Avon Designer in Spotlight at Home & Garden Expo

One single photograph turned into an entire house worth of interior design.

Stephanie Schwarz, owner of , signed on in November to design the interior of the feature home at this year's Great Big Home & Garden Expo, which opens Saturday at the I-X Center.

This year's feature home, built by CMJ Development, is an upscale contemporary home called Zenith.

Schwarz found her inspiration when her sister posted a photograph on Facebook. Titled, "Midnight Moon," the photo had the dreamy moon and cool, sophisticated colors Schwarz knew would work in the house.

The colors -- ice blue, taupe, black, gray, charcoal, ivory and espresso brown -- also worked well with the large, round freestanding tropical fish tank CMJ Development partner Clark Fischer was putting in the living room.

"All the colors were in the fish," Schwarz said.

Her next inspiration came when she found the granite for the kitchen countertops. Aptly named "Midnight Sun," the rich stone had the cool gray, charcoal, taupe and cream tones she wanted, along with flecks of sparkly silver.

The colors in the photo and the granite are found throughout the home in different ways. Ice blue is used to upholster the chairs in the living room, and as an accent color in the bedding in the upstairs bedrooms. Taupe is on the walls and in the fireplaces created by H&H Quality Construction and Mayes Artistic Stone Creations, and is also used for the felt on the pool table. Espresso is used in the kitchen cabinetry, and in the leather pub chairs near the pool table. The dominant color in the bedding is a restful, creamy ivory.

"I wanted the master bedroom to be a true sanctuary," Schwarz said. "People want more out of their bedrooms than just turning off the light and sleeping. They read, they work, they relax."

Schwarz added luxuries like custom bathroom cabinetry, raised vessel sinks and a built-in cabinet with a refrigerator and room for a coffeemaker.

"You could stay in here all day," she said.

The feature home is one of the more popular attractions at the Great Big Home & Garden Expo. Many people get ideas for their own homes there. Schwarz said there will be a table at the home with information on the materials and products used in the home.

Other attractions opening weekend include appearances by John Gidding of HGTV's "Curb Appeal: The Block" and "Designed to Sell," and Northeast Ohio favorites Shari Hiller and Matt Fox, former hosts of HGTV's "Room by Room" who have a new PBS show called "Around the House."

Actress Mariel Hemingway will be at the I-X Center on Feb. 12 as a spokesperson for Cambria quartz countertops. Gardening expert P. Allen Smith will be appearing for sponsor Home Depot on Feb. 12.

As usual, there will be showcase gardens and lots of design ideas and inspiration. Admission is $11 for adults and teens 13 and up, $10 for seniors, children 6-12 $5, and children 5 and under free. Parking is $8 per vehicle.