15 easy ways to update your home in just a weekend

The trend for taking a flexible approach to indoor/outdoor living means we’re increasingly using our gardens for entertaining and relaxing. A sunny weekend offers the perfect opportunity to smarten up woodwork or repurpose a piece of furniture with a fresh coat of paint. This piece of furniture can be repurposed as a chic garden bar or a stylish potting table.

Once you've finished your paint job, don’t forget to seal your bar with a waterproof finishing wax.

Pictured: Accessories from Wayfair

Plants are the hottest accessory right now and can instantly lift any room. Not only will they help your home to be a little healthier, but their glossy green leaves are the perfect pop of colour in neutral schemes and a contrasting bright accent to darker, moodier hues. Trailing plants will hang beautifully on a shelf.

Head to your local garden centre or buy online – Patch Plants, Beards & Daisies and Bloom & Wild can all offer next day delivery.

Pictured: Lugano scalloped green reactive planter, Ivyline

The scalloped-edge trend is here to stay! Lean into the look by giving shelves a fun trim. These strips are easy to glue or Velcro onto your shelves, and you can paint them to match the rest of your scheme, much like this pretty office area in the home of @the.hectic.eclectic. Extend the trend by painting or stencilling a scallop design on the walls too.

Pictured: Handmade MDF scallop trim, Etsy

READ MORE: DIY: How to transform an unloved cupboard with paint and pretty scalloped shelves

Speaking of shelves, embrace the curated clutter trend in all its glory and corral your favourite ceramics, trinkets and accessories. Artfully curate and style by playing with colour and height – open shelving has never looked more characterful!

Internal doors are often overlooked. Take them from bland to beautiful by painting them in a striking colour, like this vibrant yellow shade with panels highlighted in green.

Pictured: Tilton, Amsterdam Green and RHS Capability Green (circle around handle) chalk paints, sealed with matt chalk paint lacquer, all Annie Sloan

Wood panelling adds character and charm. Take it up a notch and use wallpaper to introduce pattern. Simply cut your wallpaper to size and hang neatly within the panels.

Pictured: PaintReady wall panel kit, Richard Burbidge. Into the Woods wallpaper, Bobo1325

Give a patio or backyard a fun, budget-friendly makeover by using paint to create a feature wall or define a seating area. This rich blue-green shade is set off beautifully by the crisp white wall for a summery Mediterranean feel.

Pictured: Canton intelligent masonry paint, Shirting intelligent
exterior eggshell paint, both Little Greene

Upgrading an upholstered headboard can transform the look of your room. Remove the existing fabric and, as long as the padding is still in good condition, cover with your new fabric and fix in place with a staple gun.

Pictured: Liberty-fabric headboard, duvet and pillowcases, Coco & Wolf

Give chairs, curtains, blinds, cushions or stools an on-trend update that screams summer by embellishing with a decorative trim. You can sew it on or use a fabric glue for a fun, boho feel.

Pictured: Stools trimmed with Laguna tassel fringe, from the Oceanside Performance collection, Samuel & Sons

Give your fire surround a facelift by adding some statement tiles. These contemporary geometric designs in mustard and white bring texture, depth and warmth to the room. Make sure the tiles are laid symmetrically and always use heat-resistant grout.

Pictured: Smaller Buster globe light, Pooky. For similar tiles,
try Claybrook Studio and Quorn Stone

One of 2025’s biggest interior trends, the revival of the sink skirt presents an affordable way to replace worn-out cupboard doors. It's great for hiding clutter, and you can easily change it when you want to update the look. Minimal DIY skills are required too.

Pictured: Fastnet stripe cotton fabric - black, Tori Murphy

A bench with storage baskets underneath and a Shaker-style peg rail are all you need to turn your hallway or boot room into a more practical space. Adding a seat pad and cushions not only introduces comfort and softness, but it's also a simple way to bring new-season colour into what can often be a dull and neglected area of the home.

Pictured: Fabrics -Florence and Kinondo, Cathy Nordström

There's no denying that frills and ruffles are everywhere. Add a ruffle – or two or three – to a plain curtain for a flouncy touch or choose accessories with fabulous frills to make a room feel really special.

Pictured: Paris Grey wall paint, Old Violet chalk paint, both Annie Sloan

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