Buckhead home transforms into personal art gallery

J. Fernando Ochoa’s Buckhead home is a jewel box of rich colors and creativity.

Ochoa bought his townhouse 16 years ago because of its blank canvas — white walls and beige carpet. Since then, he has used his artistry and imagination to transform his home — leading it to be featured on HGTV and the Fine Living Network.

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Sean Drakes / AJC Special

Artist J. Fernando Ochoa began with a blank canvas and transformed his Buckhead townhome into a personal jewelry box of color.

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Sean Drakes / AJC Special

His eye for detail also extends to the patio.

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“I love to create,” said Ochoa, who was born in Colombia. “The space is so small I had to make the most of it. I wanted to make it look larger.”

He accomplished that task by strategically placing furniture and using smaller scale chairs, tables and sofa. Then he set about painting, decoupaging and creating a personal art gallery.

He displays between 250 and 300 works of art, including the first painting he did as an 8-year-old boy.

Ochoa, a hair and makeup stylist at Julio Cesar’s Salon & Spa, has worked on such celebrities as John Cusack, John Cleese, Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker.

But as his home reveals, he also gets inquiries about his interior design services.

Why this home?

Ochoa moved to Atlanta more than 30 years ago and has lived in his current home for the past 16. When he bought the two-bedroom, two-bath unit it was a beige, blank canvas.

“When I walked in, and saw the floor space, I knew it had a lot of potential. It had the bones,” he said.

Cherished item: Ochoa values his photographs and his first painting. “I’m attached in a sentimental way to everything,” he said.

Decorating style: Ochoa describes his home as having a southern Spain/Mediterranean flair. But he also calls his style eclectic “because it’s got everything. It’s just a melange of styles and somehow they blend.”

He scours antique stores, garage and estate sales and even dumpsters for finds.

“I’ve found some treasures. You have to keep your mind open.”

His home is filled with his black-and-white photography taken in Colombia, as well as his vivid paintings. Ochoa is adept at faux painting and decoupage.

Coolest feature: He is most proud of the two jade green columns in the living room.

“They give a very elegant look to the room … its own flair,” said Ochoa adding that he’s not afraid of color.

Heart of the home: The living room is Ochoa’s main entertaining space. “I open the French doors and we gather and eat a lot,” he said. The room easily flows into a delicate patio area with carefully tended plants and welcoming sitting areas.

Past project: Throughout the home, Ochoa installed 1,200 pounds of molded plaster of paris to create wainscoting, crown molding and arches. He found the molds in Spain and worked for months to find the right process. He then stained them with coffee to give them an old world feel.

“I’m concentrating on painting (art) now,” he said.

Tips for good living: “Make your home your nest and make it a reflection of what you love. Share what you have with others, enjoy life, music, and learn how to cook. I have so enjoyed doing what I’ve done here and surrounding myself with things that make me happy. I have really expressed my love for history and collecting and diversity.”