I recently bought a tripod lamp to brighten up a dark corner of my apartment. I got it on Amazon and of course, everything about this lamp needed to be assembled, including the shade. After putting everything together, I like the lamp overall, though the lamp shade...
I recently gave my home office a pretty big makeover, which included changing the layout so that my desk would face the window. By attaching a two legged desk to the bookcases, it gave me a decent amount of desk space while at the same time leaving enough room to walk...
My apartment has a tiny entryway - it’s only 3ft x 3ft and there’s barely enough room for the door to open! Even though I installed a mirror to make the space look and feel bigger and bring in some light, the space still felt pretty dark, especially in the evening...
One of my most pinned projects is the tension rod trick I used in my kitchen to hang things above the sink - it’s a great way to keep things off the counter. Another thing I did that totally upgraded my kitchen is to add under-cabinet lighting - it’s so much...
Thank you to Parmida LED for sponsoring this video! Here's the link to the ultra-thin under-cabinet lights I used in the kitchen mini-makeover, my entryway and my home office update: https://bit.ly/eysundercabinetlights
Thank you to the folks at Signify for introducing me to the amazing Philips Hue smart LED light bulbs with Bluetooth - such an easy way to customize your home lighting. As a renter, these lightbulbs are the perfect solution to upgrade the way I control the lights in...
Eight years ago, I created Engineer Your Space and launched my YouTube Channel and blog with 4 videos. One of those videos was titled: “how to make a DIY drum shade” - I wasn't sure when I published it if anyone would watch a 15 minute video about making a drum shade,...
Damaged walls and a worn out stained carpet were just some of the challenges in this makeover but with lots of creative and inexpensive projects that are also easily reversible, is was transformed from a dark and neglected basement into a bright and inspiring creative...
When I was working on giving a friend's small bathroom a facelift, I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated lighting fixture that also happened to be off-center over the vanity. Since replacing it wasn't in the budget, I opted for camouflaging...
I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated bathroom lighting fixture in a bathroom without replacing it. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the fixture wasn’t centered over the vanity. My solution was to make a cover to hide the existing fixture -...
My home office is very small and also happens to be in a rather dark corner of my apartment, so having proper lighting was very important. I considered a desk lamp but given how small my desk is, I decided to go with a pendant lamp instead. Since I didn't any more...
When moving into a new home, lighting is one of the key elements to making the space feel warm and inviting. Yet very often, the lighting that exists is less than ideal, something that is especially true of rental apartments. You name it, I've seen it, from not enough...
I have a very small living room which means I don't have any room for end tables, so no room for table lamps and no room for floor lamps. So to add more lighting, I came up with this design for wall sconces that incorporate a shelf that can double as small end tables....
Looking for ways to remodel your bathroom on a budget? You can easily upgrade your bathroom lighting fixtures by swapping out the shades and incandescent ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs which will save you money on your electrical bills. You can buy ready made shades but...
See how to make a pendant lamp with a lamp shade in just a few minutes and how to make a simple DIY frame with a cork board prefect for a home office.
I'm very lucky to have three closets in my current apartment so I was able to dedicate one entirely to all my tools and materials. This was most definitely a wonderful upgrade from the closet situation in my tiny NYC studio! But the one thing that was missing in the...
I'm always on the lookout for new products that might help me with my DIY projects and also work for rental apartments. So when I had the opportunity to attend the International Builders Show (IBS) in Las Vegas this week, I thought why not? The show is mainly for...
https://www.youtube.com/embed/PLZB8IgSBUw Lighting is a very important element in setting the right mood in any home yet it’s often challenging to design lighting on a budget, especially in rental apartments where you often have limited options. In this episode,...
Plain white walls, or even worse, ugly walls, are often something renters have to deal with. In this episode, you’ll see how to build decorative floating wall panels using inexpensive materials from the hardware store. They can be customized to fit any style or look...
Want to add some ambiance on your balcony with lights but don't have an electrical outlet? Let the sun provide the power you need! There are many solar powered LED lights out there that work really well - I found mine at Walmart (20 LED lights for about $15) but you...
Have you switched over to LED light bulbs yet? I found this great article outlining the planned phase-out of incandescent light bulbs, including a very good comparison of the more energy efficient options like LED bulbs. I’ve personally tried the Phillips AmbientLED...
Not sure how or what kind of lights to add to a room in your rental? Consider making your own pendant lamps from recycled materials from your closet and kitchen. This is a do-it-yourself lighting project on a budget that's perfect for renters and anyone needing to add...
Wish your lamp had a dimmer? All you need is a dimmer switch - no need to touch electrical wiring. You plug the lamp into the switch, plug the switch into an outlet and you’re done! Dimmer switches are available in models for both incandescent and LED light bulbs and...
If you have recessed can lights for regular incandescent bulbs, you can easily convert them into an outlet with an adapter (less than $2) and plug in a pendant lamp. Just make sure the pendant lamp doesn't hang directly from the outlet. It’s a great budget-friendly...
Wish you had a wall switch to control a lamp? Try a wireless remote control system: plug the receiver into the outlet, plug the lamp into the receiver, and that’s it – you’re ready to turn the light on/off with the wall mounted battery operated switch. With no...
Wish you had more electrical outlets near your desk? Try these lampholder/electrical outlet adapters that go into lamp sockets. They’re perfect for plugging in extra things like your glue gun. If you want the outlets to work with the lamp off, get the kind with a pull...
Do you like everything about your apartment, except for that unsightly ceiling light fixture? No need to replace it, just cover it up with a DIY drum shade - it will instantly give your room a more sophisticated and personalized look. See how easy it is to make a...
Looking for a fun DIY project to start building your skills? Try out making this DIY picnic table for squirrels. You can enjoy the building and learning process while not stressing out about things being perfect - the squirrels will not mind any imperfections. Or if...
In this video, my LA rental apartment balcony is getting a partial makeover: I'm adding a tiny garden! You'll see how I clean my balcony, how I built 3 different types of planters and my successful attempt at attracting hummingbirds visitors. I hope that this makeover...
I built this outdoor chair right on the dining room table of my small apartment, using just a few hand tools - if I can do it, so can you! Here's a list of all the tools and materials I used to build this chair below: Tools: Rockler Dowel Jig Kit Drill Drill bits...
My LA balcony is getting a new look! This makeover is full of small balcony ideas you can use, especially if you live in a rental apartment and can’t make any holes in the walls. I'm in love with the artificial boxwood greenery - it totally transformed the look of my...
While working on my friend Lisa’s balcony, I was looking for a seating option that would maximize seating on her small and narrow balcony (it’s only 4.5 ft wide) and give her a place to lounge with her dog Leo. After looking at a few options, I decided to build a...
This makeover is full of small balcony ideas you can use, especially if you live in a rental apartment and can’t make any holes in the walls or if you’re on a budget! My friend Lisa asked for my help to transform her less than fabulous small rental balcony into a cozy...
I’m always on the lookout for outdoor furniture that’s easy to move and that will easily adapt to new spaces, so I was really excited when Slim furniture asked me to try out their new line of flat packed outdoor furniture - I was amazed at how light it was (it’s made...
With beautiful weather year round in LA, I was determined to make the most out of my small balcony, even though I’m renting and on a small budget. In part 1 of this balcony makeover, I managed to give the balcony a whole new look with a few inexpensive DIY projects: I...
I love my balcony and have been enjoying a lot over the past year, but one thing I felt was missing is some outdoor lighting to enjoy it in the evening. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to try out Lightify smart LED outdoor lights - they are really easy...
How time flies! It's already been a year since I transformed my balcony from a sad worn out unused outdoor space into a beautiful cozy outdoor room. It was a lot of work but it was well worth it: not only has it given me more usable square footage, it's also provided...
