Home Front: Living in a House on the Market, What to Do with Used Books and Magazines and more

Every week, writers from the Washington Post Home Section talk 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 19.

A transcript follows.

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

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Jura Koncius: Greetings all from beautiful Castleton, Vt. I am sitting on a porch at the Applewood Manor Bed and Breakfast and am ready to answer questions about ants and green paint colors. Terri is manning the web in DC. It is 65 here and crystal clear with a few puffy blue clouds. Do we have any Vermonters online? Lots of ants here by the way on the peonies...

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Terri Sapienza: Hi, everyone. Jura is joining us live from Vermont where she is dropping her son off at camp and I would be very jealous of not for the amazing DC weather today. Be sure to check out today's Home section with a great story from one of our Weekend staff writer's Ellen McCarthy - she's just starting out on her own decorating journey. If you have any advice for her or anyone else just starting out, we'd love to hear it.

Okay, let's chat!

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Paint!: Hi -- what do you think of Ben Moore's Lily of the Valley as a neutral in a small but sunny condo??? Thanks

Terri Sapienza: Well, I always love a neutral so this color looks great to me. Be sure to do a test patch first and live with it for a few days before making a final decision. Paint a 2 x 2 swatch and see how it looks in different light throughout the day. If you plan on using the color throughout the entire condo, put a swatch up in several rooms.

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Lake Ridge, Va.: not a question... just a thing my mom used to do to get rid of ants... Cucumber Peels.

May want to give it a try.

NATURAL BORN PEST KILLERS (PlanetNatural.com)

Jura Koncius: Thanks so much

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Washington, D.C.: Hi, I posted last week asking for recommendations for a roofer in D.C. One of you suggested Corley Roofing. While they are a good roofing company (I've used them in the past for repairs), the reason I posted the question was because I had just received an estimate from them for a new roof. $8400 for replacement of a flat roof on a rowhouse. That seems extremely high to me. If you or anyone else has any other recommendations, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Jura Koncius: anyone?

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St Paul, Minn.: Does anyone have experience with Drylok or other waterproofing paints in the basement?

Jura Koncius: Great question St. Paul. I have never used this kind of paint but I need too. Do we have any consumer tips out there?

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Foggy Bottom: To Ms. McCarthy,

If fall in a love with a piece of artwork or furniture, measure it first. Also, know if you'll have space for it. Don't buy if you do not have a place to put it. One of the many lessons I learned from Annie G.

Terri Sapienza: Great advice! We'll pass it along to Ellen.

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Periwinkle blues: Hi ladies, We painted our large bedroom periwinkle blue. Do you have any suggestions for colors that go with periwinkle? I can't figure out if it's a blue or a light purple. Any suggestions for some great duvet covers or when I can get some? I'd prefer not to go with green. Would orange work? Or a nice soothing grey? Or a dark purple?

Thanks!

Jura Koncius: It is funny you say NOT GREEN because pale green does look great with periwinkle. Orange or purple would not be my choices. Crisp white or pale blue might be nice - or yellow. Duvet covers can be found online at places like Garnet Hill and Company Store.

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Victoria, Va.: Jura and Terri -- One more suggestion for giving away books. Our small-town coffee shop keeps a shelf for books, and I give them my already-reads (I do a lot of online reviewing and get advance copies). I don't know how big-city coffee shops do it, but this has been very handy for those of us in a rural area.

Freecycle is always a good idea as well.

Terri Sapienza: That's a great tip. I sometimes ask friend's with beach houses if they'd like good books that I've read. It's always nice to have a supply of beach reads at the ready for weekends and for guests.

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Rockville, Md.: Hi,

We are settling on a home next week. The kitchen needs to be updated (i.e., not enough cabinets, laminate countertops, and old flooring). I am thinking about putting in new cabinets, countertops, and flooring. I would appreciate some suggestions on doing a kitchen renovation. Are there any kitchen designers people can recommend? The kitchen must be family friendly as we have 2 young kids. Thank you!

