DIY Room on a Budget

DestinyGamer

I want a small project to do at the weekends so I've decided rather than pick up another hobby which would cost a small fortune to start I'd try looking after my home.

I love antique shops, charity shops etc and I'm quite handy with sewing and a paintbrush. So I'm gonna start on my Bedroom first. I'm not sure what the budget should be yet. I guess that will be determined once I know what I want to do. I just know I don't want to buy anything else off of Amazon. I don't want flat pack either. 

My gaming room is very much "Look at what I can buy off the internet". It's a bit sterile tbh. I want my bedroom to be personal, comfortable and a haven. 

Have you ever undertaken a budget DIY? I'd love some ideas to get me started. The best ways to plan and websites that may help me visualise the end result so I have a goal to look at. 

I'll try and keep this thread updated with pictures as I go ☺️

Wraithlady

I think you first need to work out what you want, how much space you have and how much you can afford.

What style are you hoping to achieve? Country cottage? 80's futuristic? Victorian men's club?

Then, how much work do you need to do to get started? Does it need to be replastered/damp dealt with/ just a good clean and a coat of paint? Are you keeping the carpet?  Any of your present furniture?

A quick, cheap uplift can be as easy as artwork on the walls (try Etsy/Folksy/Ebay or make your own) and soft furnishings

nimbo

Look on Pinterest for ideas. Be prepared to spend hours looking at thing you can’t afford or recreate. Before you find the gem that you love and is achievable. 

Then scout car boots and charity shops  for what you need. Xx

Monsternextdoor

This is going to be me in a few weeks I hope ! 

I have 2 Daughters who are like chalk and cheese and in the process of buying a house and I cannot wait to start doing the bedrooms up for them.

kevinpaul0001

I suggest you check on Pinterest for decorating ideas for your room. Make sure to make a plan before executing it.

deannagone

I went for a steam punk room for my 15 year old boy.  It sounds a bit weird but its kind of victorian/space age mixture.., so the room has a lovely victorian look carved wardrobe with drawers in the bottom and black metal hinges/drawer knobs (found it on ebay, exactly what I wanted). 

I used two huge stick on murals, one of the solar system which is quite dark on one wall and one a traditional world map on the facing wall (they take up most of the walls).  He has his computer and desk, (industrial style desk, dark wood and metal frame, was very reasonably priced).. 

I made a floor to ceiling shelving system out of dark stained wood shelving and black piping - this kind of thing  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255121163932?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3b6668069c:g:58IAAOSwPbJhPtFC&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsSg3Ye8yTWgOW7pmE1t838di%252B8C1ESR4cSrWZcWpu7MWcJpndE8xK4l4iSpfoexhFNCgLnsM21Ffs7EvNcrAmzsFQQToJmptng8fePK7BzSLcn5bd1wU4w2H5io%252BEsumJUl6TG2KACVvHWQyeJ0M2w6L8Mwakx4Rrz7USCbVAt7o6Wfde92EJQEf5QRh6HBXA0FE9VzMh6HhD%252BECsyXkF4%252Fx9JA%252FI9ViF01YzdbSE40XgHalfkAGdVhfvRhGWo0eHKcn66VH7KCnvuTIHfpQsZXhGJqR7%252B4PIfA58ifdyZXNTsyaHoaxbKZf14WYQylhSw9bLQkzU0NC4AKwdRVqDiojlmll%252BxWN4nAZeF2EQLPKgzq57wRjbbq134Ivfv7xQnp7ApuDxGAJzbQ4rWfLs8LJI93TeSZlx%252FMhxmg25m3ib%252BMrQyZQpnbBrb4HOeQuSrdoUury%252B%252FI4b5IhRnmS%252BovqT2VIQg%252BNMHNLTA7Roy4Yp0y72Ec7%252BxhzYPzUpG045CS5sw0fI%252B0YDdPuprXohCyx8yzdUIIl29kvlJ9zh2RK%252FlodB%252FQJL20bvyzqePn4Fdu8DzGhAsg00VUL4zjgspv7mbZ4NOn1mbltaxghMmRT5RWMw9tqoRwSw3299TVXMhjchGmt3ohLEuolUDxGxdtpBpgQ%252FX2yWsBY7XQ6P1RIcYTJy3hwuO%252BA54lV4nteTETKHXv0EKItG01FAwFxpxvnQAl8ufN4rDG7DAALcBFv4SEYDj9fHnmM69JqwEXyslLWqHLR%252Fbb81V8SHLKhA3LBI%252BrJUkdttdlQ0PQQ7KI8d84kFroTnbWCLhUwlphtwFiVrqJXQ68jfkh%252BwLM5eUJQ%253D%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524 . He's really into sci fi and game playing so on the shelves has gone a lot of his spaceship models. He also likes dinosaurs so its a really mixture which is what gave me the idea for the steam punk theme because a mixture of items from different ages is what its all about.

