Home Front

Every week, the Washington Post Home staff talks about various ways to improve your home. Find out about new home trends, upcoming antique shows and a variety of how-to help.

Ask Post staff writers Annie Groer and Jura Koncius about all things home related.

The transcript follows.

You may also browse an archive of previous Home Front discussions.

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Annie Groer: Good morning all...The weather is so great I'm tempted to break into a slightly premature, and decidedly off-key version of Summertime...

And now a request. One of the great joys of warm weather is front porch sitting, step- or stoop- sitting, hanging out with neighbors or friends, keeping an eye on the kids and pets, having a chilled lemonade, adult beverage, a simple meal. Even as folks go crazy decorating the "outdoor room" in the back of the house, others wouldn't trade the simple pleasure of the streetside show.

If you are a Washington area porchie--and it doesn't matter if the decor is a bunch of plastic chairs or beaten=up wicker, if the floor is painted conccrete or Astroturf--email me at groera@washpost.com. And please, please, give a daytime phone number and the town or city where you live.

Can't wait to hear from...the sooner the better.

Thanks in advance for replying, and now on to your interiors.

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Cushions for patio furniture : I have some great rustic furniture that will look great outside in our new patio, but the cushions are a little limp, and even more problematically, not waterproof. New ones will likely have to be custom-made because the seats have irregular sizes (they were handmade). Where can I get some made for a a reasonable price?

Annie Groer: Try American Foam Center, 800-241-3526. 2801-B Merrilee Dr. Fairfax County. They also sell fabric, so look into Sunbrella or other weather resistant materials, which now come in really great colors and patterns.

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Cleveland Park: Is Farrow and Ball paint worth the money for the paint quality or can I safely duplicate the color in something less expensive.

Annie Groer: People who use F & B swear by it. But it is substantially pricier. It really depends on your budget.

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Washington, D.C.: Good morning,

Our 1920's coop (4 floors) in Dupont Circle is preparing a preferential color/design ballot for submission to the residents for painting/carpeting of the common areas -- corridors, front lobby, service stairwells.

Any color/carpet rules of thumb to consider as the Board of Directors explores color combinations for the corridors/doors/trim?

How to avoid a "dated" look for an interior choices?

Help us/suggestions, please -- color gurus.

Color novice.

Annie Groer: Aaarghhhhh...My 280-unit condo just went through this torture, to replace 20-year old hideous carpet that looked like it came out of 1950s movie theater. I was on the decorating committee and two things struck me: the enormous cost of such a job and the inability of the comittee to agree on anything. We interviewed several decorators, went to see projects they had done, had them prepare "boards" with carpet, paint, lighting and lobby ideas.

Wear and tear is the chief consideration. We went with a fairly traditional bordered carpet that is a medium brown with a black border and touches of red and yellow. Door trim is matching brown, doors are red, walls yellow. Certainly not my first choice but you want something classy, not trendy. And it sure beats the previous rug.

Hope that helps.

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D.C.: I love my pets, but they've been shedding like nobody's business lately. I have two friends who have Roombas and say it's a huge help in keeping control of pet fur between vacuuming. Any experience or other reader comments? I'm thinking of getting one for my hardwood floors.

Annie Groer: Alas, Jura the pet queen is not here to chime in...She's on a family vacation at the Beverly Hills Hotel.(Of course we hope she's happy sipping margaritas by the pool, right?)

So Roomba owners, chime in.

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Alexandria, Va.: Another paint question from the seriously color impaired.

After two years of paint chips and samples, we've finally decided (going to buy today) Palladian Blue for our bedroom. We have natural ash toned furniture and a dark green Karastan (quilt patterned) area rug. Ecru matelasse duvet cover. And the window trim is natural color wood.

Questions: Should we paint the ceiling? We have left other ceilings white, but recently painted a small bathroom walls and ceiling and love the way it doesn't cut up the small space. Plan now to paint all bathroom ceilings.

Also, there is an adjoining master bath that is white/white/with a bit of blue trim tile. What color? I was thinking of something either sage green or just a creamy beige. (We have Stonehouse in most of the rest of the house -- maybe a lighter shade of that color?) Or should we paint the bath Palladian Blue also -- just a semi-gloss?

