Making things by hand hasn’t always been second nature to me. I grew up surrounded by stacks of magazines and catalogs, tearing things out that I hoped to buy one day, never imagining that I could possibly create something similar on my own. But over the past ten years, there has been a rebirth of the do-it-yourself (DIY) movement that has inspired me to finally put down the catalogs and pick up a staple gun.
With the introduction of independent craft shows like the Renegade Craft Fair and e-commerce websites like Etsy (www.etsy.com) that allow artists to easily sell their handmade work to a worldwide audience, the air is practically buzzing with DIY fever. From the most novice crafters (that would be me) to the most experienced artists, the design community has wholeheartedly embraced the idea of creating both home products and home decorations by hand.
Design*Sponge has embraced the handmade movement since the beginning, choosing to feature both handmade work and do-it-yourself projects from a team of talented editors. In this section of the book, I’ve chosen twenty-five of my favorite posts from the Design*Sponge DIY archives, along with twenty-five new projects from our readers and contributors. Each project is broken down by time, cost, and difficulty, so you can easily choose a project (or flag one for later) depending on your skill level, budget, and available free time. Some of the projects require templates, which are available for download at www.designsponge.com/templates.
This section of the book—and DIY in general—is about providing actual examples of how you can create the home of your dreams. Not only do these projects show you how to build something with your own two hands, but they’ll offer additional suggestions for further personalizing each piece so you have a truly special object when you’re done. I hope these projects will inspire you to create something meaningful for your own home, whether it’s quick and easy like a yarn vase, or more detailed, like the upholstered headboard I made for my own bedroom. A more personal space that truly reflects who you are is only a snip, clip, or hammer away.
No matter what size our home is, most of us are always in need of more storage space. Rather than covering up more precious counterspace, Design*Sponge contributors Derek Fagerstrom and Lauren Smith decided to add wall shelves made from recycled wine crates they found at their local wine shop. To add more detail, Lauren and Derek lined the back of the shelves with colorful, inexpensive gift wrap to act as a backdrop for their favorite books and tiny treasures.
designers
Derek Fagerstrom and Lauren Smith
cost
$10
time
1 hour
difficulty
★★★★
materials
Tape measure
Wine crates
Gift wrap or other fancy paper
Pencil
Straightedge
X-Acto knife
Bone folder
Spray adhesive
Sawtooth hangers (1 per crate)
Hammer
Small nails (2 per sawtooth hanger)
Rubber bumpers (2 per crate)
Hanging hardware (1 per crate)
instructions
1 Use a tape measure to measure the interior of each crate to make sure you have enough fancy paper to line all of them.
2 Next, draw out the measurements in pencil on the back of the paper. In order to avoid any potential gaps along the interior edges, add a 1-inch allowance as follows:
Long sides |
Add 1 inch to each of the three edges that border the interior of the box. |
Short sides |
Add 1 inch to the edge that borders the back of the box. |
Back piece |
No allowance necessary |
3 Using a straightedge and an X-Acto knife, carefully cut out each piece of lining paper (five per box). Create fold lines by scoring along the 1-inch allowance with a bone folder. Finally, miter each of the interior corners at the allowance by cutting a 45-degree angle from the outside edge in.
4 In a well-ventilated area, apply spray adhesive to the back of each of your long pieces. Place them carefully inside the box, lining up the folded edges with the inside edges of the box, and smoothing out any air bubbles that may appear in the paper. Next, spray and apply the short pieces. At this point, all four sides of the box will be lined, and the back will have a 1-inch border all the way around it. The last step is to spray and apply the back piece to the box. Smooth away any air bubbles and let dry completely before proceeding to the next step.
5 Decide on the orientation of your boxes, and attach a sawtooth hanger along the top edge of the back of each box using a hammer and small nails. Apply peel-and-stick rubber bumpers at the bottom corners on the back of each box, to ensure that they hang flat against the wall.
