4 fab projects for a long weekend
A three-day weekend is the perfect time to take on a mini project and we’ve got four fantastic ideas to inspire you, from this kids’ under-stairs playroom to trendy DIY panelling
Step-by-step guides to panelling, a kids’ under-stairs playroom and more
1create an understairs p lay room
With a lick of paint and a little imagination, you can give a cluttered storage space a whole new lease of life over a long weekend. Bold colours and simple painted geometric shapes will transform an under-stairs cupboard into a snug hideaway for the kids, complete with a curtain they can pull across to make a den, and that keeps any clutter concealed when playtime is over for the day.
You will need
● Screwdriver
● Sandpaper and cleaning cloth
● Polycell Polyfilla
● Sugar soap and sponge
● Wall paint in three colours (pictured:
Dulux Easycare matt emulsion in White Cotton, Banana Split and Dusted Fondant)
● Wood paint (pictured: Dulux quick dry satinwood in Pebble Shore)
● Stirring stick
● Small roller and tray
● Paintbrushes
● Tape measure and pencil
● String and chalk or metal rule
● Masking tape
For the curtain
● Lightweight fabric
● Sewing machine and cotton or needle and thread
● Plastic-coated curtain wire with two hooks and eyes
Method Day 1
1 Start by clearing the space and removing any cupboard doors, including the hinges. Sand the woodwork and use Polycell Polyfilla to fill any cracks or holes in the surfaces you’re painting. Leave the filler to dry then gently sand to smooth. Wipe all surfaces with sugar soap to remove dust and grease and leave to dry. Next, give the inside of the cupboard a coat of White Cotton emulsion and allow to dry.
2 Mark up your shapes on the wall using string and chalk or a metal rule then mask off the first shape. Seal the inside edges of the masking tape by painting over them with White Cotton, allow to dry and fill in with your first colour, using a small roller or paintbrush as you prefer. Leave to dry.
Day 2
3 Remove the tape from the first shape, then mask off the next one and repeat with the second colour. Leave to dry.
4 Remove the tape from the second shape, then mask off the final one and repeat with the third colour. Allow to completely dry, then remove the tape.
5 Finish by painting any woodwork that needs a touch up and allow to dry. This may need a second coat. Day 3
6 To make the curtain, measure the tallest and shortest sides of the opening and add 8cm to each measurement (add a little more if you’d like your curtain to drape on the floor). Measure the width of the opening and add half this amount again. Cut your fabric to size, ensuring that the sloping edge at the top is angled correctly on the right side of the fabric.
7 Sew the sides of the curtain with a 2cm rolled hem to hide the raw edges. Repeat along the bottom edge of the curtain. Iron and then sew a 1cm hem along the top of the curtain. Now fold the fabric over at the top to create a 2cm wide tube with the seam on the reverse, iron and sew in place.
8 Cut a piece of plastic-coated curtain wire to fit the width of the opening. Thread through the tube at the top of your curtain and secure in the opening using the two hooks and eyes. If using slippery fabric you may need to make a curtain tie to hold the curtain open; just add a screw-in cup hook to the inside of the tallest side of your cupboard to secure.
9 You’re ready to accessorise! For similar shallow shelves try the MALMBACK display shelf in White, £5, IKEA. You might like to add a magnetic board, a string of batteryoperated LED lights and of course plenty of cushions and blankets to keep the kids cosy.