Home improvement has been front and centre throughout lockdown, with new DIY projects and trends emerging almost weekly.
Since being stuck at home, many have taken to changing up their outdoor areas to make lockdown that bit easier, and one mum has gone the extra mile.
Stacey Reed, 35, a hairdresser and mum-of-three, was missing Love Island while on coronavirus lockdown and decided to transform her outdoor space into a garden inspired by the ITV2 show’s villa.
Stacey told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "We are currently in lockdown and spending a lot of time at home, me and my husband don’t get a lot of alone time for date nights, so we came up with a villa-themed transformation, as we're missing Love Island of course!
"We wanted somewhere clean and romantic but inviting and with a holiday vibe to it.
“We bought five rolls of artificial grass for £125 from B&M, spent £20 on white masonry paint from B&M and found a table and chairs for £40 from a pre-owned local selling site.
“We also bought solar lights for £10, string lights for £8 per pack, metal holders for £3 each and hanging flower baskets for £6 each, all from B&M.
“The project took us two days and cost £252 for everything."
Stacey added that she loves her new Love Island-inspired space and wishes she’d done it sooner.
She said:"We feel very taken back by the actual overall finish. We keep stepping back and looking at it and thinking ‘wow, just wow, we did good’!
“We wish we had actually done it sooner! It’s been a positive on our lockdown time because it’s made us happier to be at home and given us a boost to make the very most of what you actually do have.
“No matter how little it may seem, it can make a massive positive impact on your life.
"I sit here in the mornings in the sun and eat my breakfast. It's a slice of getaway for us!
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"Not being able to actually leave our homes, this has actually brought us so much joy for me and my husband’s date nights and even mini garden parties with the children.
"No matter how little the space, it’s amazing what a lick of paint and some artificial grass and solar-powered lights can make to it.”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, added: “As a nation, we’ve all been sorely missing the drama that Love Island provides each summer, so good on Stacey for bringing some island flavour to her home.
“She has stuck to a strict budget and totally transformed her outdoor space, showing just how creativity, hard work and some clever B&M buys can breathe new life into your home!"
