22 Stunning Before and Afters from HGTV Magazine

Get inspired to transform any room with these amazing makeover ideas.

December 15, 2022

By: Noelle Paredes

From: HGTV Magazine

Related To:

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Makeover Magic

Ready for a redo? Whether they're big or small, home makeovers can be an exciting but often overwhelming undertaking. If you're gearing up to refresh your space but you don't know where to start, HGTV Magazine has you covered. From recreated kitchens to prettied-up patios, these stunning transformations will inspire you to take on your next project.

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Basic Beige Living Room

Paralyzed by the pressure to make absolutely perfect decorating choices for their home’s main hangout space — and busy planning their upcoming wedding — Georgina McNiff and Kurt Waples had barely made a move since they unpacked. That meant builder-basic beige walls and carpeting, the sad-looking plastic mini blinds on the windows, the furniture haphazardly collected over time and — Georgina’s biggest grievance — the bare walls. “The few things we did have hanging were terrible,” she says.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Cool and Curated

HGTV Magazine arrived ready for a makeover, armed with buckets of paint and armloads of patterns. Bold blue paint (even on the trim) and a wall-spanning assortment of art gave this room the blast of energy it needed. Rather than ripping up the existing carpet, the editors layered a graphic wool rug right on top. “Now it looks like people who know how to decorate live here,” says Georgina.

see more photos: A Bare-Bones Living Room Gets a Vibrant Update

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Dowdy Guest Room

Homeowner Kathryn Kaiser's guest bedroom had hand-me-down furniture, travel souvenirs and — against her better instincts — a dated floral bedspread with matching drapes. “They weren’t my taste at all,” says Kathryn, “but when I bought the house, the owner asked if I wanted to keep them, and I said sure because I didn’t have any others.” Cut to five years later and, she says, “I still hadn’t gotten around to replacing anything!"

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Boutique Hotel Vibes

HGTV Magazine stepped in to create a guest haven with rich blue paint, Roman shades in a contemporary-cool pattern and a glam capiz shell chandelier. “I used to joke with guests that the room came with the house,” says Kathryn. “Now I’m proud to have people stay over.”

see more photos: A Bold Makeover Took 10 Years Off This Guest Bedroom

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Dated Dining Set

Five years after buying their 1950 center-hall Colonial in New Jersey, Jessy and Karim Fofana were still staring at the same tired dining set Jessy's mom purchased from Goodwill. “Our dining room needed help, but it was last on our priority list; we had major work to do on the house,” says Jessy.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Serving Up Style

HGTV Magazine to the rescue! Out went the unloved dining set, and in its place came a sleek walnut-finish table and woven leather chairs. The buffet got revived with bright white paint. Chic green for the walls, new lighting and a diamond-print rug turned the room into a jewel box. “The old furniture made it look like we were kids in a first apartment with hand-me-downs,” says Jessy. “Now we feel like actual grown-ups.”

see more photos: The Makeover That Took 10 Years Off This Dining Room

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Blah Living Room

The previous owners of this 1981 Illinois home had painted the walls a modern gray, but the dingy brick fireplace and decades-old ceiling fan combined with the dark wood beams left the room looking worn out. When Heather and Jorge Anaya moved in, they made do with what they had, plopping a well-loved sectional and matching ottoman in the middle of the space where they and their kids could watch TV, but the design decisions ended there.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Colorful Family Hangout

Eventually they tapped designer Shannon Peppeard, who knew just how to pull the room into this century: chic furniture, punches of pattern and a fireplace facelift. “Our living room is a much more social and energetic place now. It matches our family,” says Jorge.

see more photos: An Infusion of Cool Revived This Outdated Living Room

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Dull and Dreary Cookspace

There was a lot to love about the Nevada home Daniella and Jose Villamil bought in 2017, but the kitchen wasn't one of them. It had plain oak cabinets with a depressing yellow finish, splotchy gray tiles that made the floor look forever grimy, plus a tile backsplash and countertops with no style whatsoever. “The layout was the one thing that was right!” says Daniella, a designer.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Glamorous Transformation

Daniella worked from the ground up, installing new floors, cabinets and an island. She finished it all off with a patterned backsplash and a sweep of jewel-like color. “Before, everything looked sad,” says Daniella. “Color and pattern give the kitchen energy and make it original.”

