DIY Home Projects

Angela was looking for a way to create a classic accent wall to add interest to her dining room. Turns out, the answer was as close as the local Home Depot. Angela and her husband created their plank wall by custom cutting their boards and then using paneling nails to attach them to the wall. Angela says, “I truly don’t think there is one spot in our old home that is actually level.

Who hasn’t owned an IKEA EXPEDIT shelving unit at one time or another? These shelves are to storage like Keds and Vans are to sneakers: basic, affordable, and available in plain white. But maybe you’ve had one for awhile now and are itching to change things up and customize it with a little more character beyond the plain old white finish. Check out how one EXPEDIT owner hacked his cabinet into something with more rugged character.

Emily spent ages searching Craigslist for the perfect vintage sofa: carved wood details, large enough for 3 people, affordable. Just when she thought it was a lost cause, she came across this beauty for only 100 smackers. Says Emily, “I emailed as fast as my fingers could manage.” After a week of hunting through Harlem for the perfect mudcloth, she dropped off the bag of fabric at her local Brooklyn upholsterer. Less than a month later, her masterpiece was ready to take home!

Homeowner Kathleen would be the first to say that this room in her house was just kind of sad. It was intended as a playroom for her kids, ages 6 and 9, and as a place for the family to hang out together. With paint, some new furniture and colorful accessories she was able to breathe life into the room to make it a vibrant, stimulating part of the home. She even found a way to make the big brown couch work in the space.

Wendy loved this jewelry armoire because it was a family hand-me-down but she wanted to give it a new life, so she took on her very first furniture redo. It’s a doozy! Want to see her results? Read on. It took Wendy six weeks to complete her makeover and not just because she was a newbie. From the outside to the hardware to the lining, there wasn’t an inch of this piece that didn’t get an upgrade. Now it’s a family heirloom that Wendy can enjoy on her own terms.

Joy’d been stalking Craigslist for months in search of the perfect armchair for her living room, but finally struck gold at her favorite thrift store (and by gold…we mean orangey-brown) for a mere 17 clams. Says Joy, “I like to think that it found me. Atrocious orange? Check. Disintegrating foam? Check. Beautiful bones? Check. Check.

Erin’s neighbor was moving out of the state and she wanted to help fill her new, bigger home with furniture. When she spotted this chair at a garage sale for only $45, she knew that with a little work, this chair could be the perfect going away present. From Erin: With a little spray paint for the frame and a fun black and white bold fabric for the cushions, this chair screams for attention now. And our friend absolutely loved it! Want to copy her look?

Jessica picked up this bench for $10 several years ago, but it wasn’t until a trip to India that she found the perfect fabric to complete her project (and get a lovely souvenir from her travels). When she stumbled upon this beautiful gold leaf print, she knew it would be perfect for the bench. She also sanded and painted the frame to compliment the new design. Jessica says, “All told I spent about $45 on this bench and I love the way it looks in my entry!

Heidi had been storing these bland 90’s era stools, hand-me-downs from a relative, for years but it took her daughter’s room makeover to finally put these blank canvas stools to use. See how she punched up their personality. From Heidi: I first painted them a raspberry pink color. I created the gold dipped effect by spray painting a taped off portion of each stool leg.The whole project cost about $10 and only took a couple of hours. It fits perfectly in her themed room and I LOVE it!

Jennifer and John loved their new home’s open floor plan, but they didn’t love the lack of a defined dining area. So they set out to create a dining space with personality and punch. For the walls, they chose a muted yellow (Dried Plantain by Behr) which, Jennifer says, “makes us happy and hungry!

Kate stumbled upon these two dilapidated chairs at her local Goodwill for…wait for it… $14.99 for both. Spoiler alert: she sure got her money’s worth. Want to see these chairs now? Kate says, “as I started to peel away the faded ashes of rose velour, the foam basically fell off the seats and backs and disintegrated into a cloud of dust.” Obviously new foam and fabric was in order: I fell in love with this bold 50’s inspired floral pattern.

Michelle and her husband go camping every year with a big group of friends, but they were getting tired of their tent, so they found a rundown vintage trailer and fixed it up. Michelle says, “We had no idea how much fun it was going to be.” From Michelle: We would work on it at night after the kids were in bed, and it took us about 4 months from start to finish. We have three girls so we painted it pink (obviously!).

