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Colonial-style houses come with many gifts, like great windows, symmetry, and tall ceilings. But like any place built over 100 years ago, homeowner Katrina’s 1900 Colonial Revival house needed some updating — especially in the living room. While it had large windows, the space felt dark and uninviting because of the old gray carpeting, dark valances, clunky ceiling fan, and striped beige ’70s-era wallpaper.

The before? Nice, but too small. The after? A real stunner, and way more practical, too.

Some of these glamorous upgrades can work in any room.

One major difference? Uncovering the original hardwood floors beneath that carpet.

The classic look of the new kitchen makes it feel timeless.

Yes, function is the most important part of a laundry room—but that space can be gorgeous, too.

This is a dramatic (and very effective) transformation.

Wait until you see what the homeowner did with the soffit.

This space was an inefficient laundry room—but reimagined as an entryway, it's beyond functional.

A good indication that a room needs a redo is the realization that you're not using it to its full potential.

Cozy season is here, which means it's the perfect time to refresh living spaces—and that goes double when there's a fireplace involved.

Sometimes it takes a little creativity—and a whole lot of work—to bring back the charming factor you know that an older home once had.

One highlight: a totally doable IKEA hack.

You'll have wanderlust after seeing this stunner.

Once you see this redo, you'll be looking at every nook and cranny in your home in a new light.

It's a little Scandi, a little boho, and a lot chic.

It's completely unrecognizable from the dingy before.

These BILLY built-ins added lots more function and style.

The 12-foot-by-15-foot room didn't even change size.

Plant parents will love this shower's feature wall.

The after looks way brighter and more open thanks to some smart design tricks.

With all the time spent inside your home—eating, sleeping, etc.—it can be easy to forget about the impact that the outside of your home has.

Carpet has its place—but the bathroom is not it. Tearing it out of this bathroom paved the way for a much-needed redo.

The after isn't just for laundry—it's also a plant parent's dream.

"It feels like we added an entire room," says the homeowner.

In this bathroom redo, tile is the star.

It took about six weeks and £7,000 to turn the bathroom from unusable to an "OMG, when can we come over?" oasis.

"We had to get creative with our finishes to get the look we wanted but for less," the homeowner says.

Now there's tons more room to relax.

This space is just as beautiful as it is functional.

This refresh holds on tight to the bathroom's original vintage charm.

You'll want to take a sledgehammer to your uppers once you see the result.

This kitchen was so dark that you could hardly see what you were cooking at night.

Dividing walls were holding this bathroom back. Tearing them out helped it reach its open, airy potential.

The redo took advantage of original historical elements, while creating a bright, airy, and livable space.

This transformation involved paint, lighting, flooring, and more.

What's old? What's new? It's hard to tell in this space—in the best way.

Spoiler: The pink carpet goes.

"Most of the stuff we own is cooking and baking supplies, so we knew we would either have to majorly downsize or do something about the kitchen space," says the owner.

The before featured a shower ceiling covered in mold and a toilet that made the whole house stink. The after is a SERIOUS upgrade.

This unique-but-still-classic shape will win you over.

We should mention: This is a total DIY job.

After no updates in at least 35 years, this living room was ready to shine.

Bye, mauve carpet!

These homeowners got their keys at 4 p.m. on a Friday, and by 6 p.m. had already started tearing out the carpet.

Knocking out a wall made this space way more inviting.

There was a lot of pretty stuff hiding under all that beige paint!

Honestly? I'd live in this nursery.

You'll want to steal the new cabinet color ASAP.

The wallpaper will give you serious heart-eyes.

You'll love the newly added window seat.

You've never seen subway tile look so moody (in the best way).

It's a little last century, a little this century, and a lot stylish.

A redo of a 1912 home's galley kitchen makes room for bold pattern.

Open, airy, with farmhouse flair? Count us in.

The after is SERIOUSLY dreamy.

This DIY gut job yielded seriously impressive results.

The "after" is a whole lot brighter, but still exactly right for this 140-year-old house.

The after's lighter, brighter, and way more modern.

These simple changes have seriously big impact.

This one-time rental kitchen's total overhaul made it way more functional—and lots prettier, too.

This bedroom perfectly blends practicality and fun.

This fresh redo proves dining rooms don't have to feel like a Downton Abbey set piece.

This entry is an explosion of pattern and color, in the best way.

A one-wall redo totally transforms the look of this living room.

The new black-and-wood color combo looks super chic.

Spoiler: The word art decal doesn't make the cut.