see more photos: The Facelift That Made This Kitchen Look 10 Years Younger

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Dark and Depressing Den

“Eyesore.” That’s how Amy and Chris Kleparek described the family room in their New York home. But the room did have some redeeming qualities. Even though all four walls were covered in 1970s pine paneling, there was also enough square footage for a substantial sofa, a large TV and a play area for the kids. “We knew it had potential, but it was just so ugly, we didn’t want to spend time in there,” she says.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: The Perfect Play Space

Two words changed everything: white paint. Once that was done, the room felt a thousand percent fresher. Then came the fun part: a super-funky rug, an indigo sofa and the cutest little play table and chairs. “It’s like it went from eyesore to eye candy,” says Amy. “It’s the best room in the house.”

learn more: Kid-Approved Playrooms That Grown-Ups Love Too

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Past-Its-Prime Living Room

When Meegan and Paul Melgus found a 2,000-square-foot,1930s home in Indiana, they knew it was a steal — it just needed some TLC. “The structure was great, but most of it hadn’t been updated since the ’50s,” says Meegan.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Chic and Easy Updates

With help from designer Crystal Blackshaw, they bleached the parquet wood floors, painted the walls and trim, and decorated everything with a modern-rustic lakeside vibe. Meegan thinks the sofa, custom by MegMade, is the comfiest spot in the house.

see more photos: Here's How an Indiana Fixer-Upper Went From Drab to Lively and Fab

Before: An Overlooked Bedroom

The to-do list was long when Al and Hillary Caceres moved into their 1960s ranch house. Slowly but surely the couple was checking things off, but when they had their third child, parenthood took priority. “We chopped our master bedroom in half to create a nursery, which made the space look even drearier,” says Hillary. “Everything was left over from other houses we’d lived in, and nothing really fit together.”

After: A Dreamy Retreat

HGTV Magazine brought the bedroom into the present with glam pieces, hits of color and perky patterns. “It’s all so much brighter and fresher now,” she says. “We finally have a place just for ourselves that feels like a treat.”

see more photos: This Dreary Master Bedroom Got a Glam and Perky Makeover

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Ho-Hum Living Room

When Katie and Patrick Roetker bought their first house after renting an apartment, they were thrilled to have more space. “We loved how sunny and open it was, but once we moved our stuff in, it was like, OK, where’s the rest?” says Katie. Although parents on both sides chipped in old furniture to help fill the space, says Patrick, “it felt like a jumble, and we didn’t know where to begin with redecorating, so we just left it.”

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Packed With Personality

The HGTV Magazine editors brought in furnishings, paint and art in colors and patterns that harmonize like a dream. “We never would have been brave enough to mix these things on our own,” says Katie. “Our home now has a look and a personality. It finally feels like it belongs to us.”

see more photos: Before and After: How HGTV Magazine Transformed a Couple's First House

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Basement Ripe for a Redo

A tree falling on your house isn’t usually a good thing — unless you end up with a dream reno. That’s what happened to Brandi and Cathy Lesesne after Tropical Storm Irma plowed through Georgia in 2017 and flooded the lower level of their home. “We’d been meaning to renovate but never got around to it,” says Brandi. Suddenly they had no choice.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Remarkable Comeback

The couple worked with designer Gina Sims to infuse their basement with color and take the cute factor from 0 to 100. Says Brandi, “It’s been the bright side of a bad situation.”

see more photos: Before and After: A Bright and Colorful Basement Makeover

Before: A Dated Kitchen

Erin and Creighton Barrett are one of the hipper couples on the planet — she’s a textile designer, and he’s a drummer. So the drab kitchen in their 1979 South Carolina ranch wasn’t exactly a match. “The finishes made it look like the set of an old sitcom,” says Erin.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Light, Bright Makeover

When the two finally worked up the energy and the budget for a redo, they decided to go with airy, Scandinavian style. “Before, whenever visitors came into the kitchen while I was cooking, it was like, Aah, why are you in here?! ” says Erin. “Now we love showing it off.”

see more photos: A Bright, Light Kitchen Makeover

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Forgotten Backyard

When designer and homeowner Ashley Goforth moved into this Houston home with her family, she loved that it had a sizeable backyard. “There’s no dedicated play space inside for the kids, so this is it,” she says. Not so lovable: the lack of landscaping.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: An Outdoor Oasis