Ashley’s a DIY fanatic and she had so many ideas that she couldn’t commit to a headboard so she found a clever solution to both her blank wall and her need for variety. A customizable headboard! Smart! Says Ashley, “Now whenever I get an itch for change, I can easily update it with whatever style or trend I love at the time!” Want to steal her look? Ashley shares the whole project at her blog, Sugar & Cloth. Thank you Ashley!

Matt and Christian’s IKEA table was still really good at doing table jobs like supporting their food, but not so good at looking pretty while doing it — the pressboard top was beginning to disintegrate. So they came up with an easy and inexpensive way to give it a new life. They headed over to their local scrapyard and picked up some reclaimed 3/4” planks. For variety, they looked specifically for pieces with interesting paint or stain colors.

Old signage is a familiar sight at salvage shops and flea markets. While most might walk past this dingy exit sign, John was able to give it a bright future in a few hours, for about half of what a new reproduction would cost. From John: Yesterday, I found this great — but beat up — vintage exit sign. Today, I cleaned, sanded and repainted it, replaced the colored filter with clear plastic, and added colored bulbs. My boyfriend attached the (still functional!

Lizzie described her budget as “less than a shoestring,” so when she found this old rocking chair at a clearance yard, she snatched it up. She sanded the seat, arms and back (taking off several layers of skin along with the peeling varnish) and painted them in a quirky neon turquoise (an unexpectedly and fun choice). Looks like her risk paid off. Lizzie obviously has a history of scoring great deals.

Anu’s family (which includes two small boys and a Golden Retriever) was in desperate need of a mudroom — a place to feed the dog and keep all the muddy boots and winter kid gear — but their small bungalow just didn’t have the space. Wow! Anu transformed that unused nook into a mini mudroom. The floating bench serves as seating as well as a place to stow shoes and dog bowls. Cabinet knobs became coat hooks and each boy/dog in the house even has his own bin.

Chrissann recently re-did a dresser for her daughter’s room. In its original state, the dresser wasn’t anything special — certainly not an antique — and she wanted something more fun, and brighter than the original boring brown. If you are sick of seeing chalkboard paint everywhere, or hate the dusty mess of the chalk itself, here’s an alternative: try dry erase paint instead.

Amanda’s original 70’s monster of a moss rock fireplace didn’t look good or even function. From Amanda: To fix the function, we bought a wood burning insert. For a sleek, updated look we built a frame around the rock, tiled the lower portion, added plywood to the top, trim pieces, and painted it crisp white. Now we adore the clean lines and contrasting colors. See more photos and details at Amanda’s blog, Our Humble Abode. Thank you Amanda!

Lettie had been on the lookout for both a dresser and a nightstand for a long time when she spotted this lovely piece on Craigslist for an affordable $40. Not only was it the perfect size, but also the perfect height to do double duty as a nightstand! From Lettie: The only downfall was that the body of the dresser was laminate. I read a lot about painting right over laminate and decided to go for it.

When she came across a stockpile of free castoffs from an antique store (i.e. heaven), Emily, the smart cookie that she is, took full advantage. Want to see her final product? (hint: it’s not two chairs anymore) Surprise! Way to think outside the chair, Emily! Using just the existing frames, some scrap wood and new foam and fabric, she made a custom bench, perfect for her space. See more of her makeover at Emily Grace King. Thank you Emily!

Last year, Manisha posed a question to the Apartment Therapy community about how to add some color to her living room. “It needs some oomph,” she said. “Right now everything seems to be grey, white and black.” Armed with your suggestions, Manisha added color in a few strategic places. Want to see what her living room looks like now?

John had been searching for an Adrian Pearsall style sofa for a long time. As he was scouring Craigslist one day, he came across an ad that simply said, “Vintage Couch – $60.” Luckily, he took a chance and found this amazing (though horribly upholstered) sofa. From John: Because I’d been researching this style of sofa for months, I was pretty sure it wasn’t a real Pearsall, but I didn’t care. I’m not a label whore.