Jura Koncius: I had a great experience with Chesapeake Kitchen Design on Wisconsin Ave. in DC. There are lots of companies in Bethesda as well. It's a lot of work but it helps when the designer you work with gets what you want and narrows down the selection. Do any of you have kitchen renovation companies to suggest to Rockville?

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Alexandria - rugs: I have a question about rugs on carpet. I like the look of rugs, but is it okay to put a rug in a living room that is carpeted or will it look odd? (I never see it done in home magazines or rug advertisements).

Jura Koncius: This is being done more and more. But obviously, one or the other is usually sufficient. Some people with wall to wall just want to create sitting areas defined by area rugs. Most people who do this do not want to remove their wall to wall and want a fresh look.

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Palisades: I'm searching for the right color to paint a large master bedroom. I'm completely re-decorating the room so can go any direction with color. The trim and tray ceiling are Benjamin Moore White Dove, which I'd like to keep. I like Yarmouth Blue in another room, but I'm wondering if it is too intensely blue for this room. Can you advise of another soft gray/blue that will coordinate well with White Dove? Also, can you offer a suggestion for a soft neutral camel or taupe that would work well with White Dove, in case we choose to do the room in soft browns and ivory instead? Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: I, too, am searching for a new color for my master bedroom and have the ceiling and trim painted White Dove! Some soft taupes that I am always drawn to include: Restoration Hardware's Linen, Benjamin Moore's Manchester Tan, C2's Potsticker and Farrowand Ball's Clunch. If you have the Yarmouth Blue in another room already, why not do something different in the MBR? BM's Palladian Blue is a favorite among the Home section staff, though it's more green/blue than gray/blue. Or, is you like the Yarmouth Blue so much you could always have it mixed at 50% so it's lighter, softer and will probably look different that it does in the other room. Let me know what you end up going with - I'm having a hard time deciding myself.

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North Coventry, Pa.: More on books ... if they're in decent condition (no odor, no rips, etc.), Powell's Books will buy them from you for a store credit. And they pay for the shipping. My weekend project is filling out the form online to see which of my giveaways they want.

washingtonpost.com: Online Book Buying at Powell's Books

Jura Koncius: will check this out - thanks

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Living in a model ho, ME: Help! Our house is on the market and living in this pared-down model home I have to keep tidy and clean 24/7 is driving me CRAZY! How do people cope with this?

Jura Koncius: We feel your pain! But it is probably the best look to have when you have people coming in as potential buyers. Decluttering is essential and also removing most personal photographs and mementos so people can imagine themselves living in your home. Is anyone else out there going through this? I cannot relate - I am living in the first house we ever bought!!! My 1986 bought starter home is STILL my home - never had to sell a property in my life.

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Rockville: Good morning! I have a cut-out between my kitchen and family room. I'm trying to decide what to put on the wall above the cut-out. It's too high for a mirror, but too short for standard pictures. I know I've seen people hang plates, but do you have suggestions for anything a little bit different? Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Rockville. I actually think a piece of art or wood carving would look nice hung high. Or, perhaps a cool architectural element like a piece of an iron grate found at a salvage shop, like Second Chance, Inc Or Housewerks in Baltimore.

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Granite Countertops: Our kitchen has 12x12 tiles of granite on the countertops (so not solid granite). What's the best way to clean granite? It always looks dingy or like it has a film with regular kitchen cleaners.

Also, the caulking between the tiles isn't sealed and is flaking up; it also appears kind of chalky...is this easily replaced? Could we do it ourselves? Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: Try simple soap and water - but don't go overboard in the soap! It should do the trick and you'll avoid the yucky film that other cleansers may leave behind.

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re Living in a model home: How to deal with it? I did it for 3 months with a baby, teenager, dog and traveling husband. How? I always kept my eye on the final target - the sale! The better the house looks the more someone will pay for it.

