DIY Before & Afters | Do It Yourself Projects & Hacks

It is clear from the photo above that Lesli has the kind of yard sale luck that most of us can only dream about, even on our best day. When she arrived at a local yard sale, she immediately saw the perfect bed for her daughter, a bed that had somehow been overlooked by antique hunters earlier in the day. When she saw the price tag, a whopping $25, she paid immediately and accepted the help of the seller to load up her car.

When Mel first saw this pair of bamboo shelving units in her Habitat for Humanity store, she passed them by without purchasing. She then spent the rest of the night worrying that someone else would have snapped them up; thankfully they were still at the store when she returned the following day. With their glass shelves and ornate lines, Mel just knew these pieces were perfect for a makeover.

Meagan, of the blog Craft Habit, recently acquired a pair of hand-me-down Ikea nightstands, but really had her heart set on the GiGi nightstand from Urban Outfitters that, at $150 a piece, was out of her price range. So, set on having more minty fresh goods in her house, she transformed the IKEA pieces into such a good match, we’d be hard-pressed to decide which version we like better.

Silver metallic furniture pieces have been on the scene for a while now and don’t seem to be heading out anytime soon. Mandi wanted to try her hand at creating one without a trusty silver spray can in hand but using a common kitchen goods instead. See what she pulled off after the jump…At first I was skeptical, but by the end of her tutorial I was thoroughly impressed. She didn’t just glue on some tin foil and call it a day (which probably wouldn’t do the trick).

Holly readily admits that organization isn’t her strong point, so she certainly sympathized with her client’s desire to find a “mommy desk” to help her get organized as her eldest started kindergarten. Holly found this vintage teacher’s desk, solidly built though marked by years of doodling and dings. With strong bones but in desperate need of a refinish, this desk was the perfect candidate for a makeover.

Karen scored this dresser when it was left behind in a friend of a friend’s garage. She took that dresser with its one green painted drawer home and painted it white and cream to match her bedroom, and there it has lived for the last seven years. She and her husband are working to update their master bedroom, and Karen decided this dresser was just asking for a makeover.

Most bathrooms are small, wet places, so choosing appropriate furniture is often a challenge. Learn from Jenny, who took a flea market lucite stool and fixed it up to work in her bathroom.Jenny from Little Green Notebook spotted this scratched up stool at a flea market and decided to use it as a seat for when she’s bathing her kids.For wet or messy locales, laminated fabric is a great alternative.

Vintage card catalogs can be found for a pretty penny, but Kristen from The Painted Hive devised an amazing, inexpensive DIY using — you guessed it — an IKEA product.Kristine wanted an old card catalog, but didn’t want to fork over the large amount of cash that they often sell for. So she got creative, and used IKEA’s MOPPE mini chest of drawers (which replaced the ‘FIRA‘ and for some reason can only currently be found at the UK site).

Catherine’s husband Danny owned this rather orange coffee table when they first met, and she freely admits to having spent the last few years moving it around the house in an attempt to hide its rather bright hue. The flaking finish plus some penmanship practice in one corner made this piece ripe for a makeover once Catherine found her inspiration in a post by a fellow blogger.

There’s a reason basements often become cluttered dumping grounds, they’re usually dark, uninviting and an excuse to hide your mess away. If you have an underused or unappealing basement, take some cues from designer Frances Herrera who transformed this one into a bright, welcoming playroom.What was your goal for this space – what did your clients ask for?My clients needed an inspiring place for their 5-year-old daughter to play, craft, and entertain her friends.

When Susan first saw this battered buffet, it was anything but love at first sight. Water stains, peeling veneer, and missing drawer pulls — this buffet had them all. Thankfully, it also had wonderful lines, solid construction, and some beautiful carved legs peeping through the grime and abuse. With a gritty determination, Susan set out to restore this buffet to reflect its proud past.

Ashley picked this table up at a thrift store for only $10, a great deal for a piece with this much hidden storage. Despite the obvious benefits of such a table for a growing family, the look of the piece is dated and too dark for Ashley’s plan to brighten up her living room. Though this project required a lot of time and attention to detail, the end result is a great addition to Ashley’s evolving living room.

