8 interior DIY projects to do in a day

In today’s fast-paced world, finding time for home improvements can be a challenge. This is leading people to look for interior DIY jobs that will transform their living space quickly. So, it isn’t a surprise that searches for #quickdiyproject have reached 1.8M views on TikTok.

Whether it’s about refreshing old elements, adding a personal touch, or maximising organisation – Tapi Carpets & Floors have teamed up with interior experts Claire Douglas and Tim Warren to share eight hassle-free jobs that will allow you to refresh your space in only a day, and without breaking the bank.

Kitchen cabinet cleaning
With searches for ‘kitchen cabinet deep cleaning’ seeing a 100% increase in the past 12 months[3], – it’s clear people are looking for ways to refresh and reorganise their kitchen storage space.

Hiring a professional cleaner can cost you £16 per hour, so to save costs Claire has some tips on how to do a professional job yourself.

She suggests starting with a cleanse to prep the surface. If painting is not an option, use contact paper. Kitchen cabinets get used a lot and need to be more resilient than other cupboards in your home. Claire therefore doesn’t recommend using wallpaper to jazz up the insides, unless it’s a scrubbable product. Contact paper is much more suited to this job as it has a vinyl coating making it very easy to clean and much more durable. It’s quick and easy to apply, has a low cost, and comes in a variety of designs, allowing you to upgrade old or damaged cabinets quickly.

In terms of storage, Tim suggests using kitchen organisers such as lazy Susan’s, drawer dividers and wire racks as they can help if you are low on space.

2. Changing door handles

Another job that can be done quickly but provides a new look is changing door handles. This change instantly elevates your space by adding colour, texture and style.

Hiring a professional trader can cost you around £75 for five doors. So here are a few tips on how to do this yourself:

If your current handles have more than one hole, Claire suggests measuring the hole centres and only buying replacements with the same measurements to save having to drill new and fill any existing holes. Use an electric screwdriver or screwdriver drill-bit to ensure the speediest removal and installation.

If you need to drill new holes for your replacements, make a template from a card that gives the exact position of the required drill holes to save measuring each individual door or drawer. Hold the new handles or drawer pulls in place with painter’s tape to keep your hands free to hold the screws and screwdriver.

However, if you want an even quicker makeover, Tim recommends painting the door handles. Simply remove them from the door and place them on a protected surface. Spray the handle with primer before using a spray paint formulated for metal or plastic. Even though the paint will be dry to the touch within an hour, it is best to leave it for 24 hours to fully dry before reinstalling.

3. Covering radiators

With 14.9M views on TikTok for the hashtag #radiatorcover, Claire shares two ways to transform your old-looking and tired radiators quickly and effectively into almost brand-new pieces.

Firstly, through radiator shelves. A piece of rustic wood makes a great radiator shelf, this could be upcycled from an old floorboard to save money. You can attach the wood to the wall with brackets for a floating look. Alternatively, there are many styles of legs available to buy, such as hairpin legs or industrial-style metal.

The second option is a DIY slat radiator cover. You can quickly make a slat radiator cover with wood strips from your local DIY store. Measure the height and depth needed to cover the radiator, and cut vertical and horizontal slats to size. Join each horizontal slat to a single perpendicular slat, the length of the radiator width, this piece anchors the individual pieces together and allows you to attach the completed cover to the wall.

Do the same with the vertical slats, their perpendicular piece will fit the anchor for the base. Then attach the other end of each horizontal slat to its corresponding vertical one with a mitre cut and wood glue or grab adhesive and allow to set.

A good quality medium-sized ready-bought radiator cover costs around £50, with installation costing £95 for a maximum of two radiators. So, if you’re handy with DIY, you will be saving a minimum of £95.

4. Shelf makeover

Shelf makeover is one of the easiest and quickest way to transform your living space, however, professionals can charge an average of £50 for this job.

With the hashtag #paintingshelves having gathered 684.5K views on TikTok, doing shelf DIY is great for beginners as it requires little skills and a few tools or materials.

