DIY fan revamps drab home for £4k after teaching herself plastering at 14 & how to fit WINDOWS a couple of years later
AS she viewed her three-bedroom Edwardian house in Sheffield for the first time in 2019, it dawned on Kelly Rowland that it needed a lot of work.
But rather than shying away from the huge home improvement, the 32-year-old graphic designer rose to the challenge after years of doing DIY as a hobby.
At the age of 14, Kelly - with the help of her late mum Lynda - mastered the art of plastering before learning how to lay floors and fit windows a few years later.
"I’ve always enjoyed watching makeover programmes – even when I was younger," Kelly said. "My dad hated DIY so I’d always help my mum out while he was at work. Mum used to get more paint on herself than the walls though so I ended up doing quite a lot."
After picking up skills on YouTube, Kelly set herself the challenge of transforming her £126k property for £3,500 - and only went £500 budget.
In total, her extraordinary garden revamp cost just £300 thanks to some Facebook Marketplace furniture.
She also made a stunning slatted planter using recycled timber and created a faux tiled wall with a £7 stencil.
Kelly added: "My garden makeover was all about disguising the horrible walls on both sides of the patio area and adding more planting.
"I looked on Pinterest for inspiration and came across a slatted design planter. I just adapted the look and made it myself."
As there was nothing wrong with Kelly's kitchen, she couldn't justify ripping it out and replacing it with one that suited her personal style.
Instead, she revamped the beige cupboards with some dark grey £30 furniture paint and added a chic white splashback.
She then sanded the existing wooden worktops and coated them in hard wax oil creating the appearance of a completely new kitchen having been fitted.
Kelly continued: "The bathroom was a room where I wanted maximum impact at a minimum cost. Tiling the whole thing would have been too expensive for my budget so I decided to panel half of the wall and wallpaper above.
“Using washi tape to create a crittal-style shower screen really helped transform the space. This is a great idea for renters as it’s so quick and easy to remove."
Determined to keep costs down, Kelly also used a POTATO to create the feature wall running along the staircase leading to the loft bedroom.
Amazingly, the trendy design cost just £4 and Kelly only required a tester pot of black paint, a few potatoes, and a sponge.
The DIY fan added: "“I’m certain that the house’s value has increased despite having such a small budget.
"I’ve opened up the staircase and re-boarded and plastered it. I’ve also sanded many of the original floors to bring them back to life."
Follow on Instagram for more.
Kelly's top tips:
- Source items second-hand and upcycle things you already have. Don’t be scared to spray paint or get crafty. You’ll be creating a unique and individual piece for your home.
- Don’t be overly influenced by perfectly styled interiors. I ensure you that they are lived in and there’s probably a pile of stuff hidden behind the camera.
- Look to YouTube for DIY tutorials
- Browse Facebook Marketplace for bargains
Most read in Fabulous
For more home transformations, this couple made over their home with NO professional help – and increased the property value by £80k.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
And this savvy DIY fan totally transformed her drab kitchen with £10 Wilko paint & people can’t believe the difference.
Plus this DIY fan transformed her drab kitchen in an instant thanks to Poundland stick-on tiles.