Table of contents for DIY Special 2023 in HomeStyle

Welcome to our DIY special issue! This month, we’re all about simple, achievable ways to refresh your home. With a little bit of DIY knowhow, we show you how to get the look you want without spending a fortune or calling in the professionals. On page 61, our Decorator’s Moodboards are all about the little details - from classic schemes like Art Deco and Arts and Crafts inspired to injecting a little Animal Magic into your home, a few carefully chosen accessories can make all the difference. Over on page 68, interiors pro Anna-Lisa De’Ath shows us 12 easy decorating projects that can all be completed in a weekend, whether you want to freshen up your bedroom, bathroom or living room. And if you’re renting or looking for reversible updates,…

MATALAN Quaint cottage No matter where you live, enjoy the comfort and charm of countryside living with Matalan’s range of floral prints, scalloped edges and nature-inspired colours Spring style Decorate your front door or table setting Lazy lie-ins This kind of set-up calls for breakfast in bed Light it up Add drama to a dining table with an overhead pendant LA REDOUTE Retro Milano Take yourself back to 1960s Italy by adding a touch of vintage luxe to your home. Walnut wood, classic patterns and curved shapes make up this on-trend nostalgic look CHECKER MOTIFS ARE BACK! Vintage vibes This sixties-style print takes inspiration from pop art patterns IKEA Midnight magic Designed for Ramadan celebrations, the Gokvällå collection is perfect for late-night get-togethers. Soft patterns mean the food always remains…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Chenade Williams, 26, a homemaker. I live with my fiancé, Niall Fusco, 27, a sales manager, our daughters,Zaraleigh, four, and Enzo who is two. You can see more from me and my home on Instflgram @chenade_williamsx. WHERE I LIVE My home is a three-bedroom new-build in Tumble, Carmarthenshire We’ve lived here since January 2022. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE As it’s a new-build, the house was a white box when We moved in, so I pretty much had complete reign on the look. It’s the first home we’ve owned so decorating was a new experience, but I knew it would involve lots of colour and pattern. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN Because of delays moving in, I had plenty, of thinking time about the…

style idea Sit wild pieces alongside tropical pink & greens SCAN ME to shop these products at yourhomestyle.uk…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Jasmin Ali, 25. I live with my partner, Jamie, 29, and our two beautiful cats, Link and Charlie. I work part-time in a bakery and I spend the rest of my time as an interior stylist. Jamie is a project manager for a local print company by day, and a vintaie car collector by night. WHERE I LIVE We live in a two-bedroorm Edwardian end-terrace house in Malton, North Yorkshire. We‘ve lived here since 2018. You can see more of my interior style on Instagram @jazminali, along with our converted van @tinytinstudio. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE Our house originally had three bedrooms, but we wanted just two bigger rooms. We’ve gutted the kitchen and dining room and completely updated the structure. HOW I MADE…

TOP TIP Create an ombré display by choosing three or five candles in graduated colours, or go for a colour pop by picking a few bright shades to mix and match Candles are an easy way to add a splash of colour YOU WILL NEED • paraffin wax dinner or taper candles in a selection of colours • heat-proof container large enough to immerse your candles • hot water • kitchen towel • candle holders, to display INSTRUCTIONS 1 Fill a heat-proof container with warm water and place your candle into the water, wick end down. Leave the candle to soften for between 15-20 minutes. Don’t be tempted to use boiling water to speed up this process as this will just melt the wax rather than softening it. 2 Remove…

style idea Geo designs love colour, so go bright! SCAN ME to shop these products at yourhomestyle.uk…

ON THE TILES The kitchen is our central hub so I wanted it to feel fresh and inspiring for the family. The floor tiles were already here when we moved in and I loved them instantly. This became the basis of my colour scheme. I chose fresh shades and linked it all together with Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir on the walls. The floor tiles were likely installed in the 1950s or ’60s, which brought a retro flavour to the space. We all love it and I feel very proud to have turned my hand to a lot of the DIY, including plumbing, tiling, carpentry and painting. I won’t lay claim to the electrics… a disaster story for another time! @nicola.wood.interiors WORK HARD, PLAY HARD This is my office by day…

