How much longer are you going to spend scrolling through social media, wishing that you too could purchase trendy home decor pieces sans hefty price tags? Luckily, there’s a way to take matters into your own hands: DIY. The result is often fulfilling and much cheaper than buying it from a shop. And though we can’t guarantee your entire wishlist of funky furniture is included in this listing, we’ve rounded up 9 easy DIY home decor pieces that you should definitely try out.
1. Mediterranean wall niche
A $1,899 niche wall shelf.
Image credit: Hello Trader
Modern wall niche shelves have been all over Tiktok, but not all of us can drop nearly $2,000 on a decorative item. The good news is that we’ve found a DIY tutorial to easily replicate the look of this trendy item.
Image credit: All the peaches please, All the peaches please, Smor home
First, start off by using cardboard pieces to form a base frame. The skeleton of the shelf should be formed using cardboard strips to section out your desired compartments.
@letsgetnadiiaa turning trash into treasure:) @paulinatheboy 🖤 🖤 #upcycling #diyshelf #trashtotreasure #cardboardcrafts #cardboardshelf #greekshelf #plaster #jointcompound #icanmakethat #dupe #interiordesign #homedecor #diyhomedecor
Once the rough layout is done, prepare to get messy – we suggest laying down newspaper or a protective layer over your working surface and gloving up. Slather thick layers of plaster all over your frame, especially around the right-angled corners to transform them into soft curves.
Image credit: Collective Gen
Cardboard might seem flimsy, but you’ll find that the final product is surprisingly sturdy once it dries. Don’t just stop at regular shelves – try creating mini floating wall niches too. Leave your wall or standing shelf as is, paint it your desired colour, or embellish it with patterns and you’re good to go.
2. Tiled table
Image credit: IKEA hackers, Architectural Digest, Collective Gen
Retro tiles are making a comeback, and we’re all for it. Even if you’re not willing to commit to an entire tiled bathroom or floor in your home, you can still get the look with a little bit of elbow grease and some creativity.
@shry1m
To start, you need your furniture of choice, preferably something with flat surfaces and no curves. We recommend using a basic IKEA table for this. From there, measure the dimensions of your base furniture and head to the nearby hardware store to get supplies including tile adhesive and grout.
As for tiles, you’ll be able to pick them up from tile suppliers such as Lian Seng Hin, Soon Bee Huat, or Hafary. Your total damage: under $100.
Of all the DIYs on the list, the tiled table requires the highest effort , but the end result is a statement piece that’ll last for life.
3. Funky mirrors
Retro wavy mirror
Image credit: Disco Frank, Pinterest, Youtube
There’s something just so serotonin-boosting about a good mirror selfie. If you identify with this statement, then this DIY LED mirror replicating Jisoo’s Ultrafragola mirror will be right up your alley.
Work some magic on your existing full-length mirror by hot-glueing LED strip lighting in a wavy pattern around the perimeter.
Image credit: Disco Frank, Youtube
If you’re not confident in your freestyle skills, fashion a guide with cardboard before sticking on your LED light strip.
Dreamy puff mirror
Image credit: Pinterest, Pinterest
Foam mirrors dominated the DIY scene in 2020, and for good reason. It’s one of the easiest and possibly the cheapest home decor DIYs on Earth. This DIY uses expanding foam spray, which is a material used to seal hard-to-reach wall cavities and provide a weatherproof solution.
Though 2020 has long passed, foam mirrors still have a soft spot in our hearts. So, grab a can or two of expanding foam spray from your nearest hardware store or Shopee for under $10 each, and give your plain mirrors a transformation.
@haeunidang Foam mirror diy ☁️#foammirror#foammirrordiy#diy#폼미러#구름거울
You can either leave the foam in its original shade of off-white to complement a minimalist room, or level it up by exercising your Bob Ross skills to create a conversation piece.
4. Holographic window film
Image credit: Style by Emily Henderson, Dezeen, The Expert
Who knew that a piece of window film could have such a massive impact? Those who are suckers for lucite furniture will absolutely fall in love with this simple DIY. Your canvas for this DIY: any window or glass partition.
Search for the term “rainbow window film” on Etsy or Shopee and you’ll find a treasure trove of iridescent glass adhesives under $10 that’ll transform the entire look of your space, giving your bedroom the lucite furniture sheen.
All you need is a squeegee to push out any air bubbles when applying the film – it’s actually way easier than replacing the tempered glass protector on our phones.