One of my favorite home trends is families using their space to suit current needs and desires instead of being hemmed in by traditional floor plans or how a room had always been used. Last week we saw Lindsey turn her family’s formal dining room into a family study and today’s example is a huge family room re-imagined as a dream playroom for two young kids. It’s quite the transformation and is just what this family wanted.

After 10 years of living with a crumbling kitchen, Judy finally decided enough was enough. Inspired by a certain robin’s egg blue box, she worked with her limited budget to get a Tiffany’s inspired kitchen without the Tiffany’s inspired price. Judy saved some cash by reusing the appliances and flooring and hiring locally in her neighborhood of Queens, NYC. She splurged on marble countertops but still managed to ring in the remodel at about $13,000.

This 1925 home was intended to be a boxy Spanish bungalow but due to some unfortunate 1980’s additions, the aesthetic was a little lacking and Hunter knew he could help reclaim its original pizazz. Want to see this little house now?Much better!From Hunter: I decided immediately that the home needed to be restored to its intended Spanish style. Most of the homes on the block were this style and I could tell the home was originally built that way.

Drop by IKEA’s as-is section, any thrift store, Goodwill, or yard sale, and you’ll eventually run into one of these wooden slat bed bases.

Shaun’s UK home was originally occupied by a dear old lady who was a smoker, so the room was dated and “ciggie stained.”  But he had big plans for this small room.Shaun kept his canvas — the walls and furniture — white in order to let his artwork and  personal items shine even more.

Laken is an incoming freshman at Washington University in Saint Louis and, just this Sunday, moved into her new dorm on campus. She was greeted by a very typical sight: commercial grade carpeting, conspicuous vents, and standard issue furniture. The dorms are very nice by all accounts, but it’s always a challenge to transform an impersonal space into a comfortable home for the next nine months.Laken has less than a week to get her room ready before classes begin.

We love a good, simple IKEA hack. In the hands of Sarah of Smitten Studio, this plain pine Tarva got a coat of paint and a little bling. Check out the results:Fresh white, gold legs, and brass knobs add much needed storage and a dash of style in the bedroom of Sarah’s cabin, after the removal of a bunk bed/closet system. Sarah also sawed a couple inches off of the dresser’s legs for a more contemporary proportion. Check out more photos over at Smitten Studio.

The compact shape, characteristic midcentury tapered wooden legs, and bargain price all caught Shannon’s eagle eyes at a yardsale, immediately convincing her this worn and roughened desk had yet another life to live in her living room after a serious makeover…I decided that a fun dose of bright color was just what it needed to really come to life!

Taylor and Corey desperately wanted some built-in cabinets for their living room but   space was limited, so they found a vertical solution.  Can you guess what they used? (Hint: I suspect this photo was taken just as they started their project) Perennial favorite, the IKEA Billy bookshelf strikes again!  Using two shelves (extended up to the ceiling) and custom moulding, they created lots of storage that looks and feels original.

There’s a reason we don’t feature many garage makeovers here at Apartment Therapy: no one but the very bravest souls will give us a peek at the often messy “before”!  Not James, he’s proud to share his new garage, and rightly so.  He transformed a dank garage into a bright and organized workspace.  The walls were planked with cost-effective (and aromatic) fencing cedar and the cabinets were leftovers from a previous kitchen renovation.

19-year-old college student Reeves picked up this dresser at an auction because she loved its clean lines and shape, but it needed a bit of an upgrade.  After prepping with a good sanding, she gave this beauty a new look with Sherwin Williams’ Smoky Blue paint. To prevent bleed through, she used two coats of water-based poly and, once the paint cured, lightly distressed the detailing and sealed it with wax.  The new, white hardware really pops against the updated color.

Christa couldn’t believe her luck when she found this gorgeous settee lounging around a Salt Lake City antique shop.  Despite the dowdy fabric, she knew it was the perfect candidate for a makeover.Amazing!  Inspired by the fact that the settee was a perfect example of 19th-century American Greek Revival, she chose to reupholster this beauty (which she aptly named Aphrodite) in black and white Greek key.

When it comes to camper makeovers, pop-ups don’t get a lot of love. Despite the serious lack of online inspiration, Sarah transformed her camper from totally 90s into red, white, and blue country chic, perfect for summer road trips: From Sarah: I wanted to do a total DIY to the often overlooked humble pop up camper. While searching for pop up re-dos I found literally nothing. The RVs ruled the web, so I was on my own.

