Home Projects

When Alissa received this lamp as a hand-me-down from her grandparents, she loved the shape but not the dated brassy finish. Spray paint and a little imagination to the rescue!I see what Alissa means about the shape of this lamp — now that it’s painted! I admit that I was too distracted by the old brassy finish on the lamp to appreciate its finer qualities! Now that its been painted white I love it — especially that tall finial!

我很难看到古董灯和机汇ercoming the often bland and dreary shades that adorn them. Looking at a DIY like this, though, inspires me to broaden my vision!Heather Spriggs Thompson is a designer, artist and stylist with an extremely inspiring blog titled, appropriately, Heather Spriggs. One of her most recent projects was to transform the lackluster shade that came on an otherwise beautiful milk glass lamp.

Bathrooms are supposed to be a place of calm and serenity. However, it is a little hard to find peace and happiness when the bathroom has worn carpet, outdated cabinetry, and overall screams 1970s. The owners of the condo featured above are employed in the design industry and surrounded by beautiful designs everyday. They decided it was time to take the plunge and hire an interior designer to help them completely transform their bathroom.

This kitchen seems to be suffering from a bit of a brown overload. With the combination of wood cabinetry and hardwood floors, plus the black appliances and dark green paint, this kitchen is looking a little dark. Jessie agreed with that assertion and decided to lighten up the room:Isn’t it amazing what a little white paint can do? Of course, it’s a lot more than just a little white paint at work here.

Most people elect to turn off their air conditioner when they leave for long summer vacations. Besides being green, it can also help you save significantly on that month’s power bill. But we’ve got one friend who lives in Phoenix, Arizona and insists he’ll never leave the A/C off on his trips back to the east coast. Why not? It’s because of his computer.

Whether you live in the city, the country, or somewhere in between, walking into your garden to discover beloved plants disappearing is not entirely uncommon. I live in the country and my disappearing plants have something to do with small (and even large) animals but when I lived and worked in the city, things went missing for an entirely different reason.

Name: Stephanie Rearick and Jon Hain Location: Madison, Wisconsin Years lived in: 20 Stephanie and Jon had wanted to redo the kitchen in their 680-square-foot Madison home for 18 years. They knew the space was sad; as it was, there was little storage and workspace, cabinet doors didn’t close, and the room lacked any and all personality. Then they saw that, thanks to a grant, a local green-building consulting firm was offering design plans at a discount.

For the last two weeks I’ve had an uninvited guest in my Brussels sprouts. I searched the leaves and hunted for bugs, worms, moths, rats — anything! Finally I found my evidence of what was snacking on my tasty greens. Do you know what a cabbage worm is? I do now!My small pot garden sits atop my double flight of stairs on a ridiculously windy hill. So windy, in fact, it’s known to blow tomatoes and peppers right off the plant!

Sometimes I think that, with the power of paint and elbow grease, there’s never a need to buy anything new again. And seeing a before and after like this one just lends support to that theory. That something so old and battered can be freshened up to look so beautiful gives me hope that there’s plenty of life left in a lot of old things (myself included).When Terri, over at Crafty Workin Mommy, brought these two chairs home from a garage sale, her husband thought she was crazy.

image:ce823b1a6ce83a6b9c97728f3ee1e2fbe10b0550 w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" Aphids are one of the most common pest problems because they attack everything from peppers to peaches and they like both indoor and outdoor plants. Aphid damage alone does not usually kill plants, but the little insects transmit diseases like bacterial wilt and pea enation virus as they feed.

After lighting struck their Texas home, Jeanne and Richard were forced to rebuild their kitchen from the studs. Rather than constructing a carbon copy of what had been lost, they decided to start anew celebrating their love for Danish Modern design and reminiscent of their parents’ open ranch-style homes.Armed with dozens of images for inspiration (including some from AT, which they discovered through their research!

