Create it yourself

The meaning of the term 'DIY' is in need of a makeover as it is too narrow for today's socially connected, creative consumer. At any rate, that's the view at Homebase, based on a consumer survey commissioned by the British DIY chain at the start of 2015.The survey yielded two main conclusions: half of people think that DIY is now about 'creating' a look or style within their home without expert help, and people spend 29 days on average looking for ideas and undertaking research before tackling home and garden projects.Paul Emslie, commercial director at Homebase, said: "Our research has shown that the consumers' relationship with traditional DIY has evolved from the practical 1950s 'Do It Yourself' definition that endured for decades to more 'Create It Yourself' terminology. This has emerged as content shifts from the expert-led home improvement TV heyday of the '90s' and '00s' to online inspiration-sharing sites such as pinterest, houzz and Instagram in the '10s'."The research, carried out by Homebase across the UK, revealed that over 50 per cent of householders think that DIY is now about 'creating' a look or style within their home without expert help. And an increasingly socially-connected consumer is more likely to use 'friendspiration' to look for these home design ideas, with 55 per cent saying that they now get their inspiration from friends both on- and offline.Tom Dyckhoff, presenter of the Great lnterior Design Challenge, believes DIY has broadened and evolved since its emergence in popular culture in the 1950s.

"DIY TV is one of the most successful television formats of all time. It's helped the nation learn how to lay tiles, knock through walls, put up shelves and learn about the latest trends, from shabby chic to minimalism. Today, though, it's changing. It's not just about doing it yourself; it's about designing it yourself, too, encouraging a new, more confident generation brought up on the Internet to be even more creative at home."This ever growing confidence to 'Create it Yourself' is demonstrated by the fact that interior design/home improvement will take top priority, with almost a quarter of people planning on changing the colour scheme of a room, whilst a fifth will restyle an entire room.For bigger projects, such as kitchens and…