Before After

Charlotte Turtle and her husband didn’t have a master bath in their home and wanted to find a way to remedy the situation. They did, however, have a large laundry room attached to their bedroom that they thought just might do the trick. Follow me after the jump to see what they came up with…They began this renovation with planking the walls, leaving one wall with exposed brick. For Charlotte, the design element key to making this rustic bathroom a success was the sink basins.

Cybele and her husband transformed their very old, gross garden shed into a playhouse that their daughter uses every day. The inside is about 8′ x 10′, and the exterior wrap-around porch adds even more room for tea parties during warmer months. I mean, how many kids have their own wrap-around porch? The answer is not many.The adults did the fix-up work while their daughter napped.

In late 2011, I looked at my living room wall and decided I need to refresh it. So I decided to do a small project by taking photos of the flora that surrounds my home since I am living near one of Singapore’s best Nature Reserves, The Bukit Timah Hill. I have been running on the forest trail for quite a while, enjoying the peace in contrast to the hectic city life. With inspiration of 18th century botanical illustration, I decided to do a modern interpretation.

By the time we were completing construction on our kitchen, I was nine months pregnant. Nothing will motivate a contractor to wrap things up faster than his client going into labor before his eyes. I waved away an offer to be driven to the hospital and said between deep breathes, “I just need it done!

From Lilly: When we were shopping for our home and walked through what is now our kitchen, I was really taken aback by the dark and cheap looking laminate counters and back splash. However, I thought the ceramic tile floors and off-white cabinets could be a great base for an update.

Jolene kept some old nail boxes in her garage for some time, waiting for a way to repurpose them into something useful. Can you guess what she made for her kids? Click to see what she and her husband did with one crate in an hour’s time, with a few tools and additional supplies. I’ll give you a hint: it involves eyebolts.Jolene cut some holes for legs and her husband secured the rope before hanging it from a tree in their front yard.

It’s easy to walk into a rental and see only the bad parts — poor lighting, bad flooring, old paint, etc. Forced to move, Victoria of SF Girl by Bay has made the best out of what initially seemed like a less than ideal new home.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Anna Robinson) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) (Image credit: Apartment Therapy)We love the cool loft space and the laidback vibe of the renovation, plus those antler sconces are so chic.

This was a transformation from a minimally heated, dark, unlivable attic-like space to a bright, modern master suite. The main features include the headboard wall with wall hung sinks on the back side, gas stove, library, skylight, built in bench seat, walk-in closet, and the spacious bathroom. One of the primary design goals was to keep the space wide open while still offering subtle boundaries and separations between functions.

From Megan:  Our whole house was a mess when we bought it. Nothing had ever been updated properly. The bathroom was our first major interior project and not being very handy, we hired someone to do it for us. It was completely gutted because there were rotten joists in the floor and there wasn’t anything salvageable in the room. It also had a very cramped feeling, so we changed the layout at the suggestion of our contractor.

The ubiquitous pallet — just when you think you’ve seen every pallet project under the sun, one comes along and surprises you! This clever little toddler sofa is the perfect height for playing, reading, or resting — and it’s super cute, to boot!Griffin Carrick says this about her pallet sofa project: I stumbled upon some abandoned wood pallets (once used to transport sod) in my neighborhood and jumped on the pallet bandwagon.

How do you add some personality to a plain Jane chair? If you’re like Ainhoa and can’t sew, try painting a pattern on it! The after has us practically buzzing:From Ainhoa: My aunt gave us an old accent chair she no longer had room for. My initial idea was to make a new cover out of a fun patterned fabric. The problem? I don’t really know how to sew, so I’d either have to learn, or ask someone for help. My next idea was to dye it.

This bathroom isn’t terribly awful — but it isn’t terribly interesting, either. Come see what some new lighting, a framed-out mirror, and some board and batten walls can do for a rather ho-hum bathroom.Jenny from Project Maddox was determined to tackle her kids’ bathroom and make it just a little less “just moved in” and give it a more custom look.

