MINI MAKEOVERS

Spruce up your shelves

Give tatty old shelves a new look in minutes with sticky back plastic. Granite-effect Fablon stick-on sheets from pounds 5.99 per roll (www.hainteriors.com, 01670 718300, www.amazon.co.uk or DIY stores)

Transform a room with a bright new feature wall

Wallpapering a whole room in a day is a tough call for even the most experienced DIYer. So for a simpler, do-it-in-a-day task, stick to one to create a bright, eye-catching feature wall. It's a quick and easy update that gives a big "Wow!" factor. Kids @ Home wallpaper 35799, pounds 16.94 per roll (www.wallpaperdirect.co.uk)

Under one day..

Create wall art

Take a closer look at this green floor lamp and shelf... that's right, they've been painted on. Get clever with some leftover emulsion and you can revamp a room with new "furniture" in next to no time. Forest Falls 1 flat matt emulsion pounds 24.99 for 2.5l (www.dulux.co.uk, 08444 817 817)

Sort out your shoes

Spray old boxes in pretty pastels then stick a photo of each pair of shoes to the front. Plastikote super spray in pale lilac, blue lilac and sumptuous purple, all pounds 6.95 per 400ml can (www.plasti-kote.com, 01223 836400 or DIY stores)

Make a family notice board

These fun blackboard stickers make it quick and simple to create an organiser for the whole family. Convincing your little darlings to stick to it might be another matter... Stickers pounds 24 each (www.spincollective.co.uk, 01242 255244)

Up to 2 days..

Fit a glass splashback

Fitting a funky glass splashback is a DIY job - you just need to make sure your wall is properly prepared. Spend a day making sure it is painted and smooth, pick your design then fit. Enki Muted Sage glass splashback from pounds 95 (60x70cm). Matching up-stands and different sizes available in 27 colours (www.cpgroupuk.com, 0845 519 7039)

Tile key areas of the bathroom

You don't have to tile the whole room... just areas that take a lot of water. Try starting with an easy project, such as the splashback behind the sink - a perfect beginners' job!

Turin wall tiles in beige, brown, grey, charcoal and white from pounds 15.49 for 44 tiles (www.focusdiy.co.uk, 0800 436 436)

Stain or varnish a wooden floor

Preparation is the key, so sand boards before applying varnish. Perfect finish diamond hard floor varnish in clear, pounds 47.98 for 2.5l (www.ronseal.co.uk or DIY stores)

Perk up your paintwork

Turn your room features into focal points with a quick lick of bright paint. Shutters in Albany Geranium Eggshell and shelves in Albany Celeste Eggshell. All paints pounds 22.92 for 2.5l (www.brewers.co.uk)

Up to 3 days..

..Turn over for fab 4-day ideas

Transform your hallway The hallway is one of the trickiest areas to decorate due to its shape and all those doors, but as it's used so much, it's worth the effort. Sophie Conran Magnolia wallpaper in green, pounds 19.98 per roll, Baroque-style mirror, pounds 30.68, Tarn 3-light leaf pendant with glass drops, pounds 64.98, Angelina small table lamps, pounds 17.48 each, all from B&Q (www.diy.com, 0845 850 0175)

Lay new laminate flooring

It's easy to lay a new floor with the Uniclic system - each panel simply slots into the next. There are many edgings and skirtings available to help you get a professional-looking finish. Lagune Dark Varnished Pallisander panels in Shipdeck, pounds 33.99 per sq m (www.quick-step.com)

Give your old chairs a new look

Transform an old set of chairs with new fabric covers. Carefully remove the existing cloth then use it as a template for the new covering. Chair material: Babushka pounds 28 per m. Curtain material: Lilia pounds 34 per m (www.harlequin.uk.com, 0845 1236805)

Turn a chimney breast into a hot new feature

Add drama to your living room by painting the chimney breast a different colour to alcoves either side, then use a stylish stencil to highlight its shape. Walls paint: Smoulder Solo Matt Emulsion pounds 15.99 for 2.5l, chimney breast paint: Rebel Feature Wall pounds 9.98 for 1.25L, metallic paint for stencil: Striking Fashion pounds 15.99 for 2.5l (www.crownpaint.co.uk, 01254 704951). Motif 6 stencil pounds 19.99 (www.stencil-library.com)

Repaint your kitchen.. from top to bottom

Three days should be plenty of time to repaint your whole kitchen. You could add a fresh lick of colour to everything from the floor to the tiles, units and even your storage jars! Kitchen painted in furniture and cupboard paint in Lovely Olive and Warm Mink, both from pounds 17.99 for 750ml (www.international- paints.co.uk, 08444 817 817)

Spring break DIY 3 page special

Author: ANGELA MACFARLANE