<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.17


                             EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT made and entered into as of the 31st day of
December, 1996 by and among Artisan Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware
corporation with an office for the transaction of business in California,
located at 1755 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (the "Employer"),
Decor Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation with an office for the transaction of
business at 320 Washington Street, Mount Vernon, NY 10553 ("Employer's Parent"
or "Decor"), and Dennis D. D'Amore, residing at 732 Panorama Road, Fullerton, CA
92831 (the "Employee").

         WHEREAS, Employee has substantial experience in the performance of
executive, administrative, sales, marketing, accounting, manufacturing and other
duties related to all aspects of the Employer's business, which consists
primarily of manufacturing and distribution of decorative furnishings and
accessories; and

         WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to enter into an agreement for the
employment of the Employee by the Employer upon the terms and conditions herein
set forth;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual 
covenants herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.                Employment. Employer hereby employs Employee, commencing on 
         or before January 6, 1997 ("Commencement") for the Employment Period,
         as hereinafter defined, as its President and Chief Operating Officer,
         reporting to the Employer's Board of Directors, which is presently
         composed of Max Munn, Michael Lulkin and Matthew Harriton, through its
         liaison, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Max Munn. Employee
         hereby accepts such employment upon the terms and conditions, and for
         the compensation hereinafter set

                                      1

<PAGE>

         forth, and agrees to serve the Employer well and faithfully and to
         devote his best efforts to such employment during the Employment
         Period. During the Employment Period, Employee shall devote his full,
         complete and entire business efforts, time, attention and energies to
         the business activities of the Employer, to the exclusion of all other
         commercial activity, more specifically to increase Employer's sales and
         profits via internal growth, efficiency improvements and acquisitions.

2.                Term; Termination.  The term of this Agreement shall be from 
         Commencement through June 30, 2000 and the granting of relevant
         Performance Options to Employee pursuant to Section 4.b. hereunder,
         subject to Employer's Right to Earlier Termination ("ERET"). For the

         purpose of this document, and notwithstanding any other provision of
         this Agreement, ERET provides that Employer may terminate Employee's
         employment, in Employer's sole and absolute discretion, prior to the
         completion of Employee's sixth (6th) full month of employment. If
         Employer exercises its rights to early termination under this
         provision, Employee shall be entitled solely to a lump sum payment of
         Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) together with any unpaid
         balances due Employee through the date of termination pursuant to the
         Base Salary provisions of his Compensation, as hereinafter defined, and
         the reimbursement of  any bona fide business expenses incurred by
         Employee on behalf of Employer in performing his duties hereunder and
         other pro rata benefits and reimbursements such as, but not limited to,
         automobile allowances due Employee through the date of termination,
         which will be paid to Employee concurrent with said termination.
         Employer may, at any time, terminate this Agreement immediately with
         "cause" upon written notice to Employee. "Cause" shall include one or
         more of the following: (i) the commission

                                      2


<PAGE>

in the course of his employment by Employer of embezzlement, theft or other
dishonest or fraudulent acts; (ii) conviction of a felony, whether or not
committed in the course of his employment by Employer; (iii) immoral or
reprehensible conduct which would make Employee's continued employment by
Employer prejudicial to the interests of Employer or its affiliates; (iv)
willful malfeasance or
gross negligence which would tend to have a material adverse effect on Employer
or its business; (v) persistent inattention or failure by Employee to discharge
his duties and responsibilities; and (vi) the material breach by Employee of
this Agreement which breach remains uncured for ten (10) days after written
notice of such breach.

         Should Employer elect to terminate employment of Employee, other than
for "cause" as herein above defined, and after ERET, Employee shall be entitled
to a lump sum payment equal to fifty percent (50%) of the unpaid value of all
Compensation for the full Term of this Agreement as defined in Section 3, but in
no event shall this lump sum amount be less than twenty five thousand dollars
($25,000). In addition Employee shall be entitled to a pro rata portion of the
Additional Compensation, as defined in Section 4. of this Agreement, for the
remainder of the then current employment year of this Agreement. Such pro rata
portion shall be calculated by multiplying thirty thousand (30,000) shares of
Decor Group, Inc.'s common stock and thirty thousand (30,000) options to
purchase shares of Decor Group, Inc.'s common stock, respectively, by the
quotient derived when the number of days expired in the then current employment
year is divided by three hundred sixty five (365). In addition the Employee
shall be entitled to reimbursement of any bona fide business expenses incurred
by Employee on behalf of Employer in performing his duties hereunder and other
pro rata benefits and reimbursements such as, but not limited to, automobile
allowances due

                                      3



<PAGE>


Employee through the date of termination, which will be paid to Employee
concurrent with said termination. However, with respect to Annual Bonus #1 and
Annual Bonus #2 of Section 3. ("Compensation"), Employee will only be entitled
to a pro rata portion calculated based on the Fiscal year-to-date performance of
Employer.

