Home Projects

When Fernando and Maximiliano bought a classic house in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Boca, the building had been abandoned for years and every room was begging to be renovated. With a very minimal budget they decided to redo every room themselves. When we bought the house the living and dining room were two separate rooms, and every wall had a different color or wallpaper. The wooden floors were buried in dirt.

Fernando and Maximiliano bought a classic house in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Boca. It had great architectural bones, but the building had been neglected for years. Every room needed tons of transformation. But with a teeny-tiny budget to work with, they With almost zero budget they decided to tackle the renovations themselves! People say that you don’t miss something until it’s gone…and that became very true about windows.

Amy fell in love with this sofa’s good bones and excellent cushions, even though the fabric was a little drab. After inspecting the piece to make sure it wasn’t too good to be true, she took it home and got to work and giving it a super easy and affordable refresh. From Amy: This is one of those sofas built with an incredibly sound construction, it’s something that is hard to find these days for an affordable price.

I’ll just start off and say that there’s a lot to love about exposed brick walls. I’ve lived with many over the years, and there’s no substitute for the warmth, texture, and authenticity they bring to a room. But those are just the pros, because exposed brick can also be kind of a nightmare. So, read on to decide if all that historic charm is worth the headache.

Stephen and Amy bought their first home together in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood in 2013. Their home is adorable inside and out, with many of the elements crafted by the couple. There is one small element that I think has a big impact on their home’s curb appeal — and it’s an easy and affordable DIY! “When we bought the house, there were ugly numbers nailed to the door.

Not all barn doors have to look as if they came straight from a farm. Here are our favorite picks, from rustic to modern.

Buying an apartment in New York often involves a level of compromise. When Deeksha and Joe moved from D.C. to New York, along with their three-month-old son, their dream was to find a three-bedroom apartment. Reality was a spacious apartment in Washington Heights, with gorgeous views of the river — and only two bedrooms. But in the apartment’s L-shaped living room, they saw an opportunity.

I have a confession: Sometimes using power tools scares me. I know – that’s embarrassing for a DIY-er to admit. But I also know, deep down, I can’t be the only one who feels this way. So, what if I told you that you could make this bench with minimal tools and minimal upholstery skills? Seriously, there is no sewing involved.

Here's a fresh new way to add a little fun to your bathroom.

Ever wandered down into someone’s basement and seen a fully functional toilet in the middle of the room? ‘Pittsburgh Potties’ are just that —common commodes installed in your average unfinished basement, without walls or doors —and so named because of their prevalence in Western Pennsylvania. Why, you might be asking, is this an actual thing in this area? I’m glad you’re as curious as I was.

When Jessica and her husband moved into their home they knew that they would need to do some serious updating. They took off the Beetlejuice wallpaper in their guest room and when it came time to turn it into a nursery they decided to go full fun. A little bit of Memphis, a sprinkling of Facts of Life, a dash of FAO Schwartz and you have a super cute, very unique nursery.

After living with the cramped, unremarkable bathroom in his Manhattan apartment for almost a decade, Charlie had a pretty clear idea of what he wanted out of his renovation: “I wanted it to look bigger.” Which was a bit of a challenge in a 40-square-foot space with no windows — but I think you’ll agree that this renovation rises to the occasion. The biggest change was replacing the old tub with a glass shower stall, which significantly opens up the space.

And all for less than $1 per square foot.

Project by: Jessica Davis of Nest Studio Location: South Orange, New Jersey Jessica wanted to give her daughter’s room a new look, something age-appropriate but not overly precious or childish. A large room with good light, the possibilities were endless, but she settled on a rich color for the walls and timeless furniture that her daughter can grow with.

Although this Greenpoint kitchen, at 100 square feet, is much larger than many NYC apartment kitchens, it was suffering a bit from dark, heavy finishes. The black countertop sucked light out of the space, and glass-front cabinets left nowhere to hide clutter, making the kitchen feel chaotic and cramped. Plus, two of the cabinets were blocking a window — never a good look. The new kitchen embraces lightness and brightness, but, refreshingly, doesn’t go all the way white.

White tile — it’s timeless, classic, affordable and looks good in just about any backsplash, regardless of your kitchen or bathroom’s style or size. Its ability to complement any color palette or material selection means you can choose something that will remain classic and flexible for your home’s future. But what can be done to keep it looking fresh and unique?

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This kitchen above designed by Laura Butler-Madden, is very pretty, with deep blue cabinets, brass accents, and open shelving. It sits on one end of a huge, open concept great room with soaring ceilings and beautiful herringbone floors. But this room’s highest achievement may be achieving “peak kitchen island”. Let’s zoom in on it and discuss, shall we? First off, it’s freaking huge.

