Home Projects

Here’s a look back at Maxwell’s renovation of his and Ursula’s new apartment in SoHo. If you missed any of this earlier in the year, you’ll definitely want to take a look — I think you’ll be impressed with how much he was able to achieve in such a short span of time. Here’s another view of the kitchen before, to give you an idea of what we were dealing with.

Ready for the most elegant party trick we’ve seen in a long time? Take just one cloth napkin and a pretty napkin ring and turn them into a beautiful bow to top off your table. If you’re hosting a holiday party or a casual get-together, use this bow-shaped accent to dress up each place setting. We’re willing to bet your guests will be begging to know how you made them.

On the floorplan, it’s listed as “Auxiliary Room,” a vague definition that falls far short of inspiration. What to do with this space, with no windows, no definition, and to be honest, no saving grace? Not to worry. Enter gentleman designer Matthew Patrick Smyth, who manages to turn slightly vague into totally specific. Through the lens of the talented Mr. Smyth, it’s part Kasbah but pure Kismet. And it stole the show at Hearst’s Designer Visions.

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.

The right appliances have a huge effect on your quality of life. If you’ve ever lived in a home with broken, poorly-designed, or just rundown appliances, and then upgraded, you know what I mean. You go from annoyed every time you grab a beverage from your refrigerator, to really looking forward to opening the door. Since your fridge gets get used many times a day, those interactions really add up.

Over the years, we’ve shared a lot of money-saving projects, large and small. If you can make something at home easily and cheaply, why wouldn’t you? Save some cash and flex those DIY muscles with these ten ideas for things to make rather than buy, from the Apartment Therapy and Kitchn archives. Your wallet and your home will thank you. Household cleaners. Ban chemicals from your home once and for all, and save pennies too with these recipes for eco-friendly cleaning products.

Last week we discussed about getting started on wrangling our cords and cables in our home office, a project that required us to get moving on painting the interior before installing the cable channel guides we purchased. And painting we did!

I was sitting around the other day, thinking about pairing gold kitchen cabinet hardware with stainless steel appliances, and I suddenly remembered: I never showed you all any photos of the finished World’s Ugliest Condo bathroom!These photos were taken with an iPhone, but you can still see the what’s what. Enjoy.

This fix is cheap, easy, and super luxe-looking.

Before: The kitchen, although graced with beautiful large windows, left a little something to be desired. After: A new kitchen from the studs inward, including a new Kohler sink and industrial task lighting above the windows for more functionality.From Andi: Possibly the most luxurious thing is the increased square footage (we went from 95 to 170 square feet).

For all of us who have been following along with Claire and Jeffrey’s renovation, the ultimate moment has finally arrived. That’s right — the kitchen is finally complete, and it’s time for the big reveal. Before: The space viewed from the living room entry. After: Now, the kitchen is wide open, with an uninterrupted view of the window to the backyard.From Claire:We spend all of our free time in this room.

These wooden tables are the perfect natural refresh for your home design.

As stone countertops and stainless steel appliances are to a kitchen, a large flat panel television (and a comfy couch) in the living room is to a typical American household. But there’s one continuing trend we’d like to see people stop doing doing: hanging flat screen televisions over the fireplace.

One of the most important kitchen design decisions you’ll make, both for looks and functionality, is the layout. You have a few options—the tried and true U shape, or the elegant and functional galley shape. But if you love entertaining, and love the look of an open kitchen, there’s another kind of kitchen layout that’s worth a look: the L shape. An L-shaped kitchen has just two runs of cabinetry, arranged at right angles to each other. (The name pretty much says it all.

You'll want to steal the high-contrast color scheme for your own space.

New year, new kitchen.

Between beige walls, brown floor tiles, and oak wood cabinets, most rental apartments have cornered the market on neutral. If your walls are the color of a bandaid, and your landlord has no pity for your palette woes, it’s up to you to take the bull by the horns and deal with it. One of the easiest ways to combat the lack of vibrant color is with really bold bedding and artwork. You’d never walk away from Jen & Kirstie’s happy, welcoming rental and think it’s boring.

We all know that catalogs aren’t real life, but they can be excellent sources of inspiration to mine for your own home. IKEA has one of the best ones out there, and their 2019 edition (out this week!) is chock full of ways to add color, interest, and texture to your walls. Here are some clever and creative painting ideas to steal. Here, IKEA uses two complementary paint colors for the walls: a dusty blue and pink.

