Front Porch Makeover For Under £50

We moved house back in January and although our new home is fine as it is and is not run down by any means, we want to revamp it cosmetically and inject some of our own taste and update its interior. However, a new home with a new mortgage means that we don't have the budget or the spare money yet to make our own mark significantly, so we are just doing bits as and when we have the money and time. We have managed to redecorate the boys bedroom, although we still have to complete its given space theme, and we now have a beautiful spare room thanks to my OH spending his week off back in April giving it a make over. 

So when I was challenged by moneysupermaket to make over a room and given £50 to go forth and get busy with the paint, I accepted because it meant another part of our new home could be given some DIY lovin' yaaaaaaay :)

I chose our front porch because it is the smallest room in the house, asides from our 'posh' toilet but that was renovated by the previous owners so didn't need any make over! To be honest since we moved in it has become a bit of a dumping ground, the front porch that is (!) for our shoes, coats, recycling, the buggy, bikes, scooters etc... and when I photographed it this was taken after I cleared it up because it was actually messier than this about 2 weeks ago! Seeing as though a first impression counts, I didn't really want house guests arriving and the first thing they see is load of clutter giving the impression that we live in a well sh*t hole!!!

I wanted to make the room welcoming and a lot more attractive than it currently was and give a much better impression of the home and people on the other side of the front door. I have to say I am really pleased with the finished results. 

I bought the following items to carry out this make over

Dulex 2.5l paint (B & Q) £19.99

butterfly motif (Dunelm Mill) £7.99

bird cage lantern/plant holder (Dunelm Mill) £7.99

Total spent - £35.97

Luckily for me, our garden workshop already had a 2.5l of wild primrose paint left by the previous owners and I was able to buy another tin of it. This made a real difference to how much I spent because a lot of my budget would have gone on paint otherwise.

Also, I am such a hoarder and over the years and visits to Ikea and other shops I have bought items ready and waiting to be used for an appropriate room and thanks to this make over I have been able to give them a space to show them off. I have also used some stones, sea shells and some fir cones which they boys have collected from days out which hold memories of fun times for me, which I have included for decorative purposes too. I even made some shoe racks from some whicker baskets which were from the baby changing table I had for the boys - the table has gone but I knew the baskets would come in useful!

I really wanted to add a coat stand but didn't have enough money left and with more time I could have hunted one down on e-bay, but this will be something for me to source at a later date. 

Considering how rubbish I am at budgeting I am shocked to discover I have £14 left over - I am now wondering what else I could have bought! 

What a difference a couple of new coats of paint and some tidying up can make!!

*thank you to my OH who painted the room for me this weekend*