--- title: "Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers — Painters | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/painters/color-craftsmen-fireplace-makeovers-pfvwus-pf~1509958310 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1509958310.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers" category: ["Painters"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/057304110f6a31dc_9891-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "9 Montauk Court, St. Louis 63146, United States" latitude: 38.7033 longitude: -90.4618 phone: "(314) 313-1495" website: http://www.colorcraftsmen.com rating: 5 review_count: 13 best_of_houzz_awards: 9 followers: 72 last_updated: 2026-09-03 --- # Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers Original Houzz profile: [Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/painters/color-craftsmen-fireplace-makeovers-pfvwus-pf~1509958310) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Painters - **Location:** St. Louis - **Serves:** University City, Washington, Chesterfield, St. Louis, Glendale, Manchester, O Fallon, Rock Hill, Saint Charles, Brentwood, Saint Peters, Florissant, Maplewood, Shrewsbury, Winchester, Wildwood, Ballwin, Kirkwood, Maryland Heights, Bridgeton, Clayton, Hazelwood, Webster Groves, Creve Coeur, Defiance, Saint Louis, Westwood, Town and Country, Richmond Heights, Ellisville, Des Peres, Ladue, Olivette, Frontenac, Clarkson Valley, Warson Woods, Twin Oaks, Huntleigh, Bellerive - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (13 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 9 awards (2014–2022), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - 5 Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 25,000 Ideabook Saves We work closely with customers to understand their taste. Then we propose changes that could be made to their fireplace that are in keeping with the client's sense of style. We offer unique products from across the country and around the world; everything from gold leaf and burnished metallic plaster to engineered cement and unique textile finishes. Once we understand what a person likes, we can create a unique finish that perfectly suits them. ### Services Provided - Decorative Painting - Faux Painting - Faux Finishes - Fireplace Facelift - Fireplace Makeover - Fireplace Options - Fireplace Redo - Fireplace Rennovation - Fireplace Update - Interior Design - hard surfaces ### Areas Served - University City - Washington - Chesterfield - St. Louis - Glendale - Manchester - O Fallon - Rock Hill - Saint Charles - Brentwood - Saint Peters - Florissant - Maplewood - Shrewsbury - Winchester - Wildwood - Ballwin - Kirkwood - Maryland Heights - Bridgeton - Clayton - Hazelwood - Webster Groves - Creve Coeur - Defiance - Saint Louis - Westwood - Town and Country - Richmond Heights - Ellisville - Des Peres - Ladue - Olivette - Frontenac - Clarkson Valley - Warson Woods - Twin Oaks - Huntleigh - Bellerive ### Typical Job Cost $500 - $3500 ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers | | Address | 9 Montauk Court, St. Louis 63146, United States | | Phone | (314) 313-1495 | | Website | http://www.colorcraftsmen.com | | License Number | LC9699070 | | Followers on Houzz | 72 | ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/painters/color-craftsmen-fireplace-makeovers-pfvwus-pf~1509958310) - **Website:** http://www.colorcraftsmen.com - **Phone:** (314) 313-1495 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Best of Houzz 4 years running. Other national awards include PIPP Interior Decorative Residential award; Interior Decorative Commercial. We're EPA certified Lead Renovators, Accredited by the Painting & Decorating Contractors of America. - **Best of Houzz:** 9 awards (2014–2022), for Design, Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 13 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — streetdaddy, March 2021** > Talked to John and he was very generous of his time and very helpful. Wouldn’t hesitate to use him if i needed any projects. Great guy. **★★★★★ — Patrick K, May 2018** > Just wanted to give a shout out to John on how professional he was throughout the process of remodeling our fireplace. We gave him the layout and vision on what we wanted for our remodel and John was instrumental in listening to what we wanted and created a masterpiece. The difference from what we had and to now is extraordinary. He created exactly what we envisioned. If you are looking to create your dream fireplace, look no further and contact John. **Comment from Color Craftsmen: Fireplace Makeovers:** > Thanks for your comments, Patrick. Your fireplace was a good project - some carpentry, some painting, and a welcome opportunity to innovate made it a fun project! **★★★★★ — stlpaintshop, June 2015** > John and his craftsmen bring knowledge to specialty finishes that very few contractors have. If you are looking for that "different look" he will not steer you wrong. **★★★★★ — prdctprtnr, Jan. 2014** > Top rate company. Honest as the day is long. Cares about quality work, the customer and his employees. Has multiple very uniques custom made wall covering processes such as