5. IKEA plaster stool
Image credit: IKEA, All The Peaches Please
This IKEA Mammut stool was a mainstay in many of our childhoods, be it at school or in our own homes, and it’s often associated with fond memories. But none of us could have foreseen that this chonky stool from our childhood could make a sophisticated return to our adult lives with the use of a little plaster.
In this particular DIY, more is more. Prepare your plaster mix, and don’t skimp on the application. Your entire stool should be encased in a substantial layer of plaster for a bubbly look. Before applying the plaster, cover the entire stool in glass fibre tape. This will help the plaster adhere to the stool so that it doesn’t crack and fall off after a few weeks.
After the plaster dries, you can leave it as is or use sandpaper to smooth out the surface to achieve a more even finish.
6. IKEA basket coffee table
Image credit: Hometalk
Here’s an IKEA DIY project for those who live and breathe the bohemian jungalow aesthetic. If you no longer need your IKEA Snidad rattan basket to hold your throw blankets or stacks of magazines, it’s time to consider giving it another lease of life, this time as a coffee table.
@ikeahackers A storage coffee table hack from Katerina that is oh so easy. A SNIDAD basket, round piece of wood and hardware. #ikeahack #coffeetable #livingroomideas
First, carefully snip away the basket handles with a pair of scissors and sand down any sharp edges. Using a flat hinge attachment, affix a circular piece of wood to the top of the basket. This will create a lid for the DIY table and allows you to use it as storage.
Otherwise, you can also use a strong adhesive to glue the wood to the bottom of the basket for a more traditional table.
These circular wooden boards can be purchased from craft stores or modified from culinary serving trays – just make sure that they have a larger diameter than the rattan basket.
7. DIY LED mood lighting
Image credit: Pinterest, Kodak Tha Great, Roomtery
Instead of buying cliched “Live Laugh Love” neon signs on Shopee, create your own mood lighting with LED strips. These LED ropes go for as little as $3.50 for 3 metres and are easy to install – all you need is some inspiration and wall-mounting tape to hold your design in place.
@theclairenecessities Soul Cycle or Skate Rink? #homegym #neon #neonrope #ledlights #diyhome #homeproject
Let your imagination run wild by creating organic swirls and you’ll soon have yourself a funky one-of-a-kind light fixture in your home.
8. Paper maché lamp shades and vases
Image credit: @ateliermico, Smor Home, Home Inspiration
Paper marché projects bring back memories from our primary school art classes. Who knew this simple crafting method would be something we’d turn to in our adulthood to revamp everyday household objects for an organic Aesop boutique look?
Image credit: @hanna.goldfisch
This DIY is by far the most sustainable and eco-friendly one as its main medium is easily found in most of our homes – old newspapers.
Shred up newspapers and combine it with a 50/50 glue and water mixture. Then, slather it onto your base – if you’re hesitant about the durability, finish it off with a layer of plaster cloth to ensure a solid form. You can even upcycle other items in the process, such as empty detergent bottles, to create elegant display vases.
9. Disco ball mushroom
Image credit: All Good
To add a little whimsy to your home decor, look no further than this disco ball mushroom decorative piece. It’s totally unnecessary but totally dreamy.
You’ll need some glass mosaic bits from Shopee, a tall cup, a foam ball half from Spotlight, and some heavy-duty super glue – we recommend using a plastic cup base for safety.
Start by attaching the foam ball half to an overturned cup to create a mushroom shape. When that’s done, carefully glue those little glass mosaic tiles onto the mushroom, piece by piece.
Image credit: @sofiestdesigns, Sofiest Designs
If you’re feeling more experimental, go for multi-coloured mosaic tiles for a more eccentric look. After all, the main point is to bling out the entire mushroom.
TikTok trendy home decor DIY projects to try
Home improvement projects allow you to customise store-bought furniture and fine-tune it till it fits your taste 100%. Of course, the satisfying sense of accomplishment, when you see the project completed with a personal touch, is an added bonus. So get ready to live out your Bob the Builder dreams and take on one of these home DIY projects!
For more DIY inspiration:
- This Singaporean DIYed All The Arches In Her Home For Less Than $150
- 8 CNY Decor Tips You Can Do Under 5 Minutes
- This Homeowner Turned An Old 3-Room Rental Flat Into A Chic Bachelorette Pad With $0 Spent On Reno
Cover image adapted from: The Design Files, Pinterest, Pinterest
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