For any homeowner, interior design and décor make up a big part of the setting up process. And while you’ve got all the big stuff – furniture, cabinetry, flooring, and storage space, what really makes a home are the little things.
From photos of the family and curios that have been passed down through generations to handmade craft projects and more, a home finds its place in these little things.
Handmade or DIY home décor can be a wonderful addition to one’s home. While it adds quirk and personality to your home, giving it the ‘you’ factor, it also has many benefits that are often left unacknowledged.
For one, it’s extremely good for the wallet. DIY home décor projects, when doable, give your home or space a makeover without breaking the bank. There are plenty of handmade home décor projects (as detailed in the rest of this article) that can be carried out by you, you, without you having to budget for an interior design overhaul.
Another lesser-known advantage of making or creating your own home décor items is that they can be extremely therapeutic. Arts and craft and the process of making something new out of something old; or making something out of nothing at all, can be extremely rewarding and calming for the mind. It increases focus and leaves you feeling a lot more satisfied than just picking something up from a store.
And lastly, do it yourself home décor is great for the environment. Reusing or recycling old products at home to create new and improved design accents for your home is a great way of practising sustainability and reducing your carbon footprint, albeit a very small way to do so.
All things considered, handmade home décor is a great way to achieve that perfect ‘homely’ feeling. Here are a few DIY home décor ideas that you can use to spice up your living space.
DIY Candle Holders
Candles add instant mood to any space; not to mention, if they’re scented, it’s a double win. Now, instead of going out to the store and buying a set of six identical candle holders and spending (arguably unnecessary) money, why not make artsy and unique candleholders at home?
To achieve this, all you’ll need are a few glass jars, lace and/ or paint, glue or some kind of adhesive, a pair of scissors and your imagination.
In the case of glass jars, follow these steps:
- Thoroughly clean and dry your jar
- Cut a strip of lace or cut the lace into shapes of your choice
- If using the strip, stick the strip of lace around the lower half of the jar; in the case of lace cutouts, stick the pieces to achieve your desired look.
- If you choose to use paint instead of lace, wait for the jar to dry and let your imagination run wild. Glass paints work best as they allow light to shine through, giving an extra aesthetic feel.
- Place your candle in the jar and light it.
Handmade Planters
We already know indoor plants are a great way to spruce up the interiors of your home. Now, instead of spending money on planters and pots as your plants grow, you can make DIY planers at home using old jars and plastic bottles. Not to mention, recycling and reusing material makes for the ultimate green experience, right?
Here’s what you’ll need: old glass jars or glass bottles, thick jute string, glue and scissors. To make your planters, follow these steps:
- Thoroughly clean and dry the glass jars/ bottles. It’s always a good idea to disinfect them so your plants can get the cleanest environment to grow in.
- If you’re planting creeper plants in these planters, use the thick jute string and tie a knot at the rim of the jar/ on the bottleneck. For extra protection, glue the string onto the glass surface.
- Put soil into the new planters and hang/ place them around your home.
- For extra quirk, you can whip out some glass paints and get to jazzing up your glass jars/ planters, painting the outsides to add more spice to these new DIY planters.
Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are one of the most efficient DIY home décor projects you could undertake. Not only do they provide extra storage space, but also add an element of chic design to your home.
For a floating shelf, you’ll need enough wood for the design you have in mind (can be wooden planks lying around or store-bought wood planks/ bits to your desired specifications), a drill, nails, wood chips and a little bit of extra strength.
- Arrange the wooden planks to achieve your desired shape – could be hexagons, triangles, or simply one single plank per shelf.
- Mark the places on your wall where you want to install the shelves.
- Drill holes in the marked places.
- Insert wooden chips into the holes.
- Nail the planks into the marked areas and assemble your shelves.
- Once again, for extra protection, make sure to properly secure the planks (if you’re making shaped shelves)
Gallery Galore
A collage or mini gallery of posters/ pictures is a great DIY home décor idea. Not only are they easy to execute, they’re also really fun to organize.
For this, the only thing you’ll need are pictures, posters, or prints of your choice. Once you’ve decided on those, simply get them framed. Pro tip – different coloured or sized frames can add an extra layer of quirk to your home gallery moment.
Once the visuals have been framed, simply hang them on one single wall to create a collage of visual goodness.
Wall Painting
Much of the appeal with handmade home décor is the fun one has getting down to it and creating something new. Wall painting achieves that perfectly.
For a DIY wall painting project, you’ll need paints of your choice, brushes and painter’s tape. Here’s what to do:
- Using the painter’s tape, mark the wall you’re set to paint. Whether it’s shaped or just a duo-coloured wall, make sure to stick the tape on properly to avoid bleeding of the paint.
- Next, get to painting.
- Let dry and slowly peel off the painter’s tape, and voila!
DIY home décor comes with a ton of benefits and is great fun to do. HomeLane has an array of interesting and fun DIY home decor projects to explore. So, why not get down to it and liven up your home with an extra touch of ‘you’?
