With 2026 just hours away, it’s important to greet it with promises that you hope to keep. The only issue is, they’re often great theoretical goals but in practice idealistic and difficult.
Even if you have the willpower and discipline, sometimes external factors, like money, get in the way. If one of your goals is home improvement, it can be easy to give up before you’ve started when there’s no hope of saving up. Don’t despair; there are many ways you can give your home a fresh start without drying up your funds.
Here are three things you can do to your home under £100 that will make it look and feel totally different with instructions and product recommendations.
KALLAX Kitchen Island DIY
IKEA’s furniture can be used for many DIY projects. But did you know you can use their furniture to create a kitchen island?
This hack is perfect for people who have a lot of floor space in the kitchen and little storage. At just £92.47, this hack creates a standalone unit, making it perfect for renters to take it from place to place. The price doesn’t include the paint as there are so many options to choose from. I’d recommend a moisture resistant paint for the worktop at least, but ideally for the whole unit and, if you can, a sealant.
For this, you need a KALLAX 2 x 2 cube storage unit, adjustable furniture legs, 607 x 1220 x 18mm MDF for the worktop. 6mm MDF can be used to cover the back, sides and front legs. Assemble the KALLAX unit and attach the adjustable legs. Cut the excess from the 18mm thick MDF to create a 607 x 800mm worktop. Attach using a nail-less adhesive.
From the 6mm MDF, cut 4 panels: a height x width panel for the back that goes from floor to worktop, two height x depth panels for the sides, and one width x leg height (+2cm) for the panel that will cover the front legs. Since these are purely aesthetic, all of these can be attached using a nail-less adhesive. If you don’t have a caulking gun, this squeeze-tube adhesive will do.
Redecorate your entryway
Whether it’s a boot room extension, a long corridor, or a nook by the main door, having a nice entryway will make you feel like your home is better. It’s the first and last thing you see when you enter and leave, so it should be presentable not only for guests, but for your own pleasure. This DIY is £46.69 excluding the paint as you’ll want to pick a colour and finish that suits your taste and home.
No, we’re not going to suggest the typical “lick of paint” upgrade. Consider having some trimwork or decorative panelling halfway up to protect the walls from muddy shoes and paws. B&Q stock this wonderful tongue-and-groove-style textured wallpaper that is paintable and suits any style.
It’s a paste-the-wall product, so you’ll need the adhesive and a wallpaper installation kit. Draw a line using a spirit level around the perimeter of the entryway at the height you want the wallpaper to go up to. I’d recommend going between 60-120cm depending on the height of your room and the look you’re going for.
Apply the adhesive to the wall, putting more on the edges and seams. Use the seam roller to press the seams down and the utility knife to make sure no flaps overlap on the skirting boards or architraves.
Pro tip: overlap the seams of the repeat wallpaper pattern and cut in a zig zag pattern down the overlap. Pulling away the excess and rolling it again with the seam roller, you should find that the repeat is flat and blends seamlessly.
Once dry, finish the top edge with some trim, be it peel and stick, pine moulding or stripwood. This 2.4m B&Q stripwood is only £5.67 and doesn’t require experience doing mitre cuts for the corners. You can install it using nail-less adhesives. If you don’t have a caulking gun, this squeeze-tube adhesive will do.
Clear Room Dividers
If you didn’t catch on, open plan homes are beginning to suck for…pretty much everyone. For remote workers, it means your desk is the first thing you see when you wake up. The keen cooks, often have to deal with clothes that smell like last night’s dinner. Having some compartmentalisation isn’t just a luxury for the folk who bought a house in the 70s.
To create distinct zones in your open plan home, consider glass bricks; the perfect touch to an eclectic or mid-century styled home. Whilst there are many selling second hand or reclaimed glass bricks in job lots on eBay and other online locations and at reclamation yards, it might not be an option for everyone.
So if you’re looking for something that is affordable, lightweight and renter-friendly, for £89.26 you can get the job done. You’ll need a large acrylic sheet, two 2 x 4 planks of wood, five B&Q 2.4m stripwood lengths and a peel and stick reeded glass privacy screen.
Sandwich the edge of the acrylic sheet between two planks of 2 x 4 wood, which will be screwed into the wall. Screw the two planks in place and then use a nail-less adhesive to attach the acrylic sheet to the wall in the space between the two planks. Apply the self-adhesive privacy screen.
To create the glass panel look, cut the stripwood into three lengths that span the height of the panel. Spread them evenly throughout it cut shorter lengths that span the distance between each panel. Attach with the nail-less adhesive. If you don’t have a caulking gun, this squeeze-tube adhesive will do.
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