modkatie's Profile

Yes, that table sells for less than $350 new and is still in production. It is a clever design--the legs are individual steel pins held by the tension of the top and foot. But not a fair asking price by any means. Shame!

M's layout would be so much better. And then perhaps you could put desk on the wall where the tv is now, and put the tv in the other corner between the sets of windows?

Good luck

I'm with Shannon on woven vinyl rugs --very durable and easy to clean. True sisal is extremely absorbant; one accident and the rug is toast.

But for softness and design/pattern/color---"Fancy wool rugs" are actually a good choice for durability. Wool is resiliant, easy to clean and long-lasting. Just don't use any grocery store cleaners on them, frequent vacuuming (without the beater bar) is a wool rugs best friend. Professional cleaning every few years. The higher quality the wool rug, the longer it will last of course.

Wool is very green and pet-friendly too. See www.woolsofnewzealand.com for good info.

If you install a double track, the option of adding a second layer of fabric is always open to you, even if you don't do it at the first installation.

Hospital-style ceiling mount tracks come in singles and doubles--the double is only a fraction wider and hardly noticable if your single layer is mounted on the outside track.

I helped a friend do this---just one row of sheers were perfect in the low-light winter months, but then in the summer, she found that she needed a second row to add more light control and cut down on solar heat gain. Then, she was hooked on the layering--adding different colored sheer panels with the seasons and her whim. It looks great.

Good luck!

Different woods whether solid or veneer, behave in different ways. Cherry is rather soft and prone to denting, Rift Cut Oak is tougher, but cross-grain scratches are really visible. Stained Maple with a high-gloss finish scratches like crazy!

Use coasters and placemats! Or go for stone, concrete, etc if the table's going to always be bare and take a beating.

Care--don't use any wax cleaning or dusting products on new wood furniture--modern finishes are very hard, the wax just sits on the surface and makes it look cloudy. A damp, clean cloth is all you need to wipe it down. Use Guardsman or Howards every so often if you really need to.