Rooms

This builder-standard kitchen’s strength lies in its plainness: there might not be a ton here to flip over, but there’s not really anything to be put off by either. Fortunately, this kitchen’s new renter found a way to play up its strength and minimize its flaws—and all for only $700!

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Claire of Vieve Claire: The walls and ceiling were painted with a caramel colour making the bathroom look and feel outdated.

This rental powder room has bright white walls, interesting art, enviable jewelry displays, and very nice fixtures, but there’s just something missing. What could it be? STRIPES! The answer is stripes. This bathroom is now so bold and glamorous. I love the way the wallpaper highlights the interesting ceiling, and the way the lampshade echoes the shape of the skirt in the illustration.

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.

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.

Reader Anne’s home featured these somewhat overwhelming teal-shuttered cabinets, and while they provided a ton of storage, they made this petite hallway feel dark and crowded. They also trapped a dark secret in place… The cabinets were thoroughly installed, making it impossible to remove what lies beneath. The nailed-in wooden wardrobe covered a shabby 33-year-old carpet. There was even a newspaper from 1985 hidden under it! A time capsule!

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!

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?

While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with this “before” (it’s clean, it’s white, it’s rocking some fun cabinet hardware and additional storage), we’re saying it: it’s boring. This bathroom could be in just about any house in any part of America. The “after” though…well, we’re smitten (it features one of the most stunning floors seen in all our Before & Afters).

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.

This is an intriguing transformation, because the only difference between the before and after is the decorating. No remodeling, no renovation, no repainting or replacing anything, and yet the results are incredibly dramatic. So inspiring, especially to all of us with neither power tools nor the skills to wield them. Let’s back up to get a full view of the drop ceiling and beige floor—two standard rental features that add a fair amount of blah to any room.

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.

Read this before you attempt yours.

When a DIY enthusiast moved from British Columbia to Toronto to be with her husband, she knew something had to be done about his nearly empty bedroom. Perhaps some bedside lights and a few throw pillows? Or would an entirely fresh start—new marriage, new city, new home—be more appropriate? Now this is a breath of fresh air! This gorgeous makeover was conceived and executed by Kamaldeep kaur Jawanda of Get Kamfortable, and the result is so airily gorgeous.

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.

From disjointed and funky to completely enviable.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Your entryway is one hard worker, and the gatekeeper to the rest of your home. Mail, grocery bags, shoes, and gear regularly come and go, and your home’s well-being depends in part on its ability to filter out the clutter and prevent mess from trickling into your main living space. A good hardworking entryway bench is the ultimate secret weapon, combining style, seating and storage to keep everything clear of chaos and mess (and to look good doing it).

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.

This shoe storage had its issues — scuffs, unpainted areas, general ricketiness — but it’s still better than my Heap O’Shoes. Can the less-than-ideal but serviceable shoe storage racks be improved upon? Is attractive, accessible, adaptable, practical shoe storage actually possible? We shall see. This is amazing! It looks incredibly cool, and the shoes are within easy reach of both the door and the shoe-putting-on bench.

Here’s a perfectly fine, perfectly plain bathroom! The sink is cute, the walls look like they’re freshly painted, everything is fine—but could this bathroom perhaps become something beyond fine, maybe even fabulous? This is so fun! Small bathrooms—this is a half-bath—are the perfect place to go bold and go big.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Touring Mona Hamilton’s 650-square-foot Montreal apartment is very inspiring. Not only is it a soothing, lovely space with enviable elements (the removable wallpaper in the kitchen being one of them), but it also features a hack that could be a great space saver for small kitchens or kitchens that need more counterspace. And the source of this hack’s furniture elements is rather surprising. Hacking IKEA components is NOT a new idea. (We have even published one or two or 100s before).

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.

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.

We feature a lot of amazing kitchen projects, but this kitchen makeover might just have the very best dollars-to-damn ratio yet. It went from oh-so-’70s to totally timeless, thanks to some hard work, tile bravery, and some stickers. So charming! I love the interplay of the hexagonal tiles of the backsplash and the ornately patterned floor tiles. The combination of black, white, grey, and stainless is fresh and modern, while the wood counters add warmth and coziness.

