We always love it when a project surprises us, and Kate managed to do just that. She started with this hand-me-down desk from her sister and turned it into a whole new type of happy item. What a great reminder to think outside the…err desk! Kate says: I am expecting my first baby and I wanted some sort of changing table for my living room so I wouldn’t have to run upstairs every time I had to change a diaper.

The master bedroom of Andy and Karen’s Eichler was a blank canvas of cheap beige carpeting and off-white walls and ceiling. No more! They gave their master a makeover worthy of the architectural history of their house. Simple perfection! From Andy & Karen: We restored a wall of original wood paneling, repainted the other walls, ceiling and beams, and laid VCT flooring.

Tracy had been obsessively hunting for ANYTHING from the Mid-Century Brasilia line by Broyhill for years, so when she finally came across this piece for only $80, she knew she had to have it. The only problem was that it was covered in disgusting (what she calls) “government issue” green paint. It took her a year, but Tracy finally mustered up the courage (and space) to begin the project. Worth the wait!

Lynn was attracted to the interesting lines and whimsical claw feet of this dark, dingy night table so decided to change the look of this piece to highlight the good and hide the bad. She gave the table a light sanding and plenty of primer to keep the stain from bleeding through the paint, and chose a soft grey —Edgecomb by Benjamin Moore — to highlight the shape and details that were previously lost in the dark wood.

Beth tells us she’s found some “doozies” on Craigslist but this one takes the cake. The previous owner had tried to strip the wood in order to repaint it…with a chisel. We kinda can’t believe Beth was able to make it look so fantastic. She used that gorgeous paint to cover the damaged wood and save this classic piece. Great job. From Beth: It was a miracle I could even get the wood to look as good as it did. Even the veneer was peeling on the side panel.

There’s just something intriguing about a completely empty room; it’s so full of possibilities. Astral’s bedroom started out like this and got a punch of personality you won’t believe. Wow! We’re loving all the color and drama she packed into this space. From Astral: I recently redesigned my bedroom. I wanted a fun, yet sophisticated & chic space. I painted the walls black using Behr’s “Black Suede” latex paint.

Usually we get project submissions that have a certain linear progression: start with a beat-up original and make the appropriate changes. Well Annie works a little differently than most. She spotted some must-buy wallpaper and let the material influence the makeover. Any way you slice it, she still got some pretty stellar results. That is stunning. We see why she fell in love with that gorgeous patterned wallpaper. And what a unique way to use it.

Nicole found this side table at her neighbor’s garage sale for practically nothing. Because it was so small (and cheap) that she wouldn’t feel bad if she messed it up, she took the opportunity to experiment with some new DIY techniques. We think the risks really paid off big time. There’s so much going on here and it somehow it all works together flawlessly. Great job!

Dena bought this chair on Facebook of all places (the Buy/Sell/Trade pages) for $40 bucks because she just couldn’t resist the shape. Dena, you have quite the eye. Not only did you spot the sexy shape of that beat-up chair, you picked this risky fabric. Two risks that certainly paid off gloriously. Great job! Dena says: I removed the frame and stripped ‘er down, sewed up the new fabric using the old as a template and secured it with staples and tack strips.

Nicole’s Mid-Century cabinet was in rough shape with badly worn wood veneer and a dark, brittle interior covered in scuff marks. She really turned this one around. After damaging the veneer while removing the handle, Nicole rallied and came up with a unique solution to hide the damage: a chic leather pull. Great idea! From Nicole: The legs were in fantastic shape and the door had a nice grain. We sanded and oiled the door and legs.

After some clever bundling (genius Craigslist strategy alert!), Elaine scored this all-wood dresser for just $5. She wanted to give her 5-year-old son’s bedroom a grown-up update and so she got to work making this dated dresser little-boy worthy. Such a great color choice! Teal chalk paint really gives this piece a matte modern look and brings out those killer details.

This table is beat-up for a very charming reason: for years it was the well-loved stage for Denny’s girls to dance and play on. He tells us they really helped with its “rustic patina.” Well, the girls have moved out so this table got a well-earned retirement makeover. Now that it’s just Denny and his wife April (they describe themselves as “two very relaxed cats”), it was time to transform the table into something more finished.

This 1916 dresser was looking a little worse for wear when Karen picked it up at a thrift store, but she knew that she could make it work for her in an unexpected place. Karen says: I purchased a very old dresser (dated 1916) for $62.50 at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore and knew it had a new purpose ahead of it. It took a bit of work, but with some paint, new knobs, a towel bar, and an IKEA butcher block top, this dresser is the life of the kitchen! Win! See more at Year of Serendipidy.

Breanna jumped at the chance to buy this lovely little dresser on Craigslist for $25 because she was “obsessed” with its beautiful shape and the cute claw feet. We’re obsessed with the fresh update she gave it. What a lovely, summery new look. From Breanna: I completed the transformation using a gorgeous mint color and some Rub ‘n Buff for the trim. I debated keeping the old hardware but couldn’t pass up these gold and glass knobs I found at Hobby Lobby.

File this one under ‘easy little updates to make your life happier.’ Frenchie told us that she “cringed” every time she opened the door to her linen closet. We can’t have that! See what she did to make it more cheerful. Much better! It’s a great reminder that addressing the little things that bother you in your home can drastically increase your day-to-day satisfaction. Frenchie says: My linen closet was, at first, my least favorite space in the house.

We’re always amazed by the vision and creativity it takes to see something with a specific purpose and completely reimagine it as something else. Such was the case with Dave. He found this retro bowling ball holder when a Chicago bowling alley was being demolished, and turned it into a handy object with a whole new identity. You’ll be bowled over by this one. It’s now a planter! What a bright, fun way to display this vintage piece. Great idea.

Connie picked up this IKEA nightstand only to decide a month later that it wasn’t her cup of tea. But rather than send it to the landfill, she found an easy and cheap way to customize this piece and make it work for her space. This nightstand was just too plain and too low for Connie’s bed, so she added some legs to boost the height and jazzed up the drawer fronts with some grasscloth for texture and interest.

Rita wanted to update her boring, brown closet doors and, being blessed with incredible vision, she managed to make them unrecognizably wonderful. Get ready to pick your jaw up off the floor. Let’s all chorus: Whoa. Great job, Rita. From Rita: I used a miter saw to make the cuts. The pieces measure 14.5″ x 18″. Rather than using a nail gun to affix the pieces to the doors, I decided to caulk them. This method worked beautifully and I’m really happy with the results.

Griffin calls this project, “simple but transformative.” Her goal? More storage in her mom’s office. She started with this basic, industrial shelf (found in the garage no less) and a vision. Lovely! The new color really changes the whole feel of the piece. In gold, the once industrial features look almost lacy. Great job.

Christina was never bothered by this radiator in her kitchen, but then she had a flash of genius and made one smart change. Warning: you’ll want to copy this idea immediatly so clear your schedule. So smart! What a chic and simple way to hide that beast. Christina says, “We made a cover for it that doubles as an extra surface in our small kitchen. I can’t believe we didn’t do this earlier! It makes a world of a difference in this small space!

Kristen called her guest room, “an eyesore,” and tells us that when the sun shone on this yellow wall it was the equivalent of a neon sign. Yikes! So she found a way to ditch the yellow while adding some architectural charm worthy of her 100-year-old home. Wow! Kristen was able to easily and inexpensively create this faux board & batten panneling . And we especially love the touch of dark grey contrast which highlights that textured wall even more.