8 Cool DIY Home Projects That Turn Your Apartment Into An Art Studio
June 29, 2015
When you were a kid, your DIY projects might’ve involved a grow-your-own-crystal kit or friendship bracelets. But now that you’re all grown up and have a city apartment to call home, what do you do when you wanna give those creative muscles a flex—or teach yourself a new skill?
Never fear: We’ve got eight cool DIY home projects for you to try out this summer. From becoming a podcast star to making your own kimchi, these activities will give you brag-worthy new skills, leave your wallet intact…and won’t take over your whole apartment, either. (You’re welcome, roommates.)
GROW-YOUR-OWN: For many of us in the city, a private, urban garden is an impossible luxury...but that doesn't mean you can't nurture your own tender seedlings at home. Just pick up an
all-in-one home kit that lets you tend to your crop from seed to stem, whether it's herbs, strawberries—even chili peppers—that you're hoping to reap. Thinking bigger? Opt for an awesome,
all-inclusive Earthbox.
Image courtesy of Oxyggen/iStock
KOMBUCHA BREWING: Home-brewing your own beer can get pretty messy, and we definitely can't vouch for DIY bathtub gin. (We're betting your roommates won't be thrilled, either.) But
kombucha? For newbie fermenters, it's the perfect place to start—give it a little more than a week, and you'll have a fruity and fizzy beverage of your own. (Enjoy from a Mason jar for extra DIY points.)
Image courtesy of
irisphotos/Flickr
AMBITIOUS KITCHEN PROJECTS: Always wanted to recreate the
soup dumplings at your fave Chinatown dumpling joint? Curious to craft your own
spicy kimchi? Feel like getting elbows deep in
bagel dough? If you're looking for a sign to finally embark on those ambitious kitchen projects, this is it—now, get
cooking.
Image courtesy of martiapunts/iStock
YOUR VERY OWN COMPOST BIN: Composting isn't just for the woodsy, granola crowd—
city dwellers in even the smallest of apartments can get in on the action, too. Instead of banishing those coffee grounds and orange peels to a landfill, all you need is a small bucket, some old newspaper, and a few other tools
to get started. Then, presto—a few weeks later and you're
composting with the best of 'em, you eco-warrior.
Image courtesy of Matauw/iStock/Thinkstock
PODCAST STAR: Take it from us:
podcasts are pretty great. They're also pretty easy to start: All you need's a laptop, an internet connection (and maybe a stand alone mic, if you're fancy), and you're in business. Use it as an opportunity to explore your niche interests. Whether you're obsessed with 19
th century New York history or the cuisine of Laos, you're bound to find an audience.
Image courtesy of Ben Thomas/iStock/Thinkstock
FIND YOUR MUSE: If you haven't done an
art project since college—or since your finger-painting years—it's about time you tapped back into your creative side. Whether it's collage or watercolors, sketching or photography, build up your capabilities at home. (For help, sign up for a
Skillshare class to get the creative juices flowing.) You could always ask your roommate to model for you—but then again, that might get weird.
Image courtesy of PeopleImages/iStock
BLOG IT OUT: Looking to chronicle those aforementioned kitchen accomplishments? Want to show off your finest street style? Need a home for your
artistic masterworks? Thanks to platforms like
Squarespace and
WordPress, building a blog or portfolio to showcase your cool DIY home projects is easy as pie. Did someone mention pie? There's your first post right there.
Image courtesy of DragonImages/iStock/Thinkstock
START A CLUB: Among our suggestions for cool DIY home projects, this one is more of a group effort. But this summer, why not start your very own club? We're not talking tree houses and cooties—we're talking book clubs. Film clubs. Supper clubs. Make it a group thing and you won't just have the motivation to tackle the canon or catch up on the cinematic greats...you'll have some exciting hangouts in the calendar, too.
Image courtesy of alvarez/iStock
GROW-YOUR-OWN: For many of us in the city, a private, urban garden is an impossible luxury...but that doesn't mean you can't nurture your own tender seedlings at home. Just pick up an
all-in-one home kit that lets you tend to your crop from seed to stem, whether it's herbs, strawberries—even chili peppers—that you're hoping to reap. Thinking bigger? Opt for an awesome,
all-inclusive Earthbox.
Image courtesy of Oxyggen/iStock
KOMBUCHA BREWING: Home-brewing your own beer can get pretty messy, and we definitely can't vouch for DIY bathtub gin. (We're betting your roommates won't be thrilled, either.) But
kombucha? For newbie fermenters, it's the perfect place to start—give it a little more than a week, and you'll have a fruity and fizzy beverage of your own. (Enjoy from a Mason jar for extra DIY points.)
Image courtesy of
irisphotos/Flickr
AMBITIOUS KITCHEN PROJECTS: Always wanted to recreate the
soup dumplings at your fave Chinatown dumpling joint? Curious to craft your own
spicy kimchi? Feel like getting elbows deep in
bagel dough? If you're looking for a sign to finally embark on those ambitious kitchen projects, this is it—now, get
cooking.
Image courtesy of martiapunts/iStock
YOUR VERY OWN COMPOST BIN: Composting isn't just for the woodsy, granola crowd—
city dwellers in even the smallest of apartments can get in on the action, too. Instead of banishing those coffee grounds and orange peels to a landfill, all you need is a small bucket, some old newspaper, and a few other tools
to get started. Then, presto—a few weeks later and you're
composting with the best of 'em, you eco-warrior.
Image courtesy of Matauw/iStock/Thinkstock
PODCAST STAR: Take it from us:
podcasts are pretty great. They're also pretty easy to start: All you need's a laptop, an internet connection (and maybe a stand alone mic, if you're fancy), and you're in business. Use it as an opportunity to explore your niche interests. Whether you're obsessed with 19
th century New York history or the cuisine of Laos, you're bound to find an audience.
Image courtesy of Ben Thomas/iStock/Thinkstock
FIND YOUR MUSE: If you haven't done an
art project since college—or since your finger-painting years—it's about time you tapped back into your creative side. Whether it's collage or watercolors, sketching or photography, build up your capabilities at home. (For help, sign up for a
Skillshare class to get the creative juices flowing.) You could always ask your roommate to model for you—but then again, that might get weird.
Image courtesy of PeopleImages/iStock
BLOG IT OUT: Looking to chronicle those aforementioned kitchen accomplishments? Want to show off your finest street style? Need a home for your
artistic masterworks? Thanks to platforms like
Squarespace and
WordPress, building a blog or portfolio to showcase your cool DIY home projects is easy as pie. Did someone mention pie? There's your first post right there.
Image courtesy of DragonImages/iStock/Thinkstock
START A CLUB: Among our suggestions for cool DIY home projects, this one is more of a group effort. But this summer, why not start your very own club? We're not talking tree houses and cooties—we're talking book clubs. Film clubs. Supper clubs. Make it a group thing and you won't just have the motivation to tackle the canon or catch up on the cinematic greats...you'll have some exciting hangouts in the calendar, too.
Image courtesy of alvarez/iStock
