Small shower with white tiles, handheld showerhead, and built-in shelves. "Before" label in orange at the bottom.
Before & After: Small Dated Bathroom Becomes DIY Delight
June’s mom needed a bathroom makeover. As you can see, it was a little dated and — like most showers over time — needed refreshing. On a recent visit, June and her dad got to work and totally renovated the small bathroom over the course of a week. See what it looks like now…. June and her father did the work themselves, including tiling the walls and floors, for the 90 square foot space. They even built a custom tiled shower pan.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Beat Up Chair Finds Way Back to Beauty
Tanya swiped this chair from a trash heap, shoved it in the back of her car, and and drove away without looking back. Over time, she grew sentimental about this “garbage chair,” and finally made the leap to reupholster it: The labor was $630 (which included repairs), new foam cost $50, and the velvet fabric was $250.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Renovating Tips from a Tiny Half Bath
Julie remodeled her dark, out-dated half bath right after moving in, but it took awhile to finish the room completely. She moved on to other projects until she found the perfect chandelier to cap off the space. That motivated her to finally put the last finishing touches in place. And we’re so glad she did! Julie’s renovation shows what you can do to brighten even the most cramped of small spaces.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: IKEA’s Ektorp Leaves Bland Behind
IKEA’s Ektorp sofa is a safe choice, and about as basic as you can get in the living room. Aga of Patchwork and Co. decided to kick it up a notch and deal with her bland, beige cover. Want to see what she did? Aga decided to dye it, and chose black for a more dramatic statement. With the added eclectic assortment of pillows, her living room now has a Bohemian vibe that is far from boring. Many thanks to Aga for sharing the project!
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Dull Door Gets Dressed Up DIY-Style
I think AgaP. would admit that this wasn’t her “best” project in terms of ease and fun. But the finished result is pretty spectacular and inspiration to those of us with entryways whose doors have seen better days. Take a look and see how it turned out: AgaP. had a “bad craft day” and encountered every DIY problem in the book. But, armed with her list of dos and don’ts, you’ll learn from her mistakes, and it’ll be all smooth sailing from there.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A Bunch of Old Pallets Gain Purpose
Kevin rounded up some old wooden pallets by driving around to various warehouses, and through Craigslist. He had a project in mind, and just needed a bunch that were roughly equal sized. Want to see what he did with them? This impressive reclaimed wood backyard deck is the result! After measuring the space, he laid the pallets where he wanted the deck to be. Starting with the first row, Kevin lined up all gaps and used pavers to level and support the pallets.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: IKEA Hack Makes the BESTA Even Better
Suzanne saw potential in IKEA’s popular BESTA shelf, and not just as vertical storage. When flipped and tweaked, she was able to make it into something else entirely. Keep on reading to see the pretty remarkable transformation… This might just qualify for a hack and a half. Using the IKEA BESTA as a base, Suzanne custom created a DIY tufted banquette that’s sophisticated and stylish (and offers extra hidden storage as a bonus).
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Discarded Knoll Tulip Table Gets New $10 Top
I was at an estate sale a couple of years ago and spotted this Saarinen tulip table in the driveway, marked for 5 bucks. The base is in really good shape, but the once beautiful top had met its match in the form of rain, and is weathered, splintered, warped and unsalvageable. (The original Knoll label underneath, however, is still intact.) I’ve kept an eye out for replacement tops but, as of yet, none have crossed my path.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Bathroom with Peeling Paint Gets a Colorful Update
How many of you have moved into a new house that had a bathroom just like this? Although owner Mera tried to put a few bandaids on the style situation as long as she could (with new wall color and a rug), it was a hole in the ceiling and peeling paint that finally prompted a full renovation. See how it turned out… Not every room can carry off red and purple, but Mera managed to add just enough color to create a cheerful and happy bathroom.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Brown Dresser Launches New Campaign
For $40, this dresser was hard for Sarah Dorsey to pass up, even though the laminate was chipping and it looked worse for wear. So she snagged it and put in practice all the painting tips she’s learned over the years. See how it turned out… After carefully prying off all the hardware, and repainting the entire thing, Sarah’s dresser is now a far cry from cheap; it looks professional, high-end and totally bedroom-worthy.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Powder Room Exceeds Its Potential
Katherine and Conan are slowly remodeling their 1917 home in Wichita, Kansas, one room at a time. Most recently, this powder room got the DIY treatment, with good reason. Even if you looked beyond the cracked walls and crumbling ceiling, the door wouldn’t shut behind you. Which I imagine made — ahem, privacy – an issue with guests. Before you get all confused, you are in fact looking at the same space.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Vintage Dresser Goes For a Sweet Ride
Joseph picked this dresser up for $10 at a local thrift store, but wanted to do something special before it found a permanent home in his bedroom. After a lot of sanding, here’s what he came up with… Honk your horn if you like the final result! Joseph went to great lengths to complete the look: the four tail lights are from a 1958 Impala and the drawer hardware is actually old Buick door handles he cut down to fit. He found them all on eBay.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
