Do not put down cork. I did that 18 mos. ago and while I love the look, my dog has scratched it horribly. I woudl vote for the indoor/outdoor stone. My mother used to claim that my...

I like the idea of categories because it levels the playing field. I love seeing the smallest spaces most of all. I do hope that the judging criteria factors in the intensity of space use (e.g.,...

Re the shower curtain liner: If you have a problem with soap scum, consider adding some vonegar when you wash. It really helps. When I had a clear vinyl liner, I would just wash the liner with v...

I bought a zzz chest for my guest bed because it fit along a wall too narrow for a traditional sofa bed and with a sloped ceiling not a candidate for a murphy bed. It's been great--the mattress is...

My favorite quick fix is to buy the very inexpensive muslin-like roman shades sold at IKEA (also often available on Ebay) and baste a fabric I like better to the top. It's even cheaper than buyin...

If you are going to the thrift store, you can probably also pick up scads of cocktail napkins. One place I frequent often bags them in large groups and they are cheap. They are often pretty inter...

Clown of God and Merry Christmas Strega Nona (both by Tomie DePaola), and an illustrated version of A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (we also have a wonderful recording of him reading i...

Moonstruck.

A lovely old 27-drawer apothecary chest that stores computer gear, plastic bags, mittens, napkins, infrequently used kitchen gear, take-out menus, candles, pet care items...well, you get the idea. ...

How about this site, which produces a jpg? http://www.epgsoft.com/VisitedStatesMap/

Robyn, Walmart (yes, I know) carries a "mattress in a box." This might work for you for the mattress. IKEA platform bedframes are flat pack and do not usually require a box spring.

We too are clearing my mother's house out and even split five ways it's a LOT of stuff. We took piles of stuff to Goodwill and similar charities, keeping mostly things that had either strong emotio...

Too pretty to put away!

Big bad dock wann a new home?

Something lovely to float away to sleep on!

I installed cork laminate floors in two different kitchens. (One, lillibw, replaced 12" white ceramic kitchen floors that weer a nightmare to keep clean and either broke--or wer broken by--dropped ...

Thank you all for such kind words. The cork is in and looks and feels wonderful. I have started painting the baseboard heating units a medium gray and have chosen a light pearly gray for the smal...

These may be soothing but they must be annoying to clean.

I completely agree. I can remember when a 25" tv in a 20' family room was considered enormous--and was where everyone wanted to watch the Superbowl. These are crazy.

And this is sustainable because...? A lotof the "fast-growing" trees are either genetically engineered or invasive exotics (think eucalyptus) wreaking havoc with native forests.