ORLANDO, Fla. — Designing lavish rooms for affluent clients would appear to be any interior designer's dream job.

Usually it is, said Troy Beasley, of Beasley & Henley Interior Design in Winter Park, Fla. But decorating for the upper-crust also poses unique challenges.

Most obviously: Upscale dwellings are larger and more elaborate than the humble homes of the hoi polloi. Mansions boast higher ceilings, wider windows and all kinds of special features: grand staircases, wine cellars, movie theaters, towers that would do Rapunzel proud. Even million-dollar condos may come with gigantic master suites, libraries or double-sided fireplaces.

Sometimes you can't find furniture that is big enough, Beasley said. Or that fits into odd-shaped spaces. Or suits a distinctive architectural style. Or fulfills a homeowner's vision.

"So I started designing furniture myself," said Beasley, 43. "Now I design at least a few pieces with every project."

The pieces range from handsome, floor-to-ceiling display cabinets with beveled-glass doors and built-in lighting, to simple headboards upholstered in unusual fabrics. The latter project even the budget-strapped could imitate.

His first piece, designed in 1995, was a wrap-around headboard for his own bed, upholstered in quilted velvet and trimmed with brass nail heads. The design, inspired by a sofa he admired, is still one of his favorites.

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Among his most recent creations are a table and chairs made for the wine cellar in the Atlanta Symphony's designer show house. The chairs, covered in smoky-blue suede, are a modern take on the classic Dante chair. The maple table is supported by a chunky tripod that echoes the X-shape of a wine-storage rack.

Beasley plans to install the set in the office of his wife and business partner, Stephanie Henley.

What Beasley lacks in formal furniture-design training, he makes up for with creative ideas.

He and Henley travel extensively in the United States, Europe and Asia. They regularly attend the furniture markets in High Point, N.C.

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"I pick up on trends and inspirations everywhere. It soaks in, and I don't even realize it until an idea pops into my mind weeks or months later," said Beasley, who describes his style as "Euro-eclectic."

Among the trends he has noticed recently: black-and-white color schemes; looped and patterned carpeting; wood floors; oil-rubbed bronze fixtures; granite and marble with honed (non-shiny) finishes; and the silvery-gray shades of brushed nickel and stainless-steel appliances being echoed in paint and fabric.

To study interior design, Beasley attended evening classes at Seminole Community College for four years.

"During the day, I worked full-time helping my dad run his flooring company. That's where my business background comes from," he said.

While still in college, he got an internship designing rooms in apartment complexes. "That led to part-time, then a full-time job for five years. It was ground-level decorating — paint, artwork, accessories." But it taught him a lot about making a big impact on a small budget.

Even with multimillion-dollar enterprises — or perhaps especially when such big bucks are involved — "You have to design to a budget," he said.

Beasley and Henley founded their own design firm in 1993 and quickly geared their work toward luxury houses and condos in Orlando, Naples and Atlanta. They now have a staff of 14, and their projects include architectural details such as fireplaces, flooring, the finish on walls and ceilings — and custom furniture for almost every room.

Beasley tests many of his designs in the couple's home. They include several striking wall-mounted cabinets, a double chaise lounge in the master bedroom and triangular chairs fitted into the corners of their Morocco-inspired game room, a favorite haunt of their three young sons.

"I started with the idea of them being in the corners, out of the way of the pool table," he explains. "Then I took the whimsical shape and made it functional."

After sketching his ideas for chairs and tables, cabinets and doors, chaises and ottomans, Beasley contracted with a master craftsman, Richard Leatherman, to build the pieces. But last fall, he launched his own furniture company, blu.wood.studio. He retained Leatherman to head the studio near the airport in Sanford. Upholstery work is still contracted out. (For images of Beasley's furniture designs, visit bluwoodstudio.com.)

"Building our own furniture really enhances what we do," Beasley said. "And it's great fun. I never dread coming to work — though sometimes at the end of the day I'm ready to pull my hair out."

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DECORATING ON A TIGHT BUDGET

Interior designer Troy Beasley offers his tips for making a room look special without spending a bundle.

Think color.

Use paint to quickly, easily and inexpensively change a room's personality. Be bold: Paint an entire wall or even the ceiling the same color as an accent pillow or rug. Or be subtle: Paint the room's trim putty-colored or warm gray instead of the usual bright white.

Get arty.

You don't have to know a lot about art to include paintings or sculpture in a room. Just display what you enjoy looking at. If your walls are a neutral color, choose bright works. If the walls are colorful, choose line drawings for contrast. Frame unusual objects such as ceramic tiles.

Create friction.

Know the basic rules, and know how to break them. Everything doesn't have to match. Put a classic picture in a modern frame; a child's drawing in an antique frame; a contemporary chair with a traditional desk; a lamp with a barrel shade on a square table; mismatched end tables on the sides of a couch. It's good to have surprises.

Lighten up.

Replace basic lighting fixtures with interesting alternatives, available even at stores such as Home Depot and Lowe's. Too big is better than too small, and it's OK to mix styles — modern fixtures in a traditional home, for example. Alternate heights of chandeliers — higher in dining areas to create clear sight lines across the table, lower over game tables to create a cozy environment.

Take cover.

Use slipcovers to instantly change a room's mood and color scheme or to signal a change of season. Try suede for winter, linen for summer. By covering even a single desk chair — hiding the legs, softening the arms, introducing a trendy color — the style of a room can be altered or updated. Just remember: For slip covers to look really good, they should fit perfectly. Precise measurements are essential

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(c) 2007, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).

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Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): HOME-FURNITURE