Home Projects

Textured spray paints have come and gone over the years and for the most part, I’ve been happy to see them go. But I think I finally found one product that I’d like to have stick around for a while — Rust-Oleum’s Stone Creations Spray. I used it to transform this cheap metal IKEA table into a granite and brass look-a-like. Here’s what I started with, the GLADOM tray table in green which costs $29.99.

Spice up your entryway, bedroom, or hallway with a bold statement piece that’s sure to mesmerize and beautify. The blush pink fringe is the perfect pop of color, and the sleek shape has “chic” written all over it. See how to make your own, from cutting your own custom mirror to dip-dyeing the perfect fringe, with this helpful tutorial.

Even as a self-proclaimed “maximalist,” I still find myself drawn to the clean lines and effortless simplicity of Scandinavian style. The soft, neutral color palette is very versatile in a variety of spaces without adding too much visual weight. If you’re down with hygge (and willing to try your hand at some amateur carpentry), then these nightstands are definitely for you.

Lumbar pillows get a lot of love on Apartment Therapy, and for good reason. They’re the easiest way to pull together your bedroom. One long statement piece in front of your standard shams and bam! Instant style. But if you can’t find exactly what you want or just wish that one Anthropologie pillow was several shades turned down (and many dollars less), we have the DIY to make your own.

What do you get when you mix Edgar Allen Poe and a bit of glam? A bewitching style that’s all about rich blacks, candles, and skulls. And if you’re into skulls, you’ll be into this quick and easy DIY. Using silicon skull molds and plaster, you can add the perfect garland accent to your Halloween spread, or leave it up and keep your glam goth game strong all year long. Plaster of Paris Silicon skull ice mold Eye hooks String Bucket Paint stirrer or similar 1.

When I was little, I always imagined building forts out of sticks or rafts with ropes to float down the river like the Boxcar Children or Huck Finn – completely not realizing that probably wouldn’t happen in suburban Florida. But I was always drawn to how people could create things with minimal supplies and loads of inventiveness.

Keep the cold out (and the heat in) with these simple tricks!

Growing up in the South, I had never heard of such things like radiant flooring, heated towel racks, or steam rooms for bathrooms. But as a current resident of the North, I’ve learned that a life without warm towels and heat lamps is a life I don’t want to be a part of.

The more you give, the cheaper it gets.

There are two house tours in which the renters decided their apartments’ plain, boring kitchen cabinets weren’t cutting it. Renovating wasn’t an option, but these clever renters found a way to add color and pattern anyway: with washi tape! Both examples are vibrant and unique, but how much does it cost to cover your kitchen cabinets in tape? And how long does it take to do it? We got the lowdown.

Soap is one of those DIYs I thought would be more complicated than it turned out to be. All the soaps on Pinterest are so beautiful — there was no way they could be easy as well! But with my rapidly growing essential oil collection, and need for some quick holiday gifts, I thought this would be a good way to use them. Before even preparing the soap base, mix your essential oils to preference in a non-reactive container (like glass).

Painter’s tape is a modern miracle isn’t it? I mean, sure, the Great Pyramids are cooler, but when it comes right down to it, there isn’t much the blue tape can’t do. We’ve used it to spruce up furniture, for child safety, and to pull off quick and easy design projects. But there’s another genius use for the stuff, and we wish we’d known about it sooner. There are a few things in life that make me cringe.

There is so much beauty and elegance to gaze upon in this wonderfully minimal house tour, but our eye was drawn to one particular—and highly unlikely—element: that museum-worthy pedestal, which is secretly a giant Jenga set. Looking at this house tour on Emily Henderson’s site of designer Melanie Burstin’s home, one would never guess that such a chic, refined space would feature something as chaotic and, let’s face it, loud as a giant Jenga set.

Maybe you’ve had the same bed pillow for ten years and have your sights newly set on some memory foam. Or maybe you’ve got an extra five random pillows stuffed in your closet, just in case, and it’s time to KonMari. As with most things we toss or get rid of these days, old pillows can still be used long after they’ve left their prime days behind. Here are 10 ways this everyday basic can help you out around the house, no matter what condition they’re currently in.

