5 Ways to Incorporate DIY Projects Into Your Home

Not all decorations need to be store-bought. If fact, by making unique pieces, your home can be a great place to showcase your favorite DIY decor ideas to give your living space a stylish flair. Whether you're decorating a piece of furniture from a big-box store or creating a wall of macrame wall art, DIY decor allows you limitless possibilities of creating custom crafts for your home. The best part? Most DIY projects can be incorporated into your home's existing design and larger renovation projects at a budget-friendly price!

If you are looking for a special finishing touch for your home, here are five ideas for incorporating DIY decor projects into your home.

Perform a Furniture Makeover.

One of the easiest ways to update your home decor is by taking a piece of furniture that you already own and giving it a new look. Most wooden furniture can be sanded down and repainted or stained for a completely new appearance in your living room or home office.

Swapping out or adding knobs is another way to change the style of a piece. Get new knobs you love or spray paint your old ones to match your space. You can also add peel-and-stick wallpaper to the back of a shelf or sides of a drawer for a little pop of pattern or a rustic feel. These easy upgrades will instantly make generic furnishings feel more like you.

Hang Potted Plants.

Potted plants are great – but nothing revolutionary. If you want to incorporate a large amount of plants in a small space, consider going vertical and mounting the pots into the wall. Select pots with a drainage hole in the bottom and thread a screw through that hole, or alternatively use designated wall planters. Be sure to use anchors to secure the pots to the wall. Make use of succulents, moss, or other plants that only need a misting of water, and enjoy the unique look. For the DIYers out there, you can even try your hand at creative feature wall using a wall-mounted wooden board decorated with terrariums for a chic aesthetic.

Make the Ceiling the Focal Point.

Accent walls are a popular decorating option, but what about feature ceilings? Doing something interesting on your ceiling is a great way to draw the eye upward and make a small room feel larger. You can use crown molding to create faux beams and hang beadboard panels for a subtle texture, creating a coffered ceiling effect. Or use tongue-and-groove boards for a natural, shiplap-like look. For the biggest bang for your buck, simply paint your ceiling an accent color. An accent ceiling is a totally unexpected and extremely unique decorating idea.

Upgrade to Wooden Shelving.

One thing that can make a home feel builder-basic is metal wire shelving in the closets and pantry. Not only does wire shelving not provide a flat surface for storing smaller items, but it is also unattractive and not at all stylish. Instead consider adding wooden shelving for a more rustic or chic look, depending on your DIY styling. Another benefit of replacing basic shelving is that you can place new shelves at the ideal heights for the items you plan to store on them, allowing you to potentially fit in an extra shelf or two for additional storage space.

For DIY this decor idea, you can easily cut boards from the hardware store to size to make new shelves for your closet or pantry. Cut strips of the same boards and nail them into the three walls of the closet to create support beams. Very long shelves might need a support bracket or a vertical beam in the middle. Cutting and hanging your own wooden shelves will instantly give a closet a custom feeling.

Build Custom Furniture.

If you can’t find the perfect piece of furniture for your space – or if the perfect piece is over your budget – building your own furniture is the perfect solution. While woodworking can seem intimidating, it doesn’t have to be difficult. If you are a beginner, start with a design with simple, straight lines. You will need access to a few tools, which you might be able to borrow from a friend or neighbor when starting out. There are a myriad of YouTube videos and guides sharing step-by-step wood working tutorials. Once the piece is built, use wood stain, paint, and other decorative pillows and throws to completely customize the piece to fit your home’s style.

If your home is feeling like it needs a little extra touch, DIY projects are a great way to take it to the next level and make it feel more custom and personalized to you. Plus, DIY projects are a great conversation starter the next time you play host!

Morgan McBride is DIY lover and home decor enthusiast living in Charleston, South Carolina. She has been blogging at CharlestonCrafted.com alongside her husband since 2012, where they empower their readers to craft their home into their dream home through the power of DIY.