Wooden dresser with six drawers and metal handles, labeled "before."
Before & After: Makeshift Ironing Board Gets a Magical Transformation
Beth tells us that, before she got her hands on this piece, it had been used as an ironing board. That’s not good wood care! Luckily, Beth also says, “I love me a good challenge when it comes to wood refinishing.” She sure got one. Make Me Pretty Again. Thank you Beth!
Apr 15, 2014
DIY Project Ideas: 10 Bird Feeders for Kids to Make
My birds are back! Last year, I got all up in nature’s business and bought a bunch of bird feeders. I have a Nyjer feeder for my goldfinch flock, several standard mixed feeders and, of course, a hummingbird feeder. It’s incredibly relaxing to sit in the yard and watch the birds go about their daily routines. If you’re interested in bringing the kids in on the action, here are 10 great DIY bird feeders that kids can help make.
Apr 14, 2014
Before & After: A Vintage Bathroom Gets a Charming New Look
When Joanna moved into her 1927 Spanish Revival a few years ago, the bathroom had a lot of original character and some…ahem…colorful extras that needed immediate attention. Her goal was to simply enhance the bath’s vintage charm with a few cosmetic updates and practical repairs. She switched out the rusted pedestal sink with a new model and chose Benjamin Moore’s Black Horizon for the walls to play off the original black and white floor and subway tile.
Apr 14, 2014
Before & After: Michelle’s Lightened & Refreshed Nightstands
Want to know a great DIY project trick for small spaces? Anything you can do to a heavy piece of furniture to make it feel visually lighter could help a room feel more spacious. Simple, yes, but effective: Michelle’s paint job left her new nightstands lighter and refreshed, and she added design detail with new handles.They make for a fashionable contrast in her brightly painted bedroom. From Michelle: We had two ornate nightstands that had great trim and very cool brass handles.
Apr 13, 2014
Before & After: Karen’s Chair Gets a New Springy Spruce-Up
Even as a “before” this chair was a favorite of Karen’s — she adopted it from a friend who’d had it in his family for years. The original fabric had seen better days, especially after what Karen calls, “an unfortunate incident with our cat.” But since Karen was taking an upholstery class, she knew she could spruce this chair right up. Wow! We’d say that class was well worth it.
Apr 11, 2014
Before & After: A Seriously Stylish Kitchen Renovation on a Budget
Does this kitchen look familiar? It is the Apartment Kitchen. I believe it was installed in every apartment built between 1978 and 1995. It is difficult to hate the Apartment Kitchen — it just is. But there is not much to love about it, either. So when One Kings Lane editor Kerstin, who had the Apartment Kitchen, met stylist Megan Pflug, who was looking to do an “easy but stylish” kitchen before and after, she jumped at the chance. Yes — it is the same kitchen. I know.
Apr 11, 2014
Before & After: MCM Chair Gets an Upholstery Redo
This old vinyl MCM style chair was asking to be rescued. Vinyl cushions paired with good bones and clean lines — need I say more? For 20 bucks it was mine, and I set off on my first attempt to reupholster a worthy chair. For my first re-upholstery job, I’m happy with the results. The structure of the chair was very sturdy, and the condition of padding was fair. I carefully un-stitched the vinyl and saved it to use as a pattern. The frame had to be sanded and re-stained.
Apr 11, 2014
DIY Renovation Project Guidelines: Should I Use Grout or Caulk?
I learned a lot by working on my first bathroom remodel. One of biggest was where and when to use grout versus caulk. Grouting and caulking, although very similar, serve different purposes and shouldn’t be substituted for one another. Follow these guidelines and get it right every time.
Apr 10, 2014
Before & After: An Empty Master Bedroom Gets a Stylish New Look
Nothing piques our curiousity more than a completely empty room (besides that very peach wallpaper…). It makes the dramatic reveal of Ashley’s two-year bedroom makeover all the more exciting. Wanna see it? Says Ashley, “We put lots of love into the room by doing personal DIY touches (sunburst mirror, bamboo blinds and headboard). It took a few tries to get things right, but we finally feel like the room reflects us.
