Sunday 2 June 2013

Money Supermarket Room For Improvement

How excited was I when asked to be part of the Money Supermarket room for improvement makeover challenge.
I was selected along with a number of other bloggers and as soon as I knew the details I thought to myself, this is right up my street.
I was given a fifty pounds spending limit, and the next thing was to decide on a room that needed a mini makeover.
It didn't take long to come to the most obvious conclusion that our playroom was in dire need, and being honest, had been for quite sometime.

the greyness



The fact that it spends most of its life resembling a squat made me sad and I have always avoided doing anything too much for this precise reason.
The teenragers like to put all the cushions on the floor and what i like to call 'lollop'
Littlest has more toys than most reputable toyshop.
There would not only be a new room, there would be new rules!!



My first challenge was to make my beloved Ercol sofa look a bit more beloved.
I decided to make some new, loose, washable covers using the existing seat cushions and half of the back cushions.
I purchased some bright yellow curtains, in the sale, fromB&M for 7.99....bargain.


I also added an old crochet blanket, a homemade vintage cushion and one of my fox cushions.
The fox cushion cost, in materials, 5.40
I am really happy with my sofas new look and it has added a lovely pop of much needed colour.

I also wanted a 'feature wall'. Not my usual thing but I did stumble across the most lovely roll of 70s wallpaper. The roll cost 7.00



I added some flying birds that I already had but i made them more funky with a quick paint job using a pot of yellow paint purchased from the bargain shelf in B&Q
I paid 3.00 for the paint and I also used it to upcycle a 1.00 charity shop spice rack.
I took it from orangey pine to this.


I think this is my most favourite thing in the whole room.




My last part of my budget was spent on storage.
Storage is an absolute devil to get right.
We did have a good old Billy bookcase but I found it always looked untidy and I didn't particularly want all the DVDs and PC games on display.
As soon as I spotted this vintage cupboard on eBay I knew I had to have it...and it was local!
I managed to get it for the starting price of 15.00 and I love it.



It houses all the aforementioned games etc behind its doors and I have added a piece of wrapping paper to the top cupboard to add a bit more pattern to the room.
I also bought the BOYS lettering at 1.00 a letter, painting them in some white gloss paint.
Both the letters and the wrapping paper were purchased from Fred Aldous

I moved the old school desk in to the fireplace and added a thrifted typewiter
that I paid 5.00 for. Littlest is over the moon with both the typewriter and his new office area (as he like to call it).





And, might I just add, that I am a big fan of Freecycle. Not only do I list a lot of my unwanted things on there, mainly toys, but I also check in regularly to see if there is anything I may require.
Although i have had the coffee table for a while, it was indeed a Freecycle find and it is an example of the treasures that can be found by becoming part of the Freecycle community.
I hope you like what I have done.
Thanks for reading. x

This is my entry for the Money Supermarket Room for Improvement challenge.
I received £50 spend.

21 comments:

  1. Oh that is gorgeous! I'm doing it too and it's been a lot of fun. Yours feels like a winner though! x

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    1. Don't try too hard!!
      just read the bumf and apparently, the wiinner is selected 'at random'
      Bit silly :/
      Thanks for the good feedback though and I can't wait to see yours. Xxx

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  2. I love this! I've been giving each room a mini make over and it's amazing what you can achieve on such a small budget. I'm also a fan of Freecycle such a great community.

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  3. Hi Emma,What a fab mini make over!!Just goes to show what you can do with a small budget!!!Love it!!!Have a fab week!!!
    Love
    AMarie

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  4. Gorgeous and how well you stretched the £50 ... I was offered the chance to take part too but I wasn't organised enough ... now I'm a little cross ... I wish I had got my act together ... Bee xx

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  5. Your room makeover looks really stylish - I love it.

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  6. I'd say you made a great job of it and who would have thought you kept within such a strict budget.

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  7. Love your colourful and thrifty makeover.

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  8. Loving the new look, I bet you spend more time in there than the boys now ;) xxx

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  9. wow! a wonderful make over. yes, you're not alone.. our playroom normally looks like a squat or tip too. unfortunately its a small hosue and the playroom is also my studio and sewing room, so its not always easy to feel inspired in the space!! x

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  10. What a wonderful new look and for such bargain prices ... it's amazing how much you can do with £50 ... well done :)

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  11. Well done, it looks great. Love freecycle too x

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  12. So cute!! Love the new look! :) Have a great day! xo Holly

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  13. WOW! It looks fab. We love Freecycle too - I wish more people would wake up to it and help keep usable things out landfill. M x

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  14. Oh wow, just wow. I can't believe how far you stretched that £50! Amazing. You've made a really gorgeous space there, what lucky kids. You are the queen of thrifty upcycling. x

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  15. OOOOh me too, but i just missed the deadline for the big prize......D XX

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  16. love what you have done. The sofa really is transformed! also love the term teenrager, it's so true. It's a lovely room now, don't forget the new rules! Heather x

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  17. Wow, very impressive - a fabulous makeover indeed!

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