Help, I don't want to take another two years to decide on the bathroom color.

Annie Groer: Love Benjamin Moore's Palladian blue. Yes, paint the ceiling, too. It's such a restful thing to do in a bedroom.

Paint the bedroom first before going blue in the bathroom. It may be too much. If it is, go very pale ecru.

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Alexandria, Va.: Paint for a kitchen question: Cherry cabinets, slate floor tile, white granite countertops with gray and black flecks, ice blue/gray glass tile backsplash. I now need paint color suggestions. I don't want the kitchen to be too cool and sterile, but I'm having a hard time finding a nice paint color that unites the space while making the kitchen inviting. Any suggestions? Benjamin Moore or C2 preferred.

Annie Groer: Try Benjamin Moore Classic's In Your Eyes. It's a very pale but warm gray.

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removable/washable duvet covers: Submitting this early -- hoping to get your and readers' input soon. I need to find a removable and washable duvet cover for our queen-size bed. I have one and I always liked to ability to clean it at home, we don't use flat sheet - it gets in the way. But the one I have is getting old and design is too "girly" for master bedroom that I now want to create. I am trying to find something in gold-brown-maroon colors, to set a more adult, mature look. I've done in-store and online search but have a hard time -- most have duvets with non-removable covers and dry clean only. I am on strict budget, so my last resort would be to buy sheets or fabric that I like and sew it, but I have no skills that I can rely on. Please help!

Annie Groer: Go with your last idea - buy sheets, which go on sale a lot. Then hit your local fabric store, which often has lists of home sewers, or the drycleaner. It shouldn't cost much. Or barter with a friend who has a machine. You make dinner, he/she sews.

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Alexandria, Va.: What do you think of kitchen rugs, on a hardwood floor? Do they serve any purpose, aside from decoration, assuming you clean up spills as they happen?

Jura Koncius: Some people like to keep a little rug by their sink to make it easier to stand - these should definitely have rubber backings on them. In decorated rooms you see in magazines, sometimes they throw rugs in the kitchen to warm up the look. But actually, they aren't that practical for keeping the place clean.

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Ashburn, Va.: I'm thinking about a garage re-do for my husband -- shelving and cabinets and reorganization by a closet organizing company. Has anyone had this done and were they satisfied?

Annie Groer: Great Father's day idea. Go to www.garagetek and check out ideas. Any happy/unhappy garage folks out there?

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Jura Koncius: Hi all. This is Jura just checking in from Los Angeles. Thanks to Annie for carrying on in my abscence. The weather is perfect here of course - 75 and sunny and no humidity. I haven't seen any interiors to report on yet, but I can definitely point out the fashion trends. Huge gold and silver handbags are THE thing to have. The bigger the better. Same for designer sunglasses with huge logos on them. I'm going to go to the Williams Sonoma Home Beverly Hills store today. It will be my first foray into one of these shops. So I'll report back to you on that. By the way, dogs are welcome here at many restaurants and malls. That's something you don't see in Washington yet. As for being green, electric cars get better parking spaces. So, over and out and back to the pool.

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Re. Roomba: My aunt and uncle swear by their Roomba -- and they have a boxer.

Jura Koncius: They are smart people.

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Re: Roombas: We have two cats and love our Roomba. It's nice to run every other day or so to pick up all the cat hair. We just set it off when we leave for work in the mornings and come home to clean floors.

Jura Koncius: I don't think Gus would love a Roomba. But who knows?

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Roombas: Not so much. I found when I'm not watching it, the Roomba will get stuck in places (under the sofa, for example), and I found my dogs don't like it much. The suction I found lacking also.

Jura Koncius: Maybe you should get a cat.

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Washington, D.C.: I'd vote for a Swiffer (for the floor) and many brushings (of the pets) to get control of the shedding.

Jura Koncius: Both are noble pasttimes.

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Arlington, Va.: I have a paint question for you -- I want to repaint my small no-light having bedroom and am thinking about something in a deep but warm blue. My furniture is all light maple/pine a brushed metallic mirror and sconces. Ideally, I'd like to go for a more dramatic almost deco look, but there's no money on the horizon for new furniture. Is the paint a good idea and any others to get me to my dramatic deco goal?

