Refresh your home instantly with these 30 DIY hacks

Simple tasks that will transform your home

Does your home have bare white walls, unloved corners, a lack of storage or furniture in need of TLC? If so, there's no need to go on a spending spree because you can fix a huge amount around the house with basic tools and materials. You won't even have to step outside your door – all you need is a little inspiration and some spare time. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Hang an internal door

Replacing doors can give any room a new look. Before you start, consider what kind of door you need. If you choose to hang your doors so that they open into a room, will there be enough space for your furniture? Decide if it'll be hung on the left or the right and what style is best. Glazed doors improve light levels while solid doors are good for minimising noise from adjoining rooms.

Stencil your bathroom tiles

Turn plain white tiles (or any other colour for that matter) into mini works of art with a stencil. You can either repeat at regular intervals for a wallpaper effect or just do a few to liven up a tiled panel. Or if you're feeling really creative, use two or three paint shades instead of sticking to one.

Wallpaper a small spot

A leftover roll of a stunning wallpaper lends itself well to livening up any alcoves, nooks or even a downstairs bathroom or toilet. Try a bold pattern, such as this banana leaf wallpaper, or any offcuts you have to hand – just pick a single, suitable wall and get pasting. Don't worry if you don't have enough for a full drop – accessories and shelving can be used to distract the eye from joins. 

Create a unique coat rack

Making this stylish coat rack couldn't be easier – just find a fairly straight branch, ensure it's dry and free from rot, slick on some weatherproof paint, then add some butcher's hooks and hang using some old leather or canvas straps. 

Hang a gallery wall

Whether you have acres of wall space or just a special spot, a gallery wall is a great way to fill them. Gather favourite photos, pictures and treasured mementos, lay them out on the floor to work out the best configuration and just get hanging. We love this idea from @hitchandcord, which combines lots of different objects alongside the art.

Freshen up your patio

If the winter weather has left your garden table and chairs less than inviting, this vibrant makeover idea by @solaris100 is the antidote. Just outline sections of the tabletop with painter's tape and use different coloured spray paints to create a rainbow effect. Complete your outdoor dining space by spraying the backs of the chairs in a single shade.

Make your own planters

Trendy terrazzo is a simple way to add colour to planters – all you need is a couple of paintbrushes and some paint. Start by using your finger to draw back the bristles of a paintbrush to speckle paint across the primed, white surface, let dry, then use a smaller brush to dab coloured blobs in different shapes and sizes to mimic a terrazzo design. Finish by sealing with a layer of clear varnish or protective spray.

Transform a cabinet

Need somewhere to stash your clutter? Turn a plain wooden cabinet into a statement piece – just swap the handles for slim, elegant bars, paint the legs and add simple stripes or a bold stain. This IKEA hack by Instagrammer @all_things_interior_ makes a stylish place to store everything from books to odds and ends.

Paint a floor

If your floor has seen better days, painting it can be an easy way to revamp it and you don't even need to do the whole thing. Try painting squares to create a chequerboard pattern – just mark each one out with painter's tape, paint, and once dry, finish with a durable lacquer to help it withstand wear and tear.

Paint a dado rail

It's rare to find dado or picture rails in newer homes but that doesn't mean going without their decorative potential. If fitting one feels like a big step, try painting one – use masking tape to mark out a sharp line and choose a bold colour. Then add a darker shade below it to give the room some definition. 

Brighten doors with washi tape

Washi tape – often colourful or patterned tape that doesn't leave any residue behind when you remove it – is beloved by scrapbookers and crafters but it's also a fast way to add personality to your home. Try outlining the panels on doors in contrasting shades for a low-cost, high-impact effect, like this project by @heneddyhouse.

Create a tester pot feature wall

If you're clearing out the garage, don't throw away all those tester pots. Instead, use them to get creative with colour – just mark out a pattern or shapes with masking tape and get painting all the colours of the rainbow. This space uses a neutral earthy colour for the majority of the squares, so the brighter shades in blue, pink and orange can really shine, but you could apply the same principles with any colours you have lying around.

Do dining table découpage

A scratched top doesn't mean your table is destined for the scrapheap. Instead, upcycle it and give it a new lease of life découpage-style like this bright, floral makeover by Pillar Box Blue. All you need to do is clean and sand the top so it's smooth, then paste wallpaper onto it, wrapping around the edges. Finish by coating in clear varnish to protect it from future wear and tear. 

Perk up a chest of drawers

Perhaps you've been hanging on to a roll of wallpaper in case of wall damage or the pattern was so pretty you couldn't bring yourself to throw it away? Now is the time to use it – it's ideal for pasting onto furniture. Applied to the sides of drawers, like @crazywonderfulblog has, it gives a surprise pop of colour every time they're opened.

Make your own herb planters

Bring the outside in no matter how small the space by constructing wall planters – perfect for everything from houseplants to herbs. All you'll need is some wooden crates, a memo board, strips of leather (an old belt might do), a utility knife and some rivets.

