I turned my grubby, spider-ridden shed into a bright & beautiful summer house – a £4.50 B&Q buy made a huge difference

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

But social media users were keen to share their suggestions of how they would have transformed Medina's shed
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A DIY enthusiast has given her grubby, spider-ridden shed a mega makeover without breaking the bank.
Now, Medina Grillo, who is known on social media as 'Grillo Designs', has a bright and beautiful summer house that's perfect for hanging out in.
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A DIY fan has revealed how she transformed her messy shed into a stunning summer house, all whilst staying on a budget
Credit: tiktok/@grillodesigns
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Medina Grillo also shared the cheap B&Q buy that was a must for brightening up the once very dark space
Credit: tiktok/@grillodesigns
So if your shed is a dumping ground full of rubbish, but you're eager to transform it into the perfect book reading space for sunny days, then you've come to the right place and will need to listen up.
Posting on social media, Medina gave her followers a close-up look at her "tiny" shed prior to its overhaul into a jaw-dropping summer house.
But what was once a dumping ground, packed with tins of paint, garden bits and even a bike, has now been given a fresh new look - and we think it's super impressive.
Showing off the shed's step-by-step transformation, Medina said: 'First I moved all the garden stuff into this large storage container, then I cleaned - there were so many spiders.'
Following this, she added: 'I spray painted the inside white to brighten up the walls, next I remove the weeds from the pathway - not a fun job but it had to be done.'
To add colour to the summer house, the content creator used the Rust-Oleum Chalk White Matt Multi-surface Exterior Topcoat Paint, which you can buy in a small 125ml tin from B&Q for just £4.50.
Once painted and the weeds were removed, she explained: 'I kept the inside of the summer house pretty minimal with an outdoor rug, this gorgeous wooden bench, a picture frame, some cushions, a side table, and I also added some outdoor plants around the door.'
Thrilled with the finished summer house, Medina continued: 'The result is a peaceful corner of my garden that I can now enjoy, what do you think?'
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @grillodesigns, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has racked up 121,900 views, 4,516 likes, 111 comments and 378 saves.
Social media users were impressed with Medina's stunning summer house overhaul and many eagerly raced to the comments to express this.
I'm a single mum sick of soft play costs so turned my shed into a mini one
One person said: 'This is such a good idea!'
Another added: 'Love this so much!'
The white really made it look finished, and I love the hanging pot
TikTok user
A third commented: 'It's so cute!'
Meanwhile, someone else simply penned: 'Perfection.'
Do I need planning permission to convert my shed?
CONVERTING an existing shed or outbuilding into a self-contained living space will usually require you apply for planning permission.
However, there is a "loophole" Brits can use to convert outbuildings into a tiny home without permission.
Planning expert Martin Gaine from Just Planning warned the conversion process is far easier than you may think.
Speaking to The Sun, the Chartered Town Planner of 14 years' experience explained: "An outbuilding can be built using 'permitted development rights', meaning it does not need planning permission.
"As long as you comply with the various restrictions and conditions."
One of these is that the outbuilding can only be used for something 'ancillary' to your main living accommodation - examples include storage, a gym or a pool room.
If the outbuilding is existing, converting it then into primary living accommodation IS allowed.
Martin explained: "This is because internal changes to an existing building are not considered to be development at all under the Town and Country Planning Act.
But like anything, there is one catch.
The new living accommodation must still have some connection with your use of the main house.
For instance, if your gran is living out there, she must still come into the house to eat.
Whilst another beamed: 'How perfect to enjoy the garden in the rain! The white really made it look finished, and I love the hanging pot.'
But at the same time, others were keen to reveal the changes they would have made to Medina's shed.
I would put a mattress instead of the bench
TikTok user
One user wrote: 'I would put a small soft sofa with mini paintings and tiny plants or maybe a small fireplace.'
A second chimed in: "I personally feel it would be more cosy and space savvy to put floor pillows instead of a bench for seating?'
And someone else shared: 'I would put a mattress instead of the bench.'
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