According to Claire, if your shelves are in an alcove, this gives you the option of transforming the wall behind the shelves as part of the glow-up. Wallpaper or contact paper are effective ways to do this. Add a lick of paint to the shelves to complement the palette in your chosen wallpaper and style with your favourite ornaments and vases.

Wood stain is also a great way to change the colour of wooden shelves. There’s a huge selection of shades available and water-based VOC-free solutions are safe and easy to use. Remove the shelves first and protect the area you are working in with dust sheets. Lightly sand the shelves first to ensure the stain adheres well. Use a clear varnish or wax afterwards to seal the stain.

5. Tiling a splashback

To tile a splashback in under an hour you’ll need to be using large tiles or be covering a small area, says Claire.

Tiling a small sink splashback is a great opportunity to go luxe with your tiles, as you won’t need many. In fact, you might be able to get away with a single, very large tile, so you could opt for an expensive marble or stone.

Whilst the tiling itself can be done in a few hours, you’ll need to grout them once the adhesive has set so will require a second session. The grouting process is very quick, so won’t take long at all. Remember to seal natural tiles like marble and stone.

The average hourly rate for tiling a wall is £50 per square metre, indicating that doing the job yourself will be saving you a minimum of £50, if not more.

6. Painting old furniture

Painting furniture is a great way to revive an old piece or change it to suit your interior style. People are looking for inspiration to do this, with searches for #DIYpainterfurniture having 1.8M views on TikTok.

The price to hire a professional furniture painter depends on the size of the furniture. The average median price is £50, but if you’re wanting to paint a mirror, the price can be as low as £30, and if you’re looking to get a chest drawer painted, it can go up to £105.

Claire states you’ll need to prep the surface before you start, and the preparation required will depend on the furniture you are painting. If you are painting bare or natural wood you’ll need to sand lightly and, depending on the type of wood, check for knots. If present, apply a knotting solution first so the resin doesn’t seep out and spoil your paint finish.

Apply an undercoat first before a coat of your chosen wood paint. If you want to complete the project in under an hour, applying paint that contains an undercoat or is listed as an ‘all surface’ paint is the best option as it does not require priming.

7. Add coving to rooms

Installing decorative coving is a quick and easy to way to add a touch of character and elegance to any room. With searches for #coving having 13M views on TikTok, this decorative element enhances the overall design of the room while creating a more polished and sophisticated look.

It’s particularly great for hiding imperfections at the junction of walls and ceilings such as cracks or uneven joints. Adding this throughout the home contributes to the overall appeal and aesthetic, as well as potentially increasing the resale value of the house.

A tradesperson charges an average of £130 for a lightweight coving installation. While for standard coving for a regular sized room is around £250, meaning you will be saving a big chuck when by installing it yourself.

8. Panelling a wall

Panelling a wall can have a transformative effect on your interior space by adding texture and depth to an otherwise flat surface. Searches for #diywallpanelling have seen 8.2M views on TikTok, indicating people are looking for inspiration on how to do the job themselves.

This is particularly great for refreshing older walls that have dents, cracks or unevenness as it adds a visual interest and makes the room feel more dynamic and inviting.

If you are skilled to do this yourself, you will be saving an average of £225 per square metre as this is how much average wall panelling costs.

Claire has also shared some tips on how to ensure you can complete the DIY projects in a quick timeframe:

Gather everything before you start and check all your tools are in working order and see if any bits (drills) or blades (saws) need replacing.
Research the project and see if there are any tutorials or instructions you can follow that might also advise on common mistakes to avoid.
Have some spare materials to save delays caused by running out.
With painting projects, look for paints that include an undercoat or primer and have excellent coverage.
Johanna Constantinou, Brand and Communications Director at Tapi Carpets says: “Refreshing your interior doesn’t have to be a time-consuming and expensive job. There are many DIY projects that can be completed in a few hours to give your living space a quick makeover.

Here at Tapi, we offer a wide range of flooring options. So, for a quick refresh of your floors, browse through our vinyl flooring and luxury vinyl tile options.”