After quite a few months of casually house shopping, a 1970s house in a great location came up and this couple had to go for it; it just had too much potential.
This 132-year-old Victorian house is brimming with amazing details like eight fireplaces, 11-foot ceilings, inlaid floors, a six-foot clawfoot tub, a brass lion's head door knocker and more.
When Cali toured this 103 years old house for the first time it, everything about it screamed of the 1970s, down to the vinyl wood paneling dirty shag carpeting to find original wide-plank wood floors, but she knew it was an architectural gem just waiting to be uncovered.
Name: Carrie, Patrick and Nacho D. Cat Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,750 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting Longtime Apartment Therapy reader Carrie and husband Patrick discovered their apartment five years ago, when the desire for a bigger bed made them realize they needed a bigger bedroom.
Here’s a fast and easy DIY on how to create fun, colorful friendship necklaces for you and your best friend(s). Give them as gifts for Galentine’s Day and tell your girls how much you love having them in your life! Sculpey Polymer Clay Small Eye Hooks Necklace or Ball Chain Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutter Small Rolling Pin or Wooden Dowel X-Acto Knife 1. Take off a section of clay and start rolling it with your wooden pin onto a clean, dry surface.
Depending on your personality, peeling a label off could be the best or worst possible way to spend a half hour. If it’s your worst nightmare, we’ve got a great tip for you that will have your vessel sticker-free in just a few short minutes! Turn your hairdryer to high heat and hold it over the sticker for about 45 seconds. After 45 seconds of direct heat, test a corner of the sticker and see if it peels away easily.
Cucumbers are one of the most refreshing things to eat straight out of the garden. Technically a fruit, this hydrating treat is made up of 95% water and can help keep you going on a hot day. Cucumber seedlings can be planted outside two weeks after the last spring frost. They love the hot sun, so be sure to make room for them in a bright area with fertile, well-drained soil. Plant a second crop one month after the first. Cucumber seedlings Organic compost Organic fertilizer Garden tools 1.
Project by: Stella and family Location: Quebec, Canada Do you ever dream of a simpler life? Living with your family somewhere quiet, close to nature, maybe next to a pond, with a farmers market close by to visit on the weekend? Here’s the story of one family who made that dream a reality, one DIY challenge at a time.
Sometimes, chairs come into our lives. It’s all very casual: we don’t really love them, but we kind of like them, and they were just there at the yard sale, and they were cheap and we could kind of see potential… So we bring them home with us only to realize that we will never actually pay the price to have them reupholstered—they get stashed away in the basement or the garage. But if they are vinyl, it doesn’t have to end there!
Looking to turn up the sexy this Valentine’s Day? Last week, I was invited to learn how to make nipple pasties by Rogue Burlesque, and I’m here to tell you, it’s just as fun (and not as hard) as you might think. You’ll be shaking your sparkly bits in no time. Brandy Wine is the de facto pasty artist for Rogue’s burlesque dancers, and she also makes bedazzled bowties for those who’d prefer their sparkle north of their nipples.
A vintage scarf from a flea market or yard sale can be a hard thing to pass up. So hard, in fact, that you might find yourself with quite the collection. If your scarf stash is getting a bit out of control, this could be the perfect project for you! Once you measure your windows and decide on the configuration of your scarves, the actual sewing goes by pretty quickly.
Renovation by: Kristyn Location: Pittsburgh There was nothing WRONG with the kitchen when I purchased my first home except that it wasn’t me. It didn’t fit the 1920s Tudor Revival style of the house or my preferred bright, colorful, organic modern look. Although I don’t love bead board, there was no reason to replace the clean and sturdy cabinets. So I embraced it, adding more to the side and back of the island that separates kitchen from dining room.
Renovation by: Patti Location: Phoenix, AZ We moved into our fixer-upper exactly one year ago and finally finished the last room – the kitchen. I think the previous owner must have fantasied about being a princess because every single room was painted pink (including ceilings and doors!) and had wall to wall purple carpeting.
