Retro Red and Brown Lounge

Web designer Matthew Krivanek turned the bonus room of his Decatur, Ga., home into a 1970s-inspired cyber lounge. During the day, Matthew and his business partners gather in the space to work on new designs. At night the lounge is used for playing card games and drinking cocktails.

For a touch of architectural interest, Matthew's contractor cut several 4-by-8-foot sheets of MDF down into 3-by-2-foot sections and installed them as paneling. Matthew explains, "To make the entire wall look like custom millwork, I painted the drywall and the MDF panels with red oil paint. While I'm happy with the glossy finish you get from oil paint, it takes forever to dry."

A 1970s-style wallpaper called Shake It Up from Schumacher caught Matthew's eye because of its graphic geometric pattern and also for the way it played with light. "When the light hits the wallpaper, it highlights the glossy sheen of the pattern. I think it gives the lounge a lot of depth," he adds.

In order to add storage to his cyber lounge, Matthew had a $50 garage sale console professionally refinished with spray paint in a unique way: The outside is dark brown and the inside is fire-engine red.