Before & After: The Year’s Most Creative Transformations
Some of my favorite before & afters are the ones where some intrepid DIYer sees the potential in a piece that everyone else would’ve left on the curb. From a side table turned pet bed to a humble crate turned into a swing, this year’s projects featured plenty of impressive repurposings. Check out some of our favorites. To view the ‘after’ photos, click the links for each project.
Jul 17, 2020
Before & After: From Antique Dry Sink into Changing Table
When Tiffany over at Taste{full} Life found this antique dry sink, the wheels started turning and she realized she had the potential for a unique changing table for her imminent new baby. Although she was wary of a “country” aesthetic, a new coat of paint and a few other touches updated this piece into modern farmhouse chic.Tiffany learned some important lessons about painting antiques that she shares in her tutorial at Taste{full} Life.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Kids’ Table & Chair Set
I am quite envious of skilled thrifters; I’m unable to see the potential in a yard sale find or figure out what’s quality and just needs a little repair or TLC. That’s why I love seeing yard sale transformations. I have some hope that if I look at enough, the skills will magically transfer to me. So I’ve been staring at this beautiful kids’ table and chair makeover for a few days. Check out what Lolly Jane did with this well-loved table and chairs.Amazing, right?
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Coffee Sack Upholstered Chair
You have to love a project that not only makes over a sad old chair but also reuses old coffee sacks. This creative re-use project not only features repurposed fabric but also looks great too! Check out the fantastic results after the jump.Many of you have seen similar chairs using grain sacks selling for a pretty penny, this step by step tutorial by Doesn’t Cost the Earth shows you how you can get the look for much less using organic coffee sacks.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: That Was a What?
Here at Apartment Therapy, we can’t get enough of Before & Afters… it’s always exciting to see something salvaged from the garbage become something lovely and shiny and useful. We salute all you DIYers out there, but we have to say we’re especially impressed with the people who are able to see special potential in a piece — and turn it into something totally different and totally useful.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: A Newly Modern Austin Bungalow
Just because I’ve come to terms with my home’s imperfections doesn’t mean I don’t obsess over my inspiration boards. The latest addition is this incredible makeover of an Austin bungalow. The owners, Britt and Dan, waited five years to tackle their remodel, and the result is a beautifully modern and calm home awash in white. And yes, I’m jealous much.
Jul 16, 2020
These Might Be the 10 Best IKEA Hacks EVER
Here at Apartment Therapy, we love a good IKEA hack as much as you do. It’s a comforting reminder that there are still places where ingenuity plus elbow grease with a side of using-what-you-got to #makeitwork equals a recipe for success over and over. Check out some of our favorite IKEA hacks and get inspired to find your own new possibilities… 1. Above, Before & After: Molly’s IKEA Rast Turned Campaign Chest 2. Before & After: IKEA Granas Table Gets a Rustic Makeover 3.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Vintage Console TV Converted Into Swank Bar
It’s funny to remember how large, bulky, yet sometimes stylish televisions were before the era of HDTVs took displays from the floor onto our walls. We still remember our childhood 80’s RCA floor console TV taking up about the same amount of room as 40″ HDTV flat panels all lined up. Sometimes you’ll still find one of these wonderful relics of TV’s past in basements, garages or thrift stores, many not in working order.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: From Old to Gold Bar Cart Revamp!
If you’re not over the revamped bar cart trend yet (we’re definitely not), you’ll love this simple but sweet clean-up of a bar cart with a great shape but an older finish that needed freshening. From Alexandra: While on a weekend run to (finally) drop off some bags of clothes at the thrift store I came across this old metal kitchen cart, it was a little dingy and rusty — but I had been looking for a bar cart for some time, and at $12.50 I could not pass it up!
