Home Projects

Bethany lived through one of the in-the-middle-of-a-huge-project-fears that keeps renovators up at night, one of her contractors ghosted on her! Ever the intrepid and resilient DIYer she spent the time scouring for deals on patio furniture, planning even more DIY projects and finding folks who could actually come through on the project. The result is a backyard that makes the most of a generous amount of space, creating a very chill and welcoming vibe.

Charlie’s mother was holding onto her old wicker chest for sentimental reasons, even though it was super damaged. After languishing in storage for a year, Charlie stepped in to give this piece a new, pet-focused purpose. From Charlie: My mom had this wicker chest for almost 25 years now. It had served as a decorative piece with storage in its glory days (the ’90s!). But as time went by, it had become beaten up and old.

"Stay on budget — anyone can make a room look pretty if they have million dollars."

Project by: Jessica Nicolls of Bungalow 56 Interiors Location: Coronado, California There’s something so calming about well done neutral spaces isn’t there? Rather than boring or bland, they’re rooms that relax you just by looking at them. Jessica was able to turn her client’s outdated brown kitchen and bathroom into neutral yet visually pleasing rooms.

Bridgett’s old kitchen sure was something. Which makes her 100% DIY transformation of the space even more mind boggling. Updating the space not just for looks, she added an office nook to the kitchen to maximize the usability of the space. The kitchen is modern and clean, miles away from the blue and beige kitchen they started with. From Bridgett: Our house is old (1963) and the blue stained wood paneling that was floor to ceiling throughout the house totally dated it.

In college I had a ‘beginner’s toolbox’ with basics like a hammer, level, tape measure, and mini cordless drill. This little baby drill became the bane of my existence. It never held a charge, wasn’t powerful enough for even self-tapping screws, and made the highest pitched whine. As soon as I was able to, I invested in a cordless power drill and learned an important lesson. Get the good stuff.

Project by: Leslie Murchie Cascino of Bonnie Wu Design, LLC Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Leslie’s client downsized into a home that was mostly perfect, save for the cramped and outdated kitchen. After doing some major switching around of cabinets and appliances and making some smart aesthetic upgrades, she was able to create a space with a much better flow that matched the rest of the home.

As a connoisseur of all things vintage, I am certainly not immune to the appeal of an old-school peach-tiled bathroom, but this one had seen better days. The tiles were cracked and patched in mismatched colors, the toilet was one of those tankless numbers where you always feel like you’re going to fall over backwards, and the flooring (almost definitely not original) was more gas station bathroom than mid-century dream.

Spenser saw this mid century property and new that even though it needed some updates, it would be well worth the time, money and effort. Working on a tight timeline, they laid out their vision for a versatile yet stylish kitchen that honored the homes roots and got to work creating an open and breezy space out of a cramped ’80s kitchen. From Spenser: We bought a 1964 mid-century modern home in foreclosure. It was pretty rough, but that didn’t scare me.

In an origin story worthy of Antiques Roadshow, Ariana spotted this lovely little number on the side of the road, amongst a group of other discarded chairs, and decided to snatch it up and see what was what. Turns out it had its original tags and she was able to verify that it was made in the ’20s. She decided to restore this beaut back to its former glory by spiffing up the bones and adding a new gorgeous fabric.

Project by: Amy Jameson of Jameson Interiors Location: St. Johns – Austin, Texas Amy Jameson’s client was ready to pass their childhood home on to their daughter, but knew it needed some serious upgrading. They called in Amy to modernize the kitchen and expand the footprint of the home. The addition of an island, as well as a thorough upgrade of almost everything in the space, resulted in a bright and modern new kitchen that is sure to please generations to come.

After making some smaller, manageable repairs and updates upon first moving in, Allie and her husband decided to tackle as full of a kitchen reno as their budget would allow. By mixing in DIY projects along with hiring out a contractor and prioritizing major functional and cosmetic fixes over new appliances, they were able to keep to their budget and walk away with a bright new kitchen.

You asked us to test out Joybird's online-only sofas, so we hiked on over to LA and put 17 models through the ringer. Here's what we thought.

Vi’s garden apartment came with a standard, if somewhat underwhelming kitchen. After getting their landlord’s blessing, they painted over the yellow cabinets that were giving the space a somewhat grimy patina and called in the help of one of our favorite renter friendly products…peel and stick tiles. From Vi: When we first rented this Brooklyn garden apartment, I absolutely was dreading the kitchen. It was dark and dull.