Apr 10, 2014
Before & After: Inherited Chairs Get a Fresh Colorful Look
When she bought her Chicago condo, Priyanka also inherited a pair of chairs from the previous owner, a 90-year-old lady. She couldn’t bear to throw them away, so she kept them but made one major change. Priyanka tells us she’s not very crafty but still had a vision, so she found a local reupholster (Windy City Upholstery) to do the job. She got a deal on this beautiful fabric and wound up with brand new, beautiful chairs for a reasonable price.
Apr 7, 2014
Before & After: A Lush Front Entry
Starting a garden from scratch in a brand new house is a challenging task that I think is often underappreciated. Builders frequently leave lots of building waste, and they tend to scrape off topsoil, compact things, and leave upturned subsoil. Because of this, massaging the landscape of a newly built home into something beautiful can be harder than it looks.
Apr 7, 2014
Before & After: Janice’s Longer Than Expected But Totally Worth It New Fireplace
Anyone who’s attempted to tackle a DIY project is probably familiar with the phenomenon of it taking way longer to complete than originally imagined. In the case of Janice’s fireplace, it was seven months longer! But the finished result — a modern update from a bland, outdated fireplace — was well worth the wait! From Janice: My husband and I live in a century-old Victorian rowhouse in Toronto and when we moved in we thought we’d never touch a thing in it.
Apr 6, 2014
Before & After: A Painted Dresser Gets A Nursery-Worthy Upgrade
Megan’s clients asked her to create a changing table for their little girl’s room so she set about giving this perfectly-sized dresser a cute, nursery-worthy upgrade. To create the ombre design, she used CitriStrip to remove the teal paint and cleaned the piece with After Wash (Megan recommends using After Wash in a well-ventilated space. It’s pretty potent and can cause dizziness and nausea). She removed the floral decals and prepped the wood with a good sanding.
Apr 4, 2014
Before & After: A Classic Chair Gets a Dose of La Dolce Vita
Reupholstery newbie Annalisa in Italy recently found two of these chairs in her garage — her uncle had bought them in 1962. The structure was still in great shape so she decided to give these vintage cuties an outfit change. So cute! We love how the kicky, contrasting fabric choice updates the classic shape. From Annalisa: The makeover was quite satisfying . My boyfriend and I changed the old filling (straw and iuta) with foam rubber and new fabric.
Apr 2, 2014
Before & After: Kata’s Out of Control Couch Redo
We’ve all been there: you start a project when it suddenly spirals into much more work than expected. Kata knows this pain first-hand. This Neo-Baroque couch seemed to be in good shape — she just wanted to change the fabric — but as she took it apart, she saw she was in for a bigger job. Wowee. That looks like so much work, but boy was it worth it.
Mar 31, 2014
Before & After: Rachael’s Simple and Sweet Found Free Chair Makeover
Is there anything more delightful than coming across a piece of furniture with good bones and a “free” sign? It’s not everyday that a simple DIY project sparks career inspiration, but this free chair Rachael stumbled on and brought home to fix up did. Though simple, it’s a sweet little makeover, and proof even the most unloved of furniture pieces can look nice with a little cleaning up.
Mar 29, 2014
Before & After: A Mini Kitchen Makeover on the Cheap
Here’s proof that a dated kitchen doesn’t always need a total overhaul, sometimes a light refresh will do just fine (and save major renovating bucks). Alex and Jon spent just $2,500 to redo their 1928 DC row house kitchen and it looks like a million bucks. They told us that, “Someday we would like to clear everything out and reconfigure the entire kitchen, but for now we decided a little make-over would work.
Mar 27, 2014
Before & After: A Craigslist Piano With A Surprise Inside
We sure didn’t see this one coming. Lanae calls her boyfriend Brandon a “crafty DIY person.” You’re not wrong, Lanae, you’re not at all wrong. Turns out, Brandon is a pretty awesome boyfriend, too. Lanae tells us how this totally inventive piano bar came into being: For Christmas last year I mentioned to my boyfriend that I’d like a bar cart for our house. Brandon did not want to go to IKEA for the standard bar cart set-up.
