Jason Loper

How To: Remove Candle Wax from Just About Anything
Fabrics, hardwoods, walls, oh my!
Sep 27, 2022
10 Tools for Painting a Room That’ll Have You Ready to Tackle Your Next Makeover
We've got everything you need for a successful paint job, right here.
Apr 13, 2022
Out of the Closet: How To Make a Rope Wrapped Hanging Clothes Bar
Tired of pulling my shirts, all wrinkled and creased, out of my over-stuffed closet, I decided to come out of the closet completely and create a hanging clothes bar in the corner of my bedroom. Say goodbye to these colorful (but useless) drawers-turned-shelves and hello to my new rope wrapped hanging clothes bar…This is actually a project I’ve had in mind for a couple of months.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: Anna’s Take on the Ikea Rast
We’re certainly no strangers to the versatility of the Ikea Rast around here. I even put together a post about The Endlessly Adaptable IKEA Rast Dresser last year. This $35 dresser is a DIYer’s dream and I love continuing to discover new variations. Anna took the simple little dresser and turned it into a classic nightstand…Anna recently shared her Rast customization on her blog, Take the Side Street.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: Dana’s Updated Bathroom
We’ve been following along as Dana and her husband sold their old house, moved into an apartment, and rebuilt a small house — all while also welcoming their third child. I’m sure this master bathroom update is a great indication of how the rest of the house has come together. Dana and her handy hubby, Steve, worked with what they’ve got in this small bathroom.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: Greg & Ashley’s Bathroom Gut Rehab
We got a sneak peek into Greg and Ashley’s bathroom remodel back in April, when the couple was still in the thick of the project. After checking in on their progress, we discovered that the bathroom is now ready for a full unveiling!Greg and Ashley have been tracking the progress of their house renovation on their blog 7th House on the Left. When we peeked in at their bathroom last April they had just finished ripping out all the old stuff and installing the new tile and vanity.
Jul 15, 2020
7 Sources for Budget Outdoor Furniture
So you want to create a little outdoor oasis but you’re a little strapped for cash. Don’t worry — it doesn’t always take a lot of money to look like a million bucks. Here are seven sources for budget outdoor furniture to help you get started. IKEA: Any time we do a budget furniture roundup, IKEA is bound to appear. Their furniture may not last a lifetime but it’ll definitely get you through a few summers. Shown: BROMMÖ Chaise lounge; $59.99.
Apr 22, 2020
Best Storage Beds 2013
I’ve been obsessed with storage beds for about as long as I’ve had a bedroom. They are the perfect marriage of form and function. And, of course, they are an ideal small space solution. We’ve added a couple of new models to the annual roundup of best storage beds this year. See them all after the jump…Thompson Full Storage Bed with 6 Drawers from Urban Green Available as Twin, Full, Queen and King with 6 or 12 drawers.
Apr 19, 2020
Get the Look: Molded Plastic Shell Rocker
The molded plastic rocker, whether the authentic Eames variety or one of the many replicas, is a definite design classic. Originally designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1948, we still see these stylish rockers in a lot of house tours and kids rooms today. To get the look in your own home, check out our resource list for this iconic rocker after the jump…Authentic Eames Rockers Authenic Eames Rockers are made in the USA by Herman Miller. Their shells are made from recyclable polypropylene.
Apr 14, 2020
Every Color & Pattern: 15 Online Sources for Washi Tape
You may have noticed that we’re big fans of washi tape around here. You can use it to dress up walls, decorate your tech, create custom bottles and much, much more. If you love this Japanese decorative tape as much as we do, you’ll love this resource list.
Mar 11, 2020
Get Set: The Year’s Best Dining Tables
Balancing your plate on your lap and eating over the kitchen sink may work for awhile but at some point you’ll feel better about life if you eat at a proper table. While it may seem like a waste of space, especially in a small apartment, a dining table can become an essential piece of furniture, used for meals, crafts and even serving as a work station. Check out this roundup of dining tables big and small to see if there’s one that will fit in your home.
Mar 11, 2020
New, Used & Reproduction: Eames Lounge
This month we’re looking at classics of design and the Eames Lounge Chair definitely belongs. We see this modern classic, whether authentic or one of the many replicas, in a lot of our house tours. To help you get in on the action, we’ve rounded up a number of resources for this iconic chair — new, used and even the reproductions.