When I saw the photo of this ottoman, I had to look twice because it’s just like one I picked up at the local thrift store several months ago! Just like the one above, mine isn’t in terrible shape, but the upholstery is certainly outdated and could do with a bit of sprucing up.Jill Browning is certainly more proactive than I am and she did just that, gave her ottoman a fabulous makeover. And where, pray tell, do you think she got that lovely fabric from?

Sarah got herself a great deal on this painted dresser — or so she thought until she started sanding off the paint on the top and found not solid wood but veneer. Battered veneer patched with wood filler. Veneer she knew she would have to chip off bit by bit. Veneer that ultimately required a chisel and a heat gun to remove completely. Despite her hatred of the process, the end result was certainly worth the effort.

When Ms. Bliss found this lemon yellow dresser by the side of the road, she was certain it still had some life left in it. She was already working on redoing her 13-year-old son’s bedroom, and knew the added storage would be a great addition to that space. With only minimal damage to be fixed, this dresser was an excellent candidate for a more masculine makeover.Ms.

There was nothing wrong with the plain silk curtains in Maegan’s ultra-feminine home office (which we profiled as a Tech Tour last year). But, when she spotted the luxe tassled curtains in Carrie’s apartment while watching old episodes of Sex and the City, she knew she could recreate the look for less.All it took was a few yards of elegant black tassel trim — as well as a few hours of patient pinning and hand-stitching — to really upgrade this window treatment.

Maury (Mars for short) is slowly but surely redoing her guest room to make it an inviting place for friends and family to visit. Since she is working with a budget, she is reusing furniture from her childhood- furniture she loves but that looks well-loved in return. Using some familiar products, Mars managed to transform the look of her childhood bed for this new adult space.Oh the joy and wonder that is Howard Restor-a-Finish and Feed-n-Wax!

Most people would consider this playset good to go, as is. It’s big, in great shape, and loaded with features. Clear a space, secure that puppy to the ground and let the kids get crazy. But some folks are not satisfied with good to go — they envision great to go. And then they make it happen.Whee-ooo whee-ooo, call the fire department because this project is blazing with awesomeness. Michell from Girl in Air scored this play set used for a fraction of what it would cost new.

After taking a break from furniture refinishing for a year to have a lovely baby, Cathy decided to get back in the game when she found these wooden nightstands listed for sale online. Solidly built but not very attractive, these nightstands were crying out for a makeover.Cathy sanded everything down to remove the old finish before using her paint sprayer to cover the bases in Benjamin Moore Moon Rise. She chose to retain the original wood tones of the top, staining it with Minwax Red Oak.

Crystal loved the price and concept of IKEA’s CIRKUSTÄLT play tent, but she wasn’t a fan of the loud primary colors especially to use in her daughter’s softer-hued bedroom. She picked out fabric she did like and got busy with her sewing machine…Voila! She used the same “bones” of the tent, but completely new fabric that is more her style.

When Alisha and her husband decided the time had come to rearrange all the bedrooms in their house to better suit the needs of their growing family, they were lucky enough to have some old family favorites to help set up a new room for their toddler son that could double as a guest room when necessary. Alisha knew she wanted to reuse the beds that had belonged to her husband when he was a child, but also knew they needed an update to fit with her vision.

When David found this drab little dresser, he immediately had a vision of a kid-friendly makeover involving chalkboard paint. That plan lasted right up until he had a conversation with his sister, a mom of three who was not a fan of the idea of chalk dust anywhere near her kids clean clothes. David immediately switched gears and came up with a wonderful backup plan involving vintage graphics he found online.

Like many of us, Weiya was searching for an affordable solution for her storage woes, searching for a piece which could work as a landing strip for her personal belongings (keys, diaper bag, etc), while also provide additional storage underneath, and surface area for her laptop.

Katie picked up this bruised and battered table from her favorite thrift store for the unbelievable price of $16.91. Despite the peeling veneer and the damaged finish, Katie knew this table was solidly built and had a lot of life left in it.With no way to fix the damaged veneer on the edge, Katie was forced to remove it using a damp cloth and a hot iron. She then used lacquer remover and sanding to take off the finish and the gold foil design on the top.