custom made wall paper and wall finishes. Not sure anyone else in town does it. Knows how to perform high and ultra high quality work and please even very discriminating customers. He is my "go to" guy **★★★★★ — cutecut18, Jan. 2014** > I have hired John Bubenik's company several times over the last three years. He is certainly a true "color craftsman". He transformed oak ceiling beams and an oak fireplace mantle with paint to look like my interior doors which are less grained wood. His workmen did a fantastic faux finish to my great room that is subtle and elevated. Colorcraftsmen have also done basic interior painting, outdoor painting, restoring a wood porch swing my grandfather built, refinishing white metal on ceiling fixtures to look like oil rubbed bronze.....and more. John listens to his clients and gives great suggestions. I trust his workmen implicitly in my home. **★★★★★ — Jimmy Albenesius, Nov. 2013** > John and his crew took care of painting my basement floor with cracks and that had been previously painted to look like acid Washed/etched concrete. > They performed the job while my wife and I were on our Honeymoon. When we returned the floor was complete and the house was the way we had left it. The final outcome was just what was described to us and it looked amazing. His knowledge of color really showed when the job was complete. I could not has asked for a better painting contractor. **★★★★★ — peterkjb, Nov. 2013** > I manage facilities professionally and have hired the Color Craftsmen for a large number of projects over the past seven years since I was introduced to them. They do everything for me from painting apartments, upscale homes, and even exterior painting. There is no one I would trust more to do painting for me, especially exterior painting. The guys have an extensive knowledge of the products that are on the market and have more of an attention-to-detail than any other painter that I have ever seen. Most recently, I hired them for a very large project that spanned a couple of months and included a variety of painting and staining work. The guys are also very trustworthy and comfortable will my residents, many of which have small children. **★★★★★ — dmg1963, Nov. 2013** > I worked with John from Color Craftsmen while renovating an old daycare space into and event space for receptions, meetings, parties, etc. John was extremely helpful in color selection and helping create an 'older' feel in this very square, modern space. The craftsmen with this company have excellent skills and model integrity and quality in their relationship with their customers. > > I would highly recommend using Color Craftsman for your project. You will miss them when they are done! **★★★★★ — spencer\_dog, Oct. 2013** > Jon and his team are extremely knowledgeable and do great work! They are dependable, it is comfortable to have them in your home, and their work is outstanding, meeting te value for te dollar test, and more. Very creative problem solvers, too! **★★★★★ — jcSelects, Oct. 2013** > John Bubenik of Color Craftsmen is one the secrets to outstanding performance on my St. Louis area remodels. His over 20 years of experience and his keen eye make him the "go to faux paint man" when I need a special effect, to match a detail or just need a fresh idea for a finish material. > > John is very professional, impeccably honest, fair priced and courteous. He has made excellent recommendations when I need his help, then executed the work flawlessly. Color Craftsmen can paint any material and brings life and texture to formerly beige blah walls and trim items, floors and transition strips, ceilings, beams and more. > > A lot of people claim to be painters, but like anything else, there are some who stand out. Because of the passion and earnest desire to keep up with training and trends, Color Craftsmen gives me current style updates beautifully rendered. I put full confidence in Color Craftsmen for my most treasured clients. **★★★★★ — Baygents Company, Oct. 2013** > John is very professional and consistent. We have hired him numerous times to re-finish cabinetry, do custom paint applications and do touch up work. We even had him paint a custom finish on a wood ceiling in our showroom and it looks fabulous! When anyone calls our company looking for a painter or re-finisher John is the only one that we recommend. He truly is a craftsman. **★★★★★ — kennybrown, Oct. 2013** > John from Color Craftsman came out to resurface and paint a water damaged ceiling. He was able to blend the paint color and get the texture perfect to match an existing ceiling. Very detailed work. ## Selected projects - [Defiance, Missouri - 10/2010](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/defiance-missouri-10-2010-pj-vj~40871) - Location: Defiance, MO - Photos: 2 - [Chesterfield, Missouri - 08/2010](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chesterfield-missouri-08-2010-pj-vj~40377) - Location: Saint Louis, MO - Photos: 4 - [Ladue, Missouri - 11/2011](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/ladue-missouri-11-2011-pj-vj~40369) - Location: Ladue, MO - Photos: 5 - [Wood to "Marble" Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/wood-to-marble-fireplace-pj-vj~1745388) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 7 - Description: A hundred year old painted wooden fireplace had seen better days. Our customer preferred the look of white marble with gray veins. We removed the applique and the tile and altered the shape of the mantel. Then we used paint and glaze to create the look of their choice of marble. - [Painted brick to "stone" fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/painted-brick-to-stone-fireplace-pj-vj~2252103) - Location: Olivette, MO - Photos: 9 - [Driveway Overlay](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/driveway-overlay-pj-vj~1751179) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 3 - Description: Our customer has a natural stone water feature and loves the colors, He wanted to add the look of more stone to his exterior. We provided a concrete overlay on the driveway and walkways. With an overlay, the stone size and shape can easily be specified as well as the colors. - [Des Peres, Missouri - 4/2013](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/des-peres-missouri-4-2013-pj-vj~315262) - Location: Des Peres, MO - Photos: 3 - [Fireplace Makeovers](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fireplace-makeovers-pj-vj~5333957) - Location: Eureka, MO - Photos: 2 - [South County, Missouri - 5/2010](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/south-county-missouri-5-2010-pj-vj~40861) - Location: High Ridge, MO - Photos: 2 - [Remove Brick Hearth](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/remove-brick-hearth-pj-vj~2831072) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 4 - [Add Personality to a Plain Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/add-personality-to-a-plain-fireplace-pj-vj~2831035) - Location: Saint Charles, MO - Photos: 7 - [Change Fireplace Stone](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/change-fireplace-stone-pj-vj~2831085) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 2 - [Chesterfield, Missouri - 5/2013](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chesterfield-missouri-5-2013-pj-vj~315279) - Location: Chesterfield, MO - Photos: 6 - [Tall Wooden Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/tall-wooden-fireplace-pj-vj~1745400) - Location: Wildwood, MO - Photos: 3 - [Red Brick Fireplace to Gray](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/red-brick-fireplace-to-gray-pj-vj~2831010) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 3 - [Stained wood to "stone" fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/stained-wood-to-stone-fireplace-pj-vj~2252095) - Location: Olivette, MO - Photos: 3 - [Wildwood, Missouri - 11/2010](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/wildwood-missouri-11-2010-pj-vj~40866) - Location: Wildwood, MO - Photos: 1 - [Metallic finishes](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/metallic-finishes-pj-vj~40802) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 8 - Description: Our customer wanted stunning looks on certain architectural features. We were happy to comply with some noteworthy metallic finishes. - [Pietra Dorata Sandstone](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pietra-dorata-sandstone-pj-vj~2252071) - Location: Lake Saint Louis, MO - Photos: 7 - [Fireplace brick alteration](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fireplace-brick-alteration-pj-vj~1751189) - Location: St. Louis, MO - Photos: 3 [See all 25 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/painters/color-craftsmen-fireplace-makeovers-pfvwus-pf~1509958310) ## Ideabooks - [French Country](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/162058098/list/french-country) — 23 ideas - [Firebox Decor](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/155288334/list/firebox-decor) — 13 ideas - [Stucco And Stone](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/128416312/list/stucco-and-stone) — 1 idea - [Blumberg Idea](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/126928958/list/blumberg-idea) — 1 idea - [Asian Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/126928918/list/asian-fireplace) — 36 ideas - [Limestone Block Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/125485501/list/limestone-block-fireplace) — 13 ideas - [Concrete Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/124410083/list/concrete-fireplace) — 12 ideas - [Light-colored Brick Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/121469512/list/light-colored-brick-fireplace) — 12 ideas - [White Cast Fireplaces](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/120534746/list/white-cast-fireplaces) — 3 ideas - [Corner Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/119910235/list/corner-fireplace) — 6 ideas - [Contemporary Brick Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/118502035/list/contemporary-brick-fireplace) — 14 ideas - [Contemporary Fireplaces](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116814293/list/contemporary-fireplaces) — 119 ideas - [Fireplace Beneath Sloped Ceiling](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116483174/list/fireplace-beneath-sloped-ceiling) — 