3.                Compensation.  As compensation for the performance by 
         Employee of his obligations and duties under this Agreement, in any
         capacity including, without limitation, services as an executive,
         officer, director or member of any committee of Employer or any
         subsidiary, parent, affiliate or division of Employer, Employer shall
         pay to Employee during the Employment Period: 

         a.       Base Salary.  An amount equal to One Hundred Thousand Dollars
             ($100,000.00) per annum in twenty four (24) equal payments, paid
             twice per month after Commencement. Employer's Board of Directors
             will review Employee's Base Salary annually in order to determine
             whether to increase Base Salary. Any such increase will be
             effective on, and retroactive to, the respective anniversary of
             Commencement.

         b.       Annual Bonus #1. An amount equal to ten percent (10%) of
             Employee's Base Salary earned in the Base Measurement Period, which
             is defined for the purpose of this Agreement as the twelve (12)
             months preceding the last day of March, which is the end of
             Employer's Fiscal Year, provided Employer's Net Profit Before
             Taxes, excluding all costs recorded by the Employer as a result of
             its issuance of the Signing Bonus pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof
             ("NPBT"), in the Base Measurement Period equals or exceeds the NPBT
             of Employer in the twelve (12) months preceding the


                                      4

<PAGE>

             Base Measurement Period.

         c.       Annual Bonus #2. An amount equal to Five Percent (5%) of
             Employer's increases in NPBT in the Base Measurement Period
             over the twelve (12) months preceding the Base Measurement
             Period. However, said Bonus #2 will in no event exceed Forty
             Percent (40%) of Employee's Base Salary earned in the Base
             Measurement Period. 

             NPBT shall be determined by Employer's regularly retained 
         certified public accountants, whose calculations and determination
         shall be binding on the parties hereto. Bonuses #1 & 2 shall be paid to
         Employee within thirty (30) days of said accountants' calculations and

         determinations.

4.                Additional Compensation.  Provided that this Agreement has 
         not been terminated in accordance with ERET, Decor will issue Employee
         shares of the common stock of Decor ("Common Stock") and options to
         purchase shares of  Common Stock as later defined herein. 

         a.       Signing Bonus.  On the date of Commencement and on each of 
             January 2, 1998 and January 2, 1999 (the "Grant Dates"), the
             Employee shall receive, so long as Employee continues to be
             employed by the Employer and NPBT in the Base Measurement Period
             equals or exceeds the NPBT of the Employer in the twelve (12)
             months preceding the Base Measurement Period, options (the "Initial
             Options") to purchase thirty thousand (30,000) shares of Common
             Stock at an exercise price equal to one hundredth of one cent
             ($.0001) per share for a period of six (6) years following relevant
             Grant Date which Initial Options to be substantially in the form of
             the Option Agreement to be delivered to Employee by no later than
             January 15, 1997. The shares

                                             5

<PAGE>

             of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Initial Options shall
             be registered by Decor with the Securities and Exchange Commission
             for sale to the public and twenty percent (20%) of the Initial
             Options shall vest on each annual anniversary following the
             relevant Grant Date.

         b.                Performance Options.  Employee shall be entitled to 
             receive a performance bonus in the form of stock options based upon
             the Employer's financial performance during each of the Employer's
             fiscal years ending March 31, 1998, 1999 and 2000. So long as
             Employee is employed by the Employer, Employee shall receive
             options to purchase thirty thousand (30,000) shares of  Decor's
             Common Stock under the terms of Decor's 1996 Stock Plan (the
             "Performance Options"), immediately following the completion of the
             calculation of the Employer's financial results for the relevant
             fiscal year; provided however, Employee shall not be entitled to
             receive Performance Options for the relevant fiscal year in the
             event that the Employer's NPBT (as reflected on the Employer's
             financial statements) do not exceed one hundred fifteen percent
             (115%) of the Employer's NPBT for the preceding fiscal year. The
             Performance Options shall be exercisable for a period of one (1)
             year following the date of grant at an exercise price equal to the
             average closing price as reported on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board or
             any other public exchange which may then be the primary market for
             the shares of Common Stock for the twenty (20) trading days ending
             two (2) trading days prior to the date the Performance Options are
             granted to Employee.  In the event that an active market in the
             stock does not exist, then the Board of Directors of Decor shall
             set the exercise price of the Performance Options


                                             6

<PAGE>

             equal to the fair value of the shares of Common Stock as determined
             in the Board's discretion.

