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.

Staff writers Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza take on all things home related. They were online taking questions Thursday, June 5.

A transcript follows.

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

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Terri Sapienza: Hi, everyone! Today marks my first chat and I must admit it's a little bittersweet - I'm definitely looking forward to talking shop with you guys, but I miss Annie!! (Ms. Groer, if you're lurking: hi!!) I know I have some very huge (and very colorful) shoes to fill, but I'm up for the challenge. And, I have Jura here who is a wealth of great information and always fun to work with.

Just to introduce myself before we get started, here's a little info about me: I'm in my thirties and am a native of the area. I bought my first house two years ago, in NW, with my husband right before we got married and we live there with our yellow-spotted (and completely cute) Dalmatian, Sam. I am addicted to home design and cannot stop tinkering with our house (my poor, patient husband!). My design style is much like my fashion sense: a traditional, classic and neutral base, with pops of whatever color I happen to be loving at the moment (right now: yellow). Just to forewarn you: My design style is the exact opposite of Annie's bolds and brights. My colleagues often refer to me as Nancy Neutral, which suits me just fine. Okay, enough about me. Let's chat!

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Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Hi guys. I welcome TERRI today as my new online partner. Of course, we will all miss the intrepid ANNIE. And we hope she posts in regularly and tells us what color she has painted her living room - and what buys she has found out there in the flea and vintage world. So, let's go. And if you want to chat about flooded basements - ugh - or Sex and the City, we're ready.

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Washington, D.C.: I just wanted to wish Terri a warm welcome. I'm looking forward to chatting with you!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Thanks a lot!!!

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Way down South: I enjoyed the comments about weeding out a book collection, and as a librarian I appreciate that libraries are suggested as suitable locations for book donations. But please have mercy on the library staff and volunteers who have to sort the donated material! Don't give libraries old textbooks, dirty, damaged or moldy books, outdated encyclopedias, the mail order catalogs from your coffee table or anything that is truly not worth reading. It is easier for you to throw away (heresy, I know!) such items yourself, because if you take the trouble to haul such stuff to us, that's what we'll do.

washingtonpost.com: Organizing the Attic, Week 4: Books (washingtonpost.com Home and Garden section)

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: You are SOOO right. We thank you for bringing this up. Who wants moldy, old textbooks, right? I feel that way about people who donate old ripped tee shirts and shredded upholstery to charity. No fair.

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Washington, D.C.: I just bought a home and I am feeling so overwhelmed by everything I need to buy/do! My first problem is figuring out where to place furniture in the living room. Do you have any recommendations for how to determine the best 'set up' for a room? Preferably a book, if possible - it's a first home and I'm feeling broke!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Terri says she really liked the book featured today in Home Front called The Nest Home Design Handbook by Carley Roney. She thought it was a good primer for people just starting out or people who just bought a house. They have appendices on furniture placement and one thing Terri recommends is if you can, sometimes you can find a designer to come and talk to you about furniture placement. (by the hour) Once you get the floor plan, you can fill it in as time and budget allows.

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washingtonpost.com: A Gift for the Grad With a Nest to Feather (Post Home Section, June 5)

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Here it is.

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Herndon, Va.: Not sure if this is the right forum -- I was wondering if you or any of the chatters had recommendations for roof contractors in the area? Just need an inspection and maybe some maintenance -- thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Terri and I feel that neighborhood listservs are a great place to find reputable roofers who work your area. Any roofer you call today is going to be very busy! Terri and I live in DC so we don't have suggestions for Herndon. But anybody out there have one??? Good luck.

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Shepherd Park, D.C.: Hi, I don't have a paint color question, but I hope you can help me. I snapped the stem off of one of our good wine glasses. It was a clean break. Do you know of anyone who can fix broken stems on wine glasses?

Thanks.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Yes. Restoration Center in Potomac. 301 340-2624.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi ladies. My husband and I close on our first house today (yea!) and move in starting tomorrow. We have Pergo floors on the entire main level and I was wondering how you suggest to keep them nice. Should we put the little protector-thingys on the bottom of everything? Or something else?

Also, how do you feel about white cabinets in the kitchen? Thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza:.We just got this off www.pergo.com.

Definitely get those felt pads.

How do I clean my Pergo floor?

