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16 decorating hacks you’ll wish you knew sooner
As the new year starts to approach, many of us will likely be looking to give our homes a spruce up, so we can fall back in love with our living spaces.
Embarking on a home makeover project can be a worthwhile endeavour, offering a personal touch to your living space and potentially enhancing your home’s aesthetic and value.
The problem is not only does the thought of tackling the task often feel overwhelming, we’re not always sure we’re doing the job right.
A recent study, by Draper Tools, found four in ten of us struggle with painting walls or applying wallpaper, while more than a quarter of have damaged walls trying to put a picture up.
Replacing cracked tiles, hanging wallpaper and putting up shelves are some of the renovation jobs Brits most struggle with, while fixing a leaky tap and fixing a hole in the wall are other projects high on the ‘can’t do’ list.
Thankfully, there are a whole host of decorating hacks to help make the tasks that bit easier.
From using a clear umbrella to catch ceiling paint drips to using pool noodles as padding, the interior experts reveal the insider hacks you’ll wish you’d known sooner. You’re welcome.
Decorating hack: umbrella ceiling painting hack
TikTok is often awash with home makeover tips and tricks, but the upside down umbrella hack could be one of the best yet.
The idea is you attach an upside down umbrella (ideally clear so you can see what you’re doing) to a paint roller before painting your ceiling.
The theory is the inverted umbrella will catch any drips, preventing the paint from falling on you and your floor/furniture. As demonstrated effectively here.
Pool noodles as padding
Pool noodle floats can be a cheap and easy hack to use as rounded padding instead of pricey foam, upgrading old stools, banquette seating, or statement headboards through reupholstering.
“With the right fabric, patience, and tools for the job, these garish, technicoloured foam pipes can look beautifully high-end, used to create a chic, art-deco-inspired piece of furniture featuring vertical channels,” Molly Woodward-Moor, interior designer, and creative director at Stone Superstore explains.
“With a little creativity and DIY skills, you can elevate your space without the hefty price tag of a premium upholstery project.”
Touch up pens
A lick of fresh paint can transform a room, but how long before the first scuffs and marks start to appear?
When it comes to touching up the walls we normally have to dig out a brush, full can of paint and a tray all over again, but there’s a simple trick that makes the task so much easier.
Refillable paint pens. Simply fill up a couple of pens with your paint once you’ve finished and apply to the wall when you need to touch up.
To keep track of your paint pens be sure to label them with the correct paint colour, so you’ll have the right hue to hand when you come across another chip.
Masking tape floor plans
Drawing your new floor plan is undoubtedly a vital step in the design process; however, if you’re struggling to envision the layout of your floor plan in a more matter-of-fact way, one easy method is using masking tape to map out the layout of your space directly on the floor, outlining where furniture, door openings, and walkways will sit.
“This hands-on visual guide allows you to test arrangements and ensure flow, helping you to experience and decide on a new layout arrangement before the heavy lifting begins,” Molly advises.
“This technique is also handy for helping to plan out framed artwork arrangements and gallery walls, allowing you to play with the size and position of frames by creating these initial outlines on your wall,” Molly continues.
“This hassle-free method lets you perfect your arrangement before drilling, minimising mistakes and achieving a professional final look with ease.”
Use vaseline for paint-free spots
If you want to prevent your doors or windows from sticking, the experts at Tom’s Guide suggest using petroleum jelly.
“Simply take a cotton swab and use it to rub petroleum jelly over the edges, screws or hinges of the door,” they recommend.
“Even if you get paint on these areas, this will make it easier to wipe off once the paint is dry.”
Mimicking daylight in a windowless room
A popular and creative hack that has gained traction on social media is the clever method of simulating natural daylight in windowless rooms, especially in spaces like bedrooms.
“There have been a few hacks circulating the internet, such as putting sheer curtains in front of fairy lights to mimic daylight or create a soft, ambient glow that resembles light.
This helps to simulate the gentle, diffused natural light you’d get from a window,” Molly advises.
Additionally, people have promoted using TVs or projectors to display moving images of an outdoor scene or a flickering fireplace, adjusting the mood of the space to reflect the current season or weather conditions.
“Whether it’s a bright, summer’s day or a cosy, wintery scene, this hack helps bring a sense of connection to the outside world, with mood-boosting intent,” Molly adds.
Prep walls with baking soda
Back in the Victorian days, people would keep their homes clean without having to rely on modern cleaning agents.
“The same applies when prepping your walls to be painted,” advises Emma Bestley, co-founder and creative director at YesColours.
“Baking soda was often used throughout the house for various purposes, and still works wonders for cleaning walls today.”
To do this at home, Emma recommends adding approximately 90g (half a cup) of baking soda into a bucket with warm water.
