‘we took the plunge and fitted a cloakroom’

Budget buys and a little creative thinking allowed Elizabeth, 30, to create a welcoming entrance, complete with a vital new loo

Despite a small budget, Elizabeth O’reilly made clever use of the space in her new-look hallway

After my partner, Helio, and i bought this house in 2014, we spent a couple of years updating the rooms,’ says elizabeth. ‘we were delighted when all that stood between us and a finished home was a rather shabby hall.

However, limited upstairs space meant we had never resolved the issue of how to include a cloakroom – something I was keen on. So, when a friend suggested our hall as an ideal location for a compact second WC, we decided to go for it.

Making plans

The idea was to utilise the under-stairs area and, although I was sceptical at first, once the cupboard was clutter-free, I could see that it might just work. When I spotted some modular units, it clinched the deal, as it meant the entire suite cost just £500! Tapping into the kitchen’s water supply, plus the close proximity of the main external soil pipe, meant no drainage or pipe works.

I went for a pale grey shade throughout, with a darker tonal stair wall to add interest. The coordinating grey-washed laminate flooring is best for cleaning off muddy footprints. Helio laid the floor himself, which turned out to be easy as the boards clicked together. However, we had the stair and landing carpets professionally fitted.

For continuity, the grey scheme was extended into the cloakroom. We saved money by recycling marble tiles left over from our bathroom, which added a designer look to our budget suite.

Getting organised

With most of the work complete, our focus turned to storage, but the custom unit we wanted was out of our price range. Luckily, Helio is a dab hand at DIY, so we came up with the idea of making our own from salvaged finds. I soon amassed an assortment of old drawers and crates. It

was then simply a matter of making a framework to fit. it took a while to come up with the right arrangement, but the result is fantastic – and best of all, it only cost us around £70, as we reused paint we already had from previous projects.

Creative bargains

i continued the recycling theme into the cloakroom, using a leftover drawer as a shelf and adding a second-hand cupboard that i customised with window film. For a bit of fun, i even persuaded Helio to agree to a painted chalkboard cloakroom wall.

it’s these more unusual personal touches that have really added character to the finished space. But we both agree it’s the cloakroom we’re most proud of – i don’t know how we ever managed without it!’ like us on facebook.com/ styleathomemag and see our latest videos, house tours and decorating tips.

‘if you have limited space, use masking tape to mark on the floor where furniture or fittings will go, so you can visualise the layout’