Before After

We sure didn’t see this one coming. Lanae calls her boyfriend Brandon a “crafty DIY person.” You’re not wrong, Lanae, you’re not at all wrong. Turns out, Brandon is a pretty awesome boyfriend, too. Lanae tells us how this totally inventive piano bar came into being: For Christmas last year I mentioned to my boyfriend that I’d like a bar cart for our house. Brandon did not want to go to IKEA for the standard bar cart set-up.

Landon paid good money for this chair — a whole five bucks! A stamp on the bottom said it was manufactured in 1954, and from the look of things, it’s been sitting outside since shortly thereafter. Who knew that old chair had so much life left? We’re loving how the patterned fabric livens up the simple silhouette. Landon says: The fabric was more like parchment paper that turned into powder at the slightest touch. Let’s just say the dust mites had done a thorough job.

Patrick is an avid DIY’er, but you’re about to see the toughest job he’s ever taken on. It wasn’t for the faint of heart, and he should’ve asked friends to help, but after a week of hard work, he transformed his hardwood into the floors he always wanted… Can you believe he planed his entire hardwood floor BY HAND? No, neither could I. But plane it he did, and therefore Patrick wins the award for DIY endurance. Hands down.

This fireplace lived in Patience’s little house by the sea, but it was old and dated so she waved her magic wand and presto! She tells us, “I wanted wow!” We’d say she got it. Her contractor demolished the top of the hearth and replaced it with a thick slab of bluestone. The rest of the brick was covered with stone veneer. The mantle is made from an old beam from a demolished barn. She kept the original screen but cleaned it up and painted it with a high-heat spray paint.

After moving into her 480 square foot apartment, Maura looked for a creative solution to solve two separate studio space challenges: how to create a space that a 70lb dog and two cats can all enjoy in peace and how to create a somewhat separate sleeping space so it didn’t feel like she was throwing cocktail parties in her bedroom when she entertained. Her DIY solution is smart and sweet.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to dramatically improve the look of a space, as proven by the kitchen Julia and her boyfriend share in Montreal. Some budget ideas, affordable products and a lot of DIY labor made this kitchen brighter and more pleasant. From Julia: My boyfriend and I bought a duplex house in Montreal less than a year ago. We were able to buy in the city, but we didn’t have much money for renovations after.

Kristen calls herself a, “habitual renovator.” This particular 1920’s house was falling apart and she gave its kitchen some major love, much to the chagrin of the previous rodent residents. Says Kristen, “The mice were angry when we forced them out of the dishwasher and claimed back our kitchen!” The heart of this kitchen is the five burner Capital stove which Kristen tells us, “makes entertaining fun.

Lauren recently moved into her first place, a two bedroom condo. The original owners bought it new in ’79 and it had been virtually untouched so 26-year-old Lauren had her work cut out for her. Fortunately, her dad is a recently retired carpenter. She says, “He has plenty of projects to keep him busy now.” See what they did with this side bar. Lauren drew up the plans to convert the unused bar into a built in bookshelf and they got to work.

True story: we thought Jen might be pulling a fast one with this submission. We almost couldn’t believe that this beast of a dresser could turn out like it did. Want to see what we mean? Check it out. After inheriting it from her aunt, this dresser sat in the garage for months. Jen began experimenting with paint color, but nothing looked right. She even dismantled it, only to discover particle board. Yuck! Then, as Jen puts it, “this project got a little more interesting.

Who’s wearing green today? Cindy won’t be getting a pinch. She came across this free cherry wood sideboard, took it home and gave it a St. Paddy’s worthy makeover you won’t soon forget. She sanded and primed this sideboard and rolled on two coats of high gloss green. Then she polished up the original hardware to give it a glamorous shine. Cindy says: I was dying for a pop of color in my entryway/kitchen area and Kelly Green was just the color I wanted.

Remember when we gave you eight awesome ways to “fake” architectural details if your home didn’t come with charming elements built right in? Well if you own a home, have the adventurous DIY spirit and don’t want to fake it — if you want to add your own actual architectural detail — you’re going to want to pay attention to the project Vickiann tackled. Vickiann of My Crappy House is no professional bricklayer.

