DIY/Home Improvement Blogs to Watch

DIY/Home Improvement Blogs to Watch in 2014

Congratulations to the winners and the finalists of the Best DIY/Home Improvement Blogs to Watch in 2014 Award! There is an unexplainable thrill of purchasing a house or renting an apartment.  An empty space, a blank page for you to decorate, create, and make your own.  It’s an exciting time that can help you turn a new house into your home, a chance for you to put your personality on display.  This feeling is not only in new houses either.  Maybe you want to rejuvenate an existing space or finally fill that blank wall in the dining room.  If you’re you’ve been in either or both of these positions before, you know about how expensive it can be to buy all new furniture and décor, and sometimes you don’t want to have that same bookshelf as the last house.

Well, here at CenterCityTeam we feel your excitement and we think you could use a few new ideas to get the house looking fresh!  We’ve received numerous submissions and sought out the best and most relevant websites in the DIY and Home Improvement communities for our clients and readers.  Our goal is to provide a comprehensive list, nominated by readers and staff, which will help our clients and partners glean the best DIY/Home Improvement information and advice on the web.  We’ve made the award for “Blogs to Watch” because we want to give our readers site’s that have made a visible commitment to excellence in 2014!

CenterCityTeam is a group of top Real Estate Agents who have served the Philadelphia community with honesty, integrity, and superior customer service since 2005. The CenterCityTeam real estate agents have received every top agent award that Prudential Fox & Roach offers and have been recognized as elite Real Estate Agents by Philadelphia Magazine. The CenterCityTeam founder Frank L. DeFazio, eats sleeps and breathes Philadelphia real estate and giving the sophisticated buyer or seller of real estate elite service is his passion.

 

We asked each of our winners to answer a few questions, below are their responses: (Posted after winners are announced)

–          How would you describe your blog to readers of our site?

–          What is your favorite room in your house? Why?

–          How do you stay current and come up with cool projects for your readers?

 

17 Apart

1. 17 Apart is a lifestyle blog where we hope to share the things we’re passionate about, give a peek into our own version of what sustainable living means to us, and offer up a few surprises from time to time. We live in the city of Richmond, Virginia where we work together to update our 100+ year old railroad style home, take on urban gardening projects and explore the city with our 3 year old weimaraner, Basil. We try not to take ourselves too seriously and we hope you’ll stop by to join in on our adventure!

2. That would have to be a combination of our kitchen and family room — they are conjoining spaces and the heart of the home where we spend the majority of our time. We love these rooms since they flow so well as living spaces together and include so many of our personalized and diy furniture undertakings we’ve shared on the blog.

3. We take on projects on an as-needed basis for whatever we’re into at the moment. You’ll find us indoors, working on home improvement projects during the colder months and most likely find us outdoors working to build up our urban garden space and surrounding yard throughout the warmer season. If we need a new piece of furniture or decor update, we question whether or not we can tackle it ourselves, which inevitably turns into a new adventure we love sharing with our readers. Out of necessities like these, we’ve ended up making our own TV console from a vintage trunk on caster wheels, a side table from a tree stump and even a kitchen bar console from an old army locker — it’s always fun to see what comes next.

 

Angie’s Roost

1. Our blog is essentially a DIY journal…a very public DIY journal where we bare our souls, tell bad jokes, and share what we’ve learned along the way renovating our 1910 farmhouse style home.  We break down many of our projects into bite sized, not-so-daunting chunks as we kick the 70s style shag carpeting out of our home. We share many renovation how-to and construction knowledge posts, showcase tools of the trade, feature crafts and decorating projects for the home owner or apartment dweller alike, and get personal with some behind the scenes posts (like when our pooch Goose learned to swim or when we saw monks at Lowes…you know…the hard hitting journalism type stuff).

2. Oooooh…hard question.  I love them all, is that an appropriate response?!  But the space in our home that I love the most has to be the bathroom, even though it’s still not quite finished.  The bathroom was the first project we tackled because there was NO WAY I was ever going to shower in that nasty “before” of a bathroom.  I love the minty color (it’s also the brightest color in our home) and the unique projects in the room (making a rope ladder shelf, a wood tiled mirror, and turning an old wooden box into a medicine cabinet).  It oozes character and is a space that perpetually makes me happy.

3.  When it comes to coming up with cool new projects for readers, it’s usually just what we want or need to do to renovate, repair, and decorate our home.  When we need a new roof because it was leaking, we re-roofed it ourselves and blogged about our adventures doing it.  But we try to mix the big projects (roofing, tearing down walls, tiling, flooring) with smaller projects (organizing, making our own art, gardening, etc.).  And inspiration for those smaller projects often comes from strange places.  Like “oh…we have this corner china hutch that came with the house and it fits really perfect here in front of the closet…well then I guess it should become a hidden closet door”.  Or “oh…I like the ombre-ness of that scarf…let’s apply that same effect to painting our staircase ballusters”.

 

BlahBlah Magazine

1. Blah Blah is a budget and eco conscious blog about one family’s search for a beautiful life that doesn’t cost the earth. We have a go at making and mending almost anything from holes in the wall to making cushion covers out of grain sacks.

