Worn wooden dresser with missing drawers against a light blue wall, labeled "Before."
Before & After: A Sadly Scuffed and Wonkily Warped Dresser is Rescued
Bekah spotted this dresser on Craigslist and saw past the scuffs and marks to the mid century modern potential. After picking it up for a bargain, Bekah and her dad spiffed and shined the piece to its former glory. From Bekah: I found this beautiful four-drawer dresser on Craigslist one day while wasting time. The guy was asking $80 but when my boyfriend went to pick it up, he was able to get it for only $60!
Aug 2, 2017
A Beautifully Renovated English Terrace House
Name: Emily, Jon and their two children Lola and Otis Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK The basics: 2 years, owned — 1,400 square feet Emily’s home is not just carefully designed, it’s consciously designed as well. Filled with mostly second hand and handmade items from her own store, the home is full of pieces that have had previous lives or traceable origin stories.
Aug 1, 2017
Before & After: An Old Sewing Table Gets a Summery New Purpose
Linda’s sewing table had been relegated to the forgotten pile in the garage for a few months until inspiration struck. What if she used the sewing table not for sewing but for…drinking. Enter the world’s cutest and most unexpected DIY bar! From Linda: I suddenly remembered that under a mountain of randomness in the garage I had an old sewing table that I picked up at a garage sale back in the fall.
Aug 1, 2017
A Couple Puts a Home Together With the Help of Some Craigslist Kismet
Name: Alannah and Alex Location: Vancouver, British Colombia The basics: Two years, rented — 700 square feet Alannah and Alex moved to Vancouver and set about making their apartment a home. With a limited budget, they scoured Craigslist and thrift stores, finding individual pieces they loved and blending them together into one cozy home.
Jul 31, 2017
Before & After: A Pepto-Pink Guest Room Looks So Good Now
Christine’s pepto-pink guest room had a lot of potential but needed a ton of work. Wanting to create a space for out-of-towners that is as interesting as it is welcoming, she set off restoring as many original historic features of the room as she could, while making updates to the space to ensure comfort. From Christine: Even before moving into our Edwardian house in Manchester we knew that we had a lot of home improvement work ahead of us.
Jul 31, 2017
A Colorful “Mini Pop Culture Museum” Apartment in the East Village
Name: Jeanie and Tater Tot the Bulldog Location: East Village — New York, New York The basics: 23 years, rented — 850 square feet There’s a perception out there that New Yorkers live and die by the color block. Jeanie has taken that idea and turned it completely on its head, filling her apartment with colors on colors on colors!
Jul 30, 2017
Before & After: A Master Bedroom Shapes Up With Shiplap
Melissa was looking to add some farmhouse style to her home but didn’t want to break the bank doing so. Enter shiplap! An intrepid DIYer, Melissa added a shiplap accent wall without professional help, keeping it well within budget (but not without a few headaches). From Melissa: Shiplap – It’s timeless and classic. It goes hand in hand with farmhouse style and I’ve been patiently (big fat lie – no patience here my friends!
Jul 30, 2017
Before & After: A Dated Dresser Gets a Stylishly Dark & Stenciled Makeover
As with so many romances these days, this one began online. Julie spotted this handsome dresser on Craigslist and knew she could truly make something of it. A mix of the original veneer, a new coat of paint and some gorgeous stenciling turned this tired looking piece into a true showstopper. From Julie: I saw this piece on Craigslist and felt like he was winking at me! I knew I had to go and visit him.
Jul 29, 2017
A Semi-Renovated Family Oasis in Sydney
Name: Jane, Peter and their 3-year-old daughter Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia The basics: One year, owned — 147 square meters (1,582 square feet) Jane and her family live in a Brutalist-style building that they have been renovating and updating to fit their tastes. Fans of clean lines and funky art, the home is calm, curated, and toddler friendly.
