Projects for Your Independence

Just do it yourself: projects to dive into

One of the very best feelings? Working on your own project, getting your hands dirty, watching your ideas take shape and, at the end, being able to say proudly: “How cool is this? I made it myself!” Deborah and Florian Hucht absolutely love being outdoors, getting their hands covered in soil and coming up with new DIY projects. Their speciality? Designing and making seriously cool stuff out of objects their neighbours want to throw away. Transforming an old wardrobe into a practical outdoor kitchen? No problem. And those dusty old copper pipes? They can become stylish clothing rails. Working in their own back yard, they’ll try out anything and everything that occurs to them – and it’s fortunate that a garden like theirs can never be completely finished, because these two are unlikely ever to run out of new and creative ideas. But they don’t just do it for the fantastic moment when they get to stand back and admire a finished project; it’s the bigger picture that counts. Because buying fewer new things, saving materials from the scrap heap, and creating new habitats for plants and animals is a step – a small one, but still – towards a more sustainable future for us all.

What can you expect to find in this book? First of all, you’ll go through the basics. You’ll learn what you need (and don’t need) to get started on your own projects, where you can source cheap materials, and how to recycle. Basics complete, it’s time to get stuck in: with more than 40 projects, you can really go wild – in your garden, on the balcony or even in your apartment, whether there’s an ice-cold wind nipping at your nose or you’re tiptoeing barefoot through the veg patch. Deborah and Florian show how they’ve transformed their own garden and balcony into a super-exciting world of adventure for their children: including a mud kitchen, sandpit, kids’ vegetable plot and willow-branch tepee. With simple, step-by-step instructions, you too can build a more self-sufficient life, from compost toilet to bokashi beds. Another thing that’s super important to the Huchts? Making sure nothing ends up in the bin. That’s why they’ve added a few quick recipes and guidelines for making your harvest last. Because what, after all, could be better than spending quality time with your best friends and family in the great outdoors? Evenings spent together will be even cosier under your home-made pergola, with twist bread baking over the campfire and mouth-watering drinks made with fresh herbs from the garden. Or perhaps you’d like to construct a new home for sweet little hedgehogs and other garden helpers? You’ll find simple instructions for making that, too, because Deborah and Florian believe in having as much diversity in their garden as possible – here, everyone’s welcome. They also have plenty of ideas and inspiration for beautiful décor projects, so you can bring the natural world into your living room all year round. And a kokedama plant or self-plaited dried-flower wreath makes a wonderful gift, too, doesn’t it? So: be inspired, dive in, and see just how many things you can make if you put your mind to it.

The special thing about this book is how easy it is to get started: just choose a page and start making, hardly any theory required. There’s something for all tastes, needs and situations – you don’t have to have your own garden, an enormous terrace or tons of money to spend in the DIY shop. Most important is that you have fun with what you’re making – and think about the environment. Whether you’re reusing, sowing, digging, collecting, creating fresh designs or pimping stuff up, the main thing is to do it yourself – for a sustainable future.