Living room with wooden stairs, desk with lamp, framed art, and cowhide rug.
Before and After: An Almost Unrecognizable Modern Transformation of a Beige Suburban House
Dream of living in an open, airy, minimal home but find yourself in a beige-hued, standard suburban house? After you pick your jaw up off the floor upon viewing these before and afters of a renovated Cleveland home, you’ll likely be inspired and motivated to try your hand at modernizing your own space!
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before & After: A Kitchen “Held Together with Tape” Gets an Overdue DIY Remodel
Every square inch of this kitchen was ripped out and lovingly put back together — this time in a much more functional and stylish way — by the homeowners themselves. As designer Michelle Gage writes on her blog: “The floors were dirty and sticky. The appliances appeared to be original to the house. The counter tops were held together with tape.” It took two years to save enough money to finally tackle this outdated kitchen’s remodel.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: An Itty-Bitty Bathroom Goes From Sad to Rad
A small bathroom is bad enough to live with. But when your small bathroom is windowless and boring? Well that’s just sad. Designer Mary Lee wasn’t going to stand for a tiny, depressing bathroom. So she worked her DIY remodel magic on this part of her Seattle studio apartment, and the result is inspiring! I just loved Mary’s advice for decorating that she shared in her house tour: “More isn’t always better when it comes to stuff and space.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: From a Gutted Airstream To a Perfect Tiny Home
Brandon and Gabi aren’t just living a dream life — traveling around and enjoying the beauty of our country — they’re doing it while living in this dreamy Airstream trailer. As we showed in their house tour, tons of thought went into the DIY details of their tiny mobile home, from storage to lighting and more. And while the end result is certainly beautiful, it took A LOT of work to get it there.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
How a Chef and Baker Share the World’s Smallest Kitchen
It’s impressive when a couple shares a tiny home together. But even more extraordinary is what Devon Loftus and her chef husband Brian Loftus have managed to pull off in their super small, 320-square-foot tiny house: cook, bake and entertain, despite having a kitchen that’s only 18 square feet! How do they do it? The couple generously shared their small but successful kitchen dwelling secrets.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
The Most Effective Space-Maximizing Ideas Real Renters ACTUALLY Use
Advice from design writers is great and all, but what’s useful is learning about what people who are actually dealing with real rental issues are doing to overcome design dilemmas. Since the worlds of rental issues and small space problems can often overlap, why not look to folks with stylish spaces for ideas on how to make the most of the rental space you have?
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A London Studio Apartment’s Total Transformation
There are remodels…and then there are total transformations. Julia and Kurt bought a run-down studio apartment nine years ago. The layout was weird and it was on the teeny side. But instead of just improving the look of the current home’s foot print, they thought outside of the box! They decided to take over the home’s huge rooftop terrace to convert their studio apartment into a two-level, two-bedroom modern home. Originally all the living spaces were on one level.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
4 Simple Steps for Ruthlessly Clearing the Clutter in 2019
Emily Ley is a mama of three, a designer, author, and the creator of the wildly popular Simplified Planner. She lives in a perfectly imperfect new-build house in Florida with her husband and kiddos…and she knows a thing or two about simplifying life. Below, her four simple steps for ruthlessly clearing the clutter in the New Year. Here’s Emily: The beginning of a new year feels so fresh, doesn’t it? The giant, light-up holiday decor has been put away.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before & After: New Bedrooms for the Whole Family in a Brooklyn Brownstone
Considering the amazing renovation work done on the living room, dining room and kitchen of Nicole and Dan Lucey’s Brooklyn brownstone, it’s not exactly a surprise that they also showed the same care, intention and design savvy with the family’s upstairs bedrooms. What is surprising are the bold design choices in two of the rooms, and the serene space the master bedroom turned out to be. Nicole and Dan’s sophisticated son originally wanted ALL black walls.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A Dark, Dated Kitchen Gets an Unbelievably Beautiful Update
The kitchen in this Brooklyn brownstone — before its reinvigorating renovation and revival — was dismal. Dark, dated. Grimy and greasy. Peeling paint, cracked walls and a floor you wouldn’t want to walk barefoot on. The whole home needed a lot of work, but the kitchen perhaps most so. After all, for many families the kitchen is the heart of the home. The hub of action. The hangout space of party guests.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Two Savvy Solutions for Ugly Rental Kitchen Lights
Considering the amount of spectacularly hideous light fixtures in rental kitchens around the country, it’s almost as if installing the ugliest, most unflattering light fixture was at one time the law. That’s of course not true, but for anyone who’s ever walked into their rental kitchen, looked up at their light fixture and wondered “why that?,” this post’s for you.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before & After: The Color That Instantly Modernizes Any Home’s Exterior
Homes across the world come in a rainbow of colors, but there’s one hue that’s king when it comes to working with just about any style of architecture. It’s not an exterior paint choice for the faint-hearted. But those willing to take the paint plunge will be rewarded with a dramatic curb appeal sure to get the neighbors talking. All black!