Jonathan Lo, who is no stranger to DIY, interior design, and making things beautiful, is at it again with these painted nightstands. As an addition to his handmade (of course) headboard, he wanted a sleek pair of end tables to contrast the weathered look of the bed. I think he achieved his goal…This crisp and classic navy blue adds such a handsome appeal to these nightstands. Often folks will cringe at the thought of painting any wood, whatsoever.

As you can see from the photos, these lovely lucite tables were already a wonderful component of this fun turquoise living room. Of course, sometimes we tire of even lovely tables after looking at them day after day without change. Thankfully, there is an easy and inexpensive way to update these tables without making any permanent alterations.Blogger Meeha Meeha spent only 12 euros on hot pink adhesive film to transform her tables for to help fight the winter blues.

Another great project from one of my favorite DIYers, her projects are always creative and impressively well-executed. She doesn’t disappoint with her latest project, refurbishing vintage Leg-o-matic chairs. Had you ever heard of these chairs before? I hadn’t but totally want some now! See her amazing results after the jump.The craftswoman is Janine from Salvage Love. She found these 1962 vintage Leg-o-matic chairs at a local thrift store and was smart enough to snap them up.

I’ve happened upon several card catalogs at auctions in the past, but truth be told, I could never figure out what to do with them. They’re a little small for CDs and a little low to the ground to do much good, but this family in Portland had grander visions than I.This library card catalog has come a long way with a few simple add ons and is now a practical piece for any home.

Rhonda has the kind of friends we all need — friends who give away beautiful solid wood desks on Facebook. Desks like the one above that have strong bones despite the visible wear and tear caused by years of hard use. Rhonda and her husband knew this desk would shine up to a become a showpiece in their home, and boy were they right!Rhonda’s husband took charge of this project, removing all of the old chipped veneer before sanding the wood smooth.

Courtney and her husband are lucky enough to have a wonderful outdoor deck, but weren’t sure how to best use this odd empty corner. Inspiration struck and they decided to construct an outdoor day bed to provide some much needed lounging space for a party or a quiet afternoon. Using a combination of new and reclaimed wood, they built a custom seating area to fill up that empty corner.

Back when she moved into her new condo, Michelle decided the time had come to replace the IKEA dresser in her bedroom, a dresser purchased back when she was in middle school! After scouring Craiglist and thrift stores for months, she finally found the perfect piece for her new home, and picked it up for only $50 delivered.

When Tammy picked up this dresser, it was already painted a soft blue and the drawer fronts were already sanded down to the bare wood- clearly this was someone’s unfinished DIY project. Never one to back down from a challenge, Tammy immediately had a vision of a coastal vibe dresser honoring her family’s annual summer trip to the beaches of North Carolina.Tammy left the blue paint on the frame of the dresser, but sanded down the top to match the bare drawer fronts.

This snores-ville cabinet could definitely use a slap of paint to liven it up a bit. There is no question about that. But to give it even more personality, more pizzazz, what can you do?We’re reminded once again at the power of adding the right hardware; look at what a pair of mismatched, unexpected knobs does for this piece.Want to customize your cabinet in similar fashion? The brass finish Secret Key Handle from Anthropologie is available for just $4.95.And those lovely numbered knobs?

Most of us have a set of shelves that are decidedly more functional than they are fashionable. This shabby set survived the move into our new house and managed to look even shabbier sitting on our brand new tile floor and adjacent to a freshly painted wall. It only took me three years but it finally got a makeover more befitting its new station in life.The epiphany came as I was sketching plans for a cabinet and realized that, duh, a cabinet is basically a set of shelves with a back and a door!

As Brittany herself says, this story began (as so many here do) with a trip to the thrift store. Celebrating the sale of an old white coffee table, Brittany was delighted to find this sticky, smelly, and admittedly in need of repair chair for the bargain price of only $5. With a little elbow grease and gold leaf, Brittany created a marvelous addition for her home.After removing the seat, Brittany sanded the whole chair with 400-grit sandpaper, then wiped it down to remove any dust.

