Newsletters

From Junk To Funk In Donna’s Handmade Home

Sarah Rae Smith
Sarah Rae Smith
Sarah Rae Smith has lived all across the Midwest and currently calls the bratwurst-laden city of Sheboygan home. She seeks out kitchens that make the best pie and farmers with fresh eggs.
published May 9, 2011
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
See More Images
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Name: Donna Williams
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Size: 1800 square feet
Years lived in: 5 — owned

If you compare DIY to karate (stay with me now), then Donna Williams would be a 10th degree black belt. This single mom is a “Pallet Princess” from the North who isn’t afraid of power tools or realistic timelines for home improvement projects. Although most spaces have one or two DIY accents to their name, Donna’s dwelling is almost floor to ceiling handmade projects. She’s been busy building desks and tables, light fixtures and even her own stairs — it’s a DIY dream!

See More Images
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
See More Images
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

See More Images
1 / 65
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Donna Williams is the mastermind behind Funky Junk Interiors. She’s a pro blogger that has more tutorials under her belt than we care to count. She’s always gracious enough to share every last step of a project with her readers and makes for a truly empowering read. She isn’t afraid to try something new and when she finds herself in uncharted waters she does her best to muscle through. Her home might be a little rustic for some, but her methods and tips given can easily be applied to all sorts of projects and are sure to get the creative juices flowing. Ready to take a peek?

See More Images
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: I call it “rustic elegance.” A mix of salvaged wood, metal, natural elements such as rock, plants, with a sprinkling of rust.

Inspiration: While I love to browse blogs and magazines for inspiration, most ideas I implement are derived from my own imagination. I like to challenge myself to do something I’ve never
seen done before.

Favorite Element: salvaged wood

Biggest Challenge: What I dream up vs. what I actually know how to do proves to challenge me daily. I’m a builder with little building skills so I figure it out as I go along.

What Friends Say: “Funky! YOU made this?!?

Biggest Embarrassment: When I hear someone knock at the front door, I feel panic. I’m generally creating something and we ALL know you can’t create and clean at the same time! 🙂

Proudest DIY: Definitely my crate styled stairway. I was in the middle of painting it when my mom suddenly passed away. Rather than shut down and run for the covers, I kept at it until completed and it ended up being one of my most popular projects to date AND ended up winning two decorating contests. You can check out the construction process here.

Biggest Indulgence: A brand new kitchen with the funkiest island topper ever. When the entire house was renovated, I was very tempted to leave the kitchen, as funds grew tight. At the eleventh hour, I took out the loan and went for it. And am I ever glad I did. Shaker style cabinets, rustic hardware, with the coolest custom designed metal topped island ever — check out the reveal of my black metal kitchen island here.

Best Advice: “No Fear.” There was a time when I feared posting what lived inside my head. I no longer go there. I do what I love which leads to many one of a kind designs.

Dream Sources:
• Bibles for Missions Thrift Store, Chilliwack
• Pallet yards across the land
• Curbs
• Burn piles
• The dump
This isn’t quite what you expected to hear, was it?

See More Images
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Resources of Note:

(Since the majority of Donna’s home is handmade, her resource list is different than those we usually feature here on Apartment Therapy. Instead, she has been so kind as to give us a list of tutorials on how to make the items seen in her home that might help you discern where to find such items near you)

PAINT & COLORS

    • Cloverdale Paint: White kitchen grade eggshell with one drop of
    black (white feature walls)
    • Cloverdale Paint: Bamboo Beach (main color running throughout house)
    • General Paint: 2000 Series Semi Gloss White (trim)

LIVING ROOM


KITCHEN


MASTER BEDROOM


Blogging Office


Stairway


Office #2


See More Images
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Thanks, Donna!

Images: Funky Junk Interiors

• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE Check out past house tours here
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.
• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.