Before After

With help from the pros, a DIYer transformed a blank space for $9,600.

Patching, painting, and sanding turned this crusty dresser into a modern showstopper.

For $180!

Nancy from Marcus Design took the Rast dresser from IKEA and DIY’d it into a Dorothy Draper-inspired Hollywood Regency accent piece for her bedroom. Check out her step-by-step instructions and try this at home! Nancy’s first step was to prime the surface of the dresser and spray it with two coats of black lacquer spray paint from RustOleum.

After lighting struck their Texas home, Jeanne and Richard were forced to rebuild their kitchen from the studs. Rather than constructing a carbon copy of what had been lost, they decided to start anew celebrating their love for Danish Modern design and reminiscent of their parents’ open ranch-style homes.Armed with dozens of images for inspiration (including some from AT, which they discovered through their research!

A modern twist on a historic house.

A homeowner with virtually no construction experience redoes her kitchen to suit her tastes.

Anthropologie’s Ordinal Dresser is one popular piece of furniture — so much that this is the second dresser makeover we’ve seen based off of it. The first one was a low, six-drawer version, but this one will have you thinking twice about which dresser is the original, and which is the knock-off. It’s hard to believe, but the above dresser was made to look nearly identical to the Ordinal, all for only $30!

Almost two years ago, I wrote about reducing the visual noise of this glass-door bookcase I use for DVD storage. Though not ideal for this purpose, the piece has sentimental value because it belonged to a neighbor/surrogate grandmother who has since passed away. My original effort to reduce the visual noise using paper I had in the house was successful, but never really made my heart sing.Skip ahead to last month when I found this beautiful inspiration image from Elle Decor.

If you are anything like me, you often look at your living room and wonder when you are going to get around to making those updates you keep talking about. If that’s the case, let this roundup of Apartment Therapy’s makeover projects inspire you to take up the cause, even if it’s a little bit at a time. 1. Ferren and her husband started with the goal of brightening their space and spent the next year gradually replacing items with pieces that were more to their taste. 2.

Here at Apartment Therapy, we love a good before & after. Although many of our before & afters feature down-on-their-luck furniture pieces rescued by enterprising DIYers, some of my favorites are the projects in which a whole room is transformed. Check out some of the best makeovers of 2013. TOP ROW: 1. Before and After: Bri Emery’s Living Room Makeover 2. Before After: From Boring Bedroom to Chic Shared Space 3. Before After: A Blank Wall Gets Shelved 4.

For $600!

Renovations often produce dramatic results, but that doesn’t mean you need to rip out floors and knock out walls to make a statement. Let’s look at some of our favorite big, bold, and beautiful Big Reveal transformations, using just the power of paint and decor. Re-edited from a post originally published 9.27.

Now, it's historic AND bold. It sets the tone for the rest of the jewel-toned home.

They went from far-out to fantastic.

Mai’s pantry redo is a treat for the eyes — how many of us can relate to her “before” image? Standard wire shelving, jumbled up goods… essentially a dark hole in the wall that just gets the “keep the door closed” treatment. Come see this simple, refreshing makeover that will inspire you to tackle even the scariest of pantries!

Long time readers may remember father and small space problem solver Jason who built his daughter Annabelle a stylish crib (above) to fit into a nook that was a few inches too small for a traditional crib. He took charge of his home and made it work for his family. As they all do, Annabelle grew up and was ready for a big girl bed. Here’s how Jason converted the crib into a toddler bed…and then back again when brother William joined the family!

This homeowner calls her kitchen reno's style "modern eclectic." Her tile, color, counter, and floor choices work great together.

When Laura Wilson of Velvet Sweatpants Interior Design and her fiancé purchased their 1959 home from the original owner, they knew the home needed a lot of love. They also knew they had their work cut out for them.

During Meredith Svoboda's final walk-through of her Nashville home, she photographed the dining room, "dreaming of the life I could bring to this room," she writes.

"There's nothing like that instant gratification feeling of completing a project like this over a weekend," this YouTuber and DIYer says of her two-day project.

Revamping the exposed brick and the fireplace rescued this living room from its dark motel room roots.

These five spaces embrace eye-catching murals to give you just the inspiration you need. 

Painting a large-scale indoor mural doesn't have to be so daunting. After all, it's only paint!

A little fabric can conceal a lot.

A Los Angeles couple concealed an eyesore using a clever find from IKEA.

Working with the big stuff that was already in place helped this savvy homeowner create her dream bathroom for a lot less.

The before was nice, but the after? It's a real stunner.

"We were in the process of renovating our whole bathroom and really wanted a wooden vanity, but the ones we liked were all out of our budget," this homeowner says. IKEA hack to the rescue!

Here's an easy project renters and non-renters can do to spruce up a fireplace for fall.

The builder-grade espresso-shade is long gone from this now-cheery and cozy kitchen.

The house, which has a connection to the Salem witch trials, gets an update that preserves history but increases livability.

"I love the classic look and the added closed storage," this DIYer says of her innovative railing swap.

And a Santa Monica meets Sussex vibe with the founder of Sweet Laurel Bakery!

The "after" is perfect for an imaginative, color-loving kid — but adults will find inspo here, too.

The after is cute and clutter-free thanks to a few DIYS. "In terms of design, think about two or three small changes that will make such a difference," this DIYer advises.

The "after" is a little airy, a little rustic, and very striking.

From chair rail moulding to a custom headboard, this dreamy bedroom redo has tons of DIY projects to copy.

The eight-week challenge will help you start — and finish — the project you've been dreaming about.

A dresser in the kitchen?! This DIYer proves it's absolutely a good idea.

If I do say so myself!

The end result looks like a much more expensive piece of furniture that would fit in with a ton of different home styles, from traditional to modern farmhouse.

The new scalloped shelving is a must-see!

Space-defining DIYs and savvy secondhand shopping went a long way in this redo.

I used to hate this room, but now I absolutely love it.

"When guests walk in, they're usually like ... 'woah,'" this homeowner says of the after.

This bathroom went from bright red to more serene and Mediterranean-inspired.

What was old is new again.

The bathroom is a great place to start when it comes to making changes to your home as you grow older.

"I love how a couple cans of paint transformed a stark, cold bedroom into a welcoming and joyful oasis," this homeowner says.

2022 has been the year of the built-in, and these 11 are the most impressive we've seen.

Light and bright — without adding any windows!

One clever fix: a wall-mounted drying rack.

With room for a laundry area!