Easy DIY updates - perfect for the weekend!

Looking for easy DIY projects to update your home? Ones that only take the weekend and won't break the bank? Reinventing what you have is one of the most pleasing pastimes in our opinion. Using a small amount of fabric, wallpaper and paint – and a big dollop of creativity – is all you need to glow up a living space in need of a little love.

“We’re big fans of creative design projects that are budget friendly, bespoke and made with materials that are sustainable and have lasting quality,” says Steve Forder, Director of The Pure Edit. “Just swapping in a wallpaper offcut or fabric remnant or adding a lick of coloured paint can fast-track a home to the next level.”

Feeling in need of a little inspiration with designer-looks-for-less appeal? Read on for six super-stylish DIY updates that will elevate the everyday!

If your hallway bench seat is in need of a comfort upgrade, a decorative cushion pad is the solution. Benches are the perfect spot for perching to pull on shoes, keeping bags to hand and also adding a splash of visual interest. Take a leaf from the interior design rule book and be brave with patterns – a floral, a geo, a check or a stripe – that compliments or contrasts with the surrounding decor.

Take inspiration from @the_creative_saint who made a no-sew DIY bench cushion using Lotus Midnight Printed Cotton Fabric (shown). She used a plywood frame with a 2-inch density foam, polydown wadding, staple gun and spray glue. “I had the plywood cut to size at the wood shop,” says @the_creative_saint. “I cut the foam using a kitchen knife. I wrapped, glued and stapled the wadding to the plywood and foam. Then I wrapped the fabric and stapled that down like a present.” It really is as simple as that!

Do you have a bijou room that’s in need of hanging storage? But you don’t have space for a freestanding cupboard or wardrobe? A peg rail wall is the savvy-style answer. Back in the 18th century, peg rails were designed by the Shaker community – who honoured order, honesty and simplicity – from a simple stretch of wood lined with regular rounded pegs. Household items from towels and clothes to brooms and bags were hung to keep spaces neat and tidy.

@casacocointhecotswolds used pine peg rails across the entire width of the wall in her young daughter’s attic bedroom to house clothing, throws and everyday objects (shown). The key to this pretty look is the Yasmina Petal Wallpaper. With its delicate hand block floral trail of dusky rose flowers and contrasting grey stems, the design creates a transformational backdrop. “I’ve wanted to add a pop of colour and pattern to this little nook in Mila’s room for so long. So when @thepureedit got in touch with their gorgeous selection of wallpapers, I knew it was time to take the plunge,” she says. Consider painting the rails in an eggshell, such as Lana Paint, for a blended look.

Top-frill curtains are a window treatment hit right now. They bring a country-style flounce to hard surfaced and functional areas, such as a front or back door, or a feminine softness to a bedroom window. And are surprisingly simple to make if you have a sewing machine to hand.

@joeykendalbrown chose Aline Charcoal Printed Cotton Fabric for a double-sided frill curtain in her kitchen. According to @joeykendalbrown, you’ll need 1.5-2 x the curtain width. “Measure the length plus the additional length for the frill,” she says. “Inside out, pin along 3 x seams and 3/4 of the top seam to make a tube like shape. The curtain will almost be like a sleeping bag with a small opening at one end. Hem along pinned edges using running stitch. Using the small opening turn the correct way, I then hand stitched this closed to hide the seam. Hang over your pole to measure the length of the desired frill. Pin leaving 10cm gap for pole. Create a double line of stitching and you’re finished!”

Home working is redefining the way we approach floor plans and layouts. Create a bespoke zone that’s dedicated to the nine to five and you’ll discover that your work life doesn’t spill into home life (fingers crossed!). Seek out a redundant corner or alcove to site a permanent home working desk that houses everything you need in one defined space. Think creatively and customise the area so that it feels different to the rest of the room; it’ll help you focus on the work in hand. Consider a shiplap or tongue and groove wall, an accent wallpaper or perhaps a different paint colour.

@thepavlouhome opted for a simply-styled and painted tongue and groove for behind her desk (shown). Use inexpensive MDF panels attached to battens in either a vertical or horizontal direction – vertical will make the wall feel taller, horizontal wider. A peg rail shelf painted in the same shade also frames the area and acts as storage. The Malpaso Footstool Folia Stone is a space-saving and comfy perch.

Paper still matters! A pinboard is a decorative way to keep and display invitations, swatches and keepsake notes and pictures. Hang one in the kitchen, above a desk, in a kid’s bedroom and it’ll quietly carry out a useful function, as well as making a style statement. They are easy-peasy to craft and will need the minimum of material by the metre. Alternatively, make use of any offcuts or remnants from previous soft furnishing projects. All you need is a low-cost cork pinboard, your fabric and a staple gun.

@_homeofvictoria used Indira Stone Printed Cotton Fabric (shown) for its pretty paisley hand block appearance. “There was always something missing above our desk area and I never knew what it was… until now!” she says. “Having never reupholstered anything in my life, I was worried I’d completely mess it up but honestly it was so much easier than I thought!”

Do your walls feel a bit one note? Panelling walls has been a design trick for adding architectural interest for centuries. The easiest way to add depth to a wall is with simple mouldings glued to the wall in a picture frame style. You could do one large frame across the expanse of the wall for a contemporary take or line three together for a classical atmosphere.

You can buy lengths of beading or whole beaded panels to get this effect. Attach and then simply paint. @lottiebownhome chose Faded Olive Paint (shown), a chic soft olive paint that feels both sophisticated and classy, for her panelled walls. “It's gone from a junk room to somewhat of a WFH haven,” she says, “and just goes to show the power of a little paint, paper and panelling.”

Who would have thought that simple creative projects could make such a difference? One of our guiding principles here at The Pure Edit is to create beautiful home furnishings that are stylish, affordable and the most sustainable available, so we hope these easy-fix ideas will spur you on to create a better and more beautiful home. From sewing a cushion to wallpapering a shelf, you don’t need to have a big budget to add colour, pattern and character… and, above all, you’ll have the satisfaction that your design is unique to you. Head over to our website to find the fabric, wallpaper and paint that will make your home sing!