Renovating & Remodeling Skills & How Tos

Quitting the nine-to-five grind, selling your belongings and hitting the dusty trail—we’ve all dreamt of it. One family of four took the leap and made their dream a reality, and they’re doing it in only 86 square feet. The Rosene family—husband and wife Travis and Lexi, along with their kids Finley and Zealand—are living full-time in a 2017 Mercedes Sprinter 3500 that they transformed into a home on wheels.

When Oriane and Chris Williams walked into this house they knew it was the house. But then Oriane made a list of everything they would want to update to make sure the 115-year-old house was really in the cards—and budget—for them. She budgeted everything from moving walls to door knobs on a spreadsheet and gave both a low- and high-end estimate of what she thought it would cost.

Recently we’ve been following the adventures of the Rosenes as the family of four hits the open road in their 2017 Mercedes Sprinter 3500. Husband and wife Travis and Lexi gave us the nitty gritty details on what it took to convert their van into a comfortable, livable 86-square-foot home for their brood.

This blank empty space was the first thing this family saw when they walked in their home’s entryway, and not only was it underperforming in the looks department, it also just wasn’t as useful as it could be. Over the course of just one week, this space was transformed from a dead zone into a new household favorite. Before we get to the big reveal, here’s a look at the corner again, from head to toe. Not much to see here, other than some beige walls and a dog crate.

Anyone can do this.

Maybe this little bathroom didn’t have spectacular style, but its real issue was a maddening one that many can relate to: “No matter how much I cleaned it was still dirty.” The window is so lovely, but all that daylight probably just helped to highlight the issues reader Amanda Walker was dealing with: When we bought the house the bathroom was dirty and dingy, no matter how hard I scrubbed it never looked clean.

This kitchen had everything: tile countertops, plywood cabinetry, a built-in oven and microwave, square recessed lighting, and so much beige. In six short weeks, it went from dated to wonderfully now. After living with the original kitchen for two years, Studio Plumb was able to do a major upgrade, replacing the floors and countertops, painting the plywood cabinetry, replacing the appliances, painting the walls, and restructuring the fridge/microwave cubby and the island.

With just six weeks of work and $500, this bathroom was transformed from ’80s wonderland—complete with peach tiles, wallpapered outlet cover, tiny triangle sink, stained glass medicine cupboard, and robot curtains—into a bright, modern sanctuary. Thanks to The Handyman’s Daughter, this is like an entirely new bathroom, but in a fun twist, the blue from the old bathroom made it into the new.

Like most laundry/mudrooms in existence, this one was overwhelmed. Serving as a catchall space, it held “swim gear, laundry, and other junk… tons of shoes, the vacuum cleaner, and extra pantry items (since we don’t have a pantry).” That’s enough to overwhelm any space, but one intrepid DIYer spent six weeks turning this one into a lovely, multi-purpose room. While a cheerful pup improves any room by 1200 percent, some other major upgrades are at play as well.

This bedroom was described as “so sad… but there is so much potential,” and one intrepid DIYer brought out all that and so much more. The stars of the new bedroom are a stunning accent wall made from ordinary board and batten, and some seriously cool rustic wood sliding closet doors. This makeover was completed by Angela of Angela Rose Home, and though Angela refers to it as The Boy’s Room (it belongs to a son), it’s beautifully gender neutral.

In just 56 square feet, one experienced DIYer needed to fit a shower, toilet, sink—and, ideally, some beauty. After just six weeks of hard after-work work, this little bathroom has reached its full potential. It’s difficult to take great establishing shots of small spaces, but luckily the owner of this petite bathroom is here to describe its issues in detail: Our bathroom wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good.

Yes, they are so luxurious, but there's a catch.

This “room” was described by its new owner as “a dungeon of a space underneath the garage that was large and dirt-filled,” but being a designer and, some would say, visionary, she saw a dreamy home gym-to-be. This really is a dream gym. Seriously, that floor! It’s the visual equivalent of an ultimate workout jam, and it practically makes one want to start jumping around.

Bathroom renovations take time and come with a hefty price tag. The national average for a restroom remodel is $9,724, according to Home Advisor’s 2018 True Cost report. And in the upcoming year, homeowners plan on shelling out an average of $2,406 on upgrading their baths, according to the cost analysis. You don’t need to break the bank to upgrade the look of your bathroom.

