3 months ago
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A former town planner, a mum-of-two, a DIY queen and a “kerbside collection addict”.
Geneva Vanderzeil is a woman of many talents, and sitting in her Highgate Hill studio on Brisbane’s south is like sitting in a craft-lover’s dream.
Renovated dollhouses sit on benches, a glass brick lamp is placed on the table, and paint splatters are plentiful.
It’s a weekday morning, and we’ve come together to talk about her new book New Again – the third she’s released and an ode to her crafty nature.
“New Again is a masterclass in transforming and upcycling, and restoring your furniture and decor,” she explains.
The book is a culmination of about 15 years of knowledge and a way for her fans – 1.3 million of them on Instagram and over 750,000 on TikTok – to glimpse her thought process for tackling projects.
“People say, ‘I want to have your brain’, but it’s actually not my brain, it’s just a certain way of looking at things, like seeing the potential of what’s in front of you.”
Her journey to becoming a household name in craft and DIY circles began in 2010 with the creation of her DIY fashion blog.
As she dedicated more time and effort to her craft, she was able to leave her job as a town planner to pursue it full-time.
Geneva Vanderzeil has amassed over 2 million followers on Instagram and TikTok with her crafty tutorials.Credit: Brittney Deguara
Sharing her dollhouse obsession
Now she’s become a master of all things DIY – from turning a glass brick into a lamp, to turning a clock into a dollhouse.
The latter, she admits, is one of her obsessions. “The dollhouse addiction has been a bit of a journey,” she says.
She shares her studio with several toy houses, including one built by her husband’s grandfather that she carefully renovated over two years.
“I did a cafe dollhouse, a tree dollhouse, a clock dollhouse. It’s gotten a little bit out of hand.”
She now offers a popular online course in making dollhouses, alongside embroidery and furniture upcycling courses.
These are more than downloadable PDFs: they include between 40 and 50 detailed videos showing the techniques required to make the chosen project.
Next on the to-do list are courses on mosaics and sewing. “It just comes down to the projects people are asking the most questions about,” she explains.
A kerbside collection ‘addict’
Living in Brisbane has proved a valuable inspiration for Vanderzeil and her projects, with the city’s subtropical elements bleeding into her work.
“I’m always thinking about the design of my home, which is cottage-y and a little bit mid-century, when I’m thinking about the projects that I do,” she says.
“People love the look and the feel of Brisbane’s lifestyle, so I channel that into the projects.”
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One element that’s hard for her global audience to replicate, however, is the city’s kerbside collection program.
Brisbane City Council’s annual trash clean-out has become an invaluable resource for Vanderzeil – and one she encourages crafty Brisbane residents to make the most of.
“I am addicted to kerbside collection. I think we’re quite lucky in Brisbane.
“It’s also legal in Brisbane to go and pick up things that you think will look good in your space or that you can transform.
“It’s always so amazing to see what’s out there ... more often than not, they’re pieces that just need a little bit of love and a little bit of elbow grease to give them a whole new life.”
For those eager to trawl through suburbs on the hunt for a kerbside gem, Vanderzeil’s advice is simple. You can’t go wrong with a good-quality timber piece of furniture; it might just need to be sanded back and stained.
“It doesn’t have to look perfect to have a lot of potential because you can always do so much to a piece.”
‘Start really small’
Vanderzeil’s studio is filled with gadgets, paint samples and brushes, but she says you don’t need a stocked toolkit to get started.
“Just start really small,” she advises. “Start with a project, work out what you need for that project, and begin gathering your toolkit that way – just project by project.”
Vanderzeil doesn’t have a favourite project, but says she gets the most joy out of inspiring others – as she did with her 2020 “trash to terracotta” concept, where she painted vases with paint and baking powder.
Tens of thousands of people followed her lead, sharing their creations online. “Everyone did it slightly differently … and that I loved so much.”
So, what’s next for Brisbane’s crafty queen? A focus on self-care craft.
Vanderzeil explains that she’s pivoted to focus on small-scale crafts that take just 10 minutes while sitting on the couch, such as embroidery or knitting.
“I think a lot of us are looking at craft as self-care, and one important thing of self-care is that you do it every day,” she says.
“I’ve really been looking at small crafts ... those things that help you take your mind off things, that stop you scrolling on your phone.”
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