Samantha Potter embodies the spirit of DIY – curious, courageous, and willing to share what she’s learned. Whether it’s recipes, easy activities to do with a toddler, or installing a built-in bookshelf, she shares all of it on her blog, Signed, Samantha, that’s chock full of tips, recommendations and reviews, all delivered with an easy and approachable feel.
Check out her review of Otto Studio’s wallpaper here.
How did Signed, Samantha come to life?
I became a home decor and DIY blogger nearly two years ago. I had been blogging on and off for four years and all throughout my maternity leave. I was set to return to my job, but then COVID hit and family life took priority so I decided not to go back to work for a few additional months until we realized this COVID life is everyone’s new reality.
It’s become my self expression and autonomy. Now, I’ve realized I’m more of a creative person than I thought!
What are your must-have tools for interior design?
Here’s my top 3 for DIY decor and projects:
- InDesign or Canva for mood boards – this always helps ensure everything is in one place and you have a clear goal, design, and direction for your space
- Pinterest for inspiration and planning
- Mitre saw – I use it for every single project. I was intimidated with it at first, but quickly became comfortable with it and now can’t imagine life without it!
Have you had any big DIY failures? If so, what did you learn from it?
I haven’t had any big, huge failures… yet. But I have had a lot of smaller ones. I think that’s the coolest aspect of DIY – no project actually goes 100% smoothly. Within every project, there are multiple little failures. You discover it’s not working as perfectly as you’d planned, so you have to pivot and problem solve to make it happen.
Those moments can be really discouraging but there’s always a way to fix it. I video message others in the DIY community or talk through problems with my husband. There’s almost always a way to salvage a project with a little creative thinking. That’s what I love the most about DIY, you’re learning something new in every single project. You’re also learning how to be adaptable and accepting change – which takes a lot of practice.
What would be your one piece of advice for someone considering DIY wallpaper?
Pick a small-scale room or wall that has limited items to work around. Get used to the product you’ve selected before fully committing. Don’t be too fooled by small-scale either – I picked a bathroom for my first ever wallpaper space and, oh boy, I wouldn’t suggest that! I later learned bathrooms are one of the hardest rooms to wallpaper. Something small to start to get used to the product you’re working with.
There are so many creative places that you can use wallpaper – I love seeing in drawers or on shelves, on closet doors, or even framed as artwork!
Pictured in her office space with Polka Pop in Tangerine.
What influences have had the most effect on your creative growth and inspiration?
Angela Rose Home is a big DIY blogger with 1.5 m followers. She was a huge inspiration to me and got me interested in pursuing this path. She’s highly relatable with the tagline ‘stop pinning and start doing’ and that’s exactly what inspired me to teach myself how to DIY.
ChrislovesJulia has a “good influencer” program that helps others navigate the world of social and online tools. It’s nice to have support and resources.
And lastly, I’ve made a lot of friends along the way. We support each other with advice, sharing information and past experiences.
What does a typical day on your week look like?
I am back to work at my full time job 4 days a week so I have one day to figure out my projects and game plan. Evenings and weekends are set aside for planning and errands to prepare and then Friday is project day. Depending on the scale of the project, I get the bulk of my work done in one day and then I usually use a few hours throughout the weekend to take everything across the finish line.