Brooke, from the home décor blog Inside-Out Design, started with this run-of-the-mill old coffee table, and with some ingenuity and a lot of handiwork, she and her husband transformed it into a one-of-a-kind hand-tufted ottoman.Brooke used West Elm’s Ikat Print by the Yard fabric as inspiration for completely transforming the coffee table.

There are so many good IKEA Rast hacks out there that it can be hard to finally choose one. I’ve spent five years with a plain, unpainted set as a pair of bedside tables because I just couldn’t make up my mind about what to do with them. Should I age them? Add campaign hardware? Paint them to look like Transformers (my husband’s suggestion)? I never did make up my mind.

Collecting chairs is a little bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I could spend whole weekends searching for them in flea markets and antique stores, or trolling the internet for rare ones. I’m that girl who will get giddy more giddy over a chair in someone’s home than over their shoe collection, and I have the Pinterest board to prove it! Thanks to a lucky Craigslist find, I scored this antique armless chair that was made in Italy over 60 years ago.

When expecting her first child, Susannah did what many folks do in preparation: convert the extra guest room to a nursery. She clearly enjoyed the process, gathering everything she’d need for her first born from sources from Target to Etsy to Craigslist. You want to see how it turned out? You know what to do…Susannah did a great job mixing fun and colorful patterns. The spot above the changing table is ready and waiting for a photo of her soon-to-be-born baby boy.

After scoring these sweet cane back chairs from a Craigslist seller, Maria wondered what to do with them. Well, inspiration struck, and she shared her chic transformation with us.I’m a sucker for a DwellStudio fabric, so I must applaud Maria’s good taste (and cute styling)!From Maria: Way back in June, I found two great cane back chairs on Craigslist for a great price. The seller was so anxious to get them out of his basement that he even delivered them right to my door.

I love it when kids’ rooms look like, well… a room fit for a kid! This is a great example of a clean, organized, yet creative space for a little one to flourish.Kara Rosenlund designed this room to be a cheerful, relaxed space perfect for a growing little boy. From the dramatic floor-to-ceiling chalkboard walls, to the sunny ceiling fan, to the “grass” rug on the floor, there’s no risk of mistaking this room for a serious grownup space.

Not only does this IKEA Hacker project by Huib von Essen reuse and refresh three discontinued IKEA BOALT CD racks, but the solution even incorporates 15 clear empty CD cases as transparent shelves for displaying small items (on a related note, CD racks installed horizontally also work great as toy shelving/display) …and you know you’ve got at least a few of those empty cases laying around somewhere.

For her twin girls, Abbie created a nursery that had — wait for it — not a lick of pink, and an amazing focal point. Take a look at how how she anchored the room, after the jump! See lots of other photos of the finished room, along with all her projects, on Abby’s blog, Five Days Five Ways Thanks for sharing Abbie!

I recently came across this design project that Michelle Morelan, designer and renderer extraordinaire, did for a couple in Toronto.The clients had some general ideas of what they wanted to accomplish with the project, and Michelle created a plan to help them achieve their goals. The major objectives were to expand the space, replace all of the finishes, and to update the corner fireplace.

When Kyle moved into her San Francisco home two years ago, she knew that remodeling her kitchen was a priority. She loves to host dinner parties and the layout of her kitchen was not conducive to entertaining. Opening the room to create a welcoming space for friends to eat, drink and interact was a must.Kyle turned to pinterest for design inspiration. Ready to ditch the yellow and blue color combo of her old space, she fell in love with the fresh, clean aesthetic found in shades of whites.

I’m more than slightly obsessed with this renovation; it’s ignited all my fantasies about: a) owning a small home somewhere in the country; and b) having an even smaller guest house somewhere on the property. And don’t get me started about my mad love for New Zealand. Ugh. I need to stop now. Gemma and her husband took this old railroad cabin and created a Kiwi meets Scandinavian bedroom. It’s simple, well-styled and — in my mind — perfect.