Mar 26, 2014
Before & After: A 60-Year-Old Chair Gets a Facelift
Landon paid good money for this chair — a whole five bucks! A stamp on the bottom said it was manufactured in 1954, and from the look of things, it’s been sitting outside since shortly thereafter. Who knew that old chair had so much life left? We’re loving how the patterned fabric livens up the simple silhouette. Landon says: The fabric was more like parchment paper that turned into powder at the slightest touch. Let’s just say the dust mites had done a thorough job.
Mar 25, 2014
Before & After: Hardwood Floors Reach a New Plane
Patrick is an avid DIY’er, but you’re about to see the toughest job he’s ever taken on. It wasn’t for the faint of heart, and he should’ve asked friends to help, but after a week of hard work, he transformed his hardwood into the floors he always wanted… Can you believe he planed his entire hardwood floor BY HAND? No, neither could I. But plane it he did, and therefore Patrick wins the award for DIY endurance. Hands down.
Mar 24, 2014
Before & After: Patience’s Fairy Tale Fireplace Makeover
This fireplace lived in Patience’s little house by the sea, but it was old and dated so she waved her magic wand and presto! She tells us, “I wanted wow!” We’d say she got it. Her contractor demolished the top of the hearth and replaced it with a thick slab of bluestone. The rest of the brick was covered with stone veneer. The mantle is made from an old beam from a demolished barn. She kept the original screen but cleaned it up and painted it with a high-heat spray paint.
Mar 24, 2014
Before & After: Maura’s Smart Studio Sleeping Solution
After moving into her 480 square foot apartment, Maura looked for a creative solution to solve two separate studio space challenges: how to create a space that a 70lb dog and two cats can all enjoy in peace and how to create a somewhat separate sleeping space so it didn’t feel like she was throwing cocktail parties in her bedroom when she entertained. Her DIY solution is smart and sweet.
Mar 23, 2014
Before & After: A Refreshed and Revamped Kitchen For $1000
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to dramatically improve the look of a space, as proven by the kitchen Julia and her boyfriend share in Montreal. Some budget ideas, affordable products and a lot of DIY labor made this kitchen brighter and more pleasant. From Julia: My boyfriend and I bought a duplex house in Montreal less than a year ago. We were able to buy in the city, but we didn’t have much money for renovations after.
Mar 22, 2014
Before & After: Out With the Mice, In With the Nice
Kristen calls herself a, “habitual renovator.” This particular 1920’s house was falling apart and she gave its kitchen some major love, much to the chagrin of the previous rodent residents. Says Kristen, “The mice were angry when we forced them out of the dishwasher and claimed back our kitchen!” The heart of this kitchen is the five burner Capital stove which Kristen tells us, “makes entertaining fun.
Mar 20, 2014
Before & After: A 70s Era Bar Becomes Something Surprising
Lauren recently moved into her first place, a two bedroom condo. The original owners bought it new in ’79 and it had been virtually untouched so 26-year-old Lauren had her work cut out for her. Fortunately, her dad is a recently retired carpenter. She says, “He has plenty of projects to keep him busy now.” See what they did with this side bar. Lauren drew up the plans to convert the unused bar into a built in bookshelf and they got to work.
Mar 19, 2014
Before & After: A Dilapidated Dresser Cleans Up Its Act
True story: we thought Jen might be pulling a fast one with this submission. We almost couldn’t believe that this beast of a dresser could turn out like it did. Want to see what we mean? Check it out. After inheriting it from her aunt, this dresser sat in the garage for months. Jen began experimenting with paint color, but nothing looked right. She even dismantled it, only to discover particle board. Yuck! Then, as Jen puts it, “this project got a little more interesting.
Mar 18, 2014
Before & After: St Patrick Himself Would Be Proud of This Sideboard
Who’s wearing green today? Cindy won’t be getting a pinch. She came across this free cherry wood sideboard, took it home and gave it a St. Paddy’s worthy makeover you won’t soon forget. She sanded and primed this sideboard and rolled on two coats of high gloss green. Then she polished up the original hardware to give it a glamorous shine. Cindy says: I was dying for a pop of color in my entryway/kitchen area and Kelly Green was just the color I wanted.