I'm very lucky to have a balcony and since I live in sunny California, I definitely wanted to make my balcony feel like an extension of my indoor space where I could eat and lounge to take in the sun. The challenge was to fit all of that into a 3.5 ft wide x 10 ft...
In part 1 of this balcony makeover, I covered up the tired looking walls of my 10 ft x 3.5 ft balcony in a way that made it possible to use the top for plants and accessories. I also built DIY lattice panels to add shade and much needed privacy, installing them...
With beautiful weather year round in LA, I was determined to make the most out of my small balcony, even though I’m renting and on a small budget. In part 1 of this balcony makeover, I managed to give the balcony a whole new look with a few inexpensive DIY projects: I...
With summer underway, I set out to transform my small 5 ft x 9 ft balcony into an intimate al fresco dining area able to seat 4 to 5 people. Having that many chairs on such a small balcony would have been cumbersome, so instead I decided to build simple wood benches...
Looking for something different than the average café table with a couple of chairs for your rental apartment balcony? Make the most of it for outside living by creating a truly cozy and private outdoor eating area with DIY wood privacy panels and DIY outdoor wood...
Want to add some ambiance on your balcony with lights but don't have an electrical outlet? Let the sun provide the power you need! There are many solar powered LED lights out there that work really well - I found mine at Walmart (20 LED lights for about $15) but you...
If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, make the most of it this summer! Even a small balcony can become a great spot to read a book, relax or take a nap. Take a look at this roundup of beautiful balconies full of inspiration to get you started on creating...
If you’re thinking of adding some plants and flowers to your outdoor space, consider using inexpensive plastic storage bins (opaque ones are best for this project) to make raised garden planters: drill holes and add rocks on the bottom for drainage and place on a base...
Want to add some comfy lounge-type seating to your balcony or outdoor space like this? Make a bench using plastic storage bins as the base. Add ½ inch water-sealed plywood on top of the bins and hide the sides with panels made from reed fencing or lattice, attached to...
In this episode, see how to decorate a small balcony to add livable square footage to your apartment by installing a reed fence, an outdoor rug and making a bench out of a few plastic storage containers and plywood. There's even room to include a balcony garden with a...
I've been thinking a lot lately about whether or not it always makes sense to DIY projects. Don't get me wrong, I love to build things but given all the time/skills, tools, materials, and supplies needed. However, I do think it's worth doing the exercise of asking...
Do you have a small kitchen? If you do, you understand how precious counter space is, especially when it's time to do the dishes and you have to set them down to dry on the counter - it leaves very little room for anything else.This particular kitchen is only 25 ft2...
My friend's tiny rental kitchen (it’s only 5ft x 5ft!) was very drab and didn't match his style at all. So he asked me if I could give it the "engineer your space" treatment to give his rental kitchen an industrial rustic look with some organic elements. I love a...
My rental apartment has a small kitchen and though it has a lot of storage, it doesn't have a lot of it that's within easy reach (I'm short!). But it does happen to have a gap between the fridge and the cabinets so I decided to make use of that wasted space and...
Whether you rent or own your home, there isn’t always the option to rip out existing floors to replace them with something more updated. That was the case for this tiny 5ft by 5ft kitchen - it’s so small it doesn’t even have a stove or oven! It’s also a rental studio...
This is the story of an epic kitchen makeover that took months to finish. The kitchen in question is a tiny 5 ft x 5 ft room in my friend Alex’s studio apartment. Not much personality and no stove, oven or dishwasher. It’s also a rental apartment, so no painting...
Don't think that if you're a renter you're stuck with a boring tile backsplash! It's really easy to create custom tile stickers with a Cricut Maker machine that will completely change the look, and is easily removable. Things I used to make the backsplash tile...
Looking for a small kitchen storage solution for your fruits and vegetables? Try out this DIY fruit and veggie bin I created and customized with my Cricut Maker Machine. Or if you prefer reading and seeing pictures, I’ve added the entire episode transcript below...
One of my most pinned projects is the tension rod trick I used in my kitchen to hang things above the sink - it’s a great way to keep things off the counter. Another thing I did that totally upgraded my kitchen is to add under-cabinet lighting - it’s so much...
Thank you to Parmida LED for sponsoring this video! Here's the link to the ultra-thin under-cabinet lights I used in the kitchen mini-makeover, my entryway and my home office update: https://bit.ly/eysundercabinetlights
Loving to cook and having a tiny kitchen can sometimes seem like 2 things that don't go together, but there's ways to make every single cubic inch of that small kitchen work harder for you. Here's the perfect example - my friend and her boyfriend love to cook and they...
When I moved into my LA rental apartment 6 years ago, the kitchen was one of the first rooms to get the “Engineer Your Space” treatment. People often ask me what that means, to EYS and at the core, it's about taking ownership of your space, whether you actually...
Sometimes you have to get creative to add color when you're a renter. When I was working on a rental kitchen makeover for some friends, I wanted to add a colorful window treatment to coordinate with the temporary peel and stick tile backsplash. I didn't want to go...
This simple DIY kitchen storage cabinet on wheels is a great solution to add storage in what is usually wasted space. Here are the things I mention in the video: 3 tier pull out cabinet4 tier pull out cabinet5 tier pull out cabinet Here are some of the tools and...
How to organize your kitchen on a budget with quick and easy DIY ideas. Even if you’re renting, you’ll see that you’re not stuck with your less than ideal kitchen! Here are some of the things that I mention in the video: Spice storage: Magnetic spice...
While working on a rental kitchen makeover for some friends, I needed to find a kitchen cart or island to add more counter space for food preparation. I considered buying a new a new island or building one from scratch but I opted instead to reuse an old IKEA kitchen...
Think you’re stuck with your rental kitchen the way it is and that you can’t do anything to change it? This rental kitchen remodel will change your mind! I had a $500 budget to inject some fun and personality into this generic white and grey kitchen and to make...
A couple of weeks ago I helped my mom move into a new apartment. It's a wonderful apartment but a bit smaller then where she used to live, so there isn't enough space for her beloved china cabinet. It housed an exquisite collection of fine china my parents had...
I've experienced my fair share of tiny kitchens, the smallest of which, by far, was the one in my NYC studio apartment which was only 6 ft x 10 ft. Necessity being the mother of all inventions, I came up with a few ways to make that kitchen more functional, and have...
Small kitchens can be challenging when it comes to storage, but you can easily create more by adding a small extra shelf in your upper cabinets. I did this in my kitchen cabinets in just a few minutes and it made a huge difference in how much I can store in there!...
When you have a small kitchen, storage space is at a premium. While my LA apartment kitchen is a lot bigger than my NYC studio, I wanted to free up some prime top drawer space occupied by my knives. My solution was to design and make a DIY wood knife rack that's a...
Having left behind most of my furniture when I moved from NYC to LA, I was basically starting from scratch to furnish my dining room. Being on a budget, I decided to go with an inexpensive pine table (INGO - $69) and pine chairs (IVAR - $25 each) from IKEA and give...
I've always admired those colorful glass backsplashes in new kitchens. So when I moved into my new apartment, I knew I wanted to find a way to install one to add some color and personality to my very white and boring kitchen. But because I live in a rental, I had to...
My galley kitchen in my new apartment is definitely an upgrade from my NYC kitchen but I wanted to give my generic white rental kitchen an upgrade and a little bit more personality with some color. I’ve always wanted a blue kitchen so I added a touch of blue with a...
It’s been a while since you last saw me and I’ve been very busy: a cross-country from NYC to LA with a new empty apartment to furnish from scratch waiting for me at the other end. Curious to see what my new LA apartment looked like when I first got to LA? In...
I love tension rods and have used them for many things as I mentioned in this previous post. And they have saved the day again in my new rental apartment, this time as part of my kitchen makeover. By installing a tension rod above the sink, it gave me a place to hang...
When you have a small kitchen like I do, you need to use every inch of space that you have. One way to maximize the space above the stove is to add a simple DIY shelf : it's the perfect spot for extra large spice containers and cooking utensils. Everything is within...