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A Cozy NYC Co-op’s Stunning Renovation
“Doing a gut renovation on my own—no husband, no boyfriend, just me—wasn’t easy,” admits Sarah Jacobson, of the renovation of her 750-square-foot NYC home. “It was literal blood, sweat and tears (so many tears!). It was many a moment of fear, of thinking I wasn’t good enough, of thinking I didn’t know what I was doing, of thinking I’d bitten off more than I could chew. But guess what? I did it anyway.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
A New Twist on the Matte Black Trend (This One On Your Walls)
Matte black is having a big moment. From the exteriors of houses to furniture to kitchen cabinets and more, one of the most popular ways to add matte black to your home is the easy and versatile accent wall. Want to take your matte black game to the next level though? Wall paint simply not a big enough statement for you? These two black accent walls weren’t achieved with wall paint; they’re wood walls.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
An Under-$20 DIY Project to Add Curb Appeal
Stephen and Amy bought their first home together in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood in 2013. Their home is adorable inside and out, with many of the elements crafted by the couple. There is one small element that I think has a big impact on their home’s curb appeal — and it’s an easy and affordable DIY! “When we bought the house, there were ugly numbers nailed to the door.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Basic, Not Boring: Beautiful Kitchens That Elevate the Humble (& Affordable) White Tile Backsplash
White tile — it’s timeless, classic, affordable and looks good in just about any backsplash, regardless of your kitchen or bathroom’s style or size. Its ability to complement any color palette or material selection means you can choose something that will remain classic and flexible for your home’s future. But what can be done to keep it looking fresh and unique?
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Fridge Always a Mess? This Common Reason May Be the Cause
My problem isn’t the physical act of cleaning my fridge out; I do that every now and then without trouble. The real issue is keeping my fridge organized and functional for more than a week or two at a time. The whole beautiful array of fresh veggies and lined up condiments will slowly turn into a jumbled clutter that hides almost-expired products and allows dishes of leftovers to grow their own ecosystems in the back.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
7 Times Simple White Paint Drastically Transformed a Room
No one doubts the transformation that painting an entire room in neon pink would have (bold, to say the least), but tell someone you painted an entire room white, and they might wonder what the next coat will be. These rooms prove, however, that white is its own standalone color that can make a huge impact on a space. Perhaps white paint’s biggest super power (other than being affordable and versatile, of course) is its ability to brighten up a space.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
How Two New Yorkers DIYed a Stylish, Functional Kitchen in Only 38 Square Feet
To share a mere 478-square-feet with another human has its challenges. But to share and successfully use only 38 square feet of kitchen space is even more impressive! There were many design dilemmas facing Ali and Chip when they purchased this small Brooklyn apartment three years ago, but none so mammoth as the task of making a teeny tiny kitchen work for two people who enjoy cooking.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Author Kate Inglis Has Crafted a Magical Career & Home in an Old Sea Captain’s House in Nova Scotia
There were just two things a young Kate Inglis wanted to be when she grew up: a professional roller skater and an author. “Only one so far has panned out,” reports the YA and children’s book author (If I Were a Zombie, Flight of the Griffons, and The Dread Crew) and the upcoming adult non-fiction book Notes for the Everlost: A Field Guide to Grief.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
The Most Bohemian Casual Living Rooms of All Time Are in This Country
Bohemian-style living rooms scream cozy, comfy, and “come sit awhile.” Characterized by lots of green plants, layers of color and pattern and a healthy mix of eclectic furnishings, bohemian living rooms are also budget-friendly! In fact, the more vintage, often the better. Though there are plenty of great examples of bohemian living room lounges in the States…there’s one country that seems to be knocking it out of the ballpark.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Here’s How I Tripled My Storage Space This Weekend for Less than 20 Bucks
