this is probably one of my smaller before and afters, but i really do love the changes i made in my apartment entry.  the entry was painted the same shiny taupe as the rest of the apartment, and it had a sad, standard-issue light.  it also had a weird, combo hanging hook situation.

the aforementioned sad, standard-issue light.and here is the after.  it feels much calmer, and cleaner.

not sure why this picture is crooked…beautiful clear glass chandelier.  just feminine enough.

as with my bathroom makeover, i tried to be smart when deciding what to replace in the kitchen.  certain things, like the tile and countertop, would not have been my choice but were perfectly fine.  however, the green ceiling (again, high gloss paint…why???) had to go.  here is an unceremonious before shot from right after i moved:

the holes are from a shelf that i removed.  this kitchen actually has a lot of storage, so it didn’t need any exposed storage in my opinion.  i think you can see the glossiness from the reflection of the light fixture on the wall. oh that green. this was a pretty standard issue light, but did nothing for me.  also, it was brushed chrome, and i ended up switching all the metal to polished chrome. this faucet looked sad.  and leaky.  it probably leaked because it also felt sad.

and now, what you really want to see, the after:

fresh coat of paint in benjamin moore’s decorator’s white, pearl finish.  i know that kitchens and bathrooms shouldn’t have flat paint, but i refuse to use high gloss paint on walls.
gorgeous gray glass tile mosaic from home depot.  since i couldn’t change the counters, i decided to work with them.  i think it makes the whole kitchen look much more expensive. and my new faucet.  if it was possible to marry a faucet, this baby would have my heart.  it is grohe, and it is worth every penny.   and the light was switched for something a bit more modern, to go with the new fixtures.  thanks to restoration hardware.all in all, i’m thrilled with the changes.  i didn’t end up doing much (paint, faucet, backsplash, new cabinet hardware, and new light fixture) but i think it feel much calmer and sleeker now.

new cabinet knobs in my kitchen (on left).  look so much more expensive and match with my new faucet.

can be found here.

i’m still in the process of updating my apartment, and i’ve realized that even the smallest detail makes a huge difference.  for instance,  i documented my bathroom makeover here, but one thing that drove me crazy was the toilet handle that came with the toilet.  since it was far too modern for the style, i ended up buying a new handle.  the new handle makes me happy every time i…you know…flush.

before

after

when i moved into my new place, the bathroom was in a sad state.  the walls were painted a glossy blue, the wood on the vanity was cheap (and warped), and the medicine cabinets made the space feel smaller than it already was.  since this is the first home i have purchased (!), i wanted to be very smart about the remodeling decisions i made.

i didn’t think ahead to take pictures of the “before,” but here is the photo from the original listing:

the professional lighting makes it look much nicer than it was.  i repainted the space (using benjamin moore’s “simply white”) and switched out the vanity, medicine cabinet, light fixture, and toilet.  i don’t love the floor tiles, but they are in good shape and are too expensive to redo.

here is the after: the new toilet is the “memoirs” toilet from kohler. i feel like the gorgeous new faucet (by watermark) deserves another look.i am so in love with the changes.  i want to eventually completely remodel the shower (the tiles are depressing), but will need to save a bit more before i can.