Jul 28, 2017
A Small Space Squeezes in a Bathroom & Laundry Room Beautifully
Project by: Clara Jung of Banner Day Consulting Location: Oakland, California Clara’s clients had a weird little nook in their home that sat unused, just begging for something to do. They decided not to let limits on space limit their dreams, so they decided to put both a bathroom and a laundry into the same space, divided by a pocket door, and we’re screaming for joy. Not only does the remodel add functionality, it’s easy on the eyes as well.
Jul 27, 2017
A Young Couple Rehabs a Building with Many Former Lives
Name: Shara and her husband Location: Hurricane, Utah — Zion National Park is our backyard! The basics: 3 months, owned — 900 square feet Fate brought Shara and her husband together. After abandoning his plans of buying a boat, the couple bought a building in Utah that has lived many lives. From a post office to a pool hall, it’s now stylish and minimal living spaces.
Jul 26, 2017
Before & After: A Pretty in Pink Desk Upgrade
Leanna’s office desk had a gorgeous shape, but the dark wood wasn’t right for her new space. Since she had made the decision to stick with a lighter and brighter color scheme for her new office, she thought a touch of pink would set off the delicate aspects of the piece to great effect. From Leanna: Our previous home was decorated in soft earth tones, lots of greens and browns. At the time it really suited are long, low bungalow.
Jul 26, 2017
A Handmade Brooklyn Home That Maximizes Space With Style
Name: Ali and Chip, their poodle Gigi and cat Dinah Location: Cobble Hill — Brooklyn, New York The basics: 3 years, owned — 475 square feet Ali and Chip’s Brooklyn condo has the sort of hazy cool that many aspire to. It comes from pouring yourself into the space like the pair has, tackling most of the updates and renovations themselves, and slowly filling it with personal pieces.
Jul 25, 2017
Before & After: A Little Chair’s Upholstery Gets a Spray Paint Makeover
Not fully ready to commit to a reupholstery project, Emma opted to spray paint her chair and go jewel tone.
Jul 25, 2017
Before & After: Hidden Surprises in a Master Bedroom Makeover
"When we moved into the house we discovered an original 19th Century fireplace had been lurking behind a desk and beneath the carpet the old floorboards were still in tact."
Jul 24, 2017
A Biology Professor’s “Modern Mary Poppins” Atlanta Home
Name: Meleah Location: Old Fourth Ward/Virginia Highland — Atlanta, Georgia The basics: 2 years, rented — 1,000 square feet Meleah’s Atlanta home is full of light thanks to gigantic windows that also offer up a gorgeous view. She’s filled her home with art and trinkets from her travels, making the space totally unique and fantastically interesting. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My place is distinctly ‘Meleah.
Jul 24, 2017
Before & After: A Dark and Dated Kitchen Gets Open and Airy
Claire’s kitchen was dark and dated, with an office-style ceiling and a tiny little rodent problem. Claire set about repurposing the kitchen and rebuilding an extension to create a kitchen and living area, perfect for hosting. Now the kitchen is bright and dance party-ready. From Claire: We bought our house in 2012 after falling in love with its large Edwardian proportions and central location.
Jul 23, 2017
A Boldly Colorful, Mediterranean-Influenced Home in the Hudson Valley
Name: Ayanna and family Location: Woodstock, New York The basics: Under a year, owned — 2, 600 square feet Ayanna’s home is both timeless and contemporary. Well-chosen vintage pieces of different eras mingle against very of-the-moment paint colors. Also, get ready for some major bathroom envy. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’ve lived in Brooklyn since 2008. I’m originally from Westchester, New York.
Jul 23, 2017
A Plant Filled, “Lofty Atrium” on the Lower East Side
Name: Jean and Jeff Location: Lower East Side — New York, New York The basics: 1 year, rented — 750 square feet Jean and Jeff’s apartment takes high ceilings to the next level. With an almost unheard of amount of New York sunlight, they’ve filled their apartment with plants and funky vintage finds, making the whole place feel like a swinging tree house.
