Mum creates amazing “getting ready” area for just £50 using Facebook marketplace

• Kirsty O’Brien, 30, wanted a fabulous dressing area without spending a fortune
• Kirsty found everything she needed on Facebook Marketplace and in pound shops
• Kirsty recommends up cycling and using cheap items such as Fablon to get the look

Kirsty O’Brien, 30, from Clackmannanshire, wanted to create a gorgeous dressing area in her room but didn’t have the budget to spend hundreds creating the look. 

Kirsty, who is mum to 10-year-old Faith and is currently studying makeup, managed to style her very own “getting ready” area for less than £50 using Facebook marketplace and her own up cycling skills. 

“I had been looking for a make up desk for a few months as I wanted to have somewhere in the house for my clients to come for treatments,” Kirsty told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk. “I knew the type of style I wanted and it was all from Ikea, but being a student, I didn't have over £200 to buy the desk and other items to go with it.”

Kirsty decided to look on Facebook marketplace and up cycle bits of furniture she already had. 

“I luckily came across the desk on Facebook marketplace,” she explains. “It was advertised for £40 but had been posted weeks prior. I thought I'd chance my luck and offered £20, which the lady accepted.

“The shelves above the desk cost me £10 again from Facebook marketplace, which I just up cycled using left over Fablon from my kitchen. I already had the small drawers, which were from Ikea.

“I wanted white to go with my decor, but the desk had pink around the edges. Again I used the leftover Fablon tape, which is easy to use: just measure and cut to size. I also used a hairdryer to stretch the tape. If you heat it, it sticks better.

“For the mirror, I used an old wardrobe door, which I sanded, painted and stuck lights onto. The lights came second hand from someone on Facebook marketplace for £5.

“I also bought jars, frames and tubs from the pound shop, and wrapped cardboard in gold tape for extra bits of decoration. The chair was a gift from a friend."

Kirsty says she spent about seven hours creating the area of her room, and that she absolutely loves the finished result.

“All in all this took me about a week to do, about an hour a night,” she adds. “Facebook Marketplace and up cycling is amazing! It's a great way to save money and also end up with a unique design no one else will have. I also use Pinterest for ideas.

“I spend a lot of time doing DIY and checking selling pages. I find it very therapeutic and it’s a great way to keep busy. I don’t tend to search for anything specific - I just check every morning to see what's new on the selling pages.

“I couldn't be happier with the end result and how well it turned out!”

Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, says: “When browsing Pinterest and seeing amazing home renovations, it can be tempting to spend a lot to get the look. However, Kirsty’s enterprising dressing area is proof that by using a few DIY skills and making cheeky Facebook Marketplace offers, you can create your dream home for less!”