–Gracie Allum
After a home renovation, you may find yourself with a stack of leftover materials.
Whether it’s excess wallpaper, a pile of bathroom tiles or a big hunk of bench top, here are four Pinterest-worthy DIY projects that’ll put those renovation scraps to good use.
1. Turn off-cuts from your new bench renovation into cutting boards
Pair your new kitchen bench with beautiful matching cutting boards. Use one of your current cutting boards, or buy a couple of cheap plastic boards, to trace shapes over a leftover piece of kitchen bench.
Blogger Nikki Grandy used this method to create a cheese platter and a cake stand. While Nikki went so far as to carve these out herself, your builder will easily be able to do the hard part for you, once you’ve traced on the patterns.
2. Redecorate your drawers
After you have finished your renovation the leftover wallpaper is a fantastic decorating tool. It’s simple to apply to the inside of your drawers for a quick and easy up-cycle project – it looks especially great in a children’s bedroom. Check out this tutorial from Chelsey Life and Design that cost $25
You could also use leftover wallpaper to decorate the inside shelves of a bookcase or shelving unit.
3. Homemade bed canopy
A four post bed might be out of the budget, but leftover PVC pipes from a plumbing renovation project are perfect for creating a DIY bed canopy. Blogger Corey Decker used black spray paint to give her materials a wrought iron look, and attached an elegant curtain for a stylish finish.
4. Turn leftover tiles into coaster
Transform leftover tiles into coasters in five easy steps. You’ll avoid unsightly stains on your furniture and have something stylish to offer guests who come around for a Friday night vino. See the full tutorial at Burritos and Bubbly.
Related: Renovation: 1st time is a charm
Related: Karen Walker shares her number one rule for renovation
Have fun with your renovation and plan and plan again – try and stick to the plan – if you change too much through the renovation it could cost a lot more! Make it a family affair and involve the kids where you can.
Try not to follow fashion too closely when it comes to big ticket items. Are you going to eventually sell your renovation? Think about appealing to most buyers so keep away from big ticket trendy items that won’t appeal to everyone – unless they can be changed with some paint.
Get a quote for everything first before compiling your budget, then double it so you have a buffer for unforeseen circumstances.
Don’t forget to document the renovation – when the renovation is complete you’ll want to be able to look back and compare the before and after’s.
Do you have a question on the local Real Estate market, or should you spend money on a renovation of your home before you sell, just call Matt Wineera on 0274 951 536 who is always on hand to answer your query.
Work with Matt Wineera who lists and sells in the Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa areas.