Last week, we looked at the transformation of a teeny-tiny kitchen in a New York City apartment. But the kitchen wasn’t the only change made to this Gramercy Park-area studio. Sleeping four people in a studio apartment might seem like an impossible task — but homeowners Frans and Dalal, who wanted a little privacy for their sleeping space, as well as a little room for overnight guests, made it happen. Previously, the studio was a single space, with a wall of windows on one side.

As the popularity of mid-century modern furniture has risen, so have the prices. Finding an “MCM gem” for anything less than a few hundred bucks has become rare, so I practically did a double take when I stumbled on a Facebook listing for a four-drawer, tapered-leg dresser for a shocking $20. But on closer inspection I saw that the price was indicative of severe damage.

"It's amazing how much decorating you can do simply by shifting around items you already own."

When Frans and Dalal purchased their studio apartment in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park neighborhood, they knew it would need a little work. The studio, while spacious and bright, had a few downsides, one of them being the tiny, cramped kitchen. Tucked into a little alcove and separated from the unit’s main living space, the kitchen was drab and dark.

Kenya bought this IKEA stool in the As-Is section for a song and swiftly realized it was in need of some serious flair. Working with her mother, she was able to put some fabric she’d been holding onto to excellent use. From Kenya: I purchased an IKEA HENRIKSDAL bar stool from the clearance section that was in really good condition. The only thing wrong with it was the the footrest was missing and the seat covering had been removed. I had a vision for this lovely chair!

I don’t think anyone would use the words ‘glamorous’ or ‘exciting’ to describe toilet paper. Toilet paper is deeply utilitarian, and its intended use is never far from anyone’s mind. But the toilet paper holder — well, that’s a different story.

Becky’s bathroom was not only super dated, it wasn’t really meeting their needs, so she set about changing it, slowly but surely. Aside from some plumbing work, Becky tackled most of the updates herself, keeping the cost low (but, occasionally, the stress high). The new bathroom is a moody, glam goth space, the likes of which we haven’t really seen on the site before. From Becky: The before, to us, was, well …. pretty awful, to be generous with my word choice.

We’ve seen Malcolm work his dark magic on a room before, and his living room transformation is just as impressive. After adding in enviable features like a new fireplace and (IKEA hack) built-ins on a budget, Malcolm mixed in some stylish splurges, creating a high/low space that just oozes sophistication. From Malcolm: When I first viewed the house (a Victorian mid-terrace, in Aberdeen, Scotland) the living room was, to be polite, very dated.

Amanda’s office was unsensational, to say the least. Dark, dreary and lacking a look, she wanted to give the space a homier and more polished look. After tons of research, mixing stylish store-bought finds and DIY projects, Amanda created a bright and perky space that may inspire major office envy. From Amanda: This space was dark, dreary and reminiscent of a guy’s dorm room gone awry.

Jesse’s bathroom was not only leaving a lot to be desired aesthetically, it had some major functionality issues as well. Once they decided to drag their bathroom kicking and screaming out of the dregs of the ’80s, they encountered a little bit more than they bargained for with the plumbing. In the end, however, living a shower-less life paid off as their bathroom is one heck of a stunner.

Rosanna was about to put her condo on the market and knew she would have a much better go of it if she updated her kitchen. After a few contractor related stops and starts, she now has a kitchen that is modern, sleek and much more open. From Rosanna: This was the original kitchen for this condo built in the 1980s. It felt small, dark and cramped. It came with yellowed cabinets, linoleum floors, and tiled counters.

Lindsay spotted this piano bench at a yard sale and even though the bench wasn’t her style as-is, she knew that with a little DIY muscle she could mold it into her ideal accent bench. Using only products she had on hand, she gave this thrifty find a whole new look in very little time. From Lindsay: This piano bench was a steal at a yard sale. Benches are great because you can use them for so many things. A piano bench has an added bonus because there is storage under the seat.

This gray is anything but bland.

Project by: Michelle Gage Location: Jersey City, New Jersey Michelle’s work with her client Natalie was done entirely over the internet, which makes this already impressive project kind of unbelievable. Thanks to Instagram and the One Room Challenge, Michelle and Natalie decided to collaborate on her living room from different cities, bonded together by a love of color, pattern and bold choices.