Storing your spices on the wall is a great way of freeing up precious cabinet space in a small kitchen. You can make your own DIY wall spice rack by using a cookie sheet or pizza pan with magnetic spice containers - the colorful spices will also doubles as artwork!...
If you need more wall space to hang picture frames, think about using the sides of your fridge. All you need is some thin peel and stick flexible vinyl magnetic sheeting – you can get this at some dollar stores or online (a 24”x12” sheet is about $7). To make it work,...
Are you desperate for more counter space in the kitchen? If you don’t tend to use more than 2-3 burners on your electric stove at one time, try reconfiguring your stovetop: take out one or two of the heating elements along with the aluminum plate and use inexpensive...
If you’re short on storage space, consider using the space above your kitchen cabinets to store rarely used items. Recycling paper boxes by "prettying” them up with contact paper or fabric is an inexpensive way to do this - it will keep visual clutter to a minimum and...
Update: These tiles are unfortunately no longer sold but there is now an even better alternative that doesn't require any adhesive: looselay vinyl tiles that mimic the look of wood floors. They are just as easy to cut and you can take them with you when you move out!
If you live in a rental apartment and want to make your small galley kitchen look bigger, try adding a full-length mirror on the far wall. It's a great alternative to mirrored backsplashes for renters: not only will it give the illusion of more space, the reflected...
For most people, including myself, making yourself at home is a marathon, not a sprint. Especially if you’re on a tight budget, build a lot of DIY projects yourself and reuse/repurpose what you have. In this video, you’ll get lots of bedroom decoration ideas,...
After giving my bedroom a makeover, I got this crazy idea to make a black feature wall - problem is that I'm a renter and I'm not supposed to paint my walls, or if I do paint, then I need to put it back to white before I move out. I didn't want to have to repaint so I...
If you've been following along, you know that I've taken on my biggest DIY project to date: building a Murphy bed for a 200 ft2 studio apartment makeover. I've shared the process in several posts and also made this video of the entire build, but I thought you might...
The 200 ft2 rental studio apartment I'm working on needed a Murphy bed so I built one with an industrial inspired interior complete with lighting. I did it using basic hand tools (no table saw or track saw), and without a workshop or fancy woodworking tools. It's only...
For highlights of this project, watch the video! In case you haven’t been following along, here’s a recap of the Murphy Bed series thus far. The first post covered an overview of the project and some things to consider for choosing the type of DIY Murphy bed, which...
Did you read my first post in this "how to build a Murphy bed" series? In case you missed it, here's a recap. I’ve undertaken a new big/small project, transforming a tiny 200 ft2 rental studio apartment into a functional home that reflects the unique personality of...
If you’ve been reading my newsletter and following me on Instagram, you know that I’ve undertaken a new big/small project, transforming a tiny 200 ft2 rental studio apartment into what I call a "nimble" home: a home that reflects the unique personality of its...
Not sure why I waited so long to give my bedroom a new look - I love it so much more now! Lots of small bedroom ideas for renters in this makeover: hanging blackout curtains and sheer curtains to replace vertical blinds, DIY nightstand, DIY headboard, electrical...
I recently built a new headboard for my bedroom and needed a new bedside table to go with it. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on this so I gave myself the challenge to build something out of a pile of leftover wood I had been accumulating for a while. You can...
When I moved into my LA apartment, I had bought a bed frame that didn't have a headboard - the plan was to build one that would have legs that could simply be wedged between the bed and the wall and not require to be screwed into anything. The first version of...
If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I dislike vertical blind and how I'm always looking for ways to get rid of them or camouflage them. However when you live in a rental apartment or in a condo where you're not allowed to remove them, it can get...
Many small bedroom ideas for renters in this makeover: hanging curtains over vertical blinds, storage ideas for shoes, jewelry and more! All these ideas are quick to do and affordable and here are some of the things I used to make it happen: Hanging Jewelry...
When I moved into my LA apartment, the bedroom was quite plain and boring and lacked any character or personality. I was on a tight budget to furnish and decorate it from scratch and in this episode, I show you all the budget-friendly projects I made to transform my...
There are many DIY headboard ideas out there and I had always wanted to make my own, especially an upholstered one. I already had an existing base for the bed so I needed to make a headboard that was separate from the base. After toying around with lots of ideas, I...
Figuring out how to decorate a small bedroom was a new challenge I was happy to take on after living is a studio apartment for 3 years! On a budget, I got creative turning IKEA LACK tables into DIY nightstands and made an upholstered DIY headboard to upgrade an...
It’s been a while since you last saw me and I’ve been very busy: a cross-country from NYC to LA with a new empty apartment to furnish from scratch waiting for me at the other end. Curious to see what my new LA apartment looked like when I first got to LA? In...
Frustrated with a bedroom closet that doesn't work for you? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to live with it the way it is! In this episode, a renter’s closet gets a makeover so she can have easy access to everything and have more hanging space. Taking the sliding...
Even if you’re renting, you’ll see that you’re not stuck with your less than ideal bathroom! These ideas I'm sharing with you only take minutes to do and best of all, they are easy to take with you when you move out, so you'll get lots of mileage out of your...
When I was working on giving a friend's small bathroom a facelift, I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated lighting fixture that also happened to be off-center over the vanity. Since replacing it wasn't in the budget, I opted for camouflaging...
As I mentioned in my previous post reviewing Smart Tiles, my friend Tom asked for my help to makeover his small half-bath in his condo. He had a tiny budget of $200 to makeover his equally tiny 20 ft2 bathroom. Luckily he was happy with the neutral color palette so no...
I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated bathroom lighting fixture in a bathroom without replacing it. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the fixture wasn’t centered over the vanity. My solution was to make a cover to hide the existing fixture -...
Finding good bathroom storage solutions can be challenging for a tiny bathroom, especially when you’re on a budget. One of my favorite solutions are over the toilet storage cabinets - you can buy some already made, but I think it’s more fun to build your own and...
You’ll get lots of small bathroom decorating ideas in this video where I share how I helped a friend give his small half-bath a makeover with a budget of only $200. You’ll see how easy it is to install a Smart Tiles peel and stick backsplash, and how I managed to...
When I was approached by Smart Tiles to review and try their products, I was very excited because updating kitchens and bathrooms can be quite intimidating. Even the simplest project like adding a tile backsplash can turn into a major undertaking that can be daunting...
I did a lot of upgrades to my bathroom as I showed you in this video tour but the one thing that I hadn't touched so far is the vanity - the paint was looking very tired and chipped, plus the knobs were very dated and off center to boot! So I was thrilled when I was...
My bathroom is pretty plain with white tiles and white walls which makes it a nice neutral canvas to work with, except for this "vintage" heater that stands out like a sore thumb. With the beautiful year round weather in LA, I never use it and I wanted to find a quick...
Do you have a small bathroom and need some ideas on how to organize it and get more storage? You'll get lots of ideas from my bathroom tour, including how to fit in a kitty litter box, and how to use tension rods for earring storage and to create a spot for hanging...
Looking for ways to remodel your bathroom on a budget? You can easily upgrade your bathroom lighting fixtures by swapping out the shades and incandescent ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs which will save you money on your electrical bills. You can buy ready made shades but...
It’s been a while since you last saw me and I’ve been very busy: a cross-country from NYC to LA with a new empty apartment to furnish from scratch waiting for me at the other end. Curious to see what my new LA apartment looked like when I first got to LA? In...
Looking for a fun DIY project to start building your skills? Try out making this DIY picnic table for squirrels. You can enjoy the building and learning process while not stressing out about things being perfect - the squirrels will not mind any imperfections. Or if...
While I was redoing my tiny 5’x6’ home office set up, I wanted to incorporate a white board, but do it in a way that it could be hidden when I wasn’t working with it. So I came up with this idea to build a multipurpose wall panel that would allow me to incorporate a...
