Decorating
Decorating: 10 Creative New Uses for Leftover Materials
Don't throw out your wallpaper offcuts and opened tins of paint. Put them to good use with these mini projects
Just as everyone gets left with a few random screws after assembling flatpack furniture, it’s next to impossible to complete a decorating project without some unwanted bits and pieces at the end of it. It’s always worth decanting some matt emulsion into smaller containers and keeping it for touch-ups, but if you want to dispose of half-full tins of gloss or use up leftover rolls of wallpaper and fabric scraps, try these ideas for size.
…And on cupboard doors
Add some va-va-voom to plain, flat-fronted cabinets with a panel of wallpaper across the front. Here, the damask design chosen for the dining room has been repeated in the adjoining kitchen, creating a clear link between the two spaces.
Add some va-va-voom to plain, flat-fronted cabinets with a panel of wallpaper across the front. Here, the damask design chosen for the dining room has been repeated in the adjoining kitchen, creating a clear link between the two spaces.
Bag it up
Leftover fabric can easily be turned into smart drawstring bags for laundry, kids’ sports kit or toy storage. Not enough material? Make mini drawstring bags, stuff them with lavender and tuck them in your chest of drawers to keep clothes smelling fresh.
Leftover fabric can easily be turned into smart drawstring bags for laundry, kids’ sports kit or toy storage. Not enough material? Make mini drawstring bags, stuff them with lavender and tuck them in your chest of drawers to keep clothes smelling fresh.
Revamp dining chairs
Colourful chairs lend a cheery, laid-back feel to a kitchen or breakfast room, so this is a great place to use up old tins of paint. The bigger the mix of colours, the merrier.
Colourful chairs lend a cheery, laid-back feel to a kitchen or breakfast room, so this is a great place to use up old tins of paint. The bigger the mix of colours, the merrier.
Fly the flag
If you’ve made blinds, curtains or cushions for a child’s bedroom, turn the fabric offcuts into matching bunting. It’s quick, easy and will give the room a co-ordinated finish.
If you’ve made blinds, curtains or cushions for a child’s bedroom, turn the fabric offcuts into matching bunting. It’s quick, easy and will give the room a co-ordinated finish.
Hang paper panels
Got several wallpapers to use up, but no more than a metre of each? Give the traditional technique of papering below a dado rail a fresh twist by lining up panels of different - but complementary - designs for a cute patchwork effect. Perfect for a boho-style bedroom.
See more bedrooms that have star quality
Got several wallpapers to use up, but no more than a metre of each? Give the traditional technique of papering below a dado rail a fresh twist by lining up panels of different - but complementary - designs for a cute patchwork effect. Perfect for a boho-style bedroom.
See more bedrooms that have star quality
Make your own artwork
Offcuts of fabric or wallpaper in the accent colours of your scheme look smart mounted on a white border, framed and hung in a group.
Offcuts of fabric or wallpaper in the accent colours of your scheme look smart mounted on a white border, framed and hung in a group.
Pretty-up your stairs
Use scraps of wallpaper left over from other rooms to paper the risers of your stairs. This neat trick links your hallway to the rest of your decorating schemes, setting the scene for what’s to come as soon as you step through the door.
See 10 steps to a smarter staircase
Use scraps of wallpaper left over from other rooms to paper the risers of your stairs. This neat trick links your hallway to the rest of your decorating schemes, setting the scene for what’s to come as soon as you step through the door.
See 10 steps to a smarter staircase
Repurpose a paint tin
For the ultimate in no-waste decorating, paint the tin itself and give it a new lease of life as an outdoor plant holder.
TELL US…
Share your ideas for using up decorating materials in the comments below.
For the ultimate in no-waste decorating, paint the tin itself and give it a new lease of life as an outdoor plant holder.
TELL US…
Share your ideas for using up decorating materials in the comments below.
A bold wallpaper can turn simple shelving or a plain bookcase into a room’s most striking feature, and creates a pretty backdrop for framed photos and ornaments.