Renovating & Remodeling Skills & How Tos

Rookie Renovators Nail it on the First Try
Name: Kelly and Colton Jarisch, baby Silas, and Shiner. Location: Tarrytown — Austin, Texas Size: 1,530 square feet Years lived in: Owned a little over 2.5 years Kelly and Colton’s small cottage home just west of downtown Austin is a case study for renovations done right. Their reno began as a series of DIY projects to remove the previous owner’s design decisions, but Kelly and Colton soon found themselves in the midst of a whole house renovation — for the first time.
Amy Rogers
Apr 30, 2019
An Interior Designer’s Ambitious DIY Remodel Filled With Vintage Finds
Name: Michelle and Alex Gage Location: Havertown, Pennsylvania Size: 2000 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned “Everything needed to go!” That’s how interior designer Michelle Gage describes the Havertown house she and her husband bought three years ago. Because it’s in the suburbs, they were able to get more for their money — 2000 square feet — but Michelle reports that though large, it was, well, hideous. And she means all of it.
Adrienne Breaux
Apr 30, 2019
A Lovingly Made “Take Your Time” Kitchen Makeover
Project by: Émilie Location: Quebec City, Canada We bought our 1970s bungalow almost six years ago and we’ve been renovating it ever since, from the roof to the basement. Our biggest and most challenging project was definitely the kitchen. My husband, who is quite handy but no professional carpenter, decided to make all the hardwood cabinets by hand.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
A Dangerous & Dated Kitchen Gets a Much Needed Makeover
Project by: Nadya Location: Brisbane, Australia Our small home was built in 1959, and when my husband and I bought it, I really thought I could deal with the “charming” old galley kitchen.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
Help! How Do I Make My Creaky Hardwood Floors Less Noisy?
Q: I need your help. I live in a 50s ranch house, which overall I love. However, the creaky floors are driving me crazy, especially because I have a toddler who is a light sleeper who on occasion WAKES UP because I happened to walk by his bedroom. We don’t want to have to rip up the floors and put in new flooring because the hardwood itself is in good condition. Is there a way to fix this or make the creaking less noisy without such a drastic overhaul?
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
A Portland Victorian (aka Miss Vicky) Gets an Update, Inside & Out
Project by: Angela Location: Portland, Oregon I’m a professional apparel / product designer who loves the idea of dabbling with spaces that could use a little TLC. I enjoy bringing new life to pre-loved spaces and things. In 2015, I purchased a small (semi fixer upper), 1906 Victorian, in Portland, OR. My neighborhood is a neighborhood that prides itself on not selling out to the modern condo developers that are changing the landscape of the city.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
A British Bathroom Makeover: An Old Victorian Gets a New, Bright Look
Project by: Rochelle Location: Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK We moved into our Victorian terraced house a few weeks before the birth of our first child. We knew we would need to redo the bathroom as it was in a terrible state, though we didn’t expect to have to wait so long to do it! It was finally finished just before Christmas – almost exactly seven years after we’d moved in.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
Everything I Needed to Know About Renovation I Learned From ‘Fixer Upper’
Even the birds knew we were in trouble. In addition to two canaries, the previous tenants in our rental had left three dressers, a kitchen table, two chairs, a storage cabinet, mountains of newspaper and a smell—not unpleasant but definitely unfamiliar. The extra furniture was the least of our problems. Every room had a different theme: a nautical bathroom, a country dining room, a fishing kitchen, an ’80s living room.
Susy Alferez
Apr 30, 2019
Bye-Bye Bi-Fold Closet Doors. Hello Space-Saving Slider Doors
When I moved into my apartment last summer the closet doors in my second bedroom/office were already banged up and constantly falling off. It was a small room with bi-fold doors on the closet, so I was daydreaming about the space-saving benefits of sliding doors. Finally, after months of constantly putting the doors back into place after they fell off, I decided to fix the problem for good and install some brand-new sliding doors.
