You do not have to be a glue gun genius or a sewing superstar to have a crafty house. And you definitely don’t require a 500-square-foot craft room. Is a sense of experience, some imagination and a little DIY gumption.
To me a crafty home is deeply personal. It’s not about gluing ribbon on everything or decoupaging the wastebasket (even go to it if you would like to do these things). It is about unique pieces that reflect the resident’s specific aesthetic. And it is about a can-do mindset. It is homemade headboards, weird collections, layered fabrics and going your own way.
Some of these 18 photos are of particular craft jobs, others simply reflect a crafty DIY aesthetic — vibrant, dull and beautiful.
Nicole Lanteri Design
A crafty home is an eclectic house. And an old seat with a few bright new cloth is a sure sign you’ve entered the house of somebody who knows their way around a staple gun.
See how to re-cover a seat seat
Tamar Schechner/Nest Pretty Things Inc
Good ideas, such as painting the stairs spring green, coupled together with found objects, such as this old cabinet that has been stripped to shabby chic perfection, are important craftiness indicators.
See more of this vibrant house
A room that is never resembles something you could walk into a shop and purchase. It is always one of a kind and highly private.
decordemon
Matching, but not precisely. These chairs, painted and upholstered to accommodate one another, are trendy and fun and likely cost less than $150 all together.
A creative mind at work’s signs are everywhere.
Ninainvorm
Eclectic, vibrant and slightly kooky (notice the dress in the dining room and the desk lamp onto the table).
Michelle Hinckley
The crafty version of a conventional space: elegant but using a homemade touch.
See more of this house
Ida Lifestyle
Bright colors, handmade objects and found furniture, all united with intention and forethought.
Moving Home To Roost
The quirky with the mundane: an Ikea console covered in a glowing runner, a Craftsman sofa facing a modern couch, old-fashioned quilts and modern patterns. It is a mishmash that operates.
Take a tour of this barn home
Holly Marder
Use your talents for good: Would you sew, knit, crochet or build? Put your skills to work in your house. I adore this white space with stains of vibrant crochet. It is a modern version of Grandma’s home.
Monica Ewing
Clever, Crafty Projects
Embellish a very simple paper lantern using pom-poms or other trim.
Art in the regular: a paint-chip collage.
Harper Design from HarperCollins Publishers
Homemade balloon colors: simply ribbon and cloth.
Dabito
A previously weathered brown planter dipped in yellow paint becomes a beautiful modern bit.
decordemon
A classic suitcase with a pillow and a few legs is a supercute dog mattress.
Michelle Hinckley
An old frame with corkboard instead of artwork produces a fun and elegant spot to tack ephemera.
Crafty types know that objects have lots of applications. There’s no reason a tiered serving dish can’t hold jewelry.
A grid of leaf prints becomes a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork.
Get more thoughts in the DIY segment