Color, color — I need you in my life right now! I’m a neutrals kind of gal, and a fickle one at that, so it’s difficult for me to pull the trigger on anything large and bright because I almost immediately end up hating it. I wish I could show you pictures of my recently…
Chevron patterns have been coming back in a big way, and recently I’ve seen some interesting developments in chevrons: irregular chevrons, gradient chevrons, broken chevrons. Part of the fun of trends is watching them develop and change as people play around and experiment with different elements. The alternating chevron bands on this dresser makeover by…
I used to be sheepish about painting pieces dark colors, but after seeing how beautiful Grace’s dining chairs look in the new D*S office — elegant and dramatic in a fresh coat of midnight gray blue — I’m completely convinced that it can be done well. These two projects are further proof of the transformative…
Yellow is rarely my color of choice, but with all the cold, dark dreariness that winter unloads on my apartment, I’m really appreciating the energy of this beautiful, sunny chevron dresser. Courtney and her husband originally scored this dresser off Craigslist and painted it solid, but when they moved to California, Courtney decided to jazz…
I’m a big fan of white-and-wood combinations on furniture, especially when they strike just the right balance of warm, rich wood and crisp, clean white accents. What I love most about this simple dresser revamp from Amy is that the dresser retains its vintage charm but seems so much more sophisticated and luxurious with its…
Whenever I’m in a color rut, I can always turn to the Before & After submissions for a jolt of inspiration. It’s awesome to see the color palettes people come up with, especially when others are much more daring than I am. This cheerful credenza makeover from graphic designer and all-around maker Jessica Decker is…
Jesyka D’Itri Marés managed to pack two incredibly creative makeovers into her dining room, and although this hutch was featured on Centsational Girl earlier this year, we felt the pair of projects was too charming to resist. The untreated hutch was lovely to begin with, albeit a bit damaged, but Jesyka had a vision for…
There’s painted furniture, and then there’s painted furniture — pieces covered in handmade patterns that totally transform the original. This Ikat buffet by Kim Frazier is a great example of what handmade designs can add. I love the imperfections and the rich color palette Kim chose. Great job, Kim! — Kate Have a Before & After…
These Ikea dressers should be inducted into some kind of furniture hall of fame. I know we all have a complicated relationship with Ikea furniture, but the Malm dresser is inexpensive, attractive, easy to assemble, holds a TON of stuff and — as this makeover from Josue clearly illustrates — is essentially a blank canvas…
I love hanging cabinets and shelving units because of their dual functionality as wall art and storage. You can tell from a mere glance that this shelf has potential, and its owner Tiffin has capitalized on the modular aspect of the piece to transform it into a cheerful, graphic display unit for her milk-glass collection….
Antique sofas are beautiful, but I’ve never considered them practical, especially if they are upholstered in the light colored linens, leathers and wools that look so fantastic on sofas of this shape. Rebekah had the ingenious idea of using a white faux leather on this old piece; according to her, the fabric holds up amazingly…
Much like Grace, I’ve never met a stripe I didn’t like, and the design on this painted dresser from Carol is no exception. Upon discovering that the wood was in very poor condition, Carol decided to give the mid-century piece a neutral stripe design. I love the use of such a wide chevron shape and…
So many transformations involve bright colors or bold, outrageous patterns, so when we get a subdued makeover here and there, it can be quite refreshing. Don’t get me wrong — I love high-intensity design. But I’m finding the calm, neutral palette and subtle polka-dot pattern of Sarah’s desktop makeover very pleasing. Sarah had an old…
I know that painting an art deco armoire might upset a few die-hard wood lovers, but I hope it will relieve you all to know that according to Wendy, the owner of this piece, the wood was in such poor condition that painting it was the most reasonable option. Plus, can we just take a…
I appreciate the convenience and efficiency of simple modular furniture, but sometimes it can be hard to make them interesting. Using paint and minor decorative details, Chris has totally transformed two pieces of wood furniture that — let’s face it — were pretty boring and ordinary. You can tell Chris is a graphic designer by…
It doesn’t matter how many chair images cross my desk; I will never tire of seeing great re-upholstery jobs. For one thing, I love seeing all the different chair shapes and styles out there. Second, I just love chairs, and a picture of a beautiful chair will never cease to inspire me. Case in point:…
When I moved into my apartment, I was slightly dismayed by the condition of the doors and trim. I’ve simply chosen to ignore it since then, but this inspiring project from Juli has given me a burst of motivation. Like me, Juli has been uninspired by the look of her door ever since she moved…
Sturdiness aside, I love the look of little legs on credenzas, tables, sofas — you name it. Actually, I’ve owned a few mid-century pieces of this nature and I can attest to the fact that while they may look wobbly, little legs do their job perfectly and look cute doing it. As someone with little…
This fun little cabinet makeover is just the right-sized project for me today. I see storage pieces like this everywhere — yard sales, office supply stores and occasionally on the sidewalk. It has never occurred to me to pick one up before, but this project has inspired me to hunt for one and fix it…
Card catalogs are like fiberglass shell chairs and old educational anatomy charts: once heavily used and somewhat banal, as vintage items they are now very hot commodities, with a price tag to match. Since card catalogs are such a prized find, it follows that the re-purposing or repainting of one is controversial. Please trust that…