In the past I’ve tried several times to turn an old trunk or camp box into a filing system. Sure they work and I had things inside to keep all my papers and accessories organized, but I was missing out on some serious structure that makes it all truly come together. Check out this great before and after that makes this thrifted object into a serious piece of office organization.

With a $20 price tag and simple design, the Lack table from IKEA is just screaming for customization. Ssshh … listen carefully. Can you hear it? Please, dear DIY diva, take me from a cookie cutter cheap-o table to a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece of furniture! Lucky for you, little table, Lizzie heard your pleas. Oh, humble IKEA Lack coffee table. How we do love to see what clever DIYers can do to enhance your simple little design.

When Ann Marie decided to take on a project for her son’s school auction, she was lucky to find this old entertainment system for free on Craigslist. After some hard work and for only a $15 investment in supplies, she transformed this unwanted piece into a showstopping French kitchen that any child would love.

It’s a rare home that doesn’t have a little IKEA in it. Hacking IKEA furniture has become a sport for design-loving nuts such as ourselves. There’s no shortage of creativity and ingenuity but we also like to see the simple hacks that give a lot of bang for the buck. If you haven’t yet heard of O’verlays, jump below and take a look at what they can do.

Though this thrift store dining table was missing a leaf and had obviously seen some hard use in the past, the classic lines and solid wood construction were just crying out for a little TLC to become a showpiece in someone’s home. Priced at only $15, this table was a steal despite the problems with the fininsh on the tabletop. Though this makeover does involve some paint, the wood purists among you should also be happy with the final result.

Sherry and her husband lucked out when they stumbled upon this vintage 1930s radio in a store that was closing the very day they dropped in to browse. Though the radio components were beyond salvage, the cabinet was just crying out for some TLC in order to become a showpiece in their home.Sherry’s husband devoted hours of time and lots of elbow grease as he sanded, glued, clamped, and stained this piece to restore the finish to its original glory.

Allison didn’t have to look very far to find these project pieces- her parents have owned them for over 36 years! Part of the bedroom set her parents got for their wedding, these nightstands lived in Allison’s childhood home before making a move to her parents’ cabin 10 years ago. When the cabin sold, these pieces came to Allison to work some makeover magic.Solidly built pieces by Lane, these nightstands are dark and heavy; Allison herself calls them “ominous”.

This $3 Goodwill score didn’t beckon to me with its good looks — the beige body and stained corporate-blue upholstery weren’t exactly stylish — but it felt really sturdy and comfortable when I tested it at the store. It wasn’t much uglier than the chair I was already using in my home office, either, and when I flipped it over, I discovered it was made by Steelcase.

Before and after makeovers are always rather shocking right? It’s always some sad piece of furniture that gets a new paint job or rework to be a brighter, bolder, more modern form of itself right? They’re always so cool. This one is no different except the after photo of these chairs — well, how do we say this — they’re not even chairs anymore.We checked in with Brooke over at All Things Thrifty where this simple chair with busted caning was in need of a makeover.

Rolltop desks are a classic element for any office, but sometimes they can be a bit staid for a modern aesthetic, not to mention a bit big for a small space. This small-scale rolltop desk had wonderful lines and is perfect for a kid’s room, but the horrid orangey stain really dated the piece. Thankfully, Baltimore designers Kahli and Milla had a plan modernize this vintage desk.

Some people just have all the luck when it comes to sniffing out thrift store bargains. When Kim found this battered yet solid desk for the incredible price of $26, she knew she had to have it; learning it was on sale for half that was just icing on the cake. She immediately wrestled the desk into her car, determined to try out a decoupaging technique on this bargain find.

Gail found this dresser by the side of the road, obviously already the victim of a failed DIY effort. The top had been removed and two drawers were missing (though the drawer fronts remained). Despite its sad condition, Gail brought it home, certain she could make something great from this curbside find.Gail removed the interior supports for the upper two drawers, and used the drawer fronts to form the back of the bench.

