Home Is Where You Make It: DIY Ideas Styling Secrets to Create a Home You Love, Whether You Rent or Own

by Geneva Vanderzeil

Add style and individuality to your home with DIY—even when you’re renting!

The concept of a large, professional renovation isn’t possible for many people who are short on time and money, especially when you rent. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want a beautiful, cozy home that reflects your unique taste and personality—it just means you need (and want) to get creative!

Home Is Where You Make It is a simple, practical, and affordable craft and styling book that offers tried and tested design advice and top hints and tricks for key spaces, including:

-Six steps to success, with color palette and reno tips
-Update your rental space and restyle on a budget
-Transform an imperfect room into a beautiful and functional space
-Unique solutions for tricky spots
-DIY projects and styling advice that works for any room
-Easy-to-grow indoor plants and planter ideas

Channeling the simplicity and beauty of modern living, this is a room-by-room guide to making and DIYing your own place, with hundreds of smart styling hacks, repurposing and upstyling ideas, and easy weekend projects to create the home of your dreams.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2020

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a few good ideas from this book but it ultimately was not very useful for me. This is definitely a how-to book aimed towards young women who are decorating their new homes or apartments. The author is an Influencer type with a very popular blog and following, and the book only shows pictures of her bungalow style Australian home. She gives ideas on how to style each room of your house, with little how-to projects along the way for decorative objects. I don't think I'd put most of those in my home unless one of my kids made them, but they could be fun projects for people looking to personalize their spaces with handmade objects.

This is quite a one-note styling book, especially as it only features pictures of her home so it's only about her specific style. All of the walls are white and there are lots of baskets. There are lots of framed sketches and sayings, most of which seem to have been created by the author. Her rooms are very bright and well lit, which makes it easy to make any space look good.

I also always laugh at the way decorating books have something like 6 books in the whole house, and they're chosen because of their decorative spines. Where are the decorating books for families with 18 bookshelves and still no room for all the books they own? :) Likewise, when she writes of the need for a welcoming entryway I laugh because our entryway is an unheated Minnesota "mud room" that has to hold boots, coats and snowsuits for six people, the dog's harness and leash, hubby's tool chest, two freezers, and a ridiculous amount of odds and ends like metal detectors and rock polishing kits. Hope springs eternal and I keep reading decorating books, but I'm not quite the demographic for this one. It'll be a great book for others, though.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adore this beautifully shot and illustrated DIY guide! Shows how to redo each room of your home on a budget with infinite style. Filled with low cost step-by-step projects, many to complete over a weekend. Found myself reading straight through, entranced by the design concepts and gorgeous color palette taken from the author’s own renovated cottage. Dreaming now of a bedroom in rose, ivory, olive, and orange, a living room art wall, and thrifted accent pieces in wicker, wood and leather. Heaven!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 03 Mar 2020

Huge thanks to Tiller Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#HomeIsWhereYouMakeIt #NetGalley

[Julia Russ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been following Geneva and her DIY blog (formerly A Pair & A Spare, now Collective Gen) for quite a few years now, and I have always appreciated her easygoing, down to earth mindset and style. I am a sewer, so I was originally drawn to her site for her DIY sewing projects, but it has been really fun watching her buy her home in Australia and completely transform it into a dreamy little cottage.

The book is based off of the renovation she did on her home, and is filled with home styling tips (for both homeowners + renters) and is filled with lots of easy DIY projects. As a maker myself--it's always at the forefront of my mind to create handmade items that don't actually appear to be handmade, which is one of the reasons I appreciate Geneva's projects.

I've been feeling a bit suffocated by our home space (literally spending all of our time at home due to Covid) so I figured this would be the perfect time to buy her book and try out some of the projects. I had intended on just flipping through and working on a project at a time.. but I sat down this morning with my coffee and read the book cover to cover. Very excited, inspired, and ready to start tackling some of the projects!

[Chels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Home Is Where You Make It is a great book for those into design and DIY on a budget! The layout of the book was both practical and beautiful. If you are aesthetically drawn to modern, natural, and bohemian styles, this book will be for you!

What i enjoyed most about this book is that there are many simple DIY projects. The skill level required for the projects is fairly average; the most difficult DIYs involve sewing. I am considering doing a few of the DIYs outlined in this book!

I also enjoyed the emphasis on reclaimed and second hand items. In a world looking for the next-best-thing, there is so much being discarded that can be used in out homes! The authors talks about where to source second-hand and when instructing on DIYs mentions various materials that could be used from second hand finds!

If you have looked through many design and decor books of this style, this book may not offer a lot of new ideas. However, i was still able to find new content that i was pleased with!

