Retro Red, Black and White Family Room

The two performers enjoy a bit of drama, so I decided to give the room some retro glitz and glam — Rat Pack with a modern edge. I kicked things off by trading in the green walls for something more neutral and swapping out the old carpeting for some new wide-plank flooring.

I chose an ultra-cool color scheme of retro black, cool white and fiery red, with a large dose of sparkly silver. I selected a fantastic black and red koi-inspired fabric as the jumping-off point and used it on a few chairs and pillows. I then put hot-red silk drapes on the windows, cool black patent leather on a club chair, warm red upholstery on a large sofa, and a black and white caviar-inspired fabric on a comfy chaise longue.

Next I tackled the focal point of the room: the huge fireplace. I gave the existing unit a complete face-lift by covering the old brick hearth and mantel with glittering ebony quartz. For extra bling, I covered the surround with silver-dollar-size stainless-steel tiles that add a real Vegas vibe. I then painted the wall adjacent to the fireplace in horizontal silver and pearl stripes for some added sheen.

Above the fireplace, I built out the wall for a new flat-screen television and installed speakers in the ceiling where they'll barely be noticed.

For extra drama, I installed some over-the-top lighting. In addition to traditional recessed lighting in the ceiling, I put up two sparkly crystal sconces over the fireplace and some lights at the sides of the fireplace that will shine horizontally onto the striped wall.

As a high-tech finishing touch, I installed a total-room lighting-control system; it comes with a wall-mounted control panel that will set the mood for any lighting scene our couple require-all with the touch of a button or wireless remote.