For someone who lives in the scorching-hot-nine-months-out-of-the-year South, I have a surprisingly large amount of blankets and over-sized sweatshirts. The blanket collection has been growing ever since I left home, with quilts my mother has gifted me, vintage afghan blankets I’ve found while thrifting, and a glut of cheap throws I always buy any time I spot one on sale at TJ Maxx or Target.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Nearly Every Inch of This Bronx Apartment Is Covered in Cutouts
Name: Lori Mooney, a TV producer who also runs the website TV Travels with Lori. She shares the apartment with her cat Prancer. Location: Bronx, New York Size: 525 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, renting “I usually describe the decoration of my home as a ‘visual assault.’ I like a million colors coming at me as soon as I walk through the front door,” explains TV and entertainment superfan Lori Mooney, of the incredibly one-of-a-kind apartment she rents in the Bronx.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
This Cheap, Chic Decor Basic Is the Finishing Touch Your Windows Need
Window treatments are one of the most powerful decor tools. Some curtains serve physical functions like blocking light or providing privacy, but the magic of curtains lies in their visual strength. Curtains add softness to typically rectangular or square windows. They draw the eye upward, preventing rooms from feeling too bottom heavy. They can frame furniture arrangements for effect, or they can add balance and symmetry to an otherwise eclectic composition.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
This is How Much I Spent on My Rescue Dog in Just the First Month
I recently adopted an adorable rescue dog named Stanley. It’s not like I thought adopting a dog was going to be free or anything — my cat eats better than I do, so I know the price of organic pet food. But I wasn’t quite prepared for how much money I spent on Stanley in the first month. He may not be a puppy, but he still needed a lot of things to get him settled into his new home.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
This Is Quite Possibly the Most, Colorful, Creative, Cat-Friendly Home of All Time
Name: S.T.A.R Location: Long Island, New York It’s quite paw-sible that these two Burmese cuties on the left (officially known as The Choco-Lettes) are the luckiest two cats on the planet. Why? Because their humans have crafted one of the most incredible feats of feline ar-cat-ecture in the home they share in Long Island. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My name is S.T.A.R. which is an acronym for Susy’s Things Altered and Recycled.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
The Hardware Store Houseplant That Makes a Perfect Small Space Christmas Tree
I’m both unwilling to store artificial christmas tree supplies, as well as insecure about going out to buy a live tree. Past years, I’ve either foregone holiday decorating, or DIYed some sort of makeshift faux tree. While those choices may work for some folks, it’s always left me wanting. That’s why when I came across this houseplant at the hardware store a couple of years ago, I knew it would be the perfect “Christmas tree” for me and my small space.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
The Next Best Thing to a Pricey Retro-Style Fridge Is This Under $100 Appliance
I LOVE those retro-style refrigerators that come in an array of colors and look 1,000 times better than a regular fridge. But some of the ones available on the market today are on the pricey side out of the budget of many. And also maybe you rent and don’t have the ability to replace an entire fridge?! Thankfully there’s a smaller, more affordable and more mobile appliance alternative that is still cute but something you can take with you when you move.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: The Secret to Taking Wood-Paneled Walls Down a Notch
Warm, earthy wood is such a beautiful material to have in your home…until it’s not. There are no rules about how much wood a home can handle, but you know it when you see it. When Carina Romano bought this cabin in the Catskills with two friends, Amanda Jaffe and Kate McCann, the location won them over, but the amount of ’80s-era wood-paneled walls was overwhelming.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
A Teeny But Impressively Organized Studio Apartment
“When I decided I was ready to live on my own after years of living with roommates, I needed a place where I could continue to have dinner parties and space for guests to feel comfortable — but finding that at an affordable price point in San Franciso is challenging,” writes Chelsea Drenick.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A ’70s Airstream Gets Saved from Shag Carpeting
Sheena and Jason’s vintage Airstream is a soothing, lovely, bohemian dream on wheels. They travel the States in it with their beautiful dog Riley. Now the interior is all-white, with natural textures and bold patterns, but it sure didn’t look that way when they bought it. “Our entire trailer was one giant DIY project. We bought Mavis in original 1975 condition.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
