A DIY enthusiast who was fed up with his boring living room alcove transformed it into a functional desk space with B&Q bargains.
Alex Lawson, from Aberdeen, regularly shares home transformation tips on Instagram, where he has 311,000 followers (@casalawson).
The savvy blogger is urging people to “feel the fear and DIY anyway”, and many are trusting her easy tutorials to make their home their own.
Currently living in London, Alex also provides interior design consultancy for those struggling to find inspiration.
In a recent video, she revealed that she is tired of the corner of her living room and wants to turn it into a work space to put her laptop.
So she spent £76 on wood from B&Q, £9.50 on paint brushes and around £44 on paint for her DIY project.
she said: She created her dream office space by creating her own DIY alcove desk using materials, paints and accessories from B&Q.
“We first made the frame for the desk and shelves, then used 300mm pine furniture board for the shelves and desk.
“Then we added the front trim and stained it our favorite color. We love how this space turned out and can't believe how easy it was to complete.”
While sharing her steps with fellow DIY fans, she said: She says, “First, we painted the back wall a distinctive color.
“This is a custom color from V&Co’s Dead Flat Mat range (prices start from £44) and it lasts like a dream.
“Then I made a cut list and cut together the pieces of wood for the frame.
“Before we drilled the hole in the wall, we made sure there was nothing behind it.
“We used the smaller drill head first, then the larger drill head, added a roll plug to the wall and then screwed it in.
“We'll finish this until we have a structure on all three sides, then it's time to cut the top.
“The chimney breast was a difficult section to bypass, so we created a template using cardboard and a jigsaw.
“Then I continued the same process to create the frame for the shelf.
“Of course, I screwed everything in using the pilot holes first to avoid splitting the wood, and then secured it to these front pieces.”
She added: “After this I dyed everything with lime wax [and] The white wax was followed by my favorite brown stain.
“I absolutely love it. I can't believe how easy it is. I wish I had done it a few months ago.”
“It’s really nice to have a practical work space.”
Her DIY remodel has racked up nearly 170,000 views, and homeowners love the results.
One person said, “This is great!! What a great hack.”
A second wrote: “So beautiful! I wish I was good at DIY!”
A third added: “I love you, I love you so much!!!!!! Well done!!!!!”
A fourth person chimed in: “Wow, this is amazing.”
A fifth echoed: “Great job! Looks so easy!”
A sixth person gushed: “Great tips and skills to make it look easy. Looks great.”
Another said: “It's so incredible that you made this yourself. It's so beautiful. You have some skill and I'm in awe.”
Alex's interest in DIY began after he bought his first home in September 2019.
The engineer, who is shortlisted for Scotland's Christmas Home of the Year, previously said: “We love inspiring people to step out of their comfort zones, take on new projects and create beautiful homes for themselves in the process. It's my mission.”