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 (orcall-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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Annie Groer: Good morning all...and those of you in the DC area, let's have a cheer for the rain, at last.

First off, a request from our esteemed editor, the divine Ms. Belle Elving..."We're gearing up for the holidays around here, planning stories to inspire and help readers in the busy weeks ahead. We know lots of you face gift-giving dilemmas. Do you give something to the teacher's aide as well as the teacher? Should you keep giving something to a friend you're no longer close too? How do you tell your brother you'd like to stop buying gifts for his grown kids? If you've got a question you'd like answered in our holiday advice column, please write us at Home@washpost.com"

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Novice painter: I'm about to paint my dining room (with lots of wood trim, which will remain unpainted) a nice cheery Sherwin Williams "Goldfinch". Any tips for a novice painter (other than taping all wood door frames and windows) and doing two coats. Also, I'm trying to decide if I should do a new coat of white paint on the ceiling. Any thoughts? The ceiling is currently white, but has a bit of texture to it (not popcorn, it looks more like royal icing, with lots of little peaks of plaster). Thanks,

Annie Groer: Yummy color....a rich marigold you've got there. Don't forget drop-cloths for the floor. And you might consider doing the ceiling a very pale yellow, SW Lily or Daybreak, to soften the look.

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Washington DC: Hi there, love your work! We are planning to go to the Design Center's sale this weekend. Can you give me some idea about prices? We've just bought a new condo, so everything feels like a splurge!

Annie Groer: It depends on the showroom...A $12,000 sofa might be $3,000 or it might be $8,000. Even substantial discounts on a pricey piece may not help the cash-strapped. Lamps and small accessories can be $100 and up. Shop early for the best selection, late in the day for the best bargaining leverage.

You should budget before you leave home and not be swept up in buying frenzy...Most of the pieces are on final sale so shop very carefully. As with all furnishing sales, bring fabric swatches (or even a sofa pillow), room dimensions with window and door placement, a tape measure so you won't have to wait to borrow theirs, paint chips, etc. Also, measure the height and width of all doorways and stairwells and have those numbers with you. It would be a total drag to buy a great, bargain-priced chest or sofa and discover you can't get it in the house. And if you don't want to pay for delivery, bring the largest vehicle you own.

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Ballston, VA: Do you know of a tape or removable hooks that can adhere to brick? My husband and I would like to put up Halloween decorations on our brick front door. Thanks.

Annie Groer: Okay, you Halloweenies out there...got some good adhesive tricks and treats.

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Toledo, Ohio: My parents have a small den in their house with a wall of dark-wood built in bookcases and cabinets. The crown molding, baseboards and floor are also a dark wood. The current rug is red, the couch which they don't want to change is a red-green-some gold plaid. There is one window and it gets a moderate amount of light. What color should they paint the walls? I was thinking brown, but wanted to check in with you about shade. Thank you!

Annie Groer: Mmmm, brown would turn the room into a total chocolate cave. Check out Martha Stewart's paint line at Lowe's for a nice gold to pick up the sofa color...Orchard Ladder or Rain Slicker. If you want to stay in the brown family, check out Martha's Bonbon or the way lighter cafe au lait color called Kitchen Twine.

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Chicago, Ill: Thanks for the heads-up on the Nov. issue of Metropolitan Home declaring gray the new beige - I must buy it. I am thrilled to be in the avant garde here, as I painted my living room BM November Rain last year and love it. I was an ultra-white person previously, but as I slathered my super white primer on the walls I realized it was not right at all. I actually thought November Rain would be more beige, but it's a greige that looks smashing with my stark white ceiling and creamy, almost yellow-white trim (I love the three shades look). I was so sick of seeing all the tan walls in my neighbor's apartments - ubiquitous! Just noticed one of them painted her living room light gray with one dark gray accent wall.

Annie Groer: Bingo!!! We love gray for its sophistication and versatility. Ditto lavender, which we decreed a hot neutral months ago.