2. Our favourite ‘room’ would have to be the verandah. Although it’s not strictly a room, it’s where we love to share meals with friends and family or have a cuppa and watch the birds pass by or plot our next projects.

3. There are several ways we keep abreast of the latest and greatest in DIY, design and renovations. Gordon works for an environmental branding company and they design cutting edge interiors to represent a huge range of businesses from Google to government departments. Pinterest, ahem, I have a slight obsession. We also live near a fantastic hardware shop and the staff there are always up for a chat about what’s going on, even the local builders seek them out for advice.

 

Bonnie Projects

1. Bonnie Projects is a DIY blog focused on home improvement, home decor, sewing, crafting, and a little cooking.  I love sharing the personalization and cost savings that come from DIY projects, and hope that my projects inspire my readers to do similar projects, or just give them the courage to try something new!

2. Our small townhouse is blessed with big lake views.  The living in particular room features two sliding doors that allow a gorgeous view of the lake – it’s this view of a natural setting that has inspired so much of the design and decor of our home.

3. I’m a problem solver, so if something isn’t functional, or could be made better, that’s where I focus my effort.  Sometimes I do research online, and of course I follow a number of other blogs, but most of my projects are dreamed up because something wasn’t working for me.  That “something” could be anything from an ill-sized rug or mega-expensive curtain rods to a lack of cute crib sheets!

 

Bower Power

1. Bower Power is all about nothing…and everything.  It is the brainchild of Katie Bower who is a quirky mom in a house full of boys.  Bower Power is a true lifestyle humor blog with an emphasis on DIY projects, photography, style, kids and home.

2. My favorite room in our house is the kitchen probably because its the only one close to being complete.  Seriously.  Every other room looks like a hurricane of Ninja Turtle Spiderman Monster trucks came through.

3. I get a lot of inspiration from being outside, spending time with creative people (kids are UBER creative), and from online sources like other blogs and websites.  Some of my favorite projects are from seeing a need and filling a need (that’s a kid’s cartoon quote by the way).

 

Brave New Home

1. Brave New Home is a home design blog with budget friendly tips and DIY projects.  Brave New Home is about overcoming decorating paralysis and finding the courage to design a home authentic to you!

2. Probably our downstairs half bathroom.  I love trying out new paint colors and different styles in that tiny space.  Plus, it’s hardly used so it tends to stay cleaner longer than other parts of the house!

3. My toddler is a constant source of inspiration—I’m always thinking up new crafts and projects with him in mind. Pinterest is another source of design inspiration as other blogs in my niche.  My best projects tend to be the ones where I solve real life, everyday problems like how to create organization and functionality in a small space.

 

BrightNest

1. BrightNest is a free site that provides tools and tips to homeowners to help them save money, get organized and keep their homes in great shape. Our mission is to make homeowners happy! Sign up for a free BrightNest account or download the free iPhone app today!

2. Every room in your home has the potential to be awesome, but if we had to pick one, we would say: the bathroom. This room tends to get overlooked when it comes to design and decor, even though over the course of your lifetime, you’ll spend over a year and half in the bathroom. We say, give that space some love and make it your own!

3.  Our readers are our biggest inspiration! BrightNest publishes new tips each day to help you manage all things home, and many of our ideas come from readers asking great questions. Plus, our writers are always on the prowl for new, exciting ideas, whether from friends, experts or even the day-to-day problems we experience as homeowners ourselves.

 

Burlap and Lace

1. Burlap and Lace is a savvy and chic home decor blog that appreciate great design and understands that it does not need to cost and arm and a leg to incorporate it in your home. Authored by an interior designer, Burlap and Lace shows you how you to create a beautiful and meaningful space.

2. My favorite room in my house is my office (although it isn’t even finished yet!). I love that I can create a space of my own that is feminine and chic. It is a beautiful space where I can be inspired!

3. I am in the process of creating my dream house and documenting it for everyone to see. I stay on trend by constantly keeping my finger on the pulse of the design world, and working to implement those designs into my home.

 

Christina’s Adventures

1. Living in a 100 year old house with a 6 month old baby is almost always an adventure.  I chronicle my efforts to make our space beautiful on a next-to-nothing budget through lots of DIY projects, thrifty decor, and creative thinking.

2. Currently, I love our family room with our gorgeous window seat. But we are in the middle of a kitchen remodel, and after all of the hard work we’re putting into this project I think our kitchen will be my new favorite room in our house!

3. I love to scour pages of designer catalogs, websites, and other home decor bloggers.  As trends are always evolving and changing, there is never a shortage of inspiration!

 

Ciburbanity

1. My family and I left the glorious urban chaos of New York City for the quiet dust-free Connecticut suburbs in 2012. As much as I miss the city, this new suburban life allows me the space (and craft stores) to get my DIY on!  If it’s colorful or quirky, I want it…  if it has a red clearance sticker, I want it… if it’s a little weird or unexpected, I want it. My design style is frugal repurposed eclectic (look it up… it’s probably a thing).  I can negotiate like a ninja and I may or may not have 8 chairs, 3 coffee tables, and a dresser in my garage.