Turning this barn door into a beautiful headboard was technically pretty simple. All it really required was hours and hours and days and never-ending hours of sanding.Mike Adamick, author of Dad’s Book of Awesome Projects and general dad extraordinaire, worked with his daughter Emme to turn this old barn door into a headboard for their family bed. On his blog, he walks you through the steps from start to completion with a healthy dose of hilarity along the way.

Imagine your job takes you out of town for a couple of months. When it’s finally time to come home, you think about how you can’t wait to kick back in your own  bedroom with your own stuff. But here’s something you didn’t expect: Your roommates decided to give your tidy space a major makeover. And it’s not exactly your style …That’s what happened to Reddit user Twoverend.

Here’s kind of a cool thing. This steel-framed chair had seen better days. Enter Janusz, who has an abiding love for the world’s most humble material — cardboard — and for bringing old furniture back to life. Click here to see what he did next. While the text isn’t in English, there are enough photos so you get the idea how it was made here and here. It almost look like inlay, doesn’t it?Thanks for sharing, Janusz!

Lindsay fell in love with the shape of this vintage record player console from Craigslist, but when she picked it up, it was beyond dirty. A lot of elbow grease and a little paint later, check out the results:From Lindsay: I have a thing for vintage record player cabinets. I found this Mid-Century style record console that had been gutted on Craigslist, and picked it up immediately. It is solid wood, and was in fairly good condition. Except it was FILTHY.

Josh found this dresser, solid and in good condition, but not quite his style, at a Dallas thrift shop. With a few basic updates, he turned lots of laminate into a mid-century style showpiece:From Josh: I found this dresser for $60 at a local thrift shop here in Dallas, Texas. It’s made entirely of laminate particle board, barely used, and very solid. I knew it had great lines and good bones, but lacked any personality.

Where I used to avoid working in my cluttered office since I could just carry my laptop elsewhere in the house, I now ONLY want to work in here.  The mood it creates is nothing short of inspiring. I used the rich wood tones and bold colors that I love, and I added in pops of color in unexpected places.

It doesn’t always take expensive and dramatic changes to refresh a room. Follow me after the jump to see how Andi used small details to pack a new punch in her attic guest room.Just by adding adding a bold blue and a few new accessories, Andi took this guest room from minimal and plain to cheery Mediterranean cottage. She painted in headboards, added a table, lamp, pillows, and a window treatment, and called it a day.

From what I’ve seen at garage and yard sales, bookshelf speakers are amongst the most common audio gear components readily available for DIY projects on the cheap. And how many of us have old audio speakers gathering dust in a closet or in the garage?

This is what Will had to say about the project: The personal drive to restore the tricycle stems from a general interest I have in refurbishing old, half rusted and seized treasures from the past. This is particularly true when it comes to bicycles (or here a tricycle). As it is, I’m looking at two half assembled bikes both wearing the Wilmas brand and almost ready for their maiden voyage.

Sarah took her chances on a very typical dresser at Goodwill — you know, the ones that are a dime a dozen and often get passed up by everyone. Follow me after the jump to see the incredible transformation that turned this sad little piece into a unique gem… She first sanded down all the old paint (always test for lead first) and then stained it with a lovely Mahogany Gloss Stain.

Not in love with a dated, brown dresser? Why not make it more brown? That’s the tack Ama Ryllis took to liven up this piece for her daughter’s bedroom. Ama Ryllis picked up this piece for $50 at a garage sale and gave it two coats of paint (and one of primer). She kept the original handles, but spiced them up with neon pink spray paint. These few small changes really make it fresh and chic, don’t you agree?You can see a few more photos on Ohoh Blog.Thanks Ama Ryllis!

Everybody has at least one piece of old furniture in their attic, but how often do you actually do something with it? Lacker was rooting around in his and found this vintage chair from the 1970s. It was in decent shape, with a metal base and plywood seat. See how he gave it a second life, after the jump.Lacker says: I was on vacation and looking for something to do. When I saw this chair, I immediately thought of creating a new seat and chair back with pieces of veneer.

