Interiors expert Michelle Ogundehin shares the easy DIY project we should all be doing this weekend

Whether you've covered every piece of furniture you own in rattan or avoided DIY entirely this year, this tip's for you

With the new season, we're keen to give our homes an update - without spending tons of money. So who better to ask than interiors expert Michelle Ogundehin?

Related: How to renovate on a budget – 18 ideas that will transform your home

The Interior Design Masters judge shared an incredibly easy way to zhuzh up our homes this spring - by painting the first wall you see when you walk in. It's an easy DIY job great to do in preparation for when we can finally welcome visitors inside, and, most importantly, it'll make you smile every time you come home.

chrome yellow wall plant on table white door and stack of books

(Image credit: Dulux Simply Refresh)

Michelle Ogundehin's easy DIY tip

'My usual go-to is a tin of paint,' Michelle begins. 'If you own your own home, you can paint the front door. If you don’t, it’s about painting the wall that you see as soon as you come into your home for that instant impact.'

The hallway is an often-overlooked but hugely important room in the home. It's the trunk that every other room branches off from. So a fresh lick of paint is a brilliant hallway idea - as well as simply clearing away jumbled items you've left to sort out later.

Alternatively, Michelle suggests painting the wall you see when you first wake up. 'Even if your home is painted white, it discolours over time,' she comments. 'It is amazing how a fresh coat of paint can just spruce something up.'

living room with purple and white wall light brown sofa with cushions and wooden floor

(Image credit: Dulux Simply Refresh)

For many, the stairs are the first thing you see. Stairways also represent a great opportunity to add colour and pattern. Take a look at our guide on how to wallpaper stairs for inspiration. Plus, Kelly Hoppen's advice on painting narrow hallways is great to help make the space feel bigger.

Speaking on how we've used our homes in lockdown, Michelle says 'people have understood that their home is worth spending something on but on a budget.'

'It's a sudden realisation, when the world has gone a bit bonkers, my home is the one place that I’ve got a measure of control over,' she adds.

green door shape designed on white wall flower pot on desk and wooden flooring

(Image credit: Dulux Simply Refresh)

As part of its 2021 campaign, ‘Our House’, Very.co.uk has released some new research that highlights how we’ve been getting creative with our living spaces in lockdown. Growing tired of our four walls, 29% of us say we feel the need to transform our homes once the pandemic is over. 

Related: Hallway colour schemes – the combinations that make an ideal first impression

An uplifting colour to greet us as soon as we come home sounds like a wonderful place to start.

Millie Hurst
Senior Content Editor

Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.