Jill Ruzicka
Apr 30, 2019
Before & After: A Beach Condo Kitchen Leaves the Sea of Beige Behind
Wendy is doing Florida her way. After snatching up a beach condo with a view, she set about giving the outdated kitchen some much needed pizzaz. Treating her new digs as a blank slate, she added color and mid-century flair, giving the kitchen updated style. From Wendy: Move over snowbirds, soon the sounds of The Rolling Stones, The Cars and even a little Pink Floyd may be drifting through your condo corridors as your new Baby Boomer neighbors move in.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
The Genius Reason You Should Put Tape on All Your Hardware
Painter’s tape is a modern miracle isn’t it? I mean, sure, the Great Pyramids are cooler, but when it comes right down to it, there isn’t much the blue tape can’t do. We’ve used it to spruce up furniture, for child safety, and to pull off quick and easy design projects. But there’s another genius use for the stuff, and we wish we’d known about it sooner. There are a few things in life that make me cringe.
Sarah Rae Smith
Apr 30, 2019
Before & After: A Cookie Cutter Suburban Home-Turned-Vintage Surf Hideaway
Name: Rachel and Nick Kuchar Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii Size: 2,040 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned We turned our cookie cutter suburban home into the vintage surf hideaway we had dreamed of. We were given a 1950s Gordon & Smith longboard from a relative and that began our love affair with the era. I asked my husband, a graphic designer, to make some art for the house since I couldn’t find anything that was just right.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 30, 2019
Before & After: A Cozy Double A-Frame on the Market for $950K
This Tahoe City home manages to marry cozy with Mid-century Scandinavian vibes.
Anne Roderique-Jones
Apr 15, 2019
Before and After: A Renter Remodeled Her Home on a Budget
Name: Katherine, one roommate, and a three-legged cat, Baby Location: Austin, Texas Size: 800 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, renting My apartment occupies a single unit in a quaint four-plex on a gorgeous residential street just west of downtown Austin. I was lucky enough to discover it on Craigslist, and rushed to see the rental and to meet the tight-knit community of residents who’ve lived there for years. Needless to say, I was sold, and I rented it that very same day.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Apr 14, 2019
Shh! Here’s the Insider’s Secret to Finding Remodeling Materials for Cheap
Thrift stores aren’t just for scoring super-cheap clothing and decor. What if I told you there is a place to stock up on renovation supplies (and great furniture) without paying home improvement store prices? And shopping there contributes to a great cause? Some smart shoppers may know just what I’m talking about: Habitat for Humanity ReStore. With nearly 900 shops around the country, these stores are the ultimate win-win.
Dana McMahan
Apr 12, 2019
Before & After: 15 Creative Kitchen Renovations
There’s a big misconception in the renovating and real estate world that kitchen remodeling needs to be flashy and expensive to be good. That’s simply not true! We’ve found that with a little creativity, some reuse, a new coat of paint — and sometimes not even that much work, kitchen renovations can be not only eco-friendly, but also inexpensive. Here are our 15 best before and after kitchen posts of the year!
Rachel Wray Thompson
Apr 7, 2019
Before & After: Painted Furniture & Cabinetry Projects
The power of paint can’t be denied – we all know how it can transform a room, but the effect is also powerful when it comes to projects that involve the application of paint to furniture and cabinetry. Here are ten examples from the archives (including one where the “furniture” didn’t even exist prior to the paintjob!); check out the befores in this gallery and then click through on each for the always-fun-to-see afters.
Janel Laban
Apr 7, 2019
Before & After: A Tudor Kitchen Catches Up To The Times
Erin and her husband Ken purchased their 1934 Tudor-style home in July 2015 and spent that summer and fall renovating much of the house. They were working with a very tight renovation budget, which made tackling the kitchen a particular challenge. It had bug-infested cabinets, a crusty radiator, and a tin backsplash held on with double-stick tape. Since Erin is a DIY blogger and Ken is a commercial construction manager, who better to handle the project?
Dabney Frake
Apr 6, 2019
Before & After: Becky’s Brilliant Basket-Based DIY Closet Organizer System
Project by: Becky Location: Victoria, BC, Canada I can only admit this because I have now dealt with the skeleton in my closet, but I am was (fingers crossed) a huge clothes piler. As a large-scale, whole-house renovation left us needing to stretch the last dollars a little farther, my husband and I decided to tackle much of the finishing details ourselves. One item on our list was fitting out our master bedroom closet. It is not a huge closet, but at 5’X7′, it is a walk-in closet.
Janel Laban
Feb 24, 2019
Jayme’s Row House Rehab
Name: JaymeLocation: East Kensington – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This Philadelphia row house rehab was conceived as a showcase for my business, CraftworkHome, a design/build firm specializing in cabinetry and cast concrete. The starting point was an 1880 structure that had seen better days: once surrounded by a thriving textile industry, the neighborhood had slid into disrepair and the building was a blighted drug house for years.