9 ideas - [Fireplace With Bookcases](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116483091/list/fireplace-with-bookcases) — 2 ideas - [Offset Firebox](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116482992/list/offset-firebox) — 2 ideas - [White Marble Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/112353670/list/white-marble-fireplace) — 29 ideas - [Textured Fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/112344849/list/textured-fireplace) — 9 ideas - [Plaster Fireplace (may be coarse)](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/105490982/list/plaster-fireplace-may-be-coarse) — 15 ideas - [distinctive design fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/103914559/list/distinctive-design-fireplace) — 144 ideas - [art deco fireplace](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/103913261/list/art-deco-fireplace) — 10 ideas [See all 30 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/colorcraftsmen) ## Community Q&A **Q: what stone was used on the fireplace?** *(in Photo Questions)* I’m interested to see what kind of stone was used on the fire place. A: Sorry, I wasn’t involved in the discussion about stone specifics. However, I think o remember someone calling it “Indiana Limestone”. **Q: What is the finish on the stone fireplace?** *(in Photo Questions)* I have a 1970's faux stone fireplace and I am interested in a mortar wash or some other procedure that will lighten the look. I am going for the look in this picture A: I suggest that you pick three or four colors from a paint deck; one as a mortar color and two or three as colors for your stone. Water them down to make a very thin paint. These thinned-down water-based paints will be used in the fist step to recolor the stone. You can intermix some c if these to increase the number of colors at your disposal. Use one or two or even three colors on each stone, blending the colors where they overlap. Next, water down a portion of the new color for the mortar. This time you’ll be making a thin-as-water mix that you can apply over the recolored stones(after they are altogether dry). Have a rag handy to pat off the mix as necessary. The goal is to add a layer of translucent, dark “weathering” to the stone so that they don’t look painted. Let me know how it works out! **Q: can you please tell me what stain/colors you used to get this color?** *(in Photo Questions)* I know you said you mixed some colors/stains to get this look, but can you tell me the exact products you used? Thanks so much! A: I think you’re talking about the ceiling, right? I used pigments, not stains. Some yellow ochre, some van Dyke Brown, some black and some white. **Q: What did you use as a wash on the ceiling?** *(in Photo Questions)* I have a 1980’s western cedar cathedral ceiling and pine paneling that has a very orange /red patina . I can’t bring myself to paint it but that wash is exactly the tone I want to complete a similar look to the home in the picture . Can you give me info on that process ? Thx A: Thanks for your question Carol. This is a good-sized challenge. My suggestion is to create a product that falls somewhere between an opaque paint and a perfectly transparent stain. Start with some scrap wood that is similar in color to your ceiling. (Or, plan to sand your new coating off of any area of the ceiling that you coat but don’t like.) It’s likely impossible to altogether hide the red and orange tones without hiding most of the original grain pattern, however, I wouldn’t want to discourage you from trying. If you have access to General Finishes or to SamaN stains, I encourage you to experiment with some of their water-based stains. Scuff sand the surface of your ceiling and before you brush on the stain. (These products are unique in that they allow you to coat a surface that has already been stained/sealed.) Start with a color of your choice as well as some of their “natural” or untinted stain. Intermix the color and the uncolored stain until you come up with a sufficient level of translucency that will cover your objectionable tones without altogether obscuring the grain. Whether or not you obscure the grain, you might choose to add a second layer of stain that’s more translucent and slightly darker. When you brush this on, you’ll create the look of grain lines. Let me know if you have questions. **Q: Where to find owl?** *(in Photo Questions)* Where did you purchase the beautiful owl sculpture (metal)? A: I’m sorry to tell you that I don’t have an answer to your question. You might try contacting the designer, Emily Castle at Castle Design. **Q: love these stones** *(in Photo Questions)* What type of yellow, red stones are these? I am tryin to create a path with these type of stones, but not flagstones. A: You could certainly paint stone shapes directly on your concrete surface. However, you’ll lose one element of realism that texture provides. Cover your concrete stain with a xylene-based clear coat for durability. Repeat the clear coat every few years as it becomes dull. You wouldn’t need to continue to do color work. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-03.*