Transform your fireplace into a focal point with fresh paint, new tiling and shelves for display.

FIREPLACES

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."

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."

"For decor, I am a big fan of high-low. I brought in a warm, mink-colored velvet sofa from France and Co for $1300, and a chair from Target at $80. The rug is from Rugs USA and was $140," said Virginia. "For the shelves, I did some of the curation with items I had already, plants, found objects, Target, and some thrifting, but I discovered the most incredible store called Rogala Design and fell in love with everything. I ended up purchasing some shelf decor alongside the incredible coffee table which had such unique tones and really tied in with the piano and my beloved mid-century mirror. Later, I caved and had her help me with pillows and the rest of the shelf styling. The mix of natural materials like wood slabs and agate, paired with some exceptional curated art like the framed antique Japanese Obi bring so much warmth and interest to the space."

"I originally worried that the room would be more decorative than lived-in, but it has become a family favorite for people looking to read in the sun, gather and sing along to piano, and find a quiet restful moment. Plus, it is the show stopper I was hoping it would be when you enter the front door."