10 Awesome DIY IKEA Hacks for Kids’ Room Lighting
Even though most agree that IKEA designs are already pretty great (for the price especially), that doesn’t stop creative people from putting their own spin on the products. Lighting in particular is fun to tweak, and a good way to add extra personality to your child’s room. Here are ten really great projects to inspire you… TOP ROW 1. A Mr. Moon lamp hacked from a FADO, inspired by a print by Martin Krusche, from Mommo Designs. Nieves de TokyoMASKROS IKEA Hackers 4.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Myrtle Gets More Mighty
“Myrtle” is Capri’s 1964 Travco Motorhome, which she drives all over the country while on vacation. Over the years she’s also put a fair amount of work into this labor of love, slowly returning Myrtle to its Beatles-era glory. See what it looks like today! From Capri: Myrtle is 27 feet long and is powered by a 318 poly engine. She is equipped with a full bathroom, kitchen, couch, bench, closet, ample storage, rear double bed and two entrance doors.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: All White Kitchen Gets a Subtle Kick
Kristi recently remodeled her kitchen and didn’t give her toe kicks a second glance. Then she got a glimpse of Oh Joy’s recently remodeled studio kitchen, and was inspired to try something new… Switching up the white to black is a subtle but significant change. Rather than painting the actual toe kicks again, Kristi came up with a temporary solution that lets her try out a color, and change it up again down the road. Renters, take note!
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Backyard Blight Turns Out of Sight
Last time we checked in with Aaron & Heather Hawes in Saint Louis, they shared the transformation of their old firehouse into a modern and sleek photography studio. Today they are back with a new project: the recent makeover of their outdoor parking area. As before, the Hawes’ did all the work themselves, and the results are quite incredible. Now before anyone freaks out, the photo was indeed taken at a different angle, but I think you can see why.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: IKEA Futon Graduates From College
Certain decor doesn’t transition well from college to more grown-up digs, and your futon is one of them. Which makes this a good hack for folks who don’t want to get rid of the one they currently own, or spend the money on a new sofa. Elizabeth shows you how to do it with IKEA’s GRANKULLA, but you can use any similar type of wooden futon. To make this new daybed happen, Elizabeth disassembled the futon, made a few modifications, and then reconstructed it into a different shape.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Faded Outdoor Umbrella Sees The Light of Day
Ashley had a very faded striped pastel umbrella that she could have easily jettisoned. Instead, she took a little inspiration from this Urban Outfitters umbrella, budgeted about $20 for her version, and gave it a little makeover… Ashley used a paint sprayer with thinned down latex paint to give it about three coats of bright white paint. Then, she and her husband laboriously hand-painted a design on each panel. The final step was attaching pom-pom trim around the edge.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Wall Goes From the Woods to Wood
Sandy grew tired of her painted birch tree entryway, and needed to switch it up. A quick trip to the hardware store and $28 later, she created a completely new look. Check out what she did and see what you think… Sandy bought four packs of shims and covered the wall from floor to ceiling with cedar. Here’s Sandy with the details on how she did it: Start at the top left hand corner of your wall.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
How To Transfer Custom Images to Ceramic Plates
Adding a graphic element to is a good way to customize a party and make it your own. For Maxwell and Lulu’s Halloween party, we created these easy cupcake plates using ceramics from the thrift store and some clip art. Inkjet Lazertran Image Transfer Paper Blank Ceramic Plate Clear Acrylic Spray Chosen Image Alcohol (optional) Bowl of Warm Water Paper Towel I love this method because it can be temporary if you want to reclaim your plate after the party.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Winifred the Dog Gets New Digs
Meet Winifred! Reader Mera recently adopted her and, to celebrate Winnie’s official “adopted” status, decided that she needed a soft spot to call her own. The leather pouf she was using as a dog bed was nice and all, but maybe a little small? Yes, just maybe. Mera carved up a custom stamp, printed the arrow block-printed fabric herself, and sewed it up as a nice (large!) bed for little Winnie.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
20 Interesting Household Uses for Old Pantyhose & Stockings
If you wear stockings or pantyhose, don’t let runs and snags ruin your day. And definitely don’t throw old nylons away. Because, while they might have fallen short in their promise to keep your legs looking smooth, they have a whole other future existence as versatile household helpers. Turns out nylon is pretty handy, so check out these twenty ways to reuse all your worn out hose: Locate small objects on the floor by covering your vacuum nozzle with some hose.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: 2 Contemporary Cabinets Age Considerably…Overnight
Kristine picked up a couple of small cheap laminate dressers for $25 (one is pictured above), with an ambitious plan in mind for them. This is no makeover, or simple paint job — it’s a full on transformation. Click to see what they become… What’s amazing about these cabinets is the level of detail that went into the project. They look aged and weathered, have bronzed label holders, and now look like multi-drawer antique cabinets instead of cheap three-drawer dressers.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
