PROJECTS YOU CAN FINISH IN A WEEKEND
Afinished home DIY or makeover project done well is a very satisfying thing that makes your home look great and you feel good. But it doesn’t need to be all or nothing.
There are plenty of projects, from quick maintenance to creative builds that are small enough to knock off in a weekend but big enough to make a big impact on how you view and use your home.
Here’s a list of projects you can start without fear they’ll be hanging over your head for weeks.
Paint the front door
A bold-coloured front door is a simple way to add dramatic appeal to your house. Doors in bright, saturated hues such as orange Resene Trinidad, Resene Guardsman Red or Resene Buttercup yellow are all the rage and will really pop against trim in a bright white such as Resene Alabaster. Or go deep with charcoal Resene Dune.
Use a gloss paint, such as Resene Enamacryl, to really make the front door colour pop. And if you are opting for a dark colour, choose a Resene CoolColourTM to help reflect more heat.
Make an entrance
A grand entranceway isn’t always feasible in our townhouses, apartments and bungalows, with exterior doors that tend to open directly into hallways and even living areas. However, with some creative use of paint, you can create a corner or even a simple section of wall to bring order to coats, umbrellas and muddy shoes that tend to congregate at entranceways.
Paint planters in bold colours using Resene testpots to add some eye-catching colour. If you’re painting terracotta pots, seal them inside and out in Resene Aquapel & Terracotta Sealer before applying topcoats – this will help to protect the paintwork from the water.
Paint the kitchen cabinets
With a bit of prep, repainting kitchen cupboards - even those coated in melamine - can give your kitchen a new lease of life in a couple of days. Plus it’s much cheaper and more sustainable than a full kitchen re-fit.
Remove doors and drawer fronts you’re repainting, then remove any handles. Prep and seal the surface then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel, allowing to dry between coats. If you have melamine cupboards and drawers, apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Sealer Surface after cleaning. This will help the topcoats to stick to the smooth surface.
Create a feature wall
If painting a whole room feels a bit daunting for a weekend project, how about adding a feature wall?
Choose a wall that is going to draw the eye when you walk into it; it might be behind the bed or couch, or surrounding a feature window, for example.
A wallpapered feature wall can be a fast way to add a bold design or even a theme to an otherwise simply decorated space. For a Bridgerton-style stately home effect try a bold floral like Resene Pip Studio 5 Wallpaper Collection E300114 or a mid-century modern geometric Resene Bold Wallpaper Collection E395806.
Create a wall feature
If you like the colour scheme of your room but wonder if it needs a little something extra, how about painting an eye-catching design or geometric pattern on the walls?
For more organic shapes, experiment on paper first then trace your outline on the wall or cut out stencils. Adding stencil shapes that are painted out in Resene FX Blackboard Paint, or Resene FX Chalkboard Paint is a quick project to liven up a child’s bedroom or even a home office.
To add texture rather than just colour to the walls, add painted battens, or even panels of ply or mdf cut to geometric shapes.
Other quick weekend DIY projects:
• Paint your mailbox a bold colour using Resene Lumbersider.
• Rejuvenate a piece of old furniture by painting it in Karen Walker Chalk Colour paint and wax from Resene ColorShops. Desks, chairs, stools and drawers are all easy to paint, and can add personality and bursts of colour to any room.
• Repaint window sashes and skirting boards with Resene Lustacryl. It’s amazing how a refresh of trims in a room can give it new life.
• Create a gallery wall. Repaint some old picture or mirror frames in a mix of shapes and sizes using Resene testpots and hang a collection of your favourite art, or photos.
See the Resene DIY projects gallery for more project ideas, www.resene.co.nz/projects, and visit your local Resene ColorShop for everything you need to get your DIY project underway.