We’ve done a lot of DIY projects over the years. Some are inspired by a mix of Pinterest ideas with our own spin, and occasionally… I just straight-up copy something I love. Most of the time, things turn out great—from artwork and furniture flips to full custom built-ins.

But not everything has been a win. There are a few projects I look at now and think, that has to go or I really need to fix that.

In this post, I’m sharing our biggest DIY fails—what didn’t work, why it missed the mark, and what I plan to do about it.

The Nightstand Flip That Was More of A Flop

I got this nightstand on marketplace for about $20. The plan was to get a similar looking one and flip them as a pair. I never found a matching one and plans changed when we had to quickly make a bedroom for my daughter in the basement. She needed a nightstand so I refinished it for her room. So unfortunately I still have to see this thing.

Why it didn't work- I'm usually good at spotting something that will look good refinished. I don't know what happened here but I think the main problem is the hardware.

How I could fix it- I could change the hardware entirely to something smaller and cleaner or I could paint the existing stuff black.

The Paintings That Just Don’t Look Good

I’ve done all the artwork in our home, and I know these ones aren’t it—because they’ve been hanging up for over five years and *not a single person* has ever complimented or even mentioned them. For comparison, the large drawing of a naked woman above the bed has gotten plenty of compliments—and at the very least, some comments. These? Radio silence.

Why they didn’t work— I think I was going for abstract mountains with gold leaf, but it just didn’t translate. It doesn’t really look like anything… just a bit of a mess, honestly.

How I could fix them— I need to scrap the whole abstract mountain idea—and the color scheme too—and start fresh. I’m thinking about doing some textured geometric shapes and arches using joint compound, painted in warm neutral tones.

When a DIY Turns Out Just... Okay

This one’s tricky because I *kind of* like it—but I really thought I was going to love it. I bought the vase at the dollar store, already had the dowels and paint, and it was a pretty easy project overall. So it wasn’t a big investment—but it definitely didn’t meet my expectations.

Why it didn’t work— I think it might have looked better with a smaller, skinnier dowel. The shape feels a bit off, and it throws the whole thing off balance.

How I could fix it— You can see in the photos I’ve tested out a few different decorative fillers. I think the best fix might be to turn it into a candle holder—fill most of it with something cheap to take up space, then top it off with decorative sand or rocks and place a white candle in the center.

The Herringbone Wall Feature That’s Literally Popping Off

I love how this built-in wardrobe, storage, and desk wall turned out—but I was never totally sold on the little feature wall above the desk. We used the same wood as the chunky floating shelves on the adjacent wall to add warmth and texture, and it *was* cute… for a while.

Why it didn’t work— The boards have started to pop off, and the whole thing just doesn’t look as clean or intentional as I’d hoped. It’s a tricky little space, and now it feels a bit sloppy, especially with some of the edges lifting.

How I could fix it— I’m thinking of removing the herringbone entirely and replacing it with something simpler and more modern—maybe a smooth painted finish or a fun wallpaper. But before I commit to that, I’m going to nail down the loose boards and paint it white to match the built-ins. If it still doesn’t look right, I guess it’s coming out.

The disappointing vase, the ugly paintings, and the peeling herringbone wall all happen to live in our spare bedroom. The room itself is actually pretty nice overall—once I fix that wall and swap out the artwork, I think it’ll finally feel finished!

I Blame Pinterest: The Wall Trend I Regret

When we first added this board and batten wall to our master bedroom about six years ago, we painted it black—and I actually liked it… for a little while. Then I tried a very light blue, and eventually landed on white.

Why it didn’t work— I think this trend just got *so* overdone that it started to look cheap and dated—at least in our space. Plus, we added it before installing the wall-to-wall built-in wardrobes, and the two styles don’t really work together. On top of that, I can’t hang artwork on it—the board and batten makes everything look awkward and off-balance.

How I could fix it— The only real solution is to tear it out, repair the wall, repaint it, and finally hang some proper artwork. The wall needs repairing anyway—my son has slammed a rocking chair into it about a million times. I do distinctly remember my husband saying, “I’m never taking this down” while he was installing it—not because he loved it, but because he didn’t want to deal with patching all the holes we were making. Hopefully he doesn’t remember saying that.

Not every DIY can be a masterpiece—sometimes you end up with a nightstand you actively dislike and a wall treatment your past self swore would “never come down.” But hey, live and learn. Some of these will get a second chance, some will get quietly dismantled when no one’s looking, and all of them make for great blog content. At the very least, I hope this post saves someone else from gluing dowels to a dollar store vase.