Vi’s garden apartment came with a standard, if somewhat underwhelming kitchen. After getting their landlord’s blessing, they painted over the yellow cabinets that were giving the space a somewhat grimy patina and called in the help of one of our favorite renter friendly products…peel and stick tiles. From Vi: When we first rented this Brooklyn garden apartment, I absolutely was dreading the kitchen. It was dark and dull.

"It's amazing how much decorating you can do simply by shifting around items you already own."

Kenya bought this IKEA stool in the As-Is section for a song and swiftly realized it was in need of some serious flair. Working with her mother, she was able to put some fabric she’d been holding onto to excellent use. From Kenya: I purchased an IKEA HENRIKSDAL bar stool from the clearance section that was in really good condition. The only thing wrong with it was the the footrest was missing and the seat covering had been removed. I had a vision for this lovely chair!

Becky’s bathroom was not only super dated, it wasn’t really meeting their needs, so she set about changing it, slowly but surely. Aside from some plumbing work, Becky tackled most of the updates herself, keeping the cost low (but, occasionally, the stress high). The new bathroom is a moody, glam goth space, the likes of which we haven’t really seen on the site before. From Becky: The before, to us, was, well …. pretty awful, to be generous with my word choice.

We’ve seen Malcolm work his dark magic on a room before, and his living room transformation is just as impressive. After adding in enviable features like a new fireplace and (IKEA hack) built-ins on a budget, Malcolm mixed in some stylish splurges, creating a high/low space that just oozes sophistication. From Malcolm: When I first viewed the house (a Victorian mid-terrace, in Aberdeen, Scotland) the living room was, to be polite, very dated.

Amanda’s office was unsensational, to say the least. Dark, dreary and lacking a look, she wanted to give the space a homier and more polished look. After tons of research, mixing stylish store-bought finds and DIY projects, Amanda created a bright and perky space that may inspire major office envy. From Amanda: This space was dark, dreary and reminiscent of a guy’s dorm room gone awry.

Jesse’s bathroom was not only leaving a lot to be desired aesthetically, it had some major functionality issues as well. Once they decided to drag their bathroom kicking and screaming out of the dregs of the ’80s, they encountered a little bit more than they bargained for with the plumbing. In the end, however, living a shower-less life paid off as their bathroom is one heck of a stunner.

Rosanna was about to put her condo on the market and knew she would have a much better go of it if she updated her kitchen. After a few contractor related stops and starts, she now has a kitchen that is modern, sleek and much more open. From Rosanna: This was the original kitchen for this condo built in the 1980s. It felt small, dark and cramped. It came with yellowed cabinets, linoleum floors, and tiled counters.

Lindsay spotted this piano bench at a yard sale and even though the bench wasn’t her style as-is, she knew that with a little DIY muscle she could mold it into her ideal accent bench. Using only products she had on hand, she gave this thrifty find a whole new look in very little time. From Lindsay: This piano bench was a steal at a yard sale. Benches are great because you can use them for so many things. A piano bench has an added bonus because there is storage under the seat.

This gray is anything but bland.

Project by: Michelle Gage Location: Jersey City, New Jersey Michelle’s work with her client Natalie was done entirely over the internet, which makes this already impressive project kind of unbelievable. Thanks to Instagram and the One Room Challenge, Michelle and Natalie decided to collaborate on her living room from different cities, bonded together by a love of color, pattern and bold choices.

"It was like a secret society of shelter creatives!"

Angelica’s kitchen was functionally fine, it just felt a little cramped and generic for her tastes. With some smart DIY projects, a few cosmetic upgrades and the help of the always reliable white paint, her kitchen looks like an entirely new space without the headache of a full remodel. From Angelica: The kitchen in our new Houston, Texas home was in good condition overall, nicely sized with newer appliances, plenty of windows and decent light fixtures.

Cameron and Chantel’s post-renovation kitchen is basically unrecognizable. Aside from sharing the common elements of a kitchen (you can cook in it! there’s a refrigerator!) the two spaces are completely different. Their new kitchen is softly colorful, light, breezy and spacious where the old kitchen was, well, very, very beige. From Cameron and Chantel: Our kitchen is straight from the 80s!

Stephanie decided to open up her kitchen for both design and keep-an-eye-on-the-kiddos reasons. Wanting to add functionality, style and maximize the natural light, the reno was a mix of big projects (like knocking down walls) and quick last minute fixes that resulted in a gorgeous, classic kitchen. From Stephanie: The kitchen in our home was closed off, isolated and a mix of semi-updated and original features.

In my personal experience, “first time’s the charm” doesn’t always apply to DIY projects. It usually takes me about three tries to create something presentable, but not Kayla! She was drawn to this chair at a garage sale, pulled in by the mix of metal and fabric, and figured this would be the perfect opportunity to dive into the re-upholstery pool. The resulting chair looks much spiffier, comfier and more put together than the original find, so job well done!

Project by: Paula Guzman of Paula E Guzman Studio Location: Midtown, Manhattan—New York Paula’s project is an excellent lesson in both balance and working with what you got. Working with and not around her bathroom’s shortcomings, she created a serene space without a major overhaul. From Paula: This is the decoration of a small, prewar bathroom in my last apartment. It was your typical boring bath with plain white subway tile and very standard fixtures.

"Their apartment was completely furnished, but lacked the coziness and personal nature of a home."

A tale as old as time: you move into a new space and have to live with the questionable design choices of the previous tenants. Medina inherited a built-in closet/ wardrobe that left more than a lot to be desired. She got rid of the ugliest aspect almost immediately and tried to make do, but eventually enough was simply enough and she gave the closet an easy and affordable DIY makeover. From Medina: The before is a picture of a built in wardrobe in our bedroom.

There's a Tom Selleck pillow, FYI.

Claire’s patio sofa was understandably looking a little worse for the wear after battling the elements for seven years. She decided to give shibori a try, with a backup plan in case things went south. Lo and behold there was no need for Plan B and now the sofa cushions are bright, fun and totally revitalized. From Claire: I bought this IKEA Ammero outdoor sofa over seven years ago and I’m very fond of it.

A flat for newlyweds gets a major infusion of style.