Rooms

Flirting with the idea of using affordable building materials for a kitchen remodel? Smart move for your budget. But, that doesn’t mean you want your home to look like you built it out of materials from the bargain bin. So, take notes from this minimal and modern kitchen in this Spanish hand-built home. We’ve got a breakdown of why this space doesn’t look like it was done on the cheap, despite being primarily made up of very affordable materials.

I have lived on my own for the last six years, slowly but surely acquiring furniture, art and decor that I really liked, which of course means that along the way, there were empty corners (and rooms) waiting to be filled. Finally, though, my apartment—which I’ve lived in for two years—has gotten to a place where I didn’t wonder if visitors thought I had just moved in. The guest bedroom has curtains (which I sewed and I’m quite proud of!

Before finally deciding to renovate, Claudia had been living in her Upper East Side co-op since 2001 — so she had a pretty clear vision of what she wanted for her bathroom. The space, while still functional, hadn’t been updated in 30 years, and the mid-’80s fixtures were a poor fit for the building’s character.

Stephanie decided to open up her kitchen for both design and keep-an-eye-on-the-kiddos reasons. Wanting to add functionality, style and maximize the natural light, the reno was a mix of big projects (like knocking down walls) and quick last minute fixes that resulted in a gorgeous, classic kitchen. From Stephanie: The kitchen in our home was closed off, isolated and a mix of semi-updated and original features.

Project by: Paula Guzman of Paula E Guzman Studio Location: Midtown, Manhattan—New York Paula’s project is an excellent lesson in both balance and working with what you got. Working with and not around her bathroom’s shortcomings, she created a serene space without a major overhaul. From Paula: This is the decoration of a small, prewar bathroom in my last apartment. It was your typical boring bath with plain white subway tile and very standard fixtures.

"Their apartment was completely furnished, but lacked the coziness and personal nature of a home."

Andrea is a stylish fashion blogger who founded the blog Blonde Bedhead. And though her expertise is in personal style, it’s clear she’s also a master at interior design, too. In fact, she’s recently been able to flex her interior design muscles thanks to her newly purchased first home. Though the house didn’t quite fit her own style when she first saw it in person, she could see the potential. Andrea says upgrading the kitchen was the most expensive project in the house.

A flat for newlyweds gets a major infusion of style.

Bridget’s “luxe bohemian” Oakland apartment is full of unique furniture, eccentric art, and beautiful textiles. But even all of those wonderful elements combined can make a space feel cluttered and disorderly, as Bridget says was the case in her bedroom. “It was starting to feel clunky and granny-ish. There were big, heavy furniture pieces and too many color schemes.” To fix that, Bridget got the idea to rearrange large furniture pieces and mix it up with new art.

Upon closing on their first home, Maria and Eric found themselves in a situation that will probably seem quite familiar to anyone who’s ever looked at real estate in New York: they were the proud owners of a really great apartment with a not-so-great kitchen. The 850-square-foot two-bedroom in Queens was nice and roomy, but the kitchen was small, cramped, and dark, with discolored floor tiles and old, warped cabinets that required a little effort to shut completely.

Project by: Clara Jung of Banner Day Consulting Location: Oakland, California Clara’s clients had a weird little nook in their home that sat unused, just begging for something to do. They decided not to let limits on space limit their dreams, so they decided to put both a bathroom and a laundry into the same space, divided by a pocket door, and we’re screaming for joy. Not only does the remodel add functionality, it’s easy on the eyes as well.

"When we moved into the house we discovered an original 19th Century fireplace had been lurking behind a desk and beneath the carpet the old floorboards were still in tact."

Claire’s kitchen was dark and dated, with an office-style ceiling and a tiny little rodent problem. Claire set about repurposing the kitchen and rebuilding an extension to create a kitchen and living area, perfect for hosting. Now the kitchen is bright and dance party-ready. From Claire: We bought our house in 2012 after falling in love with its large Edwardian proportions and central location.

Dating in New York is notoriously brutal, and so is buying real estate, which lends itself to a robust market for fixer-uppers. After living for six years in a rented apartment in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood, Jill and Aaron were ready to buy — but everything they could find in their desired neighborhoods, within their price range, was less than appealing.

One of the biggest challenges of living in a tiny apartment is the tiny kitchen. After purchasing her studio apartment in Brooklyn, Kelly was determined to create her dream kitchen from what was originally a less than dreamy space. Although square footage was limited, lots of smart choices resulted in a kitchen that’s colorful, beautiful, and has the functionality of a kitchen many times its size.

When your boyfriend makes a bar cart from an old TV, he's a keeper.

Unless you’re talking about a new fabric, there usually isn’t much to talk about when it comes to shower curtains. (Though we could go on about the pros and cons of curved vs. traditional curtain rods.) However, there’s one decor element that can upgrade any shower curtain into a focal point: A valance, cornice or pelmet.

