St. Paul Cape Cod Dormer Addition

A remodel is underway. Take a look inside.

Follow along as we build a shed dormer addition along the upper level of this St. Paul Cape Cod.

Light Fixtures & Paint

Paint – It’s the Finishing Touch.

Painting is no small task on any job site and involves finishing several surfaces, from walls and doors to millwork and cabinets. From the prep work like taping to painting and drying repetitively, painting typically takes at least 8 days. Our designers work directly with clients to find the right shades and opportunities to use paint as a unique design feature, as we’ve done in the primary suite with a stunning Sherwin Williams green called Rosemary.

Our tile installer is placing the last of the hexagonal tiles, working from the opposite side of the room to the bathroom entry.

With the cabinets installed, we moved forward with painting and installing West Elm's 3 globe sconce just over the vanity.

From Warm Whites to Soft Blues

Here is a breakdown of what our crew painted inside this St. Paul Cape Cod:

  • The Staircase Treads: The stair treads and risers will be exposed with a 24″ carpet runner along the surface of each step. For the sake of consistency between the upper level and main floor below, a matching shade of white was selected to paint the steps.
  • Interior Doors: Doors are painted on site. They are placed upright, hinges are removed, and each side is sprayed with a Sherwin Williams semi gloss enamel paint.

Our painters matched a warm white on the lower level for the stair treads and risers. Soon we'll install a 24" carpet runner to sit atop each step.

  • Base, Window, & Door Trim: The trim and doors are typically the first to be painted after an initial prime coat. As with the staircase, the exact shade of Sherwin Williams was selected to match existing paint on the main level.
  • Interior Walls & Ceilings: Our clients liked Behr’s Canyon Wind, which we matched in a Sherwin Williams paint and used in nearly every room of the upper level. In the shared bedroom, a quaint shade of blue adds a bit of softness and charm compared to the vivid Rosemary painted as a feature wall in the primary suite.

Let There Be Light & Great Light Fixtures

Right after painting, we enter the “electrical final” stage of construction, taking a small crew of 1-2 a single day to install all our new decorative fixtures. While most fixtures are selected during the design phase, the bedroom sconces were client provided to give the clients a little extra time to find exactly what they were looking for. When working with large fixtures like the statement pendant over the stair, we pay particular attention to making sure that the lowest point of the pendant maintains the right clearances, as even the most beautiful fixtures could be a nuisance if they interfered with a door swing or were low enough to run into! Regardless of the size or  placement of a decorative light, designers and homeowners can use them to make a big statement or provide subtle details to both the ambiance and overall design. Lighting is expressive, where the level of brightness, color temperature, and fixture design work together to define style and add functionality to a space, which is one reason the selection process is both exciting and important.

With all things delicate, like the globes of this stair pendant, sometimes shipping can cause a few issues. Though a single globe was broken upon arrival, we were able to order a replacement, topping off this 6 globe statement piece for major design impact!

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this type of project?

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