Transform your fireplace into a focal point with fresh paint, new tiling and shelves for display.
No matter the style of your home, if it was built between 1970 and 2010, your living area could probably get a big boost from a fireplace makeover. It's one of those intimidating projects, because you'll probably be dealing with brick or stone, maybe a gas insert, and a flue...but it's definitely big on ROI, because it's also a focal point. West + Main agent Laurie and her family had their fireplace on their to-do list for several years.
“We wanted to get rid of the ‘90’s inset arch’ which made the room feel plain and dated. It was always tricky trying to find something to hang to fill the arched space. And we definitely wanted to add value both for us and for when we decide to move in the future. I had received bids from $1300-$2700 for a custom mantle, and finally found the one we loved at Lowe’s through their special order dept....it’s real wood that’s hollowed out to help with the weight and installation. It’s so beautiful and totally exceeded our expectations. Our living room actually looks bigger to us now. It feels warm and cozy with the added tile to the ceiling and mantle, but also looks more modern chic.”
Above: Before and after of Laurie’s living space
LAURIE'S FIREPLACE
MATERIALS - LOWE'S
TILES - $2900
BUILDING MATERIALS - $750 MANTLE - $285
LABOR - TILE + ELECTRICAL - $5163 TOTAL COST: $9098
Virginia and Michael recently bought their home with the help of West + Main agents Sue + Mark.
"I started with the mantle, which I copied from an amazing tutorial from bloggers Coco and Jack," said Virginia. "For the built-ins I ended up using builder grade pre-assembled upper cabinets set on top of a 2x4 frame to raise them for the toe kick. The shelves are constructed from 1/2" sanded plywood with 1x2 pine faces to give them a neat finished look. I also removed the plantation shutters which were blocking all the light (something a plant lover like me cannot abide by). I painted the whole room in Sherwin Williams Greenblack to add a dramatic contrast to the rest of my house which is painted white."
“My husband plays piano beautifully, and now that we are planning to stay put for a while, we decided to go with a moody library/music room vibe,” said Virginia. “Craigslist is full of gorgeous free or nearly free pianos, and we found the perfect one for our space. We did pay for it to be moved, which ran $400, but the piano made it safely and in-tune, so it was well spent! Our whole family has enjoyed playing, and our children are keen to keep learning. I am looking forward to family Christmas carols.”
Above: Before and after of Virginia and Michael’s living space
VIRGINIA’S FIREPLACE
BUILDER GRADE UPPER CABINETS - HOME DEPOT
TILE - FLOOR & DECOR - $25
WOOD - HOME DEPOT
FLOORING - LUXURY VINYL PLANS - $1200
WALL COLOR - GREENBLACK BY SHERWIN WILLIAMS
TOTAL COST FOR MATERIALS ~ $1000
STYLING BY ROGALA DESIGN - VISIT ROGALADESIGN.COM
If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.