Project by: Kevin Young of PMK+designersLocation: Kaohsiung, Taiwan   The Story behind my renovation project began sitting in the living room at our previous owned home, with only 66 sq meter of interior space (711 Sq feet), 2 bedroom, one study, living, kitchen and 1 bathroom. We would come home from work each day to find ourselves sit in front of the TV with no room to move and breath.

Nothing adds character to a space like art. But if you’re on a tight budget, your options might be a little limited. You could make like a college student and thumbtack a poster of The Starry Night to your wall — or you could make like a savvy DIYer and take some thrift store art to the next level. Related Video: The Secret To Buying Thrift Store Art Here are six ideas for updating thrift store art.

When Stephanie Gerber of Henry Happened was planning a nursery redesign to make room for baby number three, she wanted to make use of a dresser that had formerly belonged to her husband as a child. The problem was that it had definitely seen better days. That’s when designer Melissa Ballard stepped in with a little bit of elbow grease and a gold paint pen to create something truly special… Melissa refinished the dresser and used a gold paint pen to create the herringbone pattern.

To my mind there are two basic types of ‘Before and Afters’: the jaw droppers that leave you amazed at the utter transformation of a thing or place and the less dramatic, but no less inspiring ones that show a vast improvement to something with minimal expense of time and money. The latter is the case with this dated dresser repainted in springy colors as an appealing addition to Lynne and Darren’s guest bedroom where they host their 2-year-old grandson, Nicholas.

Recently I helped a lovely couple redesign their bedroom. They already loved the wall color and the abundance of natural light, but the placement of the windows left something to be desired.  They also wanted to upgrade from a queen size bed to a king, while enhancing the airy feel that they liked best about their bedroom.

Katherine Hammond, an interior designer, had a very specific vision for the desk she wanted in the behind-the-bed nook in her Brooklyn Brownstone. For her project, she turned to Nick Dillon of Nick Knacks Creative Interiors, a New York-area contractor who was able to build the desk exactly as she envisioned it.  The finished product is a desk that spans the entire length of the wall.

Karyn, an interior designer, found the perfect island bungalow in Coronado, California. Of course, it needed a little sprucing up before it would be the entertaining and living space she dreamed of. Check out how she transformed this studio into a chic, multipurpose space: How gorgeous is this? We love the navy and white against the dark bamboo floors. From Karyn: I had just moved to the island of Coronado and had the perfect bungalow apartment in mind.

This bar cart was far from perfect, but it sported some nice mid century stylings. Sarah picked it up at a thrift shop and set out to banish the bad stain and bring back its former glory.From Sarah: I have been seeing the most adorable bar carts lately, and after spotting this one at a local thrift store, I knew there was plenty of work to be done.

The closet in my guest bedroom never hosted much clothing, and I decided it’d be a perfect tucked away spot for sewing and crafting.My workspace in my last apartment was a craft cabinet, so a closet was a step up. I painted the bottom portion of the wall with leftover paint and built a desk with wood and metal braces from Home Depot. I hung acrylic shelves on the left wall and added a custom corkboard, task lamp, filing cabinet, and calendar.

You might walk by this unassuming stool at a thrift shop, but Charlotte saw potential. See how she gave this flea market find a fresh facelift. From Charlotte: Back when birds were chirping and grass wasn’t buried by 24″ of snow, I grabbed this wheelie stool at the Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market in New Milford, CT. The seller clearly thought he was getting the good end of the deal charging me $10. But a simple coat of spray paint later, and it has a new lease on life.

It’s not often that we see a before that looks so much like, well, an after. Natty admits that the dresser was in great shape when she got it, but she was looking for something more modern and personalized. After all, a dark stained wood isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and sometimes even beautiful pieces can stand to be a new kind of beautiful.

Samna flew out to New York from her home in Seattle to help her sister set up her studio apartment. With only five days and $500, here’s how she transformed the rental into a chic hangout.From Samna: Here’s what I had to work with: My sister’s apartment in a post-war building, 248 square feet of bedroom/living area and kitchen, $500 budget and five days to get it all done. This project is for all of the people who claim “I don’t have time.

