The problem

The homeowners struggled with trying to lay out their furniture in a huge, oddly shaped room.

The solution

Designer Candice Olson created a functional yet luxurious master bedroom retreat, pulling together all of the room's elements into one designer look.

How it happened

• The couple's bed was upgraded from queen to king, perfect for family time on Sunday mornings, and repositioned to another wall.

• The most unusual piece in this master bedroom makeover is an ethanol fireplace, encased in a white dresser that is opposite the foot of the bed. The clean-burning ethanol flames add romance and warmth to this bedroom retreat, with the added bonus of more attached storage.

• Part of the problem with the bedroom was a lack of storage. To fix this, Olson created an open-concept dressing room with an island to hold jewelry, socks, ties and laundry hampers. The custom marble-topped island is the hardest-working piece in this bedroom, with not only gorgeous form but tons of function.

• Additional wardrobe storage is found around the island, with all cabinet handles and hardware boasting a tiny bit of bling for added elegance. In front of the bay window the existing window seat has a new custom bench seat cushion, accessorized with pillows that pick up the color scheme of ebony, white and gray. An elegant chandelier hangs above the island, with table lamps providing additional illumination.

The new, larger bed was flanked with mirrored panels lit up by modern wall sconces. A custom-made headboard covered with a rich, silvery patterned fabric contrasts sharply with the far wall, which was painted black and draped in dark, wall-to-wall sheers.

Best trick

On the wall where the bed had been, ebony fabric makes the wall recede, and a three-piece triptych photo of the Brooklyn Bridge at night is attached to hidden brackets, making it appear to "float" against the gauzy backdrop.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. Interior decorator Candice Olson hosts "Candice Tells All," which appears on HGTV.