Mar 17, 2014
Before & After: Vickiann’s DIY Real Brick Wall
Remember when we gave you eight awesome ways to “fake” architectural details if your home didn’t come with charming elements built right in? Well if you own a home, have the adventurous DIY spirit and don’t want to fake it — if you want to add your own actual architectural detail — you’re going to want to pay attention to the project Vickiann tackled. Vickiann of My Crappy House is no professional bricklayer.
Mar 16, 2014
Before & After: A Narrow Galley Kitchen Gets an Urban Update
When first-time homebuyers Nadine and John Paul bought a century home that was split into a duplex, they decided to rent out the bottom half and live in the top half. Now with a little additional money to spend on their new purchase, they decided to tackle the kitchen first, which was tiny, uninspiring and not at all luxurious. From Nadine: My partner, John Paul, is a carpenter by trade and owns a business building custom furniture.
Mar 15, 2014
Before & After: Rita’s From Rusty to Cherished Cart
Rita was on the hunt for a project where she could turn something unloved into something that could be used, cherished and enjoyed. Rita knew an old, rusted kitchen cart that once belonged to her great-grandmother (that had just been collecting dust in her basement) was the perfect project to tackle to give her space that extra something special. From Rita: I started by using WD40 on the wheels before applying Jasco’s Rust Converter and sanding it down.
Mar 15, 2014
Before & After: A Tiny London Terrace Gets a Dose of Spring
Who’s ready for spring? Nora is. She was excited about having some outside space in her new London flat until she saw this terrace. But she invested a little cash and a lot of love and got this space ready for some sunny days. Now we love this cute, color blocked space. Nora pullled up the tiles and laid artificial grass, painted the grey cracked walls a nice bright white and scrubbed up the railings and spray painted all of the furniture fun colors!
Mar 14, 2014
Before & After: A Faux Fireplace Gets One Inexpensive and Easy Update
Sometimes making a big change can be a fairly simple process if you have the guts to take the leap. When Tanya and her partner purchased their home, the dated, faux stone fireplace combined with “sauna wood” accents just wasn’t her cup of tea, so she made one easy, inexpensive change that had a huge impact. The brick got a thick coat of primer + paint in one (semi-gloss finish) and she spray painted those old gold vents with a high heat enamel spray paint in matte black.
Mar 13, 2014
A New Look for an Old Windsor Chair
These $5 Windsor chairs are just about in every thrift store I stop into. This one had a nice simple silhouette and narrow tapered spindles. I’ve been swooning over modern shaker style furniture for some time now and it was finally time to stop wanting and start doing. I was planning on spray painting the whole chair neon yellow, but as I started, I notice the beautiful gradient and continued to paint only the front half of the seat.
Mar 12, 2014
Before & After: Naomi’s Beautiful British Bathroom
Naomi moved into her Edwardian UK home a year ago and has spent nearly the whole time planning renovations to her small bathroom. Her biggest goal? An easy-to-clean space with minimal areas for dust to gather. We hear you, Naomi. She introduced a little luxury with a sink crafted from Welsh slate, an extra wide bath, and stainless steel towel warmers which she tells us were worth every penny. She kept the walls and ceiling bright white and fell for those grey tiles, “the moment I saw them.
Mar 12, 2014
Before & After: Gossip Bench Breakdown
Carithanne says, “Who knows how long this chair sat abandoned in a forgotten basement before my dad rescued it for our next restoration project?” This particular piece was extra exciting because of its classic mid-century design, complete with a production date on the bottom from 1953! The upholstery needed a total overhaul after more than 60 years, but this piece had solid maple bones just waiting for the right person to come along and give it some TLC.