Katja gives full instructions, along with photos of the process, over at her blog, Shift Ctrl ART Thanks so much Katja — both projects look great!

When I shot Andrew’s Vintage Berwyn Bungalow house tour, the kitchen was in the early stages of being torn apart for a rehab. It took almost two years but Andrew finally put the finishing touches on his new kitchen and is ready to share it with the world. Before I show you the “after” photos, let’s take one more look at the dated old kitchen that Andrew inherited when he bought his house: Those cabinets! That ceiling fan! Oof!

When Brooke and Luke found out they were expecting a baby boy, they decided to turn their office into a nursery. The problem was, it felt like more of a “man room” than a little guy’s nursery with its dark, knotty pine walls. So Brooke and Luke decided to roll up their sleeves and work a little magic with primer and paint. It was a lot of work, but the end result is stunning:For more photos and details, check out Brooke’s blog, Life in Bridgetown.Thanks, Brooke!

Beige carpet and a half wall kept this staircase closed off and out of date. Check out how Kelly and her boyfriend brightened the space on a small budget. From Kelly: My boyfriend installed the hardwood and used melamine (cheap and easy to clean) for the stair risers. Spindles were on sale for $5 each, and we spaced them out a bit. He also made the newel post and even the newel cap!

Every time I think I’ve seen the most creative hack of an IKEA product, someone comes around with something new that completely blows my mind. Normally a table turns into another kind of table, or a dresser becomes a bar, but I never thought I’d see the day someone managed to turn a series of IKEA beds into a stylish iron fence. Meike at IKEA Hackers said she had wanted to get a new iron fence, but iron fences can get really expensive.

I’ve been trying to hack an IKEA chandelier into a serviceable, modern, Sputnik-style chandelier for over a year now. Successful IKEA chandelier hack tutorials abound on the Internet, but mine has been been pretty slow going between the spray paint, origami, and the fact that I ordered completely the wrong size chandelier. But apparently a really good IKEA Sputnik is easier than I ever thought. Over at IKEA Hackers, Caissie St.

I see a lot of interior transformations, but I’m a little obsessed with this one cottage renovation going on in Finland. So far it’s comprised a series of teaser photos over the past couple of months, and I am just waiting for the final reveal. And waiting. And waiting. But now I can’t stand it anymore, so I’m going to let you in on my exquisite pain. Suki and her family are currently restoring a little cottage, transforming it into a simple and stylish retreat.

Aesthetically, Jane’s kitchen wasn’t her cup of tea, but it wasn’t in bad shape. The real issue was the lack of functional storage — and the lack of a vent hood, which meant that every time Jane cooked anything it would set off the smoke alarm. Yikes. Enter Brooklyn-based Famurat Builders, who Jane met through The Sweeten, an online resource that connects New York-area homeowners with architects, interior designers and contractors.

Usually when someone spends the time and effort on a makeover it’s because the original object is ugly or in bad shape. Neither is true in this case. Laura made over a brand new and super cute toy to appeal to both her daughter and her son. Terrific! Here’s what Laura had to say about this project: I wanted to find a good quality wooden stroller that both my son and daughter could play with.

When Emma’s local Goodwill held a competition for upcycling, she knew it was the perfect opportunity to make her two-year-old son the bookshelf he’d been needing. I found the broken down old dresser for fifteen dollars, and the legs came from another end table that I got for only two. After a ton of sanding (through a coat of white, yellow, and even blue!! paint), I began to see what pretty wood there was underneath!

We’ve seen IKEA coffee tables customized dozens of different ways. They can be retextured, studded, and even given heavy marble tops. But this hack takes it in a different direction and turns one coffee table into an upholstered ottoman. Over at IKEA Hackers, Marynell from Amusing MJ showed how she turned an IKEA Lack coffee table into an upholstered ottoman like the ones she liked from West Elm with some 5” foam batting from JoAnn’s and some upholstery fabric.

