A woman has given her home an incredible makeover using thrifty DIY hacks – adding £30,000 to the property value in the process.
Rima Aktar, 29, from Liverpool, purchased her three-bedroom home for £125,000 in May 2020 alongside her husband.
The home was ‘very outdated’ with blue walls and ‘damp’ carpets throughout – but the couple knew with a bit of TLC it could be the perfect base.
While they didn’t want to do a major renovation or throw too much money at the property – as they don’t consider it their ‘forever home’ – they were determined to give it a fresh makeover that better suited their tastes.
Rima Aktar, 29, from Liverpool, purchased her three-bedroom home for £125,000 in May 2020 alongside her husband
It was dark, grungy and gray before the transformation. This is the kitchen before and after the makeover
They made DIY cabinets in the kitchen. They spent £70 purchasing MDF wood cut to their specifications and then fitted them
Although the bedroom had no personality or decor (image, above), the couple turned it into a cooking paradise that reflects light.
Rima can now relax in her neutral bedroom, which is now very calming.
Rima shared that their main objective was to expand storage, as they only had limited space. After the transformation
The couple began decorating the space in November 2020. They painted the walls neutral colors, removed the carpet so that the wood floor could breathe and added panelling to give the room a glamorous touch.
To keep costs low, they did everything themselves such as learning how to panel by following tutorials on Instagram – which Rima describes as one of their proudest achievements in the home.
Jam Press interviewed Rima as an equality and diversity lead. She stated that she had set out to create storage in her home because it didn’t already have enough.
“We created a DIY pantry in the kitchen, and fitted closets in our bedroom that fit perfectly into the alcoves.
The couple began decorating the home in November 2020. They painted the walls neutral colors and kept the theme consistent throughout.
High ceilings were difficult for the couple to reach, and they made it hard to paint. The renovation of the sitting area.
This is the perfect space to watch films and TV in the comfort of your sitting room. The modern transformation of the sitting room.
The couple painted the walls in neutral tones and ripped up the carpet to let the wooden floor breathe
Rima estimated each room in the house took between two-four weeks to complete – with the couple usually working on them during the weekends
This couple worked tirelessly to give their house a modern, stunning makeover. Pictured during renovation
Rima discovered that painting high-ceilinged rooms was the hardest part of the renovation. The dining room in the course of the renovation.
Rima said she got a lot from Instagram tutorials and that it was one of her proudest accomplishments. The dining room as it looks after.
“I wanted to also add panelling to almost all of my rooms, but we decided to do it ourselves in order to cut costs and stay within our budget.
“We were inspired by Instagram tutorials to learn how it was done and this is one of the proudest things we’ve accomplished with our house.”
As well as the panelling, the couple also experimented with other DIY tasks – including creating a makeshift pantry in a small corner of their kitchen, which they panelled, painted white and then screwed on some rustic-style shelves purchased from eBay.
They also made DIY shaker cabinets for the kitchen. They purchased MDF wood cut to their specifications that cost £70, and then fitted them.
Except for fitting their wardrobes, the couple performed all of this work. They hired professional help. The bedroom after its makeover.
They created a pantry from scratch in a corner of their kitchen. After painting it white, they added shelves made from recycled wood. Pictured during renovation
Copy created a makeshift pantry from a corner of their kitchen. They painted it white, then added shelves made from eBay.
In total, the couple have spent £3,000 on the renovations – including the cost of the fitted wardrobes. Pictured, Rima Aktar
For furniture, they used Facebook Marketplace to search for affordable second-hand items. Before renovation, this is the bathroom.
The couple searched Facebook Marketplace for used furniture, which saved them money. The home is bright, airy and has a lovely natural green wall.
They also created a DIY Crittall-style shower screen for £10 by painting the frame black using a £3 tester pot, then using a 50mm vinyl tape she bought from eBay for £7 and cut to length, sticking it on the glass. A spirit level was used to ensure precision.
They searched Facebook Marketplace to find second-hand furniture in order to furnish their home.
Rima estimates each room in the house took between 2-4 weeks to complete – with the couple usually working on them during the weekends.
The only exception was fitting the wardrobes which they did themselves.
The house value has increased by £30,000 already – and Rima (pictured) anticipates it being worth even more once they are fully finished
It was an old, dated bathroom (pictured).
The couple bought a crittall-style shower screen for £10 and spent £3 painting the frame black with a tester pot. They then used a 50mm vinyl tape bought from eBay for £7 and cut it to length, before sticking it on the glass
They are now working on renovating the bedrooms in the second bedroom, and redecorating the hall.
Rima said: ‘The most difficult part was the painting – we have high ceilings and we found it to be draining at times, but it was worth it.
“We are in an old house, so there were wall cracks that made it difficult. But we accept the fact that they add to our home’s character.
In total, the couple have spent £3,000 on the renovations – including the cost of the fitted wardrobes.
The couple is now concentrating on the transformation of the spare bedroom and the small makeover of the hallway.
Rima said, “I’ve come to the conclusion I will always need some decorating to do.”
‘But my husband has been my partner in DIY and I wouldn’t have been able to execute half of the ideas or plans without him – he truly is a gem.’
Incredibly, the house value has increased by £30,000 already – and Rima anticipates it being worth even more once they are fully finished.