2. We just finished a guest room addition over the garage and that bedroom is probably my current favorite.  It’s extremely bright and sunny, and I was able to fill it with fun flea market and thrifted finds.  I love the mix of pattern and the navy color scheme.  The whole thing is eclectic and quirky but not too crazy (I hope!) and I love it.

3. I read a lot of other blogs and am constantly inspired by my fellow DIYers and decorators.  I’m always looking through magazines like House Beautiful or HGTV or perusing online sites like Houzz and Pinterest.  Lastly, places like Anthropologie and Serena and Lily and Ballard Designs are fun resources… imitation is the best form of flattery, right?

 

Create Bake Celebrate

1. Create Bake Celebrate is comprised of two sisters who are complete opposites & even live on opposite coasts! We blog to stay connected and to inspire women with the best in home, fashion, food, and fun.

2. My favorite room in our home is our great room. It is where my husband and I cuddle up at night to watch TV and where friends and family gather to catch up, have fun, & eat!

3. Inspiration can come from anywhere- a color, a memory, or even a bad day. Check out this post to see some of Holly’s current home inspirations: http://www.createbakecelebrate.com/2014/02/home-home-inspiration.html

 

Décor and the Dog

1. Decor and the Dog follows the life of a 30 something couple’s life in Iowa with their adorable Wire Fox Terrier.  We blog about our home, DIY projects, furniture builds, crafts, food and photography.

2. Our kitchen is probably our favorite room in our house.  It was designed with function in mind but it’s also very pretty.  It is the room that most reflects our style.

3. We aren’t bloggers that come up with projects just for our blog.  The projects we blog about are projects we would tackle without our blog or Pinterest.

 

Designs by Studio C

1. Designs by Studio C features DIY projects, how-to information, and free furniture plans.

2. My favorite room in my house is the kitchen because I remodeled it and created more storage space without changing the floor plan. I transformed all of the wasted space into usable cabinets and drawers!

3. I stay current and come up with cool projects for my readers by reading a lot of magazines (I am a magazine hoarder), by reading other design blogs, and by searching the web. I find inspiration everywhere and have been known to pick apart furniture or spaces in stores and the doctor’s office!

 

DIY Home Staging Tips

1. My site educates home sellers about what they can do to make their homes sell quickly at a price they like. It’s also a source of information for real estate agents, professional home stagers, decorators, home organizers, real estate investors, building contractors and home improvement DIYers.

2. I’ll speak for home buyers and say that the favorite (most important) room in any house is the kitchen.

3. Since it’s important that I stay on top of decorating tends as well as the real estate market, I study the sites of interior designers, shelter magazines, and suppliers of home goods. I also watch Inman News and the major real estate listing sites. I read other DIY blogs so that I can be current, inspired and – most important — original with my content. I visit high end décor stores as well as second hand and discount outlets to see what’s new and how I can imitate décor products DIY-style.

 

DIY Nurse

1. My website reflects my life, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I showcase any diy projects and home repair that I have going on in my home. But there’s plenty of recipes, charity, and animal related posts to be had.

2. My bedroom. It’s not complete but the saturated color and wicker headboard make for a moody and bohemian retreat. I’m really happy with its direction so far even though we have a lot to do in there.

3. I read a. ton. of blogs. It’s ridiculous. Instagram is probably my favorite way of finding trends and new things. Basically, if it’s something that’s going into my house then I want it to be beautiful and user friendly. If it’s not, I find a way to make it so.

 

DIY on the Cheap

1. DIY on the Cheap is a blog that focuses on frugal decorating, crafts, and DIY projects for the home. I try to show people that “if I can do it, so can you.” You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a beautiful home.

2. My favorite room in our house is the master bedroom. I’ve tried to create a little retreat in there, because let’s face it, sometimes Mommy needs a time out. 🙂

3. I try to just keep everything natural and show my readers what I’m doing to my home in real-time. I find inspiration everywhere, and I try to share that while also teaching readers how to do it themselves.

 

Dogs Don’t Eat Pizza

1. I write about the DIY, home improvement, and home decor projects I complete in my home. I believe that any home project can be completed with a little elbow grease, logic, and a lot of determination. Home projects need not take a lot of expertise or money; you just need an idea, a plan, and a willingness to do it.

2. It’s my favorite because I’ve transformed it – through paint and decor and furniture – several times to get it exactly how I want it. Now, it’s just perfect for us – a perfect mix of modern with rustic accents. (Link to finished dining room: http://www.dogsdonteatpizza.com/2013/11/day-25-thirty-days-gratitude-dining-room-finally-done-really-time.html)

3. I read books, magazines, and online articles on design and home improvement to stay current. I also search Pinterest, Hometalk, Houzz, and other websites for ideas. Most of the projects I write about come up because of needs or ideas I have for our own home.

