DIY for All: Hello Home, Girl! Creator Makes Decor Inclusive and Accessible

Felicia, Hello Home Girl! creator, shares a simple and bold DIY closet revamp.

Home decor often tells you a lot about a person, their preferences, and personality. I consider myself to be a maximalist. It’s evident as soon as you step into my home, mostly because I have mementos from pretty much every concert I’ve ever attended.

In 2020, Felicia decided to take her love of home renovation to the next level by sharing her

ideas with the world. She created Hello Home, Girl!, a blog that breaks down DIY projects for her fellow home enthusiasts in a way that is simple to follow and, most importantly, easy on the wallet.

Felicia and I in our senior year of high school, circa 2009. I was a choir nerd and goth Barbie at this point.

Hello Home, Girl! has blossomed into a community of DIYers with whom Felicia shares tips, tricks, and real-life examples of how to inexpensively decorate and maintain a home. Felicia just so happens to be my best friend of 15+ years, so to say that I’m inspired by her work is truly an understatement.

In our Q&A, Felicia shares her biggest influences, what she’s looking forward to, and how creators can encourage inclusivity in digital spaces.

Q: What inspired you to create Hello Home, Girl? Felicia: I sought resources for decor tips and sensible renovation guidance from a relatable source. Everything just seemed so expensive and of a specific look. When I didn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to become it. Now, of course, I have found my community, but I’m happy to contribute as a resource for folks wanting to make their homes better.

Q: How have your life experiences shaped how you showcase DIY projects? Felicia: Most of my formal education is in teaching. So, it’s my habit to break down large projects or abstract ideas into bite-sized chunks. I’ve been told by my audience that they like how I make projects seem doable. I chalk that up to my ability to detail the steps of a DIY project, anticipate misconceptions, and offer attainable solutions.

DIY project featuring a gallery wall in the dining room.

Q: Who are your most influential role models? Felicia: My most influential role models are my family members: my sister, my aunt, my mom. I take a little from each of them and try to move forward. I admire my sister’s thoughtfulness, my aunt's sweetness, and my mom’s ferocity. My dad has been an influence as well because we used to window shop together often. He also worked in construction, so he taught me how to stain furniture and generally went along with my ideas and shenanigans.

Q: You have a series on Instagram where you take the audience along as you thrift shop. There is usually a musical theme for each story. How does music connect to your taste and style? Felicia: I think I really love the fantasy of music and how it creates a space in your mind. I think that shopping is a fantasy as well. You can imagine the potential of how an item fits into a space. When I take my audience along to go shopping, I ask if they like an item regardless of its price. That’s a fantasy itself. I think my decor style is more eclectic than my musical taste, however.

Q: Your platform has led to opportunities like being selected for the Pinterest Creator Fund. Why is it important for folks to see someone like you featured in these public spaces? Felicia: Diverse communities introduce diverse mindsets, styles, influences, and expressions. When seeking inspiration, especially on a platform like Pinterest, seeing someone like you or have a similar style to you make a home is so helpful. You can see that what you want to create is possible. You may know that in your mind, but to see it visually is reassuring.

A DIY board and batten wall.

Q: Can you describe yourself in three words?

Felicia: In my current iteration, I’d describe myself as resourceful, contemplative, and indecisive.

Q: What is your favorite room? Felicia: My guest bedroom is my favorite room in our home. I feel like it’s the most me since I did not consult my partner about any aspect of the room. Additionally, it’s a room to honor my parents. When my dad spends the night, it’s the room in which he sleeps. It also features artwork by one of my favorite artists, Makeba Rainey, including a custom portrait that honors my mom’s memory. It’s super colorful with tons of patterns – quintessentially everything I like. Moreover, I love that I didn’t over analyze how everything went together. It was mainly my instinct, and the room’s needs, that guided the design of the room.

Felicia's guest bedroom.

Q: What are you looking forward to? Felicia: I’m looking forward to relentlessly pursuing projects that I’ve been avoiding for years. Those projects involve lots of sanding, hence why I’ve been putting it off. But it’s time to get it done. Also, I’m looking forward to further developing my blog. Hello Home, Girl! got a new look this year because I truly am committed to organizing the content in a helpful way. In the end, I want Hello Home, Girl! to be an enriching resource to my audience.

Q: How can allies help support creatives who are in historically marginalized communities?

Felicia: You can support us by sharing our stuff authentically. It may not be exactly your taste or style, but sharing can get the right eyes on what we do.

Q: Do you have any advice for fellow DIYers who are looking to step into the blogging space?

Felicia: If you are a DIYer who wants to blog, create for yourself. Many times, you’ll receive advice to think of what your audience wants from you. But ultimately, you’ve got to be in love with your content for the time it takes to create, build, and maintain.

Want to learn more? Follow Hello Home, Girl! on Instagram and Pinterest for DIY inspo!