Armelle lives in Shanghai and runs Tsai Yun Studio with her friend Catherine. They collect and up-cycle old Chinese furniture that comes from many of the old houses that get torn down to build high-rise buildings. In the process of renovating her apartment, when Armelle spotted this old cabinet that was destined for the trash, she knew it could be the perfect addition to her sons’ bathroom.

When first-time homebuyers Nadine and John Paul bought a century home that was split into a duplex, they decided to rent out the bottom half and live in the top half. Now with a little additional money to spend on their new purchase, they decided to tackle the kitchen first, which was tiny, uninspiring and not at all luxurious. From Nadine: My partner, John Paul, is a carpenter by trade and owns a business building custom furniture.

Rita was on the hunt for a project where she could turn something unloved into something that could be used, cherished and enjoyed. Rita knew an old, rusted kitchen cart that once belonged to her great-grandmother (that had just been collecting dust in her basement) was the perfect project to tackle to give her space that extra something special. From Rita: I started by using WD40 on the wheels before applying Jasco’s Rust Converter and sanding it down.

Who’s ready for spring? Nora is. She was excited about having some outside space in her new London flat until she saw this terrace. But she invested a little cash and a lot of love and got this space ready for some sunny days. Now we love this cute, color blocked space. Nora pullled up the tiles and laid artificial grass, painted the grey cracked walls a nice bright white and scrubbed up the railings and spray painted all of the furniture fun colors!

Sometimes making a big change can be a fairly simple process if you have the guts to take the leap. When Tanya and her partner purchased their home, the dated, faux stone fireplace combined with “sauna wood” accents just wasn’t her cup of tea, so she made one easy, inexpensive change that had a huge impact. The brick got a thick coat of primer + paint in one (semi-gloss finish) and she spray painted those old gold vents with a high heat enamel spray paint in matte black.

These $5 Windsor chairs are just about in every thrift store I stop into. This one had a nice simple silhouette and narrow tapered spindles. I’ve been swooning over modern shaker style furniture for some time now and it was finally time to stop wanting and start doing. I was planning on spray painting the whole chair neon yellow, but as I started, I notice the beautiful gradient and continued to paint only the front half of the seat.

Naomi moved into her Edwardian UK home a year ago and has spent nearly the whole time planning renovations to her small bathroom. Her biggest goal? An easy-to-clean space with minimal areas for dust to gather. We hear you, Naomi. She introduced a little luxury with a sink crafted from Welsh slate, an extra wide bath, and stainless steel towel warmers which she tells us were worth every penny. She kept the walls and ceiling bright white and fell for those grey tiles, “the moment I saw them.

Carithanne says, “Who knows how long this chair sat abandoned in a forgotten basement before my dad rescued it for our next restoration project?” This particular piece was extra exciting because of its classic mid-century design, complete with a production date on the bottom from 1953! The upholstery needed a total overhaul after more than 60 years, but this piece had solid maple bones just waiting for the right person to come along and give it some TLC.

Kimberly of Swoonworthy and her partner Wayne did a great job renovating their old kitchen, but Kimberly wasn’t entirely happy with the results. She is a girl who requires more drama from her interiors. A couple of simple DIY projects later, she’s added some glitz and glamor to this space. And here it is, in all its sparkling glory.

Architectural designer Teddy desperately needed to update this kitchen but had major budgetary restrictions. No matter. See how just $300 worth of supplies made a huge difference. Wow, what a difference. We love how, even though all the major elements are the same (cabinets, backsplash, countertop), the color change and the addition of small details totally transformed this space.

Looking for the inspiration + resources to transform a boring bathroom into something that wows? Darlene Chimaliro and Caty Tillman of Studio MOD(ish) were tasked with adding some personality to a boring condo for a young fun couple. The two bathrooms were transformed, each to match the style of either spouse. The guest bathroom — dramatic and over-the-top — was designed to reflect the wife’s bold tastes, and Darlene and Caty shared the resources they used to create this look.

You know how earlier today we shared real advice about how to be patient and take your time when decorating a home? This Before & After perfectly highlights that idea. See this living room go from full of uninspiring hand-me-down furniture to a living room that, after taking the time to discover their tastes, is now a sophisticated, lovely space that matches their personality!

