Bathroom with white vanity, red and white checkered floor, potted plant, and toiletries on the counter.
Before & After: Jason’s Beautiful Bathroom Remodel
The red and white tile, the white laminate vanity, the past-its-prime bathtub and tile… this bathroom needs an update. Enter designer Jason Wong to save the day!That after photo is totally inspiring, right? As if replacing the vanity and sink weren’t improvement enough, adding the window to that area really opens up the space (and adds some very appreciated sunlight where it’s needed most – at the mirror).
Jun 8, 2011
Gus’s Modern Nursery on a Budget
Name: GusAge: Still cookin’, expected July 2011Location: Minneapolis, MNRoom Size: 110 sq. feet After seeing Alison and Jeff’s house tour and the playroom they created for their son, Finn, we were thrilled to finally see the big reveal for the nursery Alison created for their new baby (due in July!).
Jun 7, 2011
Ave’s Neutral + Coral Nursery
Name: Ave RoseAge: 5 monthsLocation: Santa Monica, CARoom Size: 12′ x 9 1/2′ Leah took a different approach when designing her daughter Ave’s nursery. She designed the space to easily transition into Ave’s toddler years. Leah also wanted to create a nursery that was minimalist and very organized. It is a small space, so it can easily get cluttered.Working on a tight budget, Leah had to make compromises and get creative to make the most out of the design.
Jun 3, 2011
Simon, Levi & Josie’s Shared Bedroom
Names & Ages: Simon (4) Levi (3) and Josie (7 months) Location: Seattle, WA Room size: 95 square feet This month has been all about Small Spaces at Ohdeedoh and this Room Tour is the perfect example of not letting small spaces deter you from creative possibility. Rebekah and her husband knew they needed to fit their three children into one space (with little sister on the way!) so they made it work.
May 27, 2011
Before & After: Derek & Jennifer’s Subtle Kitchen Upgrade
A little over a year ago I shared with you the house tour of Derek & Jennifer’s Dashing Digs. It’s an homage to mid-century furniture that they found on craigslist and got amazing deals on. Even though their apartment is fancy and quintessential city dwelling; they’re actually very budget conscious, which is why their subtle budget friendly kitchen renovation is inspiring.
May 23, 2011
Before & After: Faux Marble Countertops & Backsplash
Danika found herself in a spot that many renters and homeowners can relate to — her countertops were dated, and a “real” renovation wasn’t in the cards. Fortunately she has some impressive painting skills, and her kitchen has seen one good-looking makeover.While in my mind “faux” can often immediately go to “tacky,” these results prove that categorization to be unfair.
May 20, 2011
Darby & Justin Rejuvenate an Outdated Kitchen
One look at this kitchen sends me back to the early 1980s, when I was a wee lad ambling about the kitchen in my parent’s Indiana home. This kitchen reminds me a lot of my childhood kitchen, complete with dark wood paneling and yellow appliances. A lot has changed since the 80s… and now it’s time for this kitchen to get with the times, too.Looking at the before photo, it would be easy to think that this kitchen was beyond help.
May 13, 2011
Before & After: A Dining Room Goes from Bland to Grand
When looking at the many before and after posts here at Apartment Therapy, it’s easy to think that everyone makes these amazing transformations over a long weekend. Truth be told, most of the projects we see take much longer. This dining room makeover, for instance, took four years of collecting appropriate pieces to go from bland to grand.Elisabeth over at bova goods developed this new look for her dining room over a span of four years.
May 9, 2011
Before & After: Brightening Up the Kitchen Cabinets
We’ve seen the transformational power of paint here at Apartment Therapy many, many times. And yet I am still awed when I see that, with a little paint on the cabinetry, an entire kitchen can be transformed …Kimberly, over at Restoration House, has slowly been rehabbing her kitchen over the past five years. She had already added a backsplash, switched out the countertop, and traded out the old appliances for new stainless steel units.
May 4, 2011
Before & After: Dressing Up a Naked Mirror
This poor mirror. Naked as the day it rolled off the assembly line, with its exposed edges, cracked with age, right out there in plain daylight for all the world to see! Something must be done about this!Faced with naked, builder-grade mirrors in her bathroom, Amanda over at The Ivy Cottage Blog, did what any adventurous DIYer would do — she made frames for them!
Apr 27, 2011
Before & After: Beth Beattie’s Tiny Office Goes Glam
If there’s one thing Small Cool month reminds us, it’s that even a small space can pack a dramatic punch. Beth Beattie, who owns a PR, branding, and event planning business, tackled her tiny office transformation on a tight budget without sacrificing high style.After!Beth’s aim was to create a space that was comfortable and feminine with just the right amount of glam.
Apr 19, 2011
Before & After: Fresh Starts at the 2011 DC Design House
How do you revive a dark and dated room without completely eliminating its original character? I gleaned quite a few ideas from the 2011 DC Design House where some of my favorite DC designers brought fresh sophistication to their spaces by simplifying and lightening — perfect inspiration for spring!• 1-3: The Pool Room: Erin Paige Pitts Erin was charged with the task of making the rather gloomy pool room into a functional and inspiring retreat.
