Home Projects

Lots of New York apartments come with charming vintage bathrooms. Not this one. The bathroom of Heather and Doug’s Park Slope condo, true to its roots in the ’80s, had dark, dour maroon tile on the walls and grungy white tile (with grungy white grout) on the floor. The homeowners, with a view to selling the apartment in the next few years, wanted a bathroom remodel that would make their space brighter and more pleasant, and appeal to potential buyers as well.

Welcome to another installment of Beauty Bucket List, a series in which we roll up our sleeves to do some hard and fast testing of cult classic beauty products, because just hearing about how great something is just isn’t good enough.

If you know of an old POÄNG chair that’s looking a little worse for wear, you could take a page from Philippa Saul’s book and cover it top to bottom with a glorious, hand-crocheted (-knitted and -embroidered) country cottage and garden.

If you’ve never made anything out of leather before, it can be difficult to know how to get started and where to shop for supplies. Looking at the prices, it’s no wonder sticker shock can turn many would-be leather workers away from the craft.

Project by: Karen Nepacena of Destination Eichler Location: San Leandro, California Karen was tasked with opening up the kitchen and dining area of a 1940s bungalow. The space had a ton of natural light that was going to waste in the current layout, so she tore down some walls and gave the space a whole new look that still honored the character of the home.

The cube-shaped EKET cabinet has us thinking outside the box, to all the stackable, modular options this simple design presents. By adding wheels to the bottom and stacking one on top of another using Velcro, you can easily switch out the cabinets or roll them from room-to-room—proving that this little storage unit has big potential.

Erika’s kitchen was dark, drab and crowded. Even though she couldn’t make any major changes to the layout, she was able to give the kitchen a bright and stylish new look that created the sense of oodles more space. From Erika: The original kitchen of our 1950s split level house in the Oakland Hills was remodeled by the previous owner to simply sell the house.

When Kelly and her husband Colton bought this house, the master bathroom had been upgraded since the home had been built in the 50s, but not in a style that the couple really adored. The bathroom had all the features typical of homes of this age: the footprint was very small, and pedestal sinks left little room for storage. Kelly and Colton decided to make changes to the bathroom that were not just cosmetic but that changed the room’s layout as well.

Alycia just launched her own business and found herself in need of a dedicated at-home workspace. Surprisingly enough, building a budding empire didn’t leave much time for setting up a new space. Enter, the best friend! Alycia’s bestie put together a work from home space that is bright and bubbly and totally her. From Alycia: I live in a one-bedroom apartment, and due to my busy schedule and having just launched my own business, I don’t use my dining room much.

Lizzie’s upstairs bedroom came with a great view and some not so great cabinets. She’s a renter, so removing them was out of the question, but she found a creative way to make the space work for her. From Lizzie: We had two slightly tatty built-in cabinets either side of a Velux window. They didn’t look great, and the space in the middle was wasted. It became a catch-all for junk. Because the home is rented, though, we couldn’t make any permanent changes.

It’s always a curious thing when a piece of furniture with a pedigree that dates back centuries manages to situate itself into contemporary design (without actually looking like an antique). Such is the case with the Windsor chair. Originating in the early 1700s and taking its name from the English town of—you guessed it—Windsor, the humble wooden chair has been an anchor of English and American interiors past and present.

Knowing there would be a move at some point in the future, Heather and Doug had resolved not to remodel the less-than-attractive vintage 1980s kitchen of their Park Slope condo. But that was before the cabinets and appliances started to give out. With duct tape holding together the shelves in their fridge, Heather and Doug were faced with a challenge: creating, with budget in mind, a new kitchen that they would be happy with and that future buyers would be happy with, too.

Our good pal Claire took an old IKEA standby, unfinished drawers, and turned them into a bright and charming accent piece. Drawing inspiration from her love of travel, she gave the piece an antique-inspired, worldly makeover. From Claire: When you buy something in unfinished wood from IKEA the idea is you finish it at home to suit your decor. Well this IKEA mini drawers set had been sitting in the back of my craft cupboard for 10 years waiting to be finished.