Jul 22, 2017
Before & After: A Coffee Lover Orders Up a Fresh IKEA Hack
After a move that left her with more square footage, but less counter space, Stephanie was on the hunt for something to house her all important espresso machine in a stylish and functional way. Realizing that a good old fashioned IKEA hack was in order, she set about giving her soon-to-be-java-cart a new look. And I think we can all agree, it’s a grande idea! From Stephanie: While most people style kitchen carts into bar carts, we knew our cart had to be for cappuccinos.
Jul 21, 2017
Before & After: A Terribly Cute Vintage Trailer Makeover
How cute is that little guy? My goodness! Adorable on the outside, but leaky and damaged on the inside, this trailer needed some upgrades to make it safer. While making some of the less sexy fixes (apologies to all those window sealing fans out there) Meredith took the opportunity to give the space a style boost as well. From Meredith: My husband and I decided to buy a vintage trailer and after a brief search, we purchased a 1976 Boler trailer.
Jul 19, 2017
A Restored Italian Seaside Apartment
Name: Maria Teresa Location: Siracusa, Ortigia, Italy The basics: Less than a year, owned — 80 meters (860 square feet) Maria Teresa’s apartment is a perfect sea side get away. With low key furnishings that blend old and new and keep the space feeling light, the whole apartment has a breezy feel to it that just invites you to relax.
Jul 18, 2017
Before & After: An Overgrown & Underused Backyard Gets a Second Chance
"We knew that with this aggressive timeframe and extent of the work to be done, we would need to do a combination of DIY and DIFM (do it for me)"
Jul 18, 2017
Before & After: All it Took Was $20, an Afternoon and ’90s R&B for the Perfect Dresser
Amy was on the hunt for a dresser but it had to fit both her budget and her new space. As luck would have it, her neighbors were selling this long and lean lady and Amy scooped her right up for a first class DIY treatment. From Amy: I found this dresser at a garage sale last month and immediately knew I had to have it!
Jul 17, 2017
A Cute, Compact Home for a Brewer, Wedding Planner and their New Baby
Name: Lisa, Colin, their baby Eliot and two cats Location: Italian Village — Columbus, Ohio The basics: Six years, owned — 1,084 square feet Lisa and her family have rooted down into this eclectically furnished home. With soft colors and carefully collected pieces, it is a warm and welcoming space infused with plenty of charm.
Jul 17, 2017
A “Light and Bright” Hawaiian Home
Name: Kait, Dane and their two chocolate Labs Location: Central Oahu, Hawaii The basics: 1 year, owned — 1,400 square feet Kait and her husband had to hustle through the competitive Hawaiian housing market to find a home that met all of their needs AND the needs of their dogs (i.e. a yard). Settling on an adorable home, a quick ride from the beach, Kait has decided to take her time decorating, finding pieces that are right for the home and not just right for right now.
Jul 16, 2017
A Serene, Coastal-Style Home in Charleston
Name: Morgan, Sean, Cici the beagle mix and Bear the cat Location: Charleston, South Carolina The basics: 1 year, owned — 1,890 square feet Morgan and her husband put in an offer on their house with lightning speed, and once they got it, set out updating the ’90s kitchen and pulling in the peaceful outdoor feeling into their space. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My husband Sean and I bought our home one year ago.
Jul 15, 2017
Before & After: A Muddy Junk Pile Find Gets a Stylish New Life
Honestly, we’re shocked Kyle was able to pick anything out of this muddy furniture pile. Not only does he have the greatest eye in the history of curbside finds, he made an absolutely stunning piece of upcycled vintage furniture. From Kyle: I found this literally in the trash on the side of the road. It looked like someone had cleared out their back shed and threw this, along with many other old pieces of furniture, into the mud. This project took me many months to finally commit to.
Jul 15, 2017
A Couple Shares a Sharp Apartment in an Old Colonial House
Name: Diecelis, Art and their dog Meatloaf Location: Providence, Rhode Island The basics: 4.5 months, rented — 975 square feet Diecelis and Art met while living in two different cities, New York and D.C., and after a quick stint in D.C. decided to build a new home together in Providence. Their apartment is largely black, white and gray but still feels cozy and interesting.
