The Latest: Jun 2014

Dena bought this chair on Facebook of all places (the Buy/Sell/Trade pages) for $40 bucks because she just couldn’t resist the shape. Dena, you have quite the eye. Not only did you spot the sexy shape of that beat-up chair, you picked this risky fabric. Two risks that certainly paid off gloriously. Great job! Dena says: I removed the frame and stripped ‘er down, sewed up the new fabric using the old as a template and secured it with staples and tack strips.

Think you’ve got to rearrange all the walls and rip out everything to have a completely brand new kitchen? Designer Leslie Price shows in this small kitchen that smart choices and fresh paint make a huge difference. Leslie Price My clients had a very dated kitchen, but with three kids and the oldest going off to college in two years, they wanted to do a budget friendly remodel using the existing kitchen cabinets and footprint of the space.

Tired of seeing stinky stacks of recycling take up residence in the corners of your cramped kitchen? So was Claire. In fact she had been dreaming of finding a structure that could contain her recycling bins stylishly. So when she came across this kind of rough but sturdy and free cabinet in an alley a few blocks from her apartment, she got creative to give it a new modern and functional look! Even more impressive? She made this transformation for exactly ZERO dollars. See how after the jump.

Amy’s home office functioned just fine before. But, being located in a corner of her living room, she didn’t want it to feel temporary or look blah. So she tackled a considerable amount of mini and large DIY projects to add some stylish detail to this small corner. From Amy: To make it more functional, I added shelves above the desk to increase storage space. Keeping with the theme of gold accents, I spray painted the brackets gold in addition to some of the other desk decor.

Do you love the look of card catalog cabinets but hate how impractical the storage is? So did Michelle and her husband Nate of the blog Decor and the Dog (dog Ike pictured above!). So they designed a cabinet that would offer more storage flexibility but give the look of a faux card catalog cabinet. And they’ve shared the instructions on how to make your own!

This table with its great and unique shape was destined for the trash. It had a water-damaged top and was definitely taking the description “shabby chic” a little too far! But a clean-up and a refresh makes it a perfect addition to any stylish room. From Karen: This table was a garbage day find and in dire need of repair and TLC. We removed the water damaged particle board table top and replaced it with a new piece of wood.

Project by: Jessica Davis Location: Short Hills, NJ From designer Jessica: The client wanted to revamp three rooms in her home, but there were certain things she wanted to keep and not change. The living room received the largest change-up. I added a seating/game area in a cozy corner and updated most of the pieces, only keeping just a few key antiques and reupholstering an existing chair.

Nicole’s Mid-Century cabinet was in rough shape with badly worn wood veneer and a dark, brittle interior covered in scuff marks. She really turned this one around. After damaging the veneer while removing the handle, Nicole rallied and came up with a unique solution to hide the damage: a chic leather pull. Great idea! From Nicole: The legs were in fantastic shape and the door had a nice grain. We sanded and oiled the door and legs.

After some clever bundling (genius Craigslist strategy alert!), Elaine scored this all-wood dresser for just $5. She wanted to give her 5-year-old son’s bedroom a grown-up update and so she got to work making this dated dresser little-boy worthy. Such a great color choice! Teal chalk paint really gives this piece a matte modern look and brings out those killer details.

This table is beat-up for a very charming reason: for years it was the well-loved stage for Denny’s girls to dance and play on. He tells us they really helped with its “rustic patina.” Well, the girls have moved out so this table got a well-earned retirement makeover. Now that it’s just Denny and his wife April (they describe themselves as “two very relaxed cats”), it was time to transform the table into something more finished.

This 1916 dresser was looking a little worse for wear when Karen picked it up at a thrift store, but she knew that she could make it work for her in an unexpected place. Karen says: I purchased a very old dresser (dated 1916) for $62.50 at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore and knew it had a new purpose ahead of it. It took a bit of work, but with some paint, new knobs, a towel bar, and an IKEA butcher block top, this dresser is the life of the kitchen! Win! See more at Year of Serendipidy.

Breanna jumped at the chance to buy this lovely little dresser on Craigslist for $25 because she was “obsessed” with its beautiful shape and the cute claw feet. We’re obsessed with the fresh update she gave it. What a lovely, summery new look. From Breanna: I completed the transformation using a gorgeous mint color and some Rub ‘n Buff for the trim. I debated keeping the old hardware but couldn’t pass up these gold and glass knobs I found at Hobby Lobby.

Tanya and her husband have been slowly updating and decorating their house on a small budget, just completing a remodel of their kitchen. In their previous home, they played it safe with design, concerned about resale. But in this home they did whatever they wanted, making some pretty dramatic changes in the kitchen that brightened and modernized the small space.

Kendra started her own business in 2011, REmix Design, a perfect way to use her interior design skills plus her passion for home design and working with tools. She loves saving furniture that “has seen better days.” She mixes old with new, rusty and shiny and this $10 table turned butcher block island is a perfect example! From Kendra: I took it home and immediately began tearing off the metal top with the help of my dad.

Have you ever hated the outdated look of a room so much that you wanted to paint every single surface? Tasha didn’t love her kitchen, and paint on every nearly single surface (along with some new hardware and furniture) helps transform it into a completely new space! Tasha says: Our kitchen was functional and in good condition, but outdated in style. We totally transformed it into a space that we love for under $700, including new hardware and furniture.

File this one under ‘easy little updates to make your life happier.’ Frenchie told us that she “cringed” every time she opened the door to her linen closet. We can’t have that! See what she did to make it more cheerful. Much better! It’s a great reminder that addressing the little things that bother you in your home can drastically increase your day-to-day satisfaction. Frenchie says: My linen closet was, at first, my least favorite space in the house.