Mar 11, 2014
Before & After: A Cramped Kitchen Gets a Big Change
Architectural designer Teddy desperately needed to update this kitchen but had major budgetary restrictions. No matter. See how just $300 worth of supplies made a huge difference. Wow, what a difference. We love how, even though all the major elements are the same (cabinets, backsplash, countertop), the color change and the addition of small details totally transformed this space.
Mar 10, 2014
Before & After: Meredith’s Blinds Get a Beautiful, Budget Makeover
Meredith was looking to spice up the boring blinds in her daughter’s room. She wanted to add a pop of color without breaking the bank, so she got really crafty with something that’s probably hanging around your junk drawer right now. Duct tape to the rescue! What a clever and thrifty idea. Bravo. From Meredith: I started to look into painting the blinds but found that incredibly cumbersome and messy. I decided I could be a lot more in control if I used duct tape.
Mar 7, 2014
Before & After: This Dreary Dresser Gets a Big Change
Charlotte’s youngest child’s room doubles as the guest room, so her new changing table needed to fit with its funky aesthetic. This $40 dresser from Craigslist fit the bill: solid construction, the right height, and good storage space. It just needed a little update. From Charlotte: I double checked for any maker’s marks or signs of antiquity before giving it a coat of Annie Sloan Napoleonic Blue chalk paint.
Mar 6, 2014
Before & After: Natalie’s New, Blue Chair Special
Natalie’s been rockin’ this chair for about a year — she picked it up at a yard sale for only 10 bucks. But when the already-worn seat fabric began to develop huge tears, she knew it was time for a revamp. She ditched the old, ripped fabric in favor of two different ikat prints. She stripped and sanded the wood frame and then stained it a warm, deep brown.
Mar 5, 2014
Before & After: Erin’s Inherited Dresser
Erin inherited her grandparents’ dresser set but due to 30 years of wear and tear, it needed some love. Cut to: she’s ankle deep in supplies with no idea how to proceed and ready to throw in the towel. We’re so glad she persevered because, well, check out her results. It took a year and lots of help from her dad (who even brought his palm sander across five states to give to her), but she was able to strip, sand, stain and clear coat this beauty.
Mar 4, 2014
Before & After: Liana’s Cheery Dresser Update
This dresser had great bones and even some fun details, but was falling apart in a few places and had some missing drawers. Liana didn’t tackle this DIY project for awhile after she found this piece, but when she did, her ideas (including a free element anyone could use) really transformed the entire look into a functioning piece that works for her just the way she needs it. From Liana, I love the idea of restoring furniture, this is my second attempt.
Mar 2, 2014
Before & After: Martha’s Midnight Owl Dresser
Martha calls this a “hardworking piece of furniture” because it’s got no unnecessary design elements and is just a sturdy, plain piece of furniture that does a good job. In this case, as a dresser. But while hardworking, it wasn’t quite Martha’s style, and she added a few personal details for a simple but darling transformation. From Martha: I gave it a super durable paint finish that keeps in line with its personality.
Mar 1, 2014
Before & After: A Garage Sale Dining Set Gets Gorgeous
Rita wanted to really go bold, but keep her dining table and chairs at the same time (she lucked into these four chairs and table at a garage sale for just $6), so she found an ingenious way to spice up the set. Gorgeous! What an ingenious way to add lots of pattern and brighten up the room. From Rita: This material is what inspired me to paint the living room navy in the first place. I knew I wanted to make this fabric the focal point in the dining room, but I wasn’t sure how.
Feb 28, 2014
Before & After: A Modern Nursery Staple on the Cheap
Modern nurseries on a budget can be tough. Since changing tables have such a short lifespan, Whitney didn’t want to spend too much money on something that wouldn’t grow with her babe and when she saw this wood sideboard at a thrift shop for $25, she had a flash of vision. Wow, what a style transformation. With just a little cash, Whitney completely changed the look and feel of this piece and made it work for her family. Great job.
Feb 27, 2014
Before & After: Kaycee’s Customized Kofod Larsen Chairs
Lucky Kaycee scored these two Kofod Larsen Lounge Chairs on Craigslist for $225 each. The chairs came without cushions (and with a very strange patio-chair replacement for the original webbing) so Kaycee was able to put her own spin on these classic chairs. Kaycee paid around $200 per chair for professional upholstery — including new cushions, upholstery and webbing — and $140 for about 7 yards of fabric.
