DIY Before & Happily Ever After!

For years owners have put in sweat equity to make improvements to their homes.  However, DIY, or Do It Yourself, is a fairly new term in the interior design industry. Designers are equally intrigued when we see a design that has been implemented by a DIYer that has a Happliy Ever After!

Today, on another Wednesday “Wow”!, we are sharing an interior that immediately caught our eye. 

Looking Past The “Before” In A DIY Project

Let’s look at the before photo of this living room shared by houseologie.com.  A first impression might be that this is an old, dark and gloomy house.  Our firm’s philosophy is that there is always a few redeeming factors to every space.  Here’s what we see.

• large windows with great natural light
• architectural elements in the moldings and window seats
• a wood floor
• the possibility of good ceiling heights
• a nicely scaled fireplace with original grill insert…perhaps it works!

Interior Designers Love DIY Reveals

Read More About The Talent Behind Houseologie Here

Wednesday “Wow”!

Even as the seasoned professionals we are, we did not see these features coming in the “after” photos of this living room.  Which is exactly why we wanted to share this DIY project.  These homeowners nailed this.  Let’s drool!

• omg-concrete overlay on the fireplace, keeping the original grill work insert
• a simple hearth with mosaic tiles
• we didn’t even see the detail on the window moldings until it was painted
• whitewashed wood floor is a perfect backdrop for the vintage rug
• gasp-the ceiling exposed and this huge sputniks light fixture

A Designer’s Tips For DIY Clients

These folks do not need any tips from us.  Quite the contrary, we’ve learned from them!  We do, however, assist clients who want to implement a design we have created with them.  Here are some tips we pass along to our DIY clients.

• be a bit daring with the design-inch outside the box
• buy quality materials
• divide a project into manageable phases
• ask for help when needed
• mix up the decor with new and existing pieces
• finish one project before starting the next one
• have fun!

What Makes A DIY Project Successful?

As with any interior design venture, the success of a DIY project is based on the results.  In this project, the homeowners have created a space with individual design features that uniquely compliment each other.  The overall effect is a room that draws us in and begs us to learn more about every detail.  

Bravo!  

This is a tremendously successful DIY interior design.

Need a little nudge for your home’s DIY project?

Our Virtual Design Packages can help!

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