FROM BATH TO BEACH AVAILABLE IN FIVE COLOURS…

01 Display your favourite items ‘I’ve collected all the Miranda Kerr for Royal Albert crockery pieces that I own over the past eight years and stated the collection when I was still in uni. My friends made fun of it and said it’s a “granny’s collection” but I love it. My most recent pieces were gifted to me by my husband, and all the other bits I bought on sale. I actually don’t use them at all because bone china is so fragile, and I wouldn’t want to scratch or break them, but I love to have them on display.’ 02 Create a gallery wall ‘Our gallery wall is the part of the room I’m most proud of, and I’ve chosen artwork that picks out the colours and patterns in…

Tony Slade Artist & signwriter @tonyslade. artist Anna-Lisa De’Ath interiors editor, writer & maker @mycrafty countrylife David Gardiner Project Manager at Woodpecker Flooring woodpeckerflooring.co.uk Hayley Burke Founder of The DIYist @thediyist.com_@thediyist How to remove paint from furniture by sanding? Upcycling queen Anna-Lisa De’Ath talks us through her tried-and-tested sanding advice Move the item to an outdoor location. When selecting sandpaper, pick paper that contains aluminium oxide, garnet or ceramic. These agents work best to smooth the wood. Attach 40- to 60-grit sandpaper to a sanding block or palm sander. This is coarse grit, so it can damage the wood if you apply too much pressure. Rub the sandpaper over the wood with the grain of the wood to remove the old paint. Change the paper as necessary. Switch to 80-…

KATIE DUTTON Staff Writer ‘As a teen, I attempted a mural in my room, but I didn’t prime the surface and ended up with big paint bubbles all over the wall!’ KATIE NICHOLLS Senior Production Editor ‘I once painted my bathroom floor with garage door not garage floor paint. To say it was slippy is an understatement!’ HANNAH TRIBE Staff Writer ‘Thinking that I could simply leave wall plugs in holes when I filled them was a huge mistake that I’m paying for now!’ CATRIONA BURNS Features Editor ‘Because of space, I built a flatpack wardrobe in the living room, only to find it wouldn’t fit through my bedroom door..’…

Do you dare to double denim? We say, ‘Yes’! Layer denim-fnish furnishings, like cushions and throws, for twice the impact, You can tap into the trend with denim-hued crockery and ceramics, too, or try chalk wash paint on your walls to achieve a chic, pared-back look. Just like your favourite pair of jeans, denim homeware is all about comfort-meets-style, SCAN ME to shop these products at yourhome style.uk…

TOP TIP If you’d like to add a word or phrase to your plate but don’t feel confident writing or painting it, use rub-on transfer lettering then seal in place with spray varnish YOU WILL NEED white side plates • acrylic paint artist’s paintbrushes • masking tape • gold or silver leaf, optional gilding glue • matt spray varnish picture hanging strips INSTRUCTIONS 1 Draw around your plate onto a piece of scrap paper to create a template and plan your design. Play around with colours and patterns until you are happy with the effect. Spots, stripes, abstract shapes and a terrazzo effect are all relatively simple, even if you don’t consider yourself to be Picasso! 2 To create a striped plate, use masking tape to section off the stripes…

• Half-painting the walls adds colour, but does’t close a room in. Also, I’m short, so it means I don’t have to get on a ladder! • Jamie’s quits DIY-minded and likes to figure out how to do things himself. However, if we did it again. I’d get professionals in to do some of the work. For instance, we didn’t seal the flooring properly, so it moved. • Don’t buy too much stuff as it goes in and out of fashion. I have a box full of things under the stairs that aren’t my style anymore, but I don’t want to throw them away. Only buy pieces you really fall in love with, as you’ll keep them for longer.…

