Hobby now a business for keen decorator

Dedicated mother and passionate decorator and craft designer, Zoe Gilpin is the DIY Decorator and has turned her passion for home décor into a business.

Gilpin designs and makes concrete home decor items to order for her customers using their choice of colour and design to suit their requirements.

The DIY Decorator started as an Instagram page to share her creations and home decorating ideas just over a year ago and has now grown into a page with more than 18,000 followers.

Ms Gilpin said her accounts on social media had helped her further explore decorating, styling and she has started up an online store of her own, which has also taken off.

“Seeing how many people were following their dreams via social media of running a small business from home was my inspiration to start it up,” she said.

“As a stay-at-home mum with plenty of time on my hands, I felt that I still wanted to be working but also taking care of my son and starting the DIY Decorator lets me have the best of both worlds.”

Ms Gilpin said she offered her customers gorgeous home decor items made with love plus interior decorating and styling advice, wedding and event set-up/styling, and information on current home decor trends and finds.

“Home decorating has always been as passion of mine and all I’ve ever wanted to do is create and decorate,” she said.

“I used to make furniture out of boxes and always be painting the furniture in my room as a kid, so everyone always knew that this was the field I would explore.”

Ms Gilpin’s newest item is her handmade wooden bead garland range, which are painted and made to order with her signature of gold, copper or silver leafing.

Zoe’s Top 10 Tip for Home Decorating

1. Decorating doesn't need to be expensive-shop at places like Kmart & Target.

2. DIY decorate - get crafty!

3. Give homewares a cheap makeover by changing the colour with a coat of spraypaint.

4. Experiment with colour, texture & pattern when home decorating.

5. Don't follow the rules-create your own unique style!