For Christmas one year, the very stylish Suki gave her daughter a renovated vintage dollhouse. First off, the dollhouse itself is amazing, with what looks like real plaster walls and a brick chimney. Suki tore out some of the old materials, repainted, wallpapered and re-filled the house with tiny furniture and fixtures.The after is so charming, colorful and full of fun details. I would move in tomorrow if I could.  So amazing Suki!

Interior designer Lauren Liess had clients with a brand-new dining room looking for a stylish and personal upgrade. The family had a bold, cheerful style (and some budding Picassos!), so she came up with the perfect solution: a kids’ art wall!She added some new curtains, a new overhead fixture, and some sconces in the middle of the gallery wall — but the focus is the kids’ art, which adds a lot of color and fun to the room!

The great thing about Ikea’s Billy bookshelf is that it’s an inexpensive, versatile storage unit for any age — the downside is when you’d like it to be a bookshelf for kids but the height and reach is too much for little arms.Leave it to Lisa Campbell to fix that! She just turned it on its side, so that it not only holds books safely, it doubles as a bench! She added some decorative trim, secured the shelves, and sewed a cushion for the top.

Is this “before” image intriguing, or what? Yes, you can see the top of the old crusty side table, but what’s the point of showing it with all those paint sticks on top? This is truly a DIY project I would never have thought of on my own, and I love it!Truly, the folks over at Thistlewood Farms gave this little table an amazing facelift — with paint sticks. They cut them all down to uniform size, applied some stain, and laid them in a herringbone pattern, and the result?

Yeah, okay, this bedroom is fine. It’s got some beds, so it’s functional. It’s got walls, you know, because you need those. But it lacked pretty much everything else. Until now…What a transition! Out of nothing, Kelly created this super stylish playroom/studio for her to share with son Aston.

We’ve been showcasing a lot of Before and Afters here this month, and perhaps it’s inspired you to do a few of your own. You may, however, still have doubts, and may find that you ask yourself “can I really do that?” Well, here are some simple beginner DIY’s that you most definitely can do. Time to make your own Before & After.1. Paint a Globe.Take a globe you already have (preferably one of those 3D topographic ones), or acquire one.

A furniture redo doesn’t have to be drastic or especially time-consuming to make a big impact. This lovely chair had a lot of potential, but was a little drab — a few quick fixes made a huge difference!Lisa from All Things Campbell spotted this chair for $20. It had a few minor problems, but she was confident she could fix it up and make it work… and for only twenty bucks, she didn’t have a lot to lose!

From Celestyn: This is a pretty great “up-cycle” done by my super talented husband for the front office of our family business, Repla Prints. He broke down old pallets (FREE!!) and aged them by rubbing them with steel wool that had been soaking in apple cider vinegar before putting them onto the wall. He used the ugly existing desk and made an amazing privacy cover around it. The top is 2×6’s glued and clamped together and sanded for a smooth finish.

For years IKEA’s EXPEDIT has been a ubiquitous storage solution for homes everywhere. But recently the Swedish furnishing giant’s VITTSJÖ has been showing up more and more on my design radar. It doesn’t scream IKEA, and you’d never guess the system starts as low as under $50. The black metal and glass shelving system has a nice industrial quality on its own, but it seems to really shine when it’s given a bright coat of paint.

Tori was on the hunt for a new bed for her youngest daughter — her older daughter had a cool, unique bed, and she wanted to find something just as awesome for the younger one. So she found this plain headboard on Craigslist and gave it a playful new spin.A little paint, some stenciling, and some clever upholstering gave this headboard a totally new look! Now her daughter has a great colorful new bed, customized by her own mom.Thanks, Tori!

I purchased this 1960’s folding card table and chairs from an estate sale for $20. The table top and seats were covered in avocado vinyl that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since its last party, 40 years ago. The way the table is constructed, the center of the table top is level with the outer rim, therefore I couldn’t substitute tile or mosaic for the vinyl because it wouldn’t be level. The best solution I found was laminating fabric.

These Lyon steel drafting stools are straight from the architecture school where I was an undergrad over a decade ago. Rusted and layered with spray paint, they were pretty well-worn even when I was in school. Recently, when the department underwent renovations, a friend picked these up for free when they were discarded during construction. We paid him $5 each for the trouble of scavenging them and then started looking into refinishing.