Though painted furniture isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it is makeovers like this that demonstrate why this technique is so popular. This yard sale find with fabulous curves was transformed with a little elbow grease, some leftover paint, and a mix of old and new hardware.We have written about Sarah’s magic touch wth paint before (Sarah’s Delightful Dresser Redo); now we’re starting to wonder how she has so much luck finding dressers with such appealing lines.

It’s back! I just noticed the first spots on my fading peony plants. I was hoping that with the reduction of shade trees in my garden and with the increase in airflow through extensive pruning and reorganizing that I might have nipped my annual powdery mildew problem in the bud. I guess these preventative measure just weren’t quite enough so it’s time to up the ante before things get really out of control.Powdery mildew has been a pervasive problem in my garden for years.

Was it just my grandparents, or did other people’s grandparents never throw away a single container? Their garage and basement shelves were overflowing with coffee cans, mayonnaise jars, pretzel tins and anything else that could help organize the clutter (they never threw away anything, really). Nowadays we can recycle most of these items and do so without a second thought. But some jars are cool enough to merit a completely new and artful purpose.

This is a great kitchen makeover. Using budget items from IKEA, repurposed materials and creatively placed chalkboard paint, this kitchen was completely transformed without ripping the cabinetry out. You don’t want to miss this one!We spotted this one over at Notes from the Heartland and don’t you just adore that island? A beadboard backsplash, chalkboard paint on the bulkhead and great lighting have made this space look fresh with a vintage vibe.

A couple or years ago my Mum did a fantastic modern kitchen renovation incorporating all kinds of bargain finds.

As spring drifts into summer vegetables like spinach, broccoli rabe, radishes, and peas will finish up, which means now is the ideal time to plant new vegetables in their place. This planting strategy is called succession planting and the goal is to plant food all summer long so you have a continuous harvest. I’ve listed some of my favorite crop combos after the jump, but I am also curious what you are planting in your garden right now.

Hello, beautiful, dresser! I have a similar piece on my DIY To Do for the summer, so I was super inspired by the creative addition of herringbone and the piece’s simple white finish: “The dark and light woods, leather and crisp white paint work wonderfully together, and the herringbone pattern is just amazing and apparently quite simple to make,” writes Design*Sponge. Read on for full the project’s full description and instruction.

The red and white tile, the white laminate vanity, the past-its-prime bathtub and tile… this bathroom needs an update. Enter designer Jason Wong to save the day!That after photo is totally inspiring, right? As if replacing the vanity and sink weren’t improvement enough, adding the window to that area really opens up the space (and adds some very appreciated sunlight where it’s needed most – at the mirror).

For the last several months I’ve had the image above saved on my computer. When I first came across it, I had one of those, “I want to go to there” moments and it’s been lingering around my thoughts ever since. There’s 5 main reasons why I love it so, can you guess what they are?1. The Giant Sweet Swing of Goodness: So straight up, there’s no denying it, that swing is dope.

In keeping with my current obsession for budget makeovers big and small: this reading bench was $20 and in dire need of some TLC (apparently the cats loved the cushioning as much as its new owner). So with the meager investment of $10 for for a new mattress, some sewing leftovers and one afternoon, this reading bench was given a new home.

When Tiffany found this chair she was immediately in love. What she didn’t love was the scratchy, ripped fabric covering it. As we all know, DIY upholstery projects can be daunting so Tiffany decided to leave the recovering to the professionals. To the auto body professionals, that is.Upon the recommendation from a friend, Tiffany, from the blog Living Green with Glamour, decided to take her old chair to a local auto repair shop to have it reupholstered.

So many people dream about redoing their kitchen but look at the cost of new cabinets, new counters, new appliances and put it squarely in the one day pile. Thankfully, clever makeovers like this remind us that it’s not always about getting more – sometimes it’s about doing more with what you have.By removing cupboards and doors, repainting, making her own curtains, and adding DIY pieces Rita at harbour breeze completely transformed her kitchen for under $200.

This brass chandelier may have a lot of life left in it but it’s definitely a bit dated. Of course, that’s nothing a little paint and patience won’t fix!Reviving an old, dated piece is always the greenest option versus replacing it altogether. So I’m delighted to see that Diane, over at In My Own Style, was able to modernize this dated brass chandelier.