Renovation by: Laura Location: Oak Park, Illinois My husband Michael and I just purchased this 1892 gothic Victorian home in outlying Chicago’s historic Oak Park. (land of Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace.) I own a jewelry boutique called Gem Jewelry Boutique and Michael is a general contractor. The home is perfect with its nearly 10 foot high ceilings and elegant moulding, original marble fireplace and gothic windows.
Renovation by: Katie Location: Canada For Christmas this year, I decided to update my grandfather’s living room as my present to him. My grandmother passed away last February, and he needed a change – something that he could see everyday that would make him happy to remember his life with her. They had kept their 1960s furniture in near perfect condition, so I knew I would just need to update the styling of the room with fabrics and some interesting wall art.
Renovation by: Heather and Mike Location: Phoenix, Arizona We are Phoenix, Arizona natives that have never left our little neighborhood of Arcadia. Born and raised in such a gorgeous and historical area of the city, we decided to buy the perfect ranch-style home (in serious need of some TLC!) in our citrus-filled area of town 8 years ago. We’ve had some serious adventures in renovations, and the master suite was the last piece of the puzzle!
We recently moved into a charming 1913 American Foursquare home in Joplin, Missouri. Our first major remodel was the upstairs bathroom. It was replete with plumbing issues (missing a sink), sporting stick on floor tile and press board wall “tile.” Our desire was to make things functional and restore it what it may have originally looked like, while adding our own sense of flair. From start to finish, the project took about a year and cost $2500.
Sometimes a little unexpected “trouble” can go a long way toward creating a beautiful room. You start out with the plan of simply changing up a few decorative elements and find yourself in the middle of a full-on makeover. It happened to Renato, and he not only lived to tell the tale, he’s got a great looking room to show for it. Take it away, Renato… Tired of living with a bathroom falling apart, one day I woke up with design school ended, no jobs and nothing to do.
Project by: Holly Location: Portland, Oregon Holly had the perfectly nice fireplace shown above in her new place, but she had a vision of how the room could be really something special and decided to make it a reality. It involved a bit of demo and the building of a bunch of built-ins but it was worth it – the “after” looks great.
Makeover by: Jennifer Location: San Diego Moving into a new place means lots of little unfinished spots that need solutions, which means spending both time and money. Jennifer dressed up this window corner quickly, stylishly and for less that you would think possible. Check it out… Jennifer added triangle vinyl decals to a plain rolling shade that she picked up at Home Depot.
Becky sent in before and after shots of her master bath makeover. She writes: Our house was beautifully renovated about 15 years ago, long before it was ours. All the important stuff was done perfectly, but a few aesthetics left something to be desired. Like our master bathroom. BOOOR-ING. Square tile on the walls, pinkish-peach square tiles on the floor, builder grade sink top and vanity. Cheap, boring fixtures. And GIANT wall-encompassing mirror.
Renovation by: Takbir Fatima from DesignAware Location: Hyderabad, India This kitchen had been through a lot of wear: the original construction was faulty, causing leakage in the floor, the original design allowed for almost no natural light to enter the kitchen, and previous tenants’ lack of maintenance had made an entire wall stubbornly greasy. Before moving in, I brought down the wall separating the kitchen and dining areas, opening up the space.
Renovation by: Carissa Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma My husband and I renovated our R.V. to make it more livable and cozy before taking it on a cross country trip to Yellowstone. We did the entire project in 6 days, which was crazy, but fun! We changed the dated woodwork by painting it a “modern greige” color then ripped out the old seating and replaced it with a couch from IKEA. We also replaced the dining room chairs with some more modern chairs from IKEA.
This DIY project is a great use for older box springs, and an affordable way to have a “brand new” bed. It only requires about four yards of upholstery fabric, and can be done in just a couple of hours… Katy from The Clever Bunny had a hand-me-down mattress which was relegated to her guest room. In lieu of a bed frame she chose to cover the box spring with fabric and add legs.
It's fun, colorful, and has a lot of quirky elements, such as a soundproof massage chair room, an indoor swing, a forest bathroom and a mannequin that holds purses and keys.
The couple handled much of the home's renovation, designing and renovating the kitchen, putting in custom cabinetry, and adding new flooring throughout the home.
