Our TeamSarah Everett

Sarah Everett

I cover Before & Afters, DIYs, home projects, and design trends.Brooklyn, NYKeep up with me on Apartment Therapy

About Me

I’m from Columbia, Missouri, a journalism town (okay, technically a college town with a big journalism school). It’s also home to one of my favorite things: True/False Film Fest, an international documentary festival. So I’ve been inspired by journalism/journalists/nonfiction storytelling for, I think, forever?

I have an MA and BA in journalism from the University of Missouri and Belmont University, respectively. While in school, I worked for city magazines (and also started working part-time for AT!). I learned to love clever, voicey content that’s helpful, whether it’s recommending something to watch or read, helping you get involved in your community, or helping you decorate your home.

As Home Projects Editor, I cover DIY and design, and I organize the Before & After series. (If you’ve done a cool project, please send it to me!) Outside of work, I love doing the crossword, chatting with friends, drinking iced lattes, and going on little walks and sometimes longer runs. If there were a job that combined those things, I would do that. But for now, I'll do the next-best thing, where I pretty much do chat with friends, read, drink lattes, and go on little walks — with lots of writing, editing, and looking at cool homes mixed in.

My pronouns

she/her/hers

My education

Belmont University (BA in Journalism), University of Missouri (MA in Journalism)