Here's proof that you don't have to bust down a wall to brighten up a dark space.

They may be some of the smallest details in a kitchen, but a change (or addition) of cabinet hardware can totally update a room’s entire look. Available in a disorienting array of finishes, shapes, sizes and materials, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing what to adorn your cabinet doors and drawers with. But perhaps you’re not entirely convinced that a few knobs can make a big visual difference in a kitchen? Check out the Photoshopped images below.

I am beyond thrilled with the result of my Style Cure and today I share my “after” photos! We went from a gloomy, unused, unfinished sunroom to a bright, open, and warm lounge area and office. There are so many elements in this new space that make me extremely happy, but just the fact that I can edit the photos for this post while sitting at a real desk in front of cheerful windows is enough to send me over the moon.

As long as the tap turns on, you don’t really think about your water. But you may have a problem that shows up in other ways, and hard water is one you should definitely pay attention to.

When you’re living in a small space, every detail counts. But sometimes those little things — the things that elevate a place from not quite right to effortlessly chic — can be hard to identify. Our first bit of advice? Swap your freestanding bookshelves for wall-mounted shelving. It’s an approach that was recommended by Maxwell in his “Apartment Therapist” column for Better Homes & Gardens.

Name: Aaron and Emily Choi Type of Project: Full remodel, including the kitchen and two bathrooms Location: La Jolla, California Type of building: Condo; 1300 square feet Yesterday we got a look at the beautiful results of Emily and Aaron’s condo renovation. Today we’re taking a closer look at one of the more practical aspects of the project: the budget. How did the actual price tag compare with Emily and Aaron’s estimate from before the project began? Read on to find out.

Soffia bought two of these tall, imposing pieces at an Icelandic Goodwill—I’ve dubbed them “bookdenzas”—and wanted to lighten them up and give them some personality to use in her son’s bedroom. Here’s what she came up with: Soffia tells us: The tall book case is an old piece of living room furniture that was very popular in Iceland in the 70s and 80s. I bought it for around $40 at a local Goodwill.

Last month we asked how much readers spent buying and installing a new water heater in their home. And you told us! We hope this information gives a basic sense of how much this new appliance costs, and how much you can expect to pay when hiring someone. Keep in mind, this is general and prices most likely vary in cities versus more rural locations, etc…Although this gives you a rough idea, you should always seek multiple quotes for any work done in your home.

So it’s time to stop telling yourself you’re okay with your old countertops, that they’re fiiiiiine, there’s nothing wrong with them, really. Because, truth be told, you just can’t stand to look at them one more minute. Maybe you tried an interim measure, a quick budget fix, but that reached its expiration point. The time has come and you couldn’t be more excited. But, before you get too giddy, there’s some bad news.

Short on space and lack a headboard? Pegboard, our favorite kitchen and workshop workhorse, may just be the solution you’ve been looking for. Carmel from Our Fifth House transforms her boy’s bedroom from bland to brilliant with a Union Jack paint job and inexpensive material.Carmel’s 8 year old son needed some easy access storage, so when she planned to DIY a headboard, pegboard won.

It’s March, which means tulips are popping up in stores everywhere. Take advantage of the tulip season, and learn the dos and don’ts for making them last longer and look their best. Plentiful clean water is pretty important to these pretty little flowers. When you’re first arranging them in their vase, re-cut each one so water has the best chance to travel up the stems.

With the warm season starting, I’ve become obsessed with all things white. So I’ve returned to my rental white walls in the bathroom, which feels so fresh and clean for summer. Check out the results below. I used the same color on the baseboard and moldings so I didn’t need to worry about that clean line of paint as the color changes (the most frustrating part of a painting job to a self-proclaimed lazy perfectionist).

“Before and After” makeovers are such guilty pleasures—what’s more gratifying than fast-forwarding through all the hard work, and just seeing (and getting to comment on) the final result? Throw in a very small budget, and they become especially delicious food for thought. These bathroom projects don’t disappoint. As transformations go, they are pretty incredible for the money. Scroll through, and by all means, enjoy.

Erika’s young and doesn’t spend an arm and a leg on rent. Sure, her bathroom is functional, but all those shades of off-white are a style travesty that could make even the most stalwart of tenants cry beige tears. It’s a rental, so nobody wants to go nuts and spend a lot of money to renovate it, but Erika wanted something a little more fun and befitting her age. So, the goal is to give her an entirely new, bright, amazing bathroom for $500. Think we can do it?

