If I owned a place of my own and had any funds with which to renovate, I would sink every penny into the bathroom. Bright, airy, lovely, soothing bathrooms are just about the best things ever. A bathroom doesn’t have to be huge to be enjoyable; take this gorgeous bathroom makeover from Emily as the…
You may remember how impressed I was with Calli’s ability to paint the gorgeously precise design on this dresser makeover about a month ago. Well, she’s done it again — this Navajo art-inspired dresser is an equally cool display of how a simple (ha!) painted design can completely transform the look and feel of a…
One benefit of my bizarre apartment set-up is that I have endless closet space — I know, I’m sorry to rub it in. Trust me, it’s not as amazing as you’d think. I know that’s not the case for everyone, which is why I think those of you without closets should look to this bedroom…
Welcome to Thursday! Today on Before & After Basics we’ll tackle the process of refreshing tired wood with oil. While this is not a process I do on a weekly basis in the studio, it is great knowledge to have for the antique gems in my home. “What?” you ask, “not everything in your house…
When I first laid eyes on this project, I went absolutely cuckoo bananas. What I wouldn’t give for a blank room in my home to install a salvaged wood wall! This lovely version was made by Austin, a photographer living in Nashville, which explains the lovely, well-composed “after” shot. Austin saw a similar installation in…
It’s not easy to turn large, drafty warehouse spaces into bright, inviting and cozy studios. But when it happens, I immediately want to move in and live there forever. Sarah and her studio mates decided to use the space as the headquarters for two businesses: interior design studio Johnson/Soler and web-based interiors business Pushpin Revolution….
We see a lot of lovely lamp makeovers, but it’s not every day that someone tackles the lampshade. An ugly base can be fixed with a simple paint job, but recovering a shade is a different beast. It’s a shame that this beautiful lamp from Kristen isn’t going to be mass marketed; I would snatch…
There are numerous downsides to renting, but complying with renovation restrictions is the worst. My kitchen floor is so hideous, it makes me want to scream. If I could have any floor I wanted, I’d be seriously tempted to recreate this amazing paint job by Camila. I love that painted wood floors are making a…
I want to start this post by clarifying that I am not partial to project images with pets in them. Unless it’s a corgi (cardigans only, please), in which case I’m powerless to resist. As far as Jessica’s upholstered chair is concerned, I just dig it — cat or no cat. Wait, why isn’t that…
I really like it when graphic designers take on furniture renovations; they always find a way to add a beautiful graphic twist to the project. This cabinet from David is a perfect example. David loves typography and letter forms, so when it came to fixing up this cabinet abandoned by his home’s previous owner, he…
I hope the powers-that-be won’t exile me for saying this, but the American flag just doesn’t measure up to the visual prowess of the British flag. Plus, the British flag has a better nickname. Maybe we should put this to a vote — who would you rather hang out with, Union Jack or Old Glory?…
I’ve already confessed to loving “Frankenfurniture.” Weird, black sheep furniture. Freaks and Geeks furniture. Needless to say, this (lamp? shelf? curio cabinet?) object from Catherine is near and dear to my heart. Not only is it multipurpose, it looks multipurpose and I love that. She simply sanded the little thing and attached a corded bulb…
What I love about older homes and apartments is that you never know what historical curiosities you may uncover hiding inside. Our 1920′s duplex apartment has some provided some fascinating (a small telephone nook in the wall) and disgusting (a rat in the stove) findings over the past few years. Apart from evicting the rat,…
The best part of a before and after project is the big reveal — the more dramatic the transformation, the more satisfying that first peek at the “after” image. This bedroom makeover from Jennifer provides one of the most satisfying reveals I’ve had yet! Amazingly, the color palette in these two rooms is essentially the…
I know that once an idea enters your mind, it’s impossible to get rid of it. After all, I’ve seen Inception . . . twice. So be prepared for a pretty awesome idea to enter your consciousness: chevron chalkboard backsplash. Justine has planted the seed of DIY genius and it’s going to haunt you, trust…
The controversy over finding out the sex of your baby before it’s born is such a toughie; I can totally relate to both sides. True, knowing the baby’s sex would greatly help you plan for the event and with all the unknown challenges coming your way, why add an extra curveball? On the other hand,…
Some people can juggle multiple projects at once and execute them all fabulously. I admire this skill and am insanely jealous of such people. I can’t seem to handle more than one venture at a time without becoming utterly overwhelmed and morphing into a tornado of unpleasantness and anxiety that my boyfriend lovingly nicknamed “Stressball.”…
Hello Friends! It’s before and after basics time and wallpaper is the subject of choice today! Wallpaper is a huge part of what I do and I am very passionate about its application and transformation powers. The most important thing to remember as we start this process is to make sure you have your patience…
today’s final before & after comes from barb mcmahon of happy simple and stratford daily photo. when barb and her husband moved into their current apartment they found some seriously nasty built-in cupboards in what would become their dining room. the cupboards were blocking too much light in the room, so barb and her husband…
some cynics may argue that, like mounted antlers or felt pebbles, chalkboard paint is overexposed in home decor right now. however, i would argue that its beauty completely negates the issue. have i seen a bad example of chalkboard paint? no, i have not. it always looks dramatic and lovely. i appreciate sarah’s clever use…