Sharlene’s ’70s kitchen was vivid green and laced with hard-to-clean linoleum. Instead of living with it or hiring an expensive contractor, this husband and wife team utilized their vacation days, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. From Sharlene: We had an original 1974 kitchen without the perks of the vintage appeal. The laminate cabinets were spray painted white and the laminate countertops were coming apart. No matter how much you cleaned, it always appeared dirty and worn.

Half baths can be so easy to forget — home to b-team hand towels and re-gifted decorative soaps, relegated to occasional guest usage and always in the shadow of the bathrooms with things like tubs and showers. Christina decided it was time to give her half bath a little time in the spotlight, and buckled down to give it an eye-catching upgrade. From Christina: The bathroom before was dark and dreary. It looked like any other bathroom and felt like a dark hole in the hallway.

Tara’s bathroom had the sort of tan look that was popular during the heyday of Friends. Deciding enough was enough, she set out to create a bathroom with more storage, more space and more style. From Tara: We knew we needed to re-do this bathroom from the moment we bought this house. This is the main bathroom in our three bedroom, to bathroom, 1950s ranch. I have been dreaming of the day this project would be finished.

"No detail was spared in this kitchen: moldings, hood detail, lovely polished nickel hardware, detailed ceiling with bead board and beams."

"I love the fact that it finally looks like a bedroom."

We will never, ever, ever get enough of bathroom remodels. And if you’re in the mood for just a quick hit of some serious makeover magic, scroll through the gallery to see some of our fave tile transformations, bath boosts and sink sensations. Revisit some old favorites and a few new ones, and who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to tackle your own bathroom project!

Stacy and her husband found themselves with a very trying kitchen on their hands. After two years of living with not enough storage, poor ventilation and dreaded pests they decided to take the plunge and create a kitchen that was clean, functional and easy on the eyes. From Stacy: Our kitchen had a hard life. We bought our home back in 2011, a recent flip after the previous owners had foreclosed.

An apartment designed for "refined eclectic comfort."

Tasha’s twins were using a dark and outdated bathroom, complete with carpet (why was that ever considered a good idea?) and some very ’80s materials. Calling in the professionals for the major plumbing and drywall work, but doing the rest herself, Tasha created a space that can grow with her girls and remain visually appealing for years to come. From Tasha: Our second full bathroom, which is mostly used by our twin girls, was horribly outdated — circa 1980.

Jill and Aaron hunted for six months for their dream home in Brooklyn — during which time they realized their dream home was probably a bit out of reach. After being outbid on two different apartments, they finally landed a contract on a promising one-bedroom that was in need of just a little work. One problem spot? The apartment’s bathroom, which dated back to 1960 and had fifty years of wear to show for it. Another issue?

After Josie helped her client, Lisa, move into her Prospect Heights apartment she tackled the task of figuring out a look and layout for the space that would meet the needs and wants of her client. The space needed to be multi-functional, work with the somewhat unconventional window alcove and inject some style into the space.

Michelle and her husband bought their house with the anticipation of putting in some serious work on the kitchen. What they didn’t expect was a handful of undisclosed damages and, as first time renovators, just how much time a kitchen reno can take. But they survived! Smarter, saavier and with a much better kitchen. From Michelle: We spent almost a year looking at houses before we came across our current home.

When Jessica and her husband, David, moved from Westchester to New York City for work, they were lucky to find a spacious apartment in Hudson Heights with a breathtaking view of the Hudson river and the George Washington Bridge. One thing about the apartment that wasn’t so great: the kitchen. It was in decent shape, but its layout — a single row of cabinets and appliances, arranged along a single wall — left a lot to be desired when it came to counter space and storage.

"I moved to San Francisco with a couple of suitcases and found a room that barely fit a bed and didn't have a closet."

"I love how light and airy it feels which was a goal. I love the bright and happy splashes of colors in the accessories."

Lauren’s living room was dark and dated, and distinctly not her style. She gave renovating the space the old college try when she first moved in, but with other spaces in the home needing her energy and attention she wasn’t able to fully finish it. Enter one of the most valuable tools available to DIYers everywhere — a good friend. From Lauren: When we bought the house, the living room was dark and, to put it frankly, “depressing.

"Throw yourself into the project and be excited!"

Some renovations are a long time in coming. In 2005, Felix got the opportunity to buy an apartment in the Williamsburg building where she’d been living for the past three years. She jumped on the chance, choosing an apartment with the exact same layout as the one she’d been living in on the fifth floor, just two floors down. The third-floor apartment came with a location that was much more convenient, and a bathroom that, while spacious, was also, in Felix’s words, a bit grim.

There are plenty of changes you can make to your bathroom that will have a big impact — even if you're a renter not an owner.

Nancy’s second bedroom was in need of a little oomph, and oomph it received! With a hand-drawn wall treatment, colors and patterns and incredible furniture finds, the space went full force glam. From Nancy: Before, we used our small second bedroom for storage and to hold our treadmill. It was a complete waste of space, and in NYC that is completely unheard of. It’s a pretty narrow room, but it has good bones with its pre-war moldings and original hardwood floors.