No one doubts the transformation that painting an entire room in neon pink would have (bold, to say the least), but tell someone you painted an entire room white, and they might wonder what the next coat will be. These rooms prove, however, that white is its own standalone color that can make a huge impact on a space. Perhaps white paint’s biggest super power (other than being affordable and versatile, of course) is its ability to brighten up a space.

This unremarkable “cherry wood cave with black plastic counter tops” in the suburbs of Chicago was transformed into a dreamy kitchen, full of personality and luxurious finishes. The homeowner spent months searching for the perfect interior designer, someone who would bring authenticity to the project, and the wait was clearly well worth it.

There’s no denying the appeal of vintage bathrooms — but Rachel and Michael’s vintage bathroom had seen better days. The tilework, though charming, was badly chipped, and the tight, walled-in enclosure made showering a bit of a claustrophobic experience. The original vanity, mirror, and lights had been replaced with ones that didn’t quite suit the style of the room, and then on top of it all, there was the color of the walls: a very bad, oppressive beige.

When Kia Designs renovated a house in London that had been previously used as a house share, they knew they had a lot of work ahead of them—especially in the kitchen, which was easily the worst part of the house. They hoped it would come to be the heart of the home, a place that people would love to gather in and hate to leave. To give you a sense of how far this room came, take a look at it in it’s original state: Clearly, mission accomplished!

Zachary Leung’s Toronto kitchen was recently declared the 2017 Remodelista Considered Design Awards Best Amateur Kitchen, and it’s not hard to see why. He lovingly converted this 130-year-old dark and awkward room into a space that’s somehow both timeless and of-the-moment, with room for entertaining, laundry, and cleverly concealed storage. It’s hard to believe this was designed by someone who doesn’t do interior design full-time for a living.

To share a mere 478-square-feet with another human has its challenges. But to share and successfully use only 38 square feet of kitchen space is even more impressive! There were many design dilemmas facing Ali and Chip when they purchased this small Brooklyn apartment three years ago, but none so mammoth as the task of making a teeny tiny kitchen work for two people who enjoy cooking.

There are so many reasons to remodel your kitchen. You just bought a house and you hate what’s there now. Perhaps you finally saved up some money and can afford the change. Or, you plan to sell the home in a couple of years and think new cabinets will appeal to buyers. All good reasons, but do you want to know the most common thing that pushed people to finally take the plunge and redo their kitchens? #1 Reason: Because homeowners just can’t stand their current one anymore.

A few weeks ago, when I wrote about square tile being the new subway tile, the response, from a lot of you, was a hard no. Many people in the comments agreed that subway tile was classic, whereas square tile reminded them of either truck stops or icky, bland ’70s and ’80s bathrooms.

IKEA’s IVAR collection is a very versatile system, with different ways to configure storage, and made of unfinished wood that’s a virtual blank slate for paint. But, in a recent makeover project, the big question became: could it become the centerpiece of an inexpensive rental bathroom makeover? Erika’s bathroom suffered from a distinct lack of style, so I wanted to start with a great vanity in a fun color. One of my first thoughts, when on a strict budget, is usually IKEA.

IKEA’s instructions are in(famous), with their illustrated diagrams, lack of words, and the oddly bulbous “IKEA man.” For the most part, with some head scratching, you can figure them out. But, as we discovered in our recent bathroom makeover, when it comes to installing a sink, the Swedish retailer left out one major detail, which is essential to the job. Read this before you shut your water off and get to work.

For our most recent budget makeover, I was working with a double whammy on the walls: textured surfaces on the top half, and oddly-cut sections of beadboard paneling down below. Combined, everything looked bad and very slapped together, not to mention dingy and depressing. In order to inject some style, I needed an inexpensive solution that was also practical enough to work in a bathroom. My solution? I replaced the awful beadboard with crisp white sheets of pegboard!

Bohemian-style living rooms scream cozy, comfy, and “come sit awhile.” Characterized by lots of green plants, layers of color and pattern and a healthy mix of eclectic furnishings, bohemian living rooms are also budget-friendly! In fact, the more vintage, often the better. Though there are plenty of great examples of bohemian living room lounges in the States…there’s one country that seems to be knocking it out of the ballpark.

These days, I prefer weekdays to weekends when it comes to my IKEA trips. Why, you ask? Well, as if it isn’t obvious, it means less crowds and more leisurely wandering the aisles, sans pressure. What am I looking for exactly? Maybe I have a simple list of items I need for a closet makeover, but then I spot a serving bowl that would make a perfect pendant light. Or I go in for some picture frames then can’t help but notice a kitchen cart that would be the perfect bar cart.

