My family and I moved into a new house a few months ago, after we lost our previous home in a fire.
I've always been a tinkerer and a builder, but not professionally, and would always make functional but ugly items. Consequence of a poor, rural upbringing, I suppose. But in the new house, I resolved to put in the extra effort (and expense, but mainly labor) to build esthetically pleasing, high-quality repairs.
Staining and finishing the wood, sinking and covering the screws, squaring corners _exactly_, buying the proper tools for the job, that sort of thing. And it has been really rewarding. It doesn't feel like a bother or needless expense; it feels like growth, a new layer of expertise.
Seeing the wife posting pictures on Facebook saying "my husband built this!" was also a nice reward.
Anyway, I think that one strategy with that sort of person is to encourage them. Don't try to stop them, challenge them to learn drywall repair so they can hide the plumbing like a pro.
I went through the same experiences! I have a 40 acres homestead and that means plenty of custom projects.
After a while I was tired of ugly solutions, so I've been forcing myself to make them pleasing to the eye.
I was largely inspired by a youtuber, channel name Pask Makes. Everything the guy makes is highly functional and also so, so good looking. Better than I can achieve, but I'm working on it.
Highly recommend checking him out for inspiration, although most of what he builds are shop projects (tools etc).
I've always been a tinkerer and a builder, but not professionally, and would always make functional but ugly items. Consequence of a poor, rural upbringing, I suppose. But in the new house, I resolved to put in the extra effort (and expense, but mainly labor) to build esthetically pleasing, high-quality repairs.
Staining and finishing the wood, sinking and covering the screws, squaring corners _exactly_, buying the proper tools for the job, that sort of thing. And it has been really rewarding. It doesn't feel like a bother or needless expense; it feels like growth, a new layer of expertise.
Seeing the wife posting pictures on Facebook saying "my husband built this!" was also a nice reward.
Anyway, I think that one strategy with that sort of person is to encourage them. Don't try to stop them, challenge them to learn drywall repair so they can hide the plumbing like a pro.