Apr 8, 2011
Before & After: Alana’s Painted Kitchen Cabinets
Faced with two sets of mismatched cabinets in her otherwise dreamy kitchen, Alana decided to paint the lower deck of cabinetry to complement the upper deck. After a lengthy color selection process, Alana dived into the project and the results are gorgeous!The upper deck cabinets in Alana’s kitchen are the vintage windowpane variety that were original to her bungalow — but the lower cabinets are all new.
Mar 21, 2011
Before & After: AJ Takes His Bedroom from Drab to Fab
After living with this bedroom for awhile, AJ decided it was a little drab. He started the room’s makeover by changing out the bedding and it all went fabulous from there…AJ blogged about his recent bedroom update at Handjobs (For the Home). The overhaul has been an ongoing process. AJ started with a new bedspread, which went a long way in improving the room. But he didn’t stop there.
Mar 14, 2011
Before & After: Den Makeover On an Extreme Budget
When I posted How To Make a Block Print Rug Using a Welcome Mat, I promised a full reveal of my den’s before and after, and while ideally there are a few tweaks I’d still like to make, here it is. Since our budget was virtually non-existent — as in free— everything in it was borrowed from another room, salvaged, handmade, or secondhand.Ideally, we’d like to redo the addition where this room is housed.
Feb 28, 2011
Before & After: Guest Room Paint Job
This is the tiny guest room at the end of the hallway in my house. It started off as an ugly room with paneling and a paint job that was old and worn. It sorely needed a new coat of paint, and since I didn’t love the room to begin with, I felt brave enough to do something bold:The room is seriously small – it really only fits a full size bed. Remembering that small rooms really can go dark, I took the plunge.
Feb 22, 2011
Before & After: A Desk Transformation
I have always dreamt of having a “couple’s desk”. However, every apartment we’ve had hasn’t given us the proper space for this to happen. Luckily, for Valentine’s Day my guy surprised me with a rearranged space and enough room for my dream double desk to finally happen!In the before photo above, you can see our original desk. It housed his cluttered workstation and was large — but not large enough for two people.
Feb 17, 2011
Before & After: Built-In Shelves
You know the pair of built-in dresser drawers in my master bedroom? Well, there’s a smaller second bedroom that has just one set of drawers on the left side of a similar dormer window. On the opposite side of the dormer, there used to be just a blank wall. It was a blank slate, an opportunity to install a partner to the dresser:My husband and I came up with a shelf design as a complement to the dresser.
Feb 16, 2011
Before & After: A Demo-Free Bathroom Renovation
I know there are those among you for whom the classic pink-tiled bathroom is a national treasure worth saving at any cost. And while I admire your commitment to preservation and in theory agree with you, in practice I know better — six years ago I bought a pre-War apartment with two pink tiled bathrooms and that turned out to be two too many for me.
Feb 7, 2011
Before & After: The $70 Bedroom Makeover
Many of us have often stared at the pages of magazines, wishing we could have a designer look on a dime. Those that actually make that dream come true are usually willing to roll up their sleeves and do things themselves. When it comes to this bedroom that couldn’t be more true — the new look includes an amazing handmade ruffled duvet cover, headboard and more!Over at Kiki Creates, there’s been some action in the bedroom (hubba hubba!
Feb 7, 2011
Before & After: Kitchen Reno on a Near Zero Budget
Late last year, Edgaroso shared his “Brave Bathroom Renovation” with Apartment Therapy. Well, he’s back with another room makeover in the small home he inherited from his grandmother — this time he tackled the sweetly retro kitchen on a truly miniscule budget.
Jan 25, 2011
A Trio of Hanging Beds For A Room Shared By Three
Names: Jeremiah, Samuel, and Augustine Ages: 6, 4, 2 Location: Texas Awhile back we featured a room that took all of us here at Ohdeedoh by surprise. Jaws were dropping, we were forwarding the link as fast as we could to friends and family — we were flat out amazed. We’ve since gone behind the scenes and today you can see more of this room filled with color, hanging bunk beds and the opportunity for extreme fun!
Jan 7, 2011
Darian’s Darling Glam Den
Name: Darian DarlingLocation: Queens, New YorkSize: 800 square feetYears lived in: 2½ — rented Taking a break from her busy and glamourous entourage duties on Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball tour, lifestyle blogger, makeup artist and nightlife hostess, Darian Darling, graciously gave us a peek into her glittering abode. A direct reflection of her glitzy and engaging personality, Darian’s unique and inspirational home is full of eye-candy in every corner.
Nov 1, 2010
Mike’s Surprising Student Studio
Name: Mike of Unplggd & Other Communications and Sadie the cat.Location: Rittenhouse Square — Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaSize: 360 square feetYears lived in: 1.75 years Studio apartments are common in a city like Philadelphia. The thing that sets them apart are the fantastic bare bones of the spaces that studio dwellers are given to work with. Original architectural details are a gem, but when you’ve got a knack for design like Mike does — they hold their weight in gold.
Oct 8, 2010
What Do Those Microwave Settings Actually Do?