This post was sponsored by Surebonder. All opinions are my own. When I moved into my apartment almost 6 years ago, I gave my dining room a makeover complete with custom wall panels, lighting, and banquette seating. Since I was on a budget, I opted for an...
If you've been following along, you know that I've taken on my biggest DIY project to date: building a Murphy bed for a 200 ft2 studio apartment makeover. I've shared the process in several posts and also made this video of the entire build, but I thought you might...
The 200 ft2 rental studio apartment I'm working on needed a Murphy bed so I built one with an industrial inspired interior complete with lighting. I did it using basic hand tools (no table saw or track saw), and without a workshop or fancy woodworking tools. It's only...
For highlights of this project, watch the video! In case you haven’t been following along, here’s a recap of the Murphy Bed series thus far. The first post covered an overview of the project and some things to consider for choosing the type of DIY Murphy bed, which...
Did you read my first post in this "how to build a Murphy bed" series? In case you missed it, here's a recap. I’ve undertaken a new big/small project, transforming a tiny 200 ft2 rental studio apartment into a functional home that reflects the unique personality of...
If you’ve been reading my newsletter and following me on Instagram, you know that I’ve undertaken a new big/small project, transforming a tiny 200 ft2 rental studio apartment into what I call a "nimble" home: a home that reflects the unique personality of its...
I love it when people share the projects they've made that are inspired by watching my videos or reading my blog. It's truly amazing to see all that you've created and today is the first of my #engineeryourspace Inspired Spotlight. Every month, I'll feature a project...
I recently built a new headboard for my bedroom and needed a new bedside table to go with it. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on this so I gave myself the challenge to build something out of a pile of leftover wood I had been accumulating for a while. You can...
When I moved into my LA apartment, I had bought a bed frame that didn't have a headboard - the plan was to build one that would have legs that could simply be wedged between the bed and the wall and not require to be screwed into anything. The first version of...
I built this outdoor chair right on the dining room table of my small apartment, using just a few hand tools - if I can do it, so can you! Here's a list of all the tools and materials I used to build this chair below: Tools: Rockler Dowel Jig Kit Drill Drill bits...
This quirky school bus conversion out in beautiful Joshua Tree is definitely one of the most unique projects I've worked on and my DIY sofa that also doubles as a bed and room divider is definitely one of a kind as well. It was so much fun to build and even though it...
I needed a new coffee table/Ottoman for my living room after redecorating it and I saw a cute furry pouf I really liked but couldn't afford ($350!!) so my solution? An IKEA hack involving the ubiquitous LACK table which costs $8! Here are the main products I used to...
You might have asked yourself, how do you make a fake fireplace? Is it hard to do? Well, this modern DIY faux fireplace that I designed is easy to build and something you can customize to your taste with any electric fireplace insert and with any type of tile...
I've always wanted to make my own DIY Barn door hardware, and I finally figured out how! It was actually a lot easier to make than I thought and I only used off the shelf items I got on Amazon (you'll be surprised to see how I used stainless steel straws ) and at the...
I recently took on the challenge of transforming a dark and neglected basement into a creative space for me to use for a few months. I was on a very tight budget for this project but luckily there were a few things left in the basement that I could use or repurpose,...
Damaged walls and a worn out stained carpet were just some of the challenges in this makeover but with lots of creative and inexpensive projects that are also easily reversible, is was transformed from a dark and neglected basement into a bright and inspiring creative...
I'm a big advocate of making what you have work for you, especially when you can repurpose something without spending too much time or money. This bookcase is a perfect example - it's very useful to store beauty products and clothes but it's kind of plain and not very...
While working on my friend Lisa’s balcony, I was looking for a seating option that would maximize seating on her small and narrow balcony (it’s only 4.5 ft wide) and give her a place to lounge with her dog Leo. After looking at a few options, I decided to build a...
I’m always on the lookout for outdoor furniture that’s easy to move and that will easily adapt to new spaces, so I was really excited when Slim furniture asked me to try out their new line of flat packed outdoor furniture - I was amazed at how light it was (it’s made...
When renovating a kitchen or bathroom, the cost of changing out the knobs can add up very quickly. The same goes when sprucing up a dresser with new drawer pulls. So I experimented with a couple of different inexpensive ways to make my own, and turns out it's pretty...
Finding good bathroom storage solutions can be challenging for a tiny bathroom, especially when you’re on a budget. One of my favorite solutions are over the toilet storage cabinets - you can buy some already made, but I think it’s more fun to build your own and...
I did a lot of upgrades to my bathroom as I showed you in this video tour but the one thing that I hadn't touched so far is the vanity - the paint was looking very tired and chipped, plus the knobs were very dated and off center to boot! So I was thrilled when I was...
My LA apartment has a tiny entryway - it so small that there's barely enough room for the door to open all the way! Without a closet nearby, I had to get creative to find a way to hang coats and purses right by the front door but still leave room for the...
There are many DIY headboard ideas out there and I had always wanted to make my own, especially an upholstered one. I already had an existing base for the bed so I needed to make a headboard that was separate from the base. After toying around with lots of ideas, I...
When I built my banquette seating for my dining room, I made an upholstered tufted wall panel for the back. I really love this project because it could also be easily modified to make a tufted headboard by making the panel larger and adding legs and it's really...
I finally did it! I’ve been wanting to hide the ugly AC unit ever since I moved into my LA apartment but I couldn't find the right piece of furniture that would give me access to the AC unit when I need it but conceal it when I'm not using it AND also give me a...
Sometimes you can find great deals for used furniture at garage sales, on Craigslist or even at thrift stores. But they don't always work with your decor. I found an IKEA bench (STUVA) in very good shape at a the thrift store but it was very plain and needed a bit...
My home office is set up in a very dark corner of my apartment living room so to brighten it up, I went looking for a mirror to hang on the back wall to reflect some light. I didn't want to spend a lot of money and it turns out IKEA had exactly what I needed: the...
If you're looking to give a boring or worn out chair a colorful makeover, you might want to try chalk paint. I show you how to use it in my first DIY Basics video! And yes, I had to use orange for my chair makeover - it's one of my favorite colors in case you hadn't...
On one of my very frequent trips to IKEA, I found inexpensive LACK tables that were the perfect color to work as nightstands in my bedroom . The only problem was that they were too low for my bed. At $13 each, it was worth trying to find a way to make...
Living with a cat has meant that I've always had a not so attractive scratching post around my apartment. Not only are they not pretty to look at, but they take up precious floor space too. So I came up with this idea to convert the legs of my inexpensive IKEA desk...
I'm very lucky to have a balcony and since I live in sunny California, I definitely wanted to make my balcony feel like an extension of my indoor space where I could eat and lounge to take in the sun. The challenge was to fit all of that into a 3.5 ft wide x 10 ft...
In this episode, you’ll get many home office decorating ideas, like how to customize an IKEA desk to include an extra shelf to store and charge your laptop and tablet. The shelf also serves for cable management to keep the mess of wires off the floor and out of sight....
Figuring out how to decorate a small bedroom was a new challenge I was happy to take on after living is a studio apartment for 3 years! On a budget, I got creative turning IKEA LACK tables into DIY nightstands and made an upholstered DIY headboard to upgrade an...
Having left behind most of my furniture when I moved from NYC to LA, I was basically starting from scratch to furnish my dining room. Being on a budget, I decided to go with an inexpensive pine table (INGO - $69) and pine chairs (IVAR - $25 each) from IKEA and give...
Learn how to build a bench & how to make a bench cushion to create banquette seating & you will get lots of dining room décor ideas for your small dining room, including how to add personality to the inexpensive IKEA Ivar chair and INGO table.
With summer underway, I set out to transform my small 5 ft x 9 ft balcony into an intimate al fresco dining area able to seat 4 to 5 people. Having that many chairs on such a small balcony would have been cumbersome, so instead I decided to build simple wood benches...