From mid-century-inspired styles to sleek end tables, here are nine finds that won't break your bank account.

Deep down, we all want to lead more thoughtful lives—and who can blame us for believing organizational nirvana will get us there? So we're turning to the place where all good hacks start: IKEA.

My husband and I have a bit of a country mouse, city mouse relationship–he grew up in rural Virginia surrounded by cattle and I grew up in Los Angeles surrounded by professors. Normally we’re two peas in a pod, but occasionally we’re reminded of our different upbringings in unexpected ways—like when we were picking paint colors to paint our first apartment together.

One of the easiest ways to effectively upgrade any living space is by adding some artwork—and contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend a fortune on it.

Have blooms in your house every day of the year—and stay on budget.

It was blessed with good bones, but also cursed with a purple laminate counter—and swinging saloon doors.

Don't break the bank just because you can technically afford "necessities" your grown-up salary.

This homeowner took her inspiration from the past, including '70s and '80s-style touches.

If your closet closely resembles an upended store at the mall, one simple change creates a sleek space.

Apartment Therapy and Chairloom will be together again this Saturday April 27th to jumpstart old reupholstery projects or begin new ones. It’s a Happening: a chance to get together and get inspired. Come meet Chairloom’s Molly Andrews Burke as well as over 20 textile artists for the 2nd annual tent revival.

A rug is one of the easiest ways to pull a room together. But what happens when your space simply doesn’t accommodate a regular-sized rug? You could go the custom route. The problem? Having something created specifically for your space will cost you—big time. Or, you could settle for the closest size-match, but potentially wind up with a too-small rug that throws the whole room out of proportion. (Check out this handy guide to find the right size rug.

Sometimes a simple fix is all that’s needed to give a room a second life. The little things count most—like giving a room a new coat of paint, changing the drapes, or swapping out the shower curtain. Ta-da: a new vibe. This super-simple hack dramatically changes the look of your bathroom in a matter of minutes: Raising your curtain rod. It helps your bathroom more than you realize, totally changing the look of the room and making you feel like you live in the lap of luxury.

IKEA is a wonderland for shoppers on a budget, stuffed with everything you need to outfit your house—from complete kitchen setups to everyday essentials like lint rollers. But pitfalls lurk within that famous maze of showroom displays, and if you’re not smart about the way you shop, all those inexpensive buys can end up costing you a lot of time and stress. (And, once you see the total, money.) Here are some common mistakes to avoid.

Lindsay thought she found a “sturdy, but out-of-style wood coffee table” at her local thrift store—but when she got home, she realized she’d been fooled. The ugly veneer made this piece impossible to restore, paint, or reshape. “At that point, I wanted little to do with the table,” Lindsay says. But she’d already dropped $15, so she decided to figure out some solution.And it’s a good thing she kept trying.

Lindi wasn’t sure what to do with this awkward space on the side of her living room. “It didn’t really have a function and was largely unused,” she says. But soon she found her vision: Her home lacked a community work area where her kids could hunker down over homework and Lindi could edit images for her blog. Black vertical shiplap anchors the space, and floating wood shelves in a dark stain add depth—and match the desk.

Feeling stifled by your small space? Just because you’re tied to a small footprint doesn’t mean your home has to feel limiting. Just ask tiny home dwellers. All you need to do is shift your thinking. To help you maximize the space you do have, we asked designers to share their best tips—no renovations required.“When floor space is at a premium, take to the walls,” says Decorist designerErika Dale.

Katherine‘s master bathroom was filled with wasted space, with a wall of closets and a separate room for the toilet and tub contributing to the cramped floor plan. In order to reveal this space’s true potential, “we pretty much had to start from scratch,” Katherine says. “It was in need of a major facelift.” They started by ripping out everything: unnecessary walls; the dark, gloomy builder-grade cabinetry; even the toilet.

“Woodworking” might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Wood is relatively cheap, making it a fantastic DIY material for experimenting. Once you master the basics, the possibilities are near-endless. These beginner-friendly woodworking projects prove you don’t have to be a master craftsman to try your hand at handmade decor. No power tools are required for this simple blanket ladder—just a saw, rope, and some dowels.

