tbgboodler's Profile

This is my favorite one, too. I want this bedroom. Great job! Looks very relaxing and comfortable.

We were tired of wet carpet and didn't want the threat of any moisture getting under any kind of floor in the basement (even though we mitigated the water problem, you never know), so we had our concrete floor stained. It's beautiful and will never harbor moisture.

We chose a brown and amber stain, and the imperfections and striations in the concrete look like a well-worn leather. We put area rugs where we hang out and never have to worry about wet carpet again. (Rugs can get cleaned or thrown out easily).

We had it professionally done and it came to about $4.25/square foot, including all necessary prep work.

This is not our floor, but it looks a lot like this: http://dmetree.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Floor-stained-concrete.jpg

Following my own sleep cycle has been an amazing change in my life. I used to wake up early, around 5 a.m., and roll over to go back to sleep, of course, since I didn't have to get up until 8. Now I get up when I first wake up--around 5 a.m., and I even changed my work schedule, so I work 6:30 to 3:30.

I know it sounds crazy, but I am not sleepy during the day, the way I was when I'd go back to sleep for another three hours. I even get up early on the weekends, although sometimes I do linger in bed until 6 or 6:30.

I keep wondering if this is really me. I mean, really. I never was a morning person. I guess it turns out I AM a morning person--just an early-morning person.

Wow. That's a little insulting, isn't it? Replace "American" with any other nationality and see how that sounds.

Remember... this isn't a "tell us about your nicest houseguest" post. You don't know where these commenters live, either.

We were out of power for four days after the late-June storm in the DC area and neither landlines nor cell phones worked. Even the old school phones won't work if the line is dead. The cell service eventually came back before the power and the phones did, but it was spotty for quite a while.

For a short while I thought it was nice that we were saving $$ on electricity we weren't using, but the huge grocery bill to replace everything we lost in the fridge and freezer negated any savings there. :-)

My husband and I have had a running argument over the "dawn chorus" ever since the first morning it woke us up after we'd moved into our house 17 years ago.

I think the birds are celebrating the new day: "YAY! The sun is coming UP!!"

He argues that they are complaining: "NO!!! Go away, sun! I'm not done sleeping yet!"

I guess it tells you a little bit about our outlook on life, doesn't it?

These are great ideas! But if you want to see a creative use of wallpaper, check out what Pam Kueber did in her own home; she's the brains behind the amazing retrorenovation.com...

http://retrorenovation.com/2012/06/18/18-patterns-of-vintage-wallpaper-277-squares-for-my-big-fat-retro-office-remodel/

If you can't find an exact match, go with something that doesn't match at all. Find a cabinet with a single pull, in a central place, and use a funky pull like these, for example...

http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/kiutknfosp.html

Or something more to your taste.

You'd be amazed at how well a fan keeps the bugs away. The moving air not only blows the bugs away, but blows away your scent that attracts the bugs in the first place.

We found a relatively inexpensive outdoor oscillating fan last year on Amazon ($89, but that was vs. the $300+ most models were). It is rated for outdoor use and can remain on an uncovered deck or patio even through the rain.

This past year we built a roofed porch and installed a ceiling fan. It keeps the air moving, cooling us off and shooing away bugs. We haven't needed to use citronella candles (questionable efficacy anyway) or spray ourselves with OFF at all this year.

Before you do any renovation, please visit retrorenovation.com. Lots of good ideas to "love the home you're in."