Mar 11, 2020
10 Sources for the Organic Modern Style
The organic modern style is a favorite around here. We often see it represented in our house tours, like this bedroom in Michael Moeller’s Bachelor Pad Project in the Sky. If you’re a fan of the look, you can get it yourself with a little help from these shops…• Yorkwood Co. “Born on the streets of New York,” their tables, stools and benches, are crafted from locally sourced shipping pallets.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: File Box Goes for the Gold
It was a little over a year ago that this little file box came home with me and received its first makeover, going from a dull gray to a vibrant yellow. A lot of things have changed in my apartment over the past year, so it’s time for the file box to get another makeover…When I painted this file box last year, yellow was the perfect color. It suited the room where it lived, and I’ve always been partial to the color of the sun.
Mar 11, 2020
20 of September’s Best Before & Afters
Before and afters are some of our most popular posts. And for good reason! Who doesn’t love to see the evidence of a makeover, often performed on a tight budget? Gathered together for your weekend viewing pleasure, here are 20 of September’s best makeovers …• Before & After: Connie’s Ugly to Unbelievable Dresser• Before & After: An Eames Lounge Knockoff, Transformed• Before & After: Free Vanity Mirror Totally Transformed!
Mar 11, 2020
High & Low: 10 Favorite Bedding Stores
image:c1252ba4ef78621a945fe0c7100c14d28276dbd8 w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" If you sleep 8 hours per night, you’re in lying in your bed 2,920 hours per year. If you’re going to be in one place that long, you’re going to need to dress it up. Luckily, there are a million resources for bedding out there. Maybe a few too many. We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorites to narrow it down a bit.
Dec 30, 2019
Before & After: Michelle’s Welcoming Courtyard
During the cold days of winter, I like to mentally fast forward to the lazy lounging days of summertime. So even though warm weather has just arrived, I’ve already been spending quite a bit of time thinking about outdoor spaces…This little courtyard before and after from Michelle over at Three Men and a Lady is just the thing to inspire me.
Dec 19, 2019
10 Sources for Luxury Bedding, Because You Deserve It
In honor of National Splurge Day, might we suggest some dreamy bedding?
Jun 18, 2019
Have a More Organized Monday: 5 Tips for Tidying Your Dresser Drawers
We always focus on organizing your closet, which is definitely a vital storage area to keep clean and organized for easy dressing during the work week. But your dresser drawers are important too — save yourself just the smallest amount of time by cutting out the search for matching socks! Here are a few tips for getting your dresser drawers organized and keeping them that way.
May 7, 2019
Before & After: From Disaster to Delightful in 2 Days
For some reason bedrooms seem to be left as the last room in the house to be decorated. I’ve seen it a lot in friend’s houses and House Tours. I am definitely guilty of neglecting my own bedroom, as you can see in this before photo. I am the first to admit — that room is hella ugly! But in two days I was able to take this room from a decorating disaster to delightful with a couple coats of paint (and some major purging).
May 7, 2019
Before & After: Bringing New Life to Old Drawers
Reusing old drawers as shelving is something we’ve discussed here a few times before. In fact, you may recognize one of these drawers from a post on the subject. While I’ve been using drawers as shelving for a couple of years, I wanted to take the concept to the next level.I had already been using one of these drawers as a wall shelf in my bedroom and when I gave the bedroom a makeover, I wasn’t sure whether I would use the drawers again.
May 7, 2019
Before & After: Turning a Laundry Closet into a Laundry Center
The washer/dryer hookup in our apartment is perfectly located right off the kitchen and close to the dining room, where we do all the laundry folding. Since this is our first apartment with laundry inside the unit, we’re quite happy to have it so centrally located. Although the location of our little laundry closet may be nearly perfect, the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. Those louvered bi-fold doors have got to go!
May 7, 2019
Before & After: An Upcycled File Box
When I saw this little file box at a Salvation Army, it practically called to me from across the store. “Jason,” it called out to me, “please take me home and give me new life. I’m only five dollars!” How could I possibly pass it up?The original gray finish on the file box had definitely seen better days. Even after a thorough scrubbing, the finish was marred with years of tape and dings and scrapes. Nothing a little spray paint won’t fix!
May 6, 2019
Before & After: Diane’s Dandy Chandi Makeover
This brass chandelier may have a lot of life left in it but it’s definitely a bit dated. Of course, that’s nothing a little paint and patience won’t fix!Reviving an old, dated piece is always the greenest option versus replacing it altogether. So I’m delighted to see that Diane, over at In My Own Style, was able to modernize this dated brass chandelier.
May 6, 2019
Before & After: A Brassy to Classy Lamp Re-do
When Alissa received this lamp as a hand-me-down from her grandparents, she loved the shape but not the dated brassy finish. Spray paint and a little imagination to the rescue!I see what Alissa means about the shape of this lamp — now that it’s painted! I admit that I was too distracted by the old brassy finish on the lamp to appreciate its finer qualities! Now that its been painted white I love it — especially that tall finial!