Jul 14, 2017
Before & After: A Couple Moves In Together and Merges Styles and Stuff
When your boyfriend makes a bar cart from an old TV, he's a keeper.
Jul 14, 2017
Brightening Up a Manhattan Condo with Patterned Tile and Built-In Storage
Project by: Zach Rockhill for Hatchet Design Build Location: NoHo — Manhattan, New York The team for Hatchet Design Build worked with their client, Marika, to turn her apartment into a light-filled and texturally interesting space. With stained floors, envy-inducing tile and stylish yet inviting furnishings, the space surprises us by playing with our expectations of what a historic New York condo should look like.
Jul 13, 2017
A Polished Condo in Singapore With Carefully Considered “Clutter”
Name: Mario and Loki the Mini-Poodle Location: Singapore The basics: 5 years, owned— 1, 000 square feet Mario’s apartment is a mix of clean minimalism with a touch of curated mess, inspired by a trip to New York. With a neutral color scheme that uses black and white as an accent, the space is full of relaxed urban sophistication. It is also full of one very cute dog. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My name is Mario.
Jul 12, 2017
Before & After: A Sofa Found on the Street Gets a DIY Makeover
Alfredo and Ken found this boho dream of a couch on the street (what luck!) and after letting it sit around for a bit, gave it a major vacation vibes makeover. From Alfredo and Ken: We found this vintage rattan couch on the street, it had no cushions but it was in great shape! We carried it to our house and it was sitting in our backyard for a few months before we knew what to do with it.
Jul 12, 2017
Two Creatives Share a Carefully Crafted Philadelphia Loft
Name: Nikki, Josh and their cat Jonah Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The basics: 2 months, rented —1,500 square feet Nikki and Josh have struck an enviable balance between “styled” and “lived in” that keeps their space from feeling overly done, while still being very fashionable. Perfect for hosting, working and just hanging out, their home is expansive with intimate pockets of coziness.
Jul 11, 2017
Before & After: A Sturdy and Stylish One-of-a-Kind DIY Changing Table
Sunny found this mega outdated but well made dresser on Craigslist and knew it would be an excellent fit in her nursery. Some sanding, painting, and drilling resulted in a muted yet gorgeous piece of furniture. Oh, and she did it all while very pregnant. We’re tired for her. From Sunny: This $50 Craigslist wood dresser was just the perfect size for our nursery — but boy, was it ever hideous.
Jul 11, 2017
Before & After: Help for a Flipped Kitchen Built With Zero Drawers
Becky’s kitchen had been previously renovated by a house flipper who may not have been thinking things through. There weren’t any drawers. In a kitchen. Becky tried to make do with that temporary storage cart you can see above, but she knew it was time for a better solution. From Becky: Our kitchen was done by a house flipper in which zero drawer units were included. I had purchased a cart as a temporary solution and immediately discovered it didn’t fit our needs.
Jul 10, 2017
Fifth Time the Charm: A Look Inside a Home That Took Multiple Offers to Finally Own
Name: Victoria, her husband, two kids and their pets Location: Reno, Nevada The basics: 1 year, owned — 2,200 square feet We’d admire Victoria for her persistence alone, they made offers on their home four times before it became theirs, but the color and fun she’s added to the space is truly exciting. Patterns, textures, bright colors and plants make the space super fun, with just the right amounts of whimsy.
Jul 10, 2017
Fate Intervenes to Help a Young Family Find Their Perfect Home
Name: Verena, Ferdinand and their children Julian and Frederik Location: Hamburg, Germany The basics: 2 years, owned – 1,400 square feet After a streak of bad luck, Verena and her husband decided to wing it and put in a low offer on a home they loved. Not only was their offer accepted, they got some other pretty great news at the same time! Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: This apartment came into our lives all of a sudden.
Jul 9, 2017
Before & After: 3 Weeks to Turn a Blank Slate Into Something Personal
A Savannah transplant makes a home in the Hollywood Hills.