Annie Groer: Yes, paint is the least expensive way to dramatically alter a room.

Martha Stewart now does a line for Lowes and she has a yummy clear blue called Blue Jay...And to boost the deco quotient, frame your art in silver and maybe put a couple of silver candlesticks on the dresser. Very glam.

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Washington, D.C.: Good morning, ladies!

I saw a story on the evening news recently about rubber sidewalks. The panels are made from shredded tires. Apparently, there are some of these rubber sidewalks in D.C. Do you know anything about these? I was wondering if they would be good for a driveway instead of stone pavers.

Jura Koncius: How fascinating! We have seen rubber mulch - there is some on Chain Bridge Rd. in D.C. We will check out the sidewalks.

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Ceiling fan: I want to replace the plain, ugly ceiling light in my 1925 kitchen with a ceiling fan with lights. Do I have to check to make sure I have enough electrical capacity before I go out and buy the fan? (I am not handy, so I'll have an electrician install it.)

Annie Groer: Check your circuit breaker box or fuse box to see if you've got any extra, unused power. You may want to get a fan with just one light rather than multiples if you don't have much power. When you call the electrician, pose that question. And for your own convenience, get a remote control. And a good bedside reading lamp.

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Mixing white and dark furniture: I'm trying to pick out some side tables for my living room. I've got dark wood furniture, light blue walls and couch, dark brown leather chairs, and dark brown rug with a white design. My husband has really fallen for some white side tables from West Elm (the side step table). The style fits in with our other modern furniture, but I'm not sure about going with white. The only other white in the room is in the rug, wall/window trim, and lampshades.

On the one hand I feel like the white could add a nice change from all the dark stuff in the room. But on the other hand, I see it sticking out like a sore thumb and looking odd.

Husband is always complaining that I never use any of his decorating ideas. Can I make the white side tables work? I'm open to adding art or accessories, but not repainting or replacing any of our current furniture.

Annie Groer: Go with the white. It will work with the decor, and it will really work with the husband, which is the more important issue. And thank him for his good taste.

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Colorado: Hi there. I have a pale yellow house with a deep red door and black shutters. I also have a red rocking chair on the porch. I just bought a set of four wooden flower plants that I would like to paint, but am not sure what color? Any suggestions? Thanks!

Annie Groer: Go with the yellow of the house paint, and plant lots of red flowers. It will be so cheery.

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Duvet Cover- Arlington, Va.: I too only use a washable duvet cover as my "top sheet". I've been able to find them in almost all of the department stores, but you do have to search for them. Also various home catalogs such as the Company Store also sell them. They're in with the sheets.

Jura Koncius: Even Target has them.

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Duvet covers: This is the same as a comforter cover, right? If so, look at the clearance section of thecompanystore.com, and also at the Lands' End overstocks section. Lots of cotton comforter covers on sale, some marked down 75 percent.

Jura Koncius: Great tip.

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Washington, DC: Good morning! We're planning to paint our condo this summer. We recently obtained quart-size paint samples of the colors we're interested in. Lots of people have advised us to sample the colors on the wall before we commit to doing the whole thing. How big should we make these samples and where should we paint them? Should we make an effort to do it where it would abut other colors, such as trim? Do I have to re-paint over them once I decide I'm ready to paint the rest of the wall, assuming I keep the color?

Annie Groer: The sample should be large enough to see well, maybe 12 by 12 inches. And you should put it on more than one wall so you can see how it looks in different light. Yes, put a sample near the window trim. And sorry, if the colors are remotely dark, it's a good idea to prime them so your wall doesn't look like a patchwork quilt when you're finished.

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Washington DC: I'm looking for a good paint color for my front door. Old classic red brick row house with white trim (I can't afford to repaint trim - just focusing on the porch for now). I'm thinking a sage or olive green. I also want to paint the porch floor - it's royal blue now, yuck - so if you have 2 shades all the better. I have loved your paint suggestions - I have a BM Palladian Blue office that I LOVE (great with my dark wood furniture) and am painting my foyer BM Valley View on your suggestion. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I just painted my door Old Glory - Benjamin Moore. It's a nice French Blue.

