Furniture Before & Afters | DIY, Hacks & Restorations

These are the home makeovers that surprised, inspired, and delighted Apartment Therapy staffers.

The secret to this DIY project was just a little bit of raffia cloth.

The basement is now home to a TV and gaming area, a ping-pong zone, a workout corner, and a utility room.

The bold green kitchen is the star of the show.

This one-of-a-kind DIY totally transforms the look of the original piece.

The once-basic piece is unrecognizable now.

Not every project needs to be a days-long ordeal — sometimes, all you need is a little time to make a big change.

Plus, it serves as the perfect divider between the living and dining rooms.

The piece was falling apart when this first-time DIYer got her hands on it.

No power tools required.

Solid pieces of furniture like this one can be made over again and again.

This IKEA classic shows its versatility once again with a gorgeous, expensive-looking transformation.

This porch is lighter, brighter, and better than ever.

They bring tons of character to this DIYer's bedside area.

They got rid of wallpapered walls, linoleum floors, and an old oak vanity.

These DIYers started with found furniture and ended up with a beautiful new console and a faux fireplace.

As expected with such a precise pattern, the hardest part of the project was taping and measuring.

You know the saying: One person's trash is another one's DIY project in the making.

Some smart changes give the old piece a new lease on life.

A summery, stylish IKEA hack done in a day? Yes please.

When kitchens are being renovated, most of the attention goes to cabinets, floors, countertops, and backsplashes. But that doesn't mean that some of the quieter parts of a kitchen — like, say, pantry doors — can't have a moment to shine.

This record cabinet got a second chance with a stylish new look.

It uses a trendy material to make the old piece look brand new.

There were a lot of great projects last month, but five bright ideas stood out.

This is an easy curb appeal project you can copy for your own home, too.

All in, the project cost just $25.

The room was fine before, but a bit boring. A few BILLY shelves and a bit of DIY changed that.

It was covered in nail polish and scratches before, but some TLC cleaned it right up.

It took a little patience, but this DIY is totally copyable.

How one apartment-dweller turned the IKEA TARVA nightstand into the luxe-looking piece of her dreams.

These stylish makeovers are full of smart ideas, from easy DIY projects to money-saving hacks.

$125 Facebook marketplace bookcases get a moody (and magical) purple upgrade.

The whole project's DIY-friendly.

This piece can now be enjoyed by a whole new generation.

There was a hiccup along the way, but it made the end product all the better.

Best part: It was all completed over a lunch hour.

"I love that it was literal trash that will now be on display and admired," the DIYer says.

This easy and clever DIY completely transforms the look of this boring white fridge.

This Facebook Marketplace find just needed a little DIY love.

“As I was choosing pieces for the home, that I wanted to see bright, African-inspired textiles that would speak to my heritage and identity as a Caribbean-American woman,” this DIYer says of her colorful bench revamp.

Simple changes did a lot to make this RV more modern and more comfortable.

This old-school (literally) find looks cool and vintage in its new space.

This peeling, dingy cabinet just needed a little TLC.

One clever DIYer saw the hidden potential in this Craigslist find.

This DIYer was quoted nearly $2,500 for built-ins but was able to create something she loved for a fraction of that.

Need inspiration for your next Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace furniture flip? We've got you.

Here's proof that you can make furniture last even longer with some creativity.

The "After" regularly gets compliments from neighbors.

It's simple but stunning.

The transformation is stark.

Solid furniture can last for decades — but sometimes it needs a little spruce up.

From old-school to new school, with only a few easy changes.

There's a gem hiding under all those stickers.

It stayed the same size, but now it's so much more functional.

"I realized I was letting perfect get in the way of good," the DIYer says. "Once I let go of that it was freeing."

There's a spot for everything in this little room.

It features three paint colors and the cutest knobs you've ever seen.

It's hard to believe there's an IKEA piece hiding in there.

You can't even tell it's IKEA anymore.

Beneath those scuffs and stains lie lots of potential.

It's still tiny, but now it's functional.

It’s nearly impossible to renovate every room of your home at once, so some spaces have to wait a little longer than others for a transformation. At Michela Andrioletti’s (@casa_in_newyork) home that she shares with her husband, that space was the entryway. “We put in the first things we could find at the most affordable budget when we moved here five years ago and then we just didn’t have time to fix it,” Michela says.

You'll be obsessed with its new pillows.

"I can't believe it's the same dresser!"

These editor-approved tips might help your project make it to the site this year.

This mini makeover was transformative.

These redos let the original wood and metal shine.

They're unrecognizable now.

The before paint color? Meh. The after? Marvelous.

This smart DIY keeps all the comfort of a standard office chair, but makes it way more stylish.

This cabinet was going to be trashed until one DIYer turned it into a treasure.