Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

1 Blue can work with just about any other color. Use paint, artwork and other decor to create a soothing palette.

2 I love the deep blue of these tiles.

3 The picture of serenity. Who couldn't drift peacefully off to sleep in this room?

4 Blue creates a calm environment for this desk. No angry letters written here.

5 I love the soft blue painted on the back of the bookcase. It's a great way to add color to a room.

6 Painting the inside of glass front cabinets is another a great way to add color to a room. In this kitchen, the blue background highlights the contents of the cabinets.

7 Wallpaper is also a great way to add color. Here, a blue and white coral pattern is added to back of a cabinet.

8 The alternating blue painted floor planks in this kitchen were inspired by a 19th Century dhurrie rug from India.

9 The table linens and glassware bring blue into this dining room nicely.

10 Flowers are another beautiful way to add blue to a room.

11 This collection of blue plates and tiles brings together a range of blues and becomes the focal point of the room.

12 An overall view of the blue living room display.

13 The rectangular pattern painted on this hallway wall in gray-toned blues helps to enhance and define the architectural features.

1 At the Ellsworth Antiques Show at Woodlawn Estate in Maine, we stopped by George Subkoff's area. George is an old friend of Martha's and a very well regarded antique dealer with a beautiful showroom down the street from Martha's former home, Turkey Hill.

2 I never pass up the opportunity to stop by his shop to admire all of his treasures. We had no idea that he was going to be at this show, let alone have such a great surprise!

3 These are exactly the same chairs that were in the dining room at Skylands when Martha bought the house!

4 They are early seventeenth century Italian. Martha has decided to use them in a different room, but they are still very happily resting at Skylands.

5 George had the most amazing book, which actually had illustrations of the chair. Just one more reason to love old books!

6 He bookmarked the pieces he had in his booth.

7 Here is a photo of Martha's own early 17th century chair.

8 Sally Good, a dealer from Pennsylvania, was just the nicest person.

9 She spoke so lovingly about these three covered urns, originally intended to decorate a mantle.

10 I loved the delicacy and simplicity of the painted design - the decorative details have so much inspiration. The shape of the lid was also quite appealing to me.

11 That is my reflection in the mirror and I shoot a picture.

12 Martha loves barometers.

13 She spent a lot of time examining each beautifully made instrument.

14 One of Maine's finest antique dealers...

15 This is Wilmot M. Schwind, Jr. He is the dealer who owns the wine coolers and has a smile that just lights up a room!

16 This is the most beautiful and unusual pair of wine coolers that I have ever seen. It was very hard for me not to buy these. I was imagining the dramatic flower arrangements I could make in them as well as the delicious bottles of wine I could use to cool in them. Alas, I didn't think that they were quite right for my ultra modern dining room.

17 The colors, pattern and layout of this hooked rug I found particularly inspiring. It is almost modern looking in its graphic presentation.

18 Get ready to see some of the loveliest china you've ever set eyes on..

19 I loved this tableau of deleft china from Fiske & Freeman.

20 Martha and I really loved this chair. It is Georgian in style and one of a pair. Although the colors are bright and cheerful, I find the fabric distracts from the simple beauty of the silhouette and legs. These came home with us.

21 A before photo...

22 ...and after!

23 This is a beautifully constructed and extra long console that caught Martha's eye.

24 Isn't this bed amazing? It is a 3/4 bed - not quite a single and smaller than a full. If it were mine, I would paint it high gloss white or tomato red.

25 I love the details of this Mammoth Baccarat bowl.

26 Anything with a horn of plenty stops me in my tracks, as Martha especially likes the motif.

27 These are actually curtain tie backs in the form of roses. They must have been newly polished, as they sparkled like 14 carat gold. They were laid out on a piece of navy blue velvet which made the presentation especially dramatic.

28 Greg Nanamura is an excellent antique dealer from New York with a refined eye.

29 These, for me, were absolutely "Best in Show." In fact, they took my breath away. They are a set of seven nesting sterling silver circular trays with black bottoms. I really died when I saw them. Unfortunately, I never got to meet Greg!

30 I desperately want these trays but sadly they are out of my price range. One day, if I win the lottery, my first phone call is going to be Greg to buy these trays!

1 This is a truly stunning ceiling. We can't all have this architecture, but you could paint the over-scale octagon and its negative space on your ceiling for an equally beautiful effect. (image source unknown)

2 This is beautiful and extremely detailed, but you could easily replicate the colors and the delicate outlines. If you took out the lacey medallions and just had the straight lines it can actually feel quite contemporary. (image source unknown)

3 A simple motif looks great on the ceiling. Just look up! This room and motif is very specific but you get the idea. (image from designer Kelly Wearstler's former dining room in her book, "Modern Glamour: the Art of Unexpected Style")

4 For a more involved project you could apply wooden lath strips in a design to create architectural interest. I have always wanted to try a Chinese Chippendale version - certainly not in my new apartment though, maybe my imaginary country house.

5 Strong, bold color goes a long way and gives the illusion of height. I don't know that I would want a red ceiling but a beautiful sky/powdery blue would be heavenly. I do love the carnations on the table, though! They are, in fact, my favorite flower. (image source unknown)

6 I love the way this playful child's room uses striped wallpaper to create such a dramatic effect. Images like this are what drive me to continue to buy old books - this idea would be just as beautiful today. (Image from the NYT Book of Interior Design and Decoration)