When Billy and Sally bought this 775 square foot apartment in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, it had a few of the less-than-charming features common to many NYC area flats — badly worn floors; a tiny, cramped kitchen, awkwardly separated from the rest of the space. With the power vested in them as new homeowners, they decided to do something about it, embarking on an inspiring renovation that shows just how much living you can do in a small space.

House & HomeMandy used the Ace Hotel in New York as inspiration, and chose vintage-style fixtures and finishes, with warm brass accents and black trim. The result is classic and dramatic and befitting the home’s history.Traditional sconces, and the weathered wood vanity, add to the old-school vibe.See more photos, and the rest of the step-by-step house renovation over at Canadian House & Home.

Back in 2009, FLOR launched this Lincoln Park location as their first foray into brick and mortar retail. Since then, FLOR has launched stores in a number of other cities across the country. Now they’re turning their attention back to home base and giving their Chicago store a new look. The new layout feels more modern while also giving the store a homier vibe.  Gone are the old white concrete floors and walls lined with tiny samples.

Old schools chairs like this are kind of inherently cool. But not many have survived that are in good enough condition, without rust and wear, to use as is, especially around kids. Kate found a few of these chairs in her Grandfather’s garage and decided to give one a makeover as a gift for her niece. Check it out… This was a slightly time consuming project but, other than that it was really simple!

Some IKEA hacks go so far beyond a simple IKEA transformation that they should be considered custom furniture with IKEA elements. In some of those cases (like this one!) the results are exceptional. IKEA Hackers user colsey blew my fragile little mind with this custom writing desk inspired by the Cavour desk by Carlo Mollino. It took some work, but considering that the original desk would cost $14,000, the work was well worth it.

Back in 2008, when Ainsley Ryan and Chris Showalter bought a fixer-upper loft in a former Ex-Lax factory in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood, they commissioned an architect to design something a little unusual — an OSB-clad ‘pod’ containing a master bedroom, a bathroom, and a little nook for their infant daughter.

Some parents worry that their baby’s closet is too small, but what if all you have for a nursery IS a closet? Kari has been inspired by all the small nurseries we’ve shown in the past and wanted to share her own small space baby project: her closet turned nursery.  Kari writes: We are about to have a daughter and wanted to stay in our one-bedroom apartment, so we converted our walk-in closet into a nursery. Our space was 43′ x 77′.

If you’ve ever lived in an apartment, this ‘before’ picture might look a little familiar. In fact, I’m pretty sure my very first rental had the exact same wood-trimmed cabinets and white laminate countertop. But when Brooklyn residents Mark and Erin bought their own place, they decided it was time for an update — one that would make their outdated kitchen more beautiful and more useful.

Have you ever been intimidated by refinishing metal furniture? Joanna shows it’s entirely possible, and gets great results with a little time and elbow grease. She found this little cabinet in a parking lot and instantly saw its potential. Want to see the result of her work? Read on… The cabinet is now totally bright, cheerful and ready for its new life in Joanna’s house.

One of the (many) nice things about living in Paris is that people often put their old furniture out on the pavement for opportunistic treasure hunters like myself to scavenge. I found this old chair one evening and I suspect that, as I took it home on the metro, the other passengers thought I was an eccentric expat who brought her own seating.However when I got it home it looked a bit drab so I decided to perk it up with a lick of paint and a bit of decoupage.

Bargain shopper Erin haggled this chair from an estate sale down to $10. It sat in her home, patiently waiting for a refresh, until she found the perfect fabric. See how she made over this chair for under $50 total:From Erin: I am an Architect Technologist by day and sewer/DIYer/furniture upcycler by night. I am a thrifty shopper, and limit most purchases to no more than $20.00. If it’s in the trash, even better!

