DIY (do-it-yourself) projects are no rocket science anymore. The internet is teeming with ideas of how to personalise everything from your bedroom and kitchen to your workstation and vehicle. Websites like Pinterest are usually the go-to solution for DIY ideas.
But while everything looks so doable and pretty online, when you sit down to craft, you begin to realise how much simpler it would be to be able to buy everything you require for your project at one place and without having to make multiple trips to the store, which is why city-based Abhilasha Bahl set up Fish In Water (FIW).
Her website ( >www.fishinwater.in ) is a curated platform for various DIY ideas and projects wherein step-by-step guides are provided and links to purchase the raw materials are included. One can also purchase DIY kits, which come complete with materials in right quantities and detailed instructions to ensure a satisfying DIY experience minus the hassles.
According to the entrepreneur, “The maximum time required for DIY projects is actually spent in sourcing the right materials and mastering the technique; not the execution itself. This has largely been the biggest deterrent for people to try DIY. What FIW aims to do is remove the difficulties of sourcing for such projects.”
Interestingly, Abhilasha holds a fashion design degree from NIFT and a MBA from ISB, following which she has worked as an e-commerce professional. It was her experience in the creative industry and e-commerce space that gave her the confidence to start a website of her own.
She recounts: “I have always enjoyed DIY, be it making handmade cards before e-greetings took over or cutting my jeans into customised shorts. There is a certain joy and pride in making things by oneself which purchasing from a store cannot bring. However, over time I got busy with studies/work and my DIY hobby took a backseat. When I took a sabbatical from work last year, I got time to personalise and create décor for my living space and my venture, Fish in Water, started taking shape.”
Abhilasha prides herself in the fact that FIW provides an “end-to-end DIY experience starting from the idea which is inspired by the latest fashion, home décor, and food trends and further includes instructions on how to execute those ideas.
The homework on where to buy materials is included to make the project a success. And then of course there is the option of procuring complete kits from us, which makes one’s job a whole lot simpler.”
Curating projects is no easy task. “The biggest challenge is to keep innovating constantly because when the whole concept depends on creativity and novelty, I cannot afford to slack. Another challenge with e-commerce websites is reaching out to new people and getting traffic on the website without marketing,” she says, adding, “But I firmly believe that difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. When you are passionate about something you find time and energy to figure out a way.”
In the near future, she informs, “I want to collaborate with as many DIY artists as possible, be it chefs, home-gardeners or crafters who can contribute ideas and tutorials to the platform and inspire people to ‘make’. I want everyone to re-discover the joy of making and add as much creativity to their lives as possible. DIYing a great stress buster and a good way to spend time with family and friends so I’m hoping I can inspire people to start creating and personalising little things like coasters, planters, or gifts for their loved ones.”
Passions is a column that features those who veer off the beaten track.
