Easy DIY Projects

As soon as Hope Mendes and her husband saw their Cobb, California, cabin, they knew it was the place they'd been searching for.

Sure, they're a pretty way to store bottles of wine and cocktail mixer sets, but bar carts can also serve so many other purposes around the house.

We promise that hair clips aren't just a thing of the '90s!

Initially, Jessie Ecker only planned to paint her fireplace surround black, but she decided that it looked so good and modern that she would keep going and paint the paneling around it.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful and fun gift, look no further. Ioana’s project is a simple, unexpected, and customizable. Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 1 hour Project Cost: $10-20 What You Need Tools Beer coastersPrinted photosClear self-adhesive foilEyeletCardstock, red and whiteBakers twine Materials PrinterCutterRulerEdge rounder (punch)GlueEyelet setterScoring board with bone folder Instructions Cut the photos as big as the coasters and round their edges.

Three ways to style a mattress that are so pretty, you won't be able to choose a favorite.

Here are some projects from the Apartment Therapy archives that we promise even a novice DIYer can handle.

When we see a bathroom renovation roll in for under $200, it gets our attention because, let’s be honest, a light fixture alone can cost well over $200!

IKEA's GLADOM tray—at only $20—is a strong contender for the newest classic piece to come from the brand.

How do you design a living room when it has an uneven fireplace sitting oddly in the corner? Kristyn Jackson was baffled.

Galvanized stock tanks and troughs are essentially huge tubs which can be turned into or reused as any number of things. Depending on the context, they can read modern, industrial, or farmhouse. Learn all the ways you can hack them and create something spectacular and useful for your home. Bathroom Tubs: Jayme used a large round tank as a bathtub in her in warm and inviting modernist home in Philadelphia.

Curious to see what all the hype's about?

Lucinda Mitra and her husband inherited a bathroom from their UK home's previous owners that was "completely livable, but somewhat tired and dated," she writes.

Well, August came fast! Summer may be starting to wind down, but you can keep your home warm and colorful all year long with seasonally themed IKEA hacks.

This vintage RV has been torn down, fixed back up, and glittered, dangled, and frocked within an inch of its life.

You know the saying: give someone a fish and they eat for a day. But teach that person to fish and they eat for a lifetime? Wise words, and completely applicable to IKEA hacks. Because, we can show you good examples of “Before & After” projects all day long but, sooner or later young lady, you’ll find yourself standing in front of a broke-down MALM dresser and you won’t know what to do. And then where are you going to be? Huh? Can you answer me that?

Here are nine useful or fun ways to use your food coloring and bring the rainbow to projects outside of the kitchen.

The powder room didn’t quite make it to the top of Laurel list of must-immediately-make home improvements—until she found out that a wall had to be taken out completely and rebuilt for proper support.

Looking to add a little more oomph to a neutral room? You could paint the walls, but there are plenty of other ways to incorporate a fun color into your home.

Alexandra Madison loves “taking old spaces and making them feel new and fresh,” she writes, so in a few weeks and with less than $600, she gave her dining room an entirely updated feel.

When Katie and ​David​ purchased their home in Memphis, the house had all of the charm of the 1940s—but the bathroom left much to be desired.

Pretty fabrics AND comfy armrests? Yes, please.

Joanne Mooney​'s IKEA FLÅDIS​ planter did its job—aka, holding plants—but looked pretty bland against the backdrop of her colorful home. She decided to use punch needling to give the seagrass baskets a makeover.

Color, peel-and-stick backslash tiles, and a few gorgeous light fixture splurges COMPLETELY transformed this old, dark rental kitchen.

You are not going to believe this. If you, like me, are only able to see this old busted leather sofa as an old busted leather sofa, you may be pretty astonished at what one enterprising DIYer managed to make out of it. Leather furniture, as you may know if you’ve ever shopped for leather furniture, can be really expensive.

It’ll solve tons of your small space problems.

The plush seats were once the height of cool home decor.

The truth is, an IKEA hack isn’t always worth your time and effort.

Beach days just got so much better.

Thoughtfully-designed do products DO exist.