If you’ve ever lived in an apartment with an old, crumbling bathroom, you recognize Janna’s frustration with her Manhattan bathroom. “No matter how much we cleaned, it never felt clean,” she said. The small bathroom was dominated by an enormous seven foot tub, as demonstrated by the “before” pic above. In addition to the less-than-ideal layout, the walls and floors were in bad shape, the toilet leaked, and the vanity was beginning to fall apart.

IKEA kitchens—and bathrooms and wardrobes—are super-popular, but sometimes you want to kick things up a notch and move past the ubiquitous IKEA look. These six companies craft cabinet fronts, panels, and more in a wide variety of materials, colors, and styles. Some of them will even work with you to create fronts in custom colors and styles. Design your basic IKEA kitchen layout, and then head to one of these companies to make it the kitchen of your dreams.

When Giovanni purchased his Brooklyn condo, the kitchen had barely any cabinet space — and almost no workspace to speak of. His kitchen was just a drab row of appliances stacked next to each other, adjoining an alcove where a combination washer/dryer sat, visible to the rest of the apartment.

Fall has its beauty, but it can be a little too fleeting. Only too soon are we dealing with winter’s bare trees, slush, and seemingly neverending cold weather. If there’s a season where everyone deserves a little extra self-care, it’s winter. Japanese culture has an age-old way to combat the chill, which we could all learn a lot from.

Certain landlords, and almost all dorms, have strict rules against painting the walls, which is a major bummer if you love color. So imagine my excitement when I learned about removable, paintable wallpaper — I shouted “hallelujah” and quickly ordered some to find out if it was the answer to all our rental wishes and dreams. So, is this product too good to be true? One thing to note is that it took awhile to find actual removable paintable wallpaper.

Mila participated in a recent round of the One Room Challenge, but didn’t want to get overwhelmed by a major hard-core makeover. So, instead, she chose to redo the single wall just inside her entryway, which is also part of her living room. As is, the space was fine, but she was bored with the current gallery wall of photos, and wanted instead to make it as impressive as possible with just a little work and money. Her goal for the end of the project?

If you love pink faux marble Formica, do not click through because you will be heartbroken to see that this counter and backsplash have been (spoiler alert!) ripped out in favor of an impeccable slab of marble. As for the shutters, I have some further bad news… So gorgeous and graceful!

Finding the perfect apartment in New York, for a reasonable price, is no easy task. When soon-to-be parents Fabio and Melina decided to upgrade from their one-bedroom rental, finding an acceptable two-bedroom place within their budget turned out to be quite a challenge. Finally they found a place that fit the bill: two bedrooms, great location, and at a price they could afford. The apartment, which hadn’t been updated in 40 years, was less than perfect. But this couple saw potential.

While looking for matte black fixtures for a recent bathroom makeover, I had a hard time finding affordable, in-stock options from the usual places. Lighting with a black finish? No problem. Cabinet pulls? Everywhere. But searching for sink faucets yielded only a few good results. Then I figured out the trick and duh. It’s so easy it’s stupid. Black faucets are such a nice change of pace from ubiquitous chrome, or even the brushed brass we’ve seen so much of lately.

We’ve shown you some stylish DIYs for your pooch, but let’s not forget about the cat lovers. Sure our cats may not give us their undivided attention, or the tail-wagging welcome of a dog, but it’s important to give them a home that feels like home. Whether it’s a cozy crochet cat cave, a handmade toy, or a realistic climbing tree in the living room, our kitties need (and deserve) to be spoiled.

After a long search, Melina and Fabio finally found a two-bedroom place in their desired New York neighborhood — and at a price they could actually afford. The only problem? The bathroom, which hadn’t been renovated in the apartment’s 40-year lifespan, had seen better days. With its dated vanity, off-color tile, and always-dirty grout, it was definitely in need of an update. The new bathroom looks fresh yet classic, in shades of black and white, with a touch of gold.

When Dana and David bought their home, it had wonky oak builder-grade cabinets in the kitchen, dingy wall paint, and — perhaps most importantly — a lot of shades of yellow. The previous owners were going for “hacienda” and the pseudo-Spanish style just wasn’t working for its new residents. All the other rooms in the house were updated first, and the kitchen was the last one standing — mainly because Dana and David knew it was a BIG job.

No scraping required.