Feb 26, 2014
Before & After: A Used IKEA Malm Gets the Makeover of Its Life
Aniko’s in the middle of a major master bedroom makeover but she’s not one to eschew perfectly functional furniture, so she found a super cheap and super chic way to revamp her 6-year old IKEA Malm headboard and make it worthy of her new space. Whoa! Crafty Aniko made herself an upholstered masterpiece without the huge price tag usually associated with such a stunning look.
Feb 25, 2014
Before & After: A Retro Chair Gets a Cheerful Redo
You may think that at $25, Lesley overpaid for this sagging, stained chair (she called it, “well-worn”), but she seemed to have an inkling that those good bones deserved a second chance. Turns out Lesley was right — that cheerful and patterned fabric really highlights the chair’s great shape. What a vision.
Feb 24, 2014
Before & After: A Laminate Cabinet Gets a Face-lift
This laminate cabinet hadn’t seen the light of day in awhile, storing odds and ends in a basement. But when Jessica and her husband moved into their new house and were looking for furniture they could make their own, they decided to try and brighten this dark piece with paint to fit the style of their new dining room. From Jessica: It is a laminate cabinet that I first lightly sanded and then used a glossy surfaced primer on to give it a good base coat.
Feb 23, 2014
Before & After: From Heavy Hutch to Modern Kitchen Island
This heavy kitchen hutch was no doubt functional — with drawers and doors it’s got plenty of storage. But its dark color, outdated look and heavy feel wouldn’t make it welcome in any kitchen, let alone a bright one. That’s why Elise made some changes, and this hutch has been converted to a handy modern kitchen island. From Elise: We re-purposed the base of this kitchen hutch to serve as an island for a kitchen.
Feb 23, 2014
Before & After: Kristi’s DIY Reclaimed Wood Fireplace
Is your home saddled with a blah fireplace mantel and surround? Unless you like flaunting your big screen TV, the fireplace can often be the living room’s main visual focal point. Why not really make it stand out? That’s what Kristi did, reclaiming wood in the process. It took nearly eight hours for this transformation, but the end result is way worth it!
Feb 22, 2014
Before & After: Chelsea’s Buffet Transformation
Chelsea loves refinishing furniture, really believing in and being lured by the beautiful process of completely transforming an unwanted furniture piece in to one coveted! Structurally sound, heavy, sturdy and interesting, this buffet spotted at her local Goodwill thrift store had all the characteristics that Chelsea looks for when hunting for a piece to transform. And the $15 price tag was a sweet bonus! From Chelsea: This piece got a complete makeover, starting with hardware.
Feb 22, 2014
Before & After: A Dresser Gets Dressed Up With Contrast
Scott picked up this dresser years ago, long before he realized he could, “do cool things with his hands.” Just wait until you see what he did. White + gleamy wood has to be one of our favorite combinations ever. Nice choice.
Feb 21, 2014
Before & After: A Honey of a Secretary Desk Update
Heather’s master bedroom has a sitting area that was just crying out for a desk, but since she didn’t want to clutter up her sleeping space with visible papers, she began the hunt for a subtle secretary. It was her mom who came to the rescue and found this blue beauty at a second-hand shop. Heather decided to personalize with paint — a coat of white followed by a custom honeycomb stencil and a hand-painted bee motif. What a cute and kicky way to give it a big dose of fun.
Feb 20, 2014
Before & After: Sarah’s Stairs Go Faux (In The Best Way Possible)
After she pulled up the carpet on her stairs, Sarah tried to cover her poor quality stair treads with paint, but she wasn’t satisfied. She really wanted oak, but didn’t have room in her budget so she got really, really creative. Sarah did an amazingly realistic faux bois to mirror the look and feel of wood and she managed to do it super affordably. She chose three paint colors to match the base, midtone, and darkest tone of her floor, and spent just $2.