May 6, 2019
Daniel’s Brilliant IKEA Fräck Hack
At left, the affordable and handy Fräck mirror from IKEA. I’ve had one hanging in my bathroom for a few years and, now that I’ve seen what Daniel was able to do with his, I’m looking at mine in a whole new light… A whole new light! See what I did there? Daniel, from Manhattan Nest, is responsible for this brilliant IKEA hack. He was also kind enough to give us step-by-step directions on his blog so we can make one for ourselves!
May 6, 2019
Before & After: A Dark Hallway Comes into the Light
This long, dark hallway was not being helped by the saltillo tile, ugly light fixture, and dark trim. But after stripping away all those dated features in the hallway, it’s now a lighter, brighter, and more welcoming space…We saw this snazzy before and after over on To the Moon and Back — a great little blog documenting a home’s transformation. This project is a true testament to the power of simple changes.
May 6, 2019
Before & After: Nicole Dresses Up a Drab Dresser
Nicole picked up this dresser as part of a three-piece set. The other two pieces, matching nightstands, got their own makeovers but Nicole wanted to do something a little different with this dresser. Check out the results after the jump…As Nicole reports on her blog, Scrap Me Baby, the dresser was in great condition structurally so it really just came down to a matter of painting it. Giving this dresser the black-and-white treatment makes great use of the piece’s details!
May 6, 2019
Before & After: Linda Welcomes Style to the Entryway
Linda has a lovely home, outdoors and in, but her entryway was not feeling very welcoming. Besides being on the bland side, this entryway was also seriously deficient in functionality. Fortified with a whole lot of DIY ambition, Linda turned the entryway into a welcoming (and useful) space…As you can see in the ‘after’ photos, Linda went with a more dramatic palette for her entryway.
May 6, 2019
Before & After: A Chest of Drawers Gets Paper Sourced
This chest of drawers was plucked from an alley near some student housing. In its original state, it was a bit boring and beat up. That’s nothing a little paint, paper, and elbow grease can’t fix…Diana over at Fine Diving saw the potential for new life in this dresser. She started out with this gorgeous patterned paper from Paper Source, which she used for the drawer fronts.
May 6, 2019
Before & After: A Pink to Poodle Chair Makeover
I love the story of this chair makeover, largely because it sounds a lot like my own DIY projects — an equal mix of inspiration, serendipity, and hundreds of staples…Back in mid-November Christine, of Bijou and Boheme, blogged about picking up these lovely-lined but shabby (and pink!) chairs, along with an inspiration photo of similar chairs covered in fur. Then Christine lived with the chairs while she decided what exactly she wanted to do with them.
May 6, 2019
Before & After: Jill’s Dresser Goes Tall, Dark & Handsome
Jill picked up this old dresser for $25 with the intention of refinishing it as a gift to her brother. In order to match some of the other furnishings her brother already has, Jill decided to go dark with this blond dresser…After removing the old handles from the dresser and doing a little patching, Jill stained the dresser a bit darker. To further modernize the piece she replaced the old handles with new, shiny drawer pulls.
May 6, 2019
Before & After: Light & Bright Updated Kitchen
We love it when readers send us their projects to be featured. Kelly emailed us about her fabulous kitchen makeover, taking it from the dark and dated room you see above to the bright and updated space you can see after the jump…When Kelly and her husband bought their 100-year-old house that needed renovating, she was thrilled to get the chance to design her dream kitchen. And a dream kitchen it is! Kelly had the old kitchen torn out and started fresh.
May 6, 2019
Sean’s DIY Bathroom Lighting Makeover
Sean has been transforming his white box of an apartment into a stylish and personalized home. In one of his recent blog posts Sean shows off this DIY bathroom lighting makeover that works around an existing awkward location in a creative way.This lighting over the double basin sink in Sean’s bathroom was unattractive – both as a light fixture and in the shadows it cast on the folks under it.
May 5, 2019
Before & After: Dated Dresser to Ombre Sideboard
Well hello there, ugly old dresser. You have some mighty fine bones but oooh boy are you a dated mess. Time to grab the paint and transform you into something more modern!The folks over at Young Nesters were in need of a sideboard for their dining room. After searching in vain for an affordable option, they spied this old dresser in a grandmother’s basement and, since it was free anyway, decided to try their hand at an ombre makeover.
May 5, 2019
Before & After: Jude’s Virtually Free Sofa
Our readers don’t just come to us for home inspiration – they also share their own projects with us, bring the inspiration around full circle. Jude emailed us this sofa transformation that we think is a great lesson in patience and DIY chutzpah.Jude’s small apartment requires a slim sofa, one that is no longer than 56 inches.
May 5, 2019