Close your eyes. Now, envision a vinyl floor. Does your mind automatically think checkerboard, faux wood, or something retro? You might not think of modern, bright patterns —like the one above — that look more like popular cement tile of late. But, vinyl flooring options have expanded, and you can now get this budget material in fun colors and designs that go well beyond your great grandmother’s old kitchen.

You might have already seen my recent bathroom makeover, which I did in the span of a frenzied weekend and shared earlier this week. After all was said and done, I was very happy with how it all turned out. Then, I made one last-minute addition, which was about ten minutes worth of work, and cost less than $10. It made a small, but significant difference nonetheless. And here’s the good news. You can do it too, even if you’re a renter. Can you see the difference?

As much as we love schoolhouse-style lighting, it isn’t always the best idea to buy something truly vintage and hope it works. There are stores — such as Schoolhouse Electric or Barn Light Electric — who sell absolutely beautiful fixtures in this style, but they are often out of financial reach. To help you stay on budget, and get the look you want, we’ve rounded up some of the best lighting options out there, all well under $100.

Chase and her husband bought a 1937 Key West-style house in Palm Grove, Miami and it came with a serious bathroom disaster. In a DIY job gone horribly wrong, the bath had serious structural issues, not to mention some very interesting (ahem) design decisions — neither of which did the home any favors. Chase was also itching to fulfill her dream of designing a room from start to finish, then actually enjoying it as her own. Then Hurricane Irma came.

There are basically three different ways to get cabinets into your kitchen. You can have them custom-built to fit the space. This is very expensive. You can get pre-made cabinets delivered, already assembled, and install them yourself (or have a contractor do it for you). This is less expensive. Or you can order ready-to-assemble (RTA) kitchen cabinets, and assemble them yourself. This is the most budget-friendly option of all.

Eighties design is a fascinating subject of study because of the peculiar arc it’s taken recently: from despised and reviled to avant-garde cool, all within the space of a very short period of time. But with all the love for Memphis and weird ’80s graphics, there’s one particular aspect of this design era I haven’t heard much about: the ’80s kitchen. Is it as terrible as we remember? Has the time for a renaissance finally come? Let’s take a look.

I love tile. I might even be a little obsessed with tile. So the fact that tile, even very bold tile, is making a comeback in the bathroom has me very excited. Lately I’ve been noticing an interesting trend in tiled bathrooms: bathrooms with tile on the ceiling. That, my friends, is commitment. Is this something you would do? Or is it all just a little too much?

When Emma bought her current home, she inherited one weird hallway. It was, in her words, “a giant monstrosity.” Along with four different types of scruffy, threadbare carpet on the stairs, it featured chipped white vinyl tiles downstairs, and yellow and orange “woodchip” wallpaper on all the walls on all three floors — even on the ceiling! When the 1970s called and wanted its decor back, Emma was more than happy to oblige.

This “Before & After” involves a beautiful Brooklyn brownstone with a bathroom that had seen better days. While certainly not as dire as some “before” bathrooms we’ve seen it had an uninspired design, a clunky sliding metal door that broke up the space, and a distinct lack of storage — especially for a bathroom of this size. Before we focus in on the other charming aspects of this bright new bathroom, let me just say: I love that floor.

This incredible space—and let’s be real, even this somewhat dated space is absolutely incredible before, thanks to those windows, floors, and ceilings—recently got the makeover it deserved. The results are glamorous, architectural, and extremely livable—not bad for a 100-year-old school. It’s like an art gallery! The wall panels appear almost as if they’re sculptures, while the open spaces are satisfyingly blocky and provide playful glimpses of other rooms.

This kitchen had issues, to say the least. We’ll gloss over the linoleum floor (not horrible, but not great) and the counter top, which sagged where it shouldn’t (never a good thing when you need a functional surface). Instead, we’re going to jump right on over to the stove, which had to be plugged in with an extension cord! Combine that with a fridge that was eating up floor space, and you know it’s time to rethink the kitchen layout.

This bathroom had everything: mauve jacuzzi! Mauve marble! Hexagonal sinks! Add in black walls and an abundance of glass block and you’ve got one very sexy early ’90s beast. You know this bathroom was A++ in its day. It’s just that its day was 25 years ago. A note: few of the before and after photos line up perfectly, so please use your spatial imagination to place yourself within the room. That being said: WOW!

The designer of this renovation described the kitchen before as, “dark, oddly angled and with what looks like fast food restaurant tile on the floor.” The client wanted to brighten and update the kitchen while making sure that it fit in perfectly with the rest of the 100-year-old home. The results are fresh and airy yet utterly classic, and the brand-new kitchen has achieved the dream: it looks like it’s always been there.