Feb 19, 2014
Before & After: 70s Cane Shelving Unit Gets a Bold, Bright Update
Erin found this vintage cane shelving unit online for $10. She was decorating her home office and really needed more storage, and the interesting details on this shelving unit caught her eye. She kept the project ultra low-budget by hitting up her garage for the materials for her makeover. Erin tells us she used an undercoat so there was no need to sand, and once dry, followed it up with two layers of glossy, red enamel spray paint. We just love her big, bold color choice.
Feb 18, 2014
Before & After: Plywood Trash to DIY Desk Treasure
Sarah had been knee-deep in a pile of plywood scraps while tackling a year-long kitchen renovation. There were scraps that were too big to toss, but too small and damaged to make anything of use. Except that Sarah totally came up with a creative way to use them. And a gallon of wood glue was involved!
Feb 16, 2014
Before & After: Bianca’s Simple & Sweet Sideboard for Art Supplies
Bianca, an artist, was on the hunt for a slim and small storage piece to stash her art supplies in style. She was about to head over to IKEA to plunk down some cash on a new purchase, when at the last minute she decided to take a peek at her favorite junk shop. She was in luck! From Bianca: I was searching for a slim sideboard to fit some of my art supplies, such as large canvases and rolled prints.
Feb 15, 2014
Before & After: Katherine’s Spicy New Valentine
You never forget your first, especially on Valentine’s Day. This sweet little chair was Katherine’s first ever upholstery project, but as the years went by and her design tastes changed, she fell out of love with the shape of this chair. Luckily, Katherine really knows how to spice up a stale relationship. Her eye had wandered over to a new kind of chair, Anthropologie’s Astrid, but she didn’t exactly have the funds to make it hers.
Feb 14, 2014
Before & After: A Dowdy Dresser Gets Hawaii-Ready
Kasey lives on the island of Kauai and tells us that finding non “island” furniture is hard to do. She’s always on the hunt for statement pieces to decorate her beach-style home so when she found this dresser at the local thrift store for $50, she snapped it up. We just love how Kasey completely changed the look of the piece by removing the doors and giving the interior a beautiful coat of oceany turquoise. The white exterior really highlights the scallop details.
Feb 13, 2014
Before & After: Drippy, Blue Mess of a Desk Gets a Makeunder
When Maggie found this great mid-century desk at the thrift store it was feeling a little blue, but for only $14, she took it home anyway and got right to work. Because of the previous owner’s sloppy, drippy paint job, Maggie decided to strip off the color completely and give this piece a true makeunder. Maggie tells us that, “with new handles and a mix of stained wood and white paint, I have an amazing desk with vintage charm that looks brand new!
Feb 12, 2014
Before & After: A Vintage Dresser Gets Light and Bright
Julia’d had a mid-century modern dresser on her wishlist for quite a while, so when she found this beautiful but somewhat beat up piece, she knew it was a prime candidate for a makeover. In order to hide imperfections on the body, Julia used white spray paint, leaving certain wood trim exposed to add dimension. Once polished, that dirty hardware turned out to be gleamy brass, and she added bright pop by painting the inside of the drawer pulls a kicky, neon pink.
Feb 10, 2014
Before & After: Brass to Bold Bar Cart
Erin found this 1960s era bar cart on Craigslist and had an inkling it could be restored not only to its former glory, but beyond! Simple, subtle yet charming, the shape of this car reminded Erin of her grandparents’ house and all the cocktail parties they used to throw. From Erin: As most things go, this was a bigger project then originally anticipated as I had to sand and use a lot of steel wool to rid it of rust.
Feb 9, 2014
Before & After: Krista’s Budget-Friendly, Modernized Kitchen Remodel
Krista and her husband bid and lost out on five homes before they finally purchased this one. With a kitchen that had “grandma wallpaper,” sad tile floor, and odd painted aluminum cabinetry, this couple kept their spirits up after purchasing by daydreaming about a remodel. But, they’d have to do it on a tight budget. The changes to this kitchen were simple, but the outcome quite a step up from the older, dated space.