 

Drab to Fab Design

1. Our blog focuses on designing on a dime.  My husband and I DIY our way through projects while striving to achieve a high end look on a tight budget.  We are quirky people, so we try to be as transparent as possible by letting that side of our personalities show in our blog posts!

2. Our favorite room in our house right now is our master bath, which we JUST finished completing!  This was a full blown renovation, ripping everything out including the drywall, and putting it all back together again. We were able to design every little last detail!  Now, when we walk into our new bath, we are always reminded how much of our own hard work went into it!

3. While the internet is an overflowing resource full of trendy ideas, we also think it’s really important to think outside the box and allow our creative sides to do the talking.  When you use your imagination, it’s amazing what you can come up!

 

Dream Book Design

1. Hi there, we are Adri and Jeremy, of Dream Book Design. We are a married couple with one little boy and another baby on the way. On this blog we document our DIY home projects, design inspiration, and our parenting life along the way.

2. Our favorite room in our home is our family room. We have beautiful built-ins that we DIYd and the space is super open and bright. We spend the most time in here, so we not only wanted the room to be beautiful but also functional.

3. When we buy a house, it always needs a ton of work, so we are never without something to do! Since we DIY 90% of our homes, we have to move at a slower pace, taking one room at a time, which means we always have new content!

 

Few Bits

1. A modern, funny DIY/woodworking blog

2. I love being outside, living in Southern California definitely has its perks.  I love to garden, entertain friends, or work outside on my patio.  Here are some examples of what I did to my outdoor space: http://few-bits.com/my-projects/how-was-your-summer/

3. My projects usually stem from a need.  Someone comes to me with a problem, and I find a solution for it.  For example, I have a friend who lives in a small space and needed storage around her bed, so I made her a headboard with integrated shelving.  http://few-bits.com/diy/small-space-solution-headboard-with-shelves/

 

Freshome

1. Freshome is an online magazine about modern design, architecture, art, style, creativity and everything that makes life less ordinary run by Micle Mihai-Cristian.

2. My favorite room in my house is the open space living room. I love this room because it also has an integrated kitchen and everything is available right away.

3. I follow lots of sites from the industry, probably more than I should ( 300-400 daily ) and Freshome gets around 200-300 emails / day with suggestions from all over the world.

 

Home by Ally

1. My blog is a space for lovers of all things home. From do it yourself projects to easy home decor, painted furniture and my life as a very southern military wife, my blog brings a broad scope of all things home. Sit back, take those shoes off, grab a mason jar of sweet tea and stay awhile!

2. My favorite room of my home would definitely have to be our sunroom or our “Florida room.” It has 6 oversized windows and the natural light is outstanding here in Florida. I love having the windows open, smelling the beach, hearing the birds and watching the squirrels and just enjoying my beautiful flower garden out back.

3. Honestly, I don’t check what is cool or in. I just decorate with what I love, what has a story and what touches my heart. If you stay true to you and decorate with items and decor, trinkets and furniture that tell a story, especially one that you love, you’ll find yourself loving your home more. Being an average, stay at home wife, I love many things that other women love. A cozy, comfortable but functional house that is slowly evolving into a home. I think everyone can appreciate that.

 

Home Decorating and Staging

1. Do you dream of living in a home that’s relaxed, inviting and beautiful? Are you ready to move and want top dollar for your home? This website, written by a professional home stager and decorator, will show you how.  Real life examples, before and after pictures, and step-by-step instructions will teach you how to get the results you want without the struggle of figuring it out on your own.

2. My family room is my favorite room. It has windows on three sides and sunshine all day long. And when it snows…it feels like a snow-globe.

3. I read trade journals, visit model homes, keep up with technology, watch talented designers, follow trend setters, and pay attention to what people get excited about.

 

Home Everyday

1. Home Everyday is a blog about all things domestic. I talk about the trials and triumphs of DIY, crafting, cooking, and baking.

2. My favorite room changes all the time. This time of year my favorite room is the kitchen. It is always smelling nice with everything I’m baking, and every time I look at my white cabinets I am so happy that I took the time to paint them myself.

3. Coming up with projects is not hard as I feel that I am trying to create a home for my family and assume most people want to do that for theirs as well. Many people have the same needs such as storage solutions, window treatment solutions, or decorative. For inspiration, I sometimes browse around home improvement stores.

 

HomeSpot HQ

1. On the blog we delve into all different aspects of owning a home, including: decor, maintenance, repairs, energy efficiency, and improvement projects. HomeSpot HQ also offers a free online web app to manage your home with a record log and reminders.

2. The bathroom. There are so many good DIY projects for bathrooms and homeowners are always looking for ways to clean this room more effectively.

3. I like to follow several other blogs, participate on Hometalk, and interact a lot on G+.

 

House Logic

1. To help you become the best, most responsible homeowner you aspire to be, HouseLogic wants to provide you with free information and tools you can use to make smart and timely decisions about your home. Brought to you by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (R), HouseLogic helps homeowners maintain, protect, and enhance the value of their home.

3. HouseLogic’s content is written by award-winning editorial team of premier journalists who cover home improvement, home maintenance, finances and insurance, and taxes.

