Usually I come to Houzz for advice, and so many have been generous with suggestions I thought I might "give back" by offering a few discoveries that have worked for me.

One of which would be restoring interior brick flooring and steps. The person who owned the house before me apparently waxed the flooring, but the finish had worn off in highest traffic areas and the brick was faded and discolored. After cleaning the floor thoroughly, I took a chance and rubbed cherry wood stain into the bricks, which instantly revived and unified their color. Then sealed the floor in polyurethane. That was a couple of years ago, and it still looks great!

Best of luck with your home challenges!

creekgirl