Enhance Your Home’s Warmth with Cozy Fireplace and Staircase Inspiration
/As autumn brings cooler weather, it’s the perfect time to update and warm up our living spaces. Let’s enhance the coziness of your fireplace or bring some life to an underutilized staircase, making your home even more inviting this season.
Here’s what I’ve been working on lately for inspiration, showcasing how small changes can significantly transform spaces into warm, inviting areas.
Mary in Niskayuna wished to honor her grandmother's cherished handblown glass collection. Collaborating with MKC Design, we crafted custom cabinets to complement the space perfectly. Our 'Take 2' approach focused on rejuvenating existing elements such as the fireplace, meticulously whitewashing the brick surround, and refreshing the molding. The result is a transformed, airy space filled with sentimental value, ready for relaxation and enjoyment.
Dana in Averill Park desired a refreshed look for the dark tongue-and-groove knotty pine wall in her 1980s home. Located adjacent to the kitchen, it was essential that the great room’s design harmonized with its surroundings. To achieve this, I applied a whitewash effect to brighten the walls and installed a stunning white stacked marble fireplace surround, complemented by a tastefully stained mantle. While retaining the original dark floors, the newly updated family room now radiates brightness and beautifully echoes the tile backsplash I recently installed in the kitchen.
In a recent newsletter, you might recall the transformation of Jackie's beautiful eat-in kitchen in her charming 1950s colonial home, nestled in the heart of Albany. Now, I’m excited to showcase another update in Jackie’s residence: a cozy, revitalized fireplace. We exchanged the old, dark, and dreary brick surround with a timeless marble, introduced in a contemporary hexagon pattern, elevating and modernizing the space. The beautifully crafted mantle remains, harmonizing effortlessly with the new design to breathe warmth and elegance into the room.
This elegant 1970s colonial, positioned near the Albany Country Club, features a prominent staircase in the family room, eagerly waiting for a transformation. Catering to Lisa’s vision of rejuvenation, we’ve meticulously curated new rugs and furniture, room by room, optimizing each space with refreshed layouts. The focus then shifted to the family room’s staircase, formerly adorned with dark, dated green carpet and a wooden banister. Collaborating closely with the homeowners, we chose new wall and staircase paints perfectly aligned with their new aesthetic. I enhanced the staircase by applying five coats of paint to 72 spindles, restaining the posts and handrails for a harmonized look with the floor, and introducing a sophisticated contrast with black stair treads paired with white risers.
Returning to a classic 1980s home in Wynantskill, where I previously installed a new backsplash, Agnes entrusted me again, this time for a staircase makeover. Seeking an updated look featuring iron spindles, we removed the worn carpet, revealing the stairs’ hidden potential. I carefully stained the stair treads and handrail to create a cohesive look, pairing them with freshly painted white risers, achieving a delightful and modern contrast that rejuvenates the space.
There is potential in every room to feel refreshed and renewed with a bit of creativity and paint. If your space feels tired or stuck, there’s always a way to bring it back to life.
If you need help bringing your design dreams to life, I'm here to help! Whether you're looking to turn an inspirational photo into a reality, need assistance selecting the perfect paint colors or finishes, or want to redesign a room in your home, I'm ready to assist. Simply give Judi Stone a call at 518-495-4317 to schedule a consultation.