The last thing we tend to think of when we see furniture is an extraterrestrial entity, but this UFO-shaped rocking chair has us seriously reconsidering the way we view seating options. Despite the obvious stigma attached to it, allow us to assure you that this rocking chair doesn’t immediately conjure up images of sleeping babies and knitting grandmas.

Mobile homes are small spaces that come with their own particular set of challenges. Tracey upgraded her living room and bathroom for a fresh new look and some added much-needed functionality. From Tracey: Our mobile home needed updating. The living room was a metallic damask wallpaper. In the bathroom there was an old tub and shower with a chevron wallpaper. For the living room, I just hung strips of 3/8 plywood I had cut at the store.

Fani’s Brooklyn kitchen looked like many a New York rental kitchen, small and kind of generic. One day she had enough of her brown kitchen and decided to take matters into her own hands, bringing color, texture and life to her Park Slope space. From Fani: My small Brooklyn kitchen had outdated old cabinets with lots of wear and tear. The style and color of the cabinets didn’t match the mid-century modern style of the apartment.

Project by: Jen and Eric Alden of Rara Avis Design Location: Rose Park Historic Neighborhood – Long Beach, California Jen and Eric’s bathroom, while not a total eyesore, was in need of some major updating. Being visual people with a practical bent, they decided that they wanted a bathroom that could stand up to water. Like, almost every inch of it. Coupled with some lucky vintage finds, their tile transformation makes for a pretty impressive overhaul.

When Kristen and her husband became homeowners they decided to shoot for the stars and attempt to complete their renovations before move in day. Unfortunately fate (aka their contractor) got in the way and they had to move in while finishing up their projects. Luckily Kristen kept things in perspective and when all was said and done she had a stunning kitchen to show for it. From Kristen: Owning a home is something my husband Shawn and I have been wanting and working toward for years.

Crafting trends ebb and flow just like decor trends come and go, and at the moment, embroidery is enjoying its time in the spotlight—and showing up on everything from jean jackets to tennis rackets. Whether you choose to pick up a needle and thread, or prefer to admire these beauties from afar, we’ve pulled together a sampler of Instagram accounts offering endless stitch-spiration.

You may already buy things like bookcases and sheepskin rugs from IKEA, but did you know you can buy kitchen appliances there too? If you’re not sure about making such a big budget purchase at the big blue store, we did a little research to see how IKEA’s line of ranges compares to products from other manufacturers. Here’s what we found out.

Activated charcoal—an ingredient perhaps best-known as those black specks in our Brita water filters—has recently been showing up in everything from trendy ice cream to skincare products. Beloved for its detoxing abilities, this it-ingredient is credited with cleansing skin, whitening teeth and treating acne. To get in on the skin-clearing natural wonder, we picked up some food-grade activated coconut charcoal and put it to work in marbled soap bars and bath bombs that mean business.

While essential oils have been used for aromatherapy for hundreds of years, these all-natural scents are seeing a spike in popularity as more people are learning about their de-stressing and energizing abilities. Derived from plants or flowers, most often through steam distillation, essential oils can be used to make scented candles, oil diffusers, even pest repellants.

The paradox of learning how to cook is that the more competent you become, the less competent you feel, because you end up with a jumble of spices cluttering up your kitchen cabinets. Every new, exciting, unfamiliar spice you acquire — sumac, amchoor powder, fenugreek — translates into less space in your designated spice shelf, which then makes any given spice harder to find.

Tricia was faced with a herculean (ok not really, but pretty difficult) task of maximizing a small space with sloped ceilings and outdated features. The result is cozy, crisp and stylish. Tricia: Before we got started on giving our smallest bedroom in the house a makeover, the walls were an odd shade of pistachio green and the flat part of the ceiling was covered in popcorn texture. The biggest obstacle in making the 100 square foot room livable was the awkward floor plan.

Project by: Tamsin Allen of Fawn Interiors Location: Hampshire, United Kingdom Tamsin Allen was charged with adding a modern industrial look to a cottage, without losing any of the 250-year-old antique charm. She completely removed the kitchen and started from scratch to create a functional and beautiful space perfectly catered to her clients needs. From Tamsin: Our first project for this thatched cottage (approximate age: 250 years old) was a challenging one.