Though only a small space—just 117 square feet—this former odd basement level room is now a lovely lounge room that can double as a guest room thanks to sleeper sofa.
Originally built in 1885, when renovating this historic house, the homeowners had to change out the electricity, the plumbing, the lights and the flooring.
Danielle Ribner is the founder of Loup, a Parisian-inspired women’s wear collection collection that focuses on well-made wardrobe staples. She lives in this minimal, bright apartment in Brooklyn's Fort Greene rental apartment.
This interior designer's studio may be on the small side, but it has beautiful hardwood floors, picturesque windows, and original cabinetry and molding.
Name: Adrianna Gardini and Craig Youngren, two kids, and two cats Location: Alphabet City — New York City Size: Approx. 520 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned When Adrianna, a display artist, and Craig, a teacher and editor, bought their apartment, it was a bare, white, and bright space that felt outdated and in need of change.
Name: Vivian Okwuagwu, Erik Solomonson, and cats Sugar, Neil and Lemon Location: East Flatbush — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,900 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years (but owned for 3 years) Vivian Okwuagwu uses the word “survived” to describe the gut renovation of her and her husband Erik’s 119-year-old Brooklyn barrelfront limestone and brick rowhouse.
Name: Kellie Brown Location: Sugar Hill — Manhattan, NYC Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting Even Kellie Brown—lifestyle blogger and founder of AndIGetDressed—admits that her blog started out as just a way to show off what she’s wearing… but it has turned into so much more. Especially after starting her YouTube channel (over 33,000 subscribers and counting), where videos feature her infectiously positive energy, fashion tips, and more.
Name: Laura Gibson and family Location: Sharpsburg, Georgia Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned No matter whether you’re personally a fan of farmhouse chic style or not, you have to hand it to Laura Gibson: She’s a woman (and blogger) with a distinct style. And an attention to detail that customizes every inch of a plain home.
Name: Catherine Ashton Location: Northwest London, England Size: 832 square feet Years lived in: 14 years, owned Though Catherine and her partner Ali have owned this London flat for 14 years, it wasn’t until about two years ago that the space made a dramatic transformation. It was then that Catherine painted the generic white walls a sensational black from floor to ceiling. This simple but dramatic choice has been a gorgeous experiment in interior design!
Name: Grace Atwood and her Persian cat Tyrion Lannister Creampuff Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Textile Designer Rebecca Atwood isn’t the only one with talent in her family. Her sister, Grace Atwood, started (and runs full time) a blog called The Stripe as a “source of inspiration for the modern woman” eight years ago, covering all sorts of topics like DIY, beauty, fashion, travel, design, and more.
During the cold days of winter, I like to mentally fast forward to the lazy lounging days of summertime. So even though warm weather has just arrived, I’ve already been spending quite a bit of time thinking about outdoor spaces…This little courtyard before and after from Michelle over at Three Men and a Lady is just the thing to inspire me.
Corey in Seattle shared his before & after backyard project with us. Jump below to see what it looks like “after” all of the hard work:Corey says: My wife and I live in Seattle, WA. We finished our backyard studio garage 2 years ago and just finished the deck last fall. The plants are starting to come in nicely now, and we can’t wait to enjoy the yard this summer and entertain friends and family. Thanks for sharing, Corey!(Re-edited from a post originally published 06.24.
My favorite Before & Afters are when talented people buy tired old houses and breathe new life into them. This 100-year-old house in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle shows that a thoughtful approach to design can be modern and sustainable while still fitting in with the surrounding neighborhood.Todd Smith, of Syndicate Smith, along with his wife Julie bought their 1911 fixer-upper in 2004 and have recently completed an extensive exterior renovation.
When Andi, Dean and their building neighbors decided to re-paint the faded exterior of their Victorian home, it quickly became apparent that the process was not for amateurs. Located in the Alamo Square neighborhood of San Francisco, not far from the famous painted ladies, their building is over a century old.
This garden in southern California, was designed by Shirley Bovshow for a client with a small budget (at lease for the size of the work needed). So, the initial vision for beautiful gazebos and country elegance with all the bells and whistles was ultimately fulfilled with budget friendly versions.
