Updated Fireplaces Take Center Stage

November 2009: Does your fireplace say "1975" or "Builders' Special"? If so, it's time for a fabulous focal point.

It’s that time of the year, where fireplaces have a starring role in your family gathering. If your fireplace says “1975” or “builder’s special”, it might be time to upgrade it.

Many of today’s homes have grand family rooms with high ceilings, but the fireplace doesn’t live up to the space in the proper proportion. Surrounds of painted moldings with undersized mantels are usually dwarfed by the rest of the room’s architecture. What should be a focal point is now an element which throws off the balance of the space.

Older homes often have fireplaces with brick surrounds and oak mantels. Because the brick color and pattern of the grout lines and oak grain can be a distraction in the room, the fireplace may also become an eyesore, to be ignored or disguised.

Before you decide to hide your fireplace behind your sofa, here are a few ideas.

A larger mantel can be the first step to a grander fireplace. Paneling or a shadowbox added above the mantel can provide much needed scale to the wall and make a statement. Painted mantels can receive custom finish treatments to simulate wood, stone, or other materials.
A brick fireplace can have its brick glazed and colored for greater richness. Or, sheetrock over the brick, install a new mantel, paint or put a decorative plaster on the wall, and you will have an amazing transformation.

Need a Plan for Changing Your Kitchen Cabinets?

February, 2009: Upgrading your kitchen can be a big project. Here are tips on where to start, and suggestions on how to put the pieces together.

The scope and design of every project may be slightly different. However, we have general recommendations for a sound plan with which to manage your kitchen upgrade:

Decide if you are going to replace your cabinets or, if there is really nothing wrong with them other than the look, restyle them to improve the function and décor of your space. These tips can apply to a full replacement job, but, because you’re on our website, we’re going to assume that you would prefer to conserve as much of your cabinetry as possible instead tossing it all aside. So, based on that . . .

Choose your cabinet finish. The face of your cabinets account for the largest area, by square foot, as seen by the eye when looking straight ahead. This should be the primary design element which sets the tone and coloration of the rest of your space.

Are you going to make changes in the footprint of your cabinets or placement of appliances? Figure that out now. This decision will affect flooring as well as modifications to the cabinet frames, so this step is critical for a stress-free project.

Address the soffit, if you need to. Do you want to remove it or incorporate it into the final design? Is electrical or venting housed in it, which may limit your design options?

Decide on your appliances, have the measurements ready. If modifications need to be made to the cabinet frames in order to allow for clearance of new appliances, this carpentry needs to take place before the finish goes on.

Is your cook top properly vented? If not, that needs to be addressed.

Choose and install the flooring.

Determine your electrical needs.

Say goodbye to your doors an drawer fronts. For a little while, at least, if you are one of our clients.

Pick out your countertop, sink, and fixtures.Remove wallpaper; Prime walls

Have on-site carpentry and finishing done.

Install any new appliances.

Template for the granite or other countertop material. Make sure you have chosen your sink and have its template, as well as info on your cooktop available.

Install lighting and electric. Install pendants, high hats, over cabinet lighting, under cabinets lighting, and whatever else wasn’t finished before.

Choose your handles and other hardware.

Re-Install doors and drawer fronts.

Install granite.

Have your plumber install your sink hookups. If you have new granite and there is a seam in your countertop near the sink, have him wait at least two days. This will give time for this area to set and cure.

Install backsplash. Think of the backsplash as jewelry or an accessory which pulls together the cabinetry, granite, and other elements.

Paint walls. Do you want a paint color to blend with the cabinets, for a monochromatic look, or one that contrasts, so your cabinets and other design elements come alive (usually our favorite choice . . .)?

Have pictures taken for magazines, and to make your neighbors jealous!

Sit back and enjoy your new kitchen!

Finishes Do More Than Just Look Pretty

Faux finishing. Decorative painting. Mention this wall and surface treatment and you'll hear everything from "Oh, that's new," to "Faux is so out." So, how far has faux really come - or faded - in the central New Jersey area?

Finishes aren't just pretty, they should have a function in a room. After all, the walls of a room comprise 60% of its surface area and play an integral part in setting the tone for that space. They can set a mood, define or alter architecture, and introduce or balance pattern. If you're considering a faux finish, Artisan Interiors suggests you consider these few tips for getting the most out of your decorating effort:

-A 3x6' powder room is a small space and no amount of white paint will make it large. Instead of trying to make it grand, choose finishes which will make it feel opulent and enveloping.

-Large, voluminous rooms can be made to feel more cozy. A richer color on a ceiling can visually lower it, as can a graded - darker towards the top and lighter towards the bottom - finish on the walls.

-Work with the architecture of a large, high room to make it grand instead of cavernous. Treat crown molding and other architectural elements in order to visually enhance them and give them greater elegance , try deep or rich color on the walls to add drama, or large scale finishes to add movement and bring the eye upward.

-Authentic Venetian plasters contain specified percentages of lime and marble dust. Walls with this treatment will be slightly cool to the touch. To achieve a sense of warmth in a space where the walls will be touched or brushed against, this is not the finish of choice.

-A simple glaze texture may look great in a small space, but will get lost on a wall with 20' ceilings.

Every finish will translate into a pattern on a wall. Pick the right one for the size and setting of your particular surface.