Improving your shelving game in an awkward alcove can do wonders for a room — take it from DIYers Claudia Williams or Lara Lucas, who both created cozy little corners out of once-wasted space. A third DIYer to add to the list is Molly Malloy, who transformed an “empty, unused” corner into a storage-packed space with open shelving.“I knew when we moved into this apartment that this alcove would be a great candidate for open shelving,” Molly says.

Homeownership opens up an entirely new world of changes you can make to your space. “I had been dreaming of doing a renovation project for years when I lived in apartments, so when buying my condo, I looked for a good opportunity,” homeowner Katie Miller says. Her 25-year-old kitchen was an opportunity indeed; “it was a ‘builder’s special,’ so it was originally done as cheaply as possible,” Katie says. “I did not like anything about it.