LeslieInAZ's Profile

While I have an Ikea within 3 miles of my home, I shop there only twice a year, or less, if I can help it. It's exactly this that keeps me away. It drives me crazy to try my best to beeline it through the maze, and there are plenty of customers who are happy to wander aimlessly through the narrow paths meandering around loads of products, so it's nearly impossible to just get in and get out with what you need, efficiently. Even Ikea's website now has me avoiding it. When you are on a product page, the lower section defaults to ridiculous "complementary", so-called products, instead of the measurements and other obviously needed info. Irks me every time. ..Ugh, glad I got that off my chest...I kinda feel better now.

I suggest going with a warm gray (either quite dark or very light) or one that is a grayish tone of another color. If you don't get the right gray, it can look like your walls are made of cement and be very depressing. If you go for a charcoal, you do need light, so pair it with a pinkish hued warm white, white linens on the bed and some happy colors. I painted my master bedroom a medium gray last year - even the ceiling. I used gloss to keep the light factor up. It's very cocoon-ish for sleeping. I'm using natural oak furniture and white linens. But I have a huge south-facing window to keep it from getting dreary. Magenta, a heathery deep purple or a grass green can make nice accents.

A method that's helpful for pet owners to possibly lengthen the life of your vacuum: Every other week before vacuuming, take a small, long handled shop broom (around $6 at home improvement stores) and move it lightly just across the surface of your carpet where your pets habitually hang out to pick up most of the pethair with its rather stiff, plastic (not wire) bristles. Be careful not to dig into the carpet, as of course, you don't want to break any of the carpet's fibers. Try it on an inconspicuous spot first ... but I wouldn't use this method on a shag, expensive or new carpet.