For years, Jenna and her husband had been wanting to lighten and modernize the narrow kitchen in their Chelsea apartment. Finally, after living there for six years, the impending birth of their daughter gave them the hard deadline they needed to finally take the remodeling plunge. The old kitchen was full of dark, heavy finishes, which sucked all the light out of a very narrow space.

"That feature wall in my living room? IT'S JUST TAPE!"

Diana Marsh spent 11 years living in Brooklyn before returning to her home state of Michigan. After purchasing this Ann Arbor house, she set to renovating it. It had “good bones” but was a bit on the small side and a lot on the dark side. As the owner of a brick and mortar store called Thistle and Bess, Diana’s has a keen eye for crafting creative spaces. Her year-long remodel of this house was no different!

It’s no secret that we are huge fans of tile. It’s also not a secret that we are huge fans of do-it-yourself projects. So when our two great loves converge, we do a tile-loving-DIY-fan happy dance. Germarie added some oomph to her standard shower by creating her own black and white patchwork tiles. From Germarie: Patchwork tiles are very trendy this year, but retiling a bathroom can be an expensive and messy exercise.

Let's play "spot the recliners".

Megan’s rental bath makeover is low key awe inducing. Without making any major upgrades, it’s like she helped her bathroom leap forward into modern styling, while also time traveling back to the time of glam powder rooms. From Megan: The walls of our bathroom were decked in a puzzling color scheme with one brown wall and the rest purple. It was flat paint so it felt pretty dingy and not very practical in a bathroom.

Mel was hired by her clients to breathe some style into this workable, but very dark, slightly cramped bathroom. Using a single piece from the client’s old house as a jumping off point, she identified their style and found solutions for their pain points while giving them the look they wanted. Beautiful blue tile, a subtle yet stylish light fixture and funky accents create a bright bathroom oasis.

Prior to the renovation, Cybele described the kitchen in her Park Slope apartment as “Functional, but…a little worn”. It was still getting the job done, but the kitchen had seen better days. There were giant holes in the walls behind the cabinets, the electrical was outdated, and a dark countertop and backsplash sucked the light out of the room. The mosaic tile floor, with its miles and miles of grout, was a nightmare to clean.

Tarah lovingly updated the kitchen in her family home, holding onto history while creating a space that meets her needs and matches her style. She’s kept pieces of the old kitchen throughout the new one, lending a true vintage charm to the room. From Tarah: My grandparents built the kitchen of my grandma’s dreams when they installed indoor plumbing in the home for the very first time in 1958. They also put the bathroom behind the kitchen .

Now, there’s nothing wrong with a bold color in the kitchen if it’s executed well. Sadly that was not the case for Shannon’s sporadically navy blue kitchen. She made some small updates to the space when she first moved in, but after living with the kitchen for a few years she decided it was time to give the space the true makeover it deserved. From Shannon: When we first bought the house six years ago the kitchen walls and cabinet panels were painted a dark navy color.

Bathroom renovations are one of those projects that are easy to keep putting off, until you come up against a real, hard deadline. For Jenna and her husband, who had lived with the less-than-ideal bathrooms and kitchen in their Chelsea apartment, that deadline came in the form of a very small person. A few months before their baby was born, they decided it was time to bite the bullet and overhaul their kitchen and bathrooms.

Kristina and her boyfriend triumphed over one of the most trying of relationship milestones: their first renovation. Kristina points out an important truth about renovations, that even if you’re not working on your forever home, the time and energy that goes into getting a place ready to flip is still monumental. After multiple trips to Home Depot, disagreements and disappointments, and a moment of buyer’s remorse, Kristina and her boyfriend now have a bathroom they can be proud of.

Penelope and Andrew’s outdated kitchen needed a boost. Well, not just a boost. A whole new extension and then a boost. After paying the high price of living through a kitchen reno with a toddler, they were handsomely rewarded with a gorgeous kitchen chock full of brand new functionality. From Penelope: We wanted a bigger and more useful kitchen. I’m an architect so I couldn’t help but see the potential a small addition to the house could provide — a larger kitchen!

If you were to make a list of kitchen essentials, it’s fair to say that “working oven” would be close to the top. Erica’s kitchen not only lacked the aforementioned necessity but was also chock full of heavy, dark ’80s design details. Her budget minded revamp helped give the kitchen a new airy look and some needed functionality. When I moved into my 1980s fixer upper home two years ago, one of the first projects was the kitchen.

We recently featured Ashley’s dining room makeover, and now we get to see what kind of magic she’s worked in the kitchen. She unenviably lived through a year and a half long updating process, but the result is pretty stunning. From Ashley: The kitchen had ugly wallpaper, chipped paint on the cabinets, and was closed in. We wanted to open the space up to our dining room to make it feel bigger. We did almost all the work ourselves and it took us about a year and a half.