Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

Everyone pays so much attention to walls and floors but one of the most important parts of room is the ceiling. Whenever I'm creating a color scheme for a room, I like to give the ceiling a hint of color. Here are some very inspiring "overhead" images that I have collected. Enjoy!

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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)

Mondays are always a great day to get organized, but it helps if you have an inspired space to work in. And - as I have shared with you before - it starts at your very own desk. So get going!!!

Martha Stewart Living April 2008

I love this shared workspace - it is clean and modern, yet there is a ton of pin up space and storage. A broad swath of color adds interest and a point of view.

image source unknown

Working at a long table is quite a luxury. It helps you stay organized and focused.

image from Blueprint Jan/Feb 2008

This is a very eclectic workspace that I can imagine someone assembling over time- it has tons of personality (and storage). It's happy and fun. I especially love the cornflower blue in the back of the bookshelves.

image taken by Ditte Isager

I chose this image because I was inspired by how graphic everything was on the pin-up board- they all should look this good!

Here are some great desk accessories:

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1 Map tacks perfect for your pin up board and they come in every color! available through maptacks.com

2 A great Swedish stapler from Salvor Kiosk or kioskkiosk.com

3 These are Ideal notebooks from Salvor Kiosk or kioskkiosk.com

4 colorful letter trays from seejanework.com

5 A great desk lamp from target only 19.99

I will be sure to do this at home, if the construction ever stops!!! Tune in soon to see another DDD (or Daily Decorating Drama).

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We've heard about the D+D (building, that is), but have you heard of DDD? It's the Daily Decorating Drama, and from here on out you'll be hearing those three words a lot! Anyone who has been through the renovation and redecorating process knows that, as much as they'd love them to, things rarely go as planned. For instance, the second can of paint doesn't quite match up with the first, your building doesn't allow work after a certain hour, vent work, sprinkler systems and concrete walls force you to change your design plan, etc. Though I've worked with incredibly professional and knowledgeable people on my renovation project, surprises are to be expected - and there has been no shortage of them!

Just the other day, for instance, a mirror was delivered to my apartment that was to be hung on the wall between the door to the master bathroom and the closet area. Sounds basic enough, right? Wrong. This is no regular mirror -  custom made by Desiron, it weighs upwards of 250 lbs, which the wall, as it was, simply could not hold! This meant that the process of hanging the mirror turned into a project that included creating a special, heavy duty cleat, making adjustments to the imperfections in the uneven wall and patching them back up again, finally securing everything with some of the biggest screws I have ever seen  - just to hang a mirror! Not to mention, I had already finished hanging all of my clothes in the closet area and had to cover them up with large plastic sheets to protect them from the dust and debris incurred by the reinforcement of the wall. Thank goodness for Robert Wasson and Yaneck Nowach (pictured in the photos above) from Bob Tobin's BC interiors - they kept the job from truly turning into a disaster! Throughout this entire project they have been such a pleasure to work with, always leaving my apartment looking absolutely spotless.

I'm hoping that this will be the worst of it, but something tells me more surprises are on their way! What's your renovation nightmare story? I'd love to hear all about it!