Meredith was looking to spice up the boring blinds in her daughter’s room. She wanted to add a pop of color without breaking the bank, so she got really crafty with something that’s probably hanging around your junk drawer right now. Duct tape to the rescue! What a clever and thrifty idea. Bravo. From Meredith: I started to look into painting the blinds but found that incredibly cumbersome and messy. I decided I could be a lot more in control if I used duct tape.

Bari has been working with a local design firm to decorate her home in Philadelphia, and the most recent space to be completed was her guest bathroom. She loved the original clawfoot tub, but she wanted to make the walls more fun since it’s the bathroom everyone uses when they come over. From Bari: The wallpaper is dark and bold, but the hot pink ceiling really is a great contrast, and plays well off of the black/white striped floor.

Charlotte’s youngest child’s room doubles as the guest room, so her new changing table needed to fit with its funky aesthetic. This $40 dresser from Craigslist fit the bill: solid construction, the right height, and good storage space. It just needed a little update. From Charlotte: I double checked for any maker’s marks or signs of antiquity before giving it a coat of Annie Sloan Napoleonic Blue chalk paint.

Natalie’s been rockin’ this chair for about a year — she picked it up at a yard sale for only 10 bucks. But when the already-worn seat fabric began to develop huge tears, she knew it was time for a revamp. She ditched the old, ripped fabric in favor of two different ikat prints. She stripped and sanded the wood frame and then stained it a warm, deep brown.

Erin inherited her grandparents’ dresser set but due to 30 years of wear and tear, it needed some love. Cut to: she’s ankle deep in supplies with no idea how to proceed and ready to throw in the towel. We’re so glad she persevered because, well, check out her results. It took a year and lots of help from her dad (who even brought his palm sander across five states to give to her), but she was able to strip, sand, stain and clear coat this beauty.

Mandy and her husband had been living in a rental duplex that was built in the 1920s for two months, faced with the previous owners’ “strange paint taste.” Though they tackled many of the other home’s spaces, the bathroom had been in the back of their minds, not quite sure what color to choose. Mandy and her husband didn’t do much to this rental bathroom to change the look (and they wish their landlords would do something about the bathroom tile floor!

This dresser had great bones and even some fun details, but was falling apart in a few places and had some missing drawers. Liana didn’t tackle this DIY project for awhile after she found this piece, but when she did, her ideas (including a free element anyone could use) really transformed the entire look into a functioning piece that works for her just the way she needs it. From Liana, I love the idea of restoring furniture, this is my second attempt.

This “dark and dreary” dining room just begged for a makeover to not only brighten it up, but also to make it a space that might actually get used. Inhabited by folks who love to entertain, this small room needed more seating and storage as well as a redesign to utilize space better. From Amy: The first thing we did was sell all the existing furniture on Craigslist (and surprisingly, people bought them!).

Martha calls this a “hardworking piece of furniture” because it’s got no unnecessary design elements and is just a sturdy, plain piece of furniture that does a good job. In this case, as a dresser. But while hardworking, it wasn’t quite Martha’s style, and she added a few personal details for a simple but darling transformation. From Martha: I gave it a super durable paint finish that keeps in line with its personality.

Rita wanted to really go bold, but keep her dining table and chairs at the same time (she lucked into these four chairs and table at a garage sale for just $6), so she found an ingenious way to spice up the set. Gorgeous! What an ingenious way to add lots of pattern and brighten up the room. From Rita: This material is what inspired me to paint the living room navy in the first place. I knew I wanted to make this fabric the focal point in the dining room, but I wasn’t sure how.

Modern nurseries on a budget can be tough. Since changing tables have such a short lifespan, Whitney didn’t want to spend too much money on something that wouldn’t grow with her babe and when she saw this wood sideboard at a thrift shop for $25, she had a flash of vision. Wow, what a style transformation. With just a little cash, Whitney completely changed the look and feel of this piece and made it work for her family. Great job.

Lucky Kaycee scored these two Kofod Larsen Lounge Chairs on Craigslist for $225 each. The chairs came without cushions (and with a very strange patio-chair replacement for the original webbing) so Kaycee was able to put her own spin on these classic chairs. Kaycee paid around $200 per chair for professional upholstery — including new cushions, upholstery and webbing — and $140 for about 7 yards of fabric.