After getting burned by Eisenhower-era pinks and olive greens, we’ve been playing it safe, color-wise, in the bathroom for a long time. Subway tile and white walls dominate modern bathrooms, with maybe a little grey tile on the floor for contrast. But that may all be about to change. More and more now I’m starting to see bathrooms that embrace the darker, moodier colors that are already so popular in other parts of the house. Take a look at these nine stylish examples.

When Sarah and Oleg connected their Prospect Heights apartment’s galley kitchen to the living room, and turned the adjoining dining nook into an office, they had no idea how perfectly timed their renovation was. They found out they were expecting soon thereafter and the newly separate office became a perfect new home for two baby girls. The apartment was set up with a long, narrow kitchen running parallel to the living room, and separated by a wall.

Dana became the proud owner of a very large, worn down dresser because she knew with a little love and guidance, it could really be something. Who knew that sanding, painting and hand crafting some leather straps really turned this situation around (Dana knew). From Dana: I bought this dresser for $40 from a man who likely picked it up off a curb. It was really heavy and I could tell that it had good bones but had no idea what was under the several layers of stubborn brown paint.

Minimalism is officially a thing right now, with people (and especially millennials) cutting back their possessions, moving into tiny homes, and living with a whole lot less. Kitchen appliances have followed suit, and more small stoves and fridges are available than ever before. If you’re living in a wee kitchen — or just want to save space without sacrificing style — then consider one of these compact designs for your space.

Project by: Ariela Najman of Stripe Design Services Location: Santa Cruz, California Interior designer, Ariela Najman, was tasked with adding some light and breezy style to her client’s California ranch house. Along with other smart upgrades, she added a calming and eye-catching blue in the kitchen giving it a timeless look with a twist. From Ariela: Stripe Design Services was approached in 2016 by a local couple wanting a makeover for their kitchen, dining room and living room.

When Addison spotted a piece she’d been lusting after at a thrift store, she knew she had to have it. After snatching up the large ottoman of her dreams, she decided to put her extra cash towards spiffing it up a bit. I got this square ottoman for $20 from a thrift store. This ottoman was still structurally sound but need new fabric. Other ottomans this size can go for upwards of $500 so I was super happy to find this for so cheap at a thrift store! The ottoman is 37 inches by 37 inches.

Ilsa spotted this mid-century modern beauty in a charity shop and knew she could make it sing. After some initial fear that she couldn’t push through all of the wear and tear that poor Bruno the desk had suffered through over the years, she was able to sand and strip away the grime and stains and reveal a glowing and beautiful piece of furniture. Three cheers for Ilsa for her good eye and all of her hard work!

Range hoods might seem like a utilitarian, boring way to spend money in a kitchen, but they can be essential for odor removal and ventilation, plus they’re often required by building codes. Upscale designer kitchens with big industrial range hoods or bespoke built-in covers prove that done right, they can be a beautiful focal point. First you need to pick out the hood, though. This guide will take you through some of the many options you may have when buying a range hood.

Chrissie’s kitchen in her historic Victorian home was dark, cramped and sans-dishwasher. After living with the kitchen for a bit Chrissie, her husband, and her helpful brother revamped the space almost entirely themselves. From Chrissie: We bought our 1870 Victorian in Salem, Massachusetts in October, 2010. We purchased it from a lovely family who had owned the house for more than 40 years. It hadn’t been updated in many years so we spent a month updating it. Thank you, Chrissie!

IKEA has long been a strong option for kitchen cabinets, and now they offer appliances too, so you can order your entire kitchen from the Swedish retailer. How do IKEA dishwashers stack up against other models at similar price points? We did a little research to find out. IKEA makes their appliances in partnership with Whirlpool, and all of their dishwashers come with a five-year warranty (except for the LAGAN, which has only a one-year warranty).

Well, this sure is something. We strongly suggest you hit the zoom on the wallpaper…we’ll wait. Now that that’s out of the way, Sophie’s bathroom was dark and crowded but after smartly adjusting the layout and changing basically everything about the “before” room, she now has a light and adorable space. From Sophie: When we bought this house, seven years ago, we felt in love with its potential. Its layout and location are fantastic.

