Imani At Home is a home and lifestyle content creator based in Washington, D.C. She shares DIYs and renter-friendly hacks with her community, lovingly dubbed the “Sugar Plums”. Her purpose in life is to inspire and encourage millennial women to seek a perfectly imperfect life and apartment. Her studio apartment has been featured in Washingtonian.com and Domino.
How did your IG account come to life?
I started my account during the pandemic as a response to my claustrophobia and anxiety. Being inside all the time made me sad, so I would go to the only store that was open… Ace Hardware. I painted, sanded and stained a lot of areas in my apartment and then one day a friend told me to make an account. I shared this whole experience on my blog. Two years later, I use this platform to share how much fun you can have in an apartment and still get your security deposit back, lol.
What things have been most influential on your creative growth & inspiration?
My childhood was plagued by overexposure to HGTV and HomeGoods, so a lot of my early inspiration came from the women in my family like my mom, my grandma and Aunt Cat. My mom let us paint our bedroom as kids and it was fun having the freedom to have hot pink walls. Now, my inspiration comes from all around me. I worked in the design space for a while, and sitting next to some truly great interior designers made me realize how important it is to invest in the space you live in.
Some people I love following are:
In your opinion, what are some unique ways to use wallpaper you’d like to see more of?
I really, really, want to put wallpaper on my ceiling. I’m a fan of the statement ceiling and I wish more people would pay attention to the 5th wall.
What 3 things does anyone need in order to make their space feel like home?
- Something Old – A space filled completely with the latest from the big box store will not feel homey. You always need to have something old to give a space some life.
- Warm Lighting – I HATE bright, white lights in small spaces. I prefer warm amber lighting and tons of lamps to give the space a cozy feel.
- Window Treatments – Most spaces come with those boring white blinds and they don’t look good. Adding in a roman shade or nice drapes will instantly add height to your windows and make things look and feel a bit more homey.
What keeps you going when things get tough with your projects?
The knowledge that everyone else is struggling with something too. I like to share my DIY fails because that’s real life. I’m not a contractor or trained interior designer, so it would be unrealistic to expect every single one of my projects to go smoothly. Sometimes, when you encounter difficulties it’s the universe trying to tell you to switch plans or come up with something better.
Failure is a part of the journey and every time I make a mistake it’s an opportunity to teach people how NOT to do something.