Before After

“I wanted to create a neutral but cozy and comfortable atmosphere that still had an element of freshness, modernity, and maybe even a little sexiness,” the designer and homeowner says.

"We spent as little time as possible in the kitchen,” the homeowner says of the before.

In Germany, where this renter lives, it’s common for rental units to not come with a kitchen — the renter must build their own!

The backsplash was a first-time DIY and makes such a difference.

It's a showstopper!

A DIY backsplash adds to the airy, spacious feeling, too.

“The cabinets were the classic orange oak color, and the walls were a dark beige color,” the homeowner describes. “It felt like a nice space, but just very dated.”

Paint is “a great way to bring in a unique design feature for not a lot of money or effort,” this designer says.

From drab to luxury hotel-worthy.

Find two ways to fake the look of expensive marble herein.

Style + seclusion = seriously cool. And it’s renter-friendly, too.

This apartment is only 470 square feet, but feels way bigger.

Sprucing up a drab, beige bathroom is no easy feat. I know from experience: My family and I moved into a four-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment provided by my husband’s employer in Cairo, Egypt. While not paying rent has its perks, being stuck with multiple dated bathrooms wasn’t ideal.

Major renovations? We don’t know her.

The pop of pink paint is a must-see.

BILLY is the MVP, yet again.

The wallpaper features the homeowner’s original photography.

The homeowner wanted “the transition from the first floor to the second floor to have a wow factor.”

A little limewash helps this entryway go from beige to daring and bespoke.

Get ready for the most satisfying scroll of your day.

Yes, the antique clawfoot tub got to stay.

Including a surprise original fireplace with tiles!

The new green paint color is so pretty.

“It feels amazing that such a simple and budget-friendly update could transform an old piece into something that looks like a custom design item,” the DIYer says.

Stacking the washer and dryer was ingenious.

The outside of the home is an extension of the colorful palette on the inside.

For basically free!

“The room now feels like a warm hug when I walk in,” the DIYer says.

“It was my first time really taking a corner from ‘blank and awkward’ to ‘built-in and intentional,’” the DIYer says.

There are vintage finds — plus new finds that look vintage.

Now, it's perfect for making appetizers and baking.

You’ll want to curl up in all of these redos.

The bare white walls and plain shower curtain were the antithesis of my shared style with my partner (which is handsome, colorful, and personalized).

After dreaming of a fireplace for years, I finally made my own in my 10th apartment.

The new kitchen has so much more personality.

The DIYer was pleasantly surprised by how real the tiles looked.

“The original space had paneling, but it was buried under layers of paint,” the homeowner says.

The new space has a "massive cozy factor," the DIYer says.

The "after" has a "cozy, lived-in feel," the homeowner says.

This DIY redo saved the homeowner thousands of dollars.

The layout got a functional overhaul.

The DIYer wanted to fill it “with color, nostalgia, and early 20th-century glamour.”

It's cute and functional!

The paint color is pretty and timeless.

The vanity area is the star of the show.

It was inspired by the homeowner’s summers spent in Martha’s Vineyard.

A fresh paint job makes the old cabinets look so much better.

You’d never guess the "new" cabinets are from 1988.

What was once a "blank white box" is now a beautiful laundry room.

And it’s renter-friendly!

It’s totally renter-friendly.

“Bring on the pinks and purples,” this designer and homeowner says.

It was all DIY, and it cost about $800.

The homeowner’s point of inspiration was the new tile.

I've been thinking about it for years.

The 200-square-foot kitchen “feels more open and light,” the homeowner says.

Wisconsin-based interior designer Emily Winters of Peabody’s Interiors was tasked with an all-too-classic mission: An outdated kitchen from the late 1990s to early 2000s was in need of a modern makeover — and a much more functional layout.“It was a sea of natural maple cabinetry with sponge-painted walls and Corian countertops,” Winters says of the original kitchen.

Exterior paints can look extremely different depending on the time of day, this homeowner advises.

The project cost $700.

From thrifted finds to built-ins, these gorgeous makeovers are the best of the best.

It cost $10,000 to renovate.

This bathroom got a top-to-bottom redo.