How To Choose the Perfect Paint Color? Look at The Light
Paint color and light go hand in hand, and are a complex couple. Your paint color will look different depending on the light that it’s exposed to. The tricky part is this: light is never consistent and how it shines depends entirely on time and context. Learn the different light variables, and how color responds, and you are well on your way to becoming a paint master of the universe.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
25 Masterful Ways to Hack 1 IKEA Dresser
Call them hacks, or makeovers, or just plain paint jobs, but these 25 DIY projects show you just what’s possible with IKEA’s TARVA dresser. It’s an unfinished wood blank slate, waiting for your personal stamp of style. Check out these ideas and finished projects, and try one yourself this weekend.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
How To Deep Clean Your Closet
With the change of seasons comes a change of clothes. But before you head to the stores to buy something new, give your old wardrobe a fighting chance. Which means it’s time to put some waders on, dive in, and clean out your closet. I know it’s not high up there on your list of fun times, but it’s a necessary evil that must be done. Go forth young fashion pilgrim and make us proud. 1. Put on Some Music: This is no time for Adele.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Beige Kitchen Lightens Up a Notch
Priyanka’s kitchen was just fine. Not the prettiest, that’s for sure. And it was a little…beige looking. When she was ready to renovate, Priyanka knew exactly what she wanted. Take a peek at what she decided to do with it: Instead of going with color, Priyanka chose clean, basic white — from the cabinet to island countertops to tile — which a touch of black and gray. The result is bright, fresh and classic enough to last for a lifetime.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
How To Make a Giant Paper Chandelier
These extra large paper chandeliers make such amazing party decorations. They are colorful, easy to make, and have a huge impact in a room. I recently assembled this one out of movie ticket strips for an Oscars viewing party this year, but you can use other types of paper instead.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Jenny Lind Becomes Furniture to “Chairish”
Forgive the bad pun in the title of this post, but do check out the makeover of this classic Jenny Lind-style chair, recently restored and revamped by Reddit user the Grizzard of Oz. After peeling off many layers of old upholstery, she stripped off the green paint and even used toothpicks to clean out all the nooks and crannies in the wood. The new natural looking wood stain is covered with a layer of wax for added protection.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A Major Mantel Makeover
Sharon describes her home as a mishmash of styles (mostly tropical-beachy-outdoorsy nature-modern with a little traditional-hollywood regency-eclectic-real life thrown in) with no one dominate influence. When it starts leaning too far in one direction, she switches it up to keep decor in an eclectic balance. Take her family room’s mantel for instance, which was feeling entirely too traditional given her plans for the rest of the space….
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Theater Seats Get a New Featured Attraction
These conjoined movie benches sat in Natasha’s garage for a while, just waiting for inspired intervention. It turned out that all they needed was a fabric good enough with which to reupholster them. Although they look like classic corporate waiting room fixtures here, the end result is far from staid… Straight from the Brenda Starr book of decorating, this comic-themed fabric is fun and unexpected.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Maggie Remodels a Dark & Dated Den
Maggie and her husband are in the process of renovating their Pittsburgh home, transforming it room by room from a dark, dated place into a light and bright space that’s a joy to be in. One of their favorite projects-in-progress is this window-filled room, which they has tons of potential… So far they’ve ditched all the wood paneling, raised the roof, and installed drywall.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
The Guilty Art of Stealth Purging
I have a pair of beloved sweatpants that has a hole in them. I would still continue wear them — in spite of said hole — IF I could find them, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my partner boxed them up and toted them off to Goodwill. She is curiously mum on the subject, feigning perfect innocence in the face of my pointed questioning and unblinking stares, but it’s been months since I saw them last. I am quickly losing all hope of ever seeing, let alone wearing, them again.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: $100 Guerrilla-Style Kitchen Makeover
Shelby’s new cute Craftsman style home had a lot of old charm….except for the bland builder-grade kitchen.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
7 Steps to a Fantastic Front Porch (Inspired by Real-Life Makeovers)
Why are front porches so often sad and droopy? They’re the first impression your home puts out, yet so many are woefully neglected. (No judgement here, believe me. I just take notes on what I see.) Case in point: this lovely farmhouse, which is absolutely lovely, but could use a boost. Click to see what it looks like now, and what you can learn from this, and a bunch of other makeovers. The Curbly porch makeover involved tossing a bunch of stuff that just lingered on the porch forever.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: Do a Double Take at This Decaying Porch Now
Sarah and her husband Charles bought a 1902 American foursquare a couple of years ago. Since the house originally belong to his grandmother, its restoration became a labor of love for the couple, even though it was in terrible condition. As Sarah says “Our back porch was literally falling off of the house when we bought it. Soffits were completely rotted and railings had been long forgotten. Oh, and the stairs to the basement?
