Posts from Customizing

Like wide lapels on a 1970s suit, certain features and finishes clearly announce their vintage status. If you are already happy with it looks as is, grab your ruffled shirt and enjoy yourself at the prom— you are good to go. But if not, use a few quick and clever moves, and you can transform that vintage throwback into a tux worthy of the red carpet today. The same goes for old furniture and decor. Consider these tips and tricks to give your finds a fresher appeal...

Mail: the light of my life and the bane of my existence. I adore receiving homemade cards, invitations, pretty catalogues, and paychecks, but I hate the explosion of to-be-dealt-with bills and confounding paperwork. Here are 6 ways to keep your checks in check...

Mara's condo has a necessary but unsightly feature smack dab in the middle of the living room: a wall-mounted air conditioner. She desperately wanted to disguise the yellowed AC unit so it was still accessible and functional, but infinitely better looking. After giving her IKEA BILLY bookcase a discriminating look, she reckoned it was tall and wide enough to fit nicely around the eyesore. Let the hack commence!

Changing tables aren't usually very memorable which is why we like this simple idea for customizing and adding color to one. This nursery DIY is quick, non-permanent and only requires a pair of scissors and some yarn.

Bookcases are a design staple, and a part of most households at some point in time. What if there was a way to take these furniture staples and make them fresh again? Here are seven ideas to rethink this standard storage, and put them to use in new ways...

Erica's kitchen sported a pretty standard, run-of-the-mill range hood — the type we've seen a million times over in build grade homes and rentals across the country. Being a resourceful sort of person, she didn't want to spend a bunch of money for an outsourced hood cover, so she sketched out an alternative and set out to build one herself...

I'm not big on heart-shaped boxes or candy or jewelry— but towels, kitchen sponges, and cold, hard cash? Ooooh, baby...

If you missed the earlier Before & After post, here's the custom range hood cover that reader Erica fabricated for her largely DIY kitchen. She took a basic builder grade feature, and made it work for her. Check out the step-by-step process to make one yourself...

Lucia found this old wooden cabinet with sliding glass doors, and immediately saw an alternate use for it. Instead of a wall-mounted unit, she transformed it into freestanding furniture that better suits her needs, all for a minimal cost...

Nicolette found this old wood chest in a random shop, and viewed it as the perfect opportunity to test some new stencils she recently designed. Which means that wood lovers and purists, you might want to go and rearrange your sock drawer for a few minutes. I can tell you without hesitation that there is hyperventilation in your near future if you click through. You have been duly warned...