My story In our last home we kept the decor really rather neutral, but this time around we decided to create layers of colour on every wall and surface. I’m not keen on grey at all, and we wanted to avoid it in our interiors, but apart from that we had no hard and fast rules. I just wanted to embrace as much colour as possible and we looked for tones and patterns that would complement each other. We love to travel and find that it creates the chance to embrace interiors and design on a different level; we also really enjoy incorporating that inspiration into everyday life at home. We started small with the downstairs toilet, with the bold wallpaper and teal paint giving us plenty of confidence to…

TOP TIP Most porcelain or ceramic paints are food safe, but do check the packaging to make sure. Most are also dishwasher safe but we recommend hand-washing your jug to keep the colours looking vibrant Choose your colour combo to match your décor YOU WILL NEED white ceramic jug porcelain or ceramic permanent paint gold metallic ceramic paint artist’s paintbrushes masking tape INSTRUCTIONS 1 Wash and dry your jug and wipe over with a microfibre glass cloth to ensure the surface is free from dirt, grease or any fibres. 2 For a natural effect, paint the stripes free-hand, starting from top to bottom and using a brush the width you’d like your stripes, so that you paint them in one single, smooth stroke. Start in the centre of the jug…

Style advice Give your cupboards some love If your kitchen cabinets are looking tired and dated, there’s no need to rip them out. All you need is some multi-surface paint to breathe new life into them. Before you get out your paintbrush, remove any handles from the doors, lightly sand the surface of the cupboards to give the paint a key to adhere to, then wash the cupboards with sugar soap to remove any dust, dirt and grease. Apply two coats of paint, leaving it to dry thoroughly between coats. Finally, replace the handles. If you’re feeling adventurous, use painter’s tape to mask off sections of the doors to create striking geometric designs or stripes that can be painted with co-ordinating colours. FRESHEN UP YOUR KITCHEN WORKTOP Fitting a new…

MASTER THE MURAL If your landlord doesn’t want you to paint or wallpaper the walls in your rental, consider hanging a self-adhesive mural instead. They come in a huge range of designs and are made to fit your wall's dimensions perfectly. When it’s time to leave, simply peel it off carefully, leaving your wall just as it was when you first moved in. ELEVATE WITH ACCESSORIES GET STICKY WITH FLOORING If the bathroom flooring in your rental has seen better days, you can transform it quickly and easily by covering it up with self-adhesive tile Stickers. They come in a wide range of designs and colours and are easy to peel off again when you come to the end of your lease. LIGHT UP Lighting is one of the easiest…

top of the pops Using bright colour to create contrast against a more neutral background is an interiors trend we’re excited to see in kitchens this season. Carpetright’s True Colours vinyl range makes it easy with a selection of vibrant block colours that will make a bold statement and a bright look. The flooring is suitable for wet areas and under floor beating, too. summer daze Be whisked away to Vietnam wtth. these delightfully dusky pink tries. Inspired by the colourful encaustic versions, characterised by inlaid patterns, found throughout the country, these matt porcelain tiles feature the unique and wonderful blend of Asian and French influences that can so often be found in Vietnamese inferiors. The edges are ever-so-slightly chipped in places to give your new floor aged charm and…

‘Mix and match your fave pieces for a homely look and feel’ Welcome everybunny home with this cute door mat SCAN ME to shop these products at your homestyle.uk Finish a pretty wreath with a ribbon bow CREATE SEPARATE ZONES Bodhi cushion cover, £20, Sazy STYLE UP YOUR SHELVES…

