When photographing people and events around the world is your job, how do you create a home environment that's pictures perfect? Well, if you're photographer Jamie Forsythe from Lake Oswego, you call designer Ava Johnson.

Johnson, with ReDesigns Northwest in West Linn, has an eye for displaying special photos and keepsakes. A world traveler herself, Johnson and her team know the importance of rooms that maximize space and allow souvenirs to take the spotlight, like Forsythe's irreplaceable photos and collectables.

Forsythe met Johnson three and a half years ago when Johnson staged her vacant house for sale. And, after her move to a house just two miles away, Forsythe let Johnson continue her magic by unpacking her belongings in her new home.

"By this time," Forsythe said, "Ava pretty much knew what I had and knew how we liked to live - with three dogs, thousands of books and hundreds of photos and artifacts from our travels."

Let the Samurai stand guard

Whether it's a complete home remodel or advice on a frame for your favorite photo from Egypt, Johnson's philosophy when designing is to create a balance of comfort and splendor. Every room deserves a unique focal point.

At nearly 70 feet across, the corridor that runs the width of Forsythe's 26-year-old home connects the kitchen, living and dining rooms on the left to the powder bathroom, den and master suite on the right.

"From the family room, you (could) look down the hall into the master bedroom but, what you would see is the closet door. And if it was left open you could see inside our closet - which was too small, so naturally, not the neatest closet," Forsythe said.

So, Johnson's team came up with the solution that allowed Forsythe and her husband to have more closet space by taking room from the oversized master bathroom, bringing in extra light by adding French doors that lead to a new deck in the backyard and designing a new, modern bathroom configuration with soft lighting.

And instead of looking down the hallway and seeing a closet, a framed photograph now comes to live.

"Now... you see a Samurai warrior - a photo that I took years ago at Nikko Shrine north of Tokyo," Forsythe said.

For added effect, Forsythe framed the photo and added a light to illuminate it.

"Ava found a small Asian table to put underneath (it), and now when you look down the hall it's stunning. The Samurai looks over and guards the house."

"Just a few (tweaks)," Ava said, "made all the difference in this area. Now it shines."

Double doors separating the master suite and a sitting room, converted into Forsythe's office, left little wall space for furniture or artwork in the master.

Because the den could already be accessed from a separate door in the main hallway, Johnson installed hanging fabric in the master bedroom between the rooms, which added color and texture. And leaving the double doors will allow for easy access to the space, should it be needed some day.

"Ava devised a drapery that hangs behind an Asian chest," Forsythe said of the wardrobe closet. "You'd never guess that it was hiding some doors."

Fabric also became a focal point in the remodeled master bathroom when a design incorporating koi fish - and quilted by Forsythe's mother - was added to bring pizzazz to the otherwise blank wall above the jetted bathtub.

To allow for privacy but provide natural sunlight, Johnson swapped clear glass windows for frosted ones behind new sink areas. With newly mounted mirrors and updated finishes, the bathroom's facelift didn't interrupt the room's original footprint.

A close-by powder room with a tall, angular ceiling was also enhanced. Dated wallpaper was replaced with creamy pistachio-colored plaster walls beneath gold-leaf ceiling accents. A swirl-shaped light fixture provides an unexpected element.

"When I saw it, it reminded me of Dairy Queen so I still call it the Dairy Queen light," Forstye said. "But I love it and it's perfect for the room."

It's OK to monkey around

Forsythe's dining room features a wall of bookshelves and surfaces to display belongings. And, if you look closely, it's been overtaken by monkeys. When shopping for fabrics, Forsythe said a vivid pattern of taupes, browns and reds with the furry animals kept making a monkey out of the shopping experience.

"Isn't it darling?" Johnson said. "Just look around, You hardly notice them at first."

Upon entering the home, a large chandelier is made form a tree design with 10 tiny, sitting monkeys.

"In addition, there is a bench as well as two chairs in the dining room which have monkeys on them and the chandelier over the table in the dining room is made up of five monkeys wearing little red coats," Forsythe said.

Tailoring designs by incorporating collected items and new finds into a cohesive look free of clutter is what Johnson takes pride in - so does Forsythe.

"I love the monkeys," she said. "They make me smile every day when I look at them. They're not for everyone, but they are perfect for us."

The monkey theme extends into the living room, which features vaulted ceilings and a piano. Some of Forsythe's photographs from a trip to Egypt add a touch of color above the couch.

Through the remodel, the two said they've become good friends and took a three-day sailing trip together in the San Juan Islands with one of Johnson's volunteer groups.

"I had the time of my life - and (have) the photos to show for it," Forsythe said, noting that she'll find a special spot to display the memories. "I know that we will continue to work together. I have photographed a couple of Ava's projects for her, and I can't ever see us living in a house that does not require some remodeling."

As of now, there's always room for change.

"Every time Ava comes over," she said, "she instinctively moves a vase, a book, a chair..."

To contact designer Ava Johnson with ReDesigns Northwest, call 503-699-5017 or visit www.ReDesignNW.com