A Minimalist’s Favorite Cleaning and Organizing Products
Christine Platt is a writer and the Managing Director of The Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. And as you saw from her recent house tour, she also embraces many tenets of minimalism. But it’s not the empty, barely-own-anything minimalism you may be familiar with. It’s her own beautiful, bold, colorful brand that you can see on full display on her Instagram account, The Afro Minimalist.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A Tiny Outdated Camper’s Remarkable Remodel
The interior of a 16-year-old camper is as outdated as you might imagine. Even in the best of conditions, green carpet, over-sized (not trendy) floral patterns and some questionable wood veneer can leave a small space feeling even smaller. That’s what makes this stylish — and affordable! — RV remodel so great. It now looks good and feels much larger than just 188 square feet.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A 1950s Apartment goes from “Money Pit” to Modern Perfection
Today, Mel (a designer) and Mario (a filmmaker) live in a stunning Spanish apartment they own, having spent the last few years slowly decorating the space to be an open, airy and warm home for themselves and their baby daughter Mia (as well as pups Coco and Marni). But it didn’t always look this good. In fact, this 1950s apartment had NEVER been renovated before.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
These Incredibly Easy Storage Solutions Are Beauty Blogger-Approved
If the bathroom drawers are overflowing, the bedroom dresser is buried under a pile of bottles and jars, and your closet door unable to shut because its so stuffed, it may be time to rethink your current beauty supply storage setup. But don’t be under the impression that this kind of organization undertaking has to be expensive. The very easy and affordable storage ideas in this beauty blogger’s home could be be just the solution you need to tame your products and accessories!
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
How Spending $10 at IKEA Helped Me Solve a Clutter Crisis
Many of us are familiar with the floor/chair/bed-covered-in-clothes issue that can strike one’s bedroom at any time (or, all the time). Whether it’s the clothes you plan on wearing the next day, the clothes you wore that day, or the product of a flurry of outfit changes until hitting on just the right look—you can’t have a bedroom that’s a sanctuary if you’re swimming in articles of clothing.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
This New Zealand Home in a 1920s Converted Factory Is a Plant Lover’s Dream
Name: Ron Goh Location: Auckland, New Zealand Size: 2142 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Ron is a digital designer… and a plant addict, as evidenced by the Auckland home he shares with his partner, and two dogs (a mini schnauzer and chihuahua). He describes their loft, located in a 1920s converted factory in the Victoria Quarter, as packed with character and featuring cityscape views. There are two levels: an open plan kitchen/dining/living area below and two bedrooms above.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A Remarkably Cozy & Minimal London Remodel
Aldo and Zane had already been living in the Borough Market area of London when they fell in love with the city, so it made sense they’d want to buy in the same neighborhood. In fact, an apartment—”a characterful warehouse conversion on a quiet street near Borough Market”—caught their eye. When they got the opportunity to purchase it in 2016, they took on the remodel of a space with great light… but in need of an upgrade.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A Cheap Collage of Browns & Creams Gets a Bold, Blue Modern Remodel in Queens
Peggy Wang, Buzzfeed’s founding editor, decided one day a few years ago she was ready to move out of tiny apartment living. “It was like a weird sudden existential outburst in my usual lazy put-everything-off-forever mindset,” she writes. When she purchased this 1100-square-foot home in Queens, it felt like the right fit. But boy it needed a face lift. She worked closely with White Arrow—Keren Richter and her husband Thomas Richter—to remodel this home.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Renter-Friendly Budget DIYs You Can Do This Long Weekend (That Actually Look Good)
Faced with a long weekend ahead of you, if you’ve got the itch to do a little DIY project to improve the way your rental home looks, this post’s for you. All from the same insanely stylish rental apartment in a basement, these two projects are fast, affordable and most of all… attractive enough you’d actually like to display. Hello trendy grid-patterned curtains that look like pricey versions you can buy at Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie. Well guess what?