Family: Amanda, Marcos, Gavin (10), Dylan (8), Emily (4) and Melia (1)Location: Winter Springs, Florida My husband Marcos made a back yard splash pad for our four children. It is made out of beautiful (non slippery) Travertine tiles…We wanted something that looked mature, but very child friendly, and most of all FUN! It is a safer alternative to a pool. It helps our whole family cool off in this hot Florida sun!My husband, Marcos, is an artist.

Ikea markets the Gorm shelf as lowly secondary shelving for the pantry or garage. Well, take a look at this makeover, Ikea. We think this transformed Gorm belongs in the living room, office, or even a lucky kid’s room.After!Shauntelle from A Beautiful Abode snagged a $15 Gorm off Craigslist and with some silver spray paint, wood stain, and some boards, turned it into this amazing industrial chic shelf.

阵亡将士纪念日是我们身后,正式gardening season, and we’re on the lookout for outdoor inspiration of all kinds. We’ve posted a couple of roundups of our favorite gardening blogs, but what we really want to know is… who do YOU read?To get the conversation going, here are a few blogs that we keep bookmarked for beautiful photos, great tips, and helpful how-to’s.

image:988bf7358a38fabfe96d3e1168e74a73b9f80d5a w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" With another spike in pollen this week that shows no signs of abating over the long weekend, we are again looking for some tech solutions to the Spring Problem (what we call allergy season). The last pollen count explosion sent us scrambling for an air filter for our home office and bedroom which we are happy to report has really helped our symptoms.

Flipping through the latest issue of Boston Home, I was struck by the beauty of this “invisible” tub. Made from a thick sheet of glass inserted between the two tile walls, it’s so simple, yet I’ve never seen anything quite like it.Boston-based architecture & design firm Stern McCafferty created this custom bath based on an inspiration photo from owners Amy and Ethan d’Abelmont Burnes.

When you share an office with another, whether it’s your home office or in a work office, chances are the AC is either too cold or too hot for one person. Sometimes a desk fan can offer some level of comfort for hotter temps without going to to the extreme of a cold blasting AC, especially in spring and early summer…Dyson Desk FanThe fan, called the Dyson Air Multiplier fan, does away with the blades used in common desk fans.

San Franciscans know Paxton Gate as one of the city’s best garden stores, but you may not know that they also do landscape design. Their portfolio is full of inspiring before and after photos, including gorgeous gardens that started out as leveled dirt lots, overgrown backyards, and scraggly hillsides. If you’re the owner of a weedy lot or an unkempt patio, these photos might just be the kick-start you need to plan an outdoor renovation project.

Ban those plug-in air fresheners for good.

It may seem like a no-brainer that a tub, toilet, and sink are all you really need to keep clean. Early in the last century, though, indoor plumbing and ideas about what constituted good hygiene were both under development leaving plumbing supply companies and consumers alike a little confused as to what constituted “standard” bathroom fixtures. Click through the jump to see some of the standard fixtures we’ve left by the wayside…1.

A few months back I busted out some fabric spray paint and painted a pretty chevron on my carpet. Although the looks are alright, there’s a new trend sweeping around the internet that will most likely yield better results. See that sofa up there? It’s about to get painted — with house paint.Over at Fabric Bliss a vintage sofa was purchased for the small price of $45. It had great bones but those flowers just had to go.

It takes a little imagination sometimes when you see a tired little piece like this at a garage sale or flea market. But Carrie at Fine & Handy had the vision and turned it into a sweet piece for her daughter:A little pink paint, new knobs for the sliding doors, and two adorable painted birds transform the old toy box. The end result is wonderful and makes us want to run out and scavenge for a unique piece of furniture like this one.For more on the before and after, head to Fine & Handy.

