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We celebrate great design  all the time, but there’s a specific part of it that we’re addicted to: makeovers. A tiny breakfast nook transformation .  An easy kitchen redo . Entire home renos.  It’s the element of surprise. And it’s about time we acknowledge those gutsy DIY blogs who keep us on our toes (and in suspense) while opening up their homes to us each and every day. 

Vintage Revivals

What do you get when you combine a fearless do-it-yourselfer, a passionate believer, and a stop-taking-yourself-too-seriously attitude? Mandi Gubler, that’s who. Her no-project-is-too-big attitude has us checking in daily and wondering what she will think of—or make over—next. Our only regret? That she doesn’t live next door.  Love her as much as we do? You must-see this makeover she created just for domino. (Oh, how we love thee.) See it here. 

Young House Love

Are you hooked on YHL? We are too. Our can’t-get-enough-of-it addiction with Sherry and John Petersik was kicked off in the very beginning. Sure, while we’re constantly amazed by their creations (how do they pull it off?), we’re also totally smitten with their ability to admit when projects have gone wrong. As far as DIYing diehards go, the Petersiks have the passion, soul, and skills to run the show. 

Old Town Home

Mandatory pit stop: Alexandria, Virginia. That’s where you’ll find Alex and Wendy, who open their home to passionate makeover addicts all over the world. We’ve been stopping by and following the adventures behind their Victorian revival since 2011. While there’s no renovation too big or small for this tag team, they’re also always ready to share when they hit some bumps along the road. And that’s why we wish they lived around the corner. 

The Design Confidential

Certain transformations tell a story all by themselves. That’s how we feel about everything Rayan Turner gets her hands on. Her infallible eye, attention to detail, and smart on-the-fly decisions (how does she always nail it?) make us swoon. And her friendly, witty nature has us wishing she had a hotline for when we needed pointers or a pep talk. Check out this DIY project she created just for us. Talk about a rockstar. Love this wallpaper? 

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Manhattan Nest

We’ve been watching Daniel make over places, from an uptown Manhattan apartment to an upstate New York fixer-upper, since 2010. This guy has a knack for flipping things upside down and turning them into brand-new sparkly spaces. While we like to think we can keep up with him when he’s in his supercharged “Obsessive Renovation Mode,” the reality is we’re just as content sitting back and following along.

Remodelaholic

Most couples would say the perfect date night is dinner and a movie. Ask Justin and Cassity, the power couple behind Remodelaholic, and they’d say it’s ripping down a wall. And so goes the story of a DIYing duo who is constantly thinking outside the box, re-creating spaces, and sticking to a tight budget. Don’t believe us? Check out their $5,000 house transformation. 
 

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House*Tweaking

As Dana Miller’s mission statement says, home doesn’t happen overnight. And we couldn’t agree more. Home is a work in progress, and she’s managed to win us over with the projects she takes on every day. Square inches don’t get in the way of this do-it-yourselfer. If only those little tweaks were as easy as she makes them seem. One day…

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320 Sycamore

Some blogs you drop in on every day like clockwork, similarly to how you might drop in on a good friend who lives down the road. That’s how we are with 320 Sycamore. Melissa invites us into her full house (she’s a mom of five) to share her passion for making things over on a budget. After all, the best home renos are an everyone-pitches-in family affair.

withHEART

Jen’s got heart. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. And she doesn’t mind a little elbow grease either. (Yet another reason she’s on our list.) Everything this blogger touches with her make-it-over gusto has us watching closely and wishing for more. Want to make a coffee table like in this in this photo?  Get the how-tos here.

Centsational Girl

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We’re hooked on the countless remodels by Kate Riley, a lawyer turned DIY fanatic, who gives us a reassuring nudge to go ahead and try this project at home. Her adventures ring true for both the pros and the not-so-handy at heart. 

DIY Playbook

Casey and Bridget call themselves rookies. We beg to differ. Any challenge—a budget-friendly cabinet makeover, refinishing a desk, an IKEA hack—that this all-star team takes on always results in a victory. They inject a spirit in each project that makes us feel like we’re talking to our BFF—with a hammer in hand, of course. See the special project they’ve dreamed up for domino. 

For the Makers

Sometimes it’s comforting to meet do-it-yourselfers who take projects at a sensible pace. You know, so the rest of us can keep up. Janet recognizes that holding a glue gun isn’t for everyone and reminds us how great it feels to create something that you want to live with. And we think that’s pretty darn cool. Love these votives? Get the how-tos here. (Thank you, Janet!)

Dream Green DIY

Carrie Waller has this brilliant ability to make you feel like you can do anything she does. And that’s why we’re some of her biggest fans. She attacks every project, big or small, with a down-to-earth approach that keeps us tuning in and picking up the glue gun.

Cuckoo 4 Design

It’s Julia’s before-and-after projects (button-tufted chaise, dresser makeover, painted curtains) that have us immersed in her projects on a regular basis. Her even-keeled approach to the big and small projects convinces us that we can actually jump in and follow along any day now. 

Damask Love

Transformations come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. The best in our DIYing binders are the ones with thoughtful teachers (hello, Amber) who don’t hold back when sharing their projects with smarts and step-by-step how-tos. Her vision for turning anything (please check out this creation) keep us coming back for more. 

 

Almost Makes Perfect

Perfection is overrated in our books. That’s exactly why we make it a point of seeing what Molly’s cooking up every morning. Her sharp style, relatable voice, and candid approach to tackling projects have us 100 percent hopeful that we can join her one day.  

Killer B Designs

A few reasons we heart Brooke: the I-don’t-mind-giving-it-a-shot mentality, her penchant for color (you know how we feel about ROYGBIV around this office), and how she pulls it off without breaking the bank. There’s no doubt that we’ve caught her makeover fever.

Ready to grab the hammer? We thought so. Whether you start big or small, take a cue from these seasoned pros on making any project your very own. E-mail krissy@domino.com and share your blogs, ideas, and feedback with us.