We're not in Asia. We don't have a tradition of tatami mats on our floors. There's really no reason to make someone else's tradition mandatory for all, or to act as if people are unsanitary if they...

By topic. I dislike books-as-decor, which includes arranging them by color, turning them into tables, or displaying an impressive row of bound books that are never opened.

I personally dislike the words-on-the-wall trend. It seems sort of more like a retail decoration than something I'd want to read every day. Inspirational sayings can seem a bit hackneyed after the ...

The wire thing looks like it was originally a rack for vinyl LP records.

Sorry, wayfarer. Your tone threw me off.

Southernwayfarer, if the target of your scorn works in publishing and has to lay out or edit pages, there's probably a very good reason for the vertical monitor: it allows an entire page to be seen...

I agree with Bruised. I've seen this stuff go quite cheaply. $1k is way too high an appraisal. Try butcher's wax for the scratches.

The Walker Desk from Crate and Barrel is beautiful, cheap, and a nice combo of modern and organic: http://www.crateand...

The cat idea is the best, unless you're allergic. Keep in mind that not all cats are good mousers. Humane, schmane. Pretend it's a rat instead of a cute little mouse and exterminate th...

These are the things I generally notice about French apartments in Paris: 1) The French aren't super-into rugs. A bare floor works just fine. 2) There isn't the need to ov...

Whatever you do, stay away from "shabby chic" furniture. It will just look messy and un-modern with all that bare wood. Go for clean lines. Danish Modern sounds about right. The good t...

Call the Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge, MA. They'll be happy to sell your client as many books as s/he can handle. They have an amazing selection, and a huge used-book section in their basement. T...