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Sesame Street Dresser
Since I was a child, I’ve loved Sesame Street; my parents even credit it with teaching me to read before I reached kindergarten. And I even had a similarly plain, white dresser in my room. Imagine my delight had my parents turned it into this beauty that features some favorite Sesame Street muppets!I would’ve flipped for this Sesame dresser (although back in the day, Elmo probably would’ve been Kermit), and when my kids were preschoolers, they would’ve loved it, too.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: Ikea Malm Goes Grecian Glam
Just look at that Ikea Malm dresser all sitting there all plain and white. You just wait, Ikea Malm dresser. You have no idea what’s about to happen to you. (Hint: it involves O’verlays!)Told you so! We’re such big fans of furniture makeovers, especially when it’s more than just a coat of paint. This makeover, created by Amanda Carol, turned a blank canvas of a dresser into a super statement with Greek key shaped O’verlays that she painted gold.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: Katie’s Big Easy Kitchen
New Orleans-based interior designer Katie Logan rents out a small apartment on the bottom floor of her house on Airbnb, and we’re awfully glad: Not only is it a relaxing place to stay in the Big Easy, it’s nice to look at! Seeing the before photos, we’re inspired by the cute space she was able to create without a lot of money or time.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: Anna’s Take on the Ikea Rast
We’re certainly no strangers to the versatility of the Ikea Rast around here. I even put together a post about The Endlessly Adaptable IKEA Rast Dresser last year. This $35 dresser is a DIYer’s dream and I love continuing to discover new variations. Anna took the simple little dresser and turned it into a classic nightstand…Anna recently shared her Rast customization on her blog, Take the Side Street.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After Roundup: Refinished Wood Furniture Projects
While applying a new coat of paint can be a quick and easy way to make over a piece of furniture, refinishing a quality wooden piece is often worth the added time and patience. And it’s often not too hard — a little light sanding and a few simple restoring products is often all it takes to breathe new life into old pieces, and bring out the beautiful grain of wooden furniture.1. A Revamped Kitchen Table, from Door Sixteen2. An Old Dresser, Apartment Therapy3.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: IKEA Cutting Board to Industrial End Table
I’ve been having a bear of a time finding a set of side tables that fit next to my couch and don’t look terrible. I also love a good DIY project — especially one that can be finished over a weekend — so I was pretty excited to see this cool set of DIY side tables made from IKEA cutting boards and plumbing pipes.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: New Uses for Old Doors
After moving to Saratoga Springs, NY, which is famous for its horses and horse track, Lucianna Samu became obsessed with old horse stall doors. She began collecting and refurbishing the doors for projects around the house. Below are pictures of a liquor cabinet and a kitchen pantry that Lucianna created by hanging the doors on modern sliding rails.According to Lucianna, My advice is that the lighter the door, the easier and less expensive the installation.
Jul 15, 2020
Before & After: The $5 New Upholstery Office Chair Makeover
I just bid farewell to our last task chair review sample, noting as much as I found this and other new models comfortable in different ways, my tried and true task chair I purchased way back in 2008 keeps proving to be the most comfortable. But after years of daily use, the chair has definitely seen better days.
Jul 15, 2020
Before and After: A Tiny Blah Beige Studio Goes Tropic-Glam for $1500
This redo leaves no surface untouched.
Jul 13, 2020
Before and After: These Dark Stairs Are Transformed with Just a Couple of Stylish Tweaks
This smart upgrade is one that you can easily copy in your own home.
Jul 8, 2020
Before and After: $100 and a Weekend Give a Dull Gray Office Some Rainbow Cheer
It might be literally impossible to see this project and not smile.
Jul 7, 2020
Before and After: A Bold Office Redo That'll Turn Even Skeptics into Pink Lovers
Maybe you thought you hated pink, but this sophisticated office redo will convince you otherwise.
Jul 6, 2020
Before and After: A Wimpy Gallery Wall Gets a Super Dramatic Upgrade
No half-hearted gallery walls here!
Jul 2, 2020
Before and After: A Bedroom Redo Packed with Makeover Ideas You'll Want to Steal
Everywhere you turn there's a different element to love.
Jun 30, 2020
Before and After: A Cluttered Office Becomes Fun and Functional for Just $140
Proof that work spaces can be beautiful and practical.
Jun 26, 2020
Before and After: A Cheery, Organized Workspace for Less Than $50
That price point is hard to beat!
Jun 23, 2020
Before and After: A $120 Project Gives Old IKEA KALLAX Shelves a Farmhouse Spin
It only took a few elements to revitalize this decade-old shelf.