The walls are a light blue plain wallpaper. 

The room is my best ever lol.  Somehow it all goes together really well. its very individual and exactly what my son wanted even if he couldn't describe it to me lolol.  I am really not the designer type so was very lucky how this room just came together.  I doubt I'll ever be able to do another room as well as this one lol.

Looking at pininterest is a very good idea., try to get a concept based on what the user likes, might be a colour, might be an interest.

mrrightfirsttime

What a long link haha

Katiehound

Interior designers create mood boards for any  room they are redesigning.
That may be a way for you to start.
You collect paint samples, fabric swatches etc but the easiest way is probably to clip out pictures of the colours, furniture styles that you want and put them onto a large piece of card- or 2x4 hinged. You just add all the colours, wall paper samples , designs that you like and then a style will probably emerge. I assume Dulux etc still make paint charts and colour scheme designs in take away brochures? (haven't looked for ages!) and these are good to peruse. Yes, you can look at Pinterest but this way you have something tangible and can see it in sun light / artificial light .

Room schemes usually start from a favourite  point: a decorative item , a colour, length of material , picture etc.

 Always wise to see paint colours in situ because natural light makes a huge difference. If you need to keep anything in the room   such as the carpet then have a sample of it with you (could be messy!) or something the same colour so when you do go shopping you know what ever you chose will not clash. If you are starting from scratch that wont be relevant.

Another idea is to do a rough sketch of room, each wall on a different sheet of thin  card and paint with the colour you would like. Cheapo children's paint box colours will work or even 'old' matt paints or tester pots.  mark off doors & windows- You can then create a room and see how wall colours reflect.

If you have furniture to keep you can always use chalk paint (personally I hate it!!) or use water based silk / gloss to transform. Ronseal has a few ideas

Generally the cheapest way to transform a room is to paint the walls. You can have walls all different colours, or different hues. It is easy enough to make deeper and lighter hues with a tub of white and small pot of your chosen colour. . Paint shades can affect the perception of the room so if you have a long thin room a darker colour on a narrow wall 'brings' it forward so it doesn't look as narrow. 

 

condo71

I use Pinterest and DIY blog posts for inspiration for my projects - but definitely try to figure out a rough budget before you begin otherwise you might go overboard or end up with a half finished project. Upcycling old furniture will save you money too!

sammy_kaye18

I will join you on this journey I think. 
I am hoping to get going with our council house - we have lived here 11 year almost 12 and to be honest we have only really decorated one room and that's the living room. 
None of our house really has any personality except that one room which isn't even finished. 
My reasoning for starting with the hallway is its the first room people really see, I open the door and that's the first impression. I've tidied and worked hard on the front garden so I wanted the front door and hallway to be welcoming and inviting too. 

Im hoping to paint the front door at some point but it got damaged by a delivery man falling through it when he tripped over our doorstep so its being replaced first and then Ill paint it. 

I have decided to start on our hallway. Its awful, had an old wide border on it from the last tenant, shiplap wall paper and two different carpets that were off cuts we could afford at the time. There is one small window on the landing to let in light and that's it. There hasn't been a lightbulb in the light for about 8/9 years! 

So so far......
I have put a white lightbulb in - woohoo! Let there be light! 
I've started by removing an old tatty blind that was left by the previous tenant and I put privacy film onto the window which has a stained glass effect on it so it lets in much more light. 
I've pulled the old border off but have decided to keep the ship lap as it is just too much work to remove it and the walls aren't in great condition underneath. 
The walls have a little bit of damage to the walls but nothing a little bit of filler wont fix which I have recently brought. 
It needs a freshen up of paint but the ceilings are so high I'm not sure I can reach the top but the top bit is still nice and tidy etc so hoping to buy a big tub of white paint on payday. 
I have brought a border off Ebay that fits over where the old one was but its in a more modern silver/black/white geometric pattern. 
I'm thinking eventually I will get new carpet for the stairs or buy the stair carpet pads. I need something there as we have dogs and vet bills is not on my needed list. 

wess_lawson

I'm working on my apartments with a developer company. But want to make some major changes in the design which will cost a lot. Finding ways to make it low.