Home Design with Kevin Sharkey

Spider Web, 7.25" Side Plate. $8.75

John Derian has added five new styles to his homegoods collection. The series includes a new charger, dinner plates, side plate, and two bread plates, all less than $20.

Based on French earthenware patterns from the 1700s this collection is whimsical and colorful. They're made of  unbreakable, heavy-duty quality melamine making them perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.

Derian himself, suggests keeping a stack of dinner plates on hand for large dinner parties, and saving smaller plates for children's tea parties.

Faience Slice 13" Charger. $16.50

Faience a la Corne, 8.25" Salad Plate. $9.50

Faience Fleurs Isolees Dinner Plate, $11.50.

Faience Italonivernais 7.25" Side Plate, $8.75

I had gray striped straws at my Game Night party last year.

These cheery red straws are from MarthaCelebrations.

Any entertainer knows that the secret to hosting a sensational event lies in the little details. Inexpensive and available in a multitude of hues and patterns to complement any color palette, paper straws will punch up your party décor. The striped beauties above, featured in our Scarlet party from the newly launched MarthaCelebrations line, are a fun way to add a little something extra to decor.  Pick up our red, orange, and blue striped straws at JCP ($5.50 for 8), buy a fantastic faux bois set, such as the chic birch option below, or DIY your own festive straw toppers.

Canadian Birch Straws from Kikkerland, $8 for 144

Baking cups become floral beauties when trimmed and slipped on the green, stem-like straws. These lovely faux blooms are almost pretty enough to use as a party centerpiece. Get the how-to.

Add some tropical flair to a basic straw with crepe paper bamboo shoots. Get the how-to.

These delightfully twisty straws would be perfect for a baby girl's baby shower; the twist is easy to do, but adds a touch of whimsy. Get the how-to.

Shamrock straw toppers will give you a little extra luck year-round. Get the how-to.

I'm obsessed with the sleek link of cutlery from Cutipol. The stainless steel and black resin pieces are appropriately entitled KUBE, given their sharp-looking geometric edges. Contemporary and dishwasher safe? What more could you ask for from your cutlery collection?

Cutipol is an insatiable spirit of innovation spanning over several generations and dating back to the very origins of the cutlery industry in Portugal. The company is known for its impeccable selection of raw materials, close study of ergonomic shapes and sober, practical and refined designs, and although modern machinery is used for much of the initial work, the old traditional craftsmanship still plays a major role.