DIY Before & Afters | Do It Yourself Projects & Hacks

“Booth seating is always the spot we gravitate toward at a restaurant, so I wanted to re-create this type of space at home,” the homeowner says.

A hula hoop can come in clutch in a tight space.

A 2-foot transformation made the kitchen look a little more bespoke.

The DIYer found a surprise in the walls.

“Creativity beats cash, and a little stubbornness can make even a landlord-friendly kitchen feel luxurious,” the DIYer says.

A (mostly) renter-friendly, colorful, euphoric riot? Yes please.

The living room is this family of eight’s favorite spot to hang out.

The potting table and raised garden beds create the perfect setup.

It’s wonderfully wild!

As with most DIY projects, there were surprises along the way.

The paint color is a popular one.

It’s so much cooler than paint.

The dresser was great for my first apartment, but I wanted it to better match my 2025 design style.

The floors were a labor of love.

“I really wanted the space to feel unique and tied to my cultural roots,” the homeowner says.

It cost around $5,000.

It looks way more expensive than it is.

The new shelving racks up major compliments.

The BILLY bookcase hack is a must-see.

The all-in cost for the DIYer was about $24.

She did the entire thing herself!

The makeover is packed with DIY projects.

“The biggest change is, honestly, adding plants,” the renter says.

This interior decorator is allergic to white walls.

This waterfall Art Deco dresser’s finish was beyond repair, so the DIYer decided to paint it.

It’s very nostalgic.

The kitchen "had all the character but needed some depth,” the renter says.

The beauty of wood, without the price tag.

The 43-square-foot bathroom is now “grand and moody.”

There’s another jaw-dropping DIY project in the corner, too.

“The whole thing was cheap and cheerful,” the DIYer says.

The “before” was “a 1990s hodgepodge of design choices.”

“I was excited to bring this kitchen up to code and bring it life and a personality,” the DIYer says.

This homeowner’s painting advice is “to be chaotic.” Find out why.

It’s not your average chair rail.

As Glinda from "Wicked" puts it, "Pink goes good with green"!

“I love how the room brings in elements from my heritage while still feeling fresh,” the DIYer says.

Now the bathroom wows.

The homeowner wanted to minimize waste in her kitchen transformation.

"No one would ever suspect its bones are IKEA,” the DIYer says.

“If you find something secondhand that's one-of-a kind, act fast.” this DIYer says.

The bathroom “hadn’t been maintained since, like, 300 B.C.”

Secondhand finds complete the kitchen.

The transformation cost under $500, and it feels like “a little jewel box” now.

I wanted to give the beige and brown bathroom with chrome finishes a style boost — plus make it functional for my growing family.

You've got to see the dazzling herringbone backsplash!

It looks completely different — for under $5,000.

The home was formerly used as a college rental, so the kitchen had “dingy” and “grubby” vibes going in.

Mixing up your signature cocktail just got way more stylish.

“There really was nothing I liked about this room,” the homeowner says of the “before.”

The pops of gold are great!

It was so much easier than I thought it would be.

It hadn't been updated since the 1940s!

“It feels calm and inviting,” the DIYer says.

For about $30, you’ll have a textured piece that looks far more expensive.

“I find myself staring at this corner from time to time,” the DIYer says of the “after.” (In a good way!)

The hand-built vanity is so cool.

This white nightstand’s makeover required 7(!) layers of green paint.

“I learned a lot about colors and textures [and] how to make smaller areas feel bigger,” the homeowner says.

“It was extra important to me to make it a place I loved,” this renter says of her apartment.

This bathroom makeover is an antique-lover’s dream with wallet-friendly finds!

“The whole kitchen is now a statement piece that is also fun and very functional,” the apartment owner says.

And it was budget-friendly!

The “dated and boring” kitchen gets an airy and beachy vibe.

“The fireplace wall was very empty” before, the homeowner says.

Reinvent a go-to classic.

A big life change called for a color change — and a cozy spot to land each night.

The wallpaper is so whimsical — and in a clever, cost-effective spot.

“I loved the concrete floors, 13-foot-high ceilings … and that it was a pretty neutral canvas to work with,” the renter says. “I did not love all the gray and the super-white walls.”

See how much the 80-square-foot space changes.

Goodbye, peeling floors.

“The bathroom really needed some updating and more personality,” the homeowner says.