Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

1 The sparkly skulls are from last year's decorations; I'm recycling and I want them (plus some additional skulls and bones) to have a fresh look!

2 Those boards with pins sticking up are designed by Crafts to rest a glittered piece on while it dries. This is especially important when coating all sides of an object with glue and glitter.

3 My office is right next to the Craft Department, so I was thrilled for an opportunity to rummage through their supplies!

4 This gorgeous Antique Silver glitter was a contestant for my skull and bones project.

5 Until I found this tinsel-cut Brownstone hue; how warm and luscious is this color?

6 The first line of Martha Stewart glitters were all shades of stone; the neutral hues are so fun and sophisticated.

7 Testing out glitter! I just loved this tinsel variety. The Craft Department also designed these pans to catch [most of] the glitter that doesn't stick to the glue.

8 The Antique Silver color is on the right, but it almost felt like a repeat of last year. The coppery Brownstone is glamorous and unique.

9 A lesson in painting glue on a skull; I'm new to this and there's definitely a technique!

10 Shake, shake, shake! The key is to keep the glue evenly coated and not too goopy, so that it dries well with the glitter on it.

11 My turn! The first section is a success. We love the look of the tinsel glitter.

12 The glue had to be thinned a bit to stay smooth in all the eye and nose cavities. You paint right over the edges of the glittered parts to ensure no breaks in the final layer.

13 Looking spooky; the darker shade of glitter is just a hint more ominous than silver--perfect.

14 We switched to brown paint that helped fill in the crevices.

15 It looks a little like peanut butter but it worked with the Brownstone glitter much better. All glues used were basic water-soluble types.

16 As I learned how to handle the glue and skulls, the process sped along. I was so excited to see some results.

17 Chavo was concerned about my glittering skills.

18 I deftly erased his doubts.

19 Good morning! We let the skulls dry overnight before filling in the missed spots.

20 Here are the other bones I glittered to use in some arrangements. Love the spindly little feet and hands.

21 The texture of the tinsel glitter is so coarse and reflective; I love how it gives depth to these delicate shapes.

22 A tray of glittered jawbones.

23 Gotcha. Spreading a project out over a few days makes it less rushed and therefore less stressful.

24 The Craft room in our building makes it easy to be creative.

25 Voila!! A half-dozen bronzed beauties.

1 How fantastic is the coppery color of my bones?

2 We had to get suited up because the funky-spraying fixative has to be handled carefully. I promise I'm excited!

3 Ready to be sealed in glitter!

4 We set up our station right next to the vents.

5 Hold on, Chavo! Make sure you face the vents while you spray.

6 Chavo caught on quickly.

7 Getting ready to switch out from skulls to finger and toes and the other bones.

8 Carefully transporting our goods.

9 Almost there...

10 This is how it's done, sprayed at a clear 8 inches from the object.

11 Perfect! These now need to dry overnight so that I can set them in all kinds of new configurations. Halloween goes glam!

1 Here it is! I put together this arrangement of bones and a scull with a little satin ribbon and a refined glass case.

2 Isn't the texture from the tinsel glitter just incredible?

3 Now, for round two of decorating options. I'm attaching the other sculls to these glass pillars with a hunk of wax.

4 I just crammed the wax into the top of that pillar and let the skull sink into it on top. Easy assemblage and easy clean up afterward!

5 Gently pressing it into the wax to position. So simple!

6 There he is! Now, for the finishing touches.

7 These real preserved butterflies came all the way from Spencer, Ohio!

8 Aren't they gorgeous?

9 I'm going to glue them delicately to the skull and bones when they're all arranged. One on the front temple, another on a finger or toe... A whole box of these little containers arrived; I can't wait to put it all together!

1 Instead of marking your walls with nails, use picture rails to display your artwork in a variety of ways.

2 Add pop to a collection of black-and-white prints by using mats in a rainbow of colors.

3 If you have a lot of pictures to hang, adhere photocopies or white paper that approximate the size of the frames and stick them to the wall using removable tape in the grid you want. That way you can move them around without creating holes in your wall.

4 This arrangement was created by tracing the frames on to kraft paper to make a template and then taping and moving those templates around to get the final look.

5 Give a grouping of horizontal and vertical photos a chic, cohesive look -- and add interest to a long wall in a hallway or above a sofa or bench. Use the same frame and mat for each, then hang pictures along the same center line, spacing each two inches apart. Alternate horizontal and vertical pictures, using the latter at the ends.

6 If you have a several photos of the same or similar subject, create a photo gallery with them like Martha did here http://www.marthastewart.com/265313/creating-a-photo-gallery

7 The secret is to divide and conquer multiple framed pictures: Mark a horizontal midline on the wall, and hang all pictures above or below it.

8 Think outside the frame. Here, we printed images on stretched canvases (ours are from Duggal) and mixed posed and candid shots for a nice contrast.

9 A bulletin-board picture rail hung the length of a hallway or between two doorways lets you proudly show off kids' artwork while keeping tape and thumbtacks off the walls.

10 Pictures in high-traffic areas, such as halls and entryways, often end up askew. Remedy this with self-adhesive Velcro tabs in 1/4- or 1/2-inch sizes.

11 This display is so impactful. The home's owner converter Polaroids into documentary art, taped them to the wall, and held them in place permanently with a Plexiglass overlay.

12 These sepia landscapes are framed by a decorative trim that sticks to surfaces when gently heated. The images and trim are arranged on freestanding panels that were painted to match the walls and then mounted when the artwork was complete.

13 In the thin vertical space between two tall windows, a little piece could get lost. These five eighteenth-century landscape prints use the awkward space cleverly: Hung frame to frame, they function as one.

14 An unbound family album fills a wall. It is composed of inexpensive eight-by-ten-inch frames. The frames give consistency, while the pictures differ in size and style; some are horizontal, others vertical. Begin a grouping like this with one row or a minigrid of four frames.

15 Get even more picture hanging tips from Martha here: http://www.marthastewart.com/268983/arranging-pictures

1 The interior of Il Papiro is colorful and well-designed.

2 This is Marilyn Leon, co-owner of the shop.

3 Owners John and Marilyn Leon.

4 Il Papiro carries many boxes in a variety of shapes and sizes — pretty containers for paper clips, jewelry, or keepsakes.

5 One of my favorite items at Il Papiro is the classic, marbleized journal.

6 Such fun writing utensils!

7 The back wall is full of stationary, all wrapped with fine ribbon.

8 There are too many great items to choose from.

9 All the stationary is hand-painted, and would make a wonderful gift.

10 Owner John Leon showed me one of his most popular items, a beautiful box for storing wedding invitations, photos, or prized trickets.

11 Made with acid-free paper, the box protects photographs and paper from yellowing with age.

12 I could use a few of these on my desk to hold paper and business cards.

13 They are so pretty, too.

14 Seeing all the different patterns of paper is inspirational for me as a decorator.

15 I love this leather portfolio. It is incredibly well-made.

16 Notice the different techniques and styles Il Papiro uses to display their fine items.

17 I was lucky enough to get to see the 'papier a cuve' process. Each photo hanging on the wall demonstrates a different step.

18 Beautiful papers for wrapping or framing.

19 This photo series gives you an idea of how the colored liquids are shaped into beautiful designs for the paper.

20 Start to finish, the process is amazing!

21 A great, daily agenda.

22 Wanting to feel completely authentic and traditional, the owners decorated the shop with Venetian glass lamps.

23 The ceiling is absolutely gorgeous, dark, wooden, exposed beams.