I was looking for a simple coat rack to install on wall panels I was making for an episode and I couldn't find anything affordable that I liked in the stores. So I decided to design my own coat rack using a piece of 4" x 1" pine board (less than $1 per ft) and simple...
A quick way to revamp an old dresser is to change out the knobs for some new decorative ones. Here's an easy and budget-friendly way to make your very own DIY dresser knobs using shells - perfect if you're looking to add a little bit of the beach to your decor: What...
Pegboard is great for organizing tools - even if you live in an apartment and don't have a workshop, you can install pegboard on the side of a bookcase to transform it into a mini-workshop. It might not seem like a lot of space, but it's just enough to keep everything...
Sometimes you only have room for a tiny side table or corner table: a stool can be the perfect solution and also give you additional storage space for some small items with this easy modification. I simply added some shelves that I made from cardboard (from boxes in...
If you're looking for some inspiration for DIY furniture, take a look at Recession Design. It’s a collective of designers who come together to create unique DIY furniture designs using commonly available materials that can be easily assembled with simple tools. They...
Whiteboards are great for brainstorming and keeping track of projects, but incorporating one in a home office so that it blends in with the décor isn’t easy, especially if you work out of a small studio apartment. The solution? Camouflage it! In the first part...
When you live in a very small space, multifunctional furniture is a must. But why not take it a step further and have your artwork pull double duty too? Here’s an ingenious example I found on lifehacker.com, a large DIY picture frame that transforms into a table. I...
Want to add some comfy lounge-type seating to your balcony or outdoor space like this? Make a bench using plastic storage bins as the base. Add ½ inch water-sealed plywood on top of the bins and hide the sides with panels made from reed fencing or lattice, attached to...
Looking to freshen up your space this spring? Try moving your furniture around - you’ll be surprised at how different your space looks with your furniture, lamps and accessories in different spots. It’s a great way to give a whole new look to a room, without spending...
A great DIY inexpensive way to make any piece of furniture a breeze to move is to add wheels or casters. It makes it so much easier to vacuum and to change your furniture layout or make some room for a party. Casters with brakes will make sure your items to stay put...
Give a tired chair a fresh new look by reupholstering it with canvas drop cloths - they have a great natural texture, are really easy to work with and at about $10 for 6ft x 9ft, it’s an inexpensive way to experiment. And if you have a cat that likes to use your chair...
Instead of using paint to jazz up a plain wood filing cabinet, why not use upholstery techniques to cover it with fabric or even wallpaper. I upholstered a wood IKEA filing cabinet with faux animal skin wallpaper (feels more like fabric than wallpaper), using nothing...
Here’s an alternative to hanging a small flat screen TV on the wall or putting it on a piece of furniture: hang it on a coat rack. You can then easily adjust the angle of the TV by turning the coat rack, all without any holes in the wall or taking up floor space –...
If you have shelving units with empty sides, use cork tiles to fill them in to double as a cork board. To make the cork tiles more rigid, stick them to foam board with strong double sided tape. It’s an easy inexpensive DIY project that's great for a small space where...
Small studio apartment decorating can be challenging, especially when it comes to creating separate zones and keeping clutter at bay. You’ll see how easy it is to create an entryway using Ikea Billy bookcases and natural jute grasscloth. This bookcase room divider...
You might have asked yourself, how do you make a fake fireplace? Is it hard to do? Well, this modern DIY faux fireplace that I designed is easy to build and something you can customize to your taste with any electric fireplace insert and with any type of tile...
Looking for ways to add color or personality to your home but can’t or don’t want to paint the walls?
I needed a new coffee table/Ottoman for my living room after redecorating it and I saw a cute furry pouf I really liked but couldn’t afford ($350!!) so my solution? An IKEA hack involving the ubiquitous
In this video, I show you how to build a DIY portable free standing faux fireplace with an electrical fireplace insert. My design is makes it easy to build and to customize to your taste with any electric fireplace insert and
I have a very small living room which means I don’t have any room for end tables, so no room for table lamps and no room for floor lamps. So to add more lighting, I came up with this design for wall sconces that
One of the last rooms of my LA apartment to get completed is my living room. It was a challenge to figure out how to place the furniture just right to make the most of the tiny footprint I had to work , a mere 10 ft x 7.5 ft. The winning furniture layout...
In this episode I share how I set up my living room in only 75 square feet of space. You’ll see how I dealt with a not so pretty wall to wall carpet and how I decorated the walls, including how I added a lot of color and texture to a big wall without painting it, putting wallpaper
When you have a big blank wall to decorate but don't have a large painting or work of art to fill in the space, it can be pretty daunting, especially if you're on a budget. Putting together a gallery walls is a great way to fill in a large blank wall without having to...
My small 450 ft2 studio apartment in NYC has been a wonderful place to call home for the past 3 years – no only was it the inspiration for “Engineer Your Space”, it was also the source of many of the projects you’ve seen on the show.
Whether you own or rent, it’s not always easy to decorate a studio apartment to keep the bed out of sight. In this episode, you’ll see how to divide a studio apartment with an IKEA KVARTAL system. Panels, curtains and art hanging from the ceiling tracks give
As some of you may remember, I completely transformed my living room at the beginning of the year by building a faux fireplace, complete with a faux fireplace insert. I’ve been enjoying it every since and now I finally get to decorate it for the holidays! I love...
I've always lived in small apartments so when it comes to decorating for Christmas, I've tended to not have a traditional Christmas tree because they take up a lot of floor space. So I thought I would round up my favorite ideas I've seen on the web for...
When you don't have a lot of space, finding somewhere to put a Christmas tree can be challenging. I've tried a lot of different alternatives to the traditional Christmas tree, and for the past couple of years, I've been using an IKEA wall hanging that has a Christmas...
This is my first California Christmas and I wanted to do something a little bit different for a Christmas tree, and I found just the perfect thing at IKEA: this pine tree wall decoration called LIAMARIA: It's essentially a pine tree with snow drawn on a piece of...
I recently gave my home office a pretty big makeover, which included changing the layout so that my desk would face the window. By attaching a two legged desk to the bookcases, it gave me a decent amount of desk space while at the same time leaving enough room to walk...
While I was redoing my tiny 5’x6’ home office set up, I wanted to incorporate a white board, but do it in a way that it could be hidden when I wasn’t working with it. So I came up with this idea to build a multipurpose wall panel that would allow me to incorporate a...
You will get lots of DIY renter-friendly home office decor ideas in this video, including how to have a hidden whiteboard, and office organization ideas, especially if your office space is very small. Here are some of the items I used in this makeover (most of...
I love it when people share the projects they've made that are inspired by watching my videos or reading my blog. It's truly amazing to see all that you've created and today is the first of my #engineeryourspace Inspired Spotlight. Every month, I'll feature a project...
I've been working from home for a few years now and one of the things I love to use to brainstorm ideas is a whiteboard. When I lived in my NYC studio apartment, I used a removable Whiteboard Sticker . I liked that the sticker was flush to the wall and that I could...
See how to make a pendant lamp with a lamp shade in just a few minutes and how to make a simple DIY frame with a cork board prefect for a home office.
In this episode, you’ll get many home office decorating ideas, like how to customize an IKEA desk to include an extra shelf to store and charge your laptop and tablet. The shelf also serves for cable management to keep the mess of wires off the floor and out of sight....
Whether you rent or own your home, there isn’t always the option to rip out existing floors to replace them with something more updated. That was the case for this tiny 5ft by 5ft kitchen - it’s so small it doesn’t even have a stove or oven! It’s also a rental studio...
It can be frustrating when a product fails but it can also be an opportunity! When this curtain rod bracket failed, it inspired me to come up with a very inexpensive DIY solutions that makes it possible to replace vertical blinds with curtains, without making any...
