A relaxing oasis (Picture: Mediadrum/Hayley Somerton)
A thrifty mum-of-three transformed her boring new-build into a Pinterest-worthy heaven by spending just £3,000 on DIY.
Hayley Somerton’s incredible self-taught hacks have added a staggering £75,000 to the value of her property.
Hayley, who live in the Norfolk home with her husband, Lee, 37, and their children, Amelie, 10, Arlo, seven, and Amos, three, said: ‘This is my first home, as we always rented before, so I was excited to finally be able to decorate according to my own style and taste.
‘I wanted to do something to the house that reflected my personality. I decided to transform it from the plain white boring new build to a house that defined us.’
Administrator Hayley Somerton, 37, moved into her three-bedroom house in Kings Lynn in 2020.
They paid £225,000 for the property, and Hayley, a lover of fashion and interiors, was determined to make her mark, using patterns – and lots of bright paint.
Statement stripes (Picture: mediadrumimages/HayleySomerton)
The quirky dining area (Picture: mediadrumimages/HayleySomerton)
Aside from the help of her supportive husband, she used no outside assistance or labourers.
‘I am lucky to have a husband who trusts my design instinct,’ said Hayley.
‘He gave all my suggestions a go, even though the checkerboard print paint in the bathroom took him a long time.
‘The stairs, which now have a beautiful pink paint, are because of his precision and ability.’
‘My husband found painting scallops the hardest but they looked easy to me.
‘Even though I love letting my creative instincts flow, my husband did a good amount of the physical work – he believes that I’m too slap dash!’
Hayley’s house looks so different, it’s hard to believe she spent just £3,000 – mainly on paint.
The stairs are Hayley’s favourite part of the home (Picture: mediadrumimages/HayleySomerton)
She said: ‘We painted each and every room ourselves, but tried to make a statement by doing so.
‘We spent £60 worth of paint in our children’s rooms even though the cost varied from room-to-room.
‘A big expense was probably using frog-tape and good paint brushes.’
Surprisingly, Hayley’s favourite part of the house is not the lounge or her bedroom – but the stairs.
She explained: ‘I made the stairs the “wow” factor of the house as I settled for a cheaper hallway floor due to cost restrictions.’
Hayley has unleashed her creativity to style all her rooms – from plants in the bathrooms to a swan print rug for the kitchen.
‘I have tried to buy nice prints and rugs to style my home,” she said.
‘My swan print rug for the kitchen is a real statement and cost me around £260.’
Hayley’s DIY has not only transformed her home but also her life. Living in her own home, decorated in her taste and style, has uplifted her mood and happiness.
Leopard print is always a good idea (Picture: mediadrumimages/HayleySomerton)
Pretty patels (Picture: mediadrumimages/HayleySomerton)
‘People’s comments on Instagram are so positive,’ she said. ‘People share my work and it makes me so happy.
‘Some people were shocked that a new build can be so colourful as they’re seen as being bland with no character.
‘I know so many people hold back when it comes to decorating the house – but that shouldn’t be the case.’
And the new colourful home has had full approval from her children.
‘My daughter, Amelie, loves art and design. She loves and appreciates the colour and the vibrancy of the home.’
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