The Goforths added a row of Japanese blueberry trees along the back fence for privacy and installed four raised garden beds that turn out a steady supply of herbs, tomatoes and peppers. Brown wicker furniture, an outdoor rug and a custom table create the setting for evening and weekend hangouts.

see more photos: A Run-Down Ranch Gets Totally Revamped

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Living Room Lacking Style

When you relocate your old furniture to a new house, it doesn’t always look at home. That’s what happened to Carter Sieck when she and her two kids moved from an 1800s Victorian to a 1950s Colonial in Maryland. “Most of our stuff had an old-fashioned look, which fit our previous home, and which I liked at the time,” says Carter. “But once it landed in this new space, it felt out of whack with the house — and my taste.”

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Cool Hangout

That all changed once the stuffy chairs and too-small sofa were swapped out for comfy yet sleek seating and a fresh color palette. "Now it’s the only place the kids want to be when they have friends over,” says Carter. “And my family asks for every holiday to be at our house!”

learn more: 45 Incredible Living Room Makeovers From Your Favorite HGTV Shows

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Bare-Bones Bedroom

Homeowners Jennifer and Stephen Standing packed light when they moved back to the United States after five years abroad. They bought a 1930s Colonial in Savannah and started decorating from scratch. Three years later, the main bedroom was still mostly empty. “We didn’t even have a headboard,” says Stephen. “It was like being in college.”

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Bright, Blue and Beautiful

A makeover by HGTV Magazine turned the space into a sleeping beauty. The key to taking the bedroom from lifeless to personality-packed: a snappy blue-and-white palette and tons of patterns. Now their favorite furniture blends comfortably with new pieces in a mix that’s part vintage, part preppy.

see more photos: Help! Our Bedroom Was Last on Our List

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Lifeless Living Room

Philip and Lisa Meringolo can’t pinpoint exactly when the living room of their 1950s Cape Cod house in New Jersey got stuck in a time warp. But after they bought the home and brought in pieces they felt were trendproof classics — a traditional beige sofa, a replica of a Monet painting in an ornate gilt frame, an Oriental rug — the space seemed to age prematurely.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Plenty of Pizzazz

To get the room in sync with this young, energetic family, the space needed upbeat colors and patterns, more adventurous furniture and gutsy artwork. The revitalized room is “hipper and fresher — and inspiring me to go contemporary with the rest of the house,” says Lisa.

see more photos: Make Your Living Room Look 20 Years Younger

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Dark and Cramped Kitchen

With the appliances and fixtures in fine working order, homeowner and designer Lori Paranjape couldn’t justify spending money on a remodel. So she and her husband continued cooking and cleaning and entertaining in the less-than-ideal layout for three years, until they had finally had enough and embarked on a gut reno.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Refreshing Design

“We completely reimagined the space to get a kitchen that makes sense for us,” says Lori. Her vision: Add much-needed square footage, bright white cabinets and a showstopping island.

see more photos: A Dark, Cramped Kitchen Gets Lightened Up

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Drab Dining Room

With bare white walls, lots of stained wood trim and a dated light fixture — not to mention the couple’s cottage–y table set (a leftover from their rental days that could only seat four) — the dining room felt past its prime.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Fresh and Fabulous

Luckily, HGTV Magazine had the cure: Splash color on the walls and pattern on the ceiling, and paint the trim crisp white. Then slide in a more contemporary table and a mod mix of seating. Add a little art and brass accents and it’s all fresh vibes, all the time.

see more photos: This Dreamy Reno Reset the Clock on a Blah Dining Room

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Bland Bedroom

When Meghan and Patrick Martin moved into their Massachusetts house with three children all under age 6, decorating their bedroom was not a priority. They put the heavy bed and dresser set they’d gotten as newlyweds in the room, then left the drab olive walls and window treatments as is. “It was just a place to sleep,” says Patrick.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Peaceful Escape

They finally decided “to change the look from ‘dumping ground’ to ‘sanctuary,’ ” says Meghan. They called on local designer Dina Holland, who painted the walls delicate gray; swapped in a pretty powder blue upholstered bed; and jazzed up one wall with bold, swirly wallpaper. “We never hung out in our old room,” says Meghan. “Now it’s so inviting, it’s not unusual for everyone to pile in here to watch a movie — the only time it’s not a peaceful place!”