Jun 15, 2020
Before and After: “Queer Eye” Gave This Bare Loft a Bold Transformation
Editor’s Note: Spoilers for “Queer Eye” Season 5, Episode 9.The latest season of “Queer Eye” premiered on Friday, and it’s a beautiful gift to start off Pride Month. This time, the Fab Five are taking over Philadelphia and making over a new batch of ten heroes. There are tears, tender moments, and of course, dramatic transformations. In episode 9, we meet Dr.
Jun 9, 2020
Before and After: A $700 Redo Turns a Dining Room into a Cozy Home Office
It's beautiful and practical.
May 26, 2020
Before and After: A Dark, Dramatic Transformation for This 1886 Home Office
You'll be obsessed with the upcycled art.
May 20, 2020
Before and After: This 8-Foot-Wide Space Feels Twice as Big, with No Walls Moved
Wait until you see the new lighting.
May 13, 2020
Before and After: A $2000 Farmhouse Modern Redo for a Pink Carpeted Bedroom
Spoiler: The pink carpet goes.
May 4, 2020
Before and After: I Helped My Mom Transform Her Plain Stairs Into a Blue Herringbone Statement
The idea was inspired by a mother-daughter trip to Scotland.
Apr 30, 2020
Before and After: Stylish DIY Bookshelves Make This Living Room Extra Dreamy
A book lover's dream: cozy, warm, inviting, and with TONS of storage.
Apr 22, 2020
Laken’s Dorm Room Redo: Before & After Reveal
Laken, the college freshman we introduced you to last week, is all moved in and set up, and ready to start classes this week. She took her college blah dorm and turned it into something personal and comfortable. Want to see what she did with her space? Let’s break it down, and see what Laken did to make it work: 1. Configured her furniture, i.e. raised the bed, to allow for more storage. As a result, the dresser, some storage bins and a hamper fit nicely underneath and stay out of sight.
Apr 14, 2020
Before and After: This 1970s Front Door Got a Springy Redo in Just a Weekend
This curb appeal update has lots of doable ideas.
Mar 22, 2020
Before and After: Paint and Elbow Grease Totally Transform These Sad Stairs
These stairs just leveled up—by a lot!
Mar 18, 2020
14 Inspiring Dresser Redo Ideas That Go Beyond Just Paint
You'll never pass up an old piece of furniture again after you see these makeovers.
Mar 13, 2020
Before & After: Blank Slate Hallway
When my husband and I moved into our renovated row home in 2011, this second-floor hallway was pretty much a blank slate. Almost two years later, we’ve made one major change and brought needed personality into the space.Neither of us liked the carpet; after living with it for a year and a half, we impulsively removed it in April. Our home is over a hundred years old, and we knew the original heart pine was mostly intact underneath.
Mar 12, 2020
Before & After: Behemoth Dining Room Cabinet
Gary and his wife inherited this piece and hated it. They wrote in to ask readers for advice on how two “unskilled and not creative” types could rehab this behemoth into something they’d be happy to have in their home. A contingent of readers liked it as it was, others said to sell it and many of you had suggestions for how to transform it with paint or stain. So, which readers did they listen to or did they forge their own path?
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Was Beth Successful in Removing this Painted “O”?
Has this “O” on Beth’s grandma’s coffee table been haunting you, too? If you missed it the first time: Beth wrote in for advice on this hand-me-down table from her grandmother which, unfortunately, passed through a cousin first who emblazoned it with an Ohio State “O” in seemingly indestructible paint. She was desperate for ideas to remove it. Readers encouraged her to sand, sand and then sand some more.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Vintage Suitcase Now Packed For Portable Audio
Old leather suitcases or briefcases from decades ago are commonly found in varying states at garage sales, thrift shops, and vintage stores across the nation, popular DIY fodder for an array of upcycle projects like this and this.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Upcycled Fire Truck Lamp
You’ve gotta have some vision to see the potential for an old plastic fire truck to become a special piece of decor. And that’s exactly what Jasmine brought to this toy when when she turned it into a modern, artful lamp.Jasmine from Jasmine Orchard Styling was inspired on a recent trip to Amsterdam by a large industrial crane. When she found a large, well-loved old toy fire truck with a moving ladder, she saw its potential as the foundation for a unique table lamp.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Brittan’s Chair for the Generations
Last week I posted about Joy Cho’s photo album of her daughter Ruby’s first year. Today I’m sharing another project that captures memories in a completely different way. Click to see how this chair was transformed into a cherished memorial to family.Brittan grew up loving her mom’s photo albums.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Jenny’s Built-in IKEA Billy Bookshelves
Jenny Komenda of Little Green Notebook consistently executes beautiful DIY projects with precision and flair. Most recently, she and her family used Ikea’s Billy bookshelves in combination with lumber, mouldings, and spray paint to create a custom look at a non-custom cost.Jenny has slowly been revealing updates to her New York home, and these shelves give the living room a sophisticated feel that’s still young and fun. It looks so good!
