PROJECTS YOU CAN FINISH IN A WEEKEND

From painting your letterbox to creating a feature wall, these small DIY projects can have a big impact on how you view your home.

Afinished makeover project done well is a very satisfying thing, but it doesn’t need to be all or nothing. You may want to completely redo a bedroom, but if time and budget don’t allow, a repaint of the skirting or a piece of furniture will give the space a dramatic lift and can be done easily in a day or two. There are other projects 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

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 or deep green Resene Zuccini.

Prep the door, then prime with Resene Quick Dry. Paint with two coats of your chosen colour, allowing two hours for paint to dry between coats. Once the second coat is dry, rehang the door. Use a gloss paint, such as Resene Enamacryl, to really make the front door colour pop.

Make an entrance

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.

If your exterior door is at the end of the long hallway, you could paint out the whole metre or so of both walls, floor and even ceiling around the door to give the illusion of a foyer. Add plants, a mat as well as storage for all those items of clothing that are last on and first off when you’re coming in or out.

Paint the kitchen cabinets

With a bit of prep, re-painting 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, drawer fronts and handles. Prep the surface then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl semigloss waterborne enamel, and allow 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? 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 design like Resene Bold Wallpaper Collection E395806.

Other quick weekend DIY projects:

• Paint your mailbox a bold colour.

• Paint a piece of furniture.

• Create a wall feature.

• Repaint window sashes and skirting boards.

• 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.

Create a corner your fur baby can call its own. The walls are in Resene Coast and floor in Resene Half Chicago, outlined doghouse is in Resene Half Athens Grey with a door in Resene Armadillo and dog bed exterior in Resene Half Athens Grey and interior in Resene Coast. Wall hooks and coat pegs in Resene Alabaster Resene Alamo and Resene Nero. Stencilled paws in Resene Alamo and Resene Half Athens Grey. Bed fabric from James Dunlop Textiles. Project by Greer Clayton, image by Bryce Carleton.

Create a warm welcome with a brightly coloured front door painted in Resene Turbo. Weatherboards in Resene Triple Concrete, trim in Resene Black White, bench in Resene Tuna, pots (from left) in Resene Silver Chalice and Resene Nocturnal and the house number is Resene Silver Chalice. The doormat has been painted with a pattern in Resene Tuna. Door from Corinthian Doors, light from Lighting Direct. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton.

Add colour to your bedroom with a headboard painted in (from left) Resene Tide, Resene Tussock, Resene Nepal, Resene Americano and Resene Smooth Operator. Walls in Resene Triple Merino, floor in Resene Merino, bedside tables in Resene Tide and Resene Nepal. Duvet and bedlinen from Citta, blue cushion from Adairs. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Melanie Jenkins.

Refresh old furniture with a new Resene paint colour. Table painted in Resene Jailbreak, wall in Resene Bluetooth, floor in Resene Alabaster, hooks in Resene Wishing Well, Resene Noir and Resene Japonica, vase and bowl in Resene Wishing Well, tealight holder in Resene Bluetooth and hexagon vase in Resene Japonica. Artwork from Pop Motif. Project by Vanessa Nouwen, image by Melanie Jenkins.