Every week, Annie Groer and Jura Koncius help you in your quest to achieve domestic bliss. Got a question about decorating? They're happy to whip out their paint chips and suggest the perfect hue, call a retailer to help track down a hard-to-find accent piece or offer some do-it-yourself (or call-in-a-pro) advice. They can even help you cope with the eternal pets vs. furniture battle.

Built on years of reporting experience, Home Front is an online conversation between two longtime Washington Post Home writers and their readers about the best way to feather the nest. From bargain shopping to spot removal, antiques to armchairs, they invite all of you to submit questions and share you own great tips, ideas and, yes, the occasional complaint.

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

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Jura Koncius: Hi!

Annie is in Mexico getting calm...

So let's roll...

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Arlington, VA: A year after a buying our house, my husband and I are finally getting real "adult" furniture!! It's a pretty dark wood that will replace falling-apart Ikea furniture.

We still have up temporary blinds and we'd like to get something permanent. I like the idea of wood blinds but do they have to match the furniture exactly? What's the protocol on that? I also like the look of Roman shades but I'm afraid you box yourself into a color scheme with those. Any suggestions/advice? Thanks!!

Jura Koncius: Wood blinds are a great investment and you can get them in natural wood tones or white. They look classy and appropriate and go with every style. They are an investment, so perhaps you can start by doing three or four windows at a time. But it's worth it.

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Jura Koncius: I want to throw out the idea of college dorm decor to all of you. We have a lot of interest in this subject right now with people shopping for back to college. There are lots of places to get lists for what you need - the Container Store and collegeboard.com. You find funny things that weren't on lists before like surge protectors, chip clips, DVD players and Pepto Bismol!!! Some lists say bring 21 pairs of underwear! Any thoughts from you out there and good stores to go to?

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Washington, D.C.: Thanks for taking my question. I am upgrading from a full size bed to a queen, which I am very excited about. I ordered a Heavenly Bed and I need to get a frame for it. Is it time to upgrade from Ikea and get a better frame? I was looking at queen frames on sale at Pottery Barn for around $400 with a headboard/footboard but it is metal not wood. My bedroom is light blonde wood. Would a bronze metal frame look nice?

Jura Koncius: Congratulations on your Heavenly Bed and I hope you have many years of great sleep on it! Bronze would be nice with your wood. But consider that putting your head against metal isn't the most comfy thing. If you use a lot of layered pillows its okay.

I have a wood bed. Does anyone out there have a metal bed and do you have any issues with it?

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Silver Spring, MD: I look forward to your chats every week! We recently bought a new house and have alot of furniture to buy. I am constanly shocked by the prices of certain furniture pieces (tables, chairs, etc). Is there a guide somewhere that explains the average prices of certain items, or what one should expect to pay? I'm too old for "disposable" furniture, but I do have children to put through college. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I'm with you with the putting children through college thing... I'm afraid there is no list of what furniture should cost. All I know from years in this business is that there are deals out there for everything. Buying used furniture, like buying a used car, is often a fabulous way to save money and get some really unique pieces. My dining room chairs are Hickory Chair 1911 and I bought them after stopping just by chance at the end of an estate sale at a large home just off Massachusetts Ave. The cherry chairs were priced at $50 each and I got six. I have reupholstered the seats several times and right now they have chocolate brown leather seats made from a hide I bought for $200 at Discount Fabrics in Thurmont. www.discountfabricsusa.com.

If you don't have a large budget, stop for all yard sales, check out craigslist.com, prowl flea markets and used furniture places and go to discounters like C-mart and Home Goods.

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Arlington, VA: Pssst. Know of any places to buy a good, quality, long carpet runner that will be placed on wood laminate, beginning at our front door and will run along side the buffet leading into the dinning area? We've tried the usual suspects (BB&B, Target, etc) only to find blase' stuff. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Don't know what your budget is, but you might try Green Front furniture in Manassas, Va. www.greenfront.com. Also Home Goods, Marshalls and TJ Maxx.

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Rockville, MD: I would like to place a pleated fabric valance over my 72" wide kitchen window. Custom-made is cost-prohibitive. Is stapling fabric on a board to create a valance as easy as it seems to be? I am trying to match slate blue walls (BM Winter Lake)in the kitchen and I just haven't been successful in finding a ready-made valance. Thanks for your help.

Jura Koncius: I admit to not being a sewer. Can anyone out there help me out with this. Staple gunning sounds like it would not be too bad! But my staple gun hasn't been used in years...

