£155 Glam-Over Turns Plain Bedroom Into A Pink Palace
- Rebecca Glendenning, 36, introduced DIY wall panelling to add “depth and character” to the room
- She added some new budget buys to complement the furniture and accessories she already had
- Is “extremely pleased” with the end result, which took her two weeks to complete
A master bedroom should be a place to rest, and also a reflection of your personality.
For Rebecca Glendenning 36, a primary school teacher who lives in Sunderland, this meant turning her plain room into a “cosy but modern” space with a blush pink and grey colour combination. What’s more, the makeover cost a total of £155 and Rebecca is “extremely happy” with the end result.
“The idea for the bedroom makeover came about after seeing various posts on Instagram featuring rooms with panelled walls. I thought they looked beautiful,” she told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk.
“It had been a while since I last decorated my bedroom and it was due a lick of paint,” she says. But the interiors savvy woman wanted to take the revamp a step further.
“I was fed up with the plain, off-white walls but I couldn’t decide between wallpapering a feature wall or panelling,” she says. “After doing a bit of research, I decided that I preferred panelling, as it adds depth and character to a room. I decided to take the plunge.
“I wanted a cosy but modern look for the room with a classy feel to tie in with the crystal-style chandelier I already had and loved,” she says.
The blush pink and grey colour combination was inspired by the silver tones of her existing curtains.
A DIY savvy friend recommended using MDF for the panelling – and even offered to help complete the job.
“He measured up, taking the depth of the coving and skirting board into account,” says Rebecca. “He then purchased the correct thickness of MDF, which was cut to length by Nordstrom Timber. It cost £30 for the amount I needed to cover the entire wall.”
The wall was marked up with equally spaced rectangles – “I preferred this shape to squares,” she says – and the wood was cut to fit with an electric saw.
They used hammer-in fixings to create an anchor for the panels.
“The fixings also have a crosshead so can be screwed out if needed,” says Rebecca. “Doing it this way, rather than using wood glue or No More Nails, gives a really secure fit that’s flush against the wall.
“Once the wood panelling was securely in place, I filled the holes and joins with caulk. I repeated this three times, sanding it down in-between each fill. I finished with a layer of polyfiller and sanded once again for a smooth finish.”
The panelling was then painted using Wilko Matt Emulsion Paint Raspberry Meld (£12 for 2.5L). Rebecca applied two coats using a paintbrush for the trickier parts and a radiator roller for the middle sections. The rest of the room was painted in Dulux Nutmeg White Matt Emulsion Paint and Dulux satin finish white for the woodwork costing £42 in total.
“The room took about two weeks to complete as the panelling was done in stages, followed by the filling and painting,” she says. “Then I had the carpets and curtains professionally cleaned before adding the furniture and accessories.”
Rebecca kept a number of other items she already owned in the mix, including the bed and headboard, bedside tables and lamps, throw, and the picture frames, which were all affordable buys.
To accentuate the new look, she added: new bedding from Sainsbury's for £35; a glass vase with artificial flowers from The Range for £8; cushions from B&M, The Range and Next for £35; and an oil burner that she sourced for £5.
“For anyone wanting to do a bedroom makeover on a budget, I would definitely suggest panelling, as the wood is cheap and you can do it yourself if you’re brave enough,” she says. “When looking for furniture and accessories, you can get some bargains on ebay and Amazon – that’s how I found my mirrored bedside tables.”
Rebecca’s passion for home interiors shines through in her choices.
“I have a big interest in interior design and I enjoy designing and planning room upgrades for my home,” she says. “I take hours searching for the right accessories and what will go well in a room.
“I often refresh my rooms using accessories, or by focusing on a base colour to work around. Having a similar colour scheme running throughout my home means that I can easily swap things between rooms whenever I feel like having a change.”
Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk comments: “Wall panelling is a brilliant way to elevate a room.
“It looks expensive but, as Rebecca proves, if you plan it well your only costs will be the MDF and the paint.
“The accessories you choose can really bring a room to life so make sure you shop around for the best deals.”
What to read next?
Save More With These Discount Codes