Janel Laban
Feb 20, 2019
Before and After: This Living Room Got a Dramatically Different New Look
This is how this living room looked when it was listed by a realtor: a cozy mix of cool aqua and warm brown tones and the ubiquitous builder-grade ceiling fan. The room was bright and inviting, but its new owners were ready for a fresh look. Alison Elefante of @rubyandpeach and @rubyandpeachphoto cleverly created a black-and-white base on which to layer colors and textures.
Tess Wilson
Feb 20, 2019
What It’s Like Building & Living in a Sustainable Earthship Home
Taylor and Steph, the owners and builders of a small, sustainable “Earthship” home in the mountains of California, have a lot of advice to folks considering building their own home: “Forget about normal and make designing and building fun. Don’t let the process stress you out.
Adrienne Breaux
Feb 19, 2019
This Couple Built a Tiny Home from an Old Army Truck
In addition to the highly popular #vanlife movement, there’s another vehicle-turned-home trend bringing out creative builders by the truckload. To date, we’ve seen a garbage truck converted into a living space, various school busses turned into homes, and a fire truck transformed into a vacation home. Joining the list of these super original homes-on-the go is the Lorry, an army truck tiny house built by couple Tom and Sophie.
Kenya Foy
Jan 4, 2019
4 Appliance Mistakes Experts Say Will Make Your Home Harder to Sell
Unless you’re planning on staying in your house forever, chances are good that, when planning home improvements, you have at least one eye on resale value. Today we’re tackling a tricky subject: can new appliances increase the value of your home? As most appliances don’t come cheap, is it worth the expensive upgrade? Turns out, the answer is: it depends. For the most part, expecting a significant return on appliances is a risky proposition.
Nancy Mitchell
Jan 1, 2019
Don’t Make Vanity Lighting an Afterthought in Your Bathroom
There's nothing spa-like about squinting in the dark.
Jamie Wiebe
Nov 28, 2018
Before and After: This $35K Vintage Airstream Got a Very Modern Update
This vintage Airstream had a whole lot of faux paneling and bulky built-ins, but was recently given a breath of fresh air thanks to an enthusiastic couple who “loves to bring Airstreams back to life with a modern update.” This is completely dreamy.
Tess Wilson
Nov 19, 2018
8 Pro Tips for Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor
The right renovation can really increase the value of your home, but it’s an expensive and time-consuming process. Besides setting aside the necessary funds, the first big hurdle is deciding how you’re going to tackle the project. Although some talented folks may attempt to DIY, the vast majority is better off seeking out the help of a general contractor for big projects—bathroom updates and kitchen remodels, for example—or additions.
Brigitt Earley
Nov 11, 2018
6 Things You Didn’t Realize About IKEA Kitchen Cabinets
Here's everything you need to know.
Jessica Dodell-Feder
Nov 6, 2018
Kitchen Flooring That Won’t Drain Your Remodeling Budget
When you’re redoing a kitchen, flooring has a huge impact on the way the room looks. The orangey faux terra cotta we inherited in our Victorian kitchen drove me nuts and I couldn’t wait to replace it. New floors aren’t cheap though. If you’re considering an overhaul of your kitchen up to and including the floor, it’s easy to drop way more than you intend to. The good news is you don’t have to.
Dana McMahan
Nov 4, 2018
Before and After: This Vintage Travel Trailer Got a $500 Facelift
This “disastrous” 1970s trailer is about to become a highly inviting guest room, parked on a lake and packed with vintage charm. And all it took was $500—and a lot of hard work. A 50(ish)-year-old trailer is bound to have a backstory, and this one definitely does: This trailer has a lot of history, and by the time we decided to start this project, it had definitely seen better days. A Prowler brand travel trailer, it originally belonged to my Grandpa’s fishing buddy.
Tess Wilson
Nov 3, 2018
Before & After: A $3.65M Brownstone Reno in Iconic Chelsea
Manhattan, NYC
3 Bedroom + 2 Bathroom | $2,850,000
Anne Roderique-Jones
Oct 22, 2018
Before and After: This Pink Houseboat Keeps Getting Better and Better
If you’re thinking that there couldn’t possibly be any improvements upon this Wes Anderson–worthy houseboat, hold onto your Team Zissou beanie because things are about to get a lot cuter—and cleaner. Erika Klees of the Pink Lady is the person responsible for this amazing houseboat renovation.
