Home Front is an online conversation between two Washington Post Home Section writers and their readers about the best way to feather the nest. Every week, Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza help you in your quest to achieve domestic bliss. They were online Thursday, July 31.

A transcript follows.

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

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Jura Koncius: Hi everyone. Is anyone in the midst of outfitting a dorm room? Or getting ready to start the back-to-school shopping spree? Let's share our tips here. I have a kid going to college for the first time and I can't believe how much gear I am amassing in my basement. The best tip I've gotten is from my friend Karen to buy four big plastic storage containers which I did at Target yesterday for $5.49 apiece. I will fill them with all the bedding, bath and shower stuff, organizers etc and take them to college, then when we go and pick him up, we will fill them up again and instantly have everything packed for storage for the summer.

Any other ideas out there. Check out today's HOME section for back to school coverage.

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Reston: This might be a dumb question, but thanks for taking it anyway.

When you're painting a room and have taped of the trim, ceiling, etc., you remove the tape while the paint is still wet, right?

That means you have to tape and retape after every coat, right?

Thank you! We're painting novices.

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Reston. No need to change the tape with each coat and don't take it off until the last coat has dried. If the paint is still wet, you run the risk of smearing it when you pull the tape off.

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Hanging Diplomas: Let's just say I am well past graduating from college. My husband's office... haven... guy room has his diplomas hanging on the wall. Mine aren't hanging... and I am debating whether I should hang mine at all.. yes, proud of them but as I said well past that date... and if I should hang them... is there a good place to hang them (so they don't stick out)? Right now I only have free space in the laundry room/bathroom/walk in closet... not really appropriate.

Jura Koncius: DO NOT. I repeat DO NOT hang your diploma in the laundry room!!! I must admit, I'm one of those who has never framed their diploma. In fact, mine and my husband's are languishing somewhere in the mess that is my attic. (I'm being inspired by Liz, though, to clean it up - see today's HOME section Page 2.) I have toyed with framing them but have never spent the money. When visiting my college bookstore recently, I saw very nice custom frames available for like $125 to $200. I would imagine you can buy a standard diploma frame at places like Michael's but of course you do want to get acid free matting and UV glass to make sure the diploma lasts. IT seems like people such as doctors and lawyers always have their diplomas on view. Now that I'm thinking of it, a good gift for a graduate would be an offer to frame their diploma. If you don't do it at once, you will never spend the money. Now for your diploma question. Do you share the home office/den with your husband? You could put it up in there. You could also put it up in a hallway, stairway, bedroom or family room. You should be proud of it!!!

Can others share their diploma stories? How do you feel about displaying them?

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Cleveland Park: Hi! I have a living room question. We have a wall that is about 13 1/2 feet long. Our couch is along that wall. I was thinking of putting bookshelves up to the ceiling on either side of the couch, but I am worried it will look way too heavy. What do you think about floating bookshelves or bookshelves on brackets on either side of the couch? thank you so much!

Terri Sapienza: Hmmm...it's difficult to give an opinion on this without seeing the space, but I agree - the thought of floor-to-ceiling shelving on either side of the sofa does sounds a little heavy. Do you have a fireplace in the room? What do the other walls in the room look like?

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Arlington, Va: Good Morning Ladies,

Where are your favorite places to shop for home accessories? it would be great to hear from your readers, as well.

Thanks

Jura Koncius: This is a great question. I'm sure Terri would mention some of the flea markets she's visited recently. Elizabeth is going to post that great piece with a list of them attached. Some of my favorite accessories I bought like 25 years ago at the Lambertville, N.J. flea. They include a burled box and two small old black and white oval likenesses of George and Martha Washington in Biedermeier-esque frames. Funny how you remember those things. I like to shop for neat accessories when I am traveling. In fact, my husband calls me an Accessories Victim. Okay everyone - let's share places!

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washingtonpost.com: Finders Reapers (Post Home Section, July 17)

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Diplomas: My BA, MA, and JD diplomas are rolled up in a cardboard tube on a shelf in a closet. Displaying them seems a little tacky to me.

washingtonpost.com: My college diplomas are framed on my bedroom wall high up above a bookshelf. - Elizabeth

Jura Koncius: Do you really think it's tacky? Maybe they could be in a place only you see them. You worked hard for them. Do others feel that way?

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Framing diplomas: My parents have all their diplomas framed on one wall in their office. It makes a nice "wall of pride."

I got my college diploma framed right after graduation. I had no idea how much it cost to get it framed and nearly died of sticker shock when I picked it up. (I hadn't asked for an estimate and they didn't give one.) Fifteen years later, I now have my own home office and look forward to hanging the diploma (right after we paint, and take out the carpet, and organize the files...).

Jura Koncius: Those are nice thoughts. Thanks. As for a wall of pride, my friends Beth and Tom in Richmond display three generations of framed wedding and christening announcements plus neat old framed black and white family photos in their bedroom and also in hallways upstairs. It is a nice reminder of where you came from.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Some time ago you ran an article about what to do with 1950s colored bathrooms. Replacing tile is very involved and we're not all up for the expense either.