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Humidifiers: Hello home gurus! I'm hoping that either you or other chatters can help me with a problem. We run a humidifier in my son's room every night. It's a smallish room (maybe 10x11) so we sit the humidifier in the middle of the floor with a large beach towel. The problem is that the room has wall-to-wall carpet which ends up damp. When the weather is nice I can open the windows during the day to dry things out, but with the rain and cold weather coming, that won't be much of an option.

I don't want the carpet to end up being a host to mold and mildew, but other than a large sheet of plastic over everything (not so practical), I'm at a loss. Any ideas? Thanks!

Annie Groer: I'm not sure why the w-2-w carpet ends up damp. You may want to consider investing in a new humidifier and having your roof checked for leaks. Mold grows in any damp environment, winter or summer, so if you've had this moisture problem for a while, you've probably got a thriving colony under the rug.

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Southern Maryland: Re: Closet Organizers -- Does anybody have any comments or feedback about professional closet organizers? I live alone and have only one smallish closet in each of the two bedrooms in my house. (The third bedroom is used as an office.) I switch clothes with the seasons from one bedroom closet to the other. I am thinking of having one of those professional closet organizers come and do their thing to the closets, but it looks like the inserts take up a lot of room. I'd have to do some serious weeding out/donating to charity to make it work. Any ideas or suggestions?

Annie Groer: Weed/donate/pitch before you call an organizer. Consider putting some of the out-of-season things in under-bed storage containers. Let's hear from folks who've had good and bad experiences with closet organizers, and if you're in the DC area and like the company that did it, feel free to name-drop.

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Jura Koncius: Hey you guys. I wanted to get back to you about the Flor tile question from last week. Someone asked whether it was okay to cut them in half and install them on stairs. We called the people at Flor to ask about this. They said that some customers have cut the tiles and installed them on their stairs, both on the treads and the risers. For safety reasons, Flor cannot recommend this and says customers must do it at their own risk. It is paramount that the carpet tiles be affixed in a very secure manner and checked frequently to make sure they are not getting loose.

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Toledo again: Or what about gray?

Annie Groer: Make sure the gray works with the sofa colors; woodwork, rug, etc. will be fine.

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Bowi, Md: I'm thinking of putting bamboo in my kitchen (flooring). The cabinets are the standard builder's honey oak, which I'm not crazy about but can't replace. What color bamboo should I go with? Lighter, darker, same?

Annie Groer: Your call on the bamboo hue...For balance, I'd go same color or slightly darker.

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SS: Thanks for taking my question. Multiple times in the past, you have suggested Hanna Ayoub to get wool rugs cleaned. I have one that needs to be cleaned and stopped by their Silver Spring location a couple of weeks ago but they didn't look to be open. I also left them a message but haven't heard back.

Are they still in business? Do you have any other suggestions?

Annie Groer: They are open...Monday through Friday. 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

The address in Silver Spring is 2614 Pittman Dr., near the Walter Reed Annex on Brookeville Road.

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Woodbridge, VA: I'm looking for a good khaki color for my living room - everything I've found is too yellow once I get it on the walls.

Also, my kitties want to sharpen their claws on my new leather ottoman. Any ideas for discouraging them?

Jura Koncius: Yikes! A leather ottoman is a wonderful scratching post for kitties. You might try putting several of those ugly yet appealing stratching poles covered in carpet or rope right next to your ottoman and sprinkling catnip on them. You also might try putting that clear double sided tape around the sides of it so they catch their claws in it and hopefully lose interest in your ottoman. Any other ideas out there?

As for a khaki paint - What about Milk Toast from Valspar at Lowe's?

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Silver Spring, Md: I'm looking for an end table - I'd like something round and the style to be either more on the traditional side or ethnic (think Moroccan, Indian...) Any suggestions where I should look?

Annie Groer: Brocade Home www.brocadehome.com has a fab round pedestal table in silver - traditional with a twist for $299 - and a round, turned wood end table with a vaguely Moroc/Indian looking base. $199

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Bethesda, Md: A friend of mine (male) says I will never get a long term boyfriend until I replace my low platform double bed with a higher queen bed. Is he right?? I'd hate for my bed to make me a social outcast.