Tess Wilson
Oct 9, 2018
Before and After: This Airstream Trailer Is Now a Flexible, Free Bohemian Dream
As if a major Airstream makeover isn’t enough to get excited about, this one features an extremely fuzzy puppy. And some top-notch remodeling, of course. Let’s hear what led to the acquisition of this vintage trailer: We’re Nate and Taylor Lavender! We met in West Virginia and moved to Florida for three years. We bought an Airstream, remodeled it, got married, and now we’re living in it full time with our dog, Summit.
Tess Wilson
Oct 6, 2018
Before and After: A Rental’s $100 Bathroom Makeover
This vintage bathroom had a color scheme its renters described as “lentil yellow and seafoam green,” which Pantone probably isn’t going to be announce as the 2019 Color Combo of the Year. But in a rental, what can be done? It turns out that paint is the problem, but it’s also the solution.
Tess Wilson
Sep 6, 2018
Before and After: A Bright and Airy $2K Kitchen Makeover
When Genevieve Claire of Vieve Claire moved into her home, the kitchen had the same, standard design from when it was built: brown cabinets, dark surfaces, and track lighting. The kitchen felt dark and drab, and it was crying out for a refresh. I started looking into DIY solutions, but unfortunately, there were no shortcuts due to the material and sizing of our cabinets. Playing it safe, we decided to call in some professionals and talk through options and designs.
Tess Wilson
Sep 5, 2018
Before and After: This Travel Trailer’s $1K Redo Will Knock Your Boho Socks Off
This vintage trailer had been sitting neglected for years, but was finally rescued and restored by someone with a dream. It’s now as darling as you could ever hope a vintage trailer would be, with a sassy twist. Here’s a bit more about what the trailer was like before its makeover: The trailer is a vintage Layton travel trailer. This trailer had been sitting on a family member’s property for as long as I can remember. It was a mess but it had “good bones.
Tess Wilson
Jun 22, 2018
Before and After: This Tiny Travel Trailer Fits a Family of Five
The original aesthetic of this 1984 home will look very familiar to all of us that remember the year—you can almost smell the cigarette smoke!—but it recently received a totally DIY makeover and the results are sweet vintage perfection. Introducing Myrtle…. This is so darling. It looks like the mid-century modern home of a family of storybook beavers. It’s just so sweet.
Tess Wilson
Jun 1, 2018
Before and After: An Entire Living Room Becomes a Kitchen
What a nice living room, with vaulted ceiling, dramatic beams, nonstop windows, and luxurious couches you could sink into for days. But brace yourself for something entirely different. Here’s a full-length shot of the room that really shows off that impressive ceiling and the amazing wooden beams. I love the concept of a living area arranged around a view, but I also love what they did with the space instead: Wow!
Tess Wilson
May 29, 2018
Before & After: This Kitchen Gets Covered From Head to Toe With Adhesives
Here we have a pretty standard rental kitchen, with the classic beige-ish cabinets, walls, fridge, and countertops. It looks like everything is in pretty good shape, but one renter saw room for improvement—and a chance to try out allegedly rental-friendly home improvement products. Every surface has been stickered!
Tess Wilson
May 20, 2018
A Brief But Fascinating History of the Refrigerator
Once my friend Chad came to see me. Upon entering the house, the first thing he did was go to the refrigerator, open the door, and stick his head inside to check out the contents. “I want to see how you live,” he said. This may not be the accepted protocol for visiting a friend in their home, but I think Chad was on to something. What’s in our refrigerators says a lot about us. If we are what we eat, then the refrigerator has become a huge part of who we are.
Nancy Mitchell
May 19, 2018
10 Questions You Should Ask Before Tearing Down An Interior Wall
If you’ve ever watched any home makeover show ever, the big wall teardown signifies that Good Change Is Coming. It’s pretty much mandatory these days to knock down at least one interior wall in the quest for a more open floor plan. But, before you grab the sledgehammer (and pose for that obligatory kicking-through-the-wall Instagram photo op), hold up a sec. Here are ten questions you should ask yourself first.
