HE was the first-ever winner of Big Brother which landed on our TV screens in 2000.
But although at the time Craig Phillips had absolutely no idea just how much of an impact being on the show would have on his life, the dad-of-two has stayed the same – and his love for building hasn’t vanished because of fame.
The 52-year-old Liverpudlian may live in a stunning £1.5million mansion with massive kitchen and home gym – but that doesn’t mean he’s not up for a cheap DIY challenge.
Before appearing on the reality show more than two decades ago, Craig – who’s got experience in bricklaying – ran his own building company for ten years.
With an expertise spanning over 30 years, Craig certainly knows everything about renovations – and the TV personality has now shared a few tips and tricks for a home glow-up on a budget.
A bit of paint is one of the cheapest yet most effective ways to spruce up any room with practically no effort, and it’s totally foolproof too.
Craig said: ”You can ‘colour drench’ rooms – which means painting the entire room, woodwork, ceiling, one colour. Very bold but can be very effective.”
If you’re not feeling as brave, the DIY guru recommended opting for a feature wall or an accent wall that ”can make all the difference, and brighten a room”, whilst also adding the illusion of size.
”Also don’t be afraid to re-vamp important rooms like the kitchen – you can transform your kitchen by using Frenchic to paint your kitchen cupboards, and make it look entirely new!”
On a tight budget or don’t want to spend thousands on new gear? The DIY whizz was raving about different sites, such as Facebook Marketplace and eBay, where you can give pre-loved furniture a second life.
”Then those aesthetic changes – new curtains or blinds, changing knobs, handles on units, fresh light fittings, flooring – can all makes a home or room look entirely different.”
Money-smart shoppers can find purse-friendly door and cabinet knobs on Shein for as little as £4 for a ten-pack – which works out at just 40p a piece.
It’s not just our homes that need a little TLC – Craig also urged green-fingered Brits to spruce up their outdoor space, and there are plenty of simple yet effective methods to do so.
”For your garden, the main visuals are fences, decking, sheds, patio areas – they can all be transformed on a budget, and all can be preserved, often with a lick of good quality paint.
”With all of these, jet wash the areas to give them a good clean, leave to dry and prepare the surfaces ready for painting by sanding.”
The guru advised to stick to a minimum of three coats of paint to achieve the perfect results – and also check the weather beforehand to ensure all the hard work doesn’t get washed away.
”Frenchic Paint have a brilliant Al Fresco Indoor Outdoor Range, with some stunning neutrals if that is your preference, but some fantastic, bold and bright colours to really give your garden that lift.
”I absolutely love looking at the Before and Afters of front doors – a great money saving instead of buying a new one – garage doors, sheds and garden furniture. Benches are a great option for an upcycle, as is rattan furniture!”
Craig went on: ”You can genuinely give your garden and outdoor spaces an absolute transformation with just a few tins of paint!”
The DIY-loving dad-of-two is always up for a challenge - and here are some of his top How To videos that will help you spruce up your home.
Although cash-strapped households are on the lookout for ways to renovate their homes themselves, Craig warned there are some things better left in the hands of experts.
Chatting exclusively to Fabulous, the Big Brother star said: ”We never really advise people to do any electrical work – at all.
”If you’re not qualified to do it, don’t attempt it. Likewise, with some of the plumbing side of things we wouldn’t tell anyone to do any gas engineering at all.”
Even some of the more basic aspects of plumbing the 52-year-old pro strongly advised to steer clear from – unless you want to fork out a hefty bill to fix the mess.
”If it goes wrong and is damaging, it can be quite costly to repair it.”
According to the savvy father – who reckons that the DIY culture really took off around the first lockdown in 2020 – it’s better to ”start small”, as this will ”build your confidence”.
The ultimate guide for homeowners and renters:
Frenchic Paint Partnership Collection With Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Charity, Samaritans
In 2023, Frenchic Paint announced their official Partnership with mental health and suicide prevention charity, Samaritans.
Frenchic simultaneously launched their ‘Frenchic for Samaritans’ Paint Collection consisting of seven Chalk Wall and Trim paints.
10% of sales from these chosen colours go directly to the charity to help their vital work within the mental health arena.
The Collection donations include all online and store sales, with the many hundreds of Frenchic stockists and boutique high-street retailers across the UK supporting this great initiative.
The seven paint shades in the Collection are:
