If you would rather lose a limb than surrender control of your dream project but would enjoy learning some tricks of the trade, the workshop I lead might be of interest. It is a two-day DIY Like an Architect workshop offered at ArtCenter College of Design.
Hello, my name is Mia. Alla DIY Ally is my mother and I have been consulting with her recently in the process of moving into a new studio apartment in lower Manhattan. Although some of its aspects were very outdated, as a renter with a budget even smaller than my NYC closet space, remodeling was out of the question. With the help of Home Depot and DIY Ally inspiration I was able to make some affordable and impactful changes.
A potential client (she is in her early seventies) recently shared with me that her contractor would not hear of a curbless walk-in shower. He talked her out of it. As DIY Ally, I would like to make a case for it. It’s quite doable and is certainly worth the effort.
I received an email from a new client Heidi: “I have a wet bar in our dining/living room that we want to repurpose and make into something else.” She wondered if a small coat closet and a computer desk might be incorporated to turn it into a more functional space. Another alternative would have been to replace “the wet bar with a bar area against the wall, and ideally still include a small computer space.”
If you are looking for inspiration, playing tourist might be a fun place to start. Pinterest, Instagram, and blogs are all great sources. However, if you want to stir up some creative juices, a fieldtrip is better. It’s more enjoyable because inspiration flows together with your experience.
Identifying needs is not the same as making to-do lists. Recently, I was asked by a reporter to suggest 5 home decor/design projects that “can make a big impact without much effort.”
It’s pouring outside. Since the roof over your head is the best protection from the elements, I decided to look into what types of roofing materials are commonly used to do the job right.
The other night I went to The Home Depot to challenge IKEA. In the process of setting up a home office, I wanted to see if The Home Depot can serve me better.
Martha’s kitchen cabinets exclusively at The Home Depot are the answer. Edward and Margarita need my advice on updating their condo. It’s easy. It just needs fresh paint and new kitchen cabinets. They can keep the existing boxes, but replace drawers and cabinet doors.
Design ideas category is my focus for the next post and I am in the process of researching zen gardens. I am distracted by an email from someone who just downloaded DIY Like an Architect: “Ciao Alla! I can’t wait to read your book!”
The Home Depot is the largest home improvement store in the world, a creative hub. It is the nerve center of activity involving the imagination or original ideas. That’s how I started thinking of it recently. Would you agree with me if I called it an awesome Temple of Creativity?
Becoming DIY Ally, an online architect, helped me achieve fulfillment. By accepting things as they are, without concern where I rank among others. It had to do with my aspiration to live mindfully. The idea was born as I was turning into an empty-nester. Viscerally I knew it would serve as a pathway to increased wisdom and compassion.