12 Easy DIY Home Improvement Projects: Indoor and Outdoor Ideas

Saffron Marigold - Updated: February 11, 2023

Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects help you save costs, learn new skills, and gain satisfaction from completing a creative design from scratch. From DIY room decor to DIY garden ideas, there are many ideas on ways to satiate your creative itch and beautify your home, inside and out. We rounded up 12 easy DIY home decorating projects here to personalize your home.

Popular DIY projects

  • Paint and wallpaper
  • Custom shelving and storage solutions
  • Landscaping and outdoor projects
  • Kitchen and bathroom renovations
  • Energy-saving upgrades
  • DIY crafts for home decor

1. Make a custom headboard for the bedroom

We found a DIY headboard tutorial for less than $30! Of course, the final cost depends on your fabric choice and whether or not you own some tools already.

What you’ll need:

  • Fabric
  • Wood
  • Foam/batting
  • Scissors, knife, nailer/stapler, and saw

Get new table linen to match your stylish new headboard.

2. Create a gallery wall for your living room

A themed gallery wall is a fun way to incorporate DIY wall art and DIY decor. Find 50 ideas in this DIY wall art projects roundup from HGTV. Ideas include framing your acrylic paints and string art.

What you’ll need:

  • Framed art
  • Photographs
  • Clocks
  • Mirrors
  • Posters

3. Refresh the front door with a new coat of paint

Some DIY home projects are straightforward. Painting your front door a new color can give your entryway and front door real estate a much-needed refresh.

What you’ll need:

  • Sand paper or sander
  • Primer
  • At least 1 quarter of weather-proof or weather-resistant paint
  • Hardware to remove door (e.g. screwdriver)
  • Caulk to repair any cracks

4. Make custom a roman shade

We have a blog on how to make a roman shade using Saffron Marigold fabrics. A roman shade looks incredibly modern and stylish, which may be just what your kitchen or living room needs.

Photo: Sailrite

What you’ll need:

  • Twin bedspread or rectangular table cloth
  • Lining material
  • Sewing machine or sewing kit
  • Scissors
  • Iron
  • Glue
  • Wood
  • Cords

The materials depend on which tutorial you’ll follow, but the main material you’ll need is the fabric.

5. Upgrade your bathroom vanity with a new faucet and drawer pulls

Replacing the spigot (faucet) in your bathroom sink is a surprisingly easy task. While you’re at it, you might replace old drawer pulls and knobs in a matching material or style. In the photo below, the brassy gold faucet and drawer pulls match the frame, ceiling light fixture, and shelf.

What you’ll need:

  • New faucet/drawer pulls
  • Basin wrench and adjustable wrench
  • Plumber’s putty and towels
  • Putty knife
  • Caulk
  • Lubricant for rusted faucets

Make it a whole bathroom makeover with a new fabric shower curtain.

6. Build a raised garden bed for home-grown produce

If you want to utilize your outdoor space better, raised garden beds are a fantastic DIY home project to start. You can customize box sizes, and grow as little or as much as you want. Many people dip their toes into the raised gardening waters with herbs or hardy veggies like carrots, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Leafy veggies that you can grown from scratch will also yield lots of produce (and save you money!). Some favorites include lettuce, bok choy, green onions, and cabbage.

What you’ll need:

  • Lumber/cement/bricks/pallets
  • Screws
  • Hardware cloth
  • Plastic sheeting
  • Soil

We recommend this garden bed tutorial—it’s comprehensive and simple.

7. DIY fabric-covered memo boards

Looking for a weekend fabric DIY project? Cover up that metal, cork, or linen bulletin board with a beautiful fabric instead! While you can use fabric scraps, try one of our block printed fabrics for more visual impact. We offer fabric swatches in case you want to see how the design would look in your work space.

Photo: GIna Tepper

What you’ll need:

  • Fabric
  • Scissors and measuring tape/ruler
  • Batting or foam
  • Hot glue gun
  • Decorative items like ribbons or buttons (optional)

8. Revamp the dining room with a new tablecloth and dried flowers

Dried flowers are another low-effort DIY decor idea. Keep in mind that some flowers are better suited for drying than others, though. Check out our blog on 15 floral curtains and matching dried flowers for more details on how to dry flowers and what varieties are best.

Orange Blossom Fabric Swatch & Dried Flower Example

What you’ll need:

  • New table linen
  • Fresh flowers
  • 2-3 weeks
  • Unscented hairspray
  • Vase
  • A dark, dry, well-ventilated area

9. Design a DIY macrame wall hanging

Decidedly boho and infused with personality, macrame wall art is a staple in many global eclectic homes. Start with smaller pieces, and work your way up to larger tapestries once you feel more comfortable with the art.

What you’ll need:

  • Cotton macrame cords
  • Metal rod or wood dowel
  • Scissors

Fortunately, there are many patterns and tutorials you can follow online in case you’re having trouble deciding on a design. Macrame planters are also a great choice if you want to start small or would like to make personalized gifts for friends and family.

10. Hand-stamp kitchen towels for a personalized touch

Bringing you wonderful block printed fabrics is our passion, but did you know you can create hand-stamped linens at home, too? Many crafts enthusiasts use fruit stamps to give their tea towels a personalized flair. Who knew!

Photo: Today’s Creative Life

What you’ll need:

  • Tea towel (preferably cotton)
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paint tray or paper plate
  • Citrus fruits cut in half (lemons, limes, oranges)
  • Fabric medium

11. Experiment with a wood-burned serving tray for entertaining

Wood burning sounds intimidating, but it couldn’t be any easier. The hardest part is deciding on what design to create!

Photo: Anika’s DIY Life

What you’ll need:

  • A wood burnder
  • Pre-cut, unfinished tray or wood slab
  • Transfer paper and pencil for original, hand-drawn designs
  • Alternatively, stencils or hot stamps
  • Food-safe sealant/stain

12. Cover up your living room daybed + apply new coat of paint

If you like to rotate your tablecloths, you probably have a couple sitting in storage. Why not use them as sofa covers for your living room day bed? Take look at how we used the Spice Route tablecloth to double as a bed runner and revamp a day bed.

As for the frame, you can repaint your daybed for a new look, especially if you have a metal bed, but prefer the look of painted wood.

Spice Route tablecloth for day bed

What you’ll need:

  • New tablecloth or bedspread
  • Primer and paint
  • High-quality paint brush
  • Sand paper if stripping the old paint
  • Tarp or something to protect your floors
Enchanted - Blue ~ Rectangular Tablecloth Enchanted - Blue ~ Rectangular Tablecloth
$99.00 - $117.00
SALE: 10% off
Spice Route ~ Red Orange Moroccan Indian Table Cloth Spice Route ~ Red Orange Moroccan Indian Table Cloth
$108.00 - $117.00
SALE: up to 10% off

What is the most popular DIY project?

Painting is the most popular DIY project for the home. All you need is a few choice materials, some time, and a warm, dry day to complete a painting project. It’s also a cost-saving way to revamp old furniture, walls, and fixtures.

What are some advanced DIY projects for the home?

If you’re a seasoned DIY-er, take a look at these challenging project ideas to flex your DIY muscle.

  • Roofing and siding repairs
  • New floor installations
  • Remodeling a room or adding a new room
  • Plumbing and electrical projects
  • Building a pergola or deck

There are many benefits of DIY home projects, including lower cost compared to replacement, a new skill learned, a general feeling of accomplishment, and potentially more time spent with family. Take up a new DIY home decor project today—you never know if it’ll turn into a new hobby!

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