DIY Dad Creates Stunning Panelled Hallway For Just £128
- Russell Tomlin, 28, bought a house and wanted to transform the hallway
- He spent £128 at B&Q to turn the hallway into a stylish panelled space
- Russell provides tips to do the same
If your home is looking tired but you don’t want to spend a fortune on accessories to brighten it up, take inspiration from this affordable transformation.
Russell Tomlin, 28, a dad-of-one and head chef at a local restaurant, wanted to jazz up the hallways and staircase of his new home, but also wanted to stick to a budget.
Inspiring himself with Houzz and Pinterest, he spotted a stylish panelled hallway.
Using supplies from B&Q and white paint he already had, Russell transformed his hallway and staircase into a Pinterest-worthy panelled space - and it cost him just £128.
Russell, who lives in Colchester, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “I bought the house a year ago and wanted to make it my own. I used an app called Houzz and Pinterest to get a couple of ideas and came across a panelled hallway.
“I decided that's what I wanted - it’s a very small hallway entrance and I wanted to make it look bigger and this was a great way of doing that.
"I am pretty handy with DIY and I do have a good collection of tools so I knew I could do it.
"I’m a chef but I've just loved making things since I was a child with my grandad - he’s the one I’ve got all my DIY skills from.
"I ordered my materials from B&Q and picked them up.
"I did have them cut them down so I could get it in the car, but then I did all the final big cuts at home with a table saw.
“Measuring everything was the hardest part, especially the staircase with all the different angles.
“The process is to start from the top and work down - it’s slightly more work but you know you are getting it nice and straight then.
"Cut and stick the top panels down, making sure to check with a level that everything is straight
"Then cut the next panels all the same size - I used a table saw to do this.
"Stick them all down using a square ruler measuring each one as you go.
"Then cut the next long pieces and stick them down, making sure to hold them for at least two minutes.
"Then for the bottom panels, cut three at a time, as they will probably be different sizes due to the uneven floor and walls most houses have.
"Then seal all edges with decorators caulk and then paint.
"There are many different styles of panelling you can go for, so my advice would be to do lots of research.
“The end result was worth all the hard work: it took me about four days to do and the total cost was £128 for everything.
“Some bits I already had, like the light fitting and the white paint.
“The £128 included wood, adhesive glue, decorator's caulk, and paint. The picture frames are from The Range.
"I’m very happy with it and I hope it may even have added a bit of value to my house!”
Russell is delighted with the hallway’s transformation, and says that preparing properly is key to pulling off the look properly.
“My top tips for people who want to do it would be to measure everything twice and cut once.
“Try to have more than one person helping just to help hold bits up while the glue sticks as I had to do it all by myself.
“Always use a levelling stick and also don’t be afraid of a hard job - be confident.
"This project is great to do while in lockdown as it keeps you busy and possibly would be making you money by adding value to your home and it just feels good to do it yourself.
“Ordering supplies is easy and delivery is quick - just measure everything twice so you get everything you need the first time!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “If you’re interiors-obsessed, you probably spend hours scrolling through Pinterest looking at expensive homes.
“However, as Russell proves, you don’t need to spend a fortune to bring high-end features to your own house.
“If you don’t know where to start, there are loads of online tutorials all about panelling - just go onto YouTube for free step-by-step guides!"
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