This kitchen had a lot of problems—the ubiquitous over-sink scallop is just the beginning—so its intrepid but inexperienced new owner decided to DIY an entirely new kitchen by herself, including electrical work.

Hannah Wilson and her husband own a home remodeling/design company called Blank Slate Renovations, and the home they currently live in is a 1,300-square-foot condo in Dallas, Texas. They had to remodel the whole space and they had to stick to a pretty low budget. Now finished, it’s got a minimal/modern/organic/Scandi/boho style.

These classic ’90s honey cabinets are about to get a major makeover, and those tiny backsplash tiles are not long for this world. And while there might be subway tiles involved, this is definitely not one of those wall-to-wall white remodels. Here’s the backstory on this renovation and what the homeowner was going for: Our ’90s kitchen had good bones but dark, dated features and oak cabinets that were begging for some color.

Many makeovers involve transforming dark rooms with white paint and paring things down, but this one is completely the opposite. This room is about to get a lot darker, significantly fuller, and exponentially more fabulous—with one special surprise. This is absolutely stunning. The room has the feel of a 200-year-old study, a magical place to stumble upon in an ancient home. One would never guess it was totally put together from scratch.

This laundry room was pretty nice—lovely daylight, pleasant neutrals, plenty of storage, and a few beautiful accessories. But after a dozen years of basically ignoring it, the room’s owners were more than ready for a makeover. Here’s the scoop on the issues with the laundry room: Our laundry room is central to our house, situated off of our living room and right next to our bedroom.

This “stuck in 1989” bathroom needed a lot more than just aesthetic improvements, as its tile, vanity, and toilet all had issues. Not unexpected after 30 years, but it was time for a makeover. Graphic designer Malcolm Simmons of Mas Means More gave this guest bathroom a fresh, modern look that looks clean and welcoming for guests, and embraces one of the year’s biggest trends.

Although this guest bathroom had a lot going for it—spaciousness, tons of natural light, lots of counter space—it was also, in the words of its owner, “truly a flashback to 1993 in all its bathroom glory.” The scalloped sink and peeled wallpaper had to go, so the entire bathroom got a 21st-century makeover.

While this kitchen was quite tasteful and full of quality finishes, it didn’t fit in at all in the rest of the colorful, relaxed, free-spirited home. With just $80—and plenty of hard work—its owner gave it a fresh, fun new look. Here’s a little more information about the kitchen and the home, and what led to this undertaking: My kitchen was very dark and traditional before. Our cabinets were a dark cherry wood.

This totally ’80s bathroom was “a beige nightmare” with a few issues beyond the aesthetic, but two stalwart DIYers managed to remedy all that and create a fabulously inviting space, all with just two weekends’ of work and $2,000.

This kitchen was very cramped, what with all the intense wood paneling, small size, and free-range dishwasher. Over eight years, this 40-year-old kitchen in a 140-year-old home has been updated, and the fabulous results suit the house much better then all this ever could. Reader Chrissie Brackett is here to share a bit more about this kitchen and its challenges: Our kitchen and porch in our 1870s Victorian hadn’t been updated in about 40 years.

While you’re thinking about resolutions, your mind may wander to your home: how will you make your house a better place this year? While a big project isn’t always feasible, you can still work within the existing framework of your space to transform your home into a better, more functional place. How? We asked the pros—from realtors, to contractors, to interior designers—to dish on the easiest and cheapest home upgrades.

This little shed was lurking in its new owners’ backyard, too large for their storage needs and far too large and unsightly to ignore. After a year of sneaking in DIY work in the evenings and on weekends after their day jobs, the couple now has a charming tiny house for beloved—and paying—guests.

There are a lot of fabulous tiny houses out there, but very few of them started life as a car dealership office before serving as a beloved taco stand for two decades. This is no ordinary tiny house, and after 50 busy, bustling years, it now provides a peaceful retreat for visitors in rural Texas.

This kitchen had a lovely window, but thanks to dark, abundant cabinetry and a peekaboo wall, not much daylight flowed through the space. After living with the less-than-ideal arrangement, its owner was finally able to renovate—and the results are sunny and fun. The kitchen is now so nice and open, awash in natural light reflected off the white, yellow, green, and silvery finishes.

When you picture a bathroom, what do you see? I envision a fairly standard space—lots of white tile and a vanity with a few drawers and a cabinet. If it’s clean, modern, and functional, I’m largely satisfied. But according to the pros, the bathrooms of the future have much more to offer. Here, the biggest, most surprising bathroom trends you’ll see in 2019. “Color, color, color,” says Nancy Epstein, founder and CEO of Artistic Tile.