6 Mark the position of each box on the wall with a pencil and attach the boxes using the appropriate hanging hardware.
safety note: Spray adhesive is pretty toxic, so you’ll want to wear a mask and open your windows while you spray. Spray in short spurts and let your room fully air out before proceeding.
Using mismatched plates and a variety of candlesticks and vases, Kate created a decorative set of cake stands out of otherwise unused items. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, showcasing holiday treats, or just looking to creatively display everyday snacks, these stands are a great way to decorate your table without spending a lot of money.
designers
Kate Pruitt
cost
$10
time
1 hour (plus drying time)
difficulty
★★★★
materials
Old plates (any size) and candlesticks or vases (look for anything that is wider at the bottom, with a sturdy base and a flat top)—larger plates (like dinner plates) will require a larger base
Ruler
Marker
Epoxy (from a hardware store)
Paper plate or scrap cardboard (something to mix the epoxy on that you can throw out)
Popsicle stick or cotton swabs with the cotton removed (something to apply the epoxy with)
Masking tape
Rags and cleaning solution
instructions
1 Test the pieces you want to put together: The plate should be able to balance on the base without any adhesive.
2 Clean all plates and vases/candlesticks thoroughly. Dry completely.
3 Measure the back of each plate and mark the center with a dot.
4 Prepare some epoxy, following the package directions. When ready, apply the epoxy to the top edge of the base and gently place it upside down onto the back of the plate, using the center dot as a guide.
5 Let the epoxy set up, following package directions, then gently press the plate down on the base to hold it in place while wiping away any excess epoxy with the Popsicle stick. Apply masking tape on four sides to anchor the cake stand, and let it dry overnight.
Tip
While these are sturdier than you would expect, they are not dishwasher-safe. Instead gently clean by hand.
Using bricks as bookends has been a popular college dorm room trick for decades. While Kate appreciated the affordability and ease of the idea, she wanted to jazz it up a bit to suit her style. Using inexpensive sheets of gift wrap to cover the bricks, Kate was able to modify this classic idea to not only suit her personal style but also fit her budget.
designer
Kate Pruitt
cost
$5
time
1 hour
difficulty
★★★★
materials
2 sheets of decorative paper or wrapping paper
2 sheets of thicker weight paper (drawing paper will work)
Dust mask
Spray adhesive
2 paver stones or bricks (found in the garden/outdoor section of hardware stores)
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Decorative embellishments
instructions
1 Lay out the decorative paper facedown on a clean work surface.
2 Lay out the drawing paper and cover it with an even coat of spray adhesive. Flip it so that the adhesive side is down, lay it on the backside of the decorative paper, and smooth out any wrinkles.
3 Place the brick or paver stone on the backside of your paper. Cut out enough paper to wrap it like a present.
4 Begin to wrap the brick like a present, folding the paper over to the back and overlapping it to create a snug fit around the brick. To secure, add hot glue to the right side of the brick’s back surface and refold the right side of the paper over the glue and smooth down. Then add hot glue to the left side of the brick’s back surface and the edge of the first fold of paper. Fold the second flap over the first. Smooth down.
5 Cut slits up each of the corners of the paper at the bottom until you reach the edge of the brick. You now have the brick wrapped like a present, but there are four flaps of paper at the bottom of the brick. Fold the side flaps in first and glue them down to the brick. Then fold the flap from the back to the front and glue down. Lastly, fold the flap from the front to the back and glue down. During this process you may need to cut away excess paper to create a clean fold. Always try the fold first to see what it will look like, then unfold, make any necessary cuts, and try again. Make sure you have neat, clean folds before gluing. Repeat with the top of the brick.
6 Repeat the wrapping and gluing process with the second brick. When both bricks are complete, add decorative images, decals, or embellishments, if desired.
safety note:Spray adhesive is pretty toxic, so you’ll want to wear a mask and open your windows while you spray. Spray in short spurts and let your room fully air out before proceeding.