[Shannon Rochester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was another spur of the moment nonfiction title I grabbed because I liked the photo. These are the types of photos that catch my eye on Instagram and can keep my attention for awhile because I just follow one right after another. :) I thought I might get some decorating tips from this book but in the end, it was not very useful for me. The pictures were great but it seemed like it is definitely a book geared more towards younger women who are just now moving into their first home. I didn't know it at the time but the author is apparently some sort of Influencer with a popular blog and has a following... The book shows much of her own home.She gives ideas on how to style every room in your house, and includes some projects along the way. The projects were fairly simple and don't require too much of a skill level. :) Ultimately, I loved looking at the photos but probably won't actually try any of the projects...but I would definitely recommend it to younger women who would.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Geneva before reading this book, but immediately liked her down-to-earth tone and her non-fussy style. I'd say her approach is a mix of mid-century modern and shabby chic, which with medium-colored wood featured prominently and natural colors throughout, particularly whites. I particularly appreciated her guide to indoor plants and the gallery wall layout ideas. Those are two things I've been trying to work into our new house already but hadn't made much headway on - googling gave me too many options to choose from, but now I have some ideas to play with. Projects range from simple (fabric covered jewelry holder frame) to more complex (leather sling chair). I definitely like the emphasis on reusing, upcycling, and discovering secondhand gems. Overall, a pleasant and inspiring read for refreshing a home. Thank you to the publisher for a NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Rosemary Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've moved many times and have lived in homes that we've owned, rented, fixer-uppers, completely turnkey, so I have an idea of my decor preferences. I just built a home and am in the process of adding finishing touches to make this house a home. Home Is Where You Make It is a wonderful addition to the decorating/DIY books and blogs and Instagrams that I love to read and absorb for my own implementation. The pictures are vibrant and inspiring. I appreciated the tips of things I should have in my DIY/Decorating arsenal, which I've already accumulated over the years. The most important segment of the book is about upcycling/recycling.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and use as a reference for making my house a home.

[Марина Манченко · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a beautiful book and I'm a huge fan of Geneva (for many years, actually). So I am happy that I bought it, but there is one problem. The majority of the projects are not explained well. As I said, I've been following her blog forever, and never had a problem with any of the tutorials. Here, however, it's just done well. In many of them you cannot even see a full picture of a finished DIY. For example, the vase/lamp project - I have no idea what it is, and the pictures are not really illustrating anything. As an source of inspiration this book is great, as a DIY book - not really. I really wanted to like it, but...

P.S. Fun drinking game - take a shot every time you see the book "The Reader's Digest Atlas if Australia" appear))

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've followed Geneva for a long time, before she was pregnant and focused on DIY fashion. It was amazing to see her transform the old cottage. I'm happy she got a book deal out of it. Home Is Where You Make It is filled with beautiful images of her remodeled house and post from her blog. Unfortunately it's not practical nor useful. The only project I considered doing was the painted spoons, but how many kitchen spoons does one need? I love her aesthetic but it also seem unattainable in real life. Where are her things, kids toys, craft supplies, media? Overall this is just a pretty coffee table book.

[Lydia Corona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn’t have read this book at a more perfect time. During this quarantine, I had enough time to completely change up the style of my home but I didn’t know where to start. In this book, she has tips how to style every single room in your home! Did you know there is a right way and a wrong way to place a rug?? Neither did I!

I love her helpful DIY instructions on how to make shelves, baskets, and even candles! It really helped that I liked her sense of style. It's very minimalistic but with pops of colors. It gave me the right amount of inspiration on how to decorate my home.

I’d recommend this to anyone who gets overwhelmed at the thought of decorating their own home.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Home Is Where You Make It” is more than just a great coffee table book. Sure, it’s bursting with gorgeous, inspiring interior designs. But it’s also got substance with lots of how-to DIY projects you can tackle on a dime.

This design book is especially great for someone with a small decorating budget. And even better for a renter who’s got zero leeway for a major reno.

Author Geneva Vanderzeil shows us how being organized and making small styling changes (with pops of color and texture) can make a big impact.

I’d like to own a copy for myself!

Special thanks to NetGalley, Tiller Press and Geneva Vanderzeil for the electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Cozy Book Spot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book! Lots of DIY and great decor ideas. This books has a happy and vintage decor style and it's pretty cute but not personal my style. I live in the country so I like decorating my home with modern farmhouse decor but I can use some of her ideas and adapt it to my style. I enjoyed reading it and it has lots of pictures which makes the book very fun to read.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

[Juliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
This was a hard read for me. Alot of the advice is very abstract and I like more cut and dry instructions. There were some interesting DIYS and some solid tips in there that I was excited to learn! This is a good book if you are trying to learn more about the basics of interior design rather than to find ideas for your space!