Jenna found this planter at a junk store for just $2. Though it was in rough shape, she saw its potential. See how she transformed it into a totally cute vessel for indoor planting.From Jenna: My apartment is small and I have lots of terrariums around the house, but am always looking for fun ways to bring more greenery inside. I found this planter stand at a junk store for $2 — a new coat of paint in a herringbone print, plus some jars I had lying around and voila!

Today’s Before & After comes from Jérémy, a very talented 16 year old designer from Canada. Here he transforms an old vintage fan from boring to bold with just a paint job. From Jérémy: Old machines are phenomenal artistic works, provided with the refurbishment if they need it. Here’s how an old Eagle Aire fan can be rejuvenated after 50 years without losing its “vintage look.

When we first saw this basement bathroom at the open house before we purchased our home, my first thoughts were, “that’s gotta go”. For the next six months after the house was ours, this bathroom renovation sat on the back burner until we finally had the time to tackle it.Once the time came to jump into it we were faced with problem after problem (isn’t that how all renovations go?).

We often extol the virtues of creating a nursery that will grow with your child and we still believe that. But if you find design and decorating fun, maybe you are looking forward to updating the nursery to a “big kid” room. Reader Laura felt it was time to go from “the land of the dinosaurs” to “swimming with the fishes” in her son’s new, nautical bedroom.

8-year-old Jake had been sharing a room with his older brother until the family decided it was time for each of the boys to have their own space. Their home had a small office that might serve for a third bedroom… after a few little adjustments. Okay, maybe a few big adjustments. Jake’s parents wanted a place where he could sleep, play, study, and host sleepovers — you know, kid things — but the room’s small footprint made this a bit of a challenge.

We’ve seen parents transform all manner of furniture into play kitchens for their kids. Griffin lucked out when she found this piece at a thrift store. To transform it into a play kitchen for her daughter, Frances, she didn’t need to do any structural work – just add bits and bobs, you know, the fun stuff.Like in any kitchen, the white paint gives this piece new life and makes it look fresh and new.

Margaux inherited this table, solidly built but in bad condition, from a friend. She began by sanding the top of the table, but when she discovered just how many times the top had been repainted, Margaux came up with an alternate idea:From Margaux: A friend of mine gave this table to me when she moved. It was really solid but looked pretty bad. I started by sanding the top, only to find there was about 10 coats of paint and wax.

47 Park Avenue Michael and Jonathan have SO MANY good rooms to share that it was hard to choose just one. You are highly encouraged to click on over to their website and see what else they are capable of, both at 47 Park AvenueShoot Factory Thanks so much you guys. Well worth the effort I say.

How do you add color to a rental without painting? That was the challenge this client posed to Lisa of Olive Juice Designs. She responded by creating an inviting living room, perfect for entertaining, without pulling out a single paintbrush. From Lisa: A single apartment dweller in San Francisco contacted me to help her with her living room. She admitted that her apartment was lacking in many areas, and she was embarrassed to have friends over.

Thanks Derek! Your new space rocks.

The ‘before’ version of Marie Clare and Peter’s Park Slope townhouse was not without its charm. Marie Clare and Peter fell in love with the house, but had a few changes in mind to make the space lighter, more open, and the perfect home for their small family. To find the perfect contractor for their project, Marie Clare and Peter turned to The Sweeten, a NYC-area resource that connects homeowners to architects, designers and contractors.

You can see more angles over at Rebecca’s blog, Mid Century Modern Remodel Thanks for sharing your project with us, Rebecca!

When Chris and Julia moved into their home in 2011, one of the spaces that really needed major attention was the outdated, builder-grade kitchen, complete with almond-colored appliances, pink countertops, dingy cabinets and fluorescent lighting. Although they were initially planning to tweak the layout, ultimately they decided to save money by keeping the floor plan and refurbishing the existing cabinets. They worked on the kitchen in phases, replacing appliances as they could afford it.

