Before & After: Samna Transforms a Studio in 5 Days

Written by

Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara is Apartment Therapy's News & Culture Director. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you'll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
published Feb 21, 2013
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Samna flew out to New York from her home in Seattle to help her sister set up her studio apartment. With only five days and $500, here’s how she transformed the rental into a chic hangout.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

From Samna:

Here’s what I had to work with: My sister’s apartment in a post-war building, 248 square feet of bedroom/living area and kitchen, $500 budget and five days to get it all done. This project is for all of the people who claim “I don’t have time. I don’t have a lot of money. My space is tiny. My landlord won’t allow me to do much to my apartment.” 


In five days, I threw paint on the walls, applied a temporary faux etched glass look to the windows, added fabric to the kitchen walls and scoured the local thrift stores for decorating items. 90% of the items purchased for this space were either found in the dumps, thrift stores or were clearance items. Goodwill was my favorite, but I also found some great items at Salvation Army and Housing Works.  By the end of the renovation, I had actually spent far less than my budget of $500. The actual total was $299.76. For that amount, I was able to reupholster a chair, transformed an old Ikea lamp into a paper towel holder, constructed a $348 Anthropologie lamp for $10, covered bookcases with scrapbook paper and paint/saw a coffee table I had haggled for from Housing Works. 
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

For the full five-day transformation and more photos, check out Samna’s blog, Will Craft for Food. MORE BEFORE & AFTERS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:Before & After: Simple IKEA Wooden Bedframe Gets a Luxe Upholstered LookBefore & After: Christina’s Tiny Bedroom to Bright Office Plus Guest RoomThe Complete Before & After Category Archive

Thanks, Samna!

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(Images: Sami & Samna Chheng)