TIME FOR A change

Make the most of the upcoming bank holiday weekends with these up-to-the minute projects

- Hannah Tribe

When it comes to any makeover, the first thing you need to budget for is time. Having enough time to complete your project or ensuring you're working quickly enough to avoid materials drying out, is key to making sure you enjoy the process. After all, makeovers are meant to be fun! These ideas are grouped to help you choose what you'd like to tackle, whether you have a couple of hours, a couple of days, or a long weekend. 

1 Shape up

Brighten your outlook by creating cheerful murals. Start by painting onto large pieces of paper, then cut simple shapes out of the painted paper. Draw - around side plates to get perfect circles or draw simple floral shapes. Then play around with the positioning of the paper shapes and even repaint them if you're not happy with the colours. Once you're satisfied with your design, use a pencil to lightly trace around the edges of your shapes onto the wall. Then you can remove the paper stencils and paint in your design for real.

Walls in Light Mocha, mural in Hydrangea Flowers, Shy Cherry and Baby Chick, all matt emulsion from £29 per 0.94L; woodwork in Rosemary Sprig eggshell paint, from £31 per 0.94L, all Benjamin Moore

2 Green therapy

Take a few hours to show your houseplants some TLC, and give your greenery a gorgeous glow-up. Wipe dusty leaves with a damp cloth, check for root overgrowth and pot-on if necessary. Trim away any brown foliage and, for any overgrown plants, prune back or even give propagation a go. Plants like pothos and monstera just need a simple snip beneath a leaf and node, then place the stem in water until roots start to develop, before transferring to a pot with well-draining soil.