4 of my favourite low-effort DIY projects that I promise will kickstart your decorating mojo after the long winter months

Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.

After the cold winter, I feel so ready to get creative again. The past couple of months for me were more about hibernating, with endless bowls of stew and naps on the sofa. The Instant Pot was surely working overtime in our household.

Now that the spark has started to thaw, I can feel my motivation returning in small bursts. It has me excited to finally try some of the projects I have been saving on Pinterest.

It felt like a good time to revisit some of the simpler projects I have done in the past. Nothing overly ambitious. Just a few quick, easy and budget friendly ideas, very much needed at this time of the year during the post holiday pinch. These projects do not demand high commitment or a long list of supplies but will hopefully nudge you back into some low effort decorating.

1. Frame a cushion cover

Starting with an idea which I think almost anyone can do. An old cushion cover can easily become wall art. Simply unpick the seams, iron it flat, and frame it for a simple art display.

I used an abstract line art cushion cover I had from H&M Home for £3.99 and framed the fabric to create an easy piece of art. It took almost no time at all, and projects like this feel more than enough to get you started. Making something with what you already have, letting your hands wake up, and not worrying about perfection.

Honestly once you try it, you start seeing possibilities everywhere. Cushion covers, tea towels, scarves… you name it.

2. Low effort cushions

Talking of cushions, did you know you can make new cushion covers using fabric sample books? Fabric sample books are updated every season, which means upholsterers and interior shops often give away the old ones. You can also find retired designs on sites like eBay. Rather than letting them end up as waste, this feels like an easy way to give them a second life.

I removed the fabric squares and paired each one with a plain backing. Then I simply sewed around the edges, slipped in a cushion pad, and that was it. No technical pattern cutting. No measuring. Because the samples are pre-cut, the whole process takes minutes to complete.

It is exactly the kind of low spend project that works when your DIY energy is just starting to come back.

3. Give an old calendar a second life

Old calendars are one of the easiest items around the house to reuse as the new year begins, and they fit the no-spend crafting challenge just right by using what you already own. The images are designed to look good on walls, and one calendar gives you multiple prints, which feels especially helpful when you do not have much inclination to source anything new.

I made this gallery wall using an old calendar found in the discounted section at TK Maxx for 50p, in exactly the kind of print I had been looking for. I used lightweight frames, spray painted them matt gold and slipped in the calendar pages to fill the blank wall in my room.

In fact, this is my new favourite thing to do when buying calendars, envisioning them as a little design resource and not something that gets discarded at the end of the year.

Reusing something familiar always feels a bit more special the second time around. You can probably tell I’m a big fan of shopping your own home.

4. DIY a light fixture

Now that some of our crafting mojo has started to return, here is a slightly ambitious project to try. I made this beaded chandelier inspired by the designs I had seen online, the kind that usually come with a high price tag.

I used different sized wooden beads, cotton cord, and an upside-down net food cover to create a DIY version that felt tailored to my room. It is one of those projects that allows you to experiment with the design as it evolves.

I threaded the wooden beads, hung them in a way that shaped the chandelier, then tweaked and adjusted until the whole piece looked balanced and custom made. The idea itself was simple, but the result looks like it was meant for the space.

Sometimes beginning a simple project is enough to shift the mood, open up ideas, and remind you why you enjoy making in the first place. At least in my case.