 

House Made Home

1. House Made Home is a DIY blog that shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of home DIY projects.  We share the truths and the progress of turning your House into a Home.

2. Currently our living rooms is my favorite room in our house, because it is the most complete!  Because I am so interested in design it is always changing, but we also spend the most of our time there and it truly feels like Home.

3. Staying current in the world of blogging is very important, but ideas come from everywhere!  Whether I am just browsing a thrift store, reading the new issue of Domino, or just checking out cool retail windows….design inspiration is everywhere!

 

House Tweaking

1. House*Tweaking…because home doesn’t happen overnight. My house isn’t my dream home rather it’s the home in which to pursue my dreams. I believe that home is as much about what you do IN your home as what you do TO your home.

2. I love my kitchen! It boasts an open layout, a 9′ island, tuxedo cabinets, skylights, globe pendant lights, and a gas range and subway tile. Its super functional, stylish and the hub of our home. Everything from meal prep to dining to entertaining to homework happens in the kitchen.

3. I devour shelter magazines, books and blogs for inspiration. I share my own home improvement and decorating projects in real time. It helps that I have an old house in need of some TLC!

 

Infarrantly Creative

1. On Infarrantly Creative, you will a mix of DIY, home decor, crafts, and even recipes and life issues sprinkled in.

2. Definitely my craft studio. I built everything in there, from the 50-square foot island to the floor-to-ceiling cabinets to the paint storage cabinet door. It’s a dream space for me and couldn’t be more perfectly suited for my needs.

3. I love to engage my readers with outside-the-box creating. I am passionate about recycling and repurposing and love turning something old into something new and unexpected, like a pair old crutches into a floor lamp or an archaic TV into a console table.

 

Little House on the Corner

1. We’re the dynamic duo of DIY, restoring our Edwardian home and sharing our ideas, craft & building projects as well as a few disasters and triumphs along the way. Just be warned, we don’t hold back! Its real life, uncensored, nitty-gritty DIY with a few pretty pictures thrown in for good measure.

2. Our favourite room in our home is the hallway. It’s one of the most finished rooms in the house and it’s really bright and airy. It also has one of our favourite features in the house – the front door with beautiful stained glass window. When I come down our staircase in the morning, the hallway gives me an overwhelming feeling of happiness and every time I can’t believe how lucky we are to live in our home.

3. Most of the time our house resembles a building site rather than a home, so we always have a to-do list of projects that is impossibly long – we’re not going to run out of things to do around here for a long time! For inspiration we read a lot of other blogs, browse Pinterest and try to keep open mind for new ideas and projects when we’re out and about.

 

Live the Fancy Life

1.  A lifestyle blog with a focus on approachable home design, DIY projects, parties and parenting.

2. I am SO in love with our simple, bright white bedroom. It’s a soothing, clean, calm space and is the first bedroom I’ve ever had that is truly cozy for sleep and relaxation. Here is a link to this space: http://livethefancylife.com/our-master-bedroom-and-how-sometimes-rooms-get-done-in-baby-steps/

3. For me, it’s all about being real. I share the real things that occupy my mind and time. I don’t create very many projects strictly for the sake of having blog content. I share the things that I am doing in my life, in my home, with my friends and family that truly make my life wonderful. You’ll see that my home projects are easy. Very easy. I’m a mom of a busy toddler so everything I do can be done in just a couple of hours or less.

 

Nellie Bellie

1. NellieBellie is a blog dedicated to living more simply to have the space and time to do the things I love.  It’s about simple décor, healthy food, easy fixes, and fun with family. And sarcasm.

2. My favorite room in the house is the kitchen.  It’s where everything happens and we all congregate.  Food is made.  Jokes are told.  People make memories.  What’s not to love? Ok…I wish I had more counter space.  And a dishwasher.  But the lighting is beautiful!

3. I don’t worry much about staying current; I do projects based on what I need for my home and what my family will enjoy.  If my readers happen to enjoy it, BONUS POINTS!  If not, they can go find someone else’s site.  I’m good with that.

 

Pretty Fluffy

1. Pretty Fluffy is the go-to guide for the modern dog owner and your ultimate resource for stylish pet friendly living. At Pretty Fluffy you’ll find everything from the most wanted new products, chic DIY projects, dog-friendly home tours and behind the scenes glimpses into your favourite pet brands. We feature the most unique, style centric and up-to-date content, creating original features designed to make life with your dog sweeter and easier.

2. The living room – it’s where we get together at the end of the day and spend most of our time as a family. From snuggling up on the sofa with your dog to watch movies or entertaining with friends, it’s always a fun place to be.

3. Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes. While we stay up to date with the latest products and brands, it’s also rewarding to think of a fun and original project that hasn’t been done before. Often I’ll start with a need (i.e. for a healthy treat, or pet storage solution) and the project will grow from there.

 

Restore Design

1. I blog about DIY projects I have done over the years. I get a lot of e-mail questions from people, so try my hardest to help people with DIY questions they have. My blog also features furniture that I have designed and built. I started blogging to share my projects. Two years later I am now designing and building furniture full-time. I know have a build partner to keep up with demand and April 1st will be launching a new on-line store!