5.                Expense Reimbursement.

         a.                Travel & Entertainment.  Employer shall reimburse 
             Employee for all authorized reasonable and necessary expenses
             incurred by him in performing his duties for the Employer,
             including without limitation, travel and entertainment expenses
             within approved budgetary amounts. Travel reimbursement will
             include an automobile allowance of Three Hundred Fifty Dollars
             ($350.00) per month, payable on the fifteenth (15th) day of each
             month or the first (1st) business day following the fifteenth
             (15th) of the month in the event the fifteenth (15th) day of the
             month does not fall on a business day. 

         b.                Relocation.  Provided that Employer has not 
             exercised its rights to terminate Employee's employment pursuant to
             ERET as provided herein, Employer will reimburse Employee for
             moving expenses Employee may incur pursuant to Employee's
             relocation of his residence closer to Employer's place of business,
             in an amount not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), upon
             submittal by Employee of evidence of such moving expenditures.

6.                Benefits.  Employee and Employee's family shall be entitled 
         to receive or participate in all fringe benefits which are provided or
         made available by Employer, on the same terms and conditions as they
         are furnished to other of Employer's senior executive personnel and
         their families so long as such benefits do not result in prohibitive or
         excessive costs to the Employer.  By way of example, and neither
         indicative nor inclusive, such benefits may

                                      7

<PAGE>


         include medical, dental, optical, life and/or long term disability
         insurances, retirement plans, etc.

7.                Vacation. Employee shall be entitled to two (2) weeks paid
         vacation each year of the Employment Period. The vacation is to be
         taken at such time or times, and for such duration, as Employee and
         Employer shall determine, provided, however, that such vacation shall
         not unduly interfere with the performance by Employee of his duties and
         responsibilities hereunder.

8.                Confidentiality.  Employee will not disclose to third parties 
         any information or documents which are confidential and proprietary 
         to Employer except in furtherance of the Employer's business.


9.                Covenant Not to Compete.  Employee will not compete with 
         Employer during the term of this agreement, and in the even that
         Employee is terminated for "cause" , for an additional one (1) year
         period following the date of termination. Competition shall include
         ownership, directly or indirectly, by Employee or any member of his
         family of shares of stock or any equity or loan interest in a business
         which competes directly or indirectly with Employer. The terms of this
         Section (Section 9.-"Covenant Not to Compete") shall also apply to
         entities which are or which may become affiliated with Employer only in
         the event that Employee becomes operationally involved in any such
         affiliate. 

10.               Enforcement.  Any provision of this Agreement which is 
         finally determined by competent authority to be prohibited or
         unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such provision and
         jurisdiction only, be deemed severed to the extent of such prohibition
         on unenforceability, and, subject to such severance, this Agreement
         shall continue in force and

                                      8

<PAGE>

         effect in accordance with its other terms and conditions.

11.               Entire Understanding. This Agreement constitutes the complete
         understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter
         hereof, supersedes all prior oral or written understandings and
         agreements relating thereto and shall not be modified, amended or
         terminated except as provided herein or by written instrument signed by
         both parties hereto. No party is acting in reliance upon any
         representations or guarantee of the other, aside from those explicitly
         provided for in this Agreement.

                  The failure by any party hereto to object to any breach of
this Agreement, or to enforce at any time or for any period any provision of
this Agreement, shall not constitute a waiver of such provision or of such
party's rights or remedies, or a consent to the modification of the Agreement.

                  For the purposes of this Agreement, "breach" by the Employer s
hall also be defined to include the Employer's parent corporation's (Decor
Group, Inc.) failure to comply with it's obligations under the terms of this
Agreement which relate to Additional Compensation (Section 4. hereof) and common
stock and option to purchase common stock compensation as defined in Term;
Termination (Section 2. hereof).

12.               Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall not be 
         assignable by the Employee but it is binding upon and shall inure to 
         the benefit of the parties hereto and Employee's heirs and personal 
         representative, and upon and to the benefit of Employer's successors 
         and assigns.

13.               Notices.  All notices hereunder must be given by certified 

         mail or overnight courier if to the Employer addressed to it c/o
         Interiors, Inc. 320 Washington Street, Mount Vernon, NY 10553,
         Attention: Max Munn; and if to the Employee addressed to him at 732
         Panorama

                                      9

<PAGE>

         Road, Fullerton, CA 92831.

14.               Governing Law.  Any and all disputes, controversies and 
         claims arising out of or relating to this Agreement or concerning the
         respective rights or obligations of the parties hereto shall be settled
         and determined in the State of New York before a court of competent
         jurisdiction.

                  The validity, construction and performance of this Agreements
shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State 
of New York.

15.               Headings.  The headings herein are for convenience only and 
         shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any 
         provision of this Agreement.

16.               Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, 
         all of which when taken together as a whole shall constitute a valid 
         and binding agreement of the parties.

                                      10



<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

DECOR GROUP, INC.                              ARTISAN ACQUISITION CORPORATION

By:  /s/ Max Munn                              By:  /s/ Max Munn
     ----------------------                         -------------------------
     Max Munn, President                            Max Munn, President

                                                    Dennis D. D'Amore
                                                    -------------------------
                                                    DENNIS D. D'AMORE



                                      11