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Metal Beds and College: I have a brass bed, and so far no discomfort. I just make sure to lean the pillows against the headboard, rather than lie them flat.

College was 10 years ago for me, but I remember buying sheets, towels, a shower caddy...and twine. And the twine wound up being the most useful item of all! I used it to shore up friends' loft beds, hang dried flowers from the ceiling, and set up tripwires for pranking my roommate. I swear I used twine for something every week until I graduated.

So, kids, don't forget the twine.

Jura Koncius: Hey, love it. Thanks.

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Bed Frames: My biggest issue with bedframes is finding one with a high enough headboard to not be lost behind the piles of pillows. I also HATE the siderails that don't completely cover the boxspring.

Jura Koncius: I'm with you.

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I had a metal bed for a long time: like you say, I used pillows if I wanted to sit in bed.

There are a lot of sales right now, I'd check out Ethan Allen's Americana line (better quality that PB, lower price).

Jura Koncius: Great idea. Thanks.

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Arlington, Va: Wondering if anyone has experience with homedecorators.com. Just received a catalog from them for first time and am intrigued by a free-standing cabinet for a tight space in my kitchen. Thoughts on quality? Many thanks.

Jura Koncius: We've had very good comments on this site. Any of you out there have experience?

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also like the look of Roman shades but I'm afraid you box yourself into a color scheme with those.: It would be far cheaper to replace those when you want a change than to replace the wood blinds, which would box you in a lot more. The roman shades offer more flexibility.

Jura Koncius: Another opinion...

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Silver Spring, MD: Good morning!

I am looking for some advice on reupholstering.

I have a couch and loveseat that are both in need of fabric change. They aren't exactly the same style, however, so I am wondering if I should use matching or coordinating material? I know it's probably cheaper to buy new, but these are good pieces of furniture and I'm loathe to add to the landfills unnecessarily.

Also, the loveseat is used by my 75lb dog as a guard post. What materials would hold up best under these conditions?

Jura Koncius: Your dog's guardpost would benefit from being slipcovered don't you think? That way, you could toss it in the wash. And it would cost less than upholstery. A sofa and loveseat look nice when they are in the same fabric - it sort of unifies the room. But then again, they don't have to be and one could be a print and one could be a solid that coordinates. Take snapshots of your sofa and loveseat and measurements. Then you can show them to an upholsterer to get a good estimate of how much fabric you would need for the job and what it might cost.

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So, kids, don't forget the twine.: lol, for us it was duct tape. My roommate even hemmed her skirt with it once. (I prefer the stapler)

Jura Koncius: Oh yes. Duct tape is a great idea. Also don't forget scissors.

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Sweltering in the District: I lucked out and found two Safavieh rugs at Home Goods earlier this summer. They're petite point hooked wool and both are lovely. I really like the look of hand hooked rugs would like to get a runner to put in the hallway between the two rooms. Any ideas where to go? I check Home Goods every week but they never have runners. I've also been to Great Indoors and Expo.

Jura Koncius: We are sweltering with you. And we thank you.

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Richmond, Va.: I got a great thick runner carpet from overstock dot com. $3 shipping!

Jura Koncius: yeah!

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Washington, DC: My stairs and upstairs are carpeted. I like the idea of pulling up the carpet on the stairs and upstairs hallway. Would a flooring company be able to fix the edge of the carpet between the hallway and bedroom, if the floors are decent enough to have exposed?

Jura Koncius: Most probably you would have to call in a carpet place to seal off the ends.

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Bathroom Question: Hi.

Here's a weird question. We installed our own soap disk in our shower, and found that it is slightly tilted down, so that the soap falls out when water falls on it. This is an old-style adhesive.

What can I do to keep the soap from falling out.

Jura Koncius: Now this is quite a unique problem! I guess you could build-up one side of the dish using some sort of a base - maybe caulk? Or you could get one of those oval soap holders with tiny teeth that grip the soap and put it on the dish. Or you could switch to soap-on-a-rope - remember when that was THE Father's Day gift choice in the 1960s...

Any clever people out there with ideas?

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Sweltering Again: Any idea, Jura, where I can find a store that has a lot of hand hooked rugs?

Jura Koncius: www.capelrugs.com might be one place. Also check out www.jonathanadler.com and www.abccarpet.com.

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slanted soap holder: i think I'd find a pretty glass dish to put in there with high enough walls to hold the soap?

Jura Koncius: Okay.

