“The future is about change and growth! The sky's the limit!” Interview with Kelly Ballard - Design and DIY Enthusiast

This week, Planner 5D spoke with Kelly Ballard, an interior design enthusiast and DIY'er! We sat down together to discuss her blog, an insight into her latest project and her opinions on design. Read on to discover a bit about Kelly, her projects, and more.

Are you a professional designer or is it just a hobby? How did you learn?

I am not a professional interior designer, I never went to school for it - but I always loved learning! So when I turned 40 I decided I wanted to learn how to use tools. I set the goal to make a project a week - just small ones, so I could learn. That is when I started designing my home and posting it on Instagram. I did not intend to grow a business out of it, rather, just show and document what I love to do!

Your blog is dedicated to your home renovation. How did that process start and what was your motivation at the very beginning?

I created my Instagram blog in 2017, then my blog in 2018 and so on. First I just posted the pictures of the process - and received many questions like, ‘How did you do that?’, ‘Can you teach me?’ So, for a couple of years, I made a more detailed version of the blog and then monetized it.

I showed the DIY process, so that people could learn from me instead of asking over and over again. The more questions I got, the more I realized, ‘Wow! so many people want to know this.'

Then I started making YouTube videos, TikToks, IG Reels. Then brands started to notice, and I reached out to brands on the projects that I was already working on, and it became a natural partnership - I always show off the products that I use.

What kind of changes have you already made so far?

Almost my entire house! It was new when we moved in - it was a standard building and there were no upgrades in it. I’ve renovated every single room in my house and it now has different accent walls, wallpaper, shelving, etc. It’s really been fun to transform it and make it my home. It was really fun to do all these projects and showcase them on my blog so others could do the same. I make projects on a budget and show brands that I love that are budget-friendly.

Which part are you most proud of? Why?

It’s my workout room! I am not an exercise type of person, so I decided if I create my personal workout room, I’m going to use it more!

We did a modern accent wall, with a bright colour feature - which is a deep blue wall and really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Then we removed the carpet for this beautiful concrete-looking tile, which I really love. This is one of my favourite rooms!

Please, share your view as a professional DIY-er: which parts of a renovation can be done as DIY and which ones require professional help?

When it comes to DIY, I think as you teach yourself, eventually you can do all of it on your own. You just have to become educated! Basic DIY is like painting: everyone can paint. If it doesn't look good, you start over or add a basic accent wall. When you start ripping out the walls and dealing with electrical work, if you’re not 100% confident in it (which I am not) then hire it out.

Start with painting a wall, you can then move on to installing shelves, different fixtures and things, but when you want to start doing electrical works, plumbing, and light fixtures then you really need to be super educated on it.

You can teach yourself as there are plenty of YouTube videos to learn from but if you’re not comfortable then hire it out, because these things can turn into real problems.

There are various views on the best interior style and colour palette. Which one is your top choice and why?

There are so many views on colour palettes that I have but these depend on the interior style. Industrial? Modern? Boho? There are so many styles you can choose.

My biggest recommendation is to search Pinterest for ‘Top Trending Styles for 2022’ and then look at them, feel them and make boards for yourself, if you really like this style.

Many people say that farmhouses are going out but a lot of people are still in love with this style. Currently my home is in a farmhouse style.

I am converting it to be more modern with a bit of industrial and farmhouse vibes - these are the styles that I love. I love a neutral colour palette - lots of blues, greens and neutral tones including browns. My favourite colours in my house right now are earl grey and alabaster white.

What is the criteria for quality design, in your opinion?

To me, there's no level of quality. You have to go for what your opinion is, meaning you always want a good quality work. I actually prefer budget deals because then you can change it up as you go without breaking the bank so it depends, but I believe that everyone should decorate their home the way they love, regardless of if they’re on a budget or going for a higher price.

What is more difficult to do: a design project for a small space or for a large one?

I actually think a smaller space is harder to design, because there’s so much room to fill in a larger space. In a smaller space you have to be really conscious of size, design, not being too crowded, how to use elements to open up the space like mirrors and different types of things like that.

Ecological home is a huge movement right now. Do you have any eco-tips that you can recommend?

I see this trend really rising right now! Currently our home is 8 years old, and we haven’t designed it super eco-friendly, so I don’t have a lot of tips and tricks on that. The most simple thing you can do is to change your lighting; to get long-lasting LED bulbs. These are more expensive, but they last much longer! It’s a basic way to start, but then of course if you’re building a newer home, there are so many ways to build your home eco-friendly from the start.

What is your favourite trend in interior design?

Right now it’s the boho style. It’s about lots of neutral palettes, very clean, uncrowded, and beautiful. Since my house is a farmhouse, it’s a little bit more green and brown, and crowded. So this year I am currently transferring to a boho/modern - a very clean look and a very simple style with not a lot of texture.

Interior of the future: what does it look like to you?

The future is about change and growth! The best part about being a content creator is you can work with brands constantly to change up your style. The sky's the limit! I just keep changing what I want.