Erika From Peony + Honey Talks About Her Fireplace Makeover
In the heart of the vibrant city of Cleveland, Ohio, lives Erika, the creative spirit behind Peony & Honey. A former talk radio host for iHeartMedia Cleveland and part-time TV host for Cleveland 19, Erika now invests her energy in crafting home, DIY, and lifestyle content.
Her followers, affectionately known as her 'Honeys', are treated to an array of mesmerizing home decor and DIY projects. Erika's recent project? A modern fireplace makeover in collaboration with Stoll Industries!
From Vision to Reality: Erika's Fireplace Makeover
Given Erika's love for home renovations and her keen eye for details, our mission was to craft a solution that would reflect her modern Victorian aesthetic and her need for functionality. She chose the ZC Reface Original style. This choice ensured that the entire face of her Zero Clearance fireplace got a revamp. The elegance of the Antique Brass finish and the Clearview Cabinet-style fireplace doors were just right for her goals. The glass, in an understated shade of gray (also referred to as 'Smoke'), was in perfect harmony with the muted tones of Erika's decor. The finishing touches were added with Decorative handles and ST1510 Louvers that were both practical and visually appealing. This quick and easy magnetic installation is uniquely designed to be a hassle-free experience.
To delve deeper into the fireplace remodel journey, we sat down with Erika for a candid conversation about her experience with Stoll Industries. Let’s take a look at what she had to say:
Could you tell us about yourself and what you have going on at the moment?
Erika: Of course. So I'm Erica from Peony and Honey, and I'm a home creator. I've been doing this for about five years after a 10-year stint as a radio host. I just developed a passion for renovating and decorating and I share all of my tips and tricks and DIYs on all of my social media platforms with people. We moved from our 1500 square foot home that was pretty much all renovated after about seven years into a 3000 square foot home that was like a nineties builder grade. We decided to make it an entire project house to share all of the projects and DIYs along the way with my audience. My style in this home is modern Victorian, so we're giving the nineties builder grade a lot of character with lots of built-ins, wall moldings, and a modern twist!
What was the state of the old fireplace? Did it have a door?
Erika: The existing fireplace had black doors on it with a sort of nineties bluish glass. It was quite an outdated fireplace, and they were also rusted a little bit and a bit dirty. We knew we had to find a way that we could upgrade our fireplace without having to redo the whole prefabricated fireplace. We didn't know the Stoll product we used existed until we started doing a lot more research on what could be done with these prefabricated fireplaces.
Can you tell us more about your collaboration with Stoll Industries for this fireplace makeover?
Erika: It just made the most sense for me to work with Stoll on this project because their fireplace doors have a clean modern edge, and I thought it'd be the perfect juxtaposition on our 90s builder grade fireplace. The fireplace was orange oak. I gave it a coat of paint, added some custom molding, busted out all of the 90s tile that was surrounding the existing fireplace, and put in a marble slab. Then the cherry on top was our custom brass Stoll fireplace doors that shock everyone when I talk about the fact that it's just magnetic and sticks to your existing prefabricated fireplace. It looks like a totally different fireplace. We're super thrilled with how it looks in our living space.
How did you discover Stoll or the local dealer?
Erika: I did a lot of research when we first moved into the home. We'd never had a working fireplace before. We only ever had a faux fireplace. One thing I searched for was fireplace doors and Stoll came up immediately. I was delighted to see they offered modern fireplace makeovers!
When I went to the local dealer in our area, they let me know that Stoll had a product that actually just magnetically sticks onto your existing front. I'm really glad that I found Stoll in the initial search of looking for beautiful fireplace doors, because once we found a place that carried the product, we were able to figure out that we needed that ZC Reface door.
So, you chose a brass door because it coordinated with what else you were doing in the living area?
Erika: The specific finish we chose matches to a T with a lot of the aged brass sconces and lighting pieces that are out on the market right now. So we were able to perfectly match our wall sconces and our ceiling light fixture in the room to the doors. It was meant to be!
What custom options did you choose for your fireplace doors?
Erika: We went with one of the more simple style doors, but loved the options to customize the handles and glass. The little skinny vintage handles were just the perfect touch on the doors. We also smoked the glass, which always makes your fireplace look perfectly clean.
Tell us about your experience working with your local dealer.
Erika: We found a local dealer online and figured we would go see the doors in person partly because I also wanted to see the finishes in person. Once we were pretty much done picking everything out, we put in a tentative order. Then they came out to measure just a few days later. Once we had the measurements, we went back in to finalize our order. In a few weeks, they let us know that our doors were ready. They came and installed them for us. They showed us how to properly magnetize it onto our old fireplace surround. It was great to get their advice.
Are you satisfied with your Stoll fireplace doors?
Erika: 100%. It looks like they put a brand-new fireplace in our house. Especially after being quoted more than $30,000 from other vendors to redo our whole fireplace, this looks amazing. The quality is there. The antique brass finish, the glass, everything is perfect!
Do you feel it's important for a fireplace to be the focal point of a room?
Erika: Yeah, of course. You always want to have your fireplace be the beautiful focal point because, you know, when you have a fire going, it's kind of hard to really pay attention to anything else.
What's the most rewarding aspect of a fireplace makeover for you?
Erika: I've seen such a dramatic change and it's amazing to see that that dramatic change came from my design. I look back at my mood boards, and it's just so funny to see what was in my mind and then how it actually turned out are just so similar. My vision really came to life. It gives me a really good feeling when I go in there because I see all my hard work and see how it's all paid off.
We know it's summer, but have you used your new fireplace?
Erika: Let me tell you that first time after having the marble installed and then putting the doors on and lighting a fire for that first time it was, like, 70 degrees outside and I'm like, let's light the fire, and I was so happy about it because it was exactly what I hoped it would be.
Any advice or tips for those who want to tackle a fireplace makeover?
Erika: I love creating a mood board to pull together fireplace remodel ideas in the very beginning. I go to Pinterest, start pinning as many inspirational rooms and fireplace remodel ideas as I can. Then I use that knowledge to design a mood board. Try to work with what you have first and then add to that. Don't forget the power of paint and some good trim and molding. Always check the slab yards because those people can have remnants. And then I would say for your doors, just go with something that fits the style of your home. Don't overthink it.
What's next for your 90s builder-grade home?
Erika: We are in full construction in the kitchen. I have a couple of really fun DIYs planned for the space. One of them is an oval shaped island that I'm custom building for the space. And then I'm also going to be building a hood vent cover in the kitchen out of a vintage bed frame. So that's going to be really, really fun! I think refreshing our outdoor spaces will be the plan for next year. We’d love to get our deck built. We love our large view in our backyard and can’t wait to spruce up that space next year.
Check out this video recap of the fireplace makeover from Peony + Honey
Thinking about a fireplace makeover of your own?
This project was more than just a fireplace makeover – it was a transformation that brought Erika’s vision to life, and we're thrilled with the result. It's a testament to the notion that a fireplace isn’t just a source of warmth, but an artistic focal point that enhances the ambiance of your living space.
Are you thinking about a fireplace makeover? We’d love to bring your ideas to life and help you create a centerpiece that is in harmony with your home's style. Check out our fireplace remodel visualizer tool to see your vision in action or find a dealer near you!