I am always on the lookout for budget-friendly, sustainable interior solutions to upcycle or improve existing furniture, fixtures or fittings. A tin of paint can work wonders, but there are just some things where paint alone will not cut it (eradicating glossy kitchen units or ugly worktops spring to mind). So, when I was recently introduced to Cover Styl’ - the architectural smart film solution that creates a realistic veneer of expensive materials such as wood, marble, natural stone and leather over pretty much any surface - I knew I had to try it out in my home.

The tagline for Cover Styl’ is ‘Why replace when you can upgrade?’ Previously more aligned as a trade product to completely overhaul shops, hotels and restaurants, Cover Styl’ are now branching out into the home market as an economical solution for upgrading existing fixtures and fittings which are functional, but might not appeal to the taste of the homeowner. Moved into a new build and hate the developer’s choice of a plain white kitchen? Transform it with a Cover Styl’ adhesive coating! Unlike the sticky-back rolls of vinyl that bubble and yellow quickly, Cover Styl’ provides a flawless rendering that is resistant to heat and humidity.

I had been wanting to erect wall-mounted units below our television for a long time. Our living space is quite narrow, and the previous freestanding unit was all the wrong shape and proportion. I wanted a sleeker, more streamlined look that offered loads of storage space. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a carpenter coming to create something bespoke from expensive wood, so the obvious thing to do was buy flat-pack (I used three IKEA METOD kitchen wall cabinets as the basic structure). While I knew this was the best budget solution to get the floating wall unit I required, I hated the glossy, white finish of the melamine cabinets and ideally, I wanted a marble top for the unit which would hide the joins. Yet, the price for a 240cm length of marble (plus delivery of the heavy item) was eye-watering, so the best option was cut-to-size MDF. The final look, however, as you can see, isn’t very appealing:

This is where Cover Styl’ provided the perfect solution to my problem! Cover Styl’ is perfect for use on melamine and MDF (exposed cut edges need to be lightly sanded have a coat of MDF sealer applied first), and with over 471 different surface cover options to choose from, I was spoilt for choice when it came to selecting a design. In the end, I chose NE70 Mat Beige Marble for an incredibly realistic marble top to transform the MDF, and AB06 Painted Wood for the base unit to colour match the walls and provide a bit of texture and interest. This is how it turned out:

You have the option to install Cover Styl’ film yourself, but I had professional installers come over so that I could see how it was applied and obtain an optimal result. The whole process took a couple of hours and involved fixing the film using primer, a heat gun and cutting away the excess with a very sharp scalpel. The team were absolute experts, and you cannot see any corner joins unless you specifically go hunting for them (the corners are done with a slight overlapping of the film, which gives a very neat and tidy finish). The installers sanded down the edges of the film into the original material, so you are unable to see where the ‘real’ surface ends and the Cover Styl’ film begins.

I am so thrilled with our new TV unit, it looks completely bespoke and unrecognisable to how it started out! The transformation was quick and easy and the quality of the film is second-to-none - there is no way I would think the marble top was actually MDF under the surface! If you think Cover Styl’ might be the solution for you in your home, then check out the below inspirational images and collections available below…

Marble is a beautiful material that will never go out of style. It is a fixture of great interior design - but it comes at a hefty price tag and it stains easily. Bathrooms and kitchens are the most popular places to use marble, and as Cover Styl’ adhesives offer exceptional resistance to water, dirt, abrasion, UV rays and wear, is it a great option to wrap around an old worktop to create a new ‘marble’ look. As Cover Styl’ can be cleaned with all types of household cleaning products (apart from the really abrasive cleaners such as acetone or white spirit), durability need not be a concern.

If you prefer block colour, but do not want the unavoidable risk of chips and knocks that you get from paintwork, then Cover Styl’s solid colour collection is a fantastic way to get a more bespoke design with a professional finish. Lower-price kitchen and bathroom fittings can be transformed with Cover Styl’ to create a higher-end look that fits in with your chosen decor scheme.

Fabric and textiles really layer and provide softness to a room. A bedroom feels warmer and more inviting when there are a variety of textures in the space. If you have solid, rather cold-looking bedroom furniture, rather than buying new, upgrade what you have with Cover Styl’ film in a fabric design. Bedside tables and headboards can be completely revamped to look much more appealing at a fraction of what it would cost to replace them.

Cover Styl’ solutions not only visually emulate more expensive materials, but the raised grain of some designs (like leather) also add tactility and texture. This makes the veneer even more convincing to the material it is imitating.

Natural stone designs like terrazzo have been popular in interiors for a while, but again, they are a major investment to add into your home. There has been a trend on social media to hand-paint terrazzo-style surfaces onto walls and floors, but this takes an extensive amount of time and patience! Instead, quickly and easily add the effect of concrete plaster, spotted cement or light stone to your existing furniture or fixture or fittings with Cover Styl’.

Wood is used a lot within Scandinavian aesthetics as the warm, natural tones connect the interior to the outside world. It provides a clean, timeless style, so it will always remain a popular choice to have in our homes. Cover Styl’ offer a wide range of wood finishes from light oak and beech designs, through to heavier, dark woods such as walnut and teak.

If you’ve always lusted after brass or copper sheet kitchen splashbacks, but are put off by the ageing process and patina progression that happens to these metals over a short period of time, then Cover Styl’ offer an alternative. Their metallic range offers all the shimmer of metal, but it will not lose its colour due to the film being UV treated.

All imagery taken of the marble and blue TV unit belong to Melanie Lissack Interiors. All other imagery is owned and used courtesy of Cover Styl’.