Choc-full of ideas
Easter is almost upon us and, for many it’s a time for family, food and far too much chocolate. But to others, the four-day break signals the start of DIY season. If you’d rather not spend your holiday knee-deep in paint and power tools, there are plenty of smaller jobs you can take on that will have a real impact while leaving plenty of time for hunting egg-laying bunnies and scoffing chocolate.
TIME-SAVING TILING
Tiling. Pah. What a chore, especially when you must strip the existing tiles. But did you know you can tile straight over the top of them?
As long as they are in good condition, even and can take the weight of the new tiles, you can simply lay them on top.
The key colour palettes for the bathroom this season are all about neutrals – whites, greys and cool fawn. These go hand in hand with bright pops of colour brought in using towels, mats and other accessories.
A QUARTER OF THE EFFORT
Feature walls are well and truly back. And what a great way to breathe new life and vibrancy into a room.
Pick a colour to complement your existing scheme or go for bold patterns. Feature walls can completely transform the entire look and feel of your living space – with a quarter of the effort.
When deciding which wall you want to draw attention to, you should bear in mind where it may lead the eye – avoid the one that leads across to the view of next door’s wild jungle of a garden or sits in front of the overflowing built-in storage.
You could choose the fireside wall – painting the surface that protrudes, go for the largest wall that’s free from blockages or opt for an area where the dining table is placed. On-trend wallpaper this season includes florals, feathers and foil damask.
WHAT AN ENTRANCE
Create a home that welcomes you in by re-decorating your hallway.
It might sound a time-consuming task but as long as it’s flat and free from creases, you needn’t strip the paper completely.
If you like to frequently change the look of your home, opt for paintable wallpaper which you can re-paint whenever you wish. Key colours to consider here include yellow – which ranges from deep mustard to pale butters – vibrant emerald, pale blue and greenery, though if your hallway is relatively small or features little light, you should opt for the lighter on-trend tones, such as mushroom, stone white or taupe.
For added impact, and where you don’t wish to replace the flooring, you could also add a runner.
KING OF THE KERB
Making over your door can demand as little as a few hours from the first rubdown to the last lick of paint.
Eye catching, heritage colours are still top of the favourites list: duck egg blue, grey, deep green, bright yellow and olive green. Couple your freshly painted door with a few extra touches for plenty of kerb appeal.
You could also buy some planters, hot wash your drive, mow your lawn if you have one, add hanging baskets or topiary balls to frame the door and scrub down and wash your windows.
CURTAIN CALL
If you have traditional curtains, changing the pelmet can completely transform their look.
Choosing a contrasting colour can introduce interest, while switching from gathered or detailed pelmets to a smooth, featureless pelmet track can also update the look from traditional to contemporary.
LESLEY Taylor is the author of 10 interior design books and has appeared on a range of network TV shows, including This Morning, giving inspirational advice on home styling. See lesleytaylor. co.uk