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Adding Color to a Boring Office Chair
We’ve all seen them and probably sat in them — the ubiquitous (and rather dull) standard-issue office chair. It’s hard to imagine even tackling a makeover of such a lackluster piece of furniture! But Kendra did — she added lots of color and as she says, “now it looks like a party is happening at my desk!
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Washi Switch Plates
Light switch plates aren’t something I give much thought to. Until I see a really cute one. Mari, who blogs at Crab + Fish, used washi tape (the craft material du jour) to transform plain light switch plates in her home. It’s simple, cheap and super renter-friendly.As you can see, she didn’t just do one or two switch plates, she liked the look so much that she kind of just kept on going.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: File Box Goes for the Gold
It was a little over a year ago that this little file box came home with me and received its first makeover, going from a dull gray to a vibrant yellow. A lot of things have changed in my apartment over the past year, so it’s time for the file box to get another makeover…When I painted this file box last year, yellow was the perfect color. It suited the room where it lived, and I’ve always been partial to the color of the sun.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Melissa’s “Cloffice” on a Budget
The challenge (and fun!) of small space living is finding the best use for every inch. Even though tiny apartments are usually short on closet space, a place to stash your suitcases is less useful if what you really need is an office. Melissa put her closet to work for her — for only $130!Melissa Massello is the Stealfinder in Chief of Shoestring Magazine, and with a title like that, you know she’s looking to save a buck.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: TV Tray Table Gets Decked Out
As part of my ongoing quest to add some color to my grey living room, I picked up one of these inexpensive tv tray tables at Target and decided to give it the before and after treatment. Yes, there is spray paint involved. And lamp finials. And rope. Intrigued? Click on through to see my nautically-inspired end result.The goal was to transform this $9 table from ‘college girl watching sitcom reruns and eating popcorn’ to something a little more yacht chic.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: MacBook Dye Project
Got an outdated white Apple MacBook? Here’s a surprising customization project utilizing RIT fabric dye to give the MacBook’s polycarbonate case a whole new colorful life. Considering how expensive professional custom paint jobs cost and the outdated state of these models, we’re pretty impressed with the project’s results… Get a pan (An inch or so deep, if possible.), and fill it with water (4 cups of water per packet, 8 cups.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Under the Stairs Space to Reading Nook
As a kid who used to retreat to my closet floor to read in peace, I have a soft spot in my heart for reading nooks. Looking to carve out a little space, Ashley took the completely unused and unaccessible space under her stairs and transformed it into a delightful reading nook/playspace for her kids. Ashey’s “little monsters” are lucky; I confess, if this were my house, I would likely be claiming this space for my very own!
Mar 11, 2020
Furniture Makeovers: Before & After Transformations
2011 was packed with wonderful before and after projects! Readers and editors both shared some amazing furniture re-do’s. From the old made modern to the broken turned fixed, here are just a few of the incredible before and after furniture posts of the year.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Kids Costume Closet
Even if your little Wonder Woman spins into her costume, she still needs somewhere to hang it every night. Jennifer saw the potential in this old tallboy dresser and transformed it into a darling kid-sized costume closet for her daughter Chloe.Jennifer was inspired by a similar project she saw on Pinterest and took this on as part of the Earth Day Canada Upcycling Challenge.