Terri Sapienza: Here's some advice living in a house on the market.

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Old Town Alexandria: What's the best way to recycle magazines? I receive weekly mags that include very helpful information from which someone else could benefit, so I don't want to throw them in the trash or freecycle them because they don't always fare well. I thought about giving them to my doctor's offices. Any other suggestions?

Terri Sapienza: I like to give my mags to friends or family after I've read them, especially if there's a particular story I think they would like. I usually have a few that I bring to my sister whenever I stop buy. I also bring them into work for co-workers. In my pervious neighborhood, someone would periodically leave a bunch on her steps with a sign that said "Please Take."

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Thank you!: I just bought my own place and move in next week and today's front page article couldn't have come at a better time. Now, I did succumb to Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn. I wish I had known about those shops on U Street beforehand so I could have checked them out. But I'm happy with my purchases and ultimately that's what is important.

I also appreciated the suggestions for what to put in the foyer of a new place. I'll definitely take the advice given.

My next biggest concern with my condo is one, how to decorate and paint it; two, how to make the most of very small closets and three, where to put the cat litter box (there really isn't a convenient place). Do you or the chatters have any suggestions for the above questions?

Also, any decorators that are affordable? I've never used one so I don't know what the average cost is.

Thanks again!

washingtonpost.com: Time to Decorate. Where to Begin? (Post Home Section, June 19)

Apartment Therapy: The Doctor Is In ( Post Home Section, June 19)

Jura Koncius: So glad you are an avid reader of HOME and the pieces were helpful to you. I have asked our producer to post an article I did recently about decorating advice by the hour you can find from several different groups. You might just want a consultation from someone for your specific questions.

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washingtonpost.com: Just What You Need: Design Advice Cut Down to Size (Post Home Section, Feb. 21)

Jura Koncius: THANKS - here it is

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Arlington, Va.: Hello,

I hope you can help me. In my beach house, I have a rectangular table with lime green table cover with white wooden chairs. I have chocolate wicker placemats and assortment of candles and shells in a huge glass bowl on table as decoration. I also have a white buffet with some wall hangings. I need to anchor this dining room with a rug under the table and chairs. My floor is wood with no color. What color/type of rug should I get?

Terri Sapienza: I would get a nice, inexpensive sisal or seagrass area rug. They are great for beach houses and they are neutral so they won't add another color to the many you already have in the house. Plus, if you end up replacing any of the furniture, the sisal/seagrass will work with anything you bring in. Personally, I love the texture these rugs add to any room.

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Anonymous: Ants, p.s:

Also heard that cornstarch sprinkled around explodes them eventually.

washingtonpost.com: Explodes?!?!?!

Jura Koncius: gulp

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Washington, D.C.: I wanted to say thanks for yet another great paint color selection I've used off this chat (and btw I have a beautiful BM Palladian Blue office)! Last weekend my boyfriend and I painted the porch of his rowhouse, and we painted the porch ceiling Benjamin Moore Crystal Springs - a pale aqua blue. It looks great, and now our neighbors are planning to do the same!

Terri Sapienza: Oh, I love blue painted porch ceilings! My husband and I had ours painted last summer and we love it. I think we used Duron's Buoyant Blue, which, actually ended up having just a little too much green in it and I'd probably try Duron's Timid Blue next time, but I still love the way the color looks on the ceiling.

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Alexandria, Va.: I sold my house in record time recently (while others on my block are still on the market) by decluttering and putting things in storage. I kept all my make-up in trays stored in the vanity so everything in kitchen, bathrooms and drawer tops were cleared off. In the morning, after washing up, I would take a hand-held vacuum cleaner and go over the bathroom floors. The house was neat as a pin and I really loved it. I found it so easy to clean in the mornings, knowing that agents would bring people by during the day. I had tons of traffic throughout the day and the comments from the agents were that my neat and clean house would sell faster than others on the market. They were right -- and I sold my house faster than even I had thought. I am keeping my new place as if I had it on the market. I love the neatness!