Dana McMahan
May 18, 2018
Before & After: A Very Creative Use For a Former “Spider Dungeon”
Be forewarned: This makeover is going to involve a lot of white paint, but when you’re attempting to make the most of a spider dungeon (or a dark, cramped space in a basement), you go with whatever works, and in this case, bright white paint worked like a charm. Wow. What a dreamy little art studio!
Tess Wilson
May 18, 2018
7 Gorgeous Marble Backsplashes With An Unforgettable Twist
We see a lot of kitchens and bathrooms. We see a lot of marble kitchens and bathrooms. And we see a lot of marble backsplashes in those marble kitchens and bathrooms. But, just when we thought we’d seen every example out there, a clever and beautiful twist started popping up. It’s not a new idea (in fact it’s quite old), but it definitely feels fresh again. If you love marble as a material, but want a unique way to make it your own, check out these examples.
Dabney Frake
May 13, 2018
Most New Homeowners Feel They Can Remodel On Their Own — But Here’s What They Should Consider First
More than half (57%) of new homeowners believe they could remodel an entire room without any help from a professional. Millennials are even more confident in their DIY abilities, with 64% ready to tackle a remodeling project on their own. That’s according to a Home Depot survey of 1,000 new homeowners, age 25 and up, who had purchased a home in the past year.
Jon Gorey
May 1, 2018
Before and After: A Whirlwind Weekend Bathroom Renovation
This windowless bathroom was a bit drab and dated, and over the course of just one weekend, it was transformed into a light and bright space. Oh, the power of a coat of paint and some new fixtures! That horizontal picture didn’t show much, so here’s a full-length shot, with a description of the pre-refresh situation from Genevieve Claire of Vieve Claire: The walls and ceiling were painted with a caramel colour making the bathroom look and feel outdated.
Tess Wilson
Apr 14, 2018
Before and After: A 10-Day, $2300 IKEA Kitchen Makeover
This kitchen, submitted by reader Claire-Anne, underwent a huge transformation without a huge renovation budget. As you’ll see, the new space has so much more personality and flair than before, but it still has something in common with the old: IKEA. If you’ve ever wondered how to update old AKURUM cabinets with new SEKTION doors, here’s your answer.
Tess Wilson
Apr 10, 2018
Before and After: A Pretty Amazing Master Bath Remodel
This bathroom window is amazing — just imagine gazing outside while in the tub! —but, unfortunately, it gets a bit lost in what the owner describes as an ultimate late-’80s/early-’90s bathroom: “Lots of beige, fancy flourishes and brown granite.” It will take a total gut job to bring this bathroom into the 21st Century. Here’s a full-length shot of what Erin Wheeler of Sunny Circle Studio‘s bathroom, pre-renovation.
Tess Wilson
Apr 6, 2018
Before and After: An Impressive 100% DIY Kitchen Makeover for Only $1300
A quick glance at this photo might yield the following evaluation: great windows, beautiful wood floors, overall very nice (if a bit yellow)—it could perhaps use some flair. Reader Anne is here to set us straight on the fact that this kitchen needs a bit more than just a quick coat of paint… Here’s what the kitchen was really like: Yellow walls, shabby original floorboards which were impossible to clean, half-done tile job by previous owner!
Tess Wilson
Apr 2, 2018
Before and After: An Elegant Powder Room for an Unbelievable $1K Price Tag
It seems like we’ve seen a thousand iterations of this powder room (minus the grand mirror): taupe linoleum counter, bulky vanity, dated wallpaper, standard fixtures. What can be done to make it less predictable and more special? A paint job, perhaps, or a countertop upgrade?
Tess Wilson
Mar 28, 2018
Before and After: This Renovation Bucks the All-White Kitchen Trend
If you’re tempted to skip this post because you assume the wood cabinetry—and everything else—will be painted white, please trust me when I say you’re going to want to see this one. Just don’t get too attached to that tablecloth. Before the big reveal, let’s fully examine this full-length shot of the kitchen before, which reveals both the paneled ceiling and the peeling floor.
Tess Wilson
Mar 27, 2018
Before and After: A Budget $6K Bathroom Three Years in the Making
You might think that the issues with this bathroom are mainly aesthetic — the dangling door, the intensely peach tiles, for starters. But, in fact, the problems go much further than these superficial concerns. Unfortunately, reader Rachel found that removing the ruffled curtain did nothing to alleviate the mold-infested walls.
