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Curated Modern Home Decor
This $600 Staircase Makeover Has a Genius Detail You’ll Want to Copy

This $600 Staircase Makeover Has a Genius Detail You’ll Want to Copy

by | Dec 9, 2025 | Design Inspiration, Style

The tiles were a DIY job.

To make the staircase the statement Matthew and his husband were after, Matthew bought some green tiles that caught his eye at Lowe’s. “I knew immediately what I was going to do with them,” he says. “Everyone thought the idea of tiling a staircase was crazy, but I told them to trust the process.”

And trust the process they did; Matthew’s husband and a friend, Sarah, actually installed the tile over a holiday break when Matthew had to work. And it seems the tile was truly meant to be, because not a single piece had to be cut to size! “The tiles across fit perfectly, and they were the exact height that we needed,” Matthew says. “The tile at first seems to make the biggest difference, but in my mind, as soon as the honey-colored wood tone was gone, the space immediately felt better,” Matthew says. 

A “Bare Box” Space Becomes a Mid-Century Dining Room for Under $500

A “Bare Box” Space Becomes a Mid-Century Dining Room for Under $500

by | Nov 27, 2025 | Design Inspiration, Style

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Whether your home was built in the 1950s or ’60s or not, mid-century modern design style is incredibly popular. (In fact, Apartment Therapy’s Executive Home Director, Danielle Blundell, writes that it has homeowners and renters in a chokehold.) 

DIYer and renter Juliene Winborne (@athomewithjuju) is a fan of the look. “My dream homes are mid-century modern, with wood walls and ceilings,” she says, and her goal was to “create that same look in [her] rental apartment.” 

The problem? Her apartment, especially the dining room, looked far from Eames-esque. It was “a bare box,” she says. “The walls were all white, and the room felt very small and bland.” She decided to challenge herself to give the dining room more mid-century modern flair for under $500. 

“The dining room felt like the perfect place to experiment, play with design, and really have fun creatively, so I leaned fully into that opportunity,” Juliene says.

Small room with a ceiling fan, light fixture, and a view of a kitchen area with stainless steel appliances.
Dining area featuring a wooden table set for four, two wall art pieces, and a modern kitchen in the background.

The peel-and-stick statement wall was the big difference-maker. 

Juliene’s mom, Yvonne; aunt, Linette; and boyfriend, Joseph, helped her create a faux wood statement wall in the dining room. “I also didn’t have anything that I’d consider my ‘wow moment’ that would make the space really pop. So, first, I decided to … create a statement wall,” Juliene says. 

The DIYers used $20 rolls of peel-and-stick from Amazon, and the only setback they encountered was running out of rolls before they were done and having to order extra — and the elbow grease of applying peel-and-stick was worth it.

“The faux wood wall is my fave,” Juliene says! “The room now feels like a warm hug when I walk in. The space overall feels elevated, and I love that.”

Dining area featuring a wooden table set with plates, a bowl of red apples, and two colorful wall art pieces.

The furniture was budget-friendly with lots of secondhand finds.

Another aspect Juliene is proud of is that she took her time to find bargain furniture that fit her style. “About 60% of this project was secondhand,” she estimates. She bought the table and chairs on Facebook Marketplace, the wall sconces are secondhand, and the sideboard was discounted from the Crate & Barrel Outlet.

“Also, I saved a lot with the rug because I bought it on sale,” she says. “The art was a bargain as well.” Juliene’s advice for DIYers is to take your time to find the right furniture. Don’t feel pressured, rush, or settle.

“I’m most proud of how I used my creativity to create the space under tight budget constraints,” she adds. “I wanted to bring some style and personality into the dining room — something that felt welcoming [and] exciting,” she says. And it is for both her and her guests.

This Tiny Kitchen Corner Got a $50 Glow-Up (Perfect for Cozy Baking!)

This Tiny Kitchen Corner Got a $50 Glow-Up (Perfect for Cozy Baking!)

by | Nov 17, 2025 | Design Inspiration, Style

Sarah EverettHome Projects Editor

I organize the Before & After series and cover DIY and design. I joined AT in October 2020 as a production assistant. I have an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri and a BA in Journalism from Belmont University. Past editorial stops include HGTV Magazine, Nashville Arts Magazine, and local magazines in my hometown, Columbia, Missouri.