Easy DIY tricks you can complete this bank holiday

This year, bank holidays will have a very different feel; but one thing will never change (as it has done for time imemmorial) is that we can attempt to tackle those jobs we’ve been avoiding for ages… From painting and wallpapering, to reconfiguring your space or simply adding a few stylish new touches around the home, be inspired to spruce up your rooms with our easy-to-achieve ideas. And don’t forget to share your achievements with family and friends, documenting your efforts with a quick ‘snap and share’ moment. 

Turn your bank holiday efforts to creating a hardworking space rather than a dumping ground. Fix a handy peg rail with a shelf above, ideal for keeping everyday essentials on: you’ll just need the basic of toolkits – a cable/pipe detector, drill, suitable fixings and a spirit level. Don’t let the number of coats and shoes mount up though – a weekly edit should do the trick. 

Hanging a large mirror in your hall will reflect available light and space. Finally, unroll a colourful rug, drawing attention to your newly organised area.

Fed up of working from home on the sofa? Be productive this bank holiday and turn a corner of your living room into that much-needed home office. The latest desks are far from corporate in style, with elegant legs and decorative details, which when teamed with an upholstered chair means your new spot will work with – rather than against – your room.

Fit a set of wall shelves above a desk: String Pocket Shelves are ideal as they provide just enough space for essentials, and there are only four screws to fix, so you can be styling your stationery on them in under an hour. A hanging planter will help soften the look.

Make off-the-peg freestanding pieces – like a shelving unit – look bespoke with a few clever tricks – all easily achievable. Try painting the wall it’s against in the same colour as your unit, extending its presence. Or if your unit has cubby holes, paint different blocks of colour on the wall behind allowing pieces on the shelves to really pop.

For a no-DIY update, rearrange your shelves. Break up a run of books with a few hero vases or houseplants, arrange the books by spine colour or stack flat in piles rather than standing upright. Move a comfortable chair nearer to your bookcase, making a quiet corner for a little ‘me time’, which, of course, calls for a new cushion purchase – or two!

Why not paint just a section of your walls rather than the whole room? This will still allow plenty of time to style the space and sit back and appreciate your efforts. Go for a darker shade on the lower half of your living room walls, helping give the space height.

Mark and measure first – you want a block of colour that is above or below the height of any furniture, like your sofa, as this will help create visual interest. Use low-tack masking tape to give a crisp line, taking any colour down to the skirting board. Restyle side tables and bring in a new pendant light to draw attention to your makeover.

As with painting, adding wallpaper to one wall rather than the whole room is a great first-time project. If this is your first attempt, choose a ditsy or abstract design that’s easier to pattern match, being more forgiving along the joins than a bold geometric design, while a paste-the-wall design is quicker and less messy than traditional paste-the-wallpapers, and you'll need less in your tool kit.