Photo by Jessica Hibbard Our new DVD "drawer" in progress (top), closed (middle), and open (bottom)

For the longest time, we were storing our DVD collection in a patterned cardboard box from Ikea. It worked out just fine at first, but as you might imagine, it didn't hold up very well. Our cats took to sleeping on top of of the box, so the cover started to sag. Then the handles started to tear off from the constant pulling on a heavy box full of movies. (Of course, this was repairable with duct tape, but that's a whole other blog post.) In the end, the final straw was that we simply ran out of room for all of our DVDs. Our growing collection of movies and TV seasons was starting to stack up outside of the box, and we just couldn't take it anymore.

Luckily, we happen to have stacks and stacks of scrapwood from various projects, including the replacement of most of our door, window, and floor trim. My husband, a DIY superhero who can't stand to throw anything away, knew exactly what to do. He came up with this extremely useful (and surprisingly attractive) DVD storage "drawer."

It's perfectly sized to fit between the legs of our credenza, but it's not attached. We used stick-on felt pads that let it slide easily on our wood floors, and some leftover paint and hardware (screws and brackets). The only thing we had to purchase to complete the project were two handles -- We managed to find an inexpensive option in the hardware aisle that matches the existing pulls on our credenza pretty well.

As you can see, there's plenty of room for additional DVDs. And I just saw the first season of Ask This Old House on amazon.com ...

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard These salvaged doors give our tiny bathroom some much-needed elbow room.

I had hoped to follow up last Friday's post on my small kitchen with another "before & after" of my own home, focusing this time on our bathroom. Unfortunately, I'm having some problems finding the "before" pictures. It's probably not so unfortunate anyway ... Our 7 x 5 ft. bathroom (the only one in the house) was so ugly when we first moved in, I'd have to think twice before posting photos of it.

The four months of renovations to this small space (did I mention it's the ONLY bathroom in the house?!) ended in success. We changed almost everything, including fixtures, flooring, trim, paint, and tile. My favorite feature, though, is the addition of new doors.

Originally, we had a bulky solid door, which swung inside the bathroom and gobbled up half the space. While we were shopping at our favorite architectural salvage shop (Historic York Architectural Warehouse in York, Pa.), we found the perfect solution: Two panels that were formerly bi-fold doors. With the right hardware**, we were able to hang them so they open in the middle ... They're half as wide as the original door, so there's much more space.

These doors have other advantages, too. Most people wouldn't be crazy enough to put doors with windows on their bathroom, but we quickly solved that problem with faux stained glass window film. It was a piece of cake to apply, and we can take it off anytime without damaging the glass. It provides plenty of privacy while still allowing the light to shine through, which makes the adjacent hallway feel more spacious, too.

** I think the hardware is from Lowe's or Home Depot, but I couldn't find a link to anything similar. If you're thinking of doing something like this and need more information on the latching mechanism, just send me an email.

I took the day off from work today to bake cookies and wrap presents. Throughout the holiday season, most kitchens really get a workout, and ours is no exception.

There are a lot of things I'd like to change about our kitchen, but the biggest problem is that it's tiny. Since we bought our house in 2005, we've made some changes to spruce it up and make it feel larger. Here's the "before and after" evidence:

Above, left: A photo of our kitchen in 2005. YIKES ... Just the wallpaper-countertop-flooring combo is enough to make anyone cringe.

Above, right: I took this photo today. The updated surfaces on the cabinets and countertop are a welcome change. The reflective backsplash and larger floor tiles help make the room feel more spacious.

Here's the short list of the improvements we've** made:

• Removed hardware and painted cabinets -- The dual-tone colors add some character, and the darker color matches the trim color, so the edges of cabinets blend into doorways and windows.
• Replaced countertop -- I'm not sure how much this helped create the feeling of more space, but the existing countertop was really outdated.
• Added backsplash, a faux tin that's normally used on ceilings -- The shiny surface reflects light and creates the feeling of a larger space. It's also less expensive and easier to install than regular tile.
• Replaced trim around doors and windows -- We used the same simple wood trim, painted an espresso color, throughout the house, which helps unifies the space. The clean lines make small rooms seem less cluttered.
• Replaced super-ugly floor tiles -- The 12x12" checker pattern is larger than the designs used on most floors, which actually makes the room seem twice as big. The muted colors (faux stone and marble) also help enlarge the space.
• Replaced regular-sized fridge with an apartment-sized model -- We keep the larger one in the basement for overflow food storage.
• Removed wallpaper and painted walls -- The small, striped pattern on the wallpaper clashed with everything and made the room feel claustrophobic.
• Added a freestanding, rolling dishwasher -- It hooks up to the sink, and is much easier than washing everything by hand. The top adds some much-needed counter space.

** When I say "we," I mean mostly my husband, who is one of those amazingly skilled, creative, DIY types.