Ava and Dave are in the process of reinventing themselves. Ava is an IT consultant turned stand-up comic, and Dave is a real estate agent who is trying his hand as a rapper. The quirky duo have been married five years, but spent the past few years living apart. They recently bought the home of their dreams, a 1960s-style bungalow, where they can finally be together and launch their new careers.
The problem was their old-fashioned — and minty green — living room. It's the first space you see when you enter the house and the couple were desperate to bring it up to date. Dave sent me a little "design rap" to entice me into working on the project, and I couldn't resist his rhymes. So I gathered my crew together and got ready to give Ava and Dave a space that is as creative and unique as they are.
The two performers enjoy a bit of drama, so I decided to give the room some retro glitz and glam: the Rat Pack with a modern edge. First, I traded in the green walls for something more neutral then replaced the old carpeting for new wide-plank flooring.
I chose an ultra-hip colour 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 lounge.
Black and red koi-inspired fabric on chair pillows was the starting point for this sparkle-filled room, a far cry from its original old-fashioned look, below. (PHOTOS BY BRANDON BARRÉ)
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Next, I got to work on the focal point of the room: the huge fireplace. I gave the existing unit a complete facelift by covering up the old brick hearth and mantle with glittering ebony quartz. For extra bling, I covered the surround with silver dollar-sized 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.
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 which will shine out 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 requires.
After adding some final accents and accessories — a couple of area rugs, a few mirrored tables, some artwork, and a host of colourful throw pillows — the space was finally transformed.
This once minty green living room was stuck in the sixties no more. Thanks to vivid colours, funky fabrics, a fantastic focal point, and some out-of-this-world lighting, the room is now modern, sleek and sophisticated. And it is the perfect place for a creative and entertaining couple to create and entertain. How divine!
Interior design consultant Candice Olson is the host of Divine Design on the W Network. For more information, go to www.wnetwork.com/divinedesign or www.divinedesign.tv
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