all these amazing prints I’ve collected that show off the house’s quirkiness.’ Robyn buys bargain frames for her gallery wall from TK Maxx and local photography shops before upcycling them with spray paint

Hallway

‘ This was by far the worst room in the house. It had a laminate floor, but red carpet running up the stairs and bright yellow walls. When I was around 30 weeks pregnant with Maddie, I had a surge of hormones and, in a tantrum, painted the walls grey to hide the yellow as I’d had enough of looking at it. It was only a couple of months later that I ripped the carpet out and repainted again – this time with much more success!’

How to shop for second-hand furniture

Buy preloved for quality pieces at a pocket-friendly price

Know what you’re looking for, and the specification. If it’s a unit you’re after, have the space you plan on putting it in measured before hitting the shops. Note your doorway measurements, too, to ensure the piece you buy will fit through, and think about any additional practicalities, such as specific material requirements.

Use websites such as Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay to search for furnishings. You can set notifications on eBay, so that when something is listed that matches your criteria, you’ll be notified.

Search local charity shops and reclamation yards. Take a tape measure with you and be sure to thoroughly check the quality of the item. Also, make sure any furnishings that should have fire labels on do.

‘The bust vase was a gift from the amazing Lesley @mannequin_credence. She makes some amazing things and this vase is one of my favourite pieces in the house’ ‘When I was growing up, teatimes were very family-orientated – it was a time to catch up with each other at the table with no phones. I’m so grateful for it and now I try to do the same with my children. I’m a nurse so I often work at Christmas. A job change has meant I’ll be off this year, and I can’t wait. It’s always very busy, but great fun with the kids! Christmas Eve is normally a panic to wrap and lay everything out, but on the day itself it’s all about getting together over food. My mum is a fantastic cook, so I’ve learnt a thing or two. I love going bold with my Christmas décor – the brighter the better – and, of course, this means a colourful table setting.’

‘My table and chairs were a steal from Facebook Marketplace that I upcycled using a hot pink colour from Frenchic Paint. My tablecloth is from Eleanor Bowmer, who I am obsessed with, and the rug is another total bargain from George Home. I got the IKEA Kallax unit when I was 16 and living on my own, and I’ve kept it all this time. Earlier this year, I decided to make doors for it to hide the kids’ toys that were scattered all over the room. I finished it off with lilac paint and new handles from Zara Home. I absolutely love it now – it’s a proper statement piece. The wall panelling is painted in Copper Blush by Dulux’

‘Painting this wavy line around the door frame was a total impulse move but I love it. I’d seen other people doing the same on Instagram so I thought I’d give it a go. I wanted something that would stand out against the white wall and this lilac definitely does that. I loved it so much I painted the radiators in the same shade, too. The basket from B&M makes a perfect plant pot’

‘I used one of the kids’ bowls to create the scallop wall mural. It’s personal, and suits them both without being overly babyish or too grown-up. I’ll be sad the day they ask me to change it’. Robyn bought the bunk bed, originally from IKEA, secondhand for just £20. She upcycled it by adding slats to the bottom bunk, so the mattress was raised from the floor, and refreshed it with a lick of paint from Frenchic

‘The floor was a steal at £40 from Flooring Superstore, and I shopped around for the bath, taps, sink and toilet. My plumber accidentally broke the shower and then got a new one – it’s even better than before so no complaints there!’

Bathroom

‘ The bathroom transformation was a bit of a nightmare, due to poor planning. It’s such a small room, I just wanted to change the toilet position to make more space, but it all escalated to the point where the only element of the room not being updated, due to budget limitations, was the tiles. I shopped high and low for a counter for the sink. I ended up getting a bit of kitchen countertop for free that I cut down to size and sealed – I then bought legs for it, too. The ceiling was originally white gloss wood panels – not my style. I couldn’t afford to replace it, so I decided to try gold-leafing it. It was the longest and hardest task I’ve done yet, but totally worth it.’

Kids' bedroom

‘When I swapped bedrooms with the kids, and this room became theirs, I bought a second-hand bunk bed to really maximise the space. Because it’s an attic-style room, of sorts, it isn’t very big, so I had to be smart when sourcing furnishings. Originally, the room was just white, but that soon changed. Benjamin wanted green and Madeleine wanted pink, so I tried to incorporate pops of both colours to keep them happy.’

What I learned

Give yourself a contingency fund as part of your budget – there will always be unexpected costs along the way.

Try not to cut corners. I can be a bit impatient and I could have slowed down some steps for a better finish.

I also learned how to impress my granddad! He is the DIY king and often helps me with tasks around the house.