Latest Stories

A $50 Mantel Inspired This DIY Fireplace — He Handmade Every Tile
If you don’t have a fireplace in your living room or bedroom, you can always make one — whether that’s an operational one or a purely decorative one. Here are nine DIY fireplace ideas to inspire you — plus a 10th one from stylist and interior decorator Chad Burton (@chadburton.studio).
1 day ago
An All-Gray Bathroom Got a Colorful Redo with an Unrecognizable IKEA Hack
One of homeowner and interior designer Chloë Rideout’s (@chloerideoutinteriors) goals for her bathroom makeover was to make it look less cookie-cutter and more vintage. After all, her condo is in an 1835 rowhome.But in the first three years that Chloë and her husband, Joe, lived there, the bathroom was “gray and boring,” Chloë says.
1 day ago
They Used to Avoid This Cramped Bathroom — A Space-Saving Redo Fixed It
People who live in smaller homes can probably relate to this sentiment from designer Lauren Saab @saabstudios.design): “In a smaller home, you feel the inefficiencies of every square foot,” she says.And Lauren was definitely feeling the inefficiencies in her 1,162-square-foot 1950s house’s bathroom. “The bathroom was one of the smallest rooms in the house, but the vanity made it feel even tighter,” she says.
2 days ago
I’ve Seen Hundreds of IKEA BILLY Hacks — Never One Like This
Studio apartment dwellers often have to come up with clever ways to divide their space into distinct zones for sleeping, dining, working, and more. Take, for instance, these large pink IKEA BILLY bookcases that basically turn this studio into a one-bedroom, or this IKEA shower door hack that carves out a home office in a studio.A third space-savvy IKEA project to add to the list is Olamilekan Isaac’s (@our_commonspace) BILLY-built bedroom.
Oct 2, 2026
Their Dining Room Furniture Looked Dated Until 1 DIY Changed the Whole Room
If you ever have the lingering feeling that your space looks good, but not great, turn your attention to the walls. Often, they just need a bit more oomph.Giving the walls a dose of texture with moulding or coating them with rich, moody paint color is a surefire way to make an entire space look more sophisticated and meant-to-be.This dining room is a great example.
Sep 28, 2026
A Blank Dining Room Got a Bold Red, Blue, and Green Makeover
Green is a great color to use in interior design because it’s so versatile. Muted sages make for calming sleep spaces, and bold or dark greens can create statement-making bookcases.Brandi Katherine Herrera (@alivelymanner) went with bright green in her Omaha cottage’s dining room makeover. But the space when she bought it had a “palette of gray and white builder-grade finishes.
Sep 27, 2026
A Bright White Bedroom Is Now a Green Cocoon “Inspired by the Forest”
When it comes to choosing a dark paint color, DIYer Danie Berger (@diyinprogress_) says, “Transitioning a space from bright and airy to dark and dramatic can feel intimidating.”But she says it can be rewarding, design-wise; the key is “layering tones within the same family so the space [feels] cohesive rather than chaotic.
Sep 25, 2026
This Renter-Friendly Redo Made Yellow-Toned Cabinets Look So Much Better
If you’re a renter wondering where you should spend your budget on decorating your apartment, take Alli’s (@actuallyalliDIY) advice: “I like to try to save as much money as possible on the removable renovations,” she says. “I tend to invest more money into the decor items because those items can move with me and be used in future spaces.
Sep 25, 2026
She Used IKEA Storage to Make Her Studio Feel Like a One-Bedroom
For better (see: these 20 incredibly chic studios) or worse (see: not being able to fall asleep due to a light coming from a random kitchen appliance), studio apartments famously do not have a distinct sleeping zone. But that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. Renter Ashley Buchanan (@historyinhighheels) created a cozy bedroom with plenty of clothing storage in her 480-square-foot studio apartment in D.C.“Technically, there was no bedroom before!” Ashley says.
Sep 23, 2026
The Boldest Part of This Color-Drenched Bedroom Isn’t Even the Paint
Red paint is sometimes difficult to work with and style, but — when paired with the right colors and in just the right shade — it can elevate any room. (Have you heard of the unexpected red theory?)A rust-meets-red paint job in Abigail Rogers’ (@abigailrogersinteriors) bedroom is the perfect, rich color choice for her Victorian home — but that’s only one great element of her bedroom redo, which includes an IKEA hack, a DIY headboard, and more.
Sep 16, 2026
This Kitchen Was Straight Out of the '70s Until a Cozy All-White Redo
A few things to love from the ’70s, design-wise? Macrame, rattan, funky patterns — even conversation pits. A few things that certainly aren’t missed from the decade? Orange-toned everything, fluorescent lighting, and bland laminate countertops.Unfortunately, Jenessa Weaver’s 1977 kitchen had several not-so-fun-or-funky ’70s details, and she was looking for a change. So she enlisted the help of her childhood best friend, Alysha, designer and owner of Camp Interiors.
Sep 6, 2026
She Painted More Than Just the Walls in Her Dreamy Bedroom Retreat
A color-drenched paint effect (aka painting the walls, trim, and ceiling all the same color) is not always possible for a renter if there are lease stipulations about painting the ceiling, but Rosaline Elbay got pretty close in her Boerum Hill apartment’s bedroom. “If this weren’t a rental, I probably would have color drenched completely, but I settled for just drenching the closet doors,” Rosaline says.
Sep 6, 2026
This All-White Kitchen Nook Became Cozy Without a Major Renovation
Home Projects
There are some rooms that just feel extra dreamy — home libraries with wall-to-wall bookshelves and antique lamps, sunrooms with tall windows and lots of plants, or powder rooms that feel straight out of a hotel, perhaps.These are the kinds of rooms you pin to inspiration boards or add to a “someday” list. For interior designer Valerie Darden (@brextoncoleinteriors), it’s breakfast nooks that make a house feel extra fancy.
