What Parts of Renovation Videos are Actually Worth Copying?

Hands down, you absolutely have to agree here that renovation content is honestly addictive. Like super addictive, a room goes from outdated to gorgeous in under a minute, somebody peels off old wallpaper like it’s a sticker, and the “after” reveal has perfect lighting and not a single speck of dust in sight. Oh, and all those people showing off their Nancy Meyers-inspired kitchens, who wouldn’t be green with envy, right? And yeah, it makes sense that it’s inspiring, because it makes change feel possible, and it makes the whole process look kind of fun.

Hopefully, you know this, but real life and real houses don’t work the way they do in videos. A good chunk of these content creators don’t share the frustrating bits, the boring bits, the parts that might have quite literally made them cry. But real renovations can be tough sometimes. So, it makes sense you want something new for your home, and sure, there are some things that are entirely okay to copy, and there’s some you’re probably better off ignoring. But what though?

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It’s Fine to Copy the Style, Not the Timeline

Alright, so the easiest thing to copy is style, colors, finishes, layouts, and the overall feel. That’s the part renovation content is great for. It helps with narrowing down taste, figuring out what kind of kitchen actually looks good, and spotting little details that feel more custom. What it’s not great for is time expectations. A “weekend project” online might actually be weeks in real life, and again, keep in mind here that a 30-second video could have been renovations that lasted months.

Copy the DIY-Friendly Cosmetic Touches

It’s honestly not too uncommon to see someone on TikTok, YT, or Instagram do some more smaller DIYs like painting, swapping hardware, changing light fixtures, updating cabinet pulls, adding peel-and-stick backsplash in a low-risk spot, maybe even replacing the kitchen faucet. And these are fine, these are small. Actually, these are things you should be DIYing rather than hiring a contractor for. Granted, you could hire one if you wanted, but you don’t need to for these things at least. 

Just Hire a Professional for the Big Stuff

Which should be obvious, but with all the tutorials and loads of DIY renovation content out there, it can make people think they can tackle the biggest of renovations themselves. But there’s a difference between “fun DIY upgrade” and “this can mess up the house.” Because gig projects have layers, permits, inspections, safety requirements, and a lot of steps that aren’t visible in the final reveal. 

So, if you’ve been dreaming of a new kitchen, for example, something Nancy Meyers-esque, well,  you should look into professionals who can do the kitchen remodel for you if it’s the big stuff like new cabinets, flooring, plumbing, countertops, things like that. But again, you can still do the small things yourself if you want, like applying a peel-and-stick backsplash, changing out the light fixture, or adding a runner rug.