7 Creative Décor Ideas to Inspire Your Own DIY

Sometimes the only way to get exactly what you’re looking for is to make it yourself. Concrete is a durable surface material for a coffee table, but if you understand its DIY principles, there’s no end to the projects you can try. Eli Butler (@butlerbuilt_) fashioned a coffee table top out of concrete then paired it with a stained wood base. The mix of industrial and rustic styles ends up being 100 percent unique. If you’re pouring a large slab like a table or countertop, make sure you reinforce the concrete with the appropriate wire mesh. It keeps the surface from cracking.  

Celebrate your hobbies by decking out areas like your garage or game room. Sometimes small additions make a big difference. This colorful lighting idea from GE Lighting (@gelighting) creates a futuristic feel around this computer area. Thanks to newer technology, it’s easy to control your lighting via app. Also, installing small, colorful new lighting set-ups is so much easier thanks to smart bulbs and LED lighting strips. In many cases, you don’t need to hardwire anything.

A perfect example of a simple design that elevates a space. Jill Johnson (@grandadventuresandpostcards) crafted this kitchen organizer using unfinished wood and cut dowels. The beauty of the wood grain shines since it’s not painted, plus unfinished wood surfaces work with a myriad of styles from modern to Scandinavian. If you want to try your hand at making your own organizer, use a Forstner bit to create the holes for the dowels. It offers you more control and the result looks more finished than if you used a paddle bit.

Save money and show your devotion to your furry family members by DIYing a play area for them. Jess (@jesscraftingalife) shows how simple the construction of scratching post really is. Two rounded wood pieces, attached cardboard tubes and rope create a custom play area for your cat. Retail prices for scratching posts are often hundreds of dollars, so making your own not only lets you control the style but lowers the cost too. If you’re not into a full DIY but need to repair an existing design, rope is affordable and can replace ripped or frayed surfaces on the one you have. 

Never underestimate the power of a coat of paint. Joanna (@keepthepalmtrees) turned her corner fireplace into a major focal point using black paint. If you want to try this in your home, the most important thing to remember is proper surface prep. Tape off the edges to get a crisp line, especially with such a stark color contrast. If you’re painting a combination of mixed materials, like she did here, may require different prep, primer and paint. For example, here it’s important to properly prep the tile surface so the paint adheres without chipping or flaking. You might even consider using special tile paint to ensure a tough finish.

Get serious about game night while keeping your walls pristine. A hanging dart board in a game room or basement is basically inviting holes and dings in your wall.  Miranda Chaudion (@semperfidiy) not only made her dart board feel like a focal point, she used scrap wood and paint to protect the drywall around the dart board too. Choose between constructing the base separately and hanging it on the wall or affixing the painted boards directly to the wall. Either way, it lends a billiards room flair and serves a practical purpose.

Every home has awkward spaces, but what if there was a way to make them work for you? Lindsey (@the_briarcottage) had the genius idea of using the normally wasted space between two windows to create a mini bar set-up in her dining room. Floating shelves are lightweight and easy to install yourself with minimal tools. Plus, it allows you to keep cocktail tools, glasses and bottles of wine close to where you’re entertaining. Just make sure that you know the weight limits of each shelf, so you don’t overload them.