Suzanne’s daughter used to enjoy her own room—but with a new baby on the way, she’d need to start sharing space with her sister. “I wanted to make their room a special space for them to enjoy together,” Suzanne says. Before, “It was just furnished, but not a lot of extra detail was added.” Luckily, both girls are “head-over-boots” (as Suzanne puts it) in love with horses, so picking a theme was easy.

Tassels are a great way to add color and texture to absolutely anything. Beautiful additions to gift wrap, home decor, and fashion —they are a project you should absolutely add to your DIY repertoire. Tassels can be made out of an array of materials, from silk and wool yarns to basic cotton embroidery threads. While there are a number of ways you can construct a tassel, we chose a basic method you can use on any material. Yarn or Thread Scissors 1.

Name: Katherine, one roommate, and a three-legged cat, Baby Location: Austin, Texas Size: 800 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years, renting My apartment occupies a single unit in a quaint four-plex on a gorgeous residential street just west of downtown Austin. I was lucky enough to discover it on Craigslist, and rushed to see the rental and to meet the tight-knit community of residents who’ve lived there for years. Needless to say, I was sold, and I rented it that very same day.

The kitchen magician or grill master in your life will love this handmade, personalized BBQ mop from you! Pair this easy-to-make kitchen tool with a jar of homemade sauce 100% cotton twine 3/4″ x 12″ wood dowel (I found mine in a 3 pack at a hobby store, but you can always cut a longer dowel down to size.) 2 zip ties (use clear if you can find them!) Scissors 1. Wrap the cotton twine around a book or piece of cardboard that is 4″-6″ in length approximately 40-60 times. 2.

These rice and lavender hand warmers are a cozy winter treat. They may seem to lack a certain high powered, high priced, in-demand shiny Christmas present quality, but believe me, they are magical. Because nothing is more comforting when you just can’t get warm. Make them for your office mates, your aunt, your dog walker — everyone will love them. Guaranteed.

This simple little strap is just as useful as it is cute -and it takes just minutes to make. No sewing machine? No problemo! We constructed this beauty out of webbing found at the craft store and specialty fabric tape. So as long as you’ve got an iron and an embroidery needle, you can easily tackle this cheerful little stocking stuffer. Or combine it with a yoga mat for a more substantial gift.

Erin‘s small, square master bathroom was cramped and outdated, with brown tiles and a builder-grade sink that offered no inspiration. But a trip to Italy did: “I kept talking about how I envisioned a master bathroom that looked like it belonged in a boutique hotel in Italy, and my partner surprised me with a vacation to one of my favorite cities in the world! Rome!” Erin says.

Thrift stores aren’t just for scoring super-cheap clothing and decor. What if I told you there is a place to stock up on renovation supplies (and great furniture) without paying home improvement store prices? And shopping there contributes to a great cause? Some smart shoppers may know just what I’m talking about: Habitat for Humanity ReStore. With nearly 900 shops around the country, these stores are the ultimate win-win.

Cat and her boyfriend, Brian, seriously lucked out: His family’s hunting lodge in southern Utah is the perfect weekend retreat. But over time, the cabin has transformed from a yearly hunting haven for the boys to a family vacation home. “Naturally, it was in need of some decor and interior design,” Cat says. Cat and Brian’s upstairs bedroom had an awkward slanted ceiling and standard white wall.

Mural, mural, on the wall Who is the fairest of them all?Answering that question right now is a tough challenge. Fantastic, design-forward murals are all over the interwebs—and the right one can seriously elevate your space. Plus, retailers are working directly with independent artists to create affordable, large-scale murals. That’s a nice bonus for us wall-art size queens who lack the means to buy originals.Even better: Modern murals are easy to apply and even easier to take down.

I remember my first time—seeing a pot filler, that is. A couple years back, I walked into the freshly remodeled kitchen of a friend, who also happens to be an incredible interior designer. It had all the drool-worthy bells and whistles: the butcher block-topped island, a gorgeous marble backsplash, ceiling-height custom cabinets, and a breakfast nook with statement lighting. And a pot filler.What is that for? I asked.