This home on Chicago’s Gold Coast was originally built in 1892, but was transformed into condominiums in 1978. This particularl unit—a two-bedroom space with one and a half baths—hadn’t been touched since. Covered in old carpet (even in the kitchen, shudder) and in need of a lot of work, Kira Cole wasn’t deterred by the design task at hand when she purchased the space.

Welcome to one of the most mysterious kitchens in Before & After history: A kitchen trapped in an octagonal pen, with a built-in fryer and an oppressively low ceiling that spits in the face of the home’s gloriously high ceilings. After a major investment of time, money, and effort, this kitchen is less… unique, but still full of personality. This full-length shot reveals how incredibly high the ceiling is and showcases the odd, church-like feel of this kitchen nook.

One of the best things about tile is its sheer variety: You can find an option to suit any taste, including the taste that doesn’t like tile much at all (in that case, go for those ceramic planks that look like wood, complete with graining). And in the past few years, tile companies have been seriously upping their game, expanding beyond the rectangles we know and love to unexpected shapes, colors, and finishes.

Though this bathroom functioned just fine on paper, it was clearly a bit cramped—that’s the shower stall on the right just inside the door—and, according to its owners, “old, cheap, mismatched, and just plain ugly.” While all the finishes and fixtures look nice enough in the photo, and the palette is cool and understated, photos never tell the whole story. This tiny bathroom is about to get a big upgrade.

This open-plan living and dining room had tons of charm: A graceful chandelier, attractive and comfortable furniture, lush plants, and lots of natural light. Its owner, however, wanted to added a little something extra—that je ne sais quoi that would elevate the space. Reader Kari Hailey looked for ways to add architectural interest and warmth to the room, and finally found something they could do themselves, without spending a ton of money. Kari cleverly added beams!

Margaret lives in a condo in Atlanta’s Garden Hills neighborhood, in a 12-unit building that dates back to 1919. Old buildings sometimes come with unpleasant surprises, like when Margaret learned that the outside wall of her breakfast nook would have to be completely replaced due to water damage. But instead of seeing inconvenience, Margaret saw an opportunity to make her charming old home even more charming. Here’s a closer look at the breakfast nook alone.

Embracing the tiny house lifestyle inevitably means forgoing some comfort and convenience. Compromise comes with the territory. In exchange for a small mortgage and freedom of movement, you give up space and material possessions. Some would argue that’s no hardship, but others might miss certain benefits of a traditional home—say, a washer and dryer?

This little ’70s bathroom had some serious space limitations, poor ventilation, and failing plumbing. Though its owner admired some of its best features—that teak vanity!—it was time for a functional overhaul and a major makeover.

The fixtures and finishes in this bathroom were, perhaps, a bit builder standard, and its owners were less charmed. They set out to create a bathroom that fit into their 107-year-old home—and one that had a shower, please.

This bathroom was quite cool, but had a lot going on: dark marble, metal scrollwork, a sculpted sink bowl, a divider wall, and lots of tile. Now it’s lighter, brighter, more serene, and far more spa-like. Christina and Robert of New Darlings—@newdarlings on Instagram—have created such a fresh new look. Removing the partial wall truly opened up the space, letting the light flow through beautifully.

This 2008 Dodge Sprinter is like the TARDIS from Doctor Who and the tents from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; it’s unassuming on the outside, but surprisingly livable and functional inside. The van’s adventurous owners have somehow found enough space to sleep, cook, store outdoor gear, and drive, allowing them to travel to some of the country’s most gorgeous natural locales. Welcome to a wonderland on wheels!

In 1976 Julia Child wrote an essay for Architectural Digest about her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In it she called her kitchen “the beating heart and social center of the household … both practical and beautiful, a working laboratory as well as a living and dining room.” Sounds so lovely, right? We—as her humble servants, now and forever—can’t get enough of her kitchen either.

An interior designer helped update this San Diego kitchen for her parents, who requested “a fresh, modern yet classic style” with a generally black-and-white palette. To keep the budget under control, the family turned to inexpensive IKEA cabinets, then gave them a boost with Semihandmade doors. Beth of 1111 Light Lane did a fantastic job giving the kitchen an update that definitely feels fresh and classic. The Shaker cabinetry is a great balance between modern and traditional.