"It was like a secret society of shelter creatives!"

I love lamp, but now I can love my lampshades too!

The 1900s through the 1920s was a time of tremendous change in the kitchen, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that the kitchen began to take on its modern shape. The kitchen configuration that we all know now, has its roots, like a lot of modern design, in the German school known as the Bauhaus. As I mentioned in my last post, on the design of the kitchen from 1900 through the 1920s, before the 1930s many kitchens had very little by way of built-in storage or workspace at all.

Angelica’s kitchen was functionally fine, it just felt a little cramped and generic for her tastes. With some smart DIY projects, a few cosmetic upgrades and the help of the always reliable white paint, her kitchen looks like an entirely new space without the headache of a full remodel. From Angelica: The kitchen in our new Houston, Texas home was in good condition overall, nicely sized with newer appliances, plenty of windows and decent light fixtures.

Ladies and gentlemen, here is what my boring bathroom looked like up until the other day. I’ve lived in my rental for just over two years, and this place looked the same as it did the day I moved in (with the addition of some hand soap, my toothbrush and a toilet paper roll) for far too long. Is it completely offensive? Nah, it’s pretty passable, but boy was it dull.

Last week we looked at the overhaul of Claudia’s bathroom, which got a beautiful, classic update in keeping with the character of her 1929 apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper East side. Today, we’re diving into the renovation of her kitchen, which was similarly transformed.

Imagine you’re suddenly transported back in time by 100 years, to your great-great-grandmother’s house. Most of the rooms are quite familiar: the styles are less modern, sure, but the basic setup is the same. The kitchen, however, is different. All the major players are in place — the sink, the stove, some rudimentary form of refrigeration — but they haven’t quite evolved into their modern forms.

Cameron and Chantel’s post-renovation kitchen is basically unrecognizable. Aside from sharing the common elements of a kitchen (you can cook in it! there’s a refrigerator!) the two spaces are completely different. Their new kitchen is softly colorful, light, breezy and spacious where the old kitchen was, well, very, very beige. From Cameron and Chantel: Our kitchen is straight from the 80s!

Flirting with the idea of using affordable building materials for a kitchen remodel? Smart move for your budget. But, that doesn’t mean you want your home to look like you built it out of materials from the bargain bin. So, take notes from this minimal and modern kitchen in this Spanish hand-built home. We’ve got a breakdown of why this space doesn’t look like it was done on the cheap, despite being primarily made up of very affordable materials.

I have lived on my own for the last six years, slowly but surely acquiring furniture, art and decor that I really liked, which of course means that along the way, there were empty corners (and rooms) waiting to be filled. Finally, though, my apartment—which I’ve lived in for two years—has gotten to a place where I didn’t wonder if visitors thought I had just moved in. The guest bedroom has curtains (which I sewed and I’m quite proud of!

Before finally deciding to renovate, Claudia had been living in her Upper East Side co-op since 2001 — so she had a pretty clear vision of what she wanted for her bathroom. The space, while still functional, hadn’t been updated in 30 years, and the mid-’80s fixtures were a poor fit for the building’s character.

Stephanie decided to open up her kitchen for both design and keep-an-eye-on-the-kiddos reasons. Wanting to add functionality, style and maximize the natural light, the reno was a mix of big projects (like knocking down walls) and quick last minute fixes that resulted in a gorgeous, classic kitchen. From Stephanie: The kitchen in our home was closed off, isolated and a mix of semi-updated and original features.

Sure, there’s something exciting about purchasing a brand new piece of furniture – it’s dust-free, scratch-free, (sticker-free if you’re parent to a toddler) and demands the spotlight of attention when you walk in the room. But what if I told you that you could have the same feelings about a previously purchased piece picked up from the local consignment store?

In my personal experience, “first time’s the charm” doesn’t always apply to DIY projects. It usually takes me about three tries to create something presentable, but not Kayla! She was drawn to this chair at a garage sale, pulled in by the mix of metal and fabric, and figured this would be the perfect opportunity to dive into the re-upholstery pool. The resulting chair looks much spiffier, comfier and more put together than the original find, so job well done!

This "Street Cred Granny" style rental home now has much stronger "Underwater Safari" vibes.