Nostalgic motifs will always have a place in our hearts, but lately we’ve been seeing that carry over into the DIY home decor realm with modern takes on rug hooking and punch needling. But nostalgia isn’t the only factor behind the resurgence of these more traditional crafts: Modern textile artists are putting out amazing work, and we want to show off similar pieces in our homes.

The end result is cheery and modern.

File under Who Knew?!: That plunger you probably have sitting by your toilet isn’t the only kind of plunger out there. It’s probably not even meant for what you think it’s meant for. The plunger and brush combo kit hanging out in everyone’s bathroom is a move-in staple bought on auto-pilot. Plungers are one of the most common tools for dealing with life’s little emergencies, but they are not a one-size-fits-all-toilets tool.

Oops. That’s the last word you want to hear coming out of your mouth when you’re painting. But things happen. Painting may seem straightforward, but a surprising number of things can go wrong. Blame it on bad luck, poor planning, or Mercury in retrograde—whatever. Sometimes things just get royally screwed up and you need to fix them, now. Almost anything paint-related is fixable, if you know what to do and act in the appropriate timeframe.

Innovative DIY projects are always inspiring, but even more so when they’re budget-conscious! All of these Before & After DIY projects can be done for under $50. So pick your favorite and get to it!

There’s a big misconception in the renovating and real estate world that kitchen remodeling needs to be flashy and expensive to be good. That’s simply not true! We’ve found that with a little creativity, some reuse, a new coat of paint — and sometimes not even that much work, kitchen renovations can be not only eco-friendly, but also inexpensive. Here are our 15 best before and after kitchen posts of the year!

The power of paint can’t be denied – we all know how it can transform a room, but the effect is also powerful when it comes to projects that involve the application of paint to furniture and cabinetry. Here are ten examples from the archives (including one where the “furniture” didn’t even exist prior to the paintjob!); check out the befores in this gallery and then click through on each for the always-fun-to-see afters.

Perhaps Valentine’s Day isn’t your thing. Totally cool. Maybe Valentine’s Day chocolate (and only the chocolate) is your thing. I so hear you. But if you’re thinking of decorating your space for a romantic night in or looking for a fun activity for a Galentine’s Day party, Helena’s easy and adorable garland is a fast and fun way to get in the Valentine’s Day spirit.

Maybe it’s the capital letters, but LEGO and IKEA seem like a match made in DIY heaven. Thanks to Stéphanie you can hack your way to an adorable and inexpensive LEGO holder.

Erin and her husband Ken purchased their 1934 Tudor-style home in July 2015 and spent that summer and fall renovating much of the house. They were working with a very tight renovation budget, which made tackling the kitchen a particular challenge. It had bug-infested cabinets, a crusty radiator, and a tin backsplash held on with double-stick tape. Since Erin is a DIY blogger and Ken is a commercial construction manager, who better to handle the project?

A good majority of us have been there- that moment when you realize your phone is headed straight for a big puddle/tub/bowl of liquid. The moment that practically guarantees you have to buy a very expensive replacement. But if you’re quick enough, you may be able to throw one last Hail Mary and revive your digital device from the brink of death with this pantry staple. 2-4 cups instant rice Large zip top bag 1. As soon as possible (seconds count, act fast!

Ashley Crites, one half of the team of Relative Renovations, described her master bedroom as “bland, gray, and the dumping ground for old furniture”—not exactly an ideal place to spend a third of your life. So when she had the opportunity to take part in the One Room Challenge, she knew exactly which room to choose. Inspired by Brady Tolbert’s gorgeous tufted headboard, Ashley chose a deep green velvet to upholster headboard panels that span the width of the room.

Some single-use gadgets and home tools just take up space versus regularly make our lives easier. It’s hard to purchase an entire device that just de-pills sweaters, for example, when you know it will wind up languishing in your cabinet or drawer. Which is why it’s great to discover multiple handy uses for ordinary objects and materials you already have lying around the house. Today’s unsung household hero: sandpaper.