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Kitchen Rugs: A better bet may be those gel mats, made for kitchen chefs. They are nice for standing at the sink or stove, come in different colors, are easy to clean and don't slip around on the floor. You see ads for them in places like Domino.

Jura Koncius: What fun. Great suggestion.

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Washington, DC: Hi Ladies! Any tips for finding a good, not too expensive architect for a residential renovation? Also, does the architect provide their own structural engineer (we know we need one for parts of the renovation), or do we find one ourselves? Thanks - you're the best!

Annie Groer: First, ask around among your friends who have had modest jobs done. Then check out the American Institute of Architects

www.aia.org/architect_finder and take it from there. Good luck.

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Clifton, Va.: I have two rough collies with adult coats who shed in tumbleweeds of collie hair. Roomba -- forget it doesn't work. You have to stop it and empty it way to often because of its small capacity. The consensus on the collie and herding lists is the Dyson Animal.

It picks up hair Hoover, Miehle and others don't. And has enough volume to vacuum my 22x13 living room and 17x14 dining room and get up all the tumbleweeds before needing emptying. Only British made product I would ever buy besides my Linn Sondek turntable and audio components

Annie Groer: Thanks for the high praise. Dyson's are pricey, often around $400 to $500. But the cost of sanity? Priceless.

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Alexandria, Va: I live in a 40-year-old condo and there are no overhead lights in the main living area or the bedrooms. I hear this is fairly common. Short of having every room rewired, what would you suggest for bringing in more ambient lighting?

Annie Groer: If you've got drywall ceilings, it's not such a big deal to get overhead lights installed. If you've got plaster ceilings, as I do, it's a nightmare, the answer to which is Lots of Lamps: on tables, tall torchieres, even canisters on the floor for uplighting. I live in a 65-year-old condo with plaster ceilings and I'm about to tackle this problem myself.

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Washington, D.C.: Can you help with a lighting question? I'm renovating a 10x14 casual living room. TV and couch are at opposing ends of the 14-foot room. I am struggling mightily on the number, size, type and placement of canister lighting. Thinking canisters (would love LEDs, but have you seen the price!?), so compact fluorescent it will be. The room is flanked by the kitchen and a formal living room. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Annie Groer: Without knowing what else is in the room, you'll certainly want lights over the couch for reading, a few in the center and one or two over the TV. The far ends should be on separate switches so you can have dual activities going in the room. And all of them should be on dimmers.

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Annapolis, Md.: My husband and I are expecting our first child. However we have opted not to find out the gender until he/she makes their arrival. What would be a good neutral color for the nursery? I really like oranges and the room gets tons of natural light.

Thank you.

Annie Groer: Congrats on the impending arrival. Orange is a great color, and you can do accent colors in yellow, red, hot pink, lots of greens. Check out Duron's Mandarin.

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Arlington, Va.: My mom has a house full of pets and is very happy with her two Roombas. To make it more fun she glued on big "googly eyes" to both and named them.

Annie Groer: Thanks, and tell Mom we love her sense of humor. I wonder if the critters tried to play with the big-eyed Roombas.

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Washington, D.C.: Just wanted to compliment the Home section on the "new" online versions of the House Call feature. The panoramic pictures really add a lot!

Now, what would be really great would be more than one angle of the designer's sketches. Especially today when the room is so big, the single views always seem like we're missing a lot.

Annie Groer: Thanks, and we'll pass on your observation to the powers that be.

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Northville, Mich.: I have a veneer walnut bedroom set that is nearly 100 years old. I'm considering painting it but is that totally outdated? I had thought of a creme color...any ideas? The walls in the bedroom are white so any color suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Annie Groer: Painted furniture is still very hot. Cream would be fine but why not go for a little color -

Behr's pale gray called Sparkling Spring or a watery blue like Coastal Mist so it would look sort of antique Gustavian Swedish? You'll need to sand and prime first, but go for it. You can even make it look distressed by sanding off some of the paint along the edges after it dries so the walnut is slightly exposed.

