Boho-inspired collaboration: The DIY Decorator x Lux Hax

When we heard that The DIY Decorator, Australia's Zoe Gilpin, was about to tackle a guest bedroom makeover that involved an IKEA Malm bed, we messaged Zoe and suggested that Lux Hax could lend a hand. This is the product of our combined creative juices ⁠— a new Styl-Panel design that transforms one of IKEA's most popular beds from Scandi to Coastal in the time it takes to boil the kettle.

Meet The DIY Decorator

Zoe Gilpin (a.k.a. "The DIY Decorator") has made a name for herself hunting down the latest budget decor and then curating it into amazing mood boards. 

Her Instagram feed is a treasure trove of affordable furniture and styling items from discount stores such as Target, Kmart, Big W, Pillow Talk, IKEA and beyond, coupled with DIY projects and decorating advice. 

'The DIY Decorator' Zoe Gilpin (above) hunts down affordable decor, furniture and styling items and shares them via mood boards and jam-packed Insta stories.

Zoe says, "Decorating on a budget has always been my main focus as a decorator. When I first started in the industry, it seemed that only people with a lot of money hired decorators. Furniture and homewares weren’t something that everyday people were able to purchase."

Zoe continues, "When I started to realise that people were interested in what I was doing as The DIY Decorator, I decided to turn my focus to helping people decorate on any budget with the use of bargain home pieces and by doing their own DIY projects."

The DIY Decorator now has 100K+ followers on Instagram, as well as a thriving community of DIYers who follow Zoe's blog. Every project she tackles is mindful of achieving style on an affordable budget.

A collaboration based on shared values

When we suggested that Lux Hax could help Zoe customise the IKEA Malm queen-size bed in her guest bedroom, we also invited her to inspire a new panel design.

We got excited when Zoe sent us photos of rattan furniture and decor where 70s Boho vibes met Coastal Chic.

Zoe explains the collaboration from her perspective: "When Lux Hax got in touch with me about a potential collaboration, I was beyond excited. I had heard of the brand before via magazines and on TV and always thought it was such a genius idea!"

"As a huge fan of affordable decorating, I thought that the chance to design my own range of panels would be something that my audience would love," says Zoe. "When designing the panel, I wanted to create something that could have a natural look about it and give the look of cane furniture. But with a more affordable price tag."

"I studied up on cane furniture designs and came up with the idea for my Styl-Panel after looking at cane bedheads. Imitating this look with the curves and lines on the panels really adds extra dimension to a furniture piece and I am so happy with the final result! It has been a real pleasure collaborating with Lux Hax and I’m excited to share our product with everyone!" (Thanks, Zoe! It's been a pleasure!)

The result is Styl-Panel 1141, an homage to retro-inspired rattan furniture.

Zoe's guest bedroom makeover

"Our guest bedroom has always been the space in our home where all the odds and ends end up living," starts Zoe. "One day last year, I decided that I needed to work my magic and make it a space that looks great when we have guests. It’s such a small space so I had to keep the furnishings to a minimum."

"I decided to get the Malm bed from IKEA for this room as it’s an affordable piece and, thanks to its streamline design, is always going to be in style," continues Zoe.

"When it came to decor, I wanted to use the natural finishes and green tones throughout the rest of our home, but also wanted to make it that little more interesting, being that it’s such a small space. So I added in a touch of pink as well."

"To get my colour scheme, I chose some gorgeous arch prints from Boho Art & Styling and framed them myself in some frames from Big W. I then repeated these tones in my bedding with the addition of a throw and some cushions. I used a timber bedside table from Ecosa to add some warmth, topped with a grand table lamp from Beacon Lighting, and the room was complete!"

Customise one piece or an entire bedroom suite

Styl-Panel 1141 is available in kits to customise:

• IKEA Malm bedheads (double/full, queen or king)
• IKEA Malm chests (2-drawer, 3-drawer, 4-drawer, 6-drawer wide, 6-drawer tall and tallboy options)

Styl-Panel Kit 1141 to Customise IKEA Malm Bedheads

Styl-Panel Kit 1141 to Customise IKEA Malm Bedside Table and Tallboy

Styl-Panel Kit 1141 to Customise IKEA Malm Chests

Available materials include paintable black or white foamed PVC and mirrored gold or silver aluminium composite. All panels are 3 mm in thickness and come with easy peel adhesive.