Do you have a neglected cluttered corner of your home you've been ignoring? In this video, I finally tackle a pile of stuff that I had been hiding behind a curtain and I also upgrade the dated knobs with easy DIY Leather handles. Here are the links to the items I...
Sometimes you just need a little bit of a change - in this video, I give my dining room a mini refresh with some paint and new DIY lamp shades for my DIY wall sconces. It was just the perfect amount of "new" that I needed! Here are the links to the items I mention in...
For most people, including myself, making yourself at home is a marathon, not a sprint. Especially if you’re on a tight budget, build a lot of DIY projects yourself and reuse/repurpose what you have. In this video, you’ll get lots of bedroom decoration ideas,...
Don't think that if you're a renter you're stuck with a boring tile backsplash! It's really easy to create custom tile stickers with a Cricut Maker machine that will completely change the look, and is easily removable. Things I used to make the backsplash tile...
One of my favorite quotes about creativity is this one from Albert Einstein: For me, there’s nothing like getting a new tool to get the creative juices flowing and have some fun. You may have noticed that some of my recent projects have featured the Cricut maker...
Looking for a fun handmade Christmas present? How about creating a DIY custom slip on frame for a smart digital picture frame? It can also be easily converted into a regular DIY picture frame with a secret compartment! Check out...
Looking for a great handmade Christmas or housewarming gift idea for the plant lovers in your life? Check out this video where I show how to make two DIY plant Propagation Stations that you can make without having a big workshop or fancy woodworking tools. This will...
I recently bought a tripod lamp to brighten up a dark corner of my apartment. I got it on Amazon and of course, everything about this lamp needed to be assembled, including the shade. After putting everything together, I like the lamp overall, though the lamp shade...
Anyone else hate the look of vertical blinds? When I moved into my LA rental apartment, all the windows had vertical blinds so I had to come up with a way of dealing with them. For the window by the entryway, I removed the vertical blind slats and replaced them...
Looking for inspiration on how to decorate an entryway? I decided to give my entryway a makeover, I covered up an awkwardly placed AC unit, created storage space, vamped up my old vinyl floor, replaced vertical blinds with curtains, and more! Take a look at how I did...
You might have asked yourself, how do you make a fake fireplace? Is it hard to do? Well, this modern DIY faux fireplace that I designed is easy to build and something you can customize to your taste with any electric fireplace insert and with any type of tile...
Looking for a renter-friendly way to give your entryway a makeover? Watch how I changed my entryway floor to give it a fresh new look without taking the original old vinyl floor off and without making any permanent changes! The new floor are made with ram board and...
Being stuck at home these days has made me get creative with what I have on hand. As I was looking through all of my left over materials from previous projects to see what I could make my mom for Mother's Day, I came across 4" embroidery hoops, and test tubes....
This post was sponsored by Surebonder. All opinions are my own. When I moved into my apartment almost 6 years ago, I gave my dining room a makeover complete with custom wall panels, lighting, and banquette seating. Since I was on a budget, I opted for an...
After giving my bedroom a makeover, I got this crazy idea to make a black feature wall - problem is that I'm a renter and I'm not supposed to paint my walls, or if I do paint, then I need to put it back to white before I move out. I didn't want to have to repaint so I...
Eight years ago, I created Engineer Your Space and launched my YouTube Channel and blog with 4 videos. One of those videos was titled: “how to make a DIY drum shade” - I wasn't sure when I published it if anyone would watch a 15 minute video about making a drum shade,...
I love it when people share the projects they've made that are inspired by watching my videos or reading my blog. It's truly amazing to see all that you've created and today is the first of my #engineeryourspace Inspired Spotlight. Every month, I'll feature a project...
I recently built a new headboard for my bedroom and needed a new bedside table to go with it. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on this so I gave myself the challenge to build something out of a pile of leftover wood I had been accumulating for a while. You can...
Sometimes you have to get creative to add color when you're a renter. When I was working on a rental kitchen makeover for some friends, I wanted to add a colorful window treatment to coordinate with the temporary peel and stick tile backsplash. I didn't want to go...
Looking for ways to add color or personality to your home but can't or don’t want to paint the walls? You’ll see lots of ideas to add interior color from my Chicago, LA and NYC Studio apartments. Here are some of my favorite things I’ve used to bring in color and make...
When I was giving my balcony a makeover, I wanted to reuse what I had as much as possible. I loved the wood tile I had hung on the lattice panels when I originally decorated my balcony but with the new design, I felt it just wasn't big enough. So to make is more...
I've been working from home for a few years now and one of the things I love to use to brainstorm ideas is a whiteboard. When I lived in my NYC studio apartment, I used a removable Whiteboard Sticker . I liked that the sticker was flush to the wall and that I could...
Being a renter, I understand the challenges of making an apartment feel like home while dealing with all the restrictions and limitations many landlords impose. These are my favorite renter-friendly products that I've come to rely on over the years to make my...
I love making gifts instead of buying them and with Mother's Day right around the corner, I wanted to make something simple but special for my mom. I got the idea for this project when I spotted these plain Jane wood trays at JoANN's - they are a nice size ( 14" x 11"...
If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I dislike vertical blind and how I'm always looking for ways to get rid of them or camouflage them. However when you live in a rental apartment or in a condo where you're not allowed to remove them, it can get...
You might have asked yourself, how do you make a fake fireplace? Is it hard to do? Well, this modern DIY faux fireplace that I designed is easy to build and something you can customize to your taste with any electric fireplace insert and with any type of tile...
To save some money when I did my latest project, a very ambitious basement renovation, I made a few DIY home decor accessories, including no sew striped curtains perfect for non-sewers like me. What I used to make the curtains: IKEA curtains Burlap 14” panels 30 ft...
I've always wanted to make my own DIY Barn door hardware, and I finally figured out how! It was actually a lot easier to make than I thought and I only used off the shelf items I got on Amazon (you'll be surprised to see how I used stainless steel straws ) and at the...
I recently took on the challenge of transforming a dark and neglected basement into a creative space for me to use for a few months. I was on a very tight budget for this project but luckily there were a few things left in the basement that I could use or repurpose,...
Damaged walls and a worn out stained carpet were just some of the challenges in this makeover but with lots of creative and inexpensive projects that are also easily reversible, is was transformed from a dark and neglected basement into a bright and inspiring creative...
I'm a big advocate of making what you have work for you, especially when you can repurpose something without spending too much time or money. This bookcase is a perfect example - it's very useful to store beauty products and clothes but it's kind of plain and not very...
Even if you’re renting, you’ll see that you’re not stuck with your less than ideal bathroom! These ideas I'm sharing with you only take minutes to do and best of all, they are easy to take with you when you move out, so you'll get lots of mileage out of your...
A couple of weeks ago I helped my mom move into a new apartment. It's a wonderful apartment but a bit smaller then where she used to live, so there isn't enough space for her beloved china cabinet. It housed an exquisite collection of fine china my parents had...
When renovating a kitchen or bathroom, the cost of changing out the knobs can add up very quickly. The same goes when sprucing up a dresser with new drawer pulls. So I experimented with a couple of different inexpensive ways to make my own, and turns out it's pretty...
As I mentioned in my previous post reviewing Smart Tiles, my friend Tom asked for my help to makeover his small half-bath in his condo. He had a tiny budget of $200 to makeover his equally tiny 20 ft2 bathroom. Luckily he was happy with the neutral color palette so no...
I needed a quick inexpensive way to update a very dated bathroom lighting fixture in a bathroom without replacing it. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the fixture wasn’t centered over the vanity. My solution was to make a cover to hide the existing fixture -...
When I was approached by Smart Tiles to review and try their products, I was very excited because updating kitchens and bathrooms can be quite intimidating. Even the simplest project like adding a tile backsplash can turn into a major undertaking that can be daunting...
