This is one of my favorite bathroom makeovers that I've ever seen because of the average aesthetic of the room before. There is nothing special about the before bathroom: it could be in my house, your house, your neighbor's house. But the after is breathtakingly serene and simple.

So, what do you do when you want to give your kitchen an update but you live in a rental?  Why, get out the paint can, of course!  That's what I did when I decided to renovate my own space.  Get out the paint brush and try these tips in your kitchen.  

Our Wheaten Terrier, Rory, is overjoyed that the renovation is almost over.

Name: Andi Forker
Type of Project: Kitchen Renovation — full gut remodel
Location: San Francisco, California
Type of building: 1890's Victorian condo

Name: Seth & Allison 
Type of Project: Kitchen/Family Room renovation 
Location: Ventura, California 
Type of building: Mid-Century, multi-level, single family home

We finally have a kitchen! And since we’ve been simultaneously renovating the entire house along with this kitchen/family room project, we’re breathing a big sigh of relief that the house is ready to live in at last!

Think you know a balustrade from a newel? Or a louver from a flue? What characterizes colonial-style architecture, and how did painted ladies get their name? Just for fun, take this quick quiz to see just how architecturally savvy you are. 

Wattle fencing originated in England and was traditionally woven with willow or hazel branches. However, it can incorporate a variety of twigs, reeds, or branches you find outdoors (namely oak, elder, hornbeam and ash). 

Q: My new apartment's kitchen has a breakfast bar which really isn't a breakfast bar, since it has no space to put legs underneath and is too tall for standard stools. Since I can't use it for extra seating or eating space, what CAN I use it for? It's too much space to simply go to waste... any novel ideas?

Any of you all thinking about renovating? I'm in the midst of one and so is Lauren Purcell, the editor-in-chief of Rachael Ray Mag, so I've teamed up with her to talk about troubleshooting and common sense advice for getting it done. If you want to chat with me and have questions, CLICK HERE NOW and join the chat. 

When Billy and Sally bought this 775 square foot apartment in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, it had a few of the less-than-charming features common to many NYC area flats — badly worn floors; a tiny, cramped kitchen, awkwardly separated from the rest of the space. With the power vested in them as new homeowners, they decided to do something about it, embarking on an inspiring renovation that shows just how much living you can do in a small space. 

Q: I'm tackling an ambitious furniture-making project (ambitious because I have never made furniture, and only have a power drill and a basic tool set). It is a bookshelf with a drop-leaf table which will function as a craft table. The really tricky part is that I want the table to be able to support my sewing machine, which weighs 25 lbs.