This little cutie pie garage sale dresser has been hankering for a makeover for a decade—and the results are well worth the wait. Perhaps inspired by the fantastic results, the rest of this corner got itself a spruce too! Before we gaze lovingly at the dresser as it looks today, let’s hear a little bit about what it was before: The side tables were a garage sale find for $10 which we had bought at the start of our marriage 10 years ago.

The bathroom in the Brooklyn apartment that architect Brian Kaplan shared with his family was one of those “it’ll do” jobs. The space, last renovated in the ’80s, was a bit tired and dated — but perfectly serviceable. But when a leak from the bathroom upstairs ruined the ceiling, Bryan took it as a sign that it was time for an overhaul. Rather than updating the bathroom to look super-modern, Bryan was instead inspired by the past.

Every little bit helps.

It may seem strange to Americans, but they also make a lot of sense.

Pilling on fabric is no good. It makes clothing and furniture look worn and tired, like it needs to be replaced. I certainly felt that way about this yellow chair before the most epic fabric de-fuzzer showed up on my doorstep. Friends, here me when I say this: This is the most satisfying $12.99 you’ll ever spend on a home-care appliance. I knew this type of tool existed, but I didn’t know how amazing the results would be when used on upholstery fabric.

I can get behind a design trend just as fast as the next person. Exposed brick? Sliding barn doors? Reclaimed wood? Check, check, and check! I dream of a farmhouse sink and a subway tile backsplash and am about to do the all-open-shelving thing in our kitchen. But there’s one seemingly mandatory design decision that I have zero interest in making: adopting the open kitchen. In our 1890 home, the kitchen is at the back of the house in a textbook-style late-Victorian floor plan.

In its previous iteration, the bathroom in Meredith and Jason’s Chelsea home was the epitome of late ’90s truck stop chic. A fancy truck stop, mind you, with a stone countertop, fancy mirror, and mud-colored shower tiles in a staggered configuration. But it just wasn’t working for them.

Jennifer’s new house was definitely move-in ready, but she was still eager to make some key changes to better suit her style, and quickly put all her collected Pinterest inspiration to good use. We featured her bathroom renovation already, and today it’s all about the changes she made to the kitchen. Again, the old kitchen wasn’t horrific, but it wasn’t ideal either.

This kitchen is great on paper — granite countertops! Stainless steel appliances! But in reality, it didn’t suit the homeowner at all. In just weeks, the kitchen went from black, tan, yellow, and brown to . . . well, you’ll just have to see! Wow! We see so many whitewashed renovations —which I always love, to commenters chagrin —so it’s fun to see a room that’s been redone in bright white and a bold, unusual color.

See a cramped, damp, and rotting rental bathroom get some much-needed love.

Hannah was stuck in an impasse familiar to many of us: “For the seven years we’ve been in the house, I’ve always wanted to change the kitchen but thought it would have to be a massive, expensive project that would leave us without a working kitchen for months.” When she finally decided to tackle the room, she did it in stages with creative budgeting and a strong DIY spirit —all of which made the renovation much more approachable than originally predicted.

The bathroom in Katie and Lance’s Park Slope home was not without its quirky charm. But it also had a few odd and even irritating features, like the pedestal sink placed between two tiled storage cabinets, the storage niche with ill-fitting saloon-style doors, and the icky, perma-dirty grout on the floor. When, suddenly, a giant water leak joined the list of less than desirable elements, the couple decided that their bathroom was due for a serious overhaul.

Warm, earthy wood is such a beautiful material to have in your home…until it’s not. There are no rules about how much wood a home can handle, but you know it when you see it. When Carina Romano bought this cabin in the Catskills with two friends, Amanda Jaffe and Kate McCann, the location won them over, but the amount of ’80s-era wood-paneled walls was overwhelming.

We are pretty big on homes here at Apartment Therapy, and nothing makes us more excited than helping people create happy and beautiful spaces that support them and their goals. Around the holidays, it feels especially poignant so, when we recently heard of one young woman whose apartment needed a little care and kindness, we jumped at the chance to help. This holiday season, we worked with City Living NY, a non-profit which helps create homes for young people aging out of the foster care system.

There’s no doubt about it: Induction stove tops are convenient. They boil water faster than electric and gas stovetops, allow cooks to control heat quickly and precisely, AND they cool down almost immediately after cooking is done. But, before you replace your existing stovetop, there’s one downside you should consider. Regular stoves use thermal induction—either a gas flame or electric burner transfers heat to your pots and pans, which in turn warms up the food inside.