About
As the editor-in-chief at BobVila.com, Kathleen Corlett is as passionate about crafting quality how-to guides for household projects as she is cleaning, organizing, and building DIY solutions for her own home in New York. She has worked on the Bob Vila team for 10 years; before that, Kathleen previously contributed to Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, and Cleveland magazines.
Experience
Kathleen entered the world of home design, maintenance, and more while at Good Housekeeping. There, she assisted a home team and worked closely with the brand’s longtime columnist Heloise to answer readers’ biggest cleaning queries. In 2014, she joined Bob Vila’s staff as an editor—and has since touched most of the extensive library of the home and DIY website on her path to editor in chief. The research invested in the site has come in handy in personal life, too, and friends and family call upon her to advise on everything from cabinet door repairs to paint finish techniques.
But an appreciation for interiors, the history behind old architecture, and the objects within them runs in the family. She started visiting estate sales and auctions with her mother, an antiques dealer, at a young age. Now, she looks forward to a family tradition of buying and selling wares at an antique show once a year. She recently purchased a home with good bones to live in and fix up.
Education
Kathleen studied magazine journalism and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University. With a minor in nutrition, she launched her career in service journalism at lifestyle publications interested in educating readers.
Highlights
- Specialties: Paint, furniture finishes, renter-friendly DIY, crafts, and antiques
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in magazine journalism from Syracuse University
- Other work: Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, Cleveland Magazine, and the now-defunct publications Rodale’s Organic Life and Family Circle
Best DIY Advice
“Start with a practice round. I’m a big believer in paint samples and trying out new tools on scrap materials whenever possible.”