If you're looking for a home that, somehow, brilliantly blends the best of Gwyneth's sensibilities with Sterling Cooper-era interior design, do I have a home for you.

I don’t know about you, but the minute September rolls around (OK, fine, late August), I’m 100 percent ready to stock up on delicious pumpkin-smelling candles to burn all season long. Then, mid-November, I start to gravitate toward the shelves displaying evergreen and peppermint scents, because what would the holidays be otherwise?!

We’ve blogged side chairs, but we wanted to zone in more closely on dining chairs. You know, the ones that really need to be comfortable, while allowing you to sit up tall and enjoy your food.

It wasn’t long ago now that DWR stepped into the ring with their own mattress lineup, getting ever closer to one-stop shopping at their hip, urban stores. Interestingly, they chose to skip the conventional route and headed straight for memory foam. Very modern.Based on the Tempur-Pedic model, Sonno Mattresses are topped with a layer of visco-elastic memory foam and are pure polyurethane foam in the middle.

Time: 2 WeekendsCost: $120 This is one project that most (including ourselves) consider TOO HARD. Recovering a reading chair? Forget it. But NicoleMari’s patient, smart, inspiring instructions will soothe your nerves and give you confidence. NicoleMari submitted this project to our January Jumpstart Contest and tied for second place in her category (Thanks, Nicolemari!)… AFTERTell us the tools and resources you used for the project: I bought all my materials and notions at fabric.

If you’re moving into your first “grown up” place, you’ve probably been told time and time again that you just have to go to IKEA for affordable, functional furniture. While it’s no secret that we’re huge fans of the Swedish retailer—not to mention the countless hacks you can perform to glam up even its most basic pieces—the search for inexpensive furniture items doesn’t have to end there.

This place needed A LOT of updates but after six weeks of chaos, countless Home Depot trips, and tons of sweat equity, this condo now fits the couple's personalities.

For a less intrepid DIY-er the assortment pictured above would be one intimidating pile of rocks. Not so for April. She transformed her courtyard into a relaxing spot, perfect for entertaining. Best of all, it’s super low maintenance so she can spend more time planning parties and less time watering grass! From April: I am in love with the new look of my courtyard area, which was almost all do-it-yourself projects.

S'mores lovers rejoice.

It's the ultimate lake house accessory.

The dark blue accent wall cost $180 total, including trim, caulk, and paint.

Time to tackle everything on your home reno to-do list.

With the rising population of plant parents, it’s no surprise we’re finding Kokedama decorating on porches, chilling on coffee tables, and hanging in showers. Kokedama, roughly translated as “moss ball,” is a minimal form of Japanese gardening that perfectly balances the odd and the beautiful, elevating hanging plants into an art form. That art form happens to be perfect for your bathroom—in the shower, to be specific.

Brianna printed her custom, watercolor-inspired artwork at Society6 and covered it with three "generous" coats of clear whiteboard paint. After five days of curing, she had her end result—"a giant surface for impromptu brainstorming, writing down weekly and monthly goals, taking notes while pacing on conference calls, or sketching website wireframes."

Some crafty renovation moves and other tricks that'll make a tiny shower or tub seem double its size.

Every green thumb can own one.

Here are the moments when these eight designers knew their environments had leveled up.

If you think you have termites, don’t skip straight to burning down your house for the insurance money. Take these steps before resorting to fire.

Start with trendy rattan to make these eight DIY creations that will look way-too-perfect in your summertime, beach-inspired decor.

This pantry goes from cluttered to clean.

I can attest to the challenge of refinishing a vintage stereo entertainment cabinet. They’re undoubtedly beautiful, but also big, heavy, packed with difficult to disassemble, pre-miniaturization era electronics, and usually require a great deal of stripping and refinishing to bring them back to glory.

For your next free weekend.

Copper accents in the bathroom is a look we’re loving right now. A recent roundup of inspiration featured copper sinks and copper faucets and exposed copper pipes, but there are other ways to bring a little shine to your bathroom. If you crave the look but can’t afford to remodel, or you’re renting and that just isn’t a possibility, then take a look at these clever DIYs. Above, bespoke bath faucets designed by the home’s owner, Niki Turner.