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new homeowner: I want to paint the exterior of my home Sherwin-Williams Wood Smoke Gray. There is a house in another neighborhood that looks lovely, and they provided me with this color information. My problem: this color isn't listed on the Sherwin-Williams Web catalog -- should I be worried, or can I go to a store and they'll still make it for me? Also, I think a white trim, but not stark white -- maybe a little softer. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Annie Groer: It may be discontinued (paint, like fashions, come and go), so call the store and ask if they can do it (save yourself a trip by picking up the phone.) Since I don't have this particular color on my fandeck, I can't help you there. But the friendly store folks can.

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Arlington, Va.: What are the most and least favorite things/aspects/design elements in your living room and kitchen?

(A friend told me to ask everyone I know so that I can consider others experiences when planning my renovation)

Annie Groer: What a great idea....Voices of experience.

L/R - Faves: Three big windows and fab old blond parquet floors. The Awfuls - plaster ceilings so no overhead lights, long narrow configuration makes furniture arranging a challenge.

Kitchen - just redid it so love the black & glitter Silestone "Stellar Night" counters, stainless steeel Ikea cabinets, Ben Moore "Hot Lips" fuchsia paint and Marmoleum flooring (very eco-friendly and soft underfoot)

Worst: Some cabinets too high, but had to mount them at ceiling height to get a pass-through; bottom-drawer freezer on fridge (inherited from previous owner, too new to replace.

That said, I adore the place.

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Duvet covers: Ikea! They have some really colorful, funky patterns as well as many more subdued, conservative versions. And cheap!

Annie Groer: Thanks...

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farrow and ball: I do love their paint but it was outside my budget to paint the living room and hall walls and ceiling with $50 a gallon paint. I decided to paint the ceiling with it because I'm much less likely to want to change that colour than the wall colour. Although I'd prefer to have done both in f&b, this worked out really well. I really do think it's worth the extra if you can afford it - the texture, the depth of colour, its the smoothness is streets ahead, it shames most other paint.

Annie Groer: Thanks. Great idea. Also F&B for one accent wall might also be a good budget move. Because of rising oil and gas prices, paint is really going up and up. I just paid $60 a gallon for one type of Benj. Moore. Aackk!!!!

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CFLs: I don't think compact fluorescents can handle dimmers, btw.

Annie Groer: Some can and they are working on the technology because so many consumers want that feature. So ask around. You may have to go to a lighting store. And Mother Earth will thank you.

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Duvet covers: Check out the linen sales at Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens 'n Things. I've bought several duvet covers there on discount. Also check out T.J. Maxx and Filene's Basement.

Annie Groer: All good ideas. Plus Tuesday Morning, a great source of discounted bedding, as well as HomeGoods, another discount store. And as I like to remind posters, BB&B and LNT usually honor each other's 20% off coupons, so shop around.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hello,

I hope or your can help me. I need to find a contractor to install new siding and a new roof. How do I go about starting this? I've already asked friends, but no one has any leads. thanks!

Annie Groer: If you know anyone who is an Angie's List member, check that listing service. Otherwise, it may be worth your while to join for a year.

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Re: Kitchen rugs: When I moved into my new construction home with wood kitchen floors, the floor guy said that I absolutely needed little rugs in front of the sinks, so that the inevitable water drips wouldn't get on the floor. (Water is bad for wood.) So I got inexpensive 2x3 cotton rugs from Crate & Barrel that I can toss in the wash whenever they get dirty. They are great!

Annie Groer: Good point...Hardwood is a great look in kitchens.

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Wood floors in the kitchen: What's up with the wood floors in kitchens? This seems to be the hot trend in all of the rehabbed B-more rowhomes. But when I talk to people from outside of this area they think it's crazy to put wood floors in the kitchen...that it could only lead to future problems. I'm getting ready to redo my kitchen and like the look of hardwood (not a fan of the vinyl wood). Is this foolish? What options do I have beside tile? Thanks.

Annie Groer: I vote yes...Just see the previous post and get a few protective rugs, or even the very hip vinyl mats by Chilewich.

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Roomba: I have tan carpets and a chocolate-brown cat. The Roomba does a great job on the carpets, so-so on the linoleum and hardwood. Bonus - the cat chases it around for the entire cycle and gets a lot of exercise that way!

Annie Groer: Thanks...We want to keep kitty trim and slim.

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Annie Groer: Okay, we're out of time...Just want to remind you porch people to wax rhapsodic to me about your front spaces....

groera@washpost.com

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