Living in smaller homes has taught Bunnings Workshop members Amy and Aaron Sparrow how to make every centimetre count.
The couple's renovating skills are especially clear in their kids bedroom makeovers where clever storage, custom details and thoughtful layouts help ensure reasonably compact rooms feel both useful and inviting. Their kids bedroom wall panelling has proved popular with the community, while their other kids bedroom makeover with reading nook won best paint project in our 2023 search for Australia's best D.I.Y. projects.
Based in Gippsland in regional Victoria, Amy and Aaron share their projects on Bunnings Workshop under the username @TheSparrowHome. They have shared a growing collection of home updates that reflect both creativity and determination to take on the challenge of renovating older family homes with a tight budget.
"Plan for nothing to go to plan," advises Amy. "it’s not because you had a bad plan, it’s because you’re working on an old house! Don’t stress and remember that generally everything takes longer than what you expect it will."
Amy is also refreshingly honest about how their renovation journey began. “Why’d we get into D.I.Y.? Budget!” she says, explaining that buying an older home meant learning quickly and backing themselves to improve it bit-by-bit. What started with small repairs gradually grew into much more ambitious projects, including two very different bedroom makeovers for their son Jackson.
The first room focused on creating a calm and cosy retreat, complete with a reading nook, wallpaper and clever storage, while the second was designed around a much more specific brief: “everything green, a TV and PlayStation, and somewhere to display Lego!”
Across both spaces, Amy and Aaron found smart ways to make compact rooms work harder, using wall shelving, built-in storage and custom details to balance play, creativity and everyday use. As Amy explains, “We’ve always lived in small spaces, so we’re quite creative in making as much use of space as possible.”
Amy’s advice to other renovators is simple: “Plan for nothing to go to plan.” It is the kind of lesson that comes from hands-on experience, especially when working on older houses where “nothing is square!” That practical mindset, combined with a strong eye for design, has helped the couple create rooms that feel both achievable and distinctive.
Alongside the kids rooms, Amy and Aaron have also shared a master bedroom revamp using VJ panels, a dining table upcycle with a Herringbone top and a D.I.Y. rustic bench.
Read more on the Bunnings website: Discover the coolest kids bedroom makeovers on a budget.
