The Latest: 2013

Sometimes a little color can make a big difference. Read on to see some of our favorite colorful makeovers from 2013. To see the ‘afters’, click on the links for each project. (Hint: clicking each link with the scroll wheel of your mouse will open it in a new window.) Enjoy! TOP ROW: 1. Before & After: Plain Jane Entryway Now Pops with Pattern & Color 2. Before & After: A Dressed-Up Dresser 3. Before & After: An Old Chest Gets a Big Change 4.

Kris’ apartment in Brixton is an LA style bungalow bang in the middle of downtown South London. Kris renovated it to sell, and, after seeing the after pics, we can see why it was such a hot commodity. What a difference! We’re especially loving the new, glowy flooring and bright, white open feeling. From Kris: The goal was to bring the space to life. It was an old bungalow with no light or life.

Due to some rowdy cats, Lizzie was in need of a new slipcover for her IKEA Kivik loveseat and chaise. Instead of shelling out close to 200 smackers, she decided to try a different route: dyeing. She began with a plain white IKEA slipcover ($50), and took a chance on a bathtub dye job since she doesn’t have a washer. To give the back cusions some definition and polish, she decided on tufting (so smart!).

99% of the time, a great-but-rundown piece of furniture inspires a before & after project, but color-lover Gretchen was so obsessed with Martha Stewart’s “Plumage” paint that she was plotting this makeover long before she came across this project-ready, thrift store cabinet. Wow! That bold blue against the tile floor is just perfection. How’d she pull it off? From Gretchen: See more at Boxy Colonial. Thank you Gretchen!

Derona had been putting off painting her fireplace wall for ages and we’re so glad she got around to it. The simple change made a dramatic difference you have to see to believe. From Derona: When the post Style Inspiration: Dressing Up Your Mantel, was published on this very site featuring a fireplace wall that was painted black, I took it as a sign and, after being encouraged by a fellow commenter on the piece, I headed to the DIY store.

Kate was decorating a forest themed bedroom for her son, so she began (where else?) at the woodpile. Step 1: “scream at creepy-crawlies.” After selecting her log, she let it dry in the sun for several days and then got to work sanding, sanding and more sanding until it was smooth. The final step was a coat of wax to give it a nice glow. See more at Kate’s Creative Space. Thank you Kate!

Benches have to be the most versatile piece of furniture ever. Even in the tiniest apartment, there’s room to move a bench around to the foot of the bed, along the entryway, or pulled up to a dining room table. And then there’s the endless ways to customize: starting with just four legs and a seat top, like this affordable plain white SIGURD bench from IKEA, anyone can create the perfect piece to finish off a tricky room.

Avery paints murals and furniture professionally, but it was time to let her kids in on the fun. They chose this side table to jazz up and the kids both inspired the new theme (dinosaurs!) and lent a hand in the painting. Rawr indeed! Avery gives us the scoop on how her family spent their afternoon giving this basic table some kid-friendly personality: My husband and I have been quite busy lately. (Aren’t we all?

Annie’s Sydney townhouse had a seriously circa-1980 kitchen when she and her husband moved in three years ago. But, it was their first home purchase and didn’t have a budget to completely redo the kitchen, so they decided to give it a minor update that would freshen up the space but stay in keeping with the feel of the place. This kitchen is a great example of small changes making a large impact. A few cosmetic tweaks later, it feels instantly updated.

This is Lisa’s old kitchen — complete with tiny old stove, wonky old cabinets, and a backsplash in a particularly delightful shade of green. And then there’s the part you don’t see: hiding behind the sink cabinet is a big hole in the wall. This past summer, after having lived in the apartment for a year (and with her fancé about to move in), Lisa decided that it was time for a change.

Name: Christine Mitchell Location: Petworth; Washington, DC Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented On a silvery (and very cold) November afternoon, Christine Mitchell invited me over for what was not an official “Friendsgiving,” but by the time I left, it felt like it had been. She’d gathered a group of DC creatives to be there for the shoot, and to talk a bit about their work that furnishes her house.

Leslie found this neglected 1960’s hutch in a thrift store — shoved in a corner and piled with stuff. She could see its potential — how well made it was but she didn’t like the dull brown wood. Says Leslie, “Colors are my thing, and I could see this fantastic piece could use some cheering up.” Wow! Cheerful, indeed. Leslie’s color-blocking choices sure aren’t for the faint of heart. She’s proven herself a true color-lover.

The title pretty much says it all folks— here are 30 of the best DIY craft projects that you still have lots of time to do. These little things will elevate your Thanksgiving dinner table, so your family and guests will say “Bravo!

Jamie took one look at this plain lamp and imagined a world where it was a cool, woven statement piece. Want to see how this creative chica did it? Jamie says: Balsa wood is a crafting miracle. That’s pretty much all you need for this shady craft. I used 7 strips of balsa wood and painted them with in different shades of watered down brown acrylic paint. I cut the wood with scissors and hot glued it to my plain white shade. It’s that easy! See more DIY goodness at C.R.A.F.T.