Project by: Paula Guzman of Paula E Guzman Studio Location: Midtown, Manhattan—New York Paula’s project is an excellent lesson in both balance and working with what you got. Working with and not around her bathroom’s shortcomings, she created a serene space without a major overhaul. From Paula: This is the decoration of a small, prewar bathroom in my last apartment. It was your typical boring bath with plain white subway tile and very standard fixtures.

"Their apartment was completely furnished, but lacked the coziness and personal nature of a home."

Andrea is a stylish fashion blogger who founded the blog Blonde Bedhead. And though her expertise is in personal style, it’s clear she’s also a master at interior design, too. In fact, she’s recently been able to flex her interior design muscles thanks to her newly purchased first home. Though the house didn’t quite fit her own style when she first saw it in person, she could see the potential. Andrea says upgrading the kitchen was the most expensive project in the house.

A tale as old as time: you move into a new space and have to live with the questionable design choices of the previous tenants. Medina inherited a built-in closet/ wardrobe that left more than a lot to be desired. She got rid of the ugliest aspect almost immediately and tried to make do, but eventually enough was simply enough and she gave the closet an easy and affordable DIY makeover. From Medina: The before is a picture of a built in wardrobe in our bedroom.

There's a Tom Selleck pillow, FYI.

Claire’s patio sofa was understandably looking a little worse for the wear after battling the elements for seven years. She decided to give shibori a try, with a backup plan in case things went south. Lo and behold there was no need for Plan B and now the sofa cushions are bright, fun and totally revitalized. From Claire: I bought this IKEA Ammero outdoor sofa over seven years ago and I’m very fond of it.

A flat for newlyweds gets a major infusion of style.

Though you can buy any number of ready-made sliding barn-style doors from your local hardware store, you might be more of the DIY type, or you may have a home that needs a unique sliding door solution. (Or maybe you’re just not into the rustic farmhouse modern look.) Here are two beautiful homes feature sliding doors made out of unusual (and affordable) materials that could be inspiration for a sliding door solution of your own.

It’s about time to try a new DIY project using a glorious old Italian technique: terrazzo-ing. Is that an official word yet? I think what makes terrazzo so appealing – aside from making great use of remnant materials – is its convertibility and variety. You can customize it numerous ways, from color choices to the scale of the pieces, to the materials you use, which is a dream for creative types.

Bekah spotted this dresser on Craigslist and saw past the scuffs and marks to the mid century modern potential. After picking it up for a bargain, Bekah and her dad spiffed and shined the piece to its former glory. From Bekah: I found this beautiful four-drawer dresser on Craigslist one day while wasting time. The guy was asking $80 but when my boyfriend went to pick it up, he was able to get it for only $60!

Bridget’s “luxe bohemian” Oakland apartment is full of unique furniture, eccentric art, and beautiful textiles. But even all of those wonderful elements combined can make a space feel cluttered and disorderly, as Bridget says was the case in her bedroom. “It was starting to feel clunky and granny-ish. There were big, heavy furniture pieces and too many color schemes.” To fix that, Bridget got the idea to rearrange large furniture pieces and mix it up with new art.

Linda’s sewing table had been relegated to the forgotten pile in the garage for a few months until inspiration struck. What if she used the sewing table not for sewing but for…drinking. Enter the world’s cutest and most unexpected DIY bar! From Linda: I suddenly remembered that under a mountain of randomness in the garage I had an old sewing table that I picked up at a garage sale back in the fall.

Meet Katherine Freeman Hocke, a Texas-based artist who specializes in mixed media, layering textures and colors to get her signature look. While she primarily practices her art on canvas and paper (check out her shop here), with her recent purchase of a 1930s home she has begun translating her painterly visions and passion for interiors into DIY-able projects in and around her home.

Christine’s pepto-pink guest room had a lot of potential but needed a ton of work. Wanting to create a space for out-of-towners that is as interesting as it is welcoming, she set off restoring as many original historic features of the room as she could, while making updates to the space to ensure comfort. From Christine: Even before moving into our Edwardian house in Manchester we knew that we had a lot of home improvement work ahead of us.

Upon closing on their first home, Maria and Eric found themselves in a situation that will probably seem quite familiar to anyone who’s ever looked at real estate in New York: they were the proud owners of a really great apartment with a not-so-great kitchen. The 850-square-foot two-bedroom in Queens was nice and roomy, but the kitchen was small, cramped, and dark, with discolored floor tiles and old, warped cabinets that required a little effort to shut completely.

