counter free hit unique web I’ve transformed my horrendous council house with Temu buys from as little as £3 – people say I have their ‘dream home’ – open Dazem

I’ve transformed my horrendous council house with Temu buys from as little as £3 – people say I have their ‘dream home’


A DIY fan has transformed her ‘horrendous’ council house using bargain buys from Temu. 

So if you want to give your pad an upgrade but without breaking the bank, you’ve come to the right place and will need to check this out. 

Woman reaching for pasta and biscuits on a kitchen shelf.
Titkok/@61thecouncilhouse

A DIY enthusiast has revealed the cheap Temu buys you won’t want to miss if you’re looking to add style to your space[/caption]

Hand holding a clear glass with a glass straw.
Titkok/@61thecouncilhouse

Not only did Celene Francis stock up on storage jars and cutlery, but she also nabbed glasses that are sure to leave your guests impressed[/caption]

Glass oil dispenser with gold top.
Titkok/@61thecouncilhouse

Celene also got her hands on oil dispenser bottles, which cost her just £12.98 for two[/caption]

Speckled cream mug with a handle.
This mug was only £4.88
Titkok/@61thecouncilhouse

26-year-old Celene Francis, a mum-of-two who lives in a two-bedroom house in Rotherham, used cheap finds from Temu to glam up her kitchen. 

With not much money to spare, the student midwife and mental health support worker took to social media to share her affordable finds, in a short clip posted with the caption ‘My favourite Temu home finds, I’m obsessed!’

The savvy mum, who previously opened up to Fabulous about how she used purse-friendly finds to transform her once ‘horrendous’ and ‘run down’ home, stocked up on homeware finds from as little as £3.48 – so if your purse is feeling tiger than ever, you won’t want to miss this. 

The DIY enthusiast, who recently gave birth to her second child, Iris Valerie Duggan, nabbed herself some stylish storage jars, which had been slashed from £8.49 down to just £4.97.

As well as this, Celene also decorated her kitchen with stackable ribbed glasses, which are sold for £17.99 for four.

The mother even nabbed a 24 set of stainless steel, black and gold cutlery from Temu, for just £12.98.

Additionally, the content creator decorated her floating shelves with ribbed glass water cups, which are just £3.48 each.

Not only this, but she also got her hands on olive oil dispenser bottles, which cost her just £12.98 for two.

And that’s not all, as Celene even bought a gorgeous speckled mug for only £4.88, which now takes pride of place in her jaw-dropping kitchen. 

The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @61thecouncilhouse, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 246,500 views. 


DIY fans users were impressed with Celene’s cheap buys and many eagerly flocked to the comments to express this. 

One person said: “Adds all to cart.”

Another added: “Love it! Your home is beautiful!”

Never been tempted to shop on Temu until now


TikTok user

A third commented: “Your house is actually my dream house. It looks amazing!”

Meanwhile, someone else beamed: “I want it ALL.” 

Not only this, but another bargain hunter shared: “Never been tempted to shop on Temu until now.” 

Celene’s home makeover

Not only this, but Celene previously revealed all to Fabulous on her epic council house overhaul.

She explained that she regularly shops in high-street chains such as B&M, The Range and Home Bargains and by watching YouTube videos, was able to give her home a stunning upgrade.

Woman in a long olive green coat, black dress, and blue heels.
Celene Francis

Celene is a huge DIY fan[/caption]

Bathroom with toilet, sink, and bathtub.
Celene Francis

She explained that when she moved into her council property – it was a bit of a mess and was very run down[/caption]

Bathroom sink with black faucet and amber bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Celene Francis

Celene has given her home a stunning makeover, using luxe bargain buys from B&M, The Range and Home Bargains[/caption]

And while nasty trolls often tell her that her DIY work is ‘a waste of money’, Celene isn’t fussed and is obsessed with her beautiful home.

Celene previously told Fabulous: “I moved in a couple of years ago now and it was a blank canvas essentially.

