8 great bank holiday updates Easy home projects you can do in a day

Make the most of the long weekends to come with these handy home improvement ideas that can be done in a day

Earthy terracotta shades complement leafy planting.

1 Revamp an outdoor dining area

Now’s the time to get your alfresco eating space looking its best. Painting the wall in masonry paint offers an easy way to add uplifting and durable colour to exterior brickwork and stone, to transform even the smallest of outside spaces.

Wall painted in Ashes of Roses 6 Exterior Intelligent Masonry Paint, £71 for 5L; table painted in Phthalo Green 199; chair painted in Dorchester Pink 213, both Intelligent Exterior Eggshell, £73.50 for 2.5L, all Little Greene

2 Transform an empty wall

Gallery walls can comprise of more than prints – introduce decorative plates for a unique display. Arrange your plates on the floor first, before hanging on your wall. Keep larger pieces near the bottom so the arrangement doesn’t feel top-heavy. You can find sprung plate hangers and nail-free adhesive discs in a variety of sizes online. Ercol Teramo dressing table, £785; stool, £195, both Feather & Black. Find similar plates at Emma Bridgewater and Creative Tops

3 Update a sideboard

Bring tired storage to life with a vibrant ombré-effect makeover. Settle on four different shades of the same colour, block out four equal areas with masking tape and paint each in a shade, working from darkest to lightest. Paints, from a selection, Dulux. Find a similar sideboard at Ikea and similar print at Papier ➺

4 Install a splashback

Show your kitchen a little love by fitting a new glass splashback. Featuring a simple ‘peel, stick and seal’ installation process, Splashback’s designs come in a choice of colourful shades and patterns.

House Beautiful Champagne Splashback, from £150, Splashback

5 Make a lampshade

A handmade shade will add a bespoke touch to any room. Fabric drum styles are straightforward to make and there are plenty of kits available online. When choosing the right fabric, repeat patterns in linen or cotton are highly effective options. Lampshade in Shibori Light Duck Egg Forget-me-not fabric; curtains in Japonica Indigo fabric, both £59 a m, Vanessa Arbuthnott

6 Create a vertical indoor garden

Let greenery guide the way with this feelgood update. Affix racks, shelves or hooks to your wall to provide plants with the perfect climbing frame. For a no-maintenance finish, invest in a variety of faux greenery. Fjällbo shelving unit, £45; faux and real plants, from a selection, all Ikea. Find similar wall racks at Patch Plants and Elho

7 Add a splash of colour

Instead of picking a flat feature wall, look to less conventional areas to add personality. Painting a window nook in a cheerful shade will bring depth to a room without overwhelming it.

Wall painted in Cream White; window nook painted in Mustard Jar, both Easyclean Matt Emulsion, from £25 for 2.5L, Crown. Find similar armchairs and cushions at Dunelm and similar stool at Maisons du Monde

8 Zone a home office

Hanging a memo board above a desk or table is a quick and easy way to define a designated work space, as well as providing practical and decorative storage. Wire, mesh and pegboard designs are fun and eye-catching alternatives to conventional cork.

Peg-it-all Little Pegboard Wall-mounted Storage Panel in Natural, £95, Kreisdesign. Find similar desk at Swoon or Made.com. Original 1227 Mini Desk Lamp by Anglepoise in Dove Grey, £165, Heal’s. Find similar chair at Habitat and similar rug at La Redoute