We can install our own surround sound and hack wires to do what we need, but somehow, the microwave still eludes us. Yes, our microwave has a “beverage” button. No, we don’t know exactly what it does. Instead of living life in the dark, we wanted to find out exactly what all those crazy microwave settings are designed to do.If you’re equally confused by your own microwave, the first step is going to be reading the manual.
Sep 29, 2010
Avoid These 8 Common Dishwasher Mistakes
Life lessons happen less frequently as you get older. After years of getting to know the ins and outs of the world, you find you’re a pro at life—navigating your once-foreign city with ease and troubleshooting the office coffee maker. Yeah, yeah. But you’re probably still loading the dishwasher wrong. Sorry. Don’t feel bad. There’s a reason these are 8 common dishwasher mistakes.
Sep 8, 2010
Before & After: Chi’s Childhood Room
Designer: Jen ChuClient: ChiLocation: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York My friend, Chi, grew up in this room. She moved out for college, and when she came back, the room seemed to need a face lift more than ever. The dingy paint with the poor lighting made the room unbearably drab. The lack of storage made it impossible to maintain a tidy space. Fortunately, her room had great bones with plenty of wall space and nice hardwood floors.
Sep 3, 2010
Is This Normal? Standing Water Left in the Dishwasher
One of our tips for “How to Know When to Replace Your Dishwasher” was to check that your dishwasher is draining properly by looking out for water leftover after it runs a cycle. But the truth is, not all standing water is a bad sign. After a few awesome commenters asked about their own water woes, we’re here to help set the record straight.How much water should there be?Anywhere around 1 cup of water leftover after a cycle is normal.
Sep 3, 2010
Graham’s Fabric Fabulous Nursery
Name: Graham Age: 7 weeks Location: Michigan Room size: 10’x10′ At first glance you might not guess that this creative, colorful space is primarily a mix of Ikea and diy projects, but it’s true. Amy and her husband Andy transformed a guest bedroom into a bright, perky, modern space for their newborn son, Graham, and we’re entranced by the results.
Jul 29, 2010
3 Easy Ways To Dress Up A Metal Bed Frame
Metal framed beds often get a bad wrap, and not without due cause. Pillows are always slouching through the headboard bars, and metal is certainly no match in comfort with its plush upholstered counterparts. Thankfully there are a few easy ways to work around their flaws or change their look without breaking the bank.
Jul 13, 2010
“H” is for Harper’s Room
Name: HarperAge: 18 monthsLocation: Gig Harbor, Wa. “Choose things that you love, and it will come together,” says Harper’s mom. And this room certainly has come together- not in a forced, overly planned way, but in an organic way with lots of special touches from mom and dad.
May 7, 2010
Before & After Kitchen Remodel
Our Homies winner in the Kids at Home category, Meg of Whatever posted Before & After images of her kitchen remodel — and it’s a total transformation.The massive makeover took 3 months and involved tearing down a wall to transform a porch into an expanded family area of the new kitchen.You can see more pictures of the process Whatever | Before and After and see a great list of FAQ and resources from Meg in a follow up post Whatever | Questions.
Jan 12, 2010
Andrew’s Ingenious Floating Monitor Home Office
Name: Andrew FlynnLocation: Chandler, ArizonaType: Home office When we saw Andrew Flynn’s amazing home office, we knew that we had to do a tech tour of his place. The great DIY features really set this home office apart from all of the rest. A faux-wall to hide cables and wires, a Mission Control center console to hide and store peripherals, and three floating monitors are what makes this home office quite ingenious.
Oct 29, 2009
Houston Hi-Tech in a Small Space
Name: Chris NguyenLocation: Houston, TexasSize: 500 square feetYears lived in: 2 months There’s big and then there’s Houston BIG. In a city known for embodying the idea of gigantic Texan proportions, Chris Nguyen’s extremely modest sized 500 square foot apartment is an anomaly.
Oct 2, 2009
Close Up: Adam’s Sleek Basement Office for Two
Name: Adam SelwoodLocation: Melbourne, Australia Now here’s inspiration to clean out that basement or attic and make better use of the space. Adam was kind enough to share his work-in-progress renovation, a DIY conversions of a basement once stuffed to the brim with typical “stuff” into a sleek and multi-use home office for both him and his wife.
Jul 10, 2009
Close-Up: Über Organized Craft Room with a Touch of Tech
click for more picsCrafty IntentionsShe painted the space from a harsh purple to Jamaican Sea from Behr, then installed Ikea Lack shelves to hold all her crafty goods including, rhinestones, sequins, little fabric trim, beads, metal and wood accessories, etc. pom poms, tools and glitter.The bottom shelf includes stair-like levels Megan got at Lowes. These allow her to store more small jars in the space.
Apr 8, 2009
Before & After: A Modest Galley Kitchen Makeover
Let’s just say the kitchen was not what attracted us to our new home. Country rooster decor was in abundance and so were peeling vinyl floor tiles, 80s lace valances, and honey-stained cabinetry — not exactly our dream kitchen. However, coming out of grad school, we weren’t really in a position for a total dream kitchen remodel, so we prioritized our list of essential updates, enlisted a handyman friend, and went to work…FIRST ROW• 1 Before & After views.
Mar 13, 2009