“It was really run down, it was left in a state, there was nothing on the floor, the garden was horrendous. 

Rules on transforming your council house

According to Gov, the kind of improvements you can make to your council property depends on the type of tenancy you have.

Introductory tenants are usually limited to minor improvements like redecorating inside.

If you’re a secure tenant, you have the right to carry out improvements to your property. These include:

  • installing a new bathroom or kitchen
  • building an extension
  • putting up a garden shed or greenhouse
  • installing a new gas fire or fireplace
  • cavity wall insulation
  • redecorating the outside of a house
  • fitting an aerial or satellite dish

You might need your council’s written permission for work you do. Contact your council if you’re not sure.

“I think the previous people who lived there were smokers as it had yellow ceilings.

“It was your typical council house, what they deem ‘liveable’ – there was some paint but it was what was left – so some of the doors were purple.

“Some of the walls had wallpaper but it was just what was left.

“There was no flooring down, there was an old lino that had been ripped up so it was quite bare.”

I watched a lot of YouTube videos but I’ve always been into DIY and interiors and doing things myself


Celene Francis

Celene got to work on making the home her own and explained that she watched YouTube clips to learn about DIY.

She explained: “I’ve done all sorts of DIY. I’ve painted it all white. 

“I painted the kitchen cupboards, got new handles, and painted the tiles.

“Obviously I put down flooring and just got laminate and carpets.

“On the stairs I did a stair runner and just used what was leftover from my carpet.

Kitchen counter with light wood cabinets and red handles, viewed from across a room.
Celene Francis

She said that trolls slam her and say her DIY renovations are a ‘waste of money’[/caption]

Kitchen counter with blue cabinets, white SMEG kettle and toaster, and glass canisters.
Celene Francis

But the mother isn’t fazed by what haters thinks, and uses any spare money on upgrading her home[/caption]

Stairs with peeling paint and a stepladder.
Celene Francis

The stairs were in some need of TLC[/caption]

Grey carpeted stairs with a wooden baby gate at the bottom.
Celene Francis

She watched YouTube videos and did a stair runner with her leftover carpet[/caption]

“I did all of the DIY myself – obviously the carpet I had that fitted, but I did everything else myself, including fitting the stair rods and all of the painting.

“I watched a lot of YouTube videos but I’ve always been into DIY and interiors and doing things myself.”

Celene revealed that as a single mother, she has tried to cut costs where possible, and so buys a lot of her home furnishings from cheap high-street chains.

How to do your council house up on the cheap

  • Take inspiration from pricier shops and head to B&M, Home Bargains for interior decorations.
  • Head to YouTube for easy to follow tutorials on how to decorate rather than paying for professionals.
  • For a quick glow-up for your floors or anywhere with tiles, opt for stick-on vinyl to save on costs.
  • A lick of paint does wonders to make a room feel brand-new.
  • Switch out kitchen cupboard knobs for modern ones instead of buying brand-new cupboards

She added: “I like to be on a budget and especially in this day and age, I haven’t got loads of spare money.

“I’ve done everything gradually and I don’t really go out or drink [alcohol] so any spare money I have, I buy things for the house.

“I love IKEA and B&M. I like H&M Home but it’s slightly more expensive so I’ve only got a few ornaments from there.

“I mainly shop at The Range, B&M, Home Bargains and IKEA. Some things I’ve got from JYSK. 

“But my favourite shop is B&M. I absolutely love B&M. As soon as something is trendy, B&M have it straight away. 

“You see something you like in H&M Home and you go into B&M and they’ve got it in there straight away.”

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Room with damaged floor and floral wallpaper.
Celene Francis

She said that when she moved in, there was no flooring and random wallpaper on the walls[/caption]

Brown leather chesterfield sofa and armchair in front of a beige paneled wall.
Celene Francis

Celene stripped the wallpaper and put down a neutral carpet, to give the rooms a fresh, relaxing feel[/caption]

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