The popularity of home improvement and Do It Yourself home project shows have been inspiring countless homeowners and aspiring homeowners for more than a decade, as the number of programs and websites has exploded. These programs have encouraged homeowners and renters alike to take more of an active interest in their living space, offering innovative solutions suitable for any budget range that can dramatically improve the functionality and “feel” of a home.
The booming DIY home improvement industry is not only selling solutions that save money, it is fostering creativity, encouraging recycling and repurposing and empowering families in any type of home and living situation to take ownership of their space and customize it to suit their lifestyle. DIY allows people to personally personalize, rather than have someone create a space based on their impression of the homeowner’s personality.
There are endless DIY projects for homeowners to tackle without taking on an entire home, all of which provide the reward of “pride of ownership”. Some general areas/ projects that are common starting points for hands-on homeowners:
- Organizing a space is usually top on the list, dramatically improving important living spaces by having proper storage, shelving and creating an appealing clutter free environment. Small bedrooms, play rooms, mudrooms and garages are excellent targets for these projects.
- Color enhancement, painting trim or walls can easily brighten or transform the personality of spaces, an easy makeover for any room.
- Building an outbuilding: anything from a garden shed to a playhouse or tree house.
- Re-purposing a room, from spare bedroom to office or gym, or vice versa; transforming kids’ play areas as they grow and as toys/ games change.
More seasoned do-it-yourselfers will tackle anything from updating kitchens and bathrooms with tile and flooring, to building a new porch, knocking down walls to join rooms or even installing new windows. However, structural work becomes much more involved and necessarily precise, particularly when plumbing and electrical are concerned; thus, a great deal more time and energy needs to be invested in the project.
A new custom-built home is of course a personal endeavor, with most luxury home owners working hand in hand with building and design experts to deliver the perfect reflection of their taste and lifestyle. “DIY” shows can provide ideas and inspiration, without requiring the homeowner to “do it yourself”; that piece is entirely optional. Not only is every home project as unique as the owners, but so is the way the owners are involved in the details. Doing it yourself may pertain to researching and/or hand-selecting decorative materials as well as hand selecting the team to build and install. The degree to which homeowners opt to get their hands dirty is not always a financial consideration, but one of personal preference. However, the more hands-on involvement the homeowner has in the project, the more personal the living experience will be.
When approaching a new custom home project, particularly when scheming the family’s dream home, consider all avenues for inspiration. Check out DIY websites and home shows to find creative solutions to common space issues, clever recycling/re-purposed material utility, color and design ideas. Your guidance and insight will make the collaboration with your architect, custom home builder and designers easier, the results superior.
The beautiful space pictured below is an example of one new homeowner’s vision and design, directly inspired by some of her favorite DIY home programs.