You showed gray with pink tiled bathrooms. I liked that but haven't done anything yet. I was looking at a Pottery Barn catalog this week and noticed a paint color -Feather Gray- in their Benjamin Moore lineup. It seemed to have that gray tint and not be quite as dramatic as the gray the original newspaper article showed. It's a bedroom bath and I'm not a dramatic decorator.

Any thoughts about whether it's a viable alternative?

washingtonpost.com: Triage for Dated Tile (Post Home Section, January 25, 2007)

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Silver Spring. Hard to say without seeing the color on the walls next to the tiles. I suggest doing test patches of a few colors and leave them up for a few days to see which one you like best. In the meantime, our lovely producer Elizabeth has posted the tile story. Good luck! And let us know which one you end up going with.

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Washington, D.C.: Best dorm purchase: a hot pot. Actually it was a gift, but a great one! Ah, those late nights with ramen noodles...

Jura Koncius: That is so funny. Last night, I had picked up a hot pot at Bed Bath and Beyond and was ready to put it in my cart. Then I thought about the fact that my son will have a small coffee maker and that he NEVER eats soup or ramen noodles so maybe he doesn't need one! This one was very attractive though all white with a top and was like $12. My hotpot from the 1970s looked like a beat up metal can with a cord on it!!! Ah, memories of hot pots...

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Diplomas: Mine are on the walls in my work office. If you have a dedicated office at home, I guess it would make sense to put them up there. I do think it would be a little tacky to put them up anywhere else in the house.

Jura Koncius: Interesting the word "TACKY" comes up again...

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Anonymous: Accessories: The best and most memorable are things bought while traveling. Every time you see them you are reminded of the places/people where they came from. Bronze horse sculpture, crystal Alaskan eagle, Mayan stone fragment, Greek statue of Aphrodite's head, etc.

Jura Koncius: Super.

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Washington, D.C.: I think diplomas are tacky at work. Unless you are in a medical-related profession. I like to see that my Doctors have degrees! I have a very small studio apartment and mine are above my computer.

Jura Koncius: Another thought...

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Washington: In my experience, you don't want to wait until the paint in completely dry to pull off the tape. If you do that and if you've gotten some paint on the tape itself, the paint could pull away from the wall as you're removing the tape. So either place a razor blade along the edge of the tape as you're pulling, or pull it off when the paint is nearly dry.

Terri Sapienza: Here's a different opinion about pulling tape off before the paint has dried. I've always waited until the paint was dried, but perhaps, if you're careful, pulling it off when wet is best. Maybe I should contact an expert and pose the question to him/her...

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Diplomas: We have all of our diplomas nicely framed and hanging in our computer room/den on one wall. My brother calls it a "love me" wall and has one as well - he also has his Navy commissioning photos and such on it.

Jura Koncius: We should do a story on Love Me and Pride Walls. I think there are many in D.C.

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Petworth: Good Morning Ladies - this weekend is the MidCity Dog Days of Summer Sidewalk Sale. I love this sale and want them to keep having it, and want it to keep getting bigger.

So, everybody should go. And everybody should buy stuff.

washingtonpost.com: From the website: MidCity is: U Street! 14th Street! 9th Street! P, Q and Church Streets!

Jura Koncius: Yes. I love the Mid-City stores. Great tip. Thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: Great accessories/furniture (painted cottage style) at Time-N-Again Antiques, Rt. 301 and Rt. 5 in Waldorf, Md.

Jura Koncius: Thanks!

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These Kids Today: Used to take me ten trips to carry twenty stolen milk crates full of albums from the car to the dorm...not quite like slipping an iPod into your shirt pocket, huh?

Actually, moms may want one of those folding luggage carts from the pre-"wheels on luggage" days (told you I was old) to drag those plastic tubs into the room.

Jura Koncius: I actually have one of those ancient luggage carts in my messy attic! Must drag it out. I am chuckling about the milk crates full of albums. I still have ONE milk crate full of only my favorite albums in the basement.. they were quite heavy. My son gets a laugh out of looking at them. You are right, though, these kids have a lot less music to drag with them.

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Annapolis, Md.: Darn skippy I would be hanging my diploma(s). You worked hard for them. My husband graduated from UMD at College Park so I had a framer do the matting in Maryland's colors. I graduated from Florida State, so my mats are in their colors. The wood frames are similar. I will do the same next May when we both graduate from Johns Hopkins. Many universities sell their diploma frames and matting in the bookstore. As for hanging, they hang in the office which we share. Just my $.02.

Jura Koncius: You should be proud!

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Terri Sapienza: Okay, chatters, I wanted to get some clarification on the tape removal process when painting. I called Monarch Paint and Wallcovering in Georgetown and spoke to two different people who both confirmed that "you're better off waiting until the paint is dry."

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Washington D.C.: I went off to college 20 years ago without that much stuff (relatively). I was shocked by how much junk people showed up with. I think people really go overboard with things that aren't necessary. Take a hard look at all the stuff you're buying and ask whether it's really necessary. You can save a lot of money and space in the car.

washingtonpost.com: College Greening (Post Home Section, July 31)

Jura Koncius: The bedding is what seems to be a lot of bulk. And towels. I agree that people bring too much. The problem is that you don't really know what the storage or space is in the room.

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Ohio: So what is "tacky" about a diploma you have