A little over a year ago I shared with you the house tour of Derek & Jennifer’s Dashing Digs. It’s an homage to mid-century furniture that they found on craigslist and got amazing deals on. Even though their apartment is fancy and quintessential city dwelling; they’re actually very budget conscious, which is why their subtle budget friendly kitchen renovation is inspiring.

Danika found herself in a spot that many renters and homeowners can relate to — her countertops were dated, and a “real” renovation wasn’t in the cards. Fortunately she has some impressive painting skills, and her kitchen has seen one good-looking makeover.While in my mind “faux” can often immediately go to “tacky,” these results prove that categorization to be unfair.

我们寻求改善健康继续在我们的纬度est Kinect installment with Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. As the name implies, this is a title that has fitness at its core and features workouts created by Men’s Health and Women’s Health publications. Will this be another hum-drum fitness title or will it deliver fun along with the cardio?As those who have been following along with this series know, I am not a fan of working out.

I’m big on repurposing, but usually the items at hand are more obvious. (An old tea pot might become a pretty place for plants or old spaghetti jars could become your new grain storage system.) This transformation, however, is a total surprise! Who knew you could turn a dresser into a desk?What was once a rather heavy and solid dresser has been “hacked” into a truly amazing desk.

BEFOREOld doors can be used for many things, but what about using them as, well, a door? That’s what Adrienne of Dream Book Design did: she found a door on the side of the road (for free!) and, after a bit of sprucing, made it work to fit in her existing laundry room door frame. See the ‘After’ and how she did it below: AFTERAdrienne explains that the door they replaced was a generic particle board Home Depot door that lacked character.

Turning on the faucet or hose may be the easiest method for watering indoor and outdoor plants, but there are plenty of ways in which household water can go directly into the garden and not down the drain, saving both money and resources.Not only does it save money and resources, but recycled household water can also be more beneficial than water straight from the tap! Here are five ways to make your water do double-duty:1.

Hypertufa pots — lightweight, homemade, customizable alternatives to cement or terracotta planters — have long been on my extensive list of “projects to tackle once I have space to make a big mess, and a garden hose to clean up said mess”. Someday! Until then, perhaps you’d like to take a run at it, and tell us how it goes…I learned about hypertufa pots in the March 2010 Martha Stewart Living, and I’m so excited by the possibilities.

With the weather in LA going from hot to cool and drizzly, it’s a great time to start a garden, or revamp the one you’ve been neglecting, so, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite nurseries in LA. Some have a huge selection, some have guidance, some are totally inspiring, but all will help you get your garden into gear.• 1.

One look at this kitchen sends me back to the early 1980s, when I was a wee lad ambling about the kitchen in my parent’s Indiana home. This kitchen reminds me a lot of my childhood kitchen, complete with dark wood paneling and yellow appliances. A lot has changed since the 80s… and now it’s time for this kitchen to get with the times, too.Looking at the before photo, it would be easy to think that this kitchen was beyond help.

image:21b471511fb5b183822c55c0296c8f78213faebe w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" Succulents are all the rage these days, which means they’re popping up everywhere. In funky containers, concrete planters, wreaths, even bridal bouquets. But as cool as they are — they often come with a hefty price tag — which is why I decided to make my own.

We New Yorkers feel lucky when we’ve got a sliver of balcony space, and we want to make the most of it — even if the area is only wide enough to accommodate a couple of window boxes. Here are 10 modern planters that attach to a balcony wall or fit over balustrades and railings. The Steckling Cube by Rephorm is a basic modern container designed to fit over a balustrade with a maximum diameter of 60 mm. Sold through European retailer Connox, it’s €39.

There is something so satisfying about growing and eating your own food. If you think you don’t have the space, think again! This vertical salad garden by Anne Phillips at Go Green Gardeners is less than a meter wide and 1.5 meters tall. Here’s what’s involved:The edible wall of lettuces, arugula, Swiss chard, mustard, strawberries and herbs uses a French riddling rack to hold seeds instead of wine. Genius!