Jura Koncius: Neatness is good! If only we could all live like that whether our house was on the market or not! Thanks for sharing this.

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for showing your home: sometimes it's about the appearance of clean rather than clean. Clean thoroughly once a week, and then spend 5-10 min straightening each morning or evening. This is not about disinfected countertops, it's about picking up newspapers and clutter for the most part. Focus on the stuff that's most visually offensive.

(From someone who was pregnant, had a toddler, and two full time working parents who sold her house last fall)

Terri Sapienza: more advice for showing a home...

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wreath: Hi ladies! Where can I find a welcoming, pretty, non-Christmassy wreath to hang on my front door? What is a nice material for the wreath to be made out of? The door is blue in a brick house. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Hmmm. Are you totally convinced a wreath is what you want? Why not welcome people with a big pot of flowers on your stoop?

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Used books: I donate some of my used books to the library. I also held onto the Home Section from Jan that had recommendations on where to donate books, towels, bikes, etc to orgs besides Goodwill and Purple Heart. I was able to give my books to the org in D.C. (sorry, can't remember the name but they are in Dupont. Read Across America?). You can use the donation as a tax write off for both the library and the D.C. org and you're helping others through whomever you donate to. And it makes you feel good too.

washingtonpost.com: Clearing Out for a Cause (Post Home Section, Jan. 3)

Jura Koncius: Thanks so much for holding onto our January article. I remember we all enjoyed writing that as it had some great and different suggestions for donating unwanted items to places that could really use them. I would love to do something like that again. Heloise recently told me of an effort to get unwanted luggage to a group of people who were on the move and really needed suitcases. How many of us have unused garment bags, rolling bags and tote bags sitting in our attics that we don't need anymore that could be put to good use. Anyway, I'm going to suggest we do a targeted donation article soon. Thanks for writing.

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Books: I just saw a previous comment on giving away books. I must have missed what it referred to, but I highly recommend paperbackswap.com if you read a lot. In a nutshell, you mail books to other members and they mail books to you.

Jura Koncius: Super idea!

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Arlington, Va.: Welcome Terri!

Do either of you have suggestions for modern/eclectic dining chairs that won't break the bank? They could be either new or used.

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Arlington.

Have you checked West Elm or CB2? (the overlapping squares chair from West Elm is very cute, but may not be very comfy during long dinners) To save some money, but not scrimp on style, you could spend a little more on the two chairs that sit on the table ends, then buy less expensive options for the side chairs. Dining chairs don't have to match to look great.

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Alexandria, Va.: We just bought our first home and it has hardwood floors on the 2nd floor and main floor (except the kitchen which is vinyl, ick) and vinyl in the basement. I think we are going to cover the basement with wall-to-wall carpet, but how best should we show off our hardwood floors while still protecting them from furniture and shoe scratches?

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Alexandria. Congrats on your first home purchase - how exciting! Area rugs that keep a portion of the wood flooring exposed are your best best here, I think. If you can't find an area rug that fits your space, take a look at the remnants may carpet places have on the floor. You can typically have larger pieces cut to the size of your room. The bonus is that because they are left-over pieces, carpet places usually have remnants deeply discounted. Good luck!

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Old Town: Morning chatters, Jura, and Terri!

First, re: Drylock. Suggest printing out the long, detailed Consumer Reports piece on basement waterproofing. There are a lot of options and factors to consider. The interior sealing has its shortfalls and it is better to stop the water before it is pressing against your basement walls. I have dealt with this in several houses and just had BDry install sump pumps and drainage in the house I just bought in Old Town Alexandria. I have no affiliation with them but they are a top rated firm on both Angie's List and Consumer Checkbook -- the places I start when looking for a contractor. But it does cost $$, and people can often deal with the water penetration issues by regrading, installing bigger gutters, putting the gutter drain pipes out as far as you can from the house. I found it helpful to hire a water expert first -- someone who isn't gonna sell you anything but inspects your house and gives you suggestions.