Tess Wilson
Mar 23, 2018
Before & After: 56 Square Feet Never Looked So Good
After living in her Upper East Side studio for almost 20 years, Jill decided her kitchen was ready for a facelift. The problem? Her kitchen is tiny. Like, really, really tiny. This is a true small space success story — how one woman created her dream kitchen in only 56 square feet. The new kitchen has the same layout as the old one, with a few important changes. Jill chose to swap her old 24″ stove for a 20″ wide model.
Nancy Mitchell
Mar 19, 2018
Before & After: This 88-Year-Old Bathroom Goes Mad for Marble
The idea of a vintage bathroom sounds very nice, but sometimes the reality is less than appealing. The bathroom in Mary Ann and Frank’s Upper West Side apartment was what Cher Horowitz might call a Monet: “from far away it’s okay, but up close it’s a big ol’ mess.” The bath was completely unchanged since the building was built in 1929, and its age was starting to show, with missing tiles and permanently icky grout.
Nancy Mitchell
Mar 18, 2018
A Jawdropping Kitchen You’ll Never Believe is IKEA
The Danish fashion designer Stine Goya definitely has a unique style, so it’s no surprise that her kitchen is equally distinctive. What is surprising, though, is that all those cabinets are IKEA. Last year, I created this roundup of kitchens you won’t believe are IKEA, but I was a little flummoxed at first to see that IKEA cabinets come in GOLD.
Nancy Mitchell
Mar 17, 2018
Before & After: See This 78″ Laundry Become Something Totally Brand New
Maxing out every inch of living room space isn’t a new idea, but these days that can mean working to turn a rarely used space into a cool new Airbnb to rent out for extra income. Redditor monkeegod recently shared his recent basement conversion, which included turning a small laundry area into a fully functioning kitchen. He turned a space that’s smaller than most sofas into a rental rockstar. The laundry area was a perfect spot for this transformation.
Sarah Rae Smith
Mar 17, 2018
Before & After: Open Shelving Haters Will Love This Kitchen Renovation
After living in their downtown Brooklyn condo for almost five years, Emily and Trey were ready for a kitchen overhaul. The lack of countertop space made cooking for a family of four difficult, and a loft above made the kitchen cramped and dark, as well as encouraging them to keep things they didn’t really need. “We put stuff up there that we hardly touched the entire time we have lived here,” Emily admits.
Nancy Mitchell
Mar 16, 2018
Before & After: From Neglected Garage to an Enviably Gorgeous Airbnb
This humble garage was transformed into a hot vacation spot
Tess Wilson
Mar 16, 2018
Before and After: A Three-Week $500 Kitchen Facelift
The materials in this kitchen appear to all be of high quality — stainless steel, pretty wood cabinets and floors, granite countertop—but I can also understand why reader Devann referred to this kitchen as “bland brown-on-brown-on-brown.” Sometimes even the most beautiful finishes need contrast in order to shine! Here’s a full-length shot of the original kitchen and Devann’s description of it: Before, our kitchen was very monotone.
Tess Wilson
Mar 12, 2018
Before and After: This $200 Peel-N-Stick Kitchen Redo is All Sorts of Amazing
This project has so much going for it: it was done for less than $200! It was done in a rental! It features faux DIY granite countertops and a covetable KitchenAid! (Mixer obviously not included in the $200 total.) Click through and get dangerously inspired. I love this! The pink + celadon + white + gold combination is comfortingly and charmingly vintage, but the clean lines of the cabinet doors, handles, and subway tiles keep things modern.
Tess Wilson
Mar 5, 2018
11 Mini Weekend Makeovers Anyone Can Pull Off For Cheap
It doesn't take a lot of time, or a lot of money, to make a big impact.
Nancy Mitchell
Mar 2, 2018
The Unfortunate Downsides to Having Two Bathroom Sinks
Having two sinks in a master bathroom is either a nice little luxury, or a total relationship-saver, depending on how much your schedules overlap, how well you share space when they do, and just how messy you both are. Would anyone turn an extra one down? Turns out this set up does have a couple of drawbacks however, which might give you pause. There’s lots to love about having his/his, his/hers, or hers/hers sinks.
Dabney Frake
Feb 23, 2018
Before & After: One of The Best $2K Bathroom Makeovers We’ve Ever Seen
Wow. This is one of those makeovers that you can’t believe was done on a budget. The results are so impressive, and the new bathroom looks like a million bucks. We shouldn’t be surprised, however, since Kristine has shared some equally impressive DIY projects in the past, including this gorgeous dresser refresh and jaw-dropping cabinet transformation.
