You probably read about the single mom who built a 3,500-square-foot house by herself after watching YouTube tutorials. Thanks to the Internet—and the fact that it is now always in our pockets—almost anything can be a DIY project. Read: can, not should. “Most of the time when a client takes on a project, all they can see at the end of it is the tiny part they messed up on,” says designer Emily Swenson Davis of Emily Davis Interiors, “It’s worth it to hire a pro in order to be able to enjoy the result.” Chances are, you do have a crooked tile on your backsplash, but you probably don’t know it unless you put it there yourself.
But what if you actually are experienced with a sander and you don’t want to dish out the cash to have your floors refinished? Consider checking with a contractor to make sure you actually know what you're doing before you slip on those work gloves; fixing a botched job can cost a lot more than the money you would have saved, in the long run. “When building a new home or renovating, most people have no idea how many decisions are involved, and they can make expensive mistakes without a professional guiding them,” says designer Katherine Connell, who has clients who won’t even buy a trash can without her approval.
Rest assured, there are things that even designers agree a homeowner can do themselves. Have some patience and a good roll of painter’s tape? Paint your walls. Have a screwdriver? Change out drawer hardware. Have a lot of time and some good shears? Reupholster that chair. A quick google will turn up countless thorough tutorials to guide you in these endeavors. Feeling brave enough to attempt wallpaper? Consider what (if any) pattern is on the paper—calculating repeats and pattern-matching are not for sissies. And if you’re thinking of tackling one of the big dogs like plumbing or electrical, remember that you are not a Property Brother and call a professional (at the very least for some sound advice).
“One of the most impactful things I'd encourage people to do on their own is to build a collection of art and objects that are meaningful,” says designer Lindsay Speace, a Cape Cod native. "A space can be beautifully decorated, but it's the last layer that imbues it with life and personality." A few minutes on Pinterest could have you feeling invincible against a DIY Mason jar light fixture or an IKEA chair upgrade. But how many bottles of gold spray paint will you go through before you realize it would be better for everyone if you just bought a nice chair from a cool local furniture maker? Take on the task of curator when it comes to your space, carefully selecting art and furniture that will bring you joy when you walk in the door, because we can all use a little of that.