Sep 4, 2026
Limewashed Walls Gave This Kitchen a Vintage, Minimalist Redo
Adding a limewash paint treatment to your walls can add a vintage, worldly aesthetic to even a brand-new space. It’s often used in living rooms and bedrooms, but DIYer and apartment dweller Teresa Rudolph added it to her kitchen — and the result is stunning. When she moved in, the kitchen had crisp white walls, checkered floors, and a basic white kitchen setup on the left-hand side.
Sep 3, 2026
An Office Is Unrecognizable After IKEA BILLY Created a Refreshing Redo
Sometimes 1970s wood-paneled spaces are great, but other times they just look old rather than retro. In Katie and Philip Bowling’s home office, that was the case.“We loved the coziness of the small office room, but it was so dark with the old faux wood paneling,” homeowner Katie Bowling (@katiebowlinghome) says. “The carpet in the room was so worn down.
Sep 2, 2026
They Took a Risk on Mustard and Red — It Completely Changed This Living Room
Paint plus pattern is a great formula for creating a striking transformation in a room, especially if you love color.It’s a formula Brandi Katherine Herrera (@alivelymanner) knows well, as she’s added paint, paneling, and pattern to several rooms in her cozy, colorful cottage originally built in 1918.In her dining room, for example, she added paneling and painted it bright green with a fun wallpaper to match.
Aug 31, 2026
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Bed Frame at Avocado
Sustainable, solid, and stylish.
Aug 27, 2026
This 200-Square-Foot Kitchen Didn’t Gain an Inch — But You’d Never Know
Small kitchens certainly aren’t unusable. In fact, there are plenty of space-savvy kitchen finds that can make tiny studio or galley kitchens work successfully.But sometimes, a small kitchen begs for a total renovation, which was the case for Bri Williams and her husband, Denver, and their 200-square-foot kitchen.
Aug 24, 2026
They Changed Almost Everything but the Cabinets in This 2000s Kitchen
Orange-y wooden cabinets from the ’90s and 2000s might have a bit of a dated look to them, but they can be worth keeping just for the sheer quality of the wood. Throw a little paint on them, and they’ll be perfectly on-trend today, when dark gray, navy, and deep green paint colors reign.
Aug 18, 2026
They Didn't Rip Out Their Dated '70s Fireplace — They Built Around It
Brick fireplaces can be total stunners, but depending on the color, age, and condition of the brick, they can also feel like “a very dull sea of brown,” per Emily Hauffler of House and Hens. Fear not: There are affordable ways to make a boring brown fireplace stylish, as evidenced by these 10 redos — and an 11th in Emily’s home.
Aug 17, 2026
This “Sterile” Basement Bedroom Got an Old-World Redo for Just $2,000
Adding texture and architectural detail to walls is a surefire way to make a home look custom and character-filled rather than builder-grade — especially in a bedroom.You can see what a huge difference it makes in designer Cerrissa Fitz’s (@piranhadesign) basement bedroom, which she took from “sterile” and “boxy,” as she wrote on Instagram, to an “old-world vibe.”Although Cerrissa is an interior designer, this was her first time dabbling in DIY.
Aug 16, 2026
Renters Couldn't Renovate Their Dated Kitchen — So They Got Creative
HOME PROJECTS
Are you a renter feeling limited, home improvement-wise, by the terms of your lease or by the fact that you might someday move? Heed this advice from Lily F Tsutumida: “Do the math and consider what it’s worth for you to be happier in your space while you’re there; if it’s feasible, go for it!
Aug 16, 2026
This Colorful Entryway Redo Has 3 Clever Gallery Wall Ideas Worth Copying
Home Projects
A favorite travel destination inspired many pieces of this personality-packed gallery wall.
Jul 31, 2026
This 70-Inch NYC Living Room Somehow Fits Everything It Needs
Home Projects
This living room redo is chock-full of tips for filling up a small space without it feeling overwhelming.
Jul 29, 2026
This Childhood Bedroom Finally Got the Grown-Up Makeover It Deserved
Home Projects
It’s totally sophisticated and totally pink.
Jul 29, 2026
This Builder-Grade Powder Room Now Looks Completely Custom
Home Projects
The fresh vibe comes courtesy of new wallpaper and some smart DIYs.
Jul 27, 2026
Renter-Friendly DIYs Transformed This NYC Balcony into a Lush Oasis
“Wiping away literal years of city dust and grime was an immediate improvement,” the renter says.
Jul 24, 2026
A Blank Stairwell Became the Most Magical Room in the House
Home Projects
"This is my happy place!" the DIYer says of the "after."
Jul 23, 2026
This Boring Backyard Corner Became a Gardener’s Dream
The potting table and raised garden beds create the perfect setup.
Jul 20, 2026
Before and After: This Renter-Friendly Privacy Hack Completely Changed Her Porch
See how layering textures and patterns — plus adding plants — transformed this porch in a renter-friendly way.
Jul 17, 2026
3 Retro Landscaping Trends That Are Making a Comeback Today
They make your home's curb appeal soar.
Jul 16, 2026
Before and After: IKEA Tiles and a Bright Blue Paint Made This Balcony Unrecognizable
Renters and owners with small balconies: This one's for you! "I feel like I am escaping the city and have a relaxing space away from the hustle down below," this DIYer says of her redo.
Jul 15, 2026
I Didn’t Think Wallpaper Could Change a Room This Much
There’s not a lot paint and wallpaper can’t fix, according to this DIYer.
Jul 13, 2026
Everyone Notices the Paint Color in This Living Room First
Plus, the “after” is filled with secondhand finds.
Jul 12, 2026
For $15, She Turned Basic Living Room Shelves into a Striped Focal Point
The project only took a couple of hours to complete.
Jul 10, 2026
A Full Renovation Solved the Layout Problem and Created a Dream Kitchen
The “after” is streamlined and clutter-free.
Jul 8, 2026