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Washington, DC: Where can I buy a good, nice, contemporary bed, dresser, and night stand without spending a fortune? I like the Crate and Barrel Vendome set, and a number of beds at room and board, but they are all well over $1000 for the bed alone! I don't want something really low to the ground, which is all that places like CB2 and West Elm seem to have.

Thanks!

Jura Koncius: CB2 and West Elm are targeted towards spry twenty- and thirty-somethings. Try Belfort Furniture in Sterling. Or maybe Bassett - www.bassettfurniture.com

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Re. glass dish : Yikes! How about a plastic dish? If it falls off, it won't shatter!?

Jura Koncius: FABULOUS tip.

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Soap dish problem: Drill a small hole at lowest point in the dish to allow the water to drain.

Jura Koncius: Great thought! I knew you guys would come up with some great solutions...

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slanted soap holder: or a sponge under the soap to keep it from slipping?

Jura Koncius: A sponge. Why didn't I think of that?

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dorm door curtain: In college when I wanted fresh air, I hung a spring-loaded rod with a sheet draped over it in the door, left the door open and opened the window. The breeze was wonderful. I suppose you could be chichi and use a real curtain.

Jura Koncius: Great.

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College Park, Md: As an out of state student shopping for dorm stuff is really difficult. Over the years i found it easiest to either go to Bed Bath and Beyond and get on their college lists they have, or this past year i just bought things on their website and had them ship them to my dorm/apartment. It saved me the hassle, the stress, and money in the long run. After all i can only bring two suitcases with me on the plane which doesn't leave much room for a desk lamp etc.

Jura Koncius: You are right. That is a super service. And mailing these days is so expensive.

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re: Metal vs. Wood Bed: I own a wood bed while Mom's second home has a gorgeous wrought iron bed I hate it. Her bed looks fantastics but requires extensive padding if you are doing anything but sleeping. It is not comfortable for long stretches of television watching or anything else. I love my wood frame because I don't require nearly the same level of comfort to sit and read or whatever in bed for long periods.

Jura Koncius: Just the kind of info we needed. Thanks.

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Speaking of dorm room tips..: Do you have any idea where to find a loft style bed that doesn't resemble a children's fort? I live in a studio that might as well be a dorm room and am looking for ways to save space.

Jura Koncius: I do not! But this is a great topic. Does anyone out there?

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Road trip to Baltimore?: Good morning Jura,

I read in a magazine that Alexander Blank Fabrics in Baltimore was a great source for fabrics. Wondering if you had an opinion as to whether or not it was worth the trek in 90 degree heat?

I have a couple articles saved from the Post about shopping in nearby cities. One gave suggestions for Charlottesville and another from Richmond. Loved them both and found some of my favorite places thanks to these articles. In fact, I need to head back to Charlottesville soon. Any chance you could do a shopping for the home in Baltimore?

Many thanks!

ps - How is Gus? Find him some good toys?

Jura Koncius: I hope my editor reads this!! I'd like to do more articles on home shopping in nearby cities. The Charlottesville and Richmond articles I did frequently are cited as things that people keep and really use for day-trips. My friend Beth in Richmond was a big help on those as she is a fabric and furniture expert -and loves bargains. I would love to do Baltimore - and I must say, I have never heard of this fabric store. I would love to check it out. Can any of you tell me about it? Alexander Blank Fabrics, 2151 York Rd., Lutherville, Md. 410-561-2331.

As for Gus, he is really doing great except for the fact that he keeps trying to sneak outside every time the door opens! He is currently testing a Kitty Recamier from Ikea and we will be reporting on that soon. ...

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Glass Dish in the Shower: I've been to the ER for stiches twice and both injuries were caused by glass dishes in the shower. Be careful!

Jura Koncius: Yikes! No glass dishes please! Be careful everyone!

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saving $ on furniture: A few years ago when I bought bedroom furntiure, I found what I liked at Belfort, and then did research on the web to find lower prices. I ended up buying some of the set online from stores in NC, some from the store. I don't remember any of the websites, but I just searched for the name and make of the Kinkead furniture I wanted. Be sure to factor in shipping price, but i don't think I had to pay tax when buying out of state.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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bought things on their website and had them ship them to my dorm/apartment: I taught my boss to do that for her Christmas shopping. She used to struggle to carry it all through the airport. Now she orders it on Amazon and has it shipped to her hometown, waiting for her when she gets there.

Jura Koncius: Shipping is wonderful. But can be expensive.

