Have you got a room that feels a bit dull and boring? The good news is that it doesn't need to be that way - just a small change is often all it takes to elevate a room and make it feel super-stylish.
One particularly effective idea is decorating with built-in shelving, whether it be on either side of a chimney breast, at the end of a hallway (where it leads the eye down the space, disguising a hall's lack of width) or within a long wall. It creates a space on which to display books, pretty objects or a mix of both, injecting both colour and visual interest to a room.
Here, we took an empty alcove and turned it into statement shelving to showcase a curated display of objects. The first step was installing shelves using 18mm MDF – we opted for a floating appearance which looks cleaner than shelving with brackets. We then painted the shelves and the wall behind them in the same colour as the surrounding walls – Wickes Prussian Green. A gorgeous deep shade, it really makes the colours of the objects on the shelves pop.
When installing the shelves, make sure you space them evenly. You could take them to the top of the alcove which is the norm, but another option is to be a bit more creative and do what we did here - leave a gap at the top and instead frame the shelving for extra impact. To create the frame, we glued on fully finished architraving and then painted it in a brilliant white.
Got a long expanse of wall? Make a design statement with panelling. To create this stylish look, we cut Wickes decorative moulding into two lengths, and then glued them to the wall to create rectangular shaped panelling in two different sizes. Once dry, we then wallpapered the inside area with stunning Paradise Arts wallpaper from Wickes, and the effect gives the room real personality. For a more subtle look, you could simply paint the panelling the same colour as the walls.
You can also use wallpaper on its own to add colour and texture quickly and easily by wallpapering the panels of a door, linking the colours of the paper to the rest of the room.
If this has inspired you to revamp your room from boring to brilliant, but you're not sure where to start, head to Wickes. It is your go-to for all things DIY, from shelves and panelling of all styles to the tools you need to get the job done. It also has everything you need to decorate, from a great range of paints including Wickes own brand and those such as Dulux, to a varied collection of wallpaper styles.
If you not too sure exactly how to put up a shelf or wallpaper, Wickes can help here too. Head to the Ideas and Advice section on the Wickes website where you'll find step-by-step guides on putting up shelving, installing wall panels, hanging wallpaper and much more. The guides also include a list of all the materials and tools you need plus extra DIY tips too. Happy decorating!