This is what Tara’s kitchen looked like when she moved in this past year. Not too pretty, eh? With her landlord’s approval, we did a light reno that didn’t cost a lot, but made a major difference in both appearance and function. Spending money on a rental isn’t for everyone — but for those of you who love to cook, have a horrible kitchen, and plan to stay put for awhile, then a little investment may well be worth the time and expense.

Dividing walls were holding this bathroom back. Tearing them out helped it reach its open, airy potential.

All this week we’re talking about bathroom renovations, starting with Ashley’s recent remodel, and following up with tons of helpful posts about the process! So you’re thinking of remodeling one of the most necessary rooms in your home – not an easy task to take on! Luckily, there are ways you can prepare to take the pain out of a bathroom remodel. Here are just a few to get you started: When it comes to a remodel, always make sure you have a contingency fund.

It’s happened: my five-month-old has started rocking on her hands and knees and I’m well aware of the next logical step — crawling. It’s just about time to start baby-proofing the house. I’ve done it before so it shouldn’t be too difficult, but the one place that we were never able to stylishly address was the fireplace.

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.

These pro picks are versatile and affordable.

Ready to stage the best, most profitable summer yard sale you’ve ever thrown? There are plenty of tricks to make your sale stand out from the other sad, old-shoes-on-a-blanket sales dotting your neighborhood. Here’s how… Anyone with a yard can have a yard sale but we’re going for showmanship here. Are you moving? You, my friend, are having an “Everything-Must-Go Moving Sale.” Selling the extras from your spring cleaning binge with a few friends?

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?

Your home tech uses electricity. And where there’s electricity, there’s a fire hazard—especially if you’re the type to hold on to tried, true and worn out devices. Speaking of—have you checked your fire extinguisher lately? It might be worn out. Here’s four things to check to know when it’s time to replace it.Now that we’ve taught you how to buy the right fire extinguisher, it’s important to keep it in working order.

Some IKEA hacks go so far above and beyond the standard “coat of paint and new handles” that they somehow become whole new pieces of furniture. This one, for example, started out as the ubiquitous Rast dresser and a salad bowl, and was transformed into an elegant, modern bathroom vanity with plumbing and everything. I for one am impressed.

Name: Mike and Sandie Type of Project: Foyer renovation Location: Saskatoon; Saskatchewan, Canada Type of building: 2 1/2 story single-family home, built in 1919 The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We can’t resist a good IKEA hack. Of course these pieces are lovely on their own, but this year a few intrepid DIYers managed to take a few basics to the next level. Swedish ingenuity + your ingenuity = some really inspired pieces of furniture. Click the links to see the ‘afters’. (Hint: clicking the links with your mouse wheel will open each link in a new window.) TOP ROW: 1. The IKEA VITTSJÖ: 5 Colorful Hacks 2. Before & After: From IKEA Dining Table to Chic Desk 3.

We’ve all heard the phrase “they don’t make ’em like they used to,” which in my experience, cannot be more true when it comes to quality-made furniture. Dovetailed drawers or burled wood veneer seems to have been replaced by the convenience of assemble-yourself, particle-board furniture. Although these pieces are affordable, the poor construction quality makes them practically disposable.

Last week, you got to see the updates and tiling work we did in our kitchen. However, we also had a very fun time doing some updates to our bathroom. This before photo (taken quite a bit before we started the project) doesn’t show the vertical angle, but allows you to see the most important elements: the old, dingy, salmon-colored tile, and original toilet and vanity. Fast forward three days (we were on a tight schedule) to our brand new bathroom!

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.

Atmosphere is the je ne sais quoi ingredient to interiors. You can’t really put your finger on it and it’s not really something you can buy in a box to add to your home. But it’s the thing that differentiates a great home from just a good one, and it’s the thing that makes guests want to stay and linger in your home as long as possible. How do you get it (or make your existing atmosphere even better)? Well the answer to that isn’t easy.

Name: Meg and Josh Type of Project: Mudroom/Breakfast Nook remodel Location: Chinook, Washington Type of building: Single-Family Home, 1,000 square feet For all of you good people who have been following along with Meg and Josh’s mudroom renovation, the big moment has finally come: all the work is complete, and it’s time to take a look at the finished space! From Meg: Any renovation project is special, but there’s something extra special about a DIY renovation project.