Mar 11, 2020
The 10 Most Dramatic Before & After Projects
Thinking about the new year might be the time for home improvement resolutions, or at least some serious list-making. From a formerly dingy little caravan, to kitchens, gardens, dining rooms and a few entire homes, we have run the entire gamut of before and after projects this year. The following selections represent the most dramatic and inspiring of 2011 to help ring in any 2012 renovation plans.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Floorboards to Cheese Boards
Brooklyn to West‘s Ariele has done it again. In my opinion, she’s the junkyard, dumpster diving, demo-ed house DIY Queen. This gal finds discarded household materials throughout Brooklyn and transforms them into artistic, thoughtful, and beautiful everyday objects. Most recently, she’s taken floorboards and changed them into cheese boards. Genius? YES!Ariele never ceases to amaze me.
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Chair Turned Play Kitchen (Believe It.)
I’ve seen play kitchens made from everything under the sun and it’s become almost hard to impress me. But a play kitchen made from a chair? Okay, I’ll bite.After!This is one of the most clever handmade play kitchens I’ve seen and is an awesome display of ingenuity. Kata started with an IVAR chair from Ikea ($20), added a counter, a bowl sink, top of a walking cane for a faucet and hung a curtain for an oven.
Mar 11, 2020
20 of September’s Best Before & Afters
Before and afters are some of our most popular posts. And for good reason! Who doesn’t love to see the evidence of a makeover, often performed on a tight budget? Gathered together for your weekend viewing pleasure, here are 20 of September’s best makeovers …• Before & After: Connie’s Ugly to Unbelievable Dresser• Before & After: An Eames Lounge Knockoff, Transformed• Before & After: Free Vanity Mirror Totally Transformed!
Mar 11, 2020
Closet Envy: Creative Uses for Closets
Closet envy usually involves admiring another woman’s shoe collection, but I’ve never been into shoes. I am, however, into clever uses for small spaces and it’s been on my mind lately as I look to create a spot at home for my my bedroom-less, playroom-less son to call his own.
Mar 11, 2020
Before and After: With Less Than $100, This Dark Dresser is Totally Transformed
You won't recognize the after.
Mar 7, 2020
Before and After: A $250 Accent Wall Gives This Office Major Chic Cred
The hodgepodge craft space got a major glow up that made it way more functional, too.
Mar 2, 2020
Before and After: $500 Turned This Bland Bedroom into a Creative Craft Space
The faux daybed is VERY smart.
Feb 25, 2020
Before and After: This Living Room's New Fireplace Will Make You Look Twice
The "after" is bringing max coziness.
Feb 17, 2020
Before and After: A Smart IKEA Hack Makes This Home Office Extra Practical
You'll never buy an off-the-shelf desk again.
Feb 16, 2020
Before and After: A "Dump the Junk" Closet Turned Super Functional Office
You won't even recognize this space in the after.
Feb 9, 2020
Before and After: A DIY Murphy Bed for a Third of the Cost of Store-Bought
This project has seriously impressive results.
Feb 8, 2020
Before and After: A Cheery But Still Classic Update for This 1880s Entryway
The "after" is a whole lot brighter, but still exactly right for this 140-year-old house.
Jan 29, 2020
7 Two-Tone Furniture Redos for When You Just Want a *Little* Paint
These furniture makeovers let natural wood have the spotlight.
Jan 12, 2020
The “Maisie Toot Camper Turned Glamper” Makeover
Project by: Julie and Laura Location: New York State Without further ado, another inspiring camper transformation! Take it away, Julie and Laura: We are identical twin sisters, are both registered nurses, both married, and we are mothers to three little boys collectively. Ever since we were teenagers and we watched the cult classic The Long Long Trailer with Lucille Ball, we have dreamed of having a little camper turned glamper to call and make our own.
Dec 19, 2019
The “Sorta Scary to Sweetly Stylish” Camper Makeover
Project by: Meg Location: Colorado If this project doesn’t convince you that just about any sow’s ear can be turned into a silk purse than I don’t know what will. This funky old, water damaged, faux woodgrain and formica-filled caravan is now a super sweet spot to hang out in. To top it off, he transformation was quick and the budget was lowlowlow. The perfect makeover!
Dec 19, 2019