When Casey bought a condo in the Minneapolis loft building where he had been renting, he transferred his luxurious style to his new home. Luckily for us, he had the foresight to snap some before pics so we could witness the transformation …Casey’s Loft Life house tour was a highlight of my summer house tours last year. When I heard from Casey that he was moving to a new, larger unit in the same building, I was anxious to see how he would transfer his style to his new home.

Medical supply sources have long been a well-kept secret source for affordable shower curtain tracks. We spotted this tasteful example of the idea put into practice at a home designed by architect Risa Boyer Leritz.The custom-made curved track and curtain rang in at less than $200 from the Los Angeles-based Salsbury Industries, which ships throughout the US.

It’s suddenly hot outside. Which has me trying to figure out how to DIY a little shade for the patio and love the idea of a shade sail. I’ve been looking around for inspiration and love the ones pictured here:Sails like those from Coolaroo can be purchased for as little as $90. Find DIY installation tips and custom shades at Custom Shade Sails. And see a wonderful DIY from start to finish by this flickr member.Do any readers out there have a shade sail in their outdoor space?

当看着他之前和之后的许多文章re at Apartment Therapy, it’s easy to think that everyone makes these amazing transformations over a long weekend. Truth be told, most of the projects we see take much longer. This dining room makeover, for instance, took four years of collecting appropriate pieces to go from bland to grand.Elisabeth over at bova goods developed this new look for her dining room over a span of four years.

Q: I have a few raised bed veggie garden beds. I was wondering if you had any ideas for diy trellises for tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, and small melons. I want to conserve space and grow up instead of out. ~Amanda LeuthyThe best way to squeeze more food into limited space is to utilize the vertical space in your garden. Peas, pole beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, summer and winter squash, and melons, all grow exceptionally well up trellises.

Oh IKEA, where would our homes be without you? You offer us one product and the world turns it into 100 new designs and custom pieces for their home. This room is no different and this window area is about to go from drab to chalkboard fabulous!They’ve been busy getting organized at Repurposed Playground and although this transformation is similar to ones we’ve seen in the past, there are a few ideas to glean from this set-up that are perfect for any home.

我们已经看到油漆她的权利转换e at Apartment Therapy many, many times. And yet I am still awed when I see that, with a little paint on the cabinetry, an entire kitchen can be transformed …Kimberly, over at Restoration House, has slowly been rehabbing her kitchen over the past five years. She had already added a backsplash, switched out the countertop, and traded out the old appliances for new stainless steel units.

Those of us living in condos and apartments know all too well the sacrifices we have to make in enjoying our movies and music at appropriate volumes. What’s best for an immersed experience likely doesn’t bode well for neighbor relations.

So many of us have builder basic kitchens that have great bones but scream out for attention to make them more original. This makeover takes boring cabinets and personalizes them with paint. The kitchen is completely transformed with this one simple change.This kitchen required a lot of painting.

This month on Apartment Therapy we’re looking at some of the biggest projects we take on when designing our homes, kitchen and bath renovations. Deciding on all the new features can be daunting, but sometimes the choice of a single element literally makes the project click, instantly transforming the space and practically guaranteeing the success of the makeover. That was the case with Rebecca’s kitchen…After!… when she decided to install a “thin brick” wall.

There are so many bathrooms out there with colored tile that are aching for a makeover like this one. By choosing a contemporary paper pattern that complements the tile these homeowners were able to completely transform this space by only changing the walls, leaving the rest of the space untouched.I love the way that by simply adding wallpaper the tile goes from dated to intentional looking. As the homeowner describes: I love how it turned out.

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to starting thinking about picnics and outdoor cookouts! While there is no shortage of ideas and recipes when it comes to organic and sustainable ingredients, finding the best product to put that food on can be a bit trickier. For small crowds or backyard events, the greenest option might just be to use the dishes you have on hand, but there are certainly those occasions that call for something lighter and more portable.

Vegetable and herb seedlings are often sold in a clump in a small container. One of the biggest mistakes beginning gardeners make is planting the whole clump instead of separating out the individual plants. The crowded seedlings end up growing into a hopeless jumble because they have to compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight. Teasing the plants apart before planting helps get them off to a healthy start.