For this very last roundup, we’ve combed through all of this year’s Before & After projects (and trust us, there were a lot of good ones) and rounded up the very best ones. The dramatic, inspiring, shocking transformations. The ones where you couldn’t possibly like the before better. Prepare to be amazed — here are 2014’s most dramatic transformations. Click on the slideshow to see the projects.

“Decorative art isn’t necessarily created just by bona fide artists. Everyday folks can get in on the action too, and make custom work for their walls. We asked our house tour residents to tell us about their DIY art projects, and the results are endlessly impressive. 1. Above, a Southwestern rug-inspired painted canvas from Kathryn & Perry’s “Have Less Do More” Apartment: My proudest DIY has got to be our little dining nook/statement art wall!

At this budget range, kitchen renovations mean less actual physical labor for the homeowners, who are able to leave most of that work to the professionals. That doesn’t mean a total hands off approach however. The owners of these kitchens either acted as their own general contractor, designed the space themselves, and shopped vigilantly for the best deals out there.

Do you fret over certain aspects of your home? Do they keep you up at night? Do you spend hours Googling (or Apartment Therapy-ing) for the answer that will fix your problem and tone down your home-related stress? There are plenty of things to worry about when it comes to home, but these seven things aren’t them. Take the worries after the jump off your plate and spend your mental energy on enjoying your space and your life! Don’t worry… 1.

The office chair above is unfortunately more common than we’d hope. It’s the home office equivalent of the big, dumpy (yet comfortable) big leather couches that weigh down a space. Does form have to be sacrificed for function? “No!” says designer and upcycling blogger, Joy of How Joyful…check out how she gave this chair a whole new personality… Last Christmas my in Laws gave Ken and I matching Desk chairs. We only had one and it was pretty broken.

Name: Jennifer Pade Type of Project: Kitchen remodel Location: West Village, New York, New York Type of building: 300 square foot apartment in a co-op building For those of you who have been following along with Jennifer’s NYC kitchen remodel, and who saw the truly dire state of her original kitchen, this reveal will be especially satisfying. The work is done, the dust has cleared, and now it’s time to take a look at the finished product.

Victoria shared her kitchen renovation with readers at last Wednesday’s Apartment Therapy Design Evening. In case you missed out, here’s a little more about the project. Victoria had bought a beautiful Victorian home, circa 1906, with great bones. Most of the house was in good condition, but it was clear that the old kitchen had to go.

Shortly after moving into their Chinook, Washington home, Meg and Josh decided to tackle a big project: transforming their existing laundry room and breakfast room into a single, open mudroom/breakfast nook combo. Before the project began, the breakfast room and laundry room were separated by a wall, making the small house seemed more cramped. Meg and Josh envisioned a single, open space the would serve as breakfast nook, laundry room, and mudroom all in one, with lots of built-in storage.

This plain kitchen was sort of… fine? We’ve seen gross kitchens and this one was far from it. If anything, it was a little sterile, with various off-white shades paired with some unflattering lighting. Here’s another view, where you can see that there weren’t any accent colors, textures, metal-mixing, or any of the other design elements that give a space interest.

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.

Dealing with this closet and salmon painted floor was high on the priority list of things to do to begin turning this basement into the modern family room it was destined to be. It had been on my mind since the moment we got the keys to the house. It took a few months to get around to it but we finally did. Follow me after the jump to see the result…We didn’t have much use for the closet but we did have hundreds of books that needed to find a home.

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!

If there’s a leading trend, it’s embracing color, and that’s exactly what the talented crew at DC design firm Residents: Understood did with their clients Danielle and Peter. Using the young couple’s wanderlust as inspiration, R:U set about transforming sterile gloomy to bold global.Given that Danielle and Peter met while studying in Europe, got engaged in Iceland, and will be married in Italy this fall, they wanted to make a home that suited their vibrant life together.

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.

Since starting Apartment Therapy, I’ve always felt it’s good to do everything you can to make your home comfortable and clean (in as little time as possible), and that air and water quality were fundamental. Living in New York City, I’ve never had a problem with the water, but when I started to drink cold filtered water I loved the difference. Particularly when making coffee or tea, filtered water really seemed to improve the taste. Years later, this is what I’ve learned.

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.

At Apartment Therapy, we believe the more personal you make your space, the happier you will be in it (and that goes for the time you spend caring for the roads leading up to your space, too!). In today’s video, Grandpa Carl shows us his hand-built custom snowblower cab, which he invented and built for less than it would cost to buy one commercially.

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.