When Meg’s sister had a baby boy, she knew she wanted to give her new nephew a special present to welcome him into the family. She found a dresser on Craigslist desperately in need of a makeover and saw the potential for the perfect gift. Though many would agree with her husband’s assessment that it was only good for firewood, Meg had a vision of what a little paint could do.

Lots of us have dreamed of designing fantasy kitchens with all the bells and whistles. Then our actual budgets deliver a brutal reality check. That’s the case with this “before,” which belongs to a house that was bought to be fixed up and flipped. The owners couldn’t spend a lot of money, so they made up for it with smart shopping and a barrel of elbow grease.

The tagline for Julia’s blog and furniture design business is “from ugly ducklings to beautiful swans”, an accurate description for the transformation she achieved with this battered Craigslist find. Purchased from a family that just didn’t have the space to hang onto grandma’s dresser any longer, this piece was crying out for a little TLC.

When Cynthia picked up the server above at auction, it was completely covered in that creamy yellow paint; she was so eager to begin the redo, she didn’t even take true before pics! Though not a fan of the paint treatment, Cynthia loved the lines of this little server and price tag of $20 was hard to pass up.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with this wicker chair. It’s got a nice shape and nice legs. It’s just so…brown. But not for long!Oh, spray paint, is there nothing you can’t do? This chair is so pretty now! Kendra from Sweet Magnolia Way has been working on a big girl room for her daughter so she pulled this forgotten brown chair up from the basement and gave it new life with a few coats of spray paint.

Want to add some color to your bookcase but are a afraid of making a long term commitment? You can experiment with as bold a color you like with this simple, temporary foam board trick.That’s right. Foam board. Cut the foam board to fit in the back of the case and paint it any color you want. Hey, paint each side differently and switch it up twice a year if you like. If you have a bookcase with no back, even easier, tack the painted foam board to the whole backside.

When Erin fell in love with a DIY dresser re-do found online, she just knew she wanted to create her own version. She kept her eye out for a suitable dresser for her house, finally snapping one up at a local thrift store. Though smaller and blockier than her inspiration piece, the piece was perfect for the two-tone treatment she wanted to try.Erin painted and primed the frame of the dresser with a lovely blue-grey (Cement Grey by Behr), then sanded and stained the drawers in Ebony (by Minwax).

Nothing about this nightstand screams out ‘I belong in a little girl’s room.’ But maybe that’s because I don’t know how to listen. The transformation this nightstand undergoes should encourage all of us to give our old furniture a second look and a closer listen.Melissa at Houseography must be a furniture whisperer to see a nightstand for her little girl in that solid old oak piece from her grandparents.

Ok, I will be the first to admit that it would be hard for me to get inspired about this outdated, wood-paneled room. Rebecca saw it and said, I can’t remodel and I have absolutely no budget to fix this up, but I want a craft room and I’m gonna figure it out. And when I say “wow”, to what she pulled off for $75, I mean “wow!”Rachael’s budget to transform this space into the craft room she wanted was zilch, but that didn’t stop her.

Self-confessed DIY-aholic Kayla found this sad little chair in a garage under a blanket while attending a local estate sale. The low curves of this fabulous chair made her look beyond the horrible stained upholstery to see the graceful lady desperate to shine through. Grabbing some fabric and a can of paint, she sank into this chair redo.

Not all mid century fiberglass chairs are created equal. Some aren’t made by a big name designer and are literally just plain old chairs. So what do you do when you come across one that’s looking a little run down? Click through to find out:We stopped in over at Aesthetic Outburst, where there’s been a recent chair makeover. They were in need of something with a little pop and thus the chair was painted gold and given a bit of red to round things out.

Though the booklover in me was ready to swoon at the sight of these fabulous build-in shelves, decorator Terry Moore knew they were not living up to their full potential. Working with a client hoping to inject some personality into a new home, Terry popped out the shelves, picked up a paintbrush, and went to town on this neutral space.

I discovered this wonderful little project on Merrilee’s blog and had to share. With a mesh trash can and a can of gold spray paint you’ll be ready to transform one sad little wastebasket into a chic and functional storage bin! I realize this probably sounds like a recipe for disaster, but the outcome is quite stunning.Involving no more than a fresh coat of paint, this DIY is a fairly simple undertaking.