Makeover dining chairs with maps

Think about your favourite places around the world every time you sit down for dinner by adding maps to old wooden chairs. All you need to do is clean them and paste on your selection of maps using PVA glue. If possible, take the chairs apart first for a crisp finish. Once they're dry, apply clear varnish, allow for a second bout of drying time and then reassemble. These school chairs were given their makeover by Pillar Box Blue.

Put up some shelves

Spare spots of space are hiding all around our homes – in alcoves and awkward corners or above tables, wardrobes and beds. Maximise them with shelving, whether it's for display or simply to free up some floor area. These slim floating shelves by @numberonethreeseven manage to tick both boxes for elegance and practicality.

Build a pallet loveseat

Making your own outdoor seating is easier than you think – this comfy bench for two was made in only a few hours from three wooden pallets and you can paint it in any colour you like. Just stack, drill, screw and then you're free to decorate it with a seat pad and cushions.

Repair your walls

Superficial cracks in the paintwork and holes left behind by pictures can all make your pristine walls look a bit shabby. Covering them with a picture is one option but a better one is to fill them in. All you'll need is water, filler, such as Polyfilla, and a scraper, plus matching paint to touch up with once the repair is dry.

Spray-paint a bed frame

Metal bed frames typically come in black or plain metal but armed with a can of spray paint they can be so much more. Try bringing some bling into your boudoir by painting yours in a metallic shade. Just disassemble, spray the parts on one side, leave to dry, then paint the other side, like blogger It All Started With Paint has done here.

Transform your shed

A lick of paint, shelving, cushions and a little imagination is all it takes to turn a humble shed into a cosy garden hideaway. Start by picking a theme or thinking about how you'd like to spend your time in it, then get creative. This vintage tea shed scooped the budget category in Cuprinol's Shed of the Year 2019 competition and was transformed for less than £100 ($124).

Add a small home office

Working from home loses some of its sparkle when you're stuck at the kitchen table day after day. Be creative and look at underused closet space in your house and size it up as a potential workspace. Even a cupboard or wardrobe can easily become your new office, like @goldalamode's closet. Just remove the cupboard doors, stick up some removable wallpaper, add lighting and slot in your desk.

Add pantry storage for dry goods

Kitchen cupboards can become a mess of half-opened packs of pasta and cereal. Decanting dry foods into glass storage jars and labelling each jar is a smart move – not only will you be able to see clearly what's in stock, but maximising the space you have will become much easier. You can even add some risers to make full use of the height of a shelf.

Spruce up your homeworking station

The beauty of working from home means that your office can be anything you want it to be. Try adding storage, swap your desk for a sleek table and add as many shelves as you need. This wonderful workstation by designers and DIYers @kcdesignco makes full use of its asymmetrical shelving with plants, lighting, artwork and stacks of books to create a stylish yet functional desk space.

Make a cold frame

The spring and early summer is the best time to grow your own and sow plenty of fruit and vegetable seeds, and a cold frame is the best chance they'll have of making it to your plate. These could be made from any old windows or doors you may have in the garage, but they can also be made with clear plastic too. Use any sort of scrap wood, make it hinged or fixed and in any size you like. This one posted by Instagrammer @my.little.farm.blog uses old glazed doors.

Add a shower screen

Give your bathroom a fresh look by swapping a grubby enclosure for a sleek new screen. Thanks to the popularity of Crittall-style windows and partitions, black-framed shower panels are widely available and often a DIY job. This gorgeous example can be fitted with just a drill, screwdriver, saw and sealant.

Personalise your staircase

It's time to up your flooring game. An ombré effect (or if you're feeling brave, rainbow hues) on staircase risers is a playful way to inject colour into an often-neglected area. Even better, they're a great way to use up tester pots. Apply painter's tape to keep the lines of each section crisp, make sure the brushstrokes are all in the same horizontal direction and add a protective lacquer to protect them from scuffs.

Make instant picture frames

If your pinboard is full of inspirational images, or you have photos in need of frames, turn to the DIYer's favourite, washi tape. Not only does it mean there'll be no unsightly holes left behind when you take pictures down or move them around, but you can create different shapes and layers with the tape for a gallery worth gazing at, like this one by Design Sponge.

Build bin storage

Everyone has a neglected spot in their outdoor space, and this project could smarten the whole thing up. Leftover decking or old pallets can be used to construct a home for your wheelie bin or recycling caddies, and they're fairly simple to make. Just remember to add a lid that lifts, and a door at the front or you won't be able to take your wheelie bin out when you need to.

Paint a door or a frame

For a quick injection of colour, look beyond your walls at your woodwork, such as skirting boards, window frames and doors. Door frames lend themselves well to a dash of dark colour, so go beyond the usual neutrals and choose colour combos such as graphite greys, indigo blues and emerald greens to really make an entrance.

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