The surface layer of Pergo flooring is hard and compact, so dirt and dust do not adhere to it easily. An occasional damp mopping, a quick sweeping or light vacuuming with the hard floor attachments are usually all it takes to keep your Pergo floor clean. Do not use soaps or detergents because they may leave a film, dulling the floor. Difficult spots like nail polish, markers, tar and cigarette burns can be removed with Pergo's Laminate and Hard Surface cleaner. Pergo floors must never be waxed, polished, sanded or refinished.

2. Does Pergo scratch?

While Pergo is very resistant to scratching, it is not "scratch-proof". To minimize scratching use felt floor protectors on all easily moved furniture (chairs, tables, etc.) and replace them as needed. Use walk-off mats inside any exterior doorways to catch gravel that may stick to shoes; replace plastic casters with rubber ones and lift rather than slide heavy objects across the floor. Please be sure to use only the hard floor attachments for upright and canister style vacuum cleaners, as the carpet cleaning features can scratch Pergo

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re: My design style is much like my fashion sense: a traditional, classic and neutral base, with pops of whatever color I happen to be loving at the moment : Me too! But right now I'm on red. What I love about this type of scheme is when I fall out of love with red next year, I can easily change it by getting some new accessories.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Terri says she loves yellow right now, but when she gets sick of it she will just replace the pillows and books and accessories. Also see today's article on Andy Rollman in the HOME section - he changes out one color accent in his all white apartment every few months or so.

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Flooded Basement Land: This isn't exactly your beat, but you brought it up first. Who can help me figure out how to stop water leaking into our basement? The "waterproofing professionals" just want to sell us on their expensive drainage systems, which may work, but might be overkill. How do you tell what to do? I really want to reclaim my basement as livable space!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: I think you should start with a home inspector. They can honestly tell you what is wrong and suggest who might help you. One we have consulted with on stories is Alan Beal 202 607-4153. Or go to www.nahi.org or www.ASHI.org to find a home inspector in your area.

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Charlotte, N.C.: I've recently moved into a new home and would love some guidance. Our new living room is completely paneled in fake wood walls and looks like a cigar lounge. Short of tearing down all the faux wood, is there anything we can do to change the look of the room (can we paint over this wood)? Also our kitchen cabinets were inexplicably painted a bright blue color. Can we prime and then paint over the cabinets or do we need to sand, prime and then paint?

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Dear Charlotte: If this was your basement, we might say paint over it. BUT in your living room, you don't want a cigar lounge look, do you??? If you paint it, you will always think it doesn't look quite right. We would say wait until you can afford to tear it down and put up drywall and start clean. It's always better to sand wood cabinets before painting. The paint will adhere better and color won't show through. This takes some elbow grease, but in the end will produce a nicer finish.

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washingtonpost.com: Organizing the Attic, Week 4: Books (washingtonpost.com Home and Garden section)

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Check this out!

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Washington, D.C.: I know this might not be your normal beat, but do you know of a trustworthy, affordable moving company? We are planning on moving next month and I'm at a loss to pick a moving company who can help us without breaking the bank or our stuff! Thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Angie's List or Craigslist or your neighborhood listserv. Or do our chatters out there know something to share???

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Books and libraries: Yep. I work in a private corporate library and we deal with this issue too! Many people think the library is a dumping ground/storage facility for old stuff they don't want anymore. It's not! Except for us some of the stuff we HAVE to keep, depending on the employee making the donation. Some other ideas for donating books - our school libraries downtown need donations, as do our local literacy organizations, but they also don't want to be warehouses for junk. They want gently used items (or even new items).

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Warehouses for junk - you said it. Thanks for being so forthright.

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Tenleytown: Good morning -- and welcome to Terri! Paint question here -- am redoing my small bathroom in a cottage them (wainscoting, penny tiles, subway tiles, white fixtures). Would love a pretty, soft spring green paint. Any ideas? Thank you!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Hi Tenleytown. Terri has selected Hancock Green by Benjamin Moore as a great place to start. Jura says look at Sea Glass Green by Martha Stewart Colors by Valspar at Lowe's.

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Vienna, Va.: For Herndon - Pond Roofing is a great company, we were really happy with their work. www.pondroofing.com, 703-573-8000.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Thanks Vienna.

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Colesville, Md.: Hi Ladies,

Welcome Terri! I need nursery help. I am doing an outer space theme. I want to paint either one wall or the ceiling in Ralph Lauren Metallic silver paint. The other walls I want blue and will paint large silver stars all over them (when I say I, I mean my husband). What color blue would you recommend? I was thinking midnight blue but don't want it too dark. Maybe a cobalt? Any recommendations?

