The Latest: 2014

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Have you ever hated the outdated look of a room so much that you wanted to paint every single surface?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.

Kristen Hettich has been living in her Burbank duplex for five years now but never had the intention of staying longer than 9 months. This was the very reason she hesitated about really investing in the decor. “I was planning on moving back to South Florida. With this mindset I was thinking temporary furniture and also thinking in the mind frame of a 22 year old.” She also was raising a puppy who was destroying everything.

We’re always amazed by the vision and creativity it takes to see something with a specific purpose and completely reimagine it as something else. Such was the case with Dave. He found this retro bowling ball holder when a Chicago bowling alley was being demolished, and turned it into a handy object with a whole new identity. You’ll be bowled over by this one. It’s now a planter! What a bright, fun way to display this vintage piece. Great idea.

Connie picked up this IKEA nightstand only to decide a month later that it wasn’t her cup of tea. But rather than send it to the landfill, she found an easy and cheap way to customize this piece and make it work for her space. This nightstand was just too plain and too low for Connie’s bed, so she added some legs to boost the height and jazzed up the drawer fronts with some grasscloth for texture and interest.

Rita wanted to update her boring, brown closet doors and, being blessed with incredible vision, she managed to make them unrecognizably wonderful. Get ready to pick your jaw up off the floor. Let’s all chorus: Whoa. Great job, Rita. From Rita: I used a miter saw to make the cuts. The pieces measure 14.5″ x 18″. Rather than using a nail gun to affix the pieces to the doors, I decided to caulk them. This method worked beautifully and I’m really happy with the results.

Sometimes our favorite before and after projects are the ones that take a small addition to a home and create a big impact on the look. This tiny kitchen is a great example. Christina made a small but bold choice —and it really paid off! From Christina I recently bought my first condo — a small and beautifully renovated 475 square foot one bedroom.

This chair was found at an estate sale for only $5. Estimated to be from the late 50s or 60s, it had great bones, but was unfortunately covered in what Landon calls “mass transit seat fabric” or “bowling alley carpeting.” Though not particularly attractive, it did seem to be flame retardant. From Landon: First, the mass transit fabric and the seat padding were removed. The legs were sanded before being stained in a cherry finish.

Anyone who’s inherited a weird nook, corner or odd-home-thing might appreciate this simple but successful recessed bookcase mini-remodel. Shonee’s list of needed home updates since buying a 1950s house last year is long, with many projects often turning out more complicated than originally thought. Thankfully this small project — updating an outdated bookshelf — was simple and came out pretty sweet!

Griffin calls this project, “simple but transformative.” Her goal? More storage in her mom’s office. She started with this basic, industrial shelf (found in the garage no less) and a vision. Lovely! The new color really changes the whole feel of the piece. In gold, the once industrial features look almost lacy. Great job.

Christina was never bothered by this radiator in her kitchen, but then she had a flash of genius and made one smart change. Warning: you’ll want to copy this idea immediatly so clear your schedule. So smart! What a chic and simple way to hide that beast. Christina says, “We made a cover for it that doubles as an extra surface in our small kitchen. I can’t believe we didn’t do this earlier! It makes a world of a difference in this small space!

Kristen called her guest room, “an eyesore,” and tells us that when the sun shone on this yellow wall it was the equivalent of a neon sign. Yikes! So she found a way to ditch the yellow while adding some architectural charm worthy of her 100-year-old home. Wow! Kristen was able to easily and inexpensively create this faux board & batten panneling . And we especially love the touch of dark grey contrast which highlights that textured wall even more.