Do-it-Yourself Home Makeover
How to do a home makeover for a fraction of the cost.
May 9, 2009 -- Everyone gets them in the mail, but most don't bother to open them up. Those furniture catalogs with big-ticket items aren't in most family's budgets, but do fancy furnishings always have to come with premium pricetags?
D-I-Y expert and professional artisan Michele Beschen doesn't think so.
"Furniture catalogs are great," says Beschen. "You can look at the page and decide. Can I build this? Where can I get this? Are there some materials in the room that I maybe already have around the house? It's one-stop design."
"GMA" Weekend challenged one family to pick a room from a furniture catalog and recreate it on a budget, and with Beschen's expert advice.
Alex and Krystal Hatfield from Urbandale, Iowa, are closer than most teenage sisters: they share a room and a tiny double sized bed.
The sisters scoured expensive furniture catalogs and picked their dream bedroom. Using supplies from around their house, a garage sale, and a home improvement store, Beschen taught the family how to makeover their room, D-I-Y style.
The Hatfields were able to recreate the catalog's expensive room for only 1/7 the cost. That's like buying the whole room at an 85 percent clearance sale!
PRICE BREAKDOWN
Two Twin Built in Beds w/Cabinets: DIY: $494.47, Catalog: $2186.18
Cabinet: DIY: $176.32, Catalog: $557.24
Wardrobes: DIY: $63.64, Catalog $1,167.92
Shelves: DIY: $62.29, Catalog: $579.95
Chair: DIY: $1, Catalog: $140.31
Bookshelves: DIY: $0, Catalog: $970.15
Total: DIY: $796.72Catalog: $5,584.58
Bllueprints of the Hatfield's new room.
Dual Twin Bed Instructions
Closet Turned Dressing Room
Work With What You Have Ideas
Free Standing Cabinet
Check out more ideas from Michele Beschen