D-i-y dad knocks up a palace

A doting dad has transformed his children’s bedrooms — one into a princess’s palace and the other into a medieval castle.

Mr Craig White (39) of Middleton Road, Newark, decided the time had come to redecorate and he opted for the unusual.

Mr White, a pipe fitter for SMS Ltd Engineers, said: “We wanted to make the rooms a bit different.

“We wanted to have somewhere for them to play and sleep.”

He was inspired by his daughter, Katie (5) who asked if she could have her room painted pink like a princess.

Mr White decided he could do a bit more than that.

It took him about three months to build the palace.

He has transformed an old cupboard into steps leading to Katie’s bed and made shelves out of an old wardrobe.

“I like being high up,” said Katie.

“All my friends have seen it and they all like it.”

After Katie’s room Mr White started on the castle for his son, Daniel (3) which even has a slide.

He bought two second-hand beds from the classified section of the Advertiser for £35 each and adapted them by adding extra legs to make them higher.

His wife, Mrs Jayne White (25) helped to paint the furniture.

Mr White said it cost around £100 to do both rooms and he hoped it showed what could be achieved in a small space and with little expense.

“It’s not difficult,” he said. “I just used things that were left over.”