[Chatti · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy was a little wonky on my kindle but even with those tech errors, the book was filled with great, approachable ideas. Loved the images. I chuckled a bit at how often the Readers Digest Atlas of Australia made an appearance but I suppose that works in defense that you can recycle/reuse objects that are already in your home.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aimed toward new renters/homeowners. Nicely produced book, easy to read. I was not familiar with this blogger but now I will follow her as I liked her DIY projects and enjoyed her style, which was slightly more realistic and a tiny bit different than many influencers. I would check out of the library or read the blog rather than purchase this book unless you’re a real fan of her website.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple beautiful book for house decoration tips. I liked how the book was broken up into different rooms, and there were certainly a few helpful ideas/tips, e.g. low maintenance plants, carpet placement, a few wooden dowel and leather strap projects. I've been a follower of the author for a while now so it was quite nice to see her style in the book as well as a few DIY ideas.

[Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book consisted of lots of ideas to make people's surroundings more presentable. The motive is to inspire readers to create or transform spaces without spending too much. I tried to follow the simple throw cushion instructions but the choice of fabric used to illustrate this DIY projects was not an easy guide.

[Peta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, and some good ideas... some of the DIY just looked a little bit too DIY if you know what I mean... 🤔

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute ideas like rug-covered benches, wooden bowl hangars, and an upcycled nightstand project. Projects are easy and simply as well as functional like the linen jewelry frame project.

[Madelyne! · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty book, but nothing new

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cute book with a lot of great ideas!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of different ideas.

[Rebecca Shepherd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book much. I didn’t feel like most of her input was applicable to different styles than hers. There were a few unique DIY projects.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

DIY and design ideas....good with a few cute ideas.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

She has some nice ideas and a great eye. Her photographer’s assistant should not have put the Australia book in EVERY photo though — LOL

[Chryssie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, I really enjoyed it and gained many ideas plus heaps of inspiration. I like the simplicity of working room by room and the many ideas and suggestions along the way. I will be referring to this as my main source as I work through transforming my house to ‘stylish’ :-)

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Home Is Where You Make It is a tutorial, decorating, and ideas book for home decor by Geneva Vanderzeil. Due out 3rd March 2020 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an upbeat DIY volume aimed at modern cottage style re-do's. There is a fair bit of content devoted to surface updates which would be particularly relevant to renters or would-be decorators on a strict budget. I liked the emphasis on upcycling and repurpose/repair. The author uses a room by room tutorial format which allows the reader to pick and choose menu style, or browse through the book cover to cover.

The chapter tutorials are interspersed with Q&A type sidebars with good short takes on particular decorating problems (what to do if others who share the space don't agree with design choices, how to redecorate on a severely anemic budget (or zero budget), how to pick small pieces (baskets, mirrors, framed art), and more.

I enjoyed reading the book and paging through the beautifully done photographs (seriously, the photos are wonderful). I found a few particularly good tips for my own use. The vibe of the book is younger and somewhat feminine and 'shabby chic/cottage'. There were some decidedly quirky and whimsical features (a half painted, half raw wood front door), but the whole book has a kind of bouncy upbeat vibe that it never degenerates into pretentiousness or stuffiness.

Four stars. Some good stuff here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Natalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley and Tiller Press for the ARC!
I love a good home and decor read. There’s something about the idea of everything being in place, but also matching my style that feels so incredibly satisfying to me. Being a Navy spouse has made me reconsider some of my loftier decorating goals, but I love that most home books include tips for renters or people who move a lot.
I’ll be honest, this is a pretty standard home and decor book. Geneva Vanderzeil breaks down each section of the home and gives her favorite tips and tricks to best utilize the area and make each space come to life. Vanderzeil is a little more thrifty and DIY than some other books I’ve read, but if you like this style of book, you’ll love this one as well.
One thing that I really loved about this book was Vanderzeil’s DIY projects places throughout the book. These projects all seem pretty easy and the materials are usually things that you already have or can buy relatively cheap. This is great for people who like to change up their style often or who move. It’s easier to say goodbye to things you didn’t pay tons of money on.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The images were fun and creative and Vanderzeil gave me ideas of projects I could undertake. I give it 4 stars.

[Melinda Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Lots of great ideas for those of us who may be struggling with how to decorate our homes. I am definitely a fan!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Home is Where You Make It. The aesthetic featured in this book is one that I really love, so I was inspired by the pictures and the overall vibe. I loved the concept of not having a home where everything is perfect and matching, and my crafty side was gleeful at the idea of creating something new from thrift store finds. I found the projects interesting and achievable, although I realistically would probably only try a few of them. The writing and tips were nothing groundbreaking, but it was a pleasant read and an even-better source of inspiration.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book!