DIY Pro Creates Stunning Scandi Panelling For Just £150 And Here’s How
- Calsey Banks, 30, was inspired by a wood panelling feature wall she saw on Instagram
- Rather than pay a builder £300 to do it, she did it herself for just £150
- Calsey used MDF from B&Q and paint from Craig and Rose Paint
We’ve all been inspired by a home transformation we’ve spotted online - but rather than fork out hundreds of pounds for a builder to recreate the look, when this savvy woman fell in love with a design, she did it herself for half the price.
Calsey Banks, 30, a PA from Birmingham, was inspired by gorgeous panelling she had seen on social media - but rather than pay through the nose for a professional builder to install it in her home, she decided to try it out herself.
Calsey, who shares her home transformations on Instagram at @at.home.with.missb, managed to create the look in her spare bedroom using MDF and paint for just £150.
Calsey told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "My inspiration came from Instagram. I had seen a few accounts that had this kind of panelling and knew that's what I wanted.
"But I wanted something to stand out and give that wow factor so I came up with this design with a little help from a few family members.
"I had seen a lot of companies that charge silly money so I thought I would do it myself. I am into a lot of DIY so I knew I could do it with no problems.
“It was going to cost me around £300 if I had someone else to do it for me.
"I used MDF strips from B&Q and no-nail glue to attach them to the wall.
“I then painted it with Regency cream paint by Craig and Rose Paint.
“The strips cost me £5 each and the glue was £6 from B&Q, so all together in total, it cost me around £150 together including the paint and the shelf.
"I completed the panelling in one day and then it took me a few days to paint it.
"I purchased the strips and cut them down to size. I then attached them to the wall with no-nail glue making sure I had the same gap between each strip. I used a divider for this.
"Once they were all up, I painted the strips and the gaps. I then added the shelf to give it a little character.
"With all the cut-offs, I just attached them to the wall all in different angles to create the finishing look.
"Me and a few family members came up with the design but I did it all myself.”
Calsey loves the look of her new spare bedroom, and is chuffed that she managed to do it all herself for half of what a professional builder would have charged her.
“The main advice I can give is, don't be afraid to try it yourself,” Calsey adds.
"You don't need tools to create this look - all I used was an electrical saw to cut the MDF to size.
“I'm so glad I did it myself, because not only did I save money, I put my own twist on it too, with the shelf and the cut-offs.
"I felt so proud of myself the way it turned out - I still obsess over it now.
"It was the simplest DIY I have ever done. Anyone can do it!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “Many of us see gorgeous home images on Pinterest or Instagram and are desperate to copy the look - and end up paying significant amounts of cash to builders.
“As Calsey proves with her stunning £150 spare room panelling, you can save yourself a fortune if you just do it yourself. If you don’t know where to start, there are countless tutorials on YouTube to help you on your way!”
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