On paint, C2 Potsticker is fabulous. I have it in the LR and DR. It is warm and cozy. Restoration Hardware has nice paint too but be aware that professional painters often recommend NOT using it on old plaster walls because its sheen highlights the imperfections of the old plaster.

P.S. A note on the local real estate market. I think there are niches that are doing just fine. I sold my house in Old Town in 2 weeks, multiple bidders, got more than I was asking so it is not all doomsday on the real estate front. Am moving to a bigger house across the street, something that scores of folks do in my neighborhood because we don't want to move away!

Jura Koncius: You are full of great ideas and we are glad you like Potsticker - it's one of our faves. Congratulations on your success in the real estate market!

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Arlington, Va.: Another important consideration to keeping your house neat and tidy while it's on the market is the calming effect it has on you and the people who come to view your home. One agent told my agent that someone who saw my house remarked how calm they felt by the absolute lack of clutter. They bought my house. It's a feng shui thing.

Jura Koncius: Calm is something we all crave right now. It is VERY calm here in Vermont!!!

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Roofers and MBR paint color: For the person looking for a roofer, I have been very pleased with McConkey and Keane in Beltsville, and I know they work in D.C. However, they may not be any cheaper.

For the person looking for a grayish blue color for the MBR, I just used Behr Cool Sky in a guest bedroom and I am very happy with the results.

Terri Sapienza: Recommendations for a roofer and a MBR paint color. Thanks!

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Used Books: I stayed at a campground in New Zealand once that encouraged people to leave books in its travelers' library. Someone started the trend of people putting their first names and where they were from in the book. So I picked up "David Copperfield" left by someone from Ireland.

washingtonpost.com: Also, yesterday on Michael Dirda's chat, someone suggested that travelers in a non-English speaking country could sell books at used bookstores as good English-language books are always in demand.

Jura Koncius: Love those ideas.

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Gray-blue for the bedroom: A suggestion since I see requests for this color a lot. I have Ben Moore's Nantucket Fog in my bedroom- it looks fairly gray on the card, but in the room it is a perfect, soft grayish blue. Even a little more gray than usual thanks to my 3 year old and a number 2 pencil. But with a nice white trim and my antique patchwork quilt- it feels like waking up in a summer cottage every morning.

Terri Sapienza: another paint rec for the MBR. Keep them coming - I need some good suggestions!

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Oviedo, Florida: My teen has a chocolate brown padded headboard with watermelon pink pinstripes - a statement piece. It is lost against her lemon yellow walls. She refuses watermelon wall paint. Shall we go with dark brown, or maybe medium cocoa? Or just go with cream, which at least won't fight this piece like the yellow does? Carpet is basic light beige, trim is white, window shade is off-white. Ceiling is white and about to get a white ceiling fan. Room faces west and is pretty bright.

Thanks - this teen girl needs a lift and I don't want to muff it! (No budget for wallpaper or borders.) Prefer paint from Lowe's...

Terri Sapienza: What about a soft pink? Pink and brown is a great combination and the watermelon stripes on the headboard would add a nice, bright contrast. You could add a couple watermelon throw pillows, too.

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Washington, D.C.: Good Morning Ladies,

I posted this question last week and Terri had a follow-up question that I couldn't answer during the chat. So I'm reposting with more details.

I'm looking for a somewhat neutral paint color for my home office, but preferably no cream or beige. The room gets almost no natural light, and the wood furniture is maple. I would like something warm. The office opens into an adjoining sunroom that will be painted in BM soft pumpkin as the first layer and sponge painted on top with BM creamy orange. I would like a paint color that coordinates with these two colors. I plan to use orange accents in the office to tie the rooms together. I prefer BM or C2 colors. Thank you.

