Mum saves £500 transforming old IKEA drawers using 800 lollipop sticks from Amazon

DIY is a great way to cut costs when renovating your home, and one woman has demonstrated just how easy it is to transform your furniture while saving money in the process. Lauren Olphert, 30, wanted to upcycle her old IKEA dresser rather than buy a new set of drawers.

The mum-of-one was set on the Herringbone style and decided on a clever way to recreate the stylish design on a budget. She sourced 800 lollipop sticks from Amazon and managed to completely transform the look of her dresser for just £30.

Considering some Herringbone style furniture costs around £500, Lauren found a cost-effective way to keep on-trend.

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"I got inspiration for the project when I came across two DIY pages on Instagram that had upcycled similar units with lollipop sticks," Lauren told money-saving Facebook group DIY On A Budget UK.

"I combined the two ideas I had saw to create the finished piece. I used around 800 lollipop sticks, natural wood filler, sand paper, clear varnish and black handles. The total cost was around £30."

Lauren then described how she created her DIY drawers step-by-step. She said: "I had to find the centre of the IKEA Hemnes drawers and I began placing the sticks in a herringbone style.

"When I got to the top where some of the sticks were overhanging the drawer front I used cutting pliers to trim before sticking down with wood glue.

"Once I had all the sticks in place I sanded down the edges with sand paper or use an electric sander. Once I got them flush to the drawer I created a border by trimming the lollipop sticks straight on both sides.

"I then began to wood fill all the gaps and edges, then sanded down and again