Tess Wilson
Feb 22, 2018
Before and After: A Dramatic “Renovation Free” Kitchen Redo
Although Charlotte says, “A full kitchen renovation was never in our budget,” you’ll be astounded by the changed appearance of this “renovation-free” kitchen. With a few clever moves and a lot of paint, it went from super ’70s to marvelously modern. Check out what it looks like now… Wow! This makeover was done by Charlotte of At Charlotte’s House, and the most dramatic changes were the painting of the cabinets and walls (au revoir, chartreuse!
Tess Wilson
Feb 19, 2018
Before & After: One Big Change to a Dreamy New York Apartment
In another real estate market, you might take a pass on that otherwise perfect place with one or two not so great features. But not in New York. When, after almost a year of searching, Gall and Ingrid found this stunning Upper East Side apartment, they knew they were onto something good — even though the kitchen left a little bit to be desired. Look at those bay windows! There were three in the living room, and one in each of the two bedrooms.
Nancy Mitchell
Feb 16, 2018
Before and After: An Unbelievable $5K Kitchen Renovation
This kitchen has an enviable amount of storage, but that same storage — the hanging cabinets — make the room feel a bit claustrophobic and dark, and make the counters less accessible than would be ideal.
Tess Wilson
Feb 14, 2018
Before and After: A Shabby, Barely-There Bathroom Gets Its Due
This bathroom was an afterthought—the cottage didn’t have a bathroom for decades!—and it’s finally gotten the love and attention that every room should have. Watch it go from “the cheapest materials available,” exterior paneling (!), and a very casually laid linoleum floor to a bright, inviting room full of mid-century modern charm . . . It’s so cute now!
Tess Wilson
Feb 13, 2018
Before and After: The Show-Stopping Magic of Amazing Tile
Those of you who are absolutely sick of white bathrooms with white floors, white walls, and white fixtures are going to LOVE this renovation. However, all you fans of black sinks are in for some heartbreak . . . This is an astounding makeover! The geometric tile is completely irresistible, and I love the playful choice to apply it to the floor and one wall. The mid-century modern vanity and fascinating tub pop against the blue backdrop; the hues are perfectly complementary.
Tess Wilson
Feb 12, 2018
Before and After: A Rotting Bathroom Is Now Beautifully Rustic
Melanie bought a house that was previously a rental for many years, and the bathroom was just not loved and cared for all that time. Not only was the space ugly, it had some real issues, including potential mold. When she and her husband renovated, the only thing they kept was the tub (and even that was refinished) … Wow! The bathroom is now so graphic and modern, that little sink is the cutest thing ever, and the vanity is ridiculously cool.
Tess Wilson
Feb 9, 2018
Buyer Beware or Bad Rap: Should You Avoid Builder Grade?
If you google “builder grade,” you’ll see a ton of posts celebrating basic rooms getting a major upgrade—or getting the boot entirely. The builder grade materials in questions will inevitably be described as “sad,” “generic,” “cheap,” “boring,” and, in some cases, “orange-y.” But are builder grade materials all bad? What even are they? Let’s explore… Let’s start with the basics.
Tess Wilson
Feb 8, 2018
Before & After: A Newly Renovated Apartment Gets An Unbelievable Redo
What was stark and modern is now warm, inviting and basically, our dream apartment.
Tess Wilson
Feb 7, 2018
Before & After: A Kitchen Renovation Fit for Two Avid Chefs
In the Queens neighborhood of Elmhurst, Romuald and his wife have something that most New Yorkers can only dream of: a whole house, and even a backyard. But after living there for ten years, there was one thing they knew they wanted to change: the kitchen. The home’s previous kitchen, while not small by any means, felt a bit tight when you factored in two avid chefs.
Nancy Mitchell
Feb 6, 2018
Before & After: Smart Changes for a Very Awkward Kitchen
The kitchen in Meredith and Jason’s Chelsea apartment, while much larger than your typical NYC apartment kitchen, still had its share of issues. Style-wise, it was stuck in the late ’90s, with heavy mahogany cabinets that sucked the light from the room. A wall of cabinets partially blocked the light from the room’s one window, while a slightly raised floor made for a tripping hazard.
Nancy Mitchell
Feb 1, 2018