2. That is a tough question! I really enjoy decorating our living room. I love to cook and entertain, so that tends to be our gathering area when we have guests. The living room is also a room that can have a lot of decorating challenges. I find the challenges are what keep me on my toes! I love designing and building tables, and coffee tables are a great place to start with design concepts.

3. I am constantly scouring the internet for inspiration. Google image, Pinterest, Instagram, Apartment Therapy and scores of other sources. I could spend hours on my iPhone or iPad scrolling through Google image results. I also get a lot of emails from readers with project ideas and I love that. My fiancé and I travel a fair amount and that is another great way to find inspiration. Last year I visited ten countries and took countless photos of interiors and furniture.

 

Retro Ranch Renovation

1. Retro Ranch Reno is a blog about a young couple who purchased a major fixer upper as their family home.  It follows their journey as they attempt to make an outdated house their home, while sticking to a realistic budget.  They post about everything…from full floor renovations to quick and easy crafts to DIY projects and tons of Craigslist makeovers.

2. My favorite room in our house has to be our “great room.”  When we purchased our ranch, there were a ton of walls that created narrow hallways and closed off the kitchen from the living space.  Things were dark and felt cramped.  After we renovated, the space feels so open and airy.  The natural light that pours into the space all day long is simply amazing and uplifting.

3. Worrying about staying current is something that has never even crossed my mind.  I follow so many friends who are also home bloggers, so I’m never short on inspiration and eye candy.  Blog reading, design mags and home-themed TV shows give me an endless exposure to so many ideas.

 

Riss Home Design

1. My boyfriend and I have recently purchased our first home together. We are in the process of fixing it up room by room, making it the way we want. We love sharing posts about our house progress, DIY projects, recipes and everything in between.

2. I love my home office. I really wanted to paint stripes in there, so we did, and from there I’ve been working to complete it to look the way that I envisioned with a calm, relaxing feel. I can’t wait to share the final look with our readers.

3. Pinterest is my best friend. I go on there almost daily and find new ideas and projects. I also love reading different home magazines every month and even finding things that may be too expensive or out of our price range. It’s a great way to think of how I could turn it into an affordable DIY project.

 

Sandpaper & Glue

1. Our motto is, “fixing up our first home, knowing it won’t be our last.” We want it to be nice, to be ours, but we also want to choose our repairs and updates wisely and with money in mind because we’d love to sell in a few years.

2. My favorite room is the kitchen- it’s the perfect shade of yellow, it has a hand painted faux tile backsplash, and it has recessed lighting. When we moved in, it had red and green plaid wallpaper, a dark yellow dangling light, and was just so sad looking. I’m glad we were able to update it and fill it’s potential! (There’s some good before and afters here: http://sandpaperandglue.com/2013/02/11/diy-faux-tile-backsplash/)

3. I do a lot of blog reading, and a lot of talking to blog friends. I really like to keep it real, I don’t do projects for the sake of having blog content, I do projects because there are things in my home I want to change and I want to figure out how to change them myself. Surprisingly, I don’t have any magazine subscriptions and I don’t have cable (so no HGTV for me).

 

Sarah M. Dorsey Designs

1. An interior design blog focusing on inexpensive DIY projects and transforming thrifted finds. I believe that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your house fabulous.

2. Currently, my office. It has color and pattern, some of my recent favorite DIY projects, and now I’m working on organization

3. New projects and ideas are always on my mind. I love wandering my favorite stores and browsing online – Pinterest and Houzz are great resources!

 

Sarah’s Big Idea

1. I’m Sarah, the megalomaniac behind this DIY comedy.  I’ve got big ideas, a tiny budget, and no clue what I’m doing…and I’m dragging you along for the ride.

2. My favorite room in the house is whatever room I’m working on at the moment!  Apparently I’m not happy unless I’m breathing construction dust.

3. Reading blogs is one of the best things you can do to stay current (not that I’m biased or anything).  I’ve got over 50 DIY and home decor blogs in my Feedly — which may explain why I never seem to have enough time to finish my own projects.  But you can save yourself time by only following the blogs on this list…I hear they’re the best. 😉

 

Simply Sweet Home

1. Simply Sweet Home features a variety of topics for homemakers, from recipes and food products to housekeeping tips, DIY projects, home decor, and home improvement projects, along with simple tips to help make your home a “simply sweet” home.

2. My favorite room is the kitchen.  I love to cook and bake, and I’m also an avid food blogger and reviewer, so I think of the kitchen as my own special domain.  My kitchen also doubles as a craft studio and serves as a nerve center for the entire household, so I love to keep it organized and looking great.

3. I like to look at my own home and come up with projects to meet my current needs.  If I want to improve the look of a room or re-organize a space, I ask myself, “How can I make this in to a project, worthy of sharing on the blog?” For my projects, I draw inspiration from magazines, other blogs that I read and Pinterest.  I also visit thrift stores and look for inexpensive things that I can use as project materials and decor pieces.