My home office is very small and also happens to be in a rather dark corner of my apartment, so having proper lighting was very important. I considered a desk lamp but given how small my desk is, I decided to go with a pendant lamp instead. Since I didn't any more...
After countless DIY projects, it’s finally time for the complete tour of my LA apartment! The tour starts with the tiny entryway where I added a mirror and made a coat rack. I also replaced the vertical blinds with curtains, added a window cornice, and hid the A/C...
I did a lot of DIY projects in my dining room, and recently updated it, so in this video, I give you a complete tour of my dining room showing you all the projects that I did to transform it from white and boring to a warm and inviting space to entertain friends.
I did a lot of upgrades to my bathroom as I showed you in this video tour but the one thing that I hadn't touched so far is the vanity - the paint was looking very tired and chipped, plus the knobs were very dated and off center to boot! So I was thrilled when I was...
I have a very small living room which means I don't have any room for end tables, so no room for table lamps and no room for floor lamps. So to add more lighting, I came up with this design for wall sconces that incorporate a shelf that can double as small end tables....
My bathroom is pretty plain with white tiles and white walls which makes it a nice neutral canvas to work with, except for this "vintage" heater that stands out like a sore thumb. With the beautiful year round weather in LA, I never use it and I wanted to find a quick...
One of the last rooms of my LA apartment to get completed is my living room. It was a challenge to figure out how to place the furniture just right to make the most of the tiny footprint I had to work , a mere 10 ft x 7.5 ft. The winning furniture layout...
When I moved into my LA apartment, the bedroom was quite plain and boring and lacked any character or personality. I was on a tight budget to furnish and decorate it from scratch and in this episode, I show you all the budget-friendly projects I made to transform my...
Do you have a small bathroom and need some ideas on how to organize it and get more storage? You'll get lots of ideas from my bathroom tour, including how to fit in a kitty litter box, and how to use tension rods for earring storage and to create a spot for hanging...
When I built my banquette seating for my dining room, I made an upholstered tufted wall panel for the back. I really love this project because it could also be easily modified to make a tufted headboard by making the panel larger and adding legs and it's really...
Looking for ways to remodel your bathroom on a budget? You can easily upgrade your bathroom lighting fixtures by swapping out the shades and incandescent ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs which will save you money on your electrical bills. You can buy ready made shades but...
Make this very simple double sided frame for pictures - no power tools needed and it’s easy to customize! It also makes the perfect gift for that special someone. If you prefer reading and seeing pictures, I’ve added the entire episode transcript below (with some...
For small and dark apartments, using mirrors is an easy way to give the illusion of more space and at the same time reflect more light to brighten up a space. Looking for some inspiration for my apartment, I found these amazing DIY mirror makeovers on Hometalk: I...
Many apartments have basic builder grade finishes that can be pretty plain and boring, and my apartment is no exception. I have very inexpensive hallow core doors that have zero character or architectural detail and they were screaming for some moulding detail. But...
Sometimes you can find great deals for used furniture at garage sales, on Craigslist or even at thrift stores. But they don't always work with your decor. I found an IKEA bench (STUVA) in very good shape at a the thrift store but it was very plain and needed a bit...
My home office is set up in a very dark corner of my apartment living room so to brighten it up, I went looking for a mirror to hang on the back wall to reflect some light. I didn't want to spend a lot of money and it turns out IKEA had exactly what I needed: the...
If you're looking to give a boring or worn out chair a colorful makeover, you might want to try chalk paint. I show you how to use it in my first DIY Basics video! And yes, I had to use orange for my chair makeover - it's one of my favorite colors in case you hadn't...
Living with a cat has meant that I've always had a not so attractive scratching post around my apartment. Not only are they not pretty to look at, but they take up precious floor space too. So I came up with this idea to convert the legs of my inexpensive IKEA desk...
When you have a big blank wall to decorate but don't have a large painting or work of art to fill in the space, it can be pretty daunting, especially if you're on a budget. Putting together a gallery walls is a great way to fill in a large blank wall without having to...
See how to make a pendant lamp with a lamp shade in just a few minutes and how to make a simple DIY frame with a cork board prefect for a home office.
Vertical blinds are my least favorite type of window treatments but I decided to keep the ones that I have in my dining room because they are pretty useful for blocking out the strong California sun in the afternoons. I still don't like looking at the vertical blinds,...
In this episode, you’ll get many home office decorating ideas, like how to customize an IKEA desk to include an extra shelf to store and charge your laptop and tablet. The shelf also serves for cable management to keep the mess of wires off the floor and out of sight....
Figuring out how to decorate a small bedroom was a new challenge I was happy to take on after living is a studio apartment for 3 years! On a budget, I got creative turning IKEA LACK tables into DIY nightstands and made an upholstered DIY headboard to upgrade an...
In part 1 of this balcony makeover, I covered up the tired looking walls of my 10 ft x 3.5 ft balcony in a way that made it possible to use the top for plants and accessories. I also built DIY lattice panels to add shade and much needed privacy, installing them...
With beautiful weather year round in LA, I was determined to make the most out of my small balcony, even though I’m renting and on a small budget. In part 1 of this balcony makeover, I managed to give the balcony a whole new look with a few inexpensive DIY projects: I...
I needed some beach inspired artwork to finish off my dining room makeover but having no money left over in the budget, I had to get creative! Looking around the apartment for something to use, I found this piece of plywood leftover from a project which was the...
I'm not much of a sewer so when I needed to make a bench cushion for my banquette bench, I decided to go with this no-sew alternative that's easy and quick. My kind of project! What you'll need: 2" foam (I used a bread knife to cut it) and 1/4" plywood cut the same...
At last, the final piece of the puzzle for decorating my dining room: DIY wall décor with custom panels covered with grass cloth! After I made my banquette by building a DIY bench and an upholstered wall panel, I needed something to fill in my big blank wall in my...
Having left behind most of my furniture when I moved from NYC to LA, I was basically starting from scratch to furnish my dining room. Being on a budget, I decided to go with an inexpensive pine table (INGO - $69) and pine chairs (IVAR - $25 each) from IKEA and give...
I've always admired those colorful glass backsplashes in new kitchens. So when I moved into my new apartment, I knew I wanted to find a way to install one to add some color and personality to my very white and boring kitchen. But because I live in a rental, I had to...
Small space living = having a tiny entryway. In this episode, you will see how to hang a large mirror and how to build a coat rack for an entryway design that will give the illusion of more space and make it more functional. You'll also learn a trick that makes it...
Before I moved into my NYC studio apartment, I made a detailed plan of it to help me figure out how to maximize the space. I used a free space planning software called Sweet Home 3D to draw it - it's really easy to use and allows you to draw a plan to scale and to add...
Window treatments were at the top of my list of things to change about my new LA apartment. I just couldn’t live with those vertical blinds and had to find a way to cover up or get rid of them! This first thing I did was take down those vertical slats and put up...
It’s been a while since you last saw me and I’ve been very busy: a cross-country from NYC to LA with a new empty apartment to furnish from scratch waiting for me at the other end. Curious to see what my new LA apartment looked like when I first got to LA? In...
My small 450 ft2 studio apartment in NYC has been a wonderful place to call home for the past 3 years - no only was it the inspiration for “Engineer Your Space”, it was also the source of many of the projects you’ve seen on the show. But it’s now time for a change,...
I've always loved door knockers - they come in an infinite array of designs, as you can see in this roundup of gorgeous and unique door knockers, and they add a touch of personality and fun to a front door. I have a beautiful door knocker that was given to...
https://www.youtube.com/embed/PLZB8IgSBUw Lighting is a very important element in setting the right mood in any home yet it’s often challenging to design lighting on a budget, especially in rental apartments where you often have limited options. In this episode,...
I was looking for a simple coat rack to install on wall panels I was making for an episode and I couldn't find anything affordable that I liked in the stores. So I decided to design my own coat rack using a piece of 4" x 1" pine board (less than $1 per ft) and simple...
