DIY Queen started the way most good things do — with a dresser I couldn't afford and a garage full of stubborn optimism.
What this place is
DIY Queen is a small, independent DIY blog built around one stubborn idea: a beautiful home shouldn't cost a decorator's salary. Every project here has been done (and re-done) in a regular house, with regular hardware-store supplies, by someone who has ruined more thrift-flip hopefuls than she'd like to admit.
You won't find sponsored slop, AI-generated project slop, or tutorials that quietly require a $400 Silhouette cutter and a professional paint sprayer. What you will find:
- Projects that actually work — tested on weekends, in a real house, with a dog underfoot
- Honest writing — if a step is a pain, I'll say so. If a cheaper supply is fine, I'll tell you
- Techniques worth learning — the kind of skills that make every project you ever tackle smoother
- Budget-first thinking — because the best homes come from curiosity, not a clearance aisle at Pottery Barn
Who's behind it
Hi — I'm Maddie Cole. I grew up watching my grandma repurpose everything: curtain rods from broomsticks, coasters from leftover tile, Christmas wreaths made from the bushes in her own yard. After a few years in a grey marketing cubicle, I quit to renovate my first house — a 1920s bungalow in Charleston, SC — and couldn't stop documenting every project.
DIY Queen started as a weekend Instagram account and grew into a full-time love letter to the idea that a beautiful home doesn't need a decorator's budget. It needs your hands, a free Saturday, and the courage to start before you feel ready. I write everything you read here. I do every project at least once before sharing it. I take most of the photos. My rescue mutt Biscuit supervises.
How we work
DIY Queen is reader-supported. That means we make money through a few honest channels:
- Affiliate links — when you buy a tool, paint, or supply through one of our links, we earn a small commission. I only link to things I actually use. See the full affiliate disclosure.
- Newsletter — free, no spam, just projects and workshop notes. Subscribe at the bottom of any page.
What we don't do: pop-up ads, autoplay videos, paywalls, or interrupt your scroll with anything I wouldn't tolerate on my own site.
What's next
I'm building this slowly and on purpose. New projects go up most weeks. Seasonal ideas show up when the season actually shows up. A workbook, maybe a class, probably some hardware-store collaborations down the line — but only when there's something worth making.
If you want to follow along, the newsletter is the best place. If you want to say hi, send a project request, or correct a typo, the contact page is right there.
Thanks for being here. Now go make something.
— Maddie