 

Suzy’s Artsy Craftsy Sitcom

1. Suzy’s Artsy Craftsy Sitcom was created as a way to document new and original craft ideas. The Sitcom features arts, crafts, and humor, with a specialty in vintage and recycled crafts; and currently hosts over 150 detailed original DIY and craft tutorials. The goal of Suzy’s Artsy Craftsy Sitcom is to inspire creativity in all age groups.

2. My favorite room in my house is my work room or craft room.  The room itself is bright and colorful with a window that gets a full day’s sun.  You can read about my recent work room renovation here: http://suzyssitcom.com/2014/01/feature-friday-revamping-the-craft-room.html

3. I like my projects to be unique; something that you won’t find just anywhere. That said, I often find inspiration in odd places such as the plumbing aisle at Home Depot, or shelves at the Dollar Store.  I like to look at an item and imagine the possibilities.  And if I don’t have any in mind at that moment, well, I just store it for later.  Ask my husband about my huge pickle jar collection, my cardboard box collection, my toilet paper tube collection, or my huge stash of dollar store odds and ends and he’ll just roll his eyes. He’s learned not to just throw things away without running it by me first. Those stashes one day just might be gold!

 

The Chronicles of Home

1. The Chronicles of Home is a DIY and decorating blog blog focusing on making a happy and beautiful home one project at a time.  You’ll find inspiration, tutorials, and snapshots of life in the author’s home.

2. My family just moved into a new house, so every room is currently a work in progress.  The kitchen is shaping up to be a favorite room though – I love how the colors, textures, and accents are coming together so far – warm, sleek, and rustic all at the same time!

3. I’m a shelter magazine junkie and love finding gorgeous inspiration and replicating it at home for a fraction of the cost.  DIY is so rewarding and can save you bundles over retail!

 

The Happy Homebodies

1. My husband and I are simply average joes who love to work on our home. I dream up the ideas, and he’s the handyman who makes it work. Expensive, designer items are out of reach for us, so we do our best to stretch every dollar by repurposing thrifted items and shopping sales. Everything we do is for the love of the home!

2. I absolutely love our formal dining room. It’s the first room you see as you walk in our house, so it really sets the tone. What I love the most is that we’ve been able to create a really elegant space using almost entirely thrifted and secondhand items. It’s perfectly “us!”

3. I like to think of my readers as my friends, so I write about things I would discuss over lunch with my closest buddies. When you’ve recently moved into a new house like us, it’s not hard to come up with renovation ideas. The hard part is finding time and money to execute those ideas!

 

The Interior Frugalista

1. The Interior Frugalista is a blog about all things DIY.  From furniture and home décor upcycling, decorating on a budget, furniture hacks, room makeovers, and crafts.  My passion is finding tired, dated, or discarded furniture and breathing new life into them!

2. I would have to say the master bedroom.  Pretty much every surface in that room has been DIY’ed by us.  We turned an old 5-panel door into a beautiful headboard.  I love the paint color and the stenciling I did on the focal wall.   The dresser and night tables have all received makeovers.  Currently we are designing a closet expansion along with a custom wall-to-wall built-in that incorporates a window seat and storage systems.

3. We own an older home with a small footprint that we have been renovating from top to bottom over the years.  Living on a budget has prevented us from hiring contractors to do the work so we are always coming up with innovative, inexpensive ways to DIY the items on our wish list.  For example; we installed hardwood on the entire main floor using flooring we purchased at an auction for a fraction of the price.  We gave our basement laundry room a complete makeover for less than $500.00.

 

The Life of CK and Nate

1. We are two academics that spend our free time DIYing to make our home truly ours. We will attempt almost any project once to get what we want for a price we can afford.

2. Our favorite room right now is our baby’s room http://www.ckandnate.com/2013/06/the-current-state-of-nursery.html. Having the laundry in the baby’s room is so multi-functional and saves us so much time. It works so well for us and is probably the best decision we’ve made in this house so far.

3. We mostly present the projects we are currently tackling, which we try to do in our own unique way like the dining table that we built http://www.ckandnate.com/2013/09/restoration-hardware-diy-dining-table.html. We also stay on top of current trends by reading design magazines and other blogs but we won’t do something just because it’s trendy, we have to like it as well.

 

The Space Between

1. We chronicle our everyday adventures to make the most of our every space, one DIY project at a time.

2. Right now I would have to say our guest bedroom because is the only one we have fully renovated in our newly purchased 1950s Key West, FL conch style home.

3.  I focus less on “coming up with cool projects” and more on creating a space that really feels like home.  When we’re creating what we love inevitably some pretty cool things end up being created.

 

The Stylish Nest

1. Creating home, garden, and life, one DIY adventure at a time.

2. I love our family room. It’s where we hang out the most, with big comfy sofas and a huge TV for snuggling in front of.

3. I get inspiration from everywhere, online, outdoors, visiting shops. Most of my projects come out of a need we have in our house, something we DIY to make our own lives better. Luckily, most of the things I enjoy my readers seem to enjoy too!

