DIY Before & Afters | Do It Yourself Projects & Hacks

These editor-approved tips might help your project make it to the site this year.

This DIY update looks totally high-end.

It's a complete 180.

The wallpaper! The mirror! The architectural details! This upgrade is 100% luxe.

These redos let the original wood and metal shine.

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

Since her home was built in 2019, the fixtures were all new — but the finishes were just... dull.

A big renovation just isn't always in the cards, since it usually involves a large budget, a lot of time, and plenty of work. But there are smaller fixes that you can make to a dated space while you wait to give it a full reno.

Hallways might be pass-throughs, but they deserve love, too.

They're unrecognizable now.

Secondhand finds look first-rate in this dining nook transformation.

It's hard to be stylish and practical, but this bedroom is both.

Using just one wall of this room to create a laundry setup makes the whole space extra practical for the whole family.

With the help of one of Apartment Therapy's House Tour alums as the designer!

Smart re-uses of items helped keep this project's budget low.

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

A highlight: the new DIY headboard, made for just $53.

It's still only just 280 square feet, but feels so much bigger.

This smart DIY keeps all the comfort of a standard office chair, but makes it way more stylish.

These redos pack a big punch on a small budget.

This redo features a smart trick for unsightly medicine cabinets.

It went from so-so to smile-inducing.

It's a fresh look, but still feels cozy and lived-in.

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

This bathroom is full of smart design hacks.

Little changes add some pop to this small entryway.

This cabinet was going to be trashed until one DIYer turned it into a treasure.

The results are stunning.

It looks totally unrecognizable now.

The "after" is unrecognizable.

Repainting existing furniture helped keep the budget low on this pretty bedroom redo.

A small budget went a long way in this project.

It features a couple smart DIYs, too.

Sometimes the best makeover is a make-under.

The results are downright dreamy.

This refresh keeps the character but brings tons of modern style, too.

The homeowners were quoted $50,000 before they decided to DIY.

The DIY upgrades make this bathroom feel bigger and brighter.

Some clever DIYs gave this boring brown cart real star power.

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

This home office looks like it could be in a fancy hotel.

This makeover is just as easy as it is cheap.

A cave-like space becomes bright and welcoming.

Yes, he really is called Mr. Christmas.

Some painstaking DIY transformed it from junk to jewel.

One word: fireplace!

Featuring an IKEA hack changing table!

Small tweaks add up to make a big difference here.

A big risk pays off in this living room.

It's worth it to think outside the (cabinet) box.

Little changes go a long way in this DIY refresh.

A few weeks of DIY turned this wasted space into a practical work space.

It didn't take a ton of time or money to help this bathroom pop.

DIYing this whole project helped keep it low-cost and high-style.

Using IKEA cabinets!

Hallways are, by necessity, functional spaces. But that doesn't mean they have to be drab and boring!

Laundry rooms deserve to look pretty, too.

All the upgrades are renter-friendly, to boot.

Let this brave transformation inspire you.

"I wanted the space to look beautiful and be more functional," this DIYer says.

It looks so much livelier now.

This gorgeous update is a makeunder done right.

The "after" has a smart storage solution you'll want to steal.

The results are both super stylish and renter-friendly.

This project brings the sunshine inside.

You'll want to steal the wallpaper for yourself.

These DIYers put in serious sweat equity to get this luxe payoff.