Melissa was looking to add some farmhouse style to her home but didn’t want to break the bank doing so. Enter shiplap! An intrepid DIYer, Melissa added a shiplap accent wall without professional help, keeping it well within budget (but not without a few headaches). From Melissa: Shiplap – It’s timeless and classic. It goes hand in hand with farmhouse style and I’ve been patiently (big fat lie – no patience here my friends!

Don't let them harsh your design mellow.

As with so many romances these days, this one began online. Julie spotted this handsome dresser on Craigslist and knew she could truly make something of it. A mix of the original veneer, a new coat of paint and some gorgeous stenciling turned this tired looking piece into a true showstopper. From Julie: I saw this piece on Craigslist and felt like he was winking at me! I knew I had to go and visit him.

Just under six months after announcing its Solar Roof, Tesla has finally put a price tag on those eco-friendly solar tiles that look like the real thing — and they’re actually really affordable. Orders are now being taken for the Tesla Solar Roof at a price of $21.85 per square foot, which is nearly 20 percent less than the cost of a normal roof — even without factoring in the energy savings.

It’s easy to forget about all the little things in our home that are broken or just not working. Don’t get me wrong — it’s good to focus on the big picture — we all have priorities after all —but, when we bump against the same tiny, irksome problems again and again, they start to wear on us mentally. Your goal for the weekend: feel a little bit better about your space.

Project by: Clara Jung of Banner Day Consulting Location: Oakland, California Clara’s clients had a weird little nook in their home that sat unused, just begging for something to do. They decided not to let limits on space limit their dreams, so they decided to put both a bathroom and a laundry into the same space, divided by a pocket door, and we’re screaming for joy. Not only does the remodel add functionality, it’s easy on the eyes as well.

Leanna’s office desk had a gorgeous shape, but the dark wood wasn’t right for her new space. Since she had made the decision to stick with a lighter and brighter color scheme for her new office, she thought a touch of pink would set off the delicate aspects of the piece to great effect. From Leanna: Our previous home was decorated in soft earth tones, lots of greens and browns. At the time it really suited are long, low bungalow.

Not fully ready to commit to a reupholstery project, Emma opted to spray paint her chair and go jewel tone.

"When we moved into the house we discovered an original 19th Century fireplace had been lurking behind a desk and beneath the carpet the old floorboards were still in tact."

Claire’s kitchen was dark and dated, with an office-style ceiling and a tiny little rodent problem. Claire set about repurposing the kitchen and rebuilding an extension to create a kitchen and living area, perfect for hosting. Now the kitchen is bright and dance party-ready. From Claire: We bought our house in 2012 after falling in love with its large Edwardian proportions and central location.

Got some outdoor space — a teeny balcony, deluxe patio, humble patch of grass, or minimalist concrete pad? Congratulations! Now that you’re part of the landed gentry, you’ll want some privacy. Block prying eyes, wind, and sun with these DIYs, ranging from projects requiring power tools I’ve never heard of to tutorials that amount to basically, “zip a zip tie” and “dig a hole.

After a move that left her with more square footage, but less counter space, Stephanie was on the hunt for something to house her all important espresso machine in a stylish and functional way. Realizing that a good old fashioned IKEA hack was in order, she set about giving her soon-to-be-java-cart a new look. And I think we can all agree, it’s a grande idea! From Stephanie: While most people style kitchen carts into bar carts, we knew our cart had to be for cappuccinos.

How cute is that little guy? My goodness! Adorable on the outside, but leaky and damaged on the inside, this trailer needed some upgrades to make it safer. While making some of the less sexy fixes (apologies to all those window sealing fans out there) Meredith took the opportunity to give the space a style boost as well. From Meredith: My husband and I decided to buy a vintage trailer and after a brief search, we purchased a 1976 Boler trailer.

We absolutely love our apartment; it has so much character and light, but when we moved in, one thing in particular I knew I wanted to upgrade were the bookshelves. At first glance they seemed fine, but once we started putting our books on them we realized that the positioning of the shelves — with 20″ height between shelves — was not only an inefficient use of space but just looked odd with so much extra height above the books.