Aniko’s in the middle of a major master bedroom makeover but she’s not one to eschew perfectly functional furniture, so she found a super cheap and super chic way to revamp her 6-year old IKEA Malm headboard and make it worthy of her new space. Whoa! Crafty Aniko made herself an upholstered masterpiece without the huge price tag usually associated with such a stunning look.

Every once in a while, we need a change. My husband and I loved our bedroom before: clean, cozy and colorful, it made us happy every time we were in it. That is, until I decided I was being smothered by it. When an apartment feels cluttered, regardless of space, sometimes it’s more about your own emotional issues with the space itself. Here are a few simple tips and tricks that can help to open up a space and give it the breath of fresh air that it (or you) so desperately needs. 1.

You may think that at $25, Lesley overpaid for this sagging, stained chair (she called it, “well-worn”), but she seemed to have an inkling that those good bones deserved a second chance. Turns out Lesley was right — that cheerful and patterned fabric really highlights the chair’s great shape. What a vision.

This laminate cabinet hadn’t seen the light of day in awhile, storing odds and ends in a basement. But when Jessica and her husband moved into their new house and were looking for furniture they could make their own, they decided to try and brighten this dark piece with paint to fit the style of their new dining room. From Jessica: It is a laminate cabinet that I first lightly sanded and then used a glossy surfaced primer on to give it a good base coat.

This heavy kitchen hutch was no doubt functional — with drawers and doors it’s got plenty of storage. But its dark color, outdated look and heavy feel wouldn’t make it welcome in any kitchen, let alone a bright one. That’s why Elise made some changes, and this hutch has been converted to a handy modern kitchen island. From Elise: We re-purposed the base of this kitchen hutch to serve as an island for a kitchen.

Is your home saddled with a blah fireplace mantel and surround? Unless you like flaunting your big screen TV, the fireplace can often be the living room’s main visual focal point. Why not really make it stand out? That’s what Kristi did, reclaiming wood in the process. It took nearly eight hours for this transformation, but the end result is way worth it!

Chelsea loves refinishing furniture, really believing in and being lured by the beautiful process of completely transforming an unwanted furniture piece in to one coveted! Structurally sound, heavy, sturdy and interesting, this buffet spotted at her local Goodwill thrift store had all the characteristics that Chelsea looks for when hunting for a piece to transform. And the $15 price tag was a sweet bonus! From Chelsea: This piece got a complete makeover, starting with hardware.

Scott picked up this dresser years ago, long before he realized he could, “do cool things with his hands.” Just wait until you see what he did. White + gleamy wood has to be one of our favorite combinations ever. Nice choice.

Heather’s master bedroom has a sitting area that was just crying out for a desk, but since she didn’t want to clutter up her sleeping space with visible papers, she began the hunt for a subtle secretary. It was her mom who came to the rescue and found this blue beauty at a second-hand shop. Heather decided to personalize with paint — a coat of white followed by a custom honeycomb stencil and a hand-painted bee motif. What a cute and kicky way to give it a big dose of fun.

After she pulled up the carpet on her stairs, Sarah tried to cover her poor quality stair treads with paint, but she wasn’t satisfied. She really wanted oak, but didn’t have room in her budget so she got really, really creative. Sarah did an amazingly realistic faux bois to mirror the look and feel of wood and she managed to do it super affordably. She chose three paint colors to match the base, midtone, and darkest tone of her floor, and spent just $2.

Erin found this vintage cane shelving unit online for $10. She was decorating her home office and really needed more storage, and the interesting details on this shelving unit caught her eye. She kept the project ultra low-budget by hitting up her garage for the materials for her makeover. Erin tells us she used an undercoat so there was no need to sand, and once dry, followed it up with two layers of glossy, red enamel spray paint. We just love her big, bold color choice.

Who hasn’t dreamed of living in an old, converted firehouse? Aaron and Heather took on just such a massive building in St. Louis (complete with a fire pole in their dining room) and are slowly working on the renovation, room by room. First up is their parking bay, formerly for the trucks and gear…are you ready? Wow. The huge open space is now used for their photography business, and is the perfect blank slate for photo shoots and meeting clients.

Lauren and her husband both have great opinions about home decor, which at first meant it was a bit of a journey finding their shared style. But after tackling their bedroom together and combining both their ideas and tastes, it’s a fun, personal space that’s proof sometimes two styles are better than one! From Lauren: For four and a half years we’ve slept on a boxspring and mattress without a bed frame.

