To many people, the idea of taking on a do-it-yourself (or DIY) design project is extremely daunting given the amount of time and energy that is often involved. If you watch any HGTV or TLC, you’ve seen the nightmares that are often associated with major DIY projects: missed deadlines, extended budgets, and extreme hassle. As a result, the DIY acronym changes from "do-it-yourself" to a "don't-involve-yourself" type of attitude when it comes to designing one's home. But DIY projects are not always something to steer away from – you just have to choose projects that fit in best with your lifestyle. Deciding to redo your entire kitchen on your own when you work full time might be a little ambitious, but including small DIY projects in your home can increase your love of a room because you have complete control over the outcome and aren't limited by what you can find at your local design stores.
For example, buying a new iron deck chair in a black finish might be easy and time efficient, but could be expensive and it might not be exactly what you envisioned. Instead, finding a beautiful used white chair, and painting it to the ideal color and texture you desire adds a level of appreciation for the items outfitting your home. When done right and on a small scale, DIY projects can save you lots of money and can turn your space can turn into exactly what you envisioned in your mind, making your home unique and special from all others.
To give you some DIY inspiration, we wanted to share a few of our favorite DIY resources:
- Young House Love. This is a blog by a Richmond couple who turned their DIY design hobby into a full time job. After buying an older house, the blog follows their minor renovations and design changes that turned this home into a warm, cozy, and modern piece of livable art. Their excitement over paint and other design items is contagious and will have you driving over to Home Depot stat.
- DIY Network. While some projects they tackle are a bit outlandish (bar stools made from kegs, anyone?), they are a useful resource for inspiration and practical how-to guides. Their website is easily searchable and a great complement to their television channel.
- Casa Sugar. This is a lifestyle and design website that is always fun to peruse for quirky and uncommon DIY projects, that stem beyond home design into "DIY" personal growth projects.
- Design*Sponge. Their DIY section will be sure to help you add a unique and personal touch to your home. Their entire website is filled with unique design ideas that can easily be incorporated into your home.
- DIYideas.com: The cornucopia of DIY information. This site, sponsored by Home and Garden, has everything you need, whether its ideas for quick projects when you have an afternoon to spare, room-by-room checklists for a total home makeover, or in-depth how-to guides. They also have a Do It Yourself Magazine, which you can subscribe to on their website.
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