Home Projects

"As renters sometimes we feel powerless to improve our spaces," this apartment dweller says. She and her husband (and their landlord) came up with some quick fixes for this once-dated kitchen.

This renter wanted to add some detail to her dining area, but there wasn't enough space for a buffet or other table, and, as a renter, she couldn't find any removable wallpaper she loved.

These redos are proof that you don't have to own to make your place feel like home.

And it only took four hours.

You know the drill: Any improvements made to this rental kitchen needed to be affordable and reversible, so that the renter could get the security deposit back. With just $500 in upgrades and some very clever re-styling, this kitchen now looks like a million bucks. I was all ready to gush over this ridiculously adorable wallpaper, when I realized that it’s not wallpaper: It’s renter-friendly removable decals.

In today’s Before & After, a Berlin guest bath gets a six-hour, $400, low-key upgrade that’s sure to inspire even the least DIY-inclined among us. Here’s a hint: If you can operate a sticker, you can handle this project. Before we ooh and aah, let me just say that the bathroom is already pretty nice. It’s black and white, which is a great palette for a rental bathroom, and I love that little black stripe.

When you live with four other people, you might need to escape the close quarters from time to time.

It looks great and costs very little.

Renters rejoice.

This kitchen was very nice—great cabinets, pretty paint, sleek black countertops, fantastic wood floors—but even very nice can use a little boost now and then. Peel-and-stick tiles to the rescue, for a polished, personal, and renter-friendly update. This looks so great! The mini subway tile from Home Depot is delightful, plus the color works well with the new appliances and looks amazing with the orange sink.

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 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.

Subway tile haters, this one's for you.

It’s also in the chamomile family!

For a smoother, more even finish on your cabinets, it’s all about prep.

The video it's from has over 2.4 million views and counting.

One TikToker turned plain white renter walls into something unexpected and sophisticated.

If you’ve grown tired of your wicker or rattan lampshade and are looking to make an upgrade, don’t cast it aside just yet.

Yes, you can paint a tile floor.

“Not me immediately searching FB Marketplace for coffins.”

When traditional wallpaper borders weren’t a fit for my rental, I turned to one of my favorite budget shopping sources for an alternative.

Aside from the fact that they’re a super-budget-friendly solution, they’re also quite versatile.

With a drill and a creative vision, this DIY was bound to be a success.

If you’re not doing this, you could be missing out on great deals and really cool finds.

For just $20 or under.

You’ve heard of mid-century modern, but have you heard of modern-meets-mid-century? This kitchen redo is inspired by the ’60s but fit and functional for the 2020s.

“I always really wanted to add open shelving, but didn’t think it was possible because we were renting,” this DIYer says. Using about $200 worth of materials, she proved herself wrong.

The color combo makes this kitchen feel extra inviting.

“Since this was my first place I owned, I wanted to make the entire space feel like me,” this condo dweller says.

The new kitchen feels a lot more inviting.

“The budget for this kitchen refresh was really to spend as little as possible,” this DIYer says.

“I plan to stay in this place for some time, so the effort put in is worth it,” this renter says. His (totally removable!) updates cost $600.

The new cook space isn't just beautiful — its reimagined layout makes it more functional, too.

"Never underestimate the power of paint!" this homeowner says of her paint projects — including her countertops which look unrecognizable after a $125 project.

This renovation doubled the kitchen size and made the main bathroom feel way bigger, too.

The makeover mixes high and low to create a unique space that doesn't break the bank, the homeowner says.

The extensive renovation project made this kitchen, last touched in the 1990s, more functional for a family.

Sometimes all a dated bathroom needs is a new paint color.

“I didn't like that my powder room looked like my neighbor's, and my neighbor's neighbor,” this homeowner says of her builder-grade “before.”

See how this homeowner upgraded her patio with $1600 worth of budget-friendly finds.

“By using the existing materials in this space, I saved a ton of money, and let’s be honest – who wants to gut an entire bathroom?” this DIYer says. “It’s dirty and dusty and takes FOREVER. Updating a small bathroom with accent walls is a budget-friendly way to add character.”

The “new” blue toilet and sink are must-sees.

This reno only took five days.

This DIYer came up with a clever money-saving hack for getting the look of lime washed walls.

This bathroom is a colorful, eclectic mix of high-end pieces and secondhand upcycles.

This DIYer "cried real (happy) tears" when she made the discovery during the demo process.

It’s all thanks to wallpaper and gilded accessories.

Karen Graham didn't want her bathroom to totally lose its past.

When these homeowners moved in, the bathroom's 10-year-old renovation had started to look "a little shabby" — and things had only gotten worse from there.