Krista made some pretty stunning lemonade out of old-kitchen-laminate-lemons. She decided to double down on the purple color scheme and the results are crazy impressive. From Krista: My guiding principles when I realized, that, yes, I really had just bought my own NYC co-op, were no white or stainless steel in the kitchen. I succeeded for the most part, though compromises quickly became the name of the game.

Adie’s office space in her new house was in a room with great light and of a good size, but something just wasn’t right. After some big fixes before moving in, Adie and her husband focused on giving the room a DIY makeover. From Adie: When we purchased our home, one of the bedrooms was being used as an office. It had green walls and shelves everywhere. The floors were in rough shape, but the room has great natural light and is quite spacious.

Chelsea’s black and white bathroom makeover incorporates classic elements into her family bathroom that keep the space feeling crisp and light. She also teaches us that one way to inspire even more tub envy is to paint said tub black. From Chelsea: This was a bathroom remodel that my husband and I completed on our small upstairs bathroom in our 1918 Craftsman bungalow located in Columbus, Ohio.

Deirdre’s entryway makeover packs in all of our favorite things: DIY, IKEA, wallpaper, space maximization and creativity. But you know what, since it’s not all about us, the best thing about Deirdre’s new entryway is how much she loves it. From Deirdre Sullivan: My apartment didn’t have a real entryway.

Sug-what? Pronounced seew-grew, this sticky substance is like moldable glue that’s clay-like out of the package, then hardens to rubber after 24 hours. People have found all sorts of ways to fix and create things with this flexible, interesting stuff. But perhaps most intriguing is its potential for renters.

Wow! Wendy’s kitchen makeover was renovation free and budget friendly. She went from standard issue to a colorful, customized tile wonderland in 30 hours. Check it out! From Wendy: For my kitchen makeover we worked to a pretty tight budget but man I gotta tell you, I love it. You know when you go to a party and everyone winds up in the kitchen? Yeah, that’s basically me – every single night. Party for one. This is my most favouritest space.

Ariel found herself in a situation familiar to many an Apartment Therapy reader; a great idea, great taste and the limits of being in a rental. With a little millwork, paint and a weekend Ariel was able to make her living room dreams a reality. From Ariel: We live in a rental (Military Housing here in Canada) so we’re not allowed to do anything that can’t be un-done when we move out.

I’ve heard it said that it’s helpful to live in your home before renovating, to get a feel for how you actually use the space and what you really want from the renovation. Well, this Upper East Side homeowner lived in his apartment for 40 years. So he had a pretty good idea. What he did want: A fresh new kitchen, but one whose traditional feel would integrate seamlessly with the rest of the apartment. What he didn’t want: a completely open-concept kitchen.

Project by: Jessica McClendon of Glamour Nest Project location: Los Angeles, California The “before” of this Sherman Oaks kitchen is your typical suburban kitchen: oak cabinets, tile flooring, Corian countertops…all the result of a renovation from decades prior that now felt dated and ignored the home’s mid-century roots.

Ajda’s sideboard find had fantastic mid-century lines and solid sturdiness, but it needed a little more style. She opted to go the soothing Scandinavian inspired route, tossing in a little pattern to give it some extra pizzaz. From Ajda: My boyfriend and I got this 60’s sideboard a while ago and couldn’t figure out how to bring it to 2016.

We featured Christina’s master bedroom makeover last week, and now we get to see what magic she’s worked in another room in the house. She switched up the purpose of her guest bedroom, revamped the whole aesthetic of the space by adding storage and serious chic finds. Without any further ado…the dressing room of your dreams!

So often we find ourselves engaged in the classic home design battle of style versus storage. Tamera found herself in such a conundrum with her hallway. Too many doors led to a guest bathroom guessing game and made the space feel cramped and cut off. Her solution was simple, inexpensive and totally changed the vibe of the hallway. From Tamera: When we first moved into our apartment, the hallway to the guest bathroom was covered in doors.

Richard added so much personality and warmth to his rental, it’s kind of astounding. The totally fine but pretty sterile space was full of the standard rental woes; outdated overhead lighting, bland cabinets and a kitchen floor that has seen better days. With a mix of gifts, Craigslist and new purchases, Richard turned the bland apartment into a welcoming and charming home.

