The DIY Boom & the Power of the Internet
DESIGN
STORY BY VIRGINIA BESHEARS
Have you ever happened upon a DIY video while scrolling through your social media feed, and felt a sudden urge to start tackling a new project in your home?
The digital age has made home improvement more accessible than ever. We have instant access to an unfathomable number of video tutorials, databases, and forums. Everyone with an internet connection has at least one degree from the proverbial YouTube University.
Still, though, that doesn’t explain the itch you get watching a DIY video on TikTok or Instagram.
As it turns out, watching a DIY video on social media has a tangible effect on many of us and our moods and attitudes. In a recent study by B&Q, 61% of respondents agreed watching DIY videos made them realize they are able to do projects that they would have hired tradespeople to do. The numbers for Gen Z women are even higher, with 82% reporting having been inspired by other women on social media to try complex DIY tasks.
Watching our peers tackle DIY projects on social media is like a lightbulb moment, where we realize that home improvement projects we assumed were beyond our abilities are actually well within our reach. The effect is lasting, too, with 74% of respondents agreeing that learning how to do DIY tasks makes them feel empowered and capable.
Social media has democratized access to DIY knowledge and empowered a wave of women to pick up tools and take charge of their spaces. The ORC team could not be more proud, honored, and overjoyed to be part of this ripple effect season after season. Below, we’re celebrating just a few of many first time DIYers and participants who have tried new things with big results.
Emily had picked up her first power tool just three months before the spring ‘22 ORC, when she turned her spare room into an incredible home office. She laid LVP, hung mural wallpaper, and built two gorgeous floating shelves from scratch (even when it involved learning how to use a table saw after her local hardware store didn’t have the right size lumber in stock).
From Emily: “I can’t believe this is my office!!! This is MY office… this is the first room I’ve ever taken down to the bare bones and rebuilt to meet my vision. I’ve done a lot of work in our home, but this is the first room that really, truly feels like it meets my design style 100%. It’s so empowering!! And totally makes me want to do the same thing to other rooms now too... I had it in me all along - I just needed a community of like-minded people and a firm deadline to kick me into gear.”
VIA HAPPILYHUXFORD
Back in the spring ‘23 ORC, Nickie was very new to the DIY world but was determined to create a laundry room she could enjoy. Look at her go with that sledgehammer! She even learned how to plumb the new sink.
VIA SEA AND SWEATER
This reading nook from the spring ‘22 ORC was Tiffany’s very first major DIY undertaking. She and her husband added to an existing bookcase to give it that perfect built-in finish. She also converted three lights from hardwire to plug-in and installed them above the bookshelves, which is herculean.
VIA TIFFANY TCHENG
Sofia and her husband Travis’s amazing 1967 house still had most of its original elements when they moved in, and they kicked off their room-by-room reno during the spring ‘24 ORC with this half bath. Sofia was new to DIY but dove right in with refinishing the vanity and installing the tile (which both turned out beautifully), while her very handy husband worked on the electrical and plumbing.
From Sofia: “Week 2 of the ORC brought on lots of thoughts that remind me of the book ‘If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.’” I’ve never related to something more.
As the owner of her own interior design firm, Tristan is far from a DIY newb, but she’s typically is focused on the design/planning/management side of home projects. She and her husband Seth were determined to do their spring ‘23 ORC primary bedroom transformation completely themselves so they could make the space truly their own. They learned how to install flooring, how to hang grass cloth, and even how to build a king size bed frame. The finished bedroom is absolutely amazing (as is the fact that Seth was able to find the user manual for a paint sprayer he hadn’t used in 8 years).
From Tristan: The bedroom remodel was a labor of love, carefully planned…. every detail reflects our personal style and preferences. I feel a deeper connection to our space. It truly feels like a sanctuary where we can unwind and recharge.
Kate’s first DIY project is maximizing her guest bedroom so it can function as a home office for her and her husband as well as a guest room. It’s a major undertaking that got held up in skim-coat purgatory for a few weeks, but Kate is crushing it and even learned a bit of electrical!
Footnote from the author — I am also proof that watching DIY videos fosters confidence. My job involves watching a LOT of DIY and design content (obviously), and back in 2022, about 6 months into working for the ORC, I found myself tearing out the linoleum in my laundry room and installing hardwood flooring. I still find myself getting the urge to build something every time I check the ORC Instagram tags. I think it must be primal.
-Virginia