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: What a cute idea! We love Twilight Blue by Benjamin Moore for the sky. Love the silver stars idea too. Send us a photo when you're done.

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Falls Church, Va: I've used Shiner Roofing and have been pleased with their work.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Great.

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Rust removal from bathroom doorknobs: Morning Ladies!

What would be a good product/method to use to rid my bathroom doorknobs, door jams and all metal hardware of rust? Thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: We called the Brass Knob in Adams Morgan, which sells fabulous vintage hardware and salvage. Terri spoke to Richard Lock. He said they use a product called PB B'laster that is sold in auto supply stores. It is good at removing rust and loosening up mechanisms so that they work better.

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Miss my Mom: My mom is great at decorating and keeping house. She drives me nuts in other ways but is so stellar in this area - that it is only now - at age 32, after living on my own for many years, that I realize that she's not going to show up on Saturday and help me clean and organize. I have to... gulp... become her if I want that kind of house again.

She was always so good at this but also resentful of us for not helping more. I have all this baggage handed down and doing housework by myself makes me resentful and crabby. How to get over this? My husband helps but he's not always there to lend a hand.

Boy do I sound like a big old baby. Do other people have these crazy issues with keeping house? How to get over them?

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: No you certainly do not sound like a big baby. Cleaning and organizing a house is a lot of work and takes diligence. have you and your husband discussed the chores that need to be done each week and maybe figured out a plan to share the load? Is having a house cleaning service, even once a month, out of the question for your budget? The key to doing this is to chop it up into short jobs that you can do when you have time. www.flylady.com is a great website for the cleaning distressed. Don't give up. Your mom was a great role model and somewhere in there it rubbed off.

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oh cute!: Mr. Lock works in the door-knob store? I had a wonderful contractor named Mr. Nail!

Anyone else meet up with these wonderful name-occupation pairings?

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Duh. Terri and I didn't even notice this we were so busy typing!

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Pigtown: For de-accessioning book, think about The Book Thing in Baltimore. They take any book, and then give them all away. Free. No limit. No questions. All books are free.

They take in books at any time, but are only open for the giving on weekends.

I am a huge fan and have gotten some amazing books there, including first editions of Dorothy Draper's books, a copy of "I Married Adventure," the zebra-striped covered book you see in lots of shelter magazine photos, and funny 1940's era etiquette and design books.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Lucky dog.

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trustworthy, affordable moving company: I just used Gulliver's (the Virginia office) to move a few weeks ago. They were professional, friendly, and very careful with our stuff. I was very pleased! The only thing that happened was a single scuff mark on a stairway wall. That's it. Nothing broken, no dirt tracked into the house (they laid down drop cloths), everything was put in the correct room. We packed everything ourselves in new boxes, so I think that helps. But they wrapped all the furniture.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Wonderful. Thanks.

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Cherry Hill, N.J.: LOVED the House Calls section today. My grandparents have a house at Deep Creek too - and I would love to use the designer's ideas in their house too!

Also, welcome Terri!

washingtonpost.com: House Calls: A Home Away from Home (Post Home Section, June 5)

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Thanks Cherry Hill. Jura went to Deep Creek Lake for the first time last winter to do a log cabin ski house. She thought it was a really cool area. Would love to see it in the summer. Terri has never been there.

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Reston, Va.: Please help -- I've tried submitting this question before...What is the best way to clean antique brass door plates/knobs (have glass knobs, brass handles). I got a gorgeous set of 1920s farmhouse doors with original hardware and I'd like to clean them up to see more of the deco details, but not get them super brassy. Suggestions?

Many thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: We answered this question above.

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Moving Company: Moyers and Sons

3050 Shawnee Ln

Clarksburg, MD

Phone: 800-726-1817

Highly rated in Consumers Checkbook. Have moved me 3 times and I would not let anyone else touch my stuff!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Great tip.

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Moving Company Recommendation: Having recently moved myself (2 weeks ago), I can recommend JK Moving and Storage. While they were the most expensive company of those from whom I received estimates, they certainly gave me the most bang for my buck. They pad and wrap all furniture pieces (BTW, they move dressers still FULL!), cover the floors to protect them from dirt and damage, and my team tackled a fourth-floor walk-up apartment with a smile and with respect for my belongings. My team kept moving (no breaks) and completed their mission in a shorter amount of time than estimated. Customer service people called during the day to check on my team and our progress -- excellent customer service. I don't know how they strapped everything to their backs to get the job done, but I'm very pleased and would hire them -- dare I say it? -- if I have to move again. Good luck!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: These are wonderful ideas. Thanks.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Welcome Nancy Neutral!