Leather furniture can last for decades if properly taken care of. Prolong the life of your piece by using this simple, all-natural leather conditioner. Vinegar Linseed oil Essential oil (optional) Jar with a lid or spray bottle Microfiber cloth Wipe down your furniture to be sure it is dust-free in preparation for the conditioning treatment. 2. Mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts linseed oil in a jar with a lid. Close the lid and shake vigorously.

We’ve all experienced it at one point: fruit flies, first a few then an infestation surrounding your fruit bowl. They’re pesky little critters, but we’ve found the best way to rid your kitchen of them. Here are our quick instructions for making a fruit fly trap with just a few simple materials. Vinegar, fruit or wine (apple cider vinegar works especially well) Glass or jar Sheet of paper Tape Find a suitable glass or jar.

IKEA says: Whether for a walk-in wardrobe, hallway solution or a business, ELVARLI storage system provides open storage that’s easy to get just right, while looking nice. ELVARLI storage system is the result of some innovative development at IKEA to create flexible, beautiful and lightweight storage. ELVARLI storage system is elegantly designed with attention to small details like seamless joints and invisible fittings.

IKEA says: The idea behind GRÖNADAL rocking chair was to make a rocking chair that joins different materials and expressions in unexpected ways. Rattan and ash are vibrant natural materials that age beautifully, and create an interesting contrast to the powder-coated steel. The seat and back are hand-woven using traditional techniques, while the light shape brings modern Scandinavian design to mind.

IKEA’s description: The herringbone pattern has a beautifully pleasing geometry to the eye. In BARKABODA countertop the pattern in dark brown wood adds true elegance to the kitchen. The countertop is made durable with a layer of solid wood that covers a particleboard core. This technique not only gives a genuine expression of solid wood, but is a good environmental choice as it’s resource-efficient.

This is not your average house kit.

Grilling is one of the great joys of summer. If you live in an apartment with an especially small outdoor space — or none at all — you may be worried that this particular joy is denied to you, but never fear. Below you will find our absolutely biggest roundup – 17! – of grills big and small, portable and iconic, but ALL charcoal (or wood). Enjoy and tell us your faves. This is our reader favorite.

Bedside storage is a must-have in any bedroom. But what to do when you don’t have the space—or budget—for a brand new nightstand? Fret not friends; we did some digging and it turns out there are several alternatives to traditional bedside tables that still offer more than enough room for all of your nighttime essentials. From compact consoles to small side tables and more, here are six bedside storage solutions that aren’t actually nightstands.

In my neighborhood, it’s common for residents to set out piles of unwanted items with friendly “free” signs, meaning that you never know when you’ll head out for a walk or to run an errand and come back with something interesting and useful. After seeing these amazing luggage transformations, I’m majorly hoping that one of my neighbors will toss an unneeded suitcase or two to the curb. Looking to work some DIY magic of your own?

If you’re following along, you may have caught us drooling over Arlyn Hernandez’s makeovers. Arlyn is Emily Henderson’s editorial director and the proud occupant of not one but two beautifully designed rooms in a 100-year-old Los Angeles Mediterranean-style apartment building.

 Mid Century Modern Desk by Conant Ball Furniture – $600 – Mid century modern desk by Conant Ball Furniture Makers Solid wood light maple color. Original vintage piece. Good vintage condition. (see photos) Dimensions : H – 30 1/4″ D – 24 1/4″ W – 48.” – SHIPS From Maxwell:Dear Readers, What are you looking for?

The year was 1995, and there was a ficus tree that lived in the corner of our living room, beside the couch. The tree had a wicker basket over the base with shredded moss covering the soil. The leaves were a deep green, splattered with soft yellow variegation. My mom never watered it, but it never died. I thought, at the ripe age of six, that if I did not touch the tree as my mom demanded, it would grant me a wish. Unfortunately, the ficus was not a magical fairytale tree.

Whether you're hosting indoors or on the back patio this summer, your table will be in tiptop shape.