Ah yes, the forgotten room aka “out-of-sight-out-of-mind room” aka the junk drawer room, we’ve all had one some of us may still have one (guilty). Molly took it upon herself to help her forgotten room find its purpose as an adorable work and lounge room, a tall order for a small space. Check it out! From Molly: Hopefully, everyone can understand the out-of-sight-out-of-mind room. The neglected, ignored, sad space that falters while other spaces get more attention.

After you shell out cash for furniture, rugs, sconces and duvet covers, the thought of paying even more for artwork is overwhelming. We hear you! But if you aren’t artistic enough to draw or paint your own art, adorn those empty walls with free photos, illustrations and patterns that are up for grab online. Here are seven of our favorite, less-than-well-known sources to score free images. The only cost is the frame.

Who hasn’t dreamt of falling in love with an old house at the bottom of a mountain in France? Tiina is living our collective dream while tackling the very real problem of a non-functional kitchen. Her temporary solution keeps the romance while adding an affordable usability until its time for a full kitchen reno. From Tiina: We, my husband and I, fell in love with a floor of a crumbling old kitchen in a crumbling old house by the foot of the Montagne Noire in the autumn of 2016.

Interior designer Laura Breisch of Making Home Interiors took on her toughest client — herself — when she purchased this Detroit home that had stood empty for 30 years and she purchased in a foreclosure auction. Instead of working with contractors, she enlisted her boyfriend and father and the three of them remodeled this bathroom from head to toe.

Christina’s master bedroom had a lot going for it, it just needed a little help to truly shine. With some smart upgrades, a very cool paint choice and a terrific plant collection, she created a dramatic new look for her space. From Christina: Out of all of my house renovations thus far, my master bedroom was a lot less intense than my other projects, but ended up being the one that looks most dramatically different from start-to-finish.

Who among us hasn’t spotted a piece with a ton of potential, took it home to gussy it up and then totally forgot about it? After letting this guy get a little too aquainted with his attic storage, Malcolm pulled him out and give him a timeless and stylish upgrade. From Malcolm: I spotted this sorry little fellow a few years ago, lying abandoned in the back of a reclamation yard. I could just see his little leg, as the long grass had grown up through him.

If you assume you can’t afford to deck the walls in your apartment, you may just need to think outside the art gallery. Craft supply stores, thrift shops and your own closet seem like unlikely places to find wall decor, but all it takes to transform common objects into art is a fresh frame of mind—and some inexpensive frames. A handmade textile is a work of art whether you hang it on the wall or not, so go ahead and put a favorite fabric in a frame.

Shara’s old bathroom, while not totally on the cutting edge of design trends, was still pretty cute and seemingly livable. Turns out there were some structural issues with the bathroom (discovered during a kitchen remodel), so Shara jumped at the opportunity to rethink and upgrade the small space. She switched around the layout, built her own beautiful wooden vanity and added some sleek design elements that turned the bathroom into a spa-like space of serenity.

Floating frames are having a moment. There’s something so eye-catching about seeing a photograph, feather or message suspended in midair—and the fact that it’s one of the simplest framing techniques (no matting necessary) makes it even more popular. If you want to add more art to your home, but don’t have time for yet another project to procrastinate on completing, turn to these three ideas that take less than 5 minutes to make.

We love the look of a vintage-style mosaic tile floor in the bathroom. Like all true design classics, it matches with pretty much anything, and never really goes out of style. Compared to a lot of other options, it’s quite inexpensive — and when it comes to patterns, your choices are almost limitless. Here are some of our favorites. 1. Victorian Basketweave Black and White Porcelain Mosaic Tile, $70.99 for a box of 10 from Overstock 2.

Any way you slice it, committing to a design upgrade can be hard and more than a little bit scary. After living a few years with a kitchen she did not particularly love, Havalah finally decided to pull the trigger on a kitchen makeover. After committing to doing the whole upgrade on their own, she had to settle on a look and feel for the space as well as the best way to accomplish it. The final result is clean and sophisticated while remaining kid friendly and welcoming.

