WHO IS KARINA?
Karina is a mother, self-taught designer, and DIYer from Atlanta! She spends her days mommin’ and transforming spaces one day at a time. She has a passion for design, power tools, and doing home projects to save a little money along the way.
WHEN DID KARINA’S INSTAGRAM JOURNEY BEGIN?
Karina started her Instagram in the summer of 2017. She still lives in the home from when she first started her page. Instagram was new to her at that point, however, she did have a personal page so she would always scroll through looking at inspiration for her home. Two accounts she says she will always give credit to for sparking her home decor fire are Inspire Me Home Decor and House Of Keeana. Their homes pushed her to say LETS DO THIS! She’s had her Instagram for three years now and says it’s been a learning process ever since!
WHY DID KARINA START DIVING INTO HOME DIY?
Since home projects can get extremely expensive, Karina decided to start her own research on how to do home projects on her own! What tools are materials are needed? This is really where the interest began. Though it was hard work that she’d never done by herself, the results were rewarding and empowering!
After sharing the first few projects on her platform, she started receiving so much encouragement, love, and positive feedback from her audience. This encouraged her to keep documenting her home projects and décor journey. She loves sharing her DIY step-by-step tutorials for her Instagram audience. She hopes, also, that her dedication to home DIY will spark a passion in her kids so that they can also do their own projects one day.
DOES KARINA SUGGEST MAKING A BUDGET FOR EACH PROJECT BEFORE STARTING?
The short and sweet answer from Karina is—ALWAYS!
With projects, the possibilities are endless, however, there is definitely a time and place for a budget with each project. Sticking to that budget is important! Karina says her budget is always very strict – probably stricter than it should be! Her personal challenge is to always do her renovations, makeovers and projects for the least amount of money possible. Also, if she can, she always starts with what she calls “recycling money” or selling something before she starts. This requires her selling something in her home that she no longer needs or wants in order to use that money towards the refresh or makeover project.
For those of you just starting out in DIY, Karina admits that it may seem like an investment. Buying tools and materials can add up. However, the more you actually do your own makeovers, the more money you’re saving overall.
WHAT IS KARINA’S GO-TO HOME DIY PROJECT?
TRIM! Karina believes that this home trend has come back over the last year or so and won’t be going away any time soon. She believes it’s a timeless and effortless look in the home that gives a gorgeous Parisian feel. She also believes that trim (or any project for that matter) adds value to your home, even if it won’t be the home you live in forever! As a realtor, I agree with Karina that any home project completed will add value to a home.
WHAT IS SO EMPOWERING ABOUT HOME DIY IN KARINA’S OPINION?
As a woman, Karina hopes that through her home projects and DIYs, she will encourage other women to be self-sufficient. Start small! Hang a curtain rod, install a heavy mirror, paint a wall! The confidence builds higher with each finished project. Karina wants to continue motivating women to do their own home projects because nothing will stop a woman who is on a mission! Most likely, the first project will spark that fire in a woman. She will always be curious about what she is capable of doing on her own!
HOW DOES KARINA HELP CLIENTS IN HER AREA?
Karina is so grateful for clients who are generous enough to open up their doors and give her an opportunity to redecorate their home. Whether it’s redecorating a small space, rearranging furniture, or completing a bigger task – Karina has learned so much working with local clients. Karina doesn’t consider herself a designer, but more of a self-taught decorator! She loves the fact that her services can make her clients happy about their home and how it looks. In turn, their services provide publicity to her work and she can add these projects to her portfolio. She only works with 1-2 clients at a time so she is able to focus on them only! She dedicates herself to the makeovers.
WHAT DOES KARINA “SPECIALIZE” IN AT CHRISTMAS?
CHRISTMAS TREES! Christmas to Karina is the most wonderful time of the year! Around Christmas, she offers a holiday package which includes home decor for the season – she either brings the décor or she works with what her client already has. Some clients call her the Christmas tree lady! She loves sprinkling holiday cheer and spreading Christmas magic for her clients and their homes.
WHAT ARE KARINA’S THOUGHTS ON TIK TOK?
Karina has been pleasantly surprised by Tik Tok! She posted her first DIY video and it blew up and has been going strong ever since! She recommends choosing a niche on Tik Tok and sticking with it – she believes this is what truly helped her platform grow on this app. Karina loves the algorithm on Tik Tok because it’s more immediate and easier to reach. She admits the algorithm is so much better on this platform than on Instagram. It’s so light hearted and fun to watch!
WHAT IS KARINA’S BEST ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT ON INSTAGRAM?
Karina’s number one tip (which also happens to be the mistake she made when starting out) is stick to your true, authentic self. This goes for style, photos, videos, everything! Karina admits when she started out she was trying to post about current trends she would see on other pages in order to please her Instagram followers, but she wasn’t truly happy about the style she was portraying! It just wasn’t her! After a year of trying to please, she started changing out the rooms in her home to more of her personal style and design. She didn’t want her page to feel forced.
Also, if you need a break – take one! Though a platform will someday turn into a business, don’t let your audience feel that! You’re a human and your followers understand that. Don’t throw something up on your feed just because you “have to post” – if you need a break, it’s okay! It’s supposed to be fun and creative.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND KARINA?
Instagram – Instagram.com/atmeikasa
TIKTOK- https://vm.tiktok.com/J8Y1jGf/
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