One of the things we love to talk about most is the act of bringing the outdoors in. It’s amazing how much warmth a simple plant can bring to a space — wait, what’s that? You don’t have a green thumb? Well it’s a good thing you don’t need one to be a terrarium owner then! Here’s 25 ways to try out your gardening skills with the least amount of maintenance and lots of tips and inspiration along the way.The idea of terrariums is simple.

With a little convincing, a close friend recently converted her tiny front room into a fabulous walk-in closet. Because of all the natural light it was also an ideal spot for a small vanity, but finding one the right size was nearly impossible. As luck would have it, an old side table and a little problem solving went a long way. See the perfectly pretty transformation here!The table was selected because of its diminutive scale, which was absolutely necessary in such a tight space.

As someone who has a tough time keeping indoor plants alive, I knew I would never use my antique plant stand for its intended purpose. Instead, it is used to hold an iron kettle (Image 10). Occasionally I shove some cut flowers in the kettle but that’s about as green as my plant stand gets. It seems I am not the only one who has found alternative uses for plant stands.

This small wall isn’t an eyesore, but it’s just kind of “there”. It’s between the bedrooms of Kimba’s sons and she decided to make it not just a place to display their art, but a space for creating art too. Check it out:It’s nothing terribly tricky or time-consuming, but what an impact!Kimba painted thrifted and craft store frames to provide visual cohesion and filled them with her boys’ artwork.

If you’re lucky enough to have a little outdoor space to compost then you might consider taking a look at this handmade 3-compartment bin. It was created by Michael Wood and Robyn Oxley and there are a few things that make this bin extra special. Take a look!The entire unit is 3’x9′ and has removeable slats up front for easy access to compost rotation and removal. Michael (who is better known as Tiny Meat) and Robyn obtained plans for this bad boy from Seattle Tilth.

This project requires slightly more DIY skills than I have (I’m a fan of the ‘near enough is good enough’ approach to measuring), but it shows what’s achievable with some know-how and a lot of creative thinking.The rocker is the work of Måns Salomonsen who took a one week challenge to give an old piece of furniture a new designer life.

This poor mirror. Naked as the day it rolled off the assembly line, with its exposed edges, cracked with age, right out there in plain daylight for all the world to see! Something must be done about this!Faced with naked, builder-grade mirrors in her bathroom, Amanda over at The Ivy Cottage Blog, did what any adventurous DIYer would do — she made frames for them!

When I bought these mismatched flower pots at the end of the season last year, they were so hugely discounted that I purchased them without a plan for their use. After a long winter to ponder it, I finally pulled the pots out of storage, gave them a little makeover, and put them to use.It’s not that these pots were ugly to begin with, they just didn’t match anything in my house. Spray paint to the rescue!

When I moved into my brother, Matt’s newly purchased bungalow, I brought with me an heirloom farmhouse-style dining room table which just barely squeezed into the 9’x9′ dining space. Since the space exists in the corner of an open kitchen and living area, it was doable, but the traffic space was limited and storage non existent.

My Mum has owned her mismatched set of reproduction Georgian dining chairs for just about 35 years. Over that time the seats have been recovered in all manner of fabrics, but until recently they retained a rather traditional air. A little white paint and a bright, bold fabric turn these chairs from formal to funky!First off, you probably noticed the after shot does not feature the exact same chair, but as mentioned, the dining set in question contain chairs of the same era with slight variation.

When Theresa and her family first bought their home it had been unused for a long time. But with the sweat off their brows, some thoughtful budget spends, and some clever DIYs they are turning their unused house into a gorgeous home. Here’s a peek at how they handled the kitchen.

You’ve probably seen a lot of before and afters by now where you can sort of predict what the after might look like. A coat of paint or some new knobs might be what you’re expecting for this dresser.It’s a squid! You weren’t expecting that, were you? Well, maybe the title gave it away a little.