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Traditional Living Room

She's a creative dynamo with mad crafting skills, but former lifestyle editor Jodi Kahn's confidence fizzled out when it came to redecorating the living room in her New York home. "I was afraid of making expensive mistakes," says Jodi.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: Bold and Colorful

Inspired by the pattern-mixing and gutsy color combos she sees in HGTV Magazine, she plunged into a revamp. With a fresh palette of indigo, teal and lime, and some sleek new pieces, the room is finally in sync with her sparkling personality.

see more photos: New and Improved Living Room Style

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: A Forgotton Main Bedroom

In the span of 14 months, Corin and Marcus Edwards got married, had their first child and moved into a 2,200-square-foot home in Maryland. That’s a lot of change in a short time, so this busy couple swept their bedroom redo under the rug. “No one really sees it but us,” says Corin. “We thought it was more important to put energy into the spaces people visit, like Luke’s room and the family room.” That left them living with fawn-color walls, janky DIY shutters and a discount bedroom set that Corin bought years ago.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Zen Retreat

HGTV Magazine swooped in to help. Painting the whole room — including the slanted wall and the ceiling — a grown-up shade of lavender helps disguise its unorthodox shape. Another tricky detail to contend with: the 9-foot-by-8-foot window and arch. “We didn’t realize until we moved in that [the shutters] didn’t close properly,” says Marcus. While the new custom ones may not look drastically different, the proper fit is a game changer. Flanked with gray cotton drapes, the whole wall looks softer and dreamier.

see more photos: A Forgotten Bedroom Gets a Fresh New Look

From: HGTV Magazine

Before: Unused Outdoor Space

Designer Cortney Bishop's outdoor room in her Charleston, South Carolina, home was in need of a complete facelift. The space was freshly painted using outdoor porch paint, but was otherwise empty.

From: HGTV Magazine

After: A Pretty Porch

She perked up this covered porch with a striped outdoor rug, weather-proof furniture and curtains sewn from outdoor fabric to resist mildew. A teak-topped console table and a mirror flanked with a pair of outdoor sconces creates an eye-catching focale point along the wall. A round pedestal table surrounded by powder-coated metal chairs (they won't rust!) is the perfect spot for alfresco game playing. And no "outdoor living room" is complete without a few fresh-air-loving plants and flowers. Cortney mixed up lots of vessels and species — palms, pink cyclamens and maidenhair ferns.

see more photos: Step-by-Step Porch Makeover

From: HGTV Magazine

22 Stunning Before and Afters from HGTV Magazine

Related To:

Shop This Look

Makeover Magic

Before: A Basic Beige Living Room

After: Cool and Curated

Before: A Dowdy Guest Room

After: Boutique Hotel Vibes

Before: A Dated Dining Set

After: Serving Up Style

Before: A Blah Living Room

After: A Colorful Family Hangout

Before: A Dull and Dreary Cookspace

After: A Glamorous Transformation

Before: A Dark and Depressing Den

After: The Perfect Play Space

Before: A Past-Its-Prime Living Room

After: Chic and Easy Updates

Before: An Overlooked Bedroom

After: A Dreamy Retreat

Before: A Ho-Hum Living Room

After: Packed With Personality

Before: A Basement Ripe for a Redo

After: A Remarkable Comeback

Before: A Dated Kitchen

After: A Light, Bright Makeover

Before: A Forgotten Backyard

After: An Outdoor Oasis

Before: A Living Room Lacking Style

After: A Cool Hangout

Before: A Bare-Bones Bedroom

After: Bright, Blue and Beautiful

Before: A Lifeless Living Room

After: Plenty of Pizzazz

Before: A Dark and Cramped Kitchen

After: A Refreshing Design

Before: A Drab Dining Room

After: Fresh and Fabulous

Before: A Bland Bedroom

After: A Peaceful Escape

Before: A Traditional Living Room

After: Bold and Colorful

Before: A Forgotton Main Bedroom

After: A Zen Retreat

Before: Unused Outdoor Space

After: A Pretty Porch

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