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Alexandria. Re: metal beds: We have a metal bed with a beautiful curved headboard in gunmetal, a dark charcoal grey with a tint of olive. I love it. Visually it looks a lot lighter than wood. However, it physically is VERY heavy. (Ours is a king size.) Be sure you put it where you want it, because it will take a team of strong men to ever move the thing again. Also if there's a choice, get one with legs that are a little higher than average, as you then will have room under the bed to put suitcases, out-of-season clothing storage, etc.

I have one of those back pillows with arms - looks sort of like half a chair, that I use for sitting up in bed, but honestly, usually I use a chair for reading, the bed for sleeping. Sitting up against the headboard is not something I need to do very often.

Jura Koncius: I read the paper in bed each morning with my coffee. And I use a big European square size pillow in back of me and my regular pillow. Very comfy against my cherry four-poster.

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Yikes! How about a plastic dish? If it falls off, it won't shatter!?: I'm thinking that dish might have to be glued or grouted in place anyway to keep it from sliding.

Jura Koncius: We are on board here...

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RE: Custom valance: Staple guns rock! Wow, never thought I'd write that sentence.

I, too, have a very wide trio of picture windows (80" wide) and got lightweight wood (1/2 inch thick wood) and made a long 3-sided U-shape piece, lay some quilt batting on it which I stapled down first, then went to town stapling fabric on top. Lightweight wood was key, as that's a long piece of wood. Had Lowes cut the long end to length. Nail the sides to the front, pretty easy stuff. Mounted with good old L-brackets...make sure they go through studs, not a problem around window casings. I had a friend make the U-shape piece with a top (looks like 2 sides of a box) so that she could have a built-in shelf on top. Genius, I tell you.

Oh, but for a smaller 36" wide window, I used thick foamcore--same procedure, but weighs about 1 lb when all is said and done. Rather than staple gunning, I used good old fashioned duct tape! You can't see the inside anyway, and it's easy to change out, which I do b/c it's in my bedroom and I change linens with my moods.

Jura Koncius: I love people who are crafty... I wish I was one of them.

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Ohio: Metal Bed:

Go for it. Unless you are super-tall, you won"t have any problem hitting your head.

I have an antique iron & brass bed, have for 20 years and I love it. It looks great as well.

Jura Koncius: Another vote in favor...

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Sussex, NJ: A couple of weeks ago, Annie told us the yummy colors she's used in her home...you're a girl after my own heart, Annie! My husband and I lean towards orange, lime, teal and red, ourselves (although I must confess to a tiny bit of BM Crisp Khaki in the family room). But anyway, I'm wondering what colors Annie's ceilings are? And I'd love to see the Lemonshine room - any chance we could see a photo? Sure, I can go to the BM Personal Color Viewer, but it's not the same...

Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Annie is having a massage right now so she cannot answer you. Please post this next week! I'm sure she will share her painting secrets. Annie - have a blast!

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Portland, Ore: Last week, you asked about anyone's experience with BM's Aura paints. I've used it twice: once to paint a green hall a different shad of green and once to paint a light blue bedrooom peach. The green was great--covered in one coat (and that's nice for a hallway with a lot of trim involved). But the peach did not cover in two coats. I complained to the paint store clerk about this lie, and he quietly told me that they had to say that it would cover in two coats. (I asked him to stop spreading this lie.) One could say that my coats were not thick enough, and maybe that's right, but at the very high price per gallon (about $54), who is going to slather it on? Also, after painting a lot of walls over the last ten years, mostly with regular VOC paint, I found the smell irritating. I've used other low VOC paints without an unpleasant smell. I would not use it again.

Jura Koncius: Wow. Thanks for sharing this. There is a lot of interest in green paints these days.

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Metal bed: I have an iron bed from Charles P. Rogers that I love. I do use a lot of pillows, though, and don't spend too much time reading in bed and I don't have a tv in my bedroom. If someone does a lot of leaning, an upholstered headboard would be the way to go, in my opinion.

Jura Koncius: Yes. I agree. My editor just told me that she also has a Charles P. Rogers bed and she loves it!

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I've been to the ER for stiches twice and both injuries were caused by glass dishes in the shower. : wow. I truely never would have imagined. It's not like there's a lot of traffic through there at one time! lol HOpe everyone's ok!

I've used glass soap dishes in my bathrooms forever and never had an accident. -FI- I had children, it would be a different story, albeit.

Jura Koncius: We vote for no glass.

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Shades vs. blinds: In our beach house, we have white wood blinds everywhere. They look great and are a good backdrop, as you said, for every style of furniture.