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: This Room’s Awkward Eaves Get Pint-Sized Personality
Gwen at The Makerista has been behind some of my favorite home projects recently. She’s got a great eye and an real-life approach to decorating that’s both polished and do-able — something all of us can aspire to. Check out what she did with this blank room… Gwen made the space into a new room for her son, finding a balance between kid-like desires and a classic look that’s not too juvenile.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Brilliant Ways to Use Drawer Pulls & Handles You’ve Never Thought Of
The options are endless.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A New Bathroom, 3 Hours & $150 Later
Erin of Earnest Home Co. admits that small changes aren’t her specialty. Once she focuses on a room, it’s usually all or nothing. So simply sprucing up her small bathroom was a decided challenge, one she did with only $150 and a couple of hours one afternoon. Since the tile and floor wasn’t going anywhere soon, she focused on the little things she could change out easily.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Before & After: A Small Victorian Living Room Gets an Apartment Therapy Makeover
Ashley Poskin lives in a beautiful old Victorian house in Sterling, Illinois — a small town west of Chicago — which she is also restoring. The house is large, and Ashley and her husband are actually human, so it’s taken awhile to work on each room and make it into a home. (That’s her boxer Charlie front and center, checking out her small living room that’s still pretty devoid of decor and furniture.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Design School Case Study: Sample Room Layouts for Ashley’s Living Room
So the comments around Ashley’s makeover were… spirited, to say the least. A lot of you all had things to say about the floorplan, and this is your shot at diving into the options in more depth. When the furniture arrived, we re-arranged things a few times to see what might work, fiddling until I felt we had the best possible option… As a refresher, here’s Ashley’s living room as a 3D model.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Kickass Alternatives to Traditional Upper Kitchen Cabinets
You do you.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
Crystal Cut Glass Decanters: Not Just For Bar Carts Anymore
You might think that decorative cut glass would look dated and completely out of sync with most modern decor. Like china place settings, lead crystal is often given as wedding gifts or inherited from relatives, and seems like a relic of a different time. Or does it? Here are several ideas that use bar decanters in fresh new ways. In the lead image above, notice the table lamp made from a cut glass decanter, seen in this Scandinavian home from Skona Hem.
Dabney Frake
May 4, 2019
How To Hack Sliding Doors for IKEA BILLY Bookcases
I thought I’d already found the best example of a BILLY hack already —these built-ins from Gwen of Makerista, which we posted early last year. Then this project came to my attention, and I’ve made room in my heart for two loves instead of just one. Kristina of Ich Designer created a series of these sliding doors for her BILLY bookcases. They move on casters with the help of a u-shaped channel she affixed to the front of the shelves. IKEA bar pulls complete the job.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Make It Work: Unique Ways to Make Tile Kitchen Countertops Look Totally Tasty
We tend to think of tiled countertops as a cheap and imperfect solution, when marble or quartz just isn’t in your remodeling budget. Instead of approaching the update with mixed feelings, look to these surfaces as reassurance that your kitchen or bath will still fresh and clean — they just won’t break the bank. Using longer rectangular shapes automatically makes this surface seem more special and unlike most square tile countertops.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Before & After Makeover, Multiplied: One Balcony Refresh at Four Different Budgets
Long-time Apartment Therapy readers might remember a little renovation diary series about The World’s Ugliest Condo — the affectionate title for my in-laws’ second home in Florida before I redid it for them several years ago. At the time, I shared the entire renovation process, but the one area we didn’t touch was the outdoor space. Until now. The outdoor space was originally just so blah. And tan. And then more tan. Followed up by some tan.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Smart Space Solutions to Steal from Tiny Campers & Trailers
If you want to know about glitter and fitness, ask Richard Simmons. For answers about small spaces and storage, go straight to the owners of trailers, RVs, and campers. They wrote — and regularly revise — the book on compact living, and we reap the benefits of their knowledge, ideas and inspiration. Take a look at these, and learn… Like the idea of this post?
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Let’s Settle This: Where’s the Best Place for the Microwave?
What’s the perfect place for microwaves in the kitchen? They are must-have appliances for many, but they sure do have large, ugly footprints. So, do you prioritize saving space over aesthetics? Put them where you can easily reach? Or, is there that one sweet spot that let’s you have it all? Installing the microwave above your cooktop is a classic space saver, freeing up your countertops to use as workspace — especially when microwave and hood-fan combos do double duty.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019