This kitchen had a ton of pros—stainless steel appliances, wood flooring, tasteful paint colors, granite countertops, a window—but its cons were difficult to work with. The owner called it, “poorly lit, claustrophobic, and tight.” With the help of some professionals and the removal of a wall, the kitchen is now light, bright, and feels much more roomy. Jenn Hair of Jenn Hair Photography is the proud owner of this jewel of a kitchen.

The owners of the impressive and inviting converted Sprinter van we featured recently made a conscious decision not to install a bathroom. But, the owners of this van decided a bathroom was a must, and somehow manages to squeeze in a toilet and a shower. Rob and Emily of The Road is our Home—@theroadisourhome on Instagram—transformed an LWB Mercedes Sprinter into a rolling home.

For everyone who has ever mourned the loss of a colorful retro toilet or sink in a bathroom renovation, this project is for you. The cream and white fixtures were replaced with far more charming versions, leading the installation team to clarify, “So you want to put this IN?” Minty vintage perfection! Marley of Bug & Bean—@bugandbeanstitching on Instagram—took this standard and heavily beige bathroom back in time to create a room full of color and retro delights.

Before and After transformations just never get old, especially when the results are utterly unrecognizable. Case in point: Back in 2013, we posted a project about an empty stairwell space that was transformed into something unexpectedly wonderful. Cut to five years later and it’s been viewed almost four million times. We recently went back to see just what made the project resonate so much with our readers.

Take this warm-toned kitchen, add one or two gallons of paint and some well-priced accessories then subtract one wall and the textured vinyl floor, and suddenly there’s a brand-new kitchen, full of life, light, and color. And all for only $800. Kelsey Sigars—@kelseylenesigars on Instagram—made smart, thrifty choices that have transformed this kitchen.

There’s a lot of talk about renovations and the best way to handle them. Unfortunately for homeowners, much of the advice out there often contradicts itself. Talk to one contractor, and he might tell you to always expect a reno to cost 10 percent more than you expected; talk to another, and he’ll insist you should never pay a penny more than the initial bid.

This kitchen had tons of storage space, a generously proportioned island with a breakfast bar, plenty of lighting, and a nice-sized window. But as its owner explained, “It’s actually a great space and it could be way worse but it’s definitely not my style.” Time for a budget-friendly upgrade! Bre Bertolini—@brepurposed on Instagram—transformed this kitchen, mostly thanks to paint.

It makes sense to assume that because home improvements are, by nature, improving your home, they must increase its overall value, too, right? Sadly, that’s not always the case. While some updates (new windows, minor kitchen remodels, and somewhat surprisingly, a new garage door) nearly pay for themselves, the projects below don’t earn quite the return on investment (ROI) you may think they should.

While this floral fabric is definitely fabulous, the table has tons of rustic charm, and the kitchen as a whole has enviable amounts of both storage and daylight, it was ready for a change. Enter honeycomb tiles, a tulip table, and a whole new look. Tiffany Kalloor—@tiff_kalloor on Instagram—breathed life into this kitchen by going back to the classics: a black-and-white palette, subway and honeycomb tiles, a tulip table and shell chairs, and a simplified ceiling and cabinetry.

As if a plywood stairway weren’t enough, this San Francisco house boasted plywood ceilings, peeling floors, and plastic bathroom walls—all in all, a “really terrible looking” 720 square feet. After a major renovation, the home now looks bright and modern, no plywood required. Reader Stephanie Perry—@stoop_sf on Instagram—shares the love story behind this house—as well the challenges it posed: It was SO SMALL.

After a tiresome year of home searching, Wes—an Alabama native and graphic designer who relocated to Detroit—and his fiancé Ben weren’t very optimistic about seeing this house. It wasn’t the one-and-a-half-story colonial style that they were interested in… and the exterior struck them as being more formal than they liked. Additionally, while it had been maintained by out-of-town family, it had been unoccupied for nearly a decade.

There’s so much to consider when taking on a big renovation—especially one as crucial as a bathroom or a kitchen. In fact, if someone could figure out a way to ensure a project of that magnitude could be completed on time, on budget, and with no errors, they’d probably win a Nobel Peace Prize.

The Philadelphia row house hadn’t been upgraded much in sixty years, so Kristy knew it would be a fixer upper when she bought it. Kristy loves to cook and wanted to create the perfect workspace, so she put a lot of attention into the kitchen. Because of the nature of the renovation loan Kristy took out, she had to hire approved contractors to do most of the work. But that doesn’t mean it was easy.