Gemma and her husband have a baby on the way and, while they didn’t get pregnant just so they could design the nursery, for them, it was a welcome bonus. When they moved into their bungalow, the room was, as Gemma called it, “a hot turquoise mess.” With $600 to spend, they were able to fill the room with nursery essentials: a crib, dresser/changing table (they scored a used one and fixed it up) and a new rug.

A few months ago, while searching for furniture to restore for an upcoming outdoor market, I came across this beautiful painted bench. She was so lovely to begin with that part of me debated whether I shouldn’t keep her as is. But seeing how much potential there was in this piece, I decided to up the wow factor and add a little more personality. Check it out!

Marty and her husband found a unique way to upgrade their backslash using reused materials, and it didn’t cost them a dime. You’ll never guess what they did. Marty says, “My husband took some castoff wood from a neighbor’s curb and turned it into a beautiful backsplash worthy of a beach cottage.” They sanded each piece to eliminate splinters and then sprayed the wood with an aerosol primer.

There are so many ways to bring color into a child’s room, we hardly need more. But this before and after dresser uses color so uniquely I couldn’t help myself. See what happened to this thrift store find… Mike of Making of a Parent made a hobby out of turning thrift shop finds into modern, color blocked beauties. He shows how he gets it done on his blog, where you can also see some other finds that he’s turned into colorful gems.

Krys saw potential in Ikea’s popular Expedit shelf, and not just as vertical storage. When flipped horizontally, the unit fit perfectly in an awkward space in Krys’ dining room. Now, if she could only make it look like it belonged there and had a purpose… By modifying other simple upholstery projects she’d seen online (including a headboard and seat cushion), Krys custom created a restaurant-style dining banquette that’s cute, cozy, and packs extra storage.

Ick. Even for the most intrepid DIY folks, this old metal cabinet is daunting. It is rusty, peeling, and no doubt has some sharp edges on it somewhere. Along came Graham who saw potential in the project, and set to work transforming it. Many thanks to Krista Winters for sharing Graham’s success! Re-edited from a post originally published 2.13.

It’s rare when the words IKEA and Dubai appear in one sentence. Dubai, with its reputation for luxury and modern excess, hardly calls to mind budget furniture. However, UAE resident Jacqui wanted to insert a least a hint of glamour into this old Blue Hemnes dresser, and bring a little glitz to her master bedroom. Here’s her hack… She started by painting the dresser a dramatic jet black, then added a nailhead trim around all the edges. Spray painted gold knobs complete the look.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference — and this simple but innovative small-space solution is the perfect proof of that. West Village homeowner Franz loved his small studio apartment, but not the lack of storage space. So he came up with a plan to add storage, without sacrificing any floor space, and found a contractor to help him make his plans a reality. You can see a layout of the studio here. So, not a lot to work with. Franz’ idea?

When Sarah, an editor at Vanity Fair, and her husband Michael, a writer for Bloomberg News, bought their home on the Upper East Side, they knew the kitchen could use a little work. Their apartment, which dates back to 1910, hadn’t had many improvements since then. The kitchen, in particular, was a strange mish-mash of styles: the upper cabinets, original to the apartment, were beautiful, but riddled with wood putty spots and pockmarks from the past 100 years.

Erin of DIY on the Cheap needed a new sleeping solution for her two boys – her youngest was sleeping in the nursery, while her older son was in the guest bedroom. She decided to create a shared “big boy room” for both and hit it out of the ballpark! Erin made the headboards (you can find the tutorial here), toddler bed and pillows herself as well as updated/upcycled a ton of other pieces in the space. See more about the transformation on Erin’s blog, DIY on the Cheap.

Kaylei McGaw, Associate Editor at Lonny, inherited this ripped vinyl saucer chair from her Great Grandmother. Not wanting to get rid of it, she decided to hand it over to the talented folks at Chairloom. She picked fabric, they reupholstered it, and now the chair’s got another fifty years of life. See the transformation next…. Not only did baby get a new pair of shoes, she got a whole new wardrobe!