Sarah had been knee-deep in a pile of plywood scraps while tackling a year-long kitchen renovation. There were scraps that were too big to toss, but too small and damaged to make anything of use. Except that Sarah totally came up with a creative way to use them. And a gallon of wood glue was involved!

Danielle fell in love with the dark wood details and trim throughout this 1927 Dutch Colonial house when she moved in last summer. Though the wood is gorgeous, Danielle felt she needed to work to brighten the space to create the warm and welcoming look she was going for. But she was on a budget! She freecycled major furniture pieces, tackled lots of how-to projects and mixed IKEA textiles with vintage pieces to create a palette of soft colors and treasured finds.

Bianca, an artist, was on the hunt for a slim and small storage piece to stash her art supplies in style. She was about to head over to IKEA to plunk down some cash on a new purchase, when at the last minute she decided to take a peek at her favorite junk shop. She was in luck! From Bianca: I was searching for a slim sideboard to fit some of my art supplies, such as large canvases and rolled prints.

You never forget your first, especially on Valentine’s Day. This sweet little chair was Katherine’s first ever upholstery project, but as the years went by and her design tastes changed, she fell out of love with the shape of this chair. Luckily, Katherine really knows how to spice up a stale relationship. Her eye had wandered over to a new kind of chair, Anthropologie’s Astrid, but she didn’t exactly have the funds to make it hers.

Kasey lives on the island of Kauai and tells us that finding non “island” furniture is hard to do. She’s always on the hunt for statement pieces to decorate her beach-style home so when she found this dresser at the local thrift store for $50, she snapped it up. We just love how Kasey completely changed the look of the piece by removing the doors and giving the interior a beautiful coat of oceany turquoise. The white exterior really highlights the scallop details.

When Maggie found this great mid-century desk at the thrift store it was feeling a little blue, but for only $14, she took it home anyway and got right to work. Because of the previous owner’s sloppy, drippy paint job, Maggie decided to strip off the color completely and give this piece a true makeunder. Maggie tells us that, “with new handles and a mix of stained wood and white paint, I have an amazing desk with vintage charm that looks brand new!

Julia’d had a mid-century modern dresser on her wishlist for quite a while, so when she found this beautiful but somewhat beat up piece, she knew it was a prime candidate for a makeover. In order to hide imperfections on the body, Julia used white spray paint, leaving certain wood trim exposed to add dimension. Once polished, that dirty hardware turned out to be gleamy brass, and she added bright pop by painting the inside of the drawer pulls a kicky, neon pink.

For anyone who’s ever had a clear idea of what sort of style they wanted their space to look like, failed miserably, and thought they’d have to live with their failures forever, this before and after is proof that even big design missteps can be remedied. The designer who stepped in to refresh this space provides an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to how they got this design back on track.

Erin found this 1960s era bar cart on Craigslist and had an inkling it could be restored not only to its former glory, but beyond! Simple, subtle yet charming, the shape of this car reminded Erin of her grandparents’ house and all the cocktail parties they used to throw. From Erin: As most things go, this was a bigger project then originally anticipated as I had to sand and use a lot of steel wool to rid it of rust.

Krista and her husband bid and lost out on five homes before they finally purchased this one. With a kitchen that had “grandma wallpaper,” sad tile floor, and odd painted aluminum cabinetry, this couple kept their spirits up after purchasing by daydreaming about a remodel. But, they’d have to do it on a tight budget. The changes to this kitchen were simple, but the outcome quite a step up from the older, dated space.

Ellen was looking to recreate a clothing store feel in her dressing room, and already had a large kitchen pedestal table in the space. When she came across this “ugly” 80s table at a Savers thrift store for $7.50, she knew she’d be able to use it along with her existing table to create a neat cluster effect. From Ellen: I decided to paint both tables a dark gray top with a taupe/brown base as I had seen something on Pinterest and was inspired to recreate that color combination.

A friend of Luann’s recently asked if she could “do anything” with his Grandma’s old bedroom set. He needed to fill an empty guest room and nobody else in the family wanted this old set. Bet they’re all kicking themselves now. Wow! What a difference. She stripped off the old lacquered finish and discovered that the solid wood underneath was beautiful! Surprise!