Jul 9, 2017
A Charming Attic Apartment Full of Thrift Store Treasures
Name: Mona, her boyfriend and their cats Minnow and Sushi Location: Central District — Seattle, Washington The basics: 1 year, rented — 600 square feet Mona and her boyfriend have created the perfect attic hideaway. Full of excellent thrift store finds and a surprising amount of light for Seattle, it is the kind of spot that folds you in.
Jul 8, 2017
Before & After: A DIY Kitchen Remodel on a 6K Budget
Sharlene’s ’70s kitchen was vivid green and laced with hard-to-clean linoleum. Instead of living with it or hiring an expensive contractor, this husband and wife team utilized their vacation days, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. From Sharlene: We had an original 1974 kitchen without the perks of the vintage appeal. The laminate cabinets were spray painted white and the laminate countertops were coming apart. No matter how much you cleaned, it always appeared dirty and worn.
Jul 8, 2017
Before & After: Plants and Privacy, What More Could a Backyard Need?
Robyn’s backyard was suffering from a lack of both greenery and privacy. She decided to spruce the space up with some plant boxes and a very charming lattice, perfect for dining al fresco! From Robyn: We have lived in our home for almost three years now and I have been on a mission to add character to our home, including outside.
Jul 7, 2017
A Dreamily Romantic Manhattan Apartment
Name: Amy Location: Chelsea — Manhattan, New York The basics: 3 years, rented — 500 square feet Amy’s apartment is a cozy and dreamy hideaway in the middle of New York City. Turning apartment features that are usually associated with a sort of muscular ‘urban cool’, exposed brick, loft beds, are somehow softly romantic.
Jul 6, 2017
Before & After: Three Days, $800 and One New Half Bath
Half baths can be so easy to forget — home to b-team hand towels and re-gifted decorative soaps, relegated to occasional guest usage and always in the shadow of the bathrooms with things like tubs and showers. Christina decided it was time to give her half bath a little time in the spotlight, and buckled down to give it an eye-catching upgrade. From Christina: The bathroom before was dark and dreary. It looked like any other bathroom and felt like a dark hole in the hallway.
Jul 6, 2017
Peek Inside an Organizing Pro’s Well-Designed DC Apartment
Name: Jenny and Huck the English Bulldog Location: Logan Circle — Washington, DC The basics: 5 1/2 years, owned — 850 square feet Jenny is a professional organizer, so it comes at no surprise that her place looks, well, organized. But what’s so great is that yes, it looks tidy, but it also has those little personal and vibrant touches that make a space look lived in. And it doesn’t hurt that her dog is majorly cute.
Jul 5, 2017
Before & After: A Budapest Flat Gets Its First Facelift in 70 Years
Szilvia’s stunner in Budapest has all of the classic charms of a turn of the last century European apartment. With drool-worthy high ceilings and large windows, Szilvia knew she could create a sleek, light-filled space to design to her heart’s content. From Szilvia: The flat is situated in a classical building of the early 1900s in Budapest, Hungary. It was in a very bad condition when we bought it, everything including the electrical and plumbing system had to be changed.
Jul 3, 2017
30 Years in a 100-Year-Old Home
Name: Anne and her husband Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota The basics: 30 years, owned — 3,500 square feet Anne’s home has the sort of settled into style that many of us dream about when we look at the bare walls of our new houses and apartments. Decorated with a mix of thrift store steals and colorful imports, Anne and her family have kept the historic character of the home alive all while creating a warm and welcoming space.
Jul 3, 2017
An 85-Square-Foot Backyard Studio Built from Scratch
Name: Blake Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Dimensions: 85 square feet Imagine having the ability to take a look at some old fence posts you had lying around and thinking…yeah, I’ll just turn these into an extremely cool, tiny, modern office in my backyard. Blake did just that and we’re still kind of in awe. From Blake: Originally, this was just a nice-sized open backyard. As a hobby, I build things (usually simple furniture pieces) from scrap lumber I find.
Jul 2, 2017