Jura Koncius: Wow. Your friend is really looking our for your interests and must have a great deal of experience with men. I do know that men hate a ton of pillows on the bed. If the guys you are looking for are under 25, I don't think they would mine a low profile, shall we say. But as you get up in years, a standard height bed might just be more comfortable and intriguing ... Let's all weigh on on this one, Guys?

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Tape for brick: Someone has a BRICK front door??? Or do you mean the HOUSE is brick around the door?

Also, for the damp carpet person, you may want to try a smaller humidifier -- they are sized for different size rooms. My daughter had a larger one in her room, but it got too damp in there, so we got her the smallest one we could find. I guess it puts out less "steam."

Annie Groer: Good tip about dampness. I'm guessing brick around the door unless they live in a fortress.

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Wake Forest NC: RE: hanging objects on brick (walls)

The big box home centers have a type of clip that grips edges of the brick. The clips will work if you have at least 1/4 inch of brick exposed at the edges. If your mortar is thick and flush with the brick the clips will not hold. Other than that, I suggest (partially) drilling in screws designed for mortar/brick. The screws are not big and you'll always have them in place for hanging season decorations, lights, etc. PS: Yippee -it's raining in NC! -M

Annie Groer: Excellent..

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Stair Treads: If not Flor, do you have other suggestions about where we might be able to find nice-looking (or at least not aggressively ugly) stair treads?

Jura Koncius: What a great idea for a story in the HOME section. I have only seen those industrial brown or black rubbery looking things. Anyone out there know of a stylish solution to this seroius problem?

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San Francisco, Calif: Thank you, thank you, for highlighting non-beige/tan neutral colors. If I see one more oatmeal-colored wall, I'll ACK all over it. I grew up in a city full of fun, fabulous color. Historical paint colors on the painted ladies, and pepto-bismol pink and sunshine yellow on the stucco boxes. Deep rich hardwood floors and jewel box rooms. Anything but beige. I do have bright white walls in some rooms, where I have tons of colorful art and rich wood tones...but you'll never find beige. I figure, I would not wear all beige (or even all white) clothing all day, every day...why live with it.

Annie Groer: Good point. Even vivid colors -- reds, rich greens, etc. can act as neutrals. I just got a great deal on two swivel tub chairs in (ack!!) oatmeal cheneille...they are, as we speak, being re-covered in a wonderfully bold print. I'm with you on technicolor decor.

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Reston, VA: RE: closet organizers. I hired a company, highly recommended. Turned out to be a waste of time for "coaching" me on purging, but was worth it for space planning & layout ideas. You can get the same ideas from the ELFA people, though, for free! I found that just the act of clearing out the closets and then painting them and installing closet organizers made me want to purge stuff. One idea I got from the organizer: I put an unused bookshelf in my walk-in closet, installed (myself) extra shelves and voila...very stylish shoe shelving! I even added one of those art/bookcase lighting fixtures. To keep the closet smelling fresh, I got a cedar plank to replace the back of the bookcase.

Annie Groer: Great job all around. The easiest way to do the pre-purge is invite a merciless friend over for a closet-cleaning party. The Container Store has regular sales on Elfa goods. Keep and eye out for them. Also, Ikea now has a system similar to Elfa.

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A Brick Front Door?....: I've never seen a brick door. How does that work?

Annie Groer: Okay guys...no more brick door jibes. Methinks she meant a brick house-front.

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Takoma Park: Hello, Home Gurus,

Thanks for your wonderful chats.

A friend recently redid her bathroom and I'd like to give her some high quality white hand towels or maybe a set of towels. I am pressed for time so must buy online. Can you recommend a source for high quality but not super high priced towels?

Thanks!

Annie Groer: Go to www.companystore for Martex and their own house brand.

And we welcome all suggestions. New towels make great holiday gifts.

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Light fixture: I am replacing a small, hideous chandelier than hangs in my entryway. How do I go about picking a light fixture that will look good in the space? Are there any guidelines for size or closeness to the ceiling? It's a large-ish entryway, center hall colonial, so stairs in front and living room/dining room on either side, 9ft ceilings (old house). Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Check out places like Restoration Hardware and Brocade Home. Also shadesoflight.com. Don't know what style you are looking for. In a large space with nine-foot ceilings you could make a nice style statement - don't just get some dinky little bulb with a cover on it. If the current fixture is semi-decent, you could sell it at your next yard sale.