Terri Sapienza: How about a nice, warm gray? It's a lovely neutral and goes with so many colors. Because you have little natural light, you'll probably want a lighter gray shade. Another possible option for a nice neutral is lavender. Stay with me here... depending on your shade of pumpkin and shade of lavender you choose, it would be a very cool and fun mix. Plus, lavender goes with so many colors and wood finishes.

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Washington, D.C.: I take my magazines to the gym when I'm done with them. They circulate until they're ripped to shreds, and then they get tossed.

Jura Koncius: that is a very good idea - another good place to take them is to hospitals - lots of people have to wait around there and the magazines are usually horrible and old

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Decluttered and selling: I have to agree with everyone. I just bought a townhouse. After looking at about 40 places, we bought the one that was the least cluttered and the cleanest. It had only been on the market for 9 days when we made our offer. The owner had also put in new carpet and new paint. Add that to the lack of clutter, lack of dirt... we made an offer right away. The other places we saw had been sitting on the market for months, and I could see why.

Terri Sapienza: a comment on houses on the market...

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Vermont Must See's: Glad to hear that you are in VT. Make sure you visit Manchester on the way back (plenty of outlet shopping and the beautiful home of President Lincoln's son) plus stop at Bennington Pottery... one of the oldest in the area.

Jura Koncius: Great to hear from you. I have been been to Manchester's outlets which are indeed very good - will have to check out Lincoln's home. Bennington is a place I have always wanted to stop. Thanks... it sure is beautiful here.

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re: roofing: We had a good experience with Arant Construction. They did an addition and we were pleased, fairly good price. Not 100% sure if they do just roofing, but I'd check them out.

Jura Koncius: okay

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Washington, D.C.: Hi. Have either one of you seen Sex in the City? Well, after Carries apartment makeover, I fell in love with the white wall cubes she used to store things. Do you have any place in mind where I can find something similar? Will installation be a pain?

washingtonpost.com: Tons of info on Carrie's apartment and much more about SATC home design at CasaSugar.com.

Terri Sapienza: I saw it. But I have to say that I didn't like Carrie's apartment makeover at all. I thought it was cold and shiny and way too modern for Carrie, in my opinion. And that blue - ack! More sophisticated that her previous flea market look, but not appealing to me in the least. The white wall storage was nice, though I would like to see it in a different setting. Now Charlotte's home I LOVED.

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Richmond, Va.: My husband and I just bought our first house, and it came equipped with a shockingly bright pink second bedroom. I'd like to turn this room into our office and need some suggestions on paint colors that won't offend my husband's "neutrals only!" sensibilities. Do you have any recommendations for a rich wall color that would complement black and white toile or striped curtains? Maybe a nice BM khaki?

Terri Sapienza: Take a look at BM's Manchester Tan. It's a designer favorite and a very nice neutral.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi Jura and Terri, thanks for taking my question. I have a picture window with a great view (mostly trees), and my apartment is five floors up so the height mostly takes care of the privacy issue. I would like to have something besides just bare windows, but draperies just add clutter to my small living room and I don't want to obstruct my view. Any thoughts?

Terri Sapienza: how about natural woven shades? I recently had them installed on my picture window, and I love them.

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Arlington, Vermont: I've asked for a few weeks now...and maybe you think my question is stupid. But please...what color paint should you put in a room full of windows that looks out onto a gorgeous mountain view. My problem is that view is green in summer, filled with foliage colors in fall, snow in winter. I want a color that is warm and inviting. Suggestions or should I just not ask any longer?

Jura Koncius: Dear Arlington - I wonder what part of Vermont you are in!!! I would suggest the color Palladian Blue - it is the color that would look beautiful with green foliage and it would be crisp with the snow outside. Benjamin Moore. It's one of our favorites here. I'm about to go for a walk now in your beautiful state.

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Jura Koncius: That is all for today everyone. Thanks for spending time with us. So from Washington and Castleton, Vt., goodbye and see you next week! Thanks Terri for holding down the fort in the home base.

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