“Ask Five” is a series where I periodically conduct a quick 5-question Q&A with experts in home decorating, crafting and DIY.
Kim Myles |
Today’s Ask Five is with Kim Myles, winner of 2007 HGTV’s Design Star. You may also recognize her from her home makeover show “Myles of Style” which she hosted for 3 seasons, or shows like “HGTV’d” and “America’s Biggest Yard Sale” where she continues to appear as host and designer.
Kim believes that great decor and style should be driven by imagination, creativity and self-expression. This has made her a standout in the DIY/Lifestyle arena, and has also led to successful partnerships with clients like Lowes.com, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Tostitos and Energizer.
Kim is the CEO of her interior design firm, Kim Myles Design, and is also a contributing columnist for several shelter publications and websites. Later this spring, she’ll be debuting her line of chic, modern, globally-inspired stencils for the home. You can follow her blog or Twitter for updates, as well as the opportunity to score some fab goodies! For more info on Kim, check out KimMyles.com.
Q&A
For someone who wants to attempt a “DIY” home decor project but has no experience, where’s a good place to start?
Start with something small. A furniture up-cycle, an accent wall — something bite size that will allow you to get your feet wet without having to make a giant investment in either time or expense.
What are some products that would make up a good “DIY” starter kit?
Here’s what’s in my own kit:
- measuring tape
- small level
- stud finder
- paint kit (tray, painter’s tape, angled brush, roller and drop cloth)
- hot melt glue gun
- good scissors
- staple gun
- box of nails/screws/hooks
- hand drill
What is the most unusual source from which you’ve gotten design inspiration?
Office Max! I saw their bulk brass paperclips, and knew that I could daisy-chain them into a really fantastic deco-style chandelier. (Check out the video.)
What is your favorite item that you’ve ever created or transformed, whether for your own home or someone else’s?
Hmmm … that’s like asking me to choose my favorite child! Lately, I’ve been pretty excited about my line of Kim Myles Stencils, since they make giant transformations really easy to accomplish. My furniture stencil kit in particular — in just 4 hours, it allowed me to transform my dining table into an Indian bone-inlay extravaganza! It looks amazing, and I can’t wait for people to get their hands on these stencils so I can see what they can do with them.
What is your advice to someone who is deathly afraid of incorporating color into their design scheme?
Get over it! Color isn’t a tattoo — you can undo it without much hassle. Start small by painting something (the wall at the end of a hallway, the entry wall of a foyer), and choose a color that speaks to your heart. (Not sure what that is? Just look in your closet — you’ll quickly see that you gravitate to the same colors over and over again.) Mask the space off, and get busy! If painting feels too huge, then add some colorful pillows to your couch, or switch out plain curtains for something with a personality. Color is such a mood/life enhancer — living in fear of it is just silly.
Here are a few samples of her work, courtesy of KimMyles.com:
Living Room |
Dining Room |
Modern Office |
Bohemian Beach House |
Check out more beautiful photos from Kim’s portfolio, here.
Thank you to Kim Myles for contributing to DIY On the Cheap!
[If you would like to be considered for a future “Ask Five” feature, contact me here. Also, don’t forget to “like me” on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to be notified of updates and future giveaways!]