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stair treads: I know I've seen rag-rug type stair treads in either home decorators' catalogue or LL Bean (or both) . . . kind of country, but maybe they have other options as well if that is not your taste.

Jura Koncius: Hmmm.

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today's redesign: Today's redesign looks really nice, but I'm confused about what happened to the second wall of windows -- it appears that the proposed bookshelves would block them. Also, the "before" pics show a baby toy on the floor. Once that baby starts to pull up and climb, that stacked bookshelf (#8) would be a death trap, and the other bookshelf is not much better. I see this problem all the time with re-design -- don't any of these designers have kids?

Annie Groer: Kat Hom is here to explain: There bank of windows is only along the side on the right. The opposite wall has just one window. Remmember, this room is an asymetrical trapezoid.

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Columbia, MD: We had similar dampness problems in my son's small bedroom when we ran a humidifier. Switiching to a smaller humidifier helped, as does keeping the door cracked for ventilation during the night. Also, be sure to check the closets in the room--we faithfully aired out my son's room to prevent mildew from growing all winter, but were shocked to open his little-used closet one day and discover it covered, floor to ceiling, with patches of mildew! It took an entire weekend of scrubbing with bleach water to kill it all off. Disgusting. And it ruined some clothing we had in there for long-term storage.

Annie Groer: Great tips..sorry about the yucky closet, though.

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Bristow, VA: I found a great selection of stair treads at CSNRugs, online. The site has a big variety (in colors and price!) They use double sided tape, which so far has not seemed to cause any problems with my hardwood stairs. And, the tape holds the treads down great.

Annie Groer: Thanks. One designer I know says she doesn't like the look of stair treds so instead has a carpenter cut horizontal grooves directly into the wooden step. The grooves become invisible but do the job.

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Washington, DC: Good morning! Couple of questions. My living room and dinning room is connected to each other(open floor plan). Both room are antique white. I have a leather beige sofa. I want to paint the living but I don't know what color to choose. Do you have any suggestions on the color choice. I just want a little contrast from the wall and the sofa. Also, should I paint the dinning room the same color as the living room?

Jura Koncius: Paint the dining room a different color, definitely. Live it up. With a beige sofa, you can go in any direction. What about Benjamin Moore's Woodstock Tan or Benjamin Moore's Potpourri Green.

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Reston, VA: I just bought a wool rug from Pottery Barn. I noticed that are alot of fibers come out from it. We have it in the family room and when people sit on it it is all over their pants. What should I do to get rid of it. I tried vacuum it many time but still little piece of wool still there. Is it normal for wool rugs?

Jura Koncius: Yes. This is totally normal. I bought a wool rug from West Elm and it shed for a few months. Now it does not shed at all. Hang in there and keep that vacuum handy.

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humidifier again: I just went online and read some reviews of the humidifier we purchased last year and there were MANY complaints about everything (furniture, rugs, etc) being wet and sometimes ruined from this particular brand. Should have checked before I bothered you--and before I bought one. Sorry

Annie Groer: Ooops....sorry about that. When contemplating an appliance purchase, I try to consult Consumer Reports because they test lots of brands in their independent laboratory. You have to be a subscriber but they can save you from making costly mistakes on everything from lawn mowers and digital cameras to automobilies.

www.ConsumerReports.org

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greetings!: Currently have linen white walls in my small condo. What is a warmer/creamier (buttery-ier? yellow tones OK) ben moore color that could serve as a neutral-ish backdrop throughout the place? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I would say that in Benjamin Moore, Dunmore Cream or Quincy Tan would be very nice.

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Raleigh NC: Looking for furniture sales? I recently read that Bombay Inc (The Bombay Co.) has filed Chapter 11. There is a plan to start closing all US stores. Check the web and local stores for clearance sales. -MSB

Annie Groer: Good thought. But be warned that Bombay Co. furniture is not always built to last.

