Exotic Living Room Gallery

The room was sparse, lacking in seating (unless you counted the rowing machine she had in the middle of the area) and was very tricky to decorate. My challenge was to take the difficult room and turn it into a gallery space that reflected the woman herself: warm, exotic, imaginative and inspired. I needed to channel all of my creative energies to create this artist's paradise.

Maya's own art has tons of color and pattern and texture, so I decided to create the room around her own design principles. I envisioned a vibrant and plush living room with small conversation areas where her friends could convene--a nook here, a pocket there, and, for the crowning glory, a miniature sultan's tent.

Color and paint would be the big story here, so I embarked on a massive job that included painting the tall walls in large horizontal bands of burnt red paint above, and a neutral--but not boring--cream color below where her art could be showcased.

For an extra exotic feel, I decided to adorn the walls with a stenciled translucent overglaze pattern that I picked up from a paisley fabric I would use elsewhere in the room. This multi-dimensional painting scheme created a look that was part spicy Moroccan and part Victorian parlor, and would be perfect for entertaining.

To match the wall spaces, I chose drapery and upholstery fabrics of a rich palette: red, gold and terra cotta, with luxurious textures and patterns.

To create the sultan's tent in Maya's bay window area I selected an opulent paisley design for the drapes, which I hung along a hook-and-loop band along the ceiling. I added a soft valance, fixed side panels and a beautiful trim for a large, out-of-this-world look in the small space.

For the lighting, I decided to mix it up with both gallery and decorative lighting--new, flexible track lighting and smaller fixtures to pinpoint the art pieces. I also put in a beautiful handpainted silk chandelier to bring a soft glow to the room.

To properly display Maya's art, I added long drapery rods across certain areas of the walls and attached chains to these that would also clip onto the paintings. It was a unique way for Maya to be able to move the art pieces around as needed and a good way to keep the walls intact, without any marks.

I added several furniture pieces to the sparse room and laid the accents on fairly thick. These included a built-in sofa, a settee, a silver chest, several exotic chairs, a chic area rug and a Venetian mirror for above the fireplace.

By combining sophisticated finishes, elegant lighting and luxurious fabrics, Maya's space went from blank canvas to creative masterpiece. The awkward living room got a grand dose of inspiration and is now the perfect work of art for the artist herself. Even Maya had to admit it was a divine intervention.

(Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of Home & Garden Television's Divine Design.)