The striking Siberian larch-clad Surrey home of prop designer Michaela Zaben and her husband Ramy is a testament to their unhurried eco-conscious approach to design. “The house was an ugly duckling built by an RAF officer in the 1940s,” she explains. “We bought it in 2014 and spent the next six years gaining planning permission and renovating the inside and outside whilst living in it full time.” At the forefront of the couple’s eclectic style is a passion for minimising waste and repurposing items. “We used all the offcuts from our worktop and made them into skirting, window sills and sink shelves. Nothing was wasted.” Michaela's prop making credentials are apparent in her upholstery how-tos that feature detailed instructions on revamping everything from a £5 eBay ottoman to a tatty Arper chair.

Bristol-based Olivia Gilbert has made an art out of documenting the transformation of the 1930s terrace she bought seven months ago with her fiancé and general DIY whizz Andy. Her trademark style is “neutral, light and airy with a mix of rustic elements.” It’s little surprise, then, that her best advice for anyone starting a full-scale renovation is to paint everything white. “I know it may seem like extra effort, but you don’t need to be neat at this stage. It’s important that you live with plain walls for a while so you can see how light affects the space as it can vary so much depending on the way a room faces.” Look out for reams of useful tips on the constantly updated “Ask Andy” section, plus succinct how-tos on panelling walls and making understated linen headboards.

Having spent much of her childhood watching her single mother renovating a stream of rundown houses in Islington and Hackney, 35-year old Freya Hunt has now followed in her footsteps. Her project is a Victorian semi-detached four-bed house in Walthamstow, which she shares with her husband James, two daughters and cat Badger. Her ethos when it comes to period homes is to “try and restore the essence and ‘bones’ as much as possible to how it once was.” She’s a dab hand at explaining how to restore salvaged mantelpieces, lime wash walls and restore 120-year-old hallways to their former glory. Her home is also peppered with considered finds: “I love Kiln Home (unique antique rustic pots and furniture), Tracy Dixon, Polly Yates, Pip Hartle for ceramics; as well as Medium Room for affordable artwork and the Poster Club for contemporary prints.”

Midwife turned interior designer Medina Grillo’s account is a brilliant starting point for those just beginning to dabble in DIY projects. “My style is maximalist neutral; monochrome with pops of contrasting colours,” she explains. “I also like mixing vintage and new, and rely heavily on different wood grains to bring texture to my spaces.” She’s been tinkering with the interiors of her Birmingham rental home for the last six years and the result is inspiring. “It’s a semi-detached house with three bedrooms and very low ceilings so has a really cosy, almost cottage-like vibe to it, which I love. Our landlord is great with allowing us to decorate it and make it feel like a home.” Expect lots of clever, no-commitment ideas like a beautiful rattan hack for an Ikea IVAR cabinet and no-electrician-needed lighting projects.

Photographer and creative consultant Jax Walker describes her style as “minimal and beige with quality fittings on a natural base.” Her home, a remodelled Victorian terrace in south London, exemplifies this to a tee. It’s sparse but laden with covetable design touches, from the fluted cabinet fronts in the kitchen to the un-lacquered brass taps on top (one of her tips is to go all-out on an expensive tap as you can always switch it for a cheaper one if you move). Even better, she is an open book when it comes to sharing her journey. Jax takes you through a warts and all home tour in her Q&A, and you can scan her stories for the insider scoop on getting the perfect long drop linen curtains, choosing a marble countertop (plus how to clean it) as well as step-by-step instructions for quirky mini projects like micro cement shelves.