DIYer Turns Playroom Into Boho 'Mum Cave' With £2 B&M Bargains
- Carly, 35, wanted to repurpose her kids’ old playroom for herself
- She created a ‘mum cave’ to have friends over and relax
- Bargains picked up for the project were largely £2 from B&M and Primark
- The room has a boho theme and is ideal for having guests to stay
We all want a special space we can call our own, and one mum decided to make that dream a reality by turning her kids’ old playroom into a ‘mum cave’. Carly Sulaj, 35 from Kent with two children aged 9 and 7, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘When we moved into a bigger house, the original room was built by my Dad with a shower and toilet room built in.
‘Having two young kids, we thought the best idea would be to create a playroom where they could enjoy every toy they owned without the rest of the house getting messy. However, as they got a bit older, they became less interested in it.’
With an entire room not being used regularly any more, Carly decided to repurpose it. ‘I came up with the idea of a room for myself to go chill out in and escape mum life from time to time - enjoy a drink with friends. I saw a lot online about man caves so I thought why not do a mum room somewhere for me to chill & design my seaglass pictures in peace?’
The first step was a general clear-out. ‘I boxed up or got rid of toys that the kids had outgrown. Then I needed to decide on a theme. I went for a boho theme which I find to be a soft touch and calming.’
When designing the aesthetic for the room, Carly decided to combine rattan decorations with plants adorning shelves, inspirational prints and plenty of cushions. The walls were to remain the clean white they’d been for the playroom, but accents of brown, yellow and green were mixed in along with soft lighting.
The main feature of the room was to be cubed shelving, which Carly decorated with an assortment of ornaments. One box holds candles, the other has a framed photo with a small plant, while another contains a storage box matching the base monochrome theme.
‘We already had the storage cube, so I gave it new life by wiping it down and adding some new boxes to it. They were only £5 each from Home Bargains - so this was a much cheaper option compared with buying a new furniture unit. The candles and ornaments came from B&M and Primark, and they were no more than £2 or £3 each.’
Carly didn’t need to pick up many to make the shelves look warm and inviting. She got 7 candles, 2 small plants, three medium plants and some storage boxes. ‘I also stuck up some colour-changing LED lights and placed them around the tops of the walls - they give the room a cosy feel. You can get lights like these for around £10 on Amazon.’
‘In this room I like to design seaglass pictures, cards and canvasses, so I wanted to make it a relaxing place to work where I could feel creative and inspired. In the room I have on display some old pickle jars which I fill up with the glass - I think they look funky on the shelf! In time I plan on colour coordinating them all.
‘I picked up a jute rug from Home Bargains for less than a tenner, and while I was there I got a mirror which I love. You wouldn’t know it was a mirror until you open it which I think is cool.’
Carly went to a range of different places to pick up unique pieces for the room. ‘I picked up a bedspread from a local folk market which I hung on the wall. It catches the eye as soon as you walk in.’
The location of the room also makes it an ideal place for a mum cave. ‘The room opens out onto the garden, so in the summer it’s the ideal place to be. It’s perfect for having friends and family over as the rest of the house doesn’t need to be used.
‘Adding the toilet and shower has made a massive difference when it comes to having guests over. I’m a clean freak so sticking to one area is always good in my eyes! The most expensive item was a sofa bed which cost £295, but it’s ideal for guests and the rest of the makeover was cheap enough that I could afford it.’
Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘This room has a great atmosphere - it can be hard to pull off a boho theme but Carly has definitely managed it. It’s a calm space and ideal for when you want to take a step away and have some time to yourself.’
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