Dining Room Before & Afters

The homeowners wanted “something brave,” and the designer they worked with delivered.

There's now a dash of color in an unexpected spot.

The after mixes a modern touch with the home’s historic charm.

Now, it’s warm and functional for a family.

“I’m proud that we were brave with our color choice despite some initial apprehensions,” the homeowner says.

A cheery blue paint color and statement-making wallpaper came in clutch.

The new space looks like a swanky lounge at your favorite fancy hotel.

Because the DIYers already owned the plywood and the base of the bench, the project was basically free.

This dining room kept the classic black-and-white color palette, but everything else is totally new.

The cabinets may be new, but they’re designed to fit in with the architectural details of this 1926 home.

“I've been wanting a new table for the dining room for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity to go a bit ‘extra’ on it,” this DIYer says.

This home was part of a Sears catalog kit, and many of its original features can be seen in the living room today.

The new kitchen feels a lot more inviting.

Vintage furniture and a fresh light fixture help, too.

A family has a place to gather for $300.

DIYing as much as possible helped keep costs low, and allowed for splurges on bigger ticket items like appliances.

This accent wall is pure sunshine.

Wait until you see the fridge.

This dining room bar feature goes from too-small to totally grand.

The space is bright and welcoming now — a far cry from the blah brown of before.

The new look is perfect for the home's Palm Springs location.

These homeowners took a value pack of MDF baseboards and made magic on their dining room walls.

This pro restorer used historic photos to help revive his 1960s aluminum trailer.

And the most epic record storage shelving unit fit for two chefs and music lovers.

There's a little something for every style here.

This IKEA hack didn't require any power tools.

For $180!

During Meredith Svoboda's final walk-through of her Nashville home, she photographed the dining room, "dreaming of the life I could bring to this room," she writes.

Painting a large-scale indoor mural doesn't have to be so daunting. After all, it's only paint!

This complete basement overhaul was a three-year labor of love.

Strategic wallpaper placement helped up the drama in this sophisticated dining room redo.

The multiple projects involved in this room redo help give it tons of character.

"I got some raised eyebrows when I told people I was painting the dining room pink and painting a mural on the wall," DIYer Natalie Metzger says. But her advice when it comes to paint is to "just go for it."

The new dining room mixes old and new to create the perfect balance.

The vintage touches make this living room feel timeless.

It all changed with a coat of black paint.

"I am a big advocate for using your home however suits you best," says this intrepid DIYer.

This homeowner's DIY skills take her dining area from builder-grade to breathtaking.

The project made the room more practical for the family who lives here, too.

The designer-homeowner used a pop of color in an unexpected place.

This dining room is full of custom DIY details that are totally copy-able.

The reno makes everything look bigger and brighter, but still has mid-century charm fitting of a mid-century house.

This paint-filled makeover has one of the coolest fridge transformations ever.