Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

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1 Pillows are a great accent to any space - indoors or out. They can really make any house feel like a home.

2 Plants and flowers inject life into one's home.

3 Brionvega is the name behind one of the most famous radio and Television manufacturers. Play your local radio stations while you unpack your new house! Check out their website: www.brionvega.it

4 Pets are great company in a new home.

5 The color of your walls and window frames are up to you - you can stick with the same color, or use two different ones - but one rule always holds true: walls get matte paint, while frames and molding get gloss.

Last Monday's Q&A post was so much fun to write, I decided to give it another go! I appreciate all of your comments and am fascinated by the wondeful questions I have received thus far. Please keep them coming. If I didn't get to yours today, stay tuned - I'm going to make Monday's my regular Q&A day. Enjoy! - Kevin

Q: I moved to a new state and home 18 months ago and I don't feel comfortable in my new home yet. What can I do to feel at home like I did in my old house? Can you give me some tips on feeling comfortable in my new home? - Michelle

A: Good morning, Michelle. Settling into a new home can be as challenging as the move itself.  Aside from unpacking and introducing yourself to your new neighbors, I would suggest putting some plants and flowers around the house, or a small garden outside if you have the space. Invest in some pillows for the living room, bedroom, or any other room that could use some softening, and use them to accent your space and make it feel more homey. Carpeting can have the same effect - turning a room from an empty vessel to a soft, warm space. Playing music throughout your home is also a great way to create ambience. Invest in a dock with speakers for your iPod, or find out what the best local radio stations are and tune in while you unpack! Last but not least, pets are a great accessory to any home. Whether it is a goldfish, cat or dog, it's always nice to have someone, or something, to come home to.  All of these touches are an expression of your individuality - exactly what your home should be. I hope this helps and you settle in soon!

Q: I was thinking of painting my window frames the same as my wall color. I currently have white gloss on the frames - if I repaint, should I do the frames in matte or gloss? -Pru

A: Hi Pru. A general rule to go by is: matte paint for the walls, and a coat or two of gloss paint for molding, door and window frames. While the color may be the same, the finish should always be different.

Q: I am curious to learn more about your ideas of window treatments for your new apartment. It looks like such an enormous amount of glass to deal with - I have a friend with a similar situation and we did sheers as not to block the view. Can you give us some alternate ideas? - Joe

A: Like anything else in one's home, window treatments are a matter of personal choice. From the start, I knew that I wouldn't be putting curtains up. I considered doing sheer panels the same color as the walls, which I'm sure would look excellent, but decided to hold off. Now I'm researching solar and black out shades. As the renovation of my apartment unfolds, I'll be sure to keep you updated on what I decide to go with, as well as provide several alternate options!

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