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
A Surprising IKEA Hack for High-End Lights on a Budget
This $15 IKEA kitchen product is powering this ultra luxe lighting DIY.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
The Smartest Small Space Storage Ideas We Saw in 2018
There’s no doubt about it: As well as being cozy and adorable, stylish small spaces also hold a TON of smart storage ideas. The ones below are some of the best solutions we saw in small house tours this year. No matter your home’s size, you’ll find inspiration for how to store more stylishly in 2019. When a professional organizer lives in a tiny studio apartment, expect great ideas, like these floating wall-mounted IKEA cabinets that were hung close to the ceiling.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A Sad ’70s Kitchen Gets a Modern Remodel
After living in Brooklyn for awhile, architect Niraya and civil engineer Humberto wanted to bring that “loft” style to Miami, where they currently live. After hunting for a townhouse to buy, they found this home, which was actually used as the manager’s quarters of a Marriott Hotel in the ’70s and ’80s. And boy did it look like it was still in the ’70s and ’80s.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: An Oddly Shaped Bedroom’s “After” Is Awe-Inspiring
Designer Michelle Gage has an amazing ability to design homes, which was on full display in her and her husband’s first home that they renovated themselves. After transforming every single room in the 2000-square-foot Philadelphia home, the couple sold that house last November and moved into what they consider to be their forever home. “We fixed up everything we possibly could, while not pricing ourselves out of the neighborhood we were in.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Level Up Your Accent Wall With This DIY Finishing Touch
“When we bought our first condo, our immediate focus was to try our hand at a wallpaper project,” Andréa writes about the home she shares with her husband Stefan. “Rental properties had never afforded us the luxury of doing something so dramatic and custom. We knew we wanted a statement wall somewhere in our home, but given that the main area is one large room (like many open-concept condos), it didn’t quite fit there.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: We Can’t Believe This is the Same Philadelphia Row Home
This Philadelphia row home came with many enviable features when Matt and Anne Thomas bought it. Stunning architecture. Tons of space. All that natural light. The one thing they didn’t love was the home’s extremely red-toned cherry wood floors. But, the floors had just been re-done and were nice in every other regard. Replacing them would have been wasteful.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
This Under $200 Way to Double Your Kitchen Storage Comes From IKEA
I thought the simple and affordable bed hack in Erica Massey’s Dallas, Texas rental apartment was pretty brilliant. A tall bed with storage for her, and a cozy and cool spot to call his own for her dog Deacon. The fact that most of the components were sourced from IKEA for not a lot of money is the cherry on top. But that’s not the only smart IKEA hack in her home! One IKEA trip and less than $200 later and Erica was able to nearly double the storage space of her kitchen.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Dilapidated Church Was Transformed into an Amazing, Modern Home
Hugh Molten, a South Carolina-based real estate agent, didn’t plan for such a big project when he bought this falling-down old church. “I originally had the vision to simply clean it out and live in it basically as-is; create a small shower in the corner, stainless prep tables for the kitchen and call it done.” Today, this 1600-square-foot former house of worship is an incredible industrial modern home, and how it ended up that way was a long and interesting journey.
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019