Serve up smiles with these speedy, Ltasty, thrifty dishes Monday PRAWN STIR-FRY WITH MANDARINS AND CHILLI PREP TIME 15 minutes COOK TIME 10 minutes SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS • 1 can (298g) Del Monte Mandarin Segments in Juice, drained, 2 tbsp juice reserved • 1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve • 1 tsp sugar • 1 tsp finely grated root ginger • vegetable oil • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely sliced • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced • 2 red chillies, seeds removed, sliced • 2-3 heads pakchoi, separated into leaves • 2 portions straight-to-wok noodles • 180g raw tiger prawns METHOD 1 Prep all of your ingredients before you begin cooking as this is a very quick meal to cook! 2 Combine the 2 tbsp…

Here are three of the people we couldn’t have made this issue without (and their DIY gaffes!)… Interiors stylist and writer Laurie Davidson styles up Louisa’s living room on page 98…‘We once spent ages wallpapering only to find that it wouldn’t adhere properly to our lime-plastered walls and kept peeling off. We had to start from scratch!’ For this month’s One Problem Room… feature, interiors stylist Joanna Thornhill unveils her look on page 104… ‘We discovered the last owners had fixed the bathroom tiles with concrete, so when we removed them, they peeled off back to bare brick.’ We catch up with series 3 Interior Design Masters winner, Banjo Beale on page 120… ‘I tried découpaging in a castle, which didn’t work. I ruined some fancy furniture and spilled glue…

PICTURE PERFECT SCAN ME to shop these products at your homestyle.uk…

Add drama and interest to a simple space with this easy paint project • Choose the area you want to paint and consider the proportions, placement and colour. Think about where your furniture will be and if you want to add prints or accessories to adorn your design. The easiest way to begin is in the corner where the two walls meet. Mark the top and bottom spot of your block and use these points as markers to take your horizontal lines across the wall. • Measure out the width of the block and use a spirit level and long ruler to lightly draw your line from the corner outwards. When you have your four horizontals, join the lines vertically to create two adjoining boxes. • Apply FrogTape along your…

style idea Matches organic shapes with natural tones SCAN ME to shop these products at yourhomestyle.uk…

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Helen McVitty-O’Hara, a training and engagement officer. I live with my husband, Alan O’Hara, a project manager, and our dog, Oscar. WHERE I LIVE My home is a new-build four-bedroom terrace in Belfast. We moved here seven years ago. You can see more of my interiors journey on Instagram @myaudacioushome. WHAT I WANTED TO CHANGE The house was a white box, so it was the perfect starting point to make our mark. We wanted to bring colour and personality to the house and get rid of all the blank space. HOW I MADE IT MY OWN Every room has had an injection of colour, some with statement wallpapers, others with bold and bright paint and we’ve added lots of vibrant accessories that were picked up…

SCAN ME to shop these products at yourhomestyle.uk Lilac dreams Now the flowers are out, we’re craving colour indoors. Pastel bedding has been on our radar for a while and we think a dreamy lilac shade is particularly perfect paired with fresh floral blooms on sunny days. IKEA’s Nattsvaermare double duvet cover and pillowcase set in Lilac hits the spot! Priced £25. Bedside tech This little marvel from Borestone is both a light and a wireless charger and it’s been making the rounds on TikTok lately, thanks to its snazzy tech properties and space-saving charms. There are plenty of versions on Amazon, just search ‘wireless charger lamp’. Currently priced from £24.99. Over the rainbow Fill your home with colourful dappled light with these window film sheets from Rabbitgoo. The sheets…

Giving an awkward alcove, plain shelving or tired furniture a makeover has never been easier with the amazing wallpaper designs and eye-catching emulsions available. A little bit of paint or paper can go a long way when it comes to reviving any corner of your home. Making use of tester pots or leftover paint to get creative on walls is a brilliant, budget-busting way of giving a room a new feel. While one roll or a few leftover pieces of wallpaper can make a big impact to help ring the changes without breaking the bank. Paper the panels A simple technique to wake up tired walls is to add wallpaper inside sections of panelling It’s a great way of breaking up a plain wall with colour and pattern, while introducing…

