Home entrance renovation will wow your guests

Adam Pritchett, who, along with his partner, recently embarked on a viral DIY project to renovate their home entrance.

Pritchett estimates that their creativity and impressive DIY skills may have saved the couple thousands of pounds, based on quotes from professional joiners, painters, and decorators.

Home entrance renovation

With almost 375K views on Twitter, Pritchett’s project has inspired DIYers across the UK and beyond.

Saxton Blades have linked up with Adam’s wonderful home renovation to help spread their tips to a wider audience.

It comes as DIY-style projects have become increasingly popular in recent months.

On TikTok, the hashtag “HomeDIY” has 3 billion views, whilst on Instagram, the hashtag has been shared over 968,000 times.

Interview

Q: Hi Adam, first things first, what materials did you choose for constructing your bookcase?

A: We opted for B&Q’s Geom cladding, along with some of their lengths of 2m timber to construct the cladding shelf. We used additional timber lengths for the battens fixed to the wall beneath the cladding.

We applied paint from Little Greene in the Jewel Beetle and Garden shades. We also used caulk, nails, screws, Gorilla wood glue, and some 3” shelf brackets from Yester Home.

As a final touch, we incorporated vintage coat hooks we found in an antique shop 10 years ago and had been saving for a special project.

Q: How much did it cost?

A: The total was £350 for everything.

Q: Did you look at custom-built options or have quotes from joiners?

A: We looked at a few options, but the packs tended to be too big for such a small entrance space. And, we had so many other projects to tackle around the house, we knew that getting professionals in wasn’t an option on our budget.

What inspired you to start the project?

A: We had a Pinterest board of mud rooms/boot rooms in little cottages, which served as our inspiration for the overall aesthetic. Given that our home is a Victorian railway terrace, this design concept provided a seamless way to incorporate that feel, whilst also making the space practical as it was completely useless before.

Q: How long did it take?

A: Four days total – we had a week off work and couldn’t get away for a mini break so decided to tackle this instead!

Q: Were there any challenges you wish you’d thought about before?

A: Definitely. We originally tried to use No More Nails to fix the cladding to the wall, but the walls in the house are old and not perfectly flat, so the three cans we bought turned out totally useless! We had to think on our feet and shift to fixing proper battens to the wall, which has probably worked out better anyway.

Q: What tools did you use?

A: We used a hammer, SDS drill, caulk gun, paintbrushes, a ladder for reaching high areas, and a screwdriver.

Q: Why did you choose the colour?

A: The Garden shade is what we use in the living room, and the two rooms now flow on from one another perfectly. When we initially swatched the Jewel Beetle for the living room, we found it to be a bit too dark and intense, especially considering the room’s limited natural light. When we tackled the cladding project, we realised that the Jewel Beetle was an ideal choice, providing the captivating colour we loved in a smaller space.

Q: How do you feel it’s affected the room?

A: It’s been totally transformed! It’s such a welcoming space to come home to now, and it’s become a practical and functional space. The addition of coat hooks and the small shelf for decorative items has made such a difference. The space didn’t really work as anything before, so it’s a huge change for us. We couldn’t be happier!

Saxton’s top tips to getting started on a DIY project

Saxton Blades’ Owner & DIY Expert, Glen Peskett, comments: “Many people are diving headfirst into the world of DIY, as a way to not only save money but have fun with a creative project. There’s a vibrant DIY community online, particularly on social media, offering a treasure trove of inspiration, step-by-step tutorials, and invaluable advice for those taking their first DIY steps.

When choosing your first project, aim for something relatively small and budget-friendly to build your confidence, before tackling trickier tasks like plumbing and electrical work.

Approach your project with a positive attitude and take time to plan it out – don’t be afraid to reach out to experienced DIYers for help, if you need it. Mistakes are a natural part of the process so embrace the opportunity to get your hands dirty and unleash your creativity”.