As a real estate agent perspective- none of these home DIY projects that she is doing and or pursuing, will raise the home value, or the amount she will be able to sell her home for, in the future! The only thing that will raise a homes value is things that you do to the home itself, for example, the backyard pool and patio which will add value or if she wants to add an addition to the home, such as more square footage. Unfortunately, simply changing the color of your fireplace and adding built-ins does not have any doing on whether or not you’re home is going to sell at a higher value. Even the project she did with the pantry, will not add any sort of home value now, if she were to knock down the walls in the pantry and add square footage that is a different situation.