We’ve partnered with Mandi of Vintage Revivals for years and love the flair she brings to every project (especially when it comes to our Color of the Year). Get to know more about how she became the self-taught DIYer she is today and how you can find that same inspiration for your next project.
Q: Tell our readers a little bit about you!
A: I live in southern Utah with my husband and three kids, and we’re currently renovating a 100-year-old mercantile store, also known as The Merc, into our house! You’ll always find me doing projects, because that’s when I feel like my truest self.
Q: We know you love to go big or go home when it comes to DIYs. Why is it important to share your journey along the way?
A: Something that’s really important to me is sharing everything that I’m learning. There’s a lot of stuff I’ve done that wasn’t a great idea that I talk about. Part of the “going big” process is failure because a lot of it is uncharted territory. We’re just bushwhacking our way through projects a lot of the time, which also makes them really exciting. But when there’s lots of failure involved, there’s a lot of “what not to do” that I share to help others.
Q: What does your planning process look like when you’re getting ready to start a project?
A: When I design a space, I go off of how I want it to feel when it’s finished. For me, everything is very intuitive. I just jump in with both feet and figure things out as I’m going because that’s how my creativity works best.
Q: You’re a self-taught DIYer – what single piece of advice would you give to homeowners like you who are looking to get their feet wet with DIY projects?
A: My single piece of advice would be to stop thinking about it, stressing about it, researching it. Do something relatively inexpensive that won’t be hard to redo. Painting a room is a great jumping-off point – it’s one room, relatively inexpensive and pretty hard to mess up. If you don’t love it, you can just repaint it! (And there are no power tools involved either.)
Q: How has color played a role in making your home feel like you?
A: I love color so much – it’s such a fun way to express your personality. I use white on almost all the walls in the Merc, which lets me add fun accent colors everywhere else, like tile, trim and furniture.
Q: What’s your favorite Sherwin-Williams color and where are you using it in the Merc?
A: My current favorite is Verde Marrón. I’ve used it in Ivie’s room, our half bath, and it also happens to be the inspiration color for the tile in our primary bathroom. We’re making our own tile for that space and it’s got that same earthy tone. It’s a really powerful, statement-making neutral that fits so well with the other colors I love using.
Q: What do you love most about working with your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams in St. George?
A: Absolutely the employees! I love that anytime I go in, they know who I am and I know them by name, too. They tell me when people come in and are using my projects as inspiration. They’re just so friendly and wonderful to work with.
Want to check out more of Mandi’s projects? Visit our influencer page to see more of her latest DIYs and find inspiration for your next project.