Feb 8, 2014
Before & After: Ellen’s Dressed Up Table
Ellen was looking to recreate a clothing store feel in her dressing room, and already had a large kitchen pedestal table in the space. When she came across this “ugly” 80s table at a Savers thrift store for $7.50, she knew she’d be able to use it along with her existing table to create a neat cluster effect. From Ellen: I decided to paint both tables a dark gray top with a taupe/brown base as I had seen something on Pinterest and was inspired to recreate that color combination.
Feb 8, 2014
Before & After: Grandma’s Bedroom Set Revealed
A friend of Luann’s recently asked if she could “do anything” with his Grandma’s old bedroom set. He needed to fill an empty guest room and nobody else in the family wanted this old set. Bet they’re all kicking themselves now. Wow! What a difference. She stripped off the old lacquered finish and discovered that the solid wood underneath was beautiful! Surprise!
Feb 6, 2014
Before & After: Angela’s Living Room Reclamation
In NYC apartments, every inch counts, so when Angela and her roommates found their Lower East Side 3-bedroom’s tiny common area dominated by a hulking dining table, they knew there was better way. With a coat of paint and a few carefully-chosen pieces of budget furniture, these ladies were able to create a comfortable space that takes advantage of every inch. It looks so much bigger and brighter!
Feb 5, 2014
Before & After: Jim’s “Diamond in the Rough” Nightstands
Today we have an envy-inducing makeover you have to see to believe. Jim bought a pair of mid-century bedside tables at a flea market for $50 each. The tables were heavy and obviously well-constructed so he had an inkling that they were quality pieces worth some love. How right he was! The seller thought they were a walnut laminate but after stripping off the old paint, Jim discovered that they were actually walnut veneer and the drawer fronts were 1″ thick solid walnut. Surprise!
Feb 4, 2014
Before & After: Tasha’s Tragic Living Room Gets Gorgeous
Tasha tells us that she still cringes when she looks back at these photos of her room. The army green walls, the beige trim, badly sealed stone fireplace and carpet just weren’t her cup of tea. Says Tasha, “No thank you.” Tasha and her husband did the all of the work themselves. They ripped out the carpet and bamboo flooring and put down dark laminate floors, then painted the walls a beautiful dark blue to make this large space feel more cozy.
Feb 3, 2014
Before & After: Lynn’s Lightened & Updated Kitchen Corner
Lynn and her husband, an energetic couple in their early 60s – 70s, had a dream to “age in place,” and planned to do so in a 27-year-old condo they purchased in its original, uninspiring state: vinyl flooring, wall-to-wall carpeting, almond-colored appliances, Formica countertops and more. They gave every inch of this condo a face-lift, and this cute corner of the kitchen is a taste of their simple but effective updating style.
Feb 2, 2014
Before & After: From Uninspiring Shelf to Ultra-Functional Floating Storage!
When Griffin found this old shelf just “collecting dust” at a local thrift store, she knew there was some place in their home for it, perhaps the garage or maybe the playroom. But it was some creative thinking (and not even that much work!) that transformed it into a surprisingly sophisticated storage piece for a dining room! From Griffin: With the help of my husband we started by removing the base which was made up of 2x4s.
Feb 2, 2014
Before & After: This Petite Powder Room Gets Prettified on a Budget
We’ll forgive Christina for her blurry “before” snap because we’re so excited to show off her results. Her little powder room is only 3 feet by 6 feet so it was a tricky room to work in, but just look at all that great potential. The narrow room looks so much bigger and brighter with the white walls, grey tile and new rustic-chic details. Here’s how it all came together on a major budget: We were able to do the whole remodel for around $500 because it was 100% DIY.
Jan 31, 2014
Before & After: Chest Goes On A Strict Diet
Fabio and his wife were planning to get rid of this chest of drawers so they put it in their hallway until they got a chance to cart it away. But it proved so handy to have a place to drop keys and other odds and ends, that they decided to make one big change and keep it after all. Do you have an inkling on this one? What a great way to make what you already have work in your space. Great job, you guys. Thank you Fabio!
Jan 30, 2014