“It not only cleans your walls of any dirt or grime, creating a clean canvas for painting, but also neutralises any odours, leaving the home smelling fresh.”
Grounded coffee as a floor stain
Grounded coffee can be a quick and easy hack for those looking to stain their untreated wooden floor.
“It’s natural and easy to apply, and enhances the beauty of wood with a golden, caramel tone,” advises Natalie Mudd, co-founder of Knot & Grain.
“Simply soak the ground beans in hot water and use a cloth to apply several coats for a noticeably warmer shade.”
However, while coffee can offer an easy refresh to your wood floor, it may not deliver longevity and could require regular maintenance.
“It’s therefore advisable to sand the wood back to its original state and use a specialist lacquer or oil product to achieve the desired stain.”
Painting over wallpaper
Removing wallpapering is a task that strikes dread into even the most determined home renovators, but did you realise you can actually paint over wallpaper?
“Painting over wallpaper can be a quick solution for refreshing your walls rather than having to completely strip and re-treat the wall surface,” explains Jimmy Englezos from Ronseal.
“With the correct preparation, it can be a great way to quickly spruce up a room whilst saving time and expense.”
However, Jimmy says it is always advised to remove the wallpaper if there are any chips, holes, or noticeable scratches on the surface.
“This is because the paint won’t completely cover up these imperfections,” he explains.
“The same also goes for textured wallpapers, the texture will usually show through the paint affecting the final appearance.”
Line your paint tray with cling film or tin foil
At the end of each painting session you’ll need to thoroughly wash your paint tray, which can take an age as the paint often dries and sticks to the plastic.
To save the time and effort Melissa Issack Interiors suggests using tin foil or cling film on the tray inner to provide a protective barrier between the tray and the paint.
“Once you have finished painting for the day, simply remove and dispose of the insert – your hard, plastic tray will remain as good as new,” the site advises.
Pringle paint roller protector
To keep your paint roller from drying out overnight, Ryan advises wrapping it in cling film and popping it into an empty Pringles can.
Duct tape sandpaper hack
When using sandpaper on spindles and other awkward spaces, Ryan suggests sticking some duct tape onto the backing.
“This stops it from tearing but keeps the paper nice and flexible,” he adds.
Picture frame panelling
Panelling can be a time consuming DIY, but Ryan says it is possible to mimic the look of moulded wall panels with empty picture frames.
“You’ll need a set of large, traditional-style picture frames, such as Ikea’s Edsbruk frames,” he suggests.
“Remove the glass and backing, so you’re left with just the frames. Paint them to match the colour of your walls and stick them in place using grab glue.”
As you don’t need to cut and measure decorative moulding to create the rectangular panels, this hack saves a lot of time and effort.
“Alternatively, you could use peel-and-stick PVC moulding,” Ryan adds.
Decorating hack: mix your own grout shade
Whilst we’re used to seeing the typical grey or white grout lines, Molly says people are opting for more vibrant colours that either blend in with their tile choice or add an extra pop of colour to a space.
“Coloured grout can be more expensive in comparison to standard white or grey, due to the pigments required to produce the colour, so people have taken to unusual ways to achieve the colour they desire on a budget by mixing paint in with premixed white grout,” she explains.
Whilst this can be a quick and budget-friendly hack, Molly advises caution as mixing paint with grout can weaken the grout itself, leading to long-term problems with your tiles’ durability.
“Instead, it’s best to opt for an appropriate pigment powder or grout dye that’s been specifically designed for this purpose.”
Dishwasher paint brush hack
To bring dried-out brushes back to life Melissa Issack Interiors suggests submerging the brushes in warm water with a dishwasher tab and leaving them to soak for at least an hour.
“After, thoroughly wash and dry your brushes and they should be in great condition,” the site adds.
It’s important to note, however, that this will only work if the brushes have been used with water-based paints and not oil-based paints or primers.
Decorating hack: repurpose leftover tiles
Tiles are a hugely versatile decor option that can be used in many creative ways beyond their traditional use in kitchens and bathrooms.
“If you’re tiling a space, consider repurposing any leftover tiles in different ways,” Molly advises. “For example, revamping a coffee table.
“This DIY project is also fairly easy to do; just make sure to clean and prep the surface of your existing coffee table, lay out the tiles to plan your design, and remember to use the correct adhesive and grout to make sure the tiles are set in place,” Molly continues.
Other ways people choose to repurpose tiles include making them into coasters or utilising them in different areas of the home, such as a fireplace recess, or even breaking any fractured tiles into smaller pieces to create your own terrazzo-like mosaic art for your home.
Need more inspiration? Try 18 ideas for carving out a reading nook… even if you’re short on space, or Clever tricks to makeover your home in the time you have
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