STYLE JOURNAL

KEVIN SHARKEY

EVP and Executive Director of Design for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

 

An expert in entertaining and curating a luxurious lifestyle, Kevin is a significant force behind the editorial content at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO).

SFERRA invited Kevin to style a sophisticated fall table with our Festival table linens, and in the process, we delved deeper into his personal ethos on styling, his early years at MSLO, and what it is like to work with Martha.

THE INTERVIEW

SFERRA: How did you begin your career as a designer?
 
KEVIN SHARKEY: I have always been interested in design and in beautiful things. I studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design and started my career working at Parish Hadley, which was a very well-known interior design firm at the time. Shortly afterward, I went to Martha Stewart, and I’ve been at Martha now for 27 years.
 

S: What was it like to be part of Martha Stewart Living, the magazine, in its early days, and in what ways have you seen the Omnimedia empire grow since then?
 
K: I was employee #66 and I worked from the ground up as an assistant in the style department. I cleaned up after photoshoots, took lunch orders, and when I was lucky enough, I would assist in content creation.

 

The subject matter of “living” is endless, so I was never bored. You could fully immerse yourself in a new project like “decorating with red,” or “making curtains,” or “setting an Easter table.” There was always something new and exciting, and I got to work with the absolute top tier talent in the industry.

 

I have watched the brand go from a publishing magazine to building an omnimedia empire. The reason that I have stayed so long is that Martha is always ahead of the curve. She has great foresight, enthusiasm, and embraced technology very early on. For me it has been a fascinating experience to watch how the worlds of e-commerce and communication have evolved.
 
 
S: What is the working dynamic between you and Martha? How does the work you do complement hers?
 
K: Martha has tremendous curiosity. It is such a luxury to be with someone who is always curious, asking questions, and exposing herself to new things. I never forget how lucky I am to be in an environment where I am learning something new every day. With Martha, you never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet, but you just know it’s going to be exciting.

S: How does your design philosophy inform how you (or your clients) host and entertain?

T: The key to hosting is planning ahead and keeping things easy so that you can enjoy your time with friends—set the table in advance, have the starters out, and get the glasses ready with drinks.
 
When Peter and I have friends over for dinner, he usually does the cooking while I set the table and arrange the flowers. I have to admit, I do love a pressed napkin. SFERRA makes the best linen napkins. The weight of Festival is nice, the colors are amazing, and the best thing is that they go right into the laundry.
S: What was the inspiration or idea behind the table you designed for SFERRA?
 
K: I envisioned a simple autumn table going from end of summer into autumn and even peeking into winter. For me, food, flowers, linens, and light all have to go well with each other so the choices I made are very much considered. I embrace the season and work with what each season offers. You do not need to rely on flowers for your centerpiece. Fruits, plants, and even just candlelight or a bunch of silver bowls with pinecones inside can be great alternatives.
 
With this table, I leaned into seasonal foliage like oakleaves, pinecones, and sunflowers, and I made sure the color of the linens worked into an easy tablescape.
 
I love the way SFERRA’s linens are made and launder, and I love the colors. The hemstitch and fabrication of the linen is beautiful.

S: How does your design philosophy inform how you (or your clients) host and entertain?

T: The key to hosting is planning ahead and keeping things easy so that you can enjoy your time with friends—set the table in advance, have the starters out, and get the glasses ready with drinks.
 
When Peter and I have friends over for dinner, he usually does the cooking while I set the table and arrange the flowers. I have to admit, I do love a pressed napkin. SFERRA makes the best linen napkins. The weight of Festival is nice, the colors are amazing, and the best thing is that they go right into the laundry.

S: Do you have advice on holiday entertaining?

K: I think it is good to be realistic with your capabilities. For instance, do not try to have a sit down dinner for 12 if the space can only fit 2 or 4. Some people are better at throwing brunches than they are at cocktail parties, while others want a big cocktail party or buffet. It depends on what your resources are and what you can accomplish. Only then can you host at your best.
S: What was the inspiration or idea behind the table you designed for SFERRA?
 
K: I envisioned a simple autumn table going from end of summer into autumn and even peeking into winter. For me, food, flowers, linens, and light all have to go well with each other so the choices I made are very much considered. I embrace the season and work with what each season offers. You do not need to rely on flowers for your centerpiece. Fruits, plants, and even just candlelight or a bunch of silver bowls with pinecones inside can be great alternatives.
 
With this table, I leaned into seasonal foliage like oakleaves, pinecones, and sunflowers, and I made sure the color of the linens worked into an easy tablescape.
 
I love the way SFERRA’s linens are made and launder, and I love the colors. The hemstitch and fabrication of the linen is beautiful.
 
 

S: Do you have advice on holiday entertaining?

K: I think it is good to be realistic with your capabilities. For instance, do not try to have a sit down dinner for 12 if the space can only fit 2 or 4. Some people are better at throwing brunches than they are at cocktail parties, while others want a big cocktail party or buffet. It depends on what your resources are and what you can accomplish. Only then can you host at your best.
SHOP FESTIVAL TABLE LINENS