 

The Sweetest Digs

1. Gemma Bonham-Carter, author of ‘the sweetest digs’, is a DIY maven based in Ottawa with a love of all things interior design. Join her as she chronicles her family’s adventures (and misadventures!) as they fix up their first house on a shoestring budget, and the life that happens in between projects. From DIY tutorials, to crafts, decorating inspiration, room makeovers, and tales of raising her baby daughter, the blog is a one stop shop for great ideas and a laugh!

2. My favourite room in the house is our daughter’s nursery. It is such a happy, colourful, and sweet room, and was so fun to decorate! Plus it helps that you can usually find my darling daughter in there! Here is the link with the full room transformation: http://thesweetestdigs.com/2013/07/29/project-nursery-before-after/

3. To stay on top of current trends and to gather inspiration, I hit up a bunch of sources regularly. Blogs are (not surprisingly) my favourite — they are full of great ideas from fun people. I think I have about 50 blogs on my reader! I also love magazines (who can beat their gorgeous, styled photos!), and find inspiration in everyday places. I often see a cool art idea in a coffee shop, a paint colour I want to try in a store, or an item in a hardware store that I can totally re-purpose. You never know where you will get inspired with a brilliant idea!

 

Thistlewood Farms

1. I writes the lifestyle blog, Thistlewood Farm from the back porch of a turn-of-the-century farmhouse in the beautiful rolling hills of Kentucky.  The pages of Thistlewood Farm are full of diy projects, room transformations and a story or two.

2. The favorite room in the house is the screened in back porch.  It’s decorated with black and white patterned fabrics white wicker and sweet tea is always served.

3. I am inspired by local flea markets and estate sales.  Sometimes reinventing a piece of furniture or utilitarian item can create a one-of-a-kind project.

 

Thrift Diving

1. Thrift Diving is a home improvement blog that will not only inspire you to find the potential beauty in decorating with second-hand “junk” on a budget, but it will also teach you how to do it. I provide in-depth tutorials on my blog (along with video tutorials on my YouTube channel — http://www.youtube.com/user/ThriftDiving). I’m down-to-earth and make DIY fun and entertaining!

2. My favorite room in my house is my “formal living room” that I converted into a blogging room. The entire room is decorated in second-hand from a thrift store, a dumpster, a yard sale, and an estate sale. The only thing bought new was the white shag rug! It’s my comfortable place where I spend hours blogging once my family goes to bed.

3. I don’t follow trends. I actually tend to reject trends that everyone else has adopted. I like to be original. Project ideas come to me while in the shower or driving! I work on what is “speaking” to me, and usually, when I’m in the middle of a project, is when the real inspiration hits in the form of the details that I add to a project.

 

View Along the Way

1. My blog is where I chronicle our efforts to fix up our beaten-down home on a tiny budget. There’s lots of silliness, humor and fun as we share tutorials, tips and inspiration along the way.

2. My laundry room is my favorite! We redid this whole room for only $157, top to bottom, including painting the floors, making our own light fixture and stenciling the back wall. You can see the whole transformation here: http://www.viewalongtheway.com/2013/01/laundry-room-reveal/

3. My posts and projects are just a natural extension of my life and what we’re doing to make our house more livable and beautiful for our family. Sometimes things go wrong, sometimes they turn out weird, and sometimes we’re pleasantly surprised. It’s just life and we love it!

 

Well I Guess This is Growing Up

1. Love, life and DIY. A blog which follows a newlywed couple completely renovating their first home together, posting progress reports, DIY tips and design inspirations.

2. I adore my kitchen because we went over 2 years without one! Having the flexibility to build it from scratch means it is tailored to my preferences and it’s slowly but surely becoming the hub of our family home.

3. I’m not a designer so I’m careful to only blog about what I know, and give an honest account too! I give people a real experience of what it’s like when renovating and decorating a house from scratch, something that a lot of interior magazines – whilst very inspirational – don’t always offer.

 

Yellow Brick Home

1. In 2007, we purchased our first home together – a teeny, tiny condo on the second floor of a yellow brick corner building (all 675 square feet of it!), hence the name of this blog. Over the course of 6 years, we DIY-ed our way through each and every room – sometimes twice! (Guilty.) Fast forward to the summer of 2013; we said goodbye to the second floor walk-up that found us falling in love with Chicago, and we purchased a fixer upper of a house – right down the street. It’s been our dream to nurse an old home back to life, and now, well, you can say that we’re finally doing it!

2. Our home is currently in such a state of working from the bottom up, that there isn’t even one room close to being finished, furnished or styled. However, we can see the potential in each and every one of our rooms, and that jittery, excited feeling we get is what keeps us motivated to push through, move forward and make waves.

3. Our entire goal for our current home is to nurse back the old, vintage charm. This house is almost 130-years-old, so staying current isn’t so much the goal, but we are looking forward to mixing modern elements into the original character. With so much on our plates to get this place into shape, there is no shortage of to-dos, but the hardest part is separating the need-tos from the want-tos!

 

Search Philly’s Top Condos

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