We love it when a creative DIYer is able to think of new ways to rework existing furniture to better fit a changing lifestyle. Rachelle originally purchased this credenza off of Craiglist to use in her son’s nursery; the original dark walnut finish was painted white to brighten up both the piece and the space.

I have to say that the vision and transformation that has occurred here is quite astonishing. This small, dark, and awkward space that was previously used as a bedroom has become a bright, airy, and inspired dining room that I wouldn’t mind calling home.Sibylle, over at funkytime, and a few of her friends went to town on this project to create something out of nothing.

To quote The Byrds: “To everything – turn, turn, turn.” Aron loved his animal mural, but he was growing up and it was time for a change. Check out the room his mom put together for him – inspired by one of his great passions:After!Leah shares the transformation of Aron’s room:My son Aron is an avid baseball fan – a New York Yankee fan/addict to be more precise.

Finding a nice six-room dollhouse on Craigslist for thirty dollars is a score, especially when it comes furnished. Looking at the wallpapered rooms and matching cherry furniture, many of us would have called it good and let the kids have at it. But check how another thirty bucks, some scrap materials and an artistic eye can transform each room of this house into a showroom.

We’ve seen homemade play kitchens made from everything under the sun, but this may be the first one we’ve seen that started as a changing table. It’s an ideal piece of furniture to repurpose since it’s usefulness is usually only a few years. Take a look at how Hannah envisioned this table instead:This changing table is actually an ideal shape to become a kitchen with the higher cupboard becoming a refrigerator and the shelves already built in.

When Holly’s sister drove by this piece at a garage sale, it caught her eye despite the battered finish and missing drawer. $15 (and another trip to the garage sale) later, Holly had a project, a piece she knew could bring back to life even though she wasn’t yet certain where in her new house it would go.A few coats of paint later, and this dresser was no longer a sad garage sale piece but Holly still wasn’t sure how to use it.

Owning your own home means, for many folks, a myriad of DIY, improvement, and remodeling projects on your to-do list. This living room overhaul is an inspirational example of one woman’s journey in making her first home her own.Katherine Fugit is a contributing writer for Keep Smiling, a blog that offers encouragement “and other advice from first-time home buyers.” Looking at her personal blog, Me Machine, will give you a fantastic idea of her enviable eye for great design.

Although sanding down and refinishing hardwoods is fun for some folks, I happen to side with these homeowners who would rather whip up a light, bright and clean look for their kitchen with as little pain as possible. Want to see what this floor looks like now?Over at Modern Jane, this kitchen was in need of help and there’s no denying that this kitchen floor looks 500% better and the treatment to it makes things light, bright and beautiful.

Ok, so when I first saw this before picture I thought, ‘nice couches’ they could use a few pillows but besides that what could they possibly do to them….And this is what they came up with. I personally liked the couches in the before shot and wouldn’t have thought to change them, but I have to give major kudos for the duo at Rancho Reubidoux for having the vision and guts to take this on.

Wainscoting is common wall decor in many traditional homes. However, it can so easily be used homes of any style if you’re willing to be a little eclectic.Installing your own wainscoting can certainly feel like a daunting task but if you’re patient and have a week (or few) to dedicate to it — you’ll be wiping your brow and cracking a cold one in no time.

Shanta lives in Forest Hills in a prewar one bedroom apartment. Spacious and with good light, this living room has lots going for it, but lacks color and a real sense of Shanta’s personality. Everything matches, which while not a bad thing, can feel too safe and sterile. The team at Real Simple turned things around…… and helped make the space sing!

After removing the upper cabinets from her laundry room in order to create more useable open shelves, Sarah hung onto the narrow cabinets which she knew still had some life in them. Though most of us would probably think of reusing such cabinets in the basement or garage, Sarah transformed them into a centerpiece in her living room.By removing the doors and adding on some fun feet and decorative trim, Sarah turned those ho-hum cabinets into a wonderful sofa table.