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Re: redesign: I had the same thought about the "windows" on the left. But if you look closely, you'll see they are framed pictures. So the bookcase doesn't cover any windows.

Annie Groer: Good eye.

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Anonymous: I assume the poster means attaching items to the brick surrounding the door, not the "brick front door."

There are clips you can get at places like Ace hardware designed for hanging pictures and such on brick. They attach to the face of the brick by clamping onto the mortar. they remove easily and without marks.

Jura Koncius: Thanks Anonymous.

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humidifier: I looked at room humidifiers and in the end decided it wasn't that much more to go with a whole house humidifier system (just under $1000 from home depot) because it doesn't have to be messed with, it draws off a central water line, only requires annual maintenance that is done at the time my heating unit is serviced. you have far less issues with a single room getting overly damp, also. Not only good for people but my wood furniture is grateful

Jura Koncius: I have a humidifier attached to my gas furnace and we just love it.

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Rockville, MD: I love this chat each week! I'm wanting to find a nice long buffet sideboard or long console, since there's never enough room on the dining room table for all the Thanksgiving fixings. My table is a chocolate brown wood with some hints of cherry, and I already have a small sideboard that matches. When I buy this additional long sideboard, does it need to also be a chocolate brown/cherrywood-ish wood, or would a slightly lighter wood also work? What about glass? Any other materials that might look nice? I just don't want this other place to look oddly out of place. Thanks!

Annie Groer: A glass-topped console is a really good idea because it would keep the room from feeling weighed down with too many heavy pieces. Just make sure the glass is at least 1/2 or 5/8 inch thick, and use protective trivets if you plan on putting hot dishes on it.

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Arlington, VA: Hello,

I hope you'll answer me. I'm building a house with open two floor family room. One wall is open to 2 floors with no windows. How do you decorate a wall that high?

Annie Groer: With a very long piece of art, a large tapestry or a collection of similarly-framed family photos. You can also put what-not shelves of various widths at random heights for a collection of vases or favorite things. If privacy or killer sunlight are not issues on the window wall, keep it uncovered for glorious light.

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novice painter again: Quick question about using a non-white for the ceiling. I have dark, mahogany window and door trim and English Oak wood floors (so they're a sort of brown/orange tone) - do you think the Lily on the ceiling would be too dark? Should I go for more of a stark white? Thanks

Annie Groer: Nope, it's quite light. And you can always cut it with white to lighten it further.

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Arlington, VA: I love you ladies!

I have recently bought a new condo. I am all unpacked, nearly done painting, and almost done decorating. I have hardwoods in my dining room and living room. And now I am stuck! I need area rugs. I have not fallen in love with anything I have seen. The space oddly configured and so everything I find is too big or too small or just not the right feel or style. I have been checking out Flor tiles and was wondering if you or any of the other readers have any past experience with them?

Thank you!

Jura Koncius: Flor is very popular with our chatters. They have a great website. www.florcatalog.com. It is sold at many places from Lowe's to Design Within Reach. Martha Stewart has a great ine for them. It is great design and easy to install.

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Tiffin, Ohio: Thanks so much for this chat; I've learned a lot. No question today, but I can't resist passing on a good tip for cat owners (apolgies to those who are tired of kitty problems) I learned this week from a friend whose son-in-law is a pharmacist: ask your vet whether the medicine can be absorbed through skin. If it can, a compounding pharmacy can mix up a salve that you can rub onto your cat's inside ear tips. Lots easier than the two person pill routines!

Jura Koncius: Oh my. You are soooo right. I'm so glad that is over.

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Arlington, VA: I'm looking for - 3 Moroccan-style floor lamps brass, glass, and definitely floor rather than hanging or table lamps (which seems to be the sticking point in my search so far). Might you know where I could find something like that in the area or online? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: A good place would be flea markets, used furniture places or consignment shops.

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Alexandria, Va: Ladies,

I have a blue tile floor in my bathroom. It is painted antique white with standard white fixtures. I'm looking for some new storage accessories, but have been unsuccessful in finding something suitable. Any ideas?

Jura Koncius: I'm sure you have tried the Container Store. Also try www.stacksandstacks.com or www.organize.com. West Elm has great bathroom stuff. As does the Martha Stewart collection for Macy's.

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Washington D.C.: Hi, do you have a recommendation of a Duron paint for our basement rec room? It's a large 15 by 22 room, and it's mostly going to be for my toddler daughter's play area. But we also might hang out and watch TV there. So we need something that is not too cutesy or kiddish. I was thinking of a color in the oranges or the yellows, but am totally open. Thanks, Julie

Annie Groer: Aha, a perfect place for the neutral lavender. Try Duron's pastel periwinkle or a light gray-glue called River Run Blue. Or a soft sage, such as White Leek or Scrimshaw.

As for your original question - Sundew or Golden Corn for yellow, or Orange Buff or Fried Shrimp for orange.

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Northern Virginia: I'm not sure what this says about me, but my mother wants to get me someone to help pick paint for my (not-so-new anymore) house for Christmas. I was thinking that I could find someone who could also help me with furniture layout issues. Any ideas on how to find such a person. FWIW - I don't have any friends who have ever used such a service or had a decorator, so I can't really go by word of mouth. Thnaks!

Jura Koncius: There is Redecorate Today in Ashburn. 571-333-0222. www.redecorate-today.com. $325 per room for a Room Refinement. They can help you with those concerns and more.

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Consumer Reports...: You are right about checking Consumer Reports and Washington Checkbook. However if you are NOT a subscriber, most libraries carry them (and back issues). I can't speak for other places, but you can access Consumer Reports online using the databases with the Fairfax County Public Library. Just a thought...and don't forget the libraries for great books and magazines with decorating tips. Love my library!

Jura Koncius: Oh right. Thanks.

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Ledroit Park, Washington, DC: Hi there! I love the clean lines of the cable, steel, and wood stair railings in today's House Calls "before" photos. We are just finishing up a similar funky-modern renovation and are without a banister... Do you have any recommendations/contacts for places or people that can install a similar railing? We had one priced awhile back but the quote was for over $12,000!

Annie Groer: Yikes...That sounds very high, but maybe you need many linear feet. Kat Hom says the very hip steel cable banisters you liked were already in the house. Call Case Design/Remodel - 301-229-9380 for an estimate.

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Wake Forest NC: RE: Lighting, may I suggest two excellent sites -www.bellacor.com and http://www.northernlighting.com/. Both have broad range of manufacturers and products, great prices and excellent service. I especially like Northern Lighting, their lighting consultant was extremely courteous & helpful. Our chandeliers and lights are beautiful and distinctive with far more character and better prices than those found in local showrooms and big box outlets. -M

Jura Koncius: We will add those to our list. Thanks.

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RE: today's redesign: What you're seeing in the original as a "second wall of windows" is really a series of framed prints, with some light reflecting on them.

Jura Koncius: Thanks whoever you are!

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Need area rug help: How do I determine what size area rug belongs in room? Is it a definite no-no to place an area rug over wall-to-wall? I have some rooms with hardwood floors that echo, and blah berber carpeting in the LR. I thought I could add some punch to LR with a colorful area rug. Thx! Love the chats.

Annie Groer: I'm with you on wanting to break up that sea of Berber beige with a jolt of color. Go for it. You may need to keep it in place with two-sided tape so it looks neat a tailored.

As for bare hardwood, the rug should be large enough so that it does not look like a postage stamp; think about leaving a border 12 to 18 inches from the wall.

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humidifier : For the humidifier person get an evaporator type humidifier not the steam kind. The steam kind not only will make your floor damp but mildew grows inside the humidifier and spews it into the air. Not good for anyone to breath especially your child!

Annie Groer: Another good thought. You all rock.

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Annie Groer: Okay, before signing off today, don't forget to me more tales of Thanksgiving horror stories...how to accommodate the vegetarians and vegans, parents who won't let you share a room with your S/O, whether you tell your host (who is your favorite cousin) you won't attend if your husband's obnoxius brother and sister in law will be there...You get the picture. Groera@Washpost.com

And send Belle your gift-giving dilemmas (and solutions) at

Home@washpost.com

Till next week...stay warm and dry, y'all.

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