The Latest: 2014

Nadia loved everything about her new rental except for the very…err.. loud wallpaper in the bedroom so she came up with a temporary DIY way to style it to her taste. Heads up, renters, you can so copy this one. From Nadia: I loved practically everything about our new home, except one thing: this seizure-inducing wallpaper in my bedroom! Unfortunately, this beautiful, wonderful place I’m so glad to call home is also a rental which means, I can’t replace (or rip and burn!

Valerie fell in love with the Mid-Century details on this solid oak 1960’s Thomasville dresser but 50 years in front of a window had given the stain a yellow tinge and the wood a greenish glow. That wasn’t going to stop her. From Valerie: As soon as I saw this sun-stained dresser I knew she deserved some TLC. I fell in love with her beveled drawers and dainty legs and decided to make it my first restoration project.

Rebecca was drawn to the simple lines of this dresser and the unexpectedly awesome brass pulls, but the finish was just wasn’t worthy of her baby’s room. Well, it is now. From Rebecca: Sometimes it’s painful to paint beautiful vintage furniture, and sometime it’s just so right. In the case of this amazing vintage dresser, the original finish was just too far gone to refinish. So we decided to turn this gem of a find into a sparkling emerald dresser.

What do you do when you move into your boyfriend’s house full of his stylish things? You work on carving out a space for you. That’s what Chris did with this tiny spare bedroom that had been rented out to a tenant before. He wanted to turn the dark room into a more welcoming guest bedroom but also create a spot he could get work done while at home, too. From Chris: Moving in with a significant other is never an easy task.

These office chairs were functional — but certainly not very motivating with their boring upholstery color and bland gray frame color. It’s hard to imagine how these could be made more interesting, but Vicky had plans. And the result is a much more beautiful and productive result! From Vicky: Sometimes you have to buy a used office chair for $20 so you can get working in your new home office. Eventually, the drab fabric with questionable stains on it starts to wear on you.

When you don’t have a closet, it might make sense to fill your bedroom with big furniture so you can pack away your clothes and accessories, hiding your apparel as a method to cut down on clutter. But what if those big, bulky and dark furniture pieces are doing more harm than good? Christina did away with her furniture, instead replacing it with a DIY clothes organizing solution that might be inspiration for folks with small spaces and little storage.

Many of us love the look of authentic mid-century modern sofas and furniture but not all of us can afford their sometimes steep price tags. So when Natalie got this couch for free, she loved the shape, but wanted to show off the lines with a more modern fabric. From Natalie: After recently moving into a new place, I was on the hunt for a new couch. I’ve been in love with the mid-century style for awhile now but the ones I had been looking at were $2000+. Not ideal for a 23-year-old.

As all DIYers know, sometimes the flea market is just not your friend. Yari had visions of finding a vintage library file to buy and restore for her home office, but after months of searching, she realized it just wasn’t in the cards. So she bought this new but plain Jane chest and really put her own spin on it. Yari says, “I painted the drawers in different shades of pink creating the ombre effect, spray painted the handles gold and added legs. I love how it turned out.

Christine and her husband found this interesting table at a flea market for only $40. They loved its unique shape and Mid-Century Modern feel, but knew it could get even better. That is impressive. They really brought this little table back to life. From Christine: When we bought it, it had a shabby chic distressed white paint finish which really didn’t work with the overall form of the table.

Maggie’s 880 square foot Hudson River home only has one bathroom and this was it. The layout was outdated and cramped, there was no storage and the pink tile drew attention to how small the room was. Wait until you see this bath today. Even though she ditched the pink tile, Maggie still managed to pack lots of sleek personality into this room, from the beadboard to the art to a repuposed DIY vanity. Great job!

Micaela went out on a limb and bought a blue couch and then became “confused about color” as she tried to make this new purchase work in her living room. She wrote in to Apartment Therapy for help and readers were not shy about sharing their suggestions. Flash forward a year and Micaela is ready to share her revamped space: → First, one more “before” shot: Here’s Micaela: I did SO MUCH in a year!

Ashley loved the details on this dresser but didn’t love the dark and “gloomy” finish. She imagined something a little lighter that kept the same antique style. We love how Ashley didn’t rush to make this dresser look too new. Even after the update, it still has a stylish patina that really works with the old-world feel of the original piece.

Breanna’s parents pickedup this trunk for her at an antique show for only $10. What a great deal for such a multi-purpose, handsome piece! She added one simple element and is now using this antique in a whole new way. We can never get enough of coffee tables with storage — they’re so perfect for small spaces — and the addition of a sturdy top really takes the classic trunk table up a notch.

Anna and her fiancé were like many couples who are just starting out: their first home was full of mismatched hand-me-downs. Even though there’s a big front window, the room never felt like it got a lot of natural light. And it was just small and cramped. Their goal: Make their living room lighter, brighter and look bigger! Here’s how they did it.

Dark and old, this TV tray was less than inspiring, but DeaAnna saw potential in it, and bought it for only $8. It was a small afternoon project with only a few materials, but the result is impressive and affordable! From DeaAnna: Who doesn’t love a great garage sale? It’s one of my guilty pleasures, so when I came across this TV tray at my neighbor’s house for $8, I snatched it up with visions of greatness (lofty, I know).

Alyssa needed a console table, but the one she had her eye on to buy was too big and too expensive So when she came across this simple, dark IKEA laptop table, she realized for a little bit of money and only a few steps she could transform it into a cute, compact console perfect for her home. From Alyssa: A few years ago I stupidly sold a killer acrylic console table in a fit of re-decorating mania and I’ve regretted it ever since. So, I was on the hunt for a replacement.