However, in our bedroom we have windows that face east, and that morning sun can be ever-so-dazzling at 5:30 a.m. as it comes in around the sides. What we did was get roller blinds in a coordinating color to our bedspread, ordered them in a reverse roll, outside mount, and put them up above the molding around the windows. At night we pull them down for total darkness. During the day when they're up they look like a valance as we leave them about 8" extended.

So to the person considering blinds vs. shades, think about what direction your windows are facing and how much light control you need. Wooden blinds will never be totally light-proof, nor will inside-mounted Roman shades.

Jura Koncius: These are great tips. Thanks a lot. We just ordered black-out honeycomb shades for my son's room. He has a very bright streetlight outside his room and it drives him crazy as it shines through the mini-blin.ds

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Washington, DC: I'd like to switch all my cleaning products/laundry soap/shampoo, etc. to eco-friendly ones. Is it better to use up the regular products that I still have, or to toss them? There's pros and cons to both options, it seems.

Jura Koncius: You are so nice to think of this. You could donate what you have left to a homeless shelter or church project. You could post the items on your local neighborhood listserve and have someone pick them up. Mother Earth thanks you.

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University Park, MD: For college: A small tool kit is wonderfully useful. A little hammer, some tacks, a screwdriver and a pair of pliers will make you the hero of the hall.

Jura Koncius: Oh yes! That's a fantastic idea.

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Soap Dish: Instead of using the soap dish, use body wash. Put the bottle on the side of the tub or use the upside-down ones that hang from the shower.

Or get the soap/shampoo/rinse containers that mount on the shower wall or under the shower head.

Jura Koncius: Wow. So many ideas.

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College stuff: I had a lap desk (hard service on one side, soft on the other) and 10+ years later, I still use it! Also get one of those big "back rest" pillows for reading/studying/watching TV from bed. And hit the dollar store for cleaning and paper supplies. I also shopped once I got to college. You really don't have a sense of how big (small) your space is, what your roommates are bringing, and what you really need until you're there a few days. And in my case, sales tax was a lot less (and none for clothing) in CT then NY!

Jura Koncius: Those reading in bed chairs are great. Thanks for this.

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Need a drapery advice in Springfield, VA: I have 84" Waverly drapes that are black with medium-large white magnolias & dogwood flowers (design is Garden Images). I just moved and now have a 10 ft. ceiling with higher windows, so I need the drapes to be at 8" longer or more if I put the rods higher. Should I sew black 8" bullion fringe on the end or should I make an extension in the same fabric with black trim over the seam?

Jura Koncius: You could do a solid black panel of fabric at the bottom. The fringe is going to make it look too fussy.

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Falls Church, VA: Good Morning!

I know this isn't directly related to home decorating, but...do you ladies (or any readers) know of a place that fixes sewing machines? Returning it to the store I bought it from will be much too expensive (and lengthy) for what I think is wrong with it!

Jura Koncius: www.brothersewvac.com - great place. Other suggestions?

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Dorm gear: Ah, back to college....I'm getting all verklempt thinking about it. The most indispensable things I can think of are the mini-fridge and the good old hot pot. And a 6-month supply of mac & cheese. Great for when it's freezing outside and you just can't fathom schlepping out to the chow hall.

Jura Koncius: Love the six months of mac and cheese! Remember when the Kraft box was four for a dollar... I'm showing my age. What a fun thing it would be to give a kid a CASE of mac and cheese - the microwave kind of course...

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Washington DC: Good morning! We are trying to decorate our office, which is a small room (probably 10 x 10) in the back of the house. So far we have a wrap-around white desk and shelves - nothing else. I'd like to include something in a smallish area near the door - maybe a loveseat (small) or a comfortable chair? Any suggestions on how to make this small space homey and functional? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: What about a small scale club chair and ottoman? You could use it for reading, working, chilling out between projects. The ottoman could be used for extra seating if someone else came in to chat or as a surface for organizing.

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Jura Koncius: Wish I could have answered more questions! But we had fun with dorm decor and crooked soap dishes. Dying to check out that fabric place in Baltimore and would love to hear from you guys about more sources for great fabric buys. We may do an article on fabric soon. So stay tuned. Annie will be back next week tanned, rested and ready to suggest paint colors. See you then.

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Sewing Machine: The Appliance Fix-it Shop in Bailey's Crossroads (Seminary Road, I think) is THE best! I don't know if they specifically fix sewing machines, but I would be surprised if they didn't. Also fabric stores sometimes have a guy who comes in once a month for repairs. Check the usual suspects - Joanne's, Hancock, and maybe G Street.

Jura Koncius: One last thing!

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