May is the unofficial start of UK home-improvement season. Bank holidays, lighter evenings, longer weekends — it's the perfect window to tackle a project that genuinely transforms a room. Here are five wall panel projects you can finish this month, ranked by speed, with realistic UK costs and a clear list of what you'll need for each.

1. The Friday-night kitchen splashback refresh

Time: 1–3 hours · Cost from £65 · Difficulty: Easy

The fastest possible upgrade. Replace dated tiled splashback with a single panel of heavy-duty 10mm PVC kitchen splashback. Most kitchens fit one panel between worktop and wall units in under 90 minutes. Choose White Marble Gloss for a luxe feel or White Sparkle for brightness.

Class 1 fire-rated to BS 476-7 — safe behind hobs (always check appliance clearance). Wipe-clean, no grout to ever scrub.

2. The Saturday acoustic feature wall

Time: 4–6 hours · Cost from £120 · Difficulty: Easy-Medium

The single most-shared interior project in UK homes right now. Install 4–6 panels of Natural Oak or Walnut acoustic wall panels on the wall behind your sofa, TV or bed. The room reads as designed, your video calls sound clearer, and the wall draws compliments for years.

Read the full UK DIY install guide. Order a free 4-finish sample pack first if you're unsure which wood tone suits your room.

3. The bank-holiday bathroom transformation

Time: 1–2 days · Cost from £500 · Difficulty: Medium

If you have a long weekend, you can transform a tired bathroom completely. Use 10mm White Marble PVC Wall Panels straight over your existing tiles — no demolition, no skip hire, no re-plastering. Add matching PVC trims at corners and a PVC ceiling panel for a continuous spa feel.

Read our step-by-step install-over-tiles guide. The total transformation typically costs 70% less than re-tiling.

4. The home-office Zoom upgrade

Time: 3–4 hours · Cost from £180 · Difficulty: Easy

Your video calls instantly look professional with the right wall behind you. 6 panels of Black Oak Acoustic Wall Panels on the wall behind your desk reads as serious, executive, and quietly absorbs the echo on Zoom and Teams calls.

For the full setup logic, see our home office wall panel buyer's guide.

5. The half-height hallway transformation

Time: 5–7 hours · Cost from £220 · Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Your hallway is the first thing every visitor sees and the most-walked surface in your home. Add Grey Oak Acoustic Wall Panels to chair-rail height (around 1.0m), painting above. Adds texture, protects the scuff zone from buggies and shoes, and dramatically uplifts a tired hallway.

For full design ideas see wall panels for hallways and staircases (note: check fire-safety regs for flats and HMOs first).

Costs at a glance

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do all five in one bank holiday weekend?
Realistically, two or three. Pick the kitchen splashback for Friday night, the acoustic feature wall for Saturday, and start the bathroom Sunday morning. The full bathroom takes 1–2 days alone.

Do I need any specialist tools?
Only basic DIY: tape measure, spirit level, pencil, fine-tooth saw or jigsaw, caulk gun for adhesive and silicone, and a drill if you're screwing acoustic panels into studs.

Which project gives the biggest visual impact?
The acoustic feature wall, by a margin. It transforms the entire room and photographs beautifully on social media. The bathroom transformation is the most dramatic before/after but takes longer.

What's the best project for renters?
The acoustic feature wall, with command-strip mounting (no permanent damage). See our renter-friendly wall panels guide.

Can I see samples before I commit?
Yes — order our free acoustic sample pack with all four wood finishes (Natural Oak, Walnut, Grey Oak, Black Oak). Posted free to UK addresses.

Browse the May ranges

Best Sellers · Acoustic Wall Panels · PVC Wall Panels · Kitchen Splashbacks · PVC Ceiling Panels · Wall Panels Buyer's Guide