Meet Stacie. She lives downtown in a gorgeous home that we helped decorate, and now it’s finally time to officially House Crash her place. Fasten your seatbelts—this tour is going to be fun.
You may already remember her bedroom transformation. It started out quite differently:
We created one of our first mood boards for her, which helped guide the makeover into this bright, layered result:
Beyond the bedroom, the rest of Stacie’s home reveals a cohesive, modern sensibility. Here’s the hallway that connects the foyer to her sleek kitchen—note that beautiful transom window framing the path:
She chose Ikea cabinets for the kitchen and loves them—customizable, practical, and budget-friendly.
Her front room reads dramatic and sophisticated with deep chocolate walls (a similar effect can be achieved with Benjamin Moore’s North Creek Brown 1001), velvet seating, and a textured wool rug. Despite the room’s luxe look, several elements are surprisingly affordable: the starburst mirror over the fireplace is a ZGallerie find and the lamps beside the sofa are from Target.
Stacie also has a cozy sitting room/office anchored by a West Elm daybed where her kids hang out while she works at a compact West Elm desk. Above the fireplace hangs a contemporary CB2 pear print, and a modern fixture lights the space—simple pieces that together feel curated and lived-in.
The standout is the newly renovated dining room, a project we helped Stacie complete just in time for a big party. Here’s the room before the renovation:
And here’s the dining room after. The whole scheme began with the metallic wallpaper Stacie adored, which she installed on two opposing walls to frame the space. The result is luxurious and dramatic without feeling overdone.
We visited once the paper was up and suggested a warm greige for the remaining walls—Benjamin Moore’s Smokey Taupe 983—which reads differently depending on light and complements the metallic accents. The room’s oversized crown molding, high ceilings, and wide doorways amplify the elegant effect.
Many accessories were budget-friendly: lamps on the buffet were found at Marshall’s and the mirrors above the console came from a mainstream retailer. Stacie’s ability to mix an original crystal chandelier with smart, affordable finds keeps the room feeling polished and personal.
One element that gave Stacie pause was the fireplace surround. She worried that the original wood finish didn’t align with her vision of a lighter, more ethereal room. We considered options like weathered gray-blue stain or painting it white or gray, but the idea of a metallic finish ultimately sealed the decision.
Stacie selected a pewter metallic paint that reads perfectly in her airy, luxe dining room—bright and reflective without overpowering the space. To keep contrast and visual drama, she painted the surround a deep, moody black, which lets the pewter mantel sing.
That wraps up the tour of Stacie’s lovely home—full of thoughtful mixes of high and low pieces that achieve serious drama and glam without breaking the bank. What stands out to you most: the metallic wallpaper or the lighter, brighter bedroom? Both still look fantastic more than a year after their makeovers.
UPDATE: We returned to take more photos of Stacie’s latest updates and captured the next chapter of her makeover.