Scuffed mauve toilet, periwinkle walls, mauve sink, pebbled glass shower door, yellowed shower stall—what’s not to love? Well, perhaps a few tiny updates might be in order here… Ahhhh, much better! I know there are those of you who dislike white-centric makeovers (I always love them), but in this case, the interplay between the mostly white walls and the mostly black floor is so fun and vibrant, and the room really pops.

We featured Medina’s closet makeover the other day, and now we are back to show you the rest of her bedroom, which she recently redid to take full advantage of every inch of the space. It’s a small room, so she had to get very creative…. This isn’t true before photo, but you can picture a standard rental bedroom with bland cream-colored walls, beige carpet and that ugly melamine wardrobe that Medina and her husband weren’t allowed to get rid of.

This kitchen has quite a bit of vintage charm, and all that white certainly does a great job reflecting the sunlight pouring in from the window. And there’s nothing better than a window over the dishwashing sink, but the room could definitely use a little something. Fortunately, that certain something was do-able in a single week.

This particular kitchen project was a major undertaking: new appliances, new flooring, new cabinetry, new countertops, new backsplashes, and a host of other major adjustments. Despite the dramatic changes, the new kitchen fits into the home perfectly and makes the most of the available space and light. Interiors Addict has done such a lovely job with this room.

Think a new kitchen is currently out of reach? If yours is bringing you down, but you don’t have the means to do a full renovation, don’t give up too soon. These budget renovations all cost under $1,000 (and some well, well under that) and prove beyond a shadow of doubt that you don’t need a wad of money to give your kitchen a brand new look. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of paint, a little bit of elbow grease, and some good ideas. Use these five as inspiration.

Sometimes, when people describe a room as “a nightmare,” they’re talking about shag carpeting or hideous laminate or cheesy ’80s style. Today’s kitchen sounds like the stuff of actual nightmares—read on lest you think I’m talking about the blue-mustard color combo you see here. (But don’t worry—the space now is totally dreamy.) What a difference a new everything makes!

When three friends — Amanda, Kate and Carina — decided to chase their dreams and buy a cabin in the Catskills together, they were ready to start having fun and enjoying their mountain retreat right away. But the home was built in the 1980s, and though the architectural bones were extraordinary, there were still a lot of elements from the era (like bizarre wallpaper, carpeted stairs, funky electrical work, and a mustard yellow shower).

Morgan and her husband recently bought a home and, little by little, are updating each room. First up, the laundry room. One of the things that sold them on the house was having a mud room off the garage, complete with a washer and dryer. As handy as that is, the room was very dark with brown walls, brown cabinets and was desperately in need of an update. More than anything Morgan wanted a light, bright and fun space to work in.

Samantha’s little apartment is only about 500 square feet and it’s a rental. She wanted to make some minor changes, without putting a bunch of money into the makeover. Then she got the best news that an ambitious renter can possible get in their lifetime: when Samantha moves out, the apartment is getting renovated by the owners. Which meant it was carte blanche time! Samantha’s 1925 original kitchen had so much potential, but was a little on the lackluster side.

This headboard idea is So. Simple. It’s an uncomplicated DIY project that adds minimal and modern pizzazz to a bedroom or a guest bedroom. Creating architectural interest, the headboard ledge is now perfectly suited to store and display art, plants, lamps and more. This is the bedroom in Puno and Daniel’s LA loft. Using leftover material from their kitchen cabinet remodeling project, the couple built a headboard with a lip along the top that doubles as a shelf.

This kitchen had so much going for it—high, wainscoted ceilings, gorgeous black countertops, tons of cabinet space—but it needed a little something. Does that something involve pineapples? Perhaps… This renovation by change & co is one of the few Before & After projects we’ve seen recently in which so many of the original elements have been retained. The countertops, faucet, and fridge are all the same, and the cabinetry and island were simply repainted.

The galley kitchen of this Brooklyn apartment wasn’t in terrible shape, especially compared to some kitchens we’ve seen. But the builder-blah ’90s color scheme made the space seem dark and dated, and the wide-set floor tiles left lots of room for grout, which means lots of room for collecting dirt.

About $100 can make a huge difference.

When Puno Puno (yes, you read that right, her name is Puno Lauren Puno!) and Daniel Chin Yee moved into their Downtown Los Angeles loft earlier this year, they knew they’d found their dream home. First, because of all the added space (their previous apartment was a modest 600 square feet to this loft’s 1,500). And secondly, because of the huge amount of light pouring in from the wall-to wall, industrial-height windows that line their corner unit.