Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

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1 For my September column, I researched flooring samples that would achieve a similar look to my new floor finish.

2 I arranged them on a counter in the office and labeled them with some sticky notes.

3 I used two sample planks of my floor finish to compare and find the closest options.

4 Then ordered them into hardwoods, engineered woods...

5 and laminates.

6 For hardwoods, I loved these samples (top to bottom) of European White Oak, Tudor Nostalgic with wax finish from Bois Chamois (boischamois.com), Ethereal Walnut, Chinchilla and Fables Walnut, Natural and White from T. Morton & Co. (tmorton.com) and Sterling Strip Winter White Oak from Bruce Hardwood (bruce.com)

7 In engineered woods, (top to bottom) Winswept Gray Maple from Armstrong (armstrong.com), Artic Oak from Kährs (kahrs.com) and European White Oak prefinished with UV oil in White from Bois Chamois (boischamois) were my top pics.

8 There were also great laminate options too. (Top to bottom) Whitewashed Pine from Pergo (pergo.com), Premium Lustre Blizzard Pine Commercial Laminate from Armstrong (armstrong.com) and Driftwood Pine also from Pergo.

I have been getting a great response to my new floor color. When I first conceived the idea of lighting the Wenge floors, many people thought I was crazy to do it, but after visiting the apartment and seeing the results, they all love the look. I know my situation is unique and not everyone has Wenge flooring but there are great options available to achieve a similar look. For those of you considering installing new flooring, here are some of the best options in hardwood, engineered wood and laminate.  I would love to see images of your own flooring transformations.

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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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1 Economy Candy is a downtown staple.

2 Love the cheeky vintage sign - more treats inside!

3 Jawbreakers - better known as Everlasting Gobstoppers, for those of you who've read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

4 I can always appreciate an "Old Time Favorite" in any category - design, music, film... but especially candy.

5 Pina Colada Jelly Beans? Where's the Cabernet?

6 These lollipops are great - but wait until you see what Papabubble has in store...

7 This sign is just too much! I had to take a photo.

8 Ok, maybe not the "World's Largest Necklace," but certainly the biggest candy necklace I've ever seen.

9 With a window display like this, Economy Candy is irresistible.

10 It was only natural to make a trip to Papabubble next!

11 Don't mind if I do!

12 "Candy, Candy, Candy..." - it's like they can read my mind.

13 Lollipops come in small, medium, and large. I'll take the large, thanks.

14 Papabubble has an impressive line-up of hard candies. They come in a variation of lollipops, candy sticks, candy rings, "pillows," and "pebbles," a softer crumblier variation of the hard stuff.

15 Clean, simple, and useful design is the perfect match for a business that takes the art of candy making to the next level.

16 Yes, they DO gold leaf candy rings. Need I say more?

17 Their candy jars are filled with fun mixes, such as: Fruit, Morris (little of everything), I Heart NY (5 borough mix), Acid Drops (sours), Soda Filled (fizzy mix), Heart (fruits + herbal mixes), and Math (1-9 and equation symbols).

18 Lovely candy sculptures.

19 Papabubble will make custom candies with full names upwards of 4 characters in length!

20 Even the lollipops can be personalized with monograms and names. They also make pops in the shapes of people and numbers.

21 I have a sneaking suspicion that the fool's gold in my office may soon be replaced with a chunk of Papabubble's rock candy.

22 The gals who opened the NY shop grow their own rock candy in the basement. This particular exhibit is the work of New Mexico-based artist Erica Browne.

23 Fiona, one of Papabubble's NY partners, and Jelly are hard at work making a custom order.

24 Every day they put out samples. I absolutely loved the Mango Chile candies - I've never had anything like it!

25 It's almost too pretty to eat.

26 I left the shop with a jar of their special "Summer Fun Mix" candies.

27 It includes a mix of anchors, ships, octupi, and life preservers.

28 Here's their fruit mix - beautifully detailed.

29 If you don't already love Papabubble, their special "Heart Mix" will do the trick.

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Two things that anyone can appreciate are a good deal and delicious candy.  Enter the very aptly named Economy Candy Market, located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.  This shop is overflowing with an extensive variety of candy (both US made and international), and it’s not short on nostalgia, either – Clark bars, Sugar Babies, Jaw Breakers, they have all of the classics!  Make sure your will power is in tact when you visit – trust me, you’ve been warned!

Of course, I hadn’t had my fill when I left Economy, so I decided to swing by Papabubble, a lovely specialty candy shop also located in downtown New York.  Papabubble’s history is almost as sweet as their candies.  In 2003, founders Tommy Tang and Chris King opened their first location in Barcelona, and have since spread their art of candy making internationally – opening additional locations in Amsterdam, Tokyo, and New York.  Walking into their New York location, I was immediately swept off my feet by the intoxicating smell of sugar.  After regaining all of my other senses, I noticed their incredible décor.  The shop is reminiscent of a classic, tidy apothecary, with simple white tiles and science beakers lining the back wall.  It is a perfect backdrop for their playful and vibrant candies – which are truly stunning works of art.  Something about this place really sparks the imagination.  Yes, their candies are a delight – but the real treat is in seeing and experiencing the great pride and care that goes into their candy-making trade.

(800) 352-4544

http://www.economycandy.com/

Hours:

Mon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Papabubble

(212) 966-2599

www.papabubble.com

Hours:

Tue-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.