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Annette Suarez transformed the dining room she shares with her husband, Sergio, by removing terracotta tile, opening a wall to the kitchen and adding green paint, wood furniture, molding and layered lighting. Apartment Therapy reported the project cost $5,000 overall; Suarez said her DIY corner bookcase cost $150, including its light fixture.
Annette Suarez has renovated the dining room she shares with her husband, Sergio, turning an orange-and-white space she described as cold and outdated into a green, wood-toned room with vintage furnishings and layered lighting. Apartment Therapy reported that the project cost $5,000, including a DIY corner bookcase Suarez said cost $150 with its light fixture.
The redesign began with demolition. Suarez said she removed the room’s terracotta floor tile, which she felt looked dated and conflicted with the mood she wanted. She also knocked down the wall between the dining room and kitchen, opening up the connection between the two spaces. The report does not specify whether the wall was load-bearing or provide details about the work involved.
For the replacement floor, Suarez chose warm wood tones. She painted the room Benjamin Moore’s Vintage Vogue green and added picture-frame molding to bring depth to the walls. Rich wood furniture, including thrifted and vintage pieces, contributes to the room’s collected look. Suarez also curated a group of mismatched frames above a credenza, spraying some to coordinate while leaving others with their worn finishes.
Lighting was a planned part of the design rather than a finishing touch. The room includes sconces, a chandelier and a candelabra, along with a sconce above the corner bookcase. Suarez said the bookcase was her first project of that kind. She used MDF boards and basic trim, and put its cost at $150 including the light fixture. The full renovation cost was reported as $5,000, though a detailed breakdown of that total was not supplied.
How the Renovation Changed the Room
The makeover shows how several coordinated changes—not just new paint or accessories—can alter the feel and function of a dining room. Removing tile, opening the kitchen wall and changing the lighting addressed the space’s layout and atmosphere, while molding, wood furniture and secondhand frames added visual detail. Readers considering a similar project can see how the design choices worked together, but the report does not establish that the same budget or results would apply to other homes.
Suarez’s account also puts a price on one specific DIY feature: the $150 corner bookcase, including its light fixture. That is a component cost, not the cost of the full renovation. The overall figure was $5,000, but the source gives no itemized totals for flooring, paint, furniture, demolition or other work. The distinction matters for anyone using the makeover as a budget reference.
Her advice points to practical planning as well as style. Suarez recommends thinking about lighting early, keeping thrifted wood finishes within a complementary palette, and making a detailed sketch before building shelving. She also said to seek help if unsure about wiring or structural work, rather than treating every part of a renovation as a DIY task.
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From Orange Tile to Vintage Vogue
Apartment Therapy’s report presents the room as a before-and-after renovation led by Suarez, who shares design projects on Instagram as @moodywhimsicalforest. Before the work, she described the space as having orange tile and white walls. She said the tile felt heavy and outdated, while the walls made the room feel sterile rather than inviting.
Suarez’s stated aim was a darker, more layered interior with what she called an old-world feel. Alongside paint and molding, she used vintage or secondhand furnishings and frames. She said matching wood tones was less important than choosing pieces that complemented one another, with textiles and dried flowers helping soften the overall look.
The article is a home-design makeover report, not an independent review of renovation costs or building work. Its cost figures and descriptions come from the project account as presented by Apartment Therapy. No measurements, contractor information, permits or full materials list are included in the supplied source.
“The tiles felt outdated and heavy, and the white walls made the space feel sterile instead of inviting.”
— Annette Suarez, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
Costs and Construction Details Missing
The supplied report gives a $5,000 total project cost and a $150 price for the bookcase and its light fixture, but does not itemize the rest of the spending. It is unclear whether the overall total includes labor, furnishings, tools, taxes or other expenses, and the article excerpt does not provide a renovation timeline.
Details about the wall removal are also absent. The source does not say whether the wall was structural, whether professionals completed or inspected the work, or what permits may have been required. It likewise does not identify the specific wood flooring product or explain whether the room’s lighting installation involved new wiring. These details cannot be confirmed from the supplied account.
The transformation is described through Suarez’s experience and Apartment Therapy’s before-and-after coverage. No independent cost assessment or evaluation of the renovation’s construction is provided, so the quoted budget should be read as the reported project figure rather than a general estimate.
A Finished Room, No Further Plans Reported
The supplied Apartment Therapy report describes the dining room as a completed makeover and does not announce a next renovation phase, additional spending or a follow-up inspection. Suarez’s recommendations offer a guide to the decisions behind this project, but they do not confirm plans for further work.
Readers seeking a closer budget comparison would need a more detailed cost breakdown, while anyone considering wall removal, electrical changes or built-ins should establish what work their own home requires before starting. The report provides no further updates on the renovation.
Key Questions
How much did Annette Suarez’s dining room renovation cost?
Apartment Therapy reported a $5,000 total. The source did not provide an itemized breakdown of that amount.
What changes did Suarez make to the dining room?
She removed the terracotta tile, opened a wall between the dining room and kitchen, installed warm-toned flooring, painted the room Benjamin Moore’s Vintage Vogue green, and added picture-frame molding, vintage furnishings and layered lighting.
How much did the DIY bookcase cost?
Suarez said the corner bookcase cost $150, including its light fixture. She used MDF boards and basic trim.
What advice did Suarez give for a similar makeover?
She advised planning lighting early, sketching and measuring carefully before building, and choosing thrifted wood pieces with complementary tones. She also recommended getting help if unsure about wiring or structural work.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