It seems like just yesterday I was bemoaning the ubiquity of granite, hoping and praying it would go the way of the dodo bird and I’d never have to see its speckled self in a kitchen again. Now, after several years of declining use, the day has come: another surface has officially surpassed granite in terms of popularity. Any guesses as to what the new countertop du jour might be? It’s quartz, otherwise known as engineered stone.

Let’s just say that Emily overlooked a lot of flaws to see the true beauty in this MCM desk. Heavy, stinky and in a pile of snow, she was nevertheless determined to salvage her find and turn it into a welcome new addition to her home. From Emily: A few weeks ago I was heading to pick up my daughter from school in -16 temperatures, when I saw this beauty sitting on the sidewalk.

As sometimes happens with a kitchen renovation, you look around when everything is finally finished and cleaned up and perfect and realize that the rest of your space isn’t keeping up. And as almost always happens after a kitchen renovation, you don’t have a ton of money (or patience) left over right at that moment to upgrade your other spaces. Post kitchen renovation, Ashley found that while her dining room was lovely, it wasn’t necessarily her style.

Many renters hope to add some color to their place, but Mery’s dreams were even more modest — white paint. So before she moved in, she negotiated with her landlord and got permission to paint and update her kitchen. Playing with white paint and how it works with the textures in her kitchen, she made a huge change. From Mery: I moved in six months ago and I am a renter. The first thing I told the owner was that I would rent it only if i could paint the kitchen tiles.

Kari was charged with upping the glam and functionality of the master bathroom for a pair of empty nesters. After re-thinking the layout she added some black and white drama with some seriously high impact wallpaper. From Kari: My company, Kari McIntosh Designs, was hired by a couple whose youngest son had just left for college. They loved their classic Victorian home, but had always dreamt of renovating it to give it a contemporary makeover.

Think you don’t have frame-worthy wall art? Time to pull out that box of memorabilia and travel souvenirs stashed in the back of your closet. Even menus, paper coasters and postcards you’ve collected over the years can be turned into eye-catching art with the help of colorful paper matting, foam dots and some magical shadowbox frames. By lifting up paper items and giving them depth, shadowboxes turn the most ordinary mementos into masterpieces.

Avery’s 1980s kitchen was dark and dated, but all of the appliances were perfectly functional so she figured she could make some quick and inexpensive updates to transform the look of the space. After much internet research, she decided to go with her gut and chose a color and style that matched her personal tastes. From Avery: Our craftsman style parsonage is full of beautiful, original wood trim, built-ins, and doors from 1910.

After snatching up a thrift store console table, Claire decided to give it a shabby-chic, Pineapple focused makeover. Without going overboard, she peppered the table with Pineapple and the result is a charming and whimsical accent table. From Claire: I have a thing about Pineapples, I think they are beautiful, the king of fruits. I hate to admit it but I’m seduced by lovely packaging and as fruit goes, pineapples come in their own fantastic packaging.

Cate’s living room was closed off, outdated and the victim of some curious decisions made by previous owners. She set out to make the most of what she had, salvaging what historical details she could and making smart upgrades where needed. From Cate: Before our living room and kitchen were two separate rooms.

You know we love good entryway style, so when Leslie sent us her mudroom makeover we had to share. With storage, color, pattern and style she transformed a blah but functional space into a warm, welcoming spot. From Leslie: When I entered my home through my garage, the space always felt unwelcoming and undefined. I wanted the mudroom entry to make me feel joyful when I walked in from a long day at work. I added color and texture to the space using removable wallpaper from Hygge & West.

One of the fun things about working at Apartment Therapy is seeing how much potential there is in even the smallest of spaces. At 25 square feet, this barely-there kitchen is, I think, the smallest kitchen we’ve ever featured in a Before & After — which makes the end results even more impressive. A home with a 25 square-foot kitchen might sound a little insane to people from anywhere else, but in New York, you take what you can get.

Joseph took a pretty beige living room and livened it up with some beautiful paint choices, crisp new carpet and a super-special prop from a Hollywood hit. Taking inspiration from the night sky, he proves you don’t have to overhaul a space to give it a totally new feel. From Joseph: We refreshed the living room with new, lighter carpet and layered the area with colors and textures found in the night sky.