Kitchen curtains are not just a simple, practical solution, they’re an easy way to introduce fresh colour and pattern into your existing kitchen scheme. YOU WILL NEED fabric (at least double the width of the space you are covering x the height + 10cm) sewing machine needle and thread tape measure scissors iron For hanging directly from the sink or cupboard frame • heavy-duty self-adhesive Velcro, suitable for fabric For hanging between two cupboards • tension rod and fittings 1 Measure the vertical drop for your curtain, then measure the space horizontally. Take the horizontal measurement and double it. Take the vertical measurement and add 10cm (for hemming). Now cut your fabric panel to your measurements, taking into consideration any pattern placement if you’re using a patterned fabric. To attach…

About me I’m Louisa Linds, 29, and I’m a teacher. I live with my husband, Raymond, 31, and our dog, Lana. Our home is a rented one-bed flat in Kingston, Surrey. We also haveg baby girl on the way - she’s due in June! You can find me on Instagram @louisashoma. style idea For maximum impact, hang a gallery display above the sofa TOTAL £2,771 BEFORE My problem Living room The room was a blank white canvas when we moved In and in need of some colour. It has an L-shape to it, with a hatch through tahhe kitchen and the front door opens directly into the room. It’s not a large space and since we’re renting we couldn’t make any major changes the flat. How I made it work…

LOOK ONE: URBAN EDEN Kirsty’s problem garden courtyard ↗ We want to spruce up our outside space in time to enjoy the warmer weather. I want to be able to use this area as another room somewhere I can sit with a coffee and read and entertain. I’m also keen to start growing some plants and herbs. LIKES Nature-inspired prints DISLIKES Minimalism Colour palette Use three colours in these Use three colours in these proportions around the room why it works Introducing black to the painted brickwork and adding dark wooden tiles on top of the existing paving, will instantly create a dramatic backdrop for lots of plants and nature-inspired accessories. A canopy-style daybed offers a cocooning spot for curling up with a good book or entertaining guests, while a…

Household hints For a streakfree finish when cleaning windows, use a folded microfibre cloth to stop skin oils causing smears and wipe from left to right as rubbing in circles can create static that dust can stick to. Read more window cleaning tips at expressbifolds.co.uk SWITCH TO A LAUNDRY EGG TO HELP ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC DETERGENT AND FABRIC CONDITIONER BOTTLES A good egg We are already big fans of Ecoegg Laundry Eggs. Free from enzymes, chlorine bleach, phosphates, palm oil and microplastics, they replace your laundry liquid and fabric conditioner, instead using two types of pellets inside a refillable, reusable egg case. A set of pellets lasts 50 washes and Ecoegg has just released four new fragrances: British Blooms, Orange Blossom, Jasmine and dreamy Tropical Breeze. 3 OF THE BEST…

Crispy pork belly with mojo verde and white beans PREP & COOKING TIME 3½ hours, plus overnight chilling SERVES 5-6 INGREDIENTS • 1.3kg boneless pork belly, skin on • 1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed • 2 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed • • tsp chilli flakes • 40g sea salt flakes For the fennel and beans • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp unsalted butter • 2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges • 100ml white wine • 400ml chicken stock • 3 × 400g tins butter beans, drained For the mojo verde • 1 large garlic clove • large bunch of coriander leaves • 1 tsp ground coriander • ½ tsp caster sugar • 100ml extra virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar • sea salt METHOD 1…

Interview Congratulations on your new show, Designing the Hebrides. What can we expect from the series? I had lots of opportunities after Interior Design Masters, to set up my interior design business anywhere and take on some cool clients. For whatever foolish reason, I chose to do it on a tiny Scottish island where I live. It follows me as I renovate some crazy places, some of them are my friends’ places, like lighthouses, castles, fish shops and gin bars, and I have to convince the locals that they need a little flamboyant interior design zhuzhing. They’re the toughest clients of all Michelle Ogundehin has nothing on, these guys. Each week on the show, you tackle a different interior design project. Can you tell us about your favourite? I loved…