When Heather Knight moved into her new home, she had to focus on more urgent repairs and wasn’t able to put as much money into the kitchen as she would’ve liked. While the space was in good shape, it was dark and a little too dated for her tastes. With some pretty clever spending, she pulled off a pretty impactful renovation project.

Ida recently stumbled across images she took the day she closed on her condo. Apart from the fantastic light, which is one of the reasons she and her husband were sold on the place, the kitchen was pretty basic and humdrum. It’s come a very long way in the three years since this photo was taken. What was a beige and boring room now feels warm and welcoming. Ida did a wonderful job reviving this kitchen into something totally new, without changing the layout or moving things around.

Some bathrooms are modern and sleek, others are luxurious and spa-worthy. And then there are those adorable ones that you just want to squeeze. This is one of those bathrooms. If the diminutive size wasn’t enough, it also helps that this bathroom is now blush pink, which ups the cuteness factor by 100 times. (For the color curious, the shade is Sherwin-Williams Intimate White). The shade looks great with the brass accents and black hardware and fixtures.

When reader Chantel Breault decided to give her living room a makeover, her chief incentive was to give it some life. The space before didn’t evoke much at all in terms of feelings or aesthetic. It was “Neutral, lacking personality, not even cozy,” and Chantel wanted to make the space feel more cohesive and classic. With solid bones, there fortunately wasn’t a huge amount to tackle with this project.

If your weekend plans include bingeing all of season 3 of “Queer Eye”—now streaming on Netflix as of today—you’re not alone. The Fab Five quickly became our internet BFFs when the reboot dropped last year, and now the boys are back—this time in Kansas City—to help some more deserving folks. Luckily for us, the hardest working designer on TV, Bobby Berk, gave us the exclusive tea on one particularly special makeover from this season.

Elise’s bathroom was tiny and a hodgepodge of somewhat new, but super generic, finishes and fixtures, and a mismatched paint job. She wanted to both enlarge and update the space for her planned family, and do it on a very tight budget. The bathroom is now an incredibly relaxing, earthy space that Elise loves to be in. The stone countertops, combined with reclaimed wood vanity and black fixtures is a great combination that feels rustic and comfortable.

This kitchen was small and it didn’t help that it had a tiny, barely usable breakfast nook just off to the left. Honestly, I don’t think a bagel, let alone a human, could fit in that space, so it just didn’t make sense to keep it. On top of that, the small kitchen was dark and uninviting.

This 925-square-foot apartment was renovated in about 3.5 months.

“This dilapidated historical home in Lake Arrowhead, California, was brought back to life,” explains Lauri Carleton, the owner and creative director of Mag.Pi Shop and a partner in Goods Co.Op. “The town of Lake Arrowhead is located 80 miles from Los Angeles, and since the late 1800s has been a retreat for Hollywood icons and Southern California families. It still serves that purpose, and is a growing place of expression for creatives.

Project by: Charles Wachtel of CW Property Group Location: Bed Stuy — Brooklyn, New York I am a former entertainment attorney, now on a mission to make clear that a house “flip” does not need to be a four letter word. I treat each renovation as my own home, and to that end, I build spec houses that I hope introduce a level of quality in both the design and the execution that people are generally unaccustomed to seeing in a developer-built renovation.

This week Camille is sharing her real life rental challenge and how she transformed her dingy carpeted entryway stairs (with her landlord’s permission!) into something more welcoming, yet still temporary. If you want to see the first post, check out the before photos here. Removing wallpaper can be a terrible task and it’s the last thing anyone wants to deal when they move. This tutorial uses a temporary adhesive that works well for wallpaper in smaller pieces.

Project by: Rebecca Chan Location: Toronto, Ontario My kitchen used to be a small extension of the main floor, cut off from the rest of the living/dining area. Opening up the wall was our main priority, which would make the whole main floor feel much larger and open concept. We had to move our electrical, main stack and water lines, which ended up taking a whole week to move. This ate up a big chunk of the budget, but it was so worth it to do.

Project by: Melissa Location: Upper East Side — New York, New York My girlfriend Melissa and I purchased a small studio apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in October 2015. With a reasonable renovation budget, our goal was to take this fixer-upper, maximize the space and create a home for us for the next few years. Since Melissa loves to cook, and I love to eat, we made the kitchen our main priority. Deciding to tear down the wall that separated the kitchen was a no-brainer.