In NYC apartments, every inch counts, so when Angela and her roommates found their Lower East Side 3-bedroom’s tiny common area dominated by a hulking dining table, they knew there was better way. With a coat of paint and a few carefully-chosen pieces of budget furniture, these ladies were able to create a comfortable space that takes advantage of every inch. It looks so much bigger and brighter!

Today we have an envy-inducing makeover you have to see to believe. Jim bought a pair of mid-century bedside tables at a flea market for $50 each. The tables were heavy and obviously well-constructed so he had an inkling that they were quality pieces worth some love. How right he was! The seller thought they were a walnut laminate but after stripping off the old paint, Jim discovered that they were actually walnut veneer and the drawer fronts were 1″ thick solid walnut. Surprise!

I have to admit it—this area of my home has always been a problem for me. I’ve reworked it, redesigned it, added shelves, painted walls— pretty much everything you can think of— in order to make it liveable without removing that dreaded desk. Each redesign, I was happy with the area for roughly three days, until I realized that I still hated the desk and I still didn’t understand why the previous owner of our condo would glue and screw a desk to the wall.

Tasha tells us that she still cringes when she looks back at these photos of her room. The army green walls, the beige trim, badly sealed stone fireplace and carpet just weren’t her cup of tea. Says Tasha, “No thank you.” Tasha and her husband did the all of the work themselves. They ripped out the carpet and bamboo flooring and put down dark laminate floors, then painted the walls a beautiful dark blue to make this large space feel more cozy.

Lynn and her husband, an energetic couple in their early 60s – 70s, had a dream to “age in place,” and planned to do so in a 27-year-old condo they purchased in its original, uninspiring state: vinyl flooring, wall-to-wall carpeting, almond-colored appliances, Formica countertops and more. They gave every inch of this condo a face-lift, and this cute corner of the kitchen is a taste of their simple but effective updating style.

When Griffin found this old shelf just “collecting dust” at a local thrift store, she knew there was some place in their home for it, perhaps the garage or maybe the playroom. But it was some creative thinking (and not even that much work!) that transformed it into a surprisingly sophisticated storage piece for a dining room! From Griffin: With the help of my husband we started by removing the base which was made up of 2x4s.

With a new baby on the way and no budget to completely gut and remodel this bathroom, Laurie decided to roll up her sleeves and get creative, only using paint, fabric and accessories to make the space look more finished and fabulous. From Laurie: I decided to make do with what I already had and come up with a solution. First that had to go was the blue cabinets that look better in the photo because in real life they were so bad.

We’ll forgive Christina for her blurry “before” snap because we’re so excited to show off her results. Her little powder room is only 3 feet by 6 feet so it was a tricky room to work in, but just look at all that great potential. The narrow room looks so much bigger and brighter with the white walls, grey tile and new rustic-chic details. Here’s how it all came together on a major budget: We were able to do the whole remodel for around $500 because it was 100% DIY.

Fabio and his wife were planning to get rid of this chest of drawers so they put it in their hallway until they got a chance to cart it away. But it proved so handy to have a place to drop keys and other odds and ends, that they decided to make one big change and keep it after all. Do you have an inkling on this one? What a great way to make what you already have work in your space. Great job, you guys. Thank you Fabio!

The Cure “graduating class” of January 2014 is a kickass bunch. They scrubbed floors, cleaned out closets and whipped their wayward fridges into shape. At this point, the sight of an overflowing outbox doesn’t scare them one bit. And, in addition to all of this homekeeping frenzy, they managed to pull off (at least) one project from their wish list too.

Sometimes a chair is just a chair, but if you’re Melissa, you look at this broken dining chair and see another piece of furniture entirely. Bravo! Melissa didn’t get stuck on its original function so she could see a table where a chair used to be. She simply removed the cushion, cut off the broken back, added a hardwood top cut to size and gave the whole thing a coat of bright white. We love it and, more importantly, so does Melissa.

Jenelle found this abandoned cart in her garage when she moved into her home over a year ago. Using one very key ingredient, she turned it into a brand new piece that she’s proud to display in her new home. She scuffed up the rusty chrome legs and battered yellow shelves with steel wool and then smartly used spray auto primer to provide a durable base for the next layer: hammered brass for the legs and Rust-Oleum London Grey Satin for the shelves.