heather77's Profile

Hi Thorndale -- I faced a similar trim-painting dilemma in my long and narrow sunroom. I ultimately painted the trim white only where I wanted to create visual focus. For example, I painted the trim white around the beautiful windows on three adjoining walls. However, I used the wall color on all of the baseboards, because I didn't want that to be a visual focus. Also, in a narrow room, a contrasting baseboard creates a "belt" effect and accentuates the narrowness. I also used the wall color on trim around two doors, because I didn't want to create a focus on those doors.

Does that make sense? I'm now planning to paint over some of the trim in my small living room to reduce the visual clutter and clarify the focus.

I wonder if you could take a semi-lazy approach and rub the cooked chickpeas in a kitchen towel to take off *most* of the skins a bit faster. It wouldn't be quite as ethereally smooth, but it would be more feasible when you don't have time to gently undress each bean.

The most versatile and expensive items in my kitchen are my wide-bottomed 6- and 8-quart stainless pots. Mine are All-Clad (one of which I got at TJ Maxx) and they are workhorses. I use them for everything from obvious uses like soups and stews, to sauteing huge bunches of greens, to boiling pasta, to brining and frying, to steaming vegetables and fish with collapsible steamer inserts. Best of all (to me), they clean up perfectly in the dishwasher.

I would say the All-Clad versions are worth the investment because they conduct heat incredibly well and they're very sturdy. I like them better than a less expensive pot I have that has a huge stainless disk stuck on the bottom. That one takes much longer to heat up.

Marion, thanks for pointing that out -- makes me feel relieved. Now people will see the advice whether they click the link or not -- perfect!

As a landlord, I cringe at the thought of renters painting their countertops. We've learned from experience that renters can have some, er, unique ideas about what looks good (I'm remembering a tenant who handpainted truly hideous "fish" all over a newly renovated bathroom). Painting countertops could potentially destroy their value and would not be easy to undo, and the tenant could be held financially responsible for replacing the countertops.

Tenants should at the very least talk about this idea with their landlords before proceeding.

Adding to my post above, I would paint the crown molding the same color as the wall, however, as right now it visually brings the ceiling down and creates a "belt" around the room, making it appear smaller.

Very nice list, but I was drawn to the post by the image of the Canon camera, and there is nothing related on the list. Does it simply represent "tech" here?

This inspired me to immediately order the bamboo helicopter and off-roader from Amazon for my nephew. I love that they seem to be durable and not junky.

Ha-ha, I hate to say it, but these results could go a long way toward explaining the nation's weight problem. Not a vegetable on the list!

So elegant and very sensible appliance choices. A future buyer could just buy a countertop toaster oven if the convection microwave isn't enough for them. Great job!