With 3 roommate sharing an apartment and one common living room, it’s hard to keep their home organized with the front door leading directly into the living room without any formal entryway. And to make matters worse, there is no closet to hang coats. The solution is...
A quick way to revamp an old dresser is to change out the knobs for some new decorative ones. Here's an easy and budget-friendly way to make your very own DIY dresser knobs using shells - perfect if you're looking to add a little bit of the beach to your decor: What...
Sometimes you only have room for a tiny side table or corner table: a stool can be the perfect solution and also give you additional storage space for some small items with this easy modification. I simply added some shelves that I made from cardboard (from boxes in...
Plain white walls, or even worse, ugly walls, are often something renters have to deal with. In this episode, you’ll see how to build decorative floating wall panels using inexpensive materials from the hardware store. They can be customized to fit any style or look...
Pinterest is a great source for DIY tips and I was able to try one out recently that I thought was genius: using tape as a template to easily transfer the location of 2 holes on the back of a mirror I needed to hang. No need for a measuring tape! After marking the...
Whiteboards are great for brainstorming and keeping track of projects, but incorporating one in a home office so that it blends in with the décor isn’t easy, especially if you work out of a small studio apartment. The solution? Camouflage it! In the first part...
Having a fresh and clean smelling home goes a long way to making it feel inviting and welcoming. If you have some unused pretty shot glasses, why not give them a new life by converting them into an inexpensive DIY reed diffuser? This is what you'll need for this...
Is the view from your apartment windows less than inspiring? Create your own view by installing glass shelves in front of the window and adding plants. It’s so simple yet as you can see from this picture from Martha Stewart, the result is a beautiful greenhouse...
When you live in a very small space, multifunctional furniture is a must. But why not take it a step further and have your artwork pull double duty too? Here’s an ingenious example I found on lifehacker.com, a large DIY picture frame that transforms into a table. I...
In this episode, see how to decorate an entryway with bold horizontal stripes on the front door, but without painting them on! Clever alternatives to painting stripes on, like using magnetic sheeting, makes the stripes easy to put on and take off. You can also...
If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, make the most of it this summer! Even a small balcony can become a great spot to read a book, relax or take a nap. Take a look at this roundup of beautiful balconies full of inspiration to get you started on creating...
If you need more wall space to hang picture frames, think about using the sides of your fridge. All you need is some thin peel and stick flexible vinyl magnetic sheeting – you can get this at some dollar stores or online (a 24”x12” sheet is about $7). To make it work,...
Having trouble picking a paint color or deciding what type of blinds to get for your windows? Give these free mobile apps a try: the ColorSmart app (iphone and Android) from Behr has lots of features, including the ability to preview paint colors in sample rooms,...
Not sure how or what kind of lights to add to a room in your rental? Consider making your own pendant lamps from recycled materials from your closet and kitchen. This is a do-it-yourself lighting project on a budget that's perfect for renters and anyone needing to add...
Looking to freshen up your space this spring? Try moving your furniture around - you’ll be surprised at how different your space looks with your furniture, lamps and accessories in different spots. It’s a great way to give a whole new look to a room, without spending...
Try This! Thursday: With Valentine’s day around the corner, are you stuck wondering what to give that special lady in your life? Why not forgo some of the more traditional options and make her something instead! This beautiful hanging picture frame/jewelry box is easy...
Give a tired chair a fresh new look by reupholstering it with canvas drop cloths - they have a great natural texture, are really easy to work with and at about $10 for 6ft x 9ft, it’s an inexpensive way to experiment. And if you have a cat that likes to use your chair...
Instead of using paint to jazz up a plain wood filing cabinet, why not use upholstery techniques to cover it with fabric or even wallpaper. I upholstered a wood IKEA filing cabinet with faux animal skin wallpaper (feels more like fabric than wallpaper), using nothing...
If you're downsizing to a small space, or just want to see if your furniture will fit in your new home, try out a few options virtually using Sweethome3D. It’s a free interior design software that makes it easy to draw a floor plan with furniture. You can also move...
Here’s an alternative to hanging a small flat screen TV on the wall or putting it on a piece of furniture: hang it on a coat rack. You can then easily adjust the angle of the TV by turning the coat rack, all without any holes in the wall or taking up floor space –...
If you have shelving units with empty sides, use cork tiles to fill them in to double as a cork board. To make the cork tiles more rigid, stick them to foam board with strong double sided tape. It’s an easy inexpensive DIY project that's great for a small space where...
Update: These tiles are unfortunately no longer sold but there is now an even better alternative that doesn't require any adhesive: looselay vinyl tiles that mimic the look of wood floors. They are just as easy to cut and you can take them with you when you move out!
Want to make cushion covers but don’t like to sew? Use fusible tape for 3 sides and iron-on Velcro for the remaining side to insert/remove the cushion – just apply a hot iron and you’re done! I used this method to make the cushions for my DIY lounging bench on my...
Recycling paper boxes into stylish storage is an easy and economical way to organize your stuff. If you don’t have any boxes handy, Staples sells them for $1. All you need to do is pretty them up with contact paper, which you can get in many different colors and...
If you live in a rental apartment and want to make your small galley kitchen look bigger, try adding a full-length mirror on the far wall. It's a great alternative to mirrored backsplashes for renters: not only will it give the illusion of more space, the reflected...
Having trouble making your furniture work in a small apartment? Take off a closet door and replace it with a curtain - less clearance needed means more options for furniture layout. In this small studio apartment, for example, it wouldn't have been possible to put the...
Do you like everything about your apartment, except for that unsightly ceiling light fixture? No need to replace it, just cover it up with a DIY drum shade - it will instantly give your room a more sophisticated and personalized look. See how easy it is to make a...
Frustrated with how to organize your jewelry? Why not make your own jewelry organizer! In this episode, learn how to make a frame to transform an ordinary picture frame into a DIY jewelry organizer, using easy to find materials and simple tools. You will be able to...
Looking for inspiration on how to decorate an entryway? I decided to give my entryway a makeover, I covered up an awkwardly placed AC unit, created storage space, vamped up my old vinyl floor, replaced vertical blinds with curtains, and more! Take a look at how I did...
My apartment has a tiny entryway - it’s only 3ft x 3ft and there’s barely enough room for the door to open! Even though I installed a mirror to make the space look and feel bigger and bring in some light, the space still felt pretty dark, especially in the evening...
My LA apartment has a tiny entryway - it so small that there's barely enough room for the door to open all the way! Without a closet nearby, I had to get creative to find a way to hang coats and purses right by the front door but still leave room for the...
Many apartments have basic builder grade finishes that can be pretty plain and boring, and my apartment is no exception. I have very inexpensive hallow core doors that have zero character or architectural detail and they were screaming for some moulding detail. But...
Are you looking for ideas on how to maximize and organize your entryway, or to create one? You might want to check out Hometalk for some inspiration. It's a website very similar to Pinterest, but dedicated solely to all things home and garden. You can follow...
Small space living = having a tiny entryway. In this episode, you will see how to hang a large mirror and how to build a coat rack for an entryway design that will give the illusion of more space and make it more functional. You'll also learn a trick that makes it...
In this episode, see how to decorate an entryway with bold horizontal stripes on the front door, but without painting them on! Clever alternatives to painting stripes on, like using magnetic sheeting, makes the stripes easy to put on and take off. You can also...
To reduce noise & drafts, fill the gap under your door with pre-cut pipe insulation. You can get the self-sealing type or use double-sided tape to hold it in place. At under $2 for 6 ft, it’s a budget friendly DIY door draft stopper perfect for any house or...
Small studio apartment decorating can be challenging, especially when it comes to creating separate zones and keeping clutter at bay. You’ll see how easy it is to create an entryway using Ikea Billy bookcases and natural jute grasscloth. This bookcase room divider...