During the last year or so, many of us have found ourselves stuck at home due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19. It has been a difficult time for many of us, but others have enjoyed the time to learn new skills or catch up on their hobbies.
If you are feeling creatively inspired, here are 5 great home DIY projects.
Upcycle Some Furniture
Do you have an old chest of drawers or Welsh dresser that is needing a bit of TLC? Perhaps you can think about giving it a makeover. Begin by sanding down the furniture with sandpaper and a wooden block or an electric palm sander. Be sure to wear a mask and eyewear such as Vitenzi safety glasses to protect your eyes and lungs from sawdust and wood chips. Once the item has been sanded, you can paint it. You can use milk or chalk paint for a rustic, distressed look, or for an opaque, pristine look, use gloss or emulsion paint. You can decorate your furniture by painting designs on it, adding wooden moldings, or decoupaging it.
Give Your Shed a Makeover
Do you have a shed in your garden that is lying empty or is being used as a dumping ground? Why not turn it into a man cave or she-shed! Clear out any clutter from the shed and take it to charity, the garbage dump or find another place to store it. Sweep the floors and clean down the walls with a duster and damp cloth. Next, you can plan your dream escape. If you enjoy crafts, art, or have a particular hobby you enjoy, think about how you could build the perfect studio in which to do it. You could even turn the shed into a pub or a small cinema.
Decorate the shed with a paint of your choice, add shelves, flooring, and seating. If you crave a she-shed, you could hang curtains at the windows and furnish it with squishy seats and beautiful wall art. A man cave could be kitted out with a bar or at least a draught lager tap, a jukebox, television, and drinks fridge. For the sportier person, the shed could be used as a home gym or yoga studio.
Paint Your Staircase
Do you have wooden stairs in your home? Think about painting them rather than covering them in carpet. Give your staircase the wow factor by painting each step a different color, or if you are a talented artist, paint the front of each step to look like the spine of a famous novel. Alternatively, you could print off some fonts or pictures of book spines and decoupage them onto the stairs. Ensure that you use non-slip paint or grippers on the treads of the stairs to prevent people from slipping.
Build Pallet Furniture
If you have had a delivery of goods and have been left with a pile of wooden pallets, you could make them into garden furniture. Use your imagination and construct the pallets into sofas and coffee tables. Paint the wood with a quality outdoor paint, varnish, or wood stain. Buy some cushions or pieces of foam and cover them in attractive waterproof fabric. You could even cover the top of the table with ceramic tiles or make a mosaic with broken tiles and glass beads.
Make a Terrarium
A terrarium is a miniature garden constructed inside a glass bowl or bottle. If you have a glass vessel without a lid, you can grow cacti and succulents inside it. Tropical plants such as mosses will need a container with a cover as they like a moist, humid environment. When you have found a suitable glass container, line the bottom with some pebbles or small stones up to a height of about 2cm. Next, add a layer of charcoal that will stop bacteria’s growth and keep the terrarium clean and odor-free. On top of the charcoal, you can add some moss and then a good amount of potting soil – enough to give your largest plant room for its roots to grow comfortably. If you wish to you can add some decorative stones to the surface of the soil. Finally, you can add your plants, starting with the largest.
Ideal plants for terrariums include Nerve Plant, Sweet Woodrush, Polka Dot Plant, Meadow Spikemoss, and Air Plant. Slow-growing plants are the best. Place the terrarium in a sunny location of your home but not in direct sunlight. Spray with water every couple of weeks but be careful not to overwater it as the glass will become foggy.
