I love the look of old zinc-topped dining tables and often imagine myself hosting large dinners outdoors were I to own one, but the price tag on those antique beasts can be a bit intimidating. I’m so excited to see that Gina has taken matters into her own hands and created her very own version…
This is such a clever, chic display of old bus passes that I’m tempted to traipse over to San Francisco to amass my own collection — bravo to SF Muni for making such awesome-looking tickets and for using great color combos! There are many ways to mount these, but Megan made the smart decision to…
With the exception of chairs, side tables are probably the best piece of furniture for a Before & After newcomer. They are lightweight and easy to toss into the car or carry home; they are also small and manageable, and if you mess up one, you usually have an identical one waiting for a second…
Small tables are dangerous territory for me. As with chairs, I have a hard time letting unique and promising ones pass me by, and my apartment has a serious lack-of-space issue because of it. Alyson’s console table is a piece I’d have difficulty passing up, for example. I really love seeing the decorative wood details…
I’ve attempted to age furniture before but never achieved the results Amanda did with this table. The piece had potential, with its interesting shape, long legs and oval top, but Amanda’s restrained paint job and new knobs gave the table a new charm and elegance. Great work, Amanda! — Kate Time: Two days (spread out over…
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’m spotting more and more furniture with color-blocked or dip-dyed legs, and I for one am totally on board with this trend. It adds a modern, unexpected touch to a simple design; plus, it looks like the chair or table stepped in a puddle of paint, which is awfully charming. This simple painted desk from…
After being discovered in a garbage heap, this table received an exciting new look in the capable hands of Nicolaich, a designer based in Athens, Greece. The lovely striped pattern inspires me to be more adventurous when painting old furniture. The mix of solid stripes and natural wood; the vintage-inspired color palette; the white-dipped feet…
I love it when Before & After projects combine several old items into one shiny new design. These two pieces from Elle are both great examples of this; I’m particularly impressed with the transformation of an old fan faceplate into the base for a lovely Capiz pendant lamp. Elle’s creativity is inspiring me to go…
Expert scavenger and DIY genius Karen is back again with this simple log table design. After seeing a log table she liked in a magazine, Karen decided to take matters into her own capable hands and make a quick and easy budget-friendly version. We’ve included the instructions after the jump, but to view the full…
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:…
I love seeing before and after projects where the “after” is so well crafted, it looks like something you would find at a small boutique or design shop. This little side table from Diana is lovely, and I love all the details, particularly the Moroccan-style tile patterns, which Diana made from a zillion plastic fuse…
After reading through my submission box last night I realized today was quickly turning into an all-before-and-afters day. But you guys really sent over some amazing projects this week, so I couldn’t resist sharing some extras. This amazing table was created by designer and builder Gregory Wilcox of Corvus Design Build. Greg purchased a huge…
I have a weakness for mismatched chairs, so I’m feeling seriously envious of Jake and Jamie’s kitchen setup. We featured their amazing headboard before and after several months ago, and this stenciled kitchen table is another example of the pair’s clever and resourceful approach to decorating. Inspired by one of Barb’s “Before and After Basics”…
I’ve seen a string of DIY furniture projects lately that incorporate a mix of natural/stained wood and wood that’s been painted. I really hope this trend catches on with furniture designers so we can see more variations of this concept on the market. This salvaged desk by Renee is a particularly awesome example of this…
if you caught peaches’ diy project yesterday, you are well aware of her love of color and unusual objects (i loved the male bust vase, it was like a giant floral chia pet). this quick figurine makeover is another awesome idea; with a little glue and paint, this headless matador has been brought back to…
sometimes i think that the before & after column should instead be called “awesome scores”, because i frequently find myself insanely jealous of the furniture you readers manage to acquire. this director style rocking chair (!) is further proof of this. i love this piece. ashley was no fool about it either; i think she…
okay, i know that painting wood is a very touchy subject. forget coke vs. pepsi; wood vs. paint is the biggest showdown in consumer goods these days. (note: did i just choose an incredibly outdated pop culture controversy? i think i did. what’s a more contemporary pop culture rivalry? i need to be brought up…
i am seriously in awe of the amount of skill that went into transferring these stencils onto the surface of this desk. i have hard time keeping a stencil straight when it’s simply on a piece of paper…seriously, way to go jill! this was jill’s desk as a child. she revamped it so that her…
i have seen a few upholstery projects recently that i really love, and this one form holly in charlotte, nc is no exception. she found the grain sack at a flea market, and waited patiently for the right chair to use it on; when she saw this at a designer tag sale she knew she’d…