At this point, most of us can spot a BILLY bookcase, KALLAX cubby, or LACK table a mile away. Basic and affordable, they’ve been some of the most popular items at IKEA for years, and our first apartments would’ve been bare without them.

Try these tips on for size.

Vancouver-based Kristina Steinmetz knows her way around a good DIY. Her site, Ich Designer, is filled with clever and sophisticated home projects and IKEA hacks that have surprisingly humble origins and price tags. We recently featured her re-done mudroom, and her latest living room makeover might be even better. Here’s a wider shot, so you can get more of a sense of the whole room. It was in good shape but definitely needed an update.

I can’t remember how I first heard about Morgan Spenla and the company she’d started just a few years ago, The Crafter’s Box, but something made me stop, check out the site and call her up to find out what she was doing. What she was doing was building a company in her hometown of San Diego around a personal passion and a professional belief that crafting is a true antidote for our web addled world.

Walk into any recently renovated home today and chances are you’ll see a lot of greige—a neutral color that’s the perfect combination of gray and beige. There’s no denying it’s the paint color du jour. It’s funny how, oftentimes, you can instantly pinpoint how modern (or not) a room is just by looking at the color of the walls. Some day our children might look back and wonder why we all plastered our walls in such a boring color!

Before Ashley put her guest house up on Airbnb, she wanted to give the bathroom a fun update. It was simple and sparse in comparison to the rest of the home, so, even though she was working on a tight budget, she was determined to use her DIY tricks and unique style to make it an exciting space for guests. Ashley carved as much time out of her schedule as she could—during nap times, evenings, and weekends—to work on the bathroom.

My fiance and I have spent our last two weekends priming ceilings. It’s hard work, but rewarding. Every night after a few hours’ work, we fastidiously clean out the rollers and brushes, using more water than we’d like—and they’re never up to par the next day. This was our practice until a friend stopped by today and let us in on a painter’s secret.To make the rollers and brushes last much, much longer (and save gallons of water in the meantime!

The little nook at the bottom of these stairs wasn’t really serving a purpose. The steamer trunk is undeniably cool, but it couldn’t do the heavy lifting of filling out the otherwise blank question mark of a space. Suzanne was transitioning into her new life as founder of a design company and really needed a place to work until she could move into an office. She thought about using the basement, but it was dark and sparse.

I come across so many beautiful baskets in stores that I forget these items are often handmade. With a little bit of practice and patience, it’s not so hard… as long as you start small. After all, they don’t joke about bird courses as ‘basket weaving’ courses for nothing! I recommend preparing your materials (find local materials, then dry and soak them), then weaving them into small shapes or flat mats.

After careful deliberation, my girlfriend recently decided to say farewell to hour long bus commutes to pursue some promising freelance opportunities and work from home. The bad news? We only have one home office space between us in our modest sized one bedroom apartment (and in reality it’s only the smallest of converted closet spaces).When space is at a premium, dining tables can easily become serviceable desks. The challenge is keeping it organized for dual duty.

This north-facing, low-floor unit lacked natural light, but Paige replaced blinds, ripped out a built-in bookshelf, and painted the walls a bright, fresh white.

The work paid off.

Q: The ceiling in my stairwell to the basement rises the full height of the house. From the bottom landing to the ceiling is probably more than 20 feet, and the corners up there are getting heavy with cobwebs. How on earth can I clean up there? My largest extending tool only goes to six feet. I’m 5’3″!

After living in her house for five long years, Kate felt a burning need to shake things up. She admits her style has a tendency to change and evolve, and periodically needs to explore a completely new aspect of her personality. This time, she scratched that itch in her home office. The home office had a lot going for it, with its soothing gray-green walls, comfy furniture, and plush shag rug.

There are only so many changes you can make to a kitchen you do not own. Jess Bunge, Senior Market Editor for Emily Henderson, faced many of the classic challenges of a rental—dated floors, lackluster countertops, an oddly shaped floor plan—but brilliantly worked around them to make the space one to sigh over. The real star of this new kitchen is the countertop cover. With help from her dad, Jess cleverly cut plywood to fit over the gray granite, and built a matching backsplash.

And it only took four hours.