DIY Before & Afters | Do It Yourself Projects & Hacks

A smart paint job takes this once-boring fireplace front-and-center.

It didn't take much to turn this dump spot into a more practical, usable space.

And it's still filled with vintage charm.

This would be the perfect spot to curl up with a book on a Saturday morning.

Watch this bathroom go from blah to bold.

A designer renovated his 1980s cabin’s bathroom — blending mid-century modern tiles with fully restored redwood paneling.

This balcony looks like it's fit for a beach resort.

This kitchen transformation proves that small changes can make a big difference.

It was a forgotten two-foot space, but now it's a breath of fresh air this spring.

This 1956 house got the fresh mid-century-inspired look it deserves.

These homeowners saved literal thousands (!!!) with this IKEA dupe for built-ins.

It's "almost like gaining a new room to the house," the homeowner says.

The after perfectly blends style and function.

Beneath those scuffs and stains lies lots of potential.

This blank box had a lot of untapped potential.

Solid pieces of furniture like this one can be made over again and again.

The bold green kitchen is the star of the show.

Kara Hobbs used a few existing items from the room and added bold colors to create an engaging space to rest, read, and play.

This might inspire you to choose an electric color for your next set of built-ins.

A walk-in closet is a hot commodity. Obviously, if you draw that dream ticket, you'd like your walk-in closet to actually be functional, not just a large room of minimal organization opportunities.

“We transformed a yard with a chain-link fence and no privacy into an oasis,” says Rebecca Taylor, a food stylist, photographer, and content creator living in Ojai, California, with her partner, Max. Over the past four years, they’d been slowly remodeling their 1960s ranch-style home, but their overgrown yard became neglected while they focused on making the inside of the house a place where the three of them (including their dog, Oli) could start a life together.

You can see this dining room from almost every point on the first floor, so it was important for the design to pack a punch.

Small DIY changes went a really long way in making this 1977 house look totally fresh.

Long live the lawn flamingo!

The homeowner wanted to combine color and comfort.

A cool design tip to steal from this bedroom? The new paint color is custom color-matched to the wallpaper.

“We wanted to transform the space into a whimsical, inviting oasis that welcomed guests and made them feel at ease,” this DIYer says.

“You don't always have to renovate a space to make it look pretty,” this homeowner says.

The Michigan-based interior designer hand-painted a floral design on her bedroom walls — adding a stunning detail to her creative, lived-in family home.

It’s renter-friendly!

Before, the oatmeal-colored walls made the whole room feel dark despite its large windows.

The “after” adds color and drama but still feels bright and cheery.

“The cottage’s original details had been completely stripped away,” the homeowner describes.

“I wanted to renovate my whole bathroom one day, but doing this definitely saved me a lot of money,” the homeowner says.

“We knew we wanted a stone floor instead of linoleum and to replace the upper cabinets with shelving,” the homeowner says.

The bedroom is filled with vintage finds.

The layout for this living room makeover was a mystery — until 3 a.m. inspiration struck.

The old chandelier was incredibly heavy.

“I wanted something brighter, more colorful, and more personal,” the homeowner says.

The paint color is perfect for fall.

The apartment dweller was after a minimalist, modern-meets-vintage look.

The tile DIY is totally reversible.

The color lesson here? Lean into what feels true to you.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a space transform through your own effort,” the DIYer says.

Plus, the new floors are stunning.

My kitchen was stuck in the worst version of the '70s, but I gutted, refinished, and rebuilt it with vintage design in mind.

I realized I could embrace the wood cabinets and balance out the wood tones.

The fireplace is now a focal point, not an eyesore.