We are looking for a neutral color to paint our long living room. It doesn't get tons of light, so we would like a paint color that is neutral but brings a little brightness to the room. It is currently an off white that is a bit blah.

I'd love to hear what your favorite neutral paint colors are!

Thanks.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Nancy says she loves Benjamin Moore's Pale Almond and Natural Wicker. Also Restoration Hardware's Linen.

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Leaky Basement??: Ideas and thoughts to consider....

1. What shape are your gutters in? Do they need to cleaned or tacked back into place? Gutter guards do not stop the oak pollen flowers that stopped up our gutters.

2. What is the grading around your house? Does water naturally pool close to your house?

3. Do you use a dehumidifer in your basement, which can help with the damp feeling.?

We used a home inspector before we purchased our house and he told us to make sure that we replace soil around the base of the house so that any water drains away from your home.

Maybe talk to a landscaper about how to contour the grounds so that water will drain away from your home. Or you may just need a sump pump.

Good Luck!!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: These are terrific. Thanks. We have so many neighbors who are mopping up today.

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Washington, D.C.: For finding a mover, check out www.movingscam.com, particularly the message boards.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Super.

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Centreville: Welcome Terri! Hope none of you had any tornado damage yesterday. I too like neutrals with a splash of color. I've never had a sofa that wasn't a shade of khaki! I'm redoing my master bath, which has beige tile, toilet and sink. Can you recommend a paint color? The adjoining bedroom is pale turquoise blue. I tried a khaki paint (of course) but it turned the tile kinda pinky!

Thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Terri says if it's hard to find a color, try a creamy white or off white like Timid White by Benjamin Moore or White Dove. To bring the two rooms together - bring in colors from the master bedroom in towels, accessories, etc.

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Privacy Please!: During some recent house-hunting, my husband and I have noticed a weird phenomenon: recently remodeled master suites that don't have any doors between the bathroom and the bedroom. I almost get having the bathtub out there, but we saw one with no door separating the toilet from the sleeping area!

Please tell me this is not the wave of the future and that we've just happened to stumble upon a few odd remodels!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Yuck! I hate the hotels that have photos of Jacuzzis or standing tubs in the bedroom as well. Living with this would get a little old, don't you think?? I agree with you and hope it's just a passing trend that is OVER.

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Do other people have these crazy issues with keeping house? : Yes. We just decided to get a maid every two weeks. She can't help us with organizing, but I feel I can get the organizing done if I don't have to do the cleaning. I feel so relieved now, I'm ready to tackle some of these projects. One reason I'm unorganized is lack of good storage containers. I'm going to do one room at a time and organize things into piles of stuff that should be stored together. Then I'll visit the various stores like Target and such to see what bins, boxes and shelves will work with what I've got. As I'm doing this, when I find an item that needs to go to another location, I make a pile of that stuff too. When I make a trip to another room or floor, I grab something off the pile and take it with me to the correct place. Where it goes into another pile until I'm ready to tackle THAT room.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Yes. I do that as well. Finding a place for everything in your house and keeping like items together seems to be a good plan for organizing. Try to organize one shelf or drawer per day. Start small. Thanks for sharing this.

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Re: Miss My Mom: My husband helps plenty. He does all the cooking and grocery shopping, cleans the bathroom, and carries the laundry up and down to the basement (I fold the laundry). Does all home improvement (installing shelves, etc.) and generally pulls more weight than he can actually manage given his work schedule.

He's clutter prone but hardworking.

I'd like to hire a cleaning lady. He's against it. We're kind of poor. I'll try to see what we can figure out. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Sure! Just focusing on it is a great start!

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For Herndon/Roofer: I always start with the Better Business Bureau.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Yes!

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Alexandria, Va.: Hello! I have a paint question! I would like to know what the general rule of thumb is for painting trim. We'd like to go with some sort of white, but untinted white seems too harsh, but I would still like the trim/moulding to look crisp. The wall colors range from light tans, to deeper tans, to golds. Thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Terri says she doesn't like the real bright whites either. She loves BM's Dove White. Alexa Hampton once told her she likes Benjamin Moore's Ivory White, Linen White and Marble White.

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Warehouse for junk: About eight moves ago, I was appalled at how much stuff I took to Goodwill -- in decent condition but stuff I didn't want to haul cross-country, and then horrified at how much money it represented. I completely changed how I purchase items after that. I spend a lot of time considering my buys and then I pay for the best -- things that will last and that I'll want to keep. I love Target and Ikea as much as the next guy, but cheap goods you only like for awhile, be they books or furniture, really aren't good for the budget or the planet. My 2 cents.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Good 2 cents. Thanks.

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Richmond: I have the opposite issue with housework: I just don't do it. My husband sounds like poster's mom, getting all passive aggressive if I leave my shoes in the hall. Life is too short for that! We want our house to be nice and comforting, but don't be mean to your spouse or kids just so it passes an unrealistic white glove inspection. Live, love, enjoy. peace.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Peace! Love it. My husband rearranges the dishes in the dishwasher because I don't do it neatly enough. Oy vey.

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Boston, Mass. My husband and I live in student housing while he is in graduate school - a VERY small rental apartment. Our bathroom shower head seems to be partly clogged, aka, the water comes out crooked and every which way. Is there a product I can buy that might clear this up?

Love your chats! I dream of the day when I can start to decorate our own home!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Well, you could take it apart to see if there are mineral deposits in it. But shower heads aren't expensive. Treat yourself to a new one and see how it energizes your morning!

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washingtonpost.com: A D.C. Architect Steps Into the Light (Post Home Section, June 5)

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Here is the article in today's HOME section about Andy Rollman's all white hip Dupont Circle apartment. Great renovation ideas for condos.

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Roofers: My parents in Herndon had good luck with Wrap Top. They also had them replace their siding.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Love the name.

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Summer A/C: I have a Cape Cod-style home that has been remodeled to have three bedrooms upstairs. I don't have a real attic space above my second floor ceiling and it gets hot upstairs as heat rises. I am aware of the big (and loud) exhaust fans in older houses in the South, but wanted to see if there are more modern alternatives to the large and loud fan. My A/C has to work double to get rid of the extra heat.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: I added an attic fan a couple of years ago. And I must say that it does make a difference in how hot it is on our second floor. We barely hear it go on.

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Chantilly, Va.: Please help! I have some old -- from my parents back in the 80s -- Nickles and Stone chairs that are in need of major TLC. Some of the posts are out and need to be glued in, etc. I would like to restore them back to their 'original' condition by having them fixed, stripped and dipped/sprayed white to match my current kitchen table. Any good place to have this done? I'm in the Chantilly/Ashburn area. Thanks!!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Hmm. I know of a place in Silver Spring but not out your way. Those chairs are definitely worth saving. Anyone out there from Virginia who could recommend someone? You could also hit your neighborhood listserv.

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Arlington, Va.: Leaky Basement gives some great advice, particularly when it comes to gutters. We suffered through many a wet basement until our roofer told us our gutters and downspouts were too small for the size of our roof. Once both were enlarged, our water problems at the foot of our basement stairs disappeared.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: Hopefully this is not too off topic - we've decorated our condo with much of your sage advice. Now, it seems our window and wall A/C units need servicing and we are at a loss. With all the D.C. homes and condos with window and wall units, we cannot seem to find anyone to assist - do you or your readers know of D.C. companies that service room A/Cs? Many thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: This is an interesting question. We called our own heating/cooling company and they could not suggest anyone who worked on AC wall units. Terri suggests maybe calling the manufacturer and getting info from them on repair. The cost of the units has come down, so if yours are old, it might be worthwhile to look into the cost of replacement, although we hate to think of landfills full of Air Conditioners. They should be disposed of properly of course.

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My husband rearranges the dishes in the dishwasher because I don't do it neatly enough. : Hee hee! My Dad does that. He can't stand it when the dishes aren't arranged for maximum efficiency. "If you put these items in the back, you can get more stuff in." He's the same with packing the car. He has a system and I have to admit that whatever he does works. The only problem is when we're traveling together, you have to wait awhile for him to pack the car, and then unpack a few things to rearrange, and then pack again. When I was a kid this drove me nuts because we just wanted to get on the road already!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: I'm SOOO glad there are others who have this habit! And yes, my husband repacks the car because I travel with shopping bags full of stuff like a bag lady. Terri is confessing that she redoes her husband's car packing also. Well, it's not the worst habit in the world, right?

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Shower head: Fill a heavy duty plastic bag with vinegar. Cover the shower head so that it's immersed in the vinegar. Use rubber bands to secure the bag to the pipe attached to the shower head and let it sit for several hours. That might take care of the clogging.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Fabulous tip!!! I may try it myself!

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Neutral color: I send post this color to the chat every time someone asks for a neutral (I really love it) - Behr's Arabian Sands. It's warm, gives a bit of color, but is neutral enough to not be overwhelming. After living with the color for 5 months, my love affair with this color is still going strong.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Thanks.

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moving company suggestion: I and 2 friends have all had great experiences with smooth-movers.com Their price was very reasonable, they were on time (even a bit early!), and treated all my belongings with care.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Thanks. We have a great list of movers here for all of you from today's postings.

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Washington D.C. small kitchen: Hi, I have been searching in vain for one of those magnet strips that hold knives so I don't have to have a butcher block on our kitchen counter. Any suggestions on where to find one? Tried Crate and Barrel and Linens and Things.

washingtonpost.com: Maybe Home Rule on 14th St.?

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Our intrepid producer has weighed in! Sur La Table?

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Washington, D.C.: For the person doing the space-themed nursery, Home Depot has the perfect ceiling fan: Hunter 48 In. Discovery Ceiling Fan, Model 23946.

For the person with the cigar box living room, you could strip and re-stain or whitewash/pickle the wood panels so they're lighter.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Both great ideas.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi there, ladies! Any recommendations for pink paint for a child's bedroom? My 6 year old desperately wants a pink room and I'm thinking of surprising her for her birthday. I'm nervous that I'll pick a color that will end up looking like a giant bottle of medicine!

Thanks!!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Terri has selected Helium by C2. If you want something a little more pink, C2's Meringue is also nice.

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Leaky basement: My ex and I used to live in an area where that problem was an epidemic. The preferred solution was DryLok, a paint/sealant one applies to the entire basement wall (we had cinderblock walls, a direct conduit to the damp outside). The neighbor who had the best luck stopping the creeping damp was the one who dug all around the foundation and applied a sealant to the outside of the walls as well. It was a dirty, time-consuming job, but well worth it.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Yuck. That does sound time consuming and messy. Thanks for these tips.

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Alexandria, Va.: I'd like to accent my pink tile bathroom (floor, walls, and ceiling are all pink tile!) with a deep orange color -- not too light/bright -- dark enough to create contrast with the medium pink tone. Is this crazy? The door and other accents are dark wood, and there is also some white.

How's this for the inspiration: an orange bottle of hand soap! I've struggled long and hard about what color to use (green is too preppy with pink, white is too feminine).

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: We love that idea. Terri also says chocolate brown and pink would be chic. If you want orange, depending on your shade of pink, you could try Tangerine Fusion by Benjamin Moore or Tangerine Dream by Behr. Or Orange Spice by Behr.

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Those Seeking Recommendations:...might want to start with Washington Checkbook and look for their ratings. It's well worth the (minimal) cost.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: True.

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Washington, D.C.: We're moving into a new house in a few weeks and my two preschoolers who are way into their princess phase have requested that their room be pink! I've committed to painting just one wall pink to avoid an overwhelming amount of the stuff. Any recommendations on a good, kid-appealing pink that won't be too much?

Thanks!!!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: See our selection of pinks above. Sherwin Williams Diminutive Pink is also beautiful.

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Washington, D.C.: Another local place to donate books 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Bethesda, MD: Stone Ridge Book Sale.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Yes! Jura has donated bags of books there (remember she travels with everything in shopping bags.) You can go to the book house 24 hours a day and make your deposit and they will send you a receipt. Then once a year they have a big wonderful book sale.

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knife magnet: Try IKEA.

washingtonpost.com: And I thought of yet another idea: The Container Store.

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Merci.

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Leesburg, Va.: I just moved into my townhome last month. I have 10 foot ceilings and a lot of wall space. Any suggestions on where to find larger art/architectural pieces to hang? My main living room is 20 feet long and 15 feet wide, only one main window on the short side. Thanks!

Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: What about a wonderful piece of architectural salvage? Terri just saw a great place in Baltimore called Second Chances. They have five warehouses full of unusual finds.

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Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza: Time to go back to mopping your basement or rearranging the dishes in your dishwasher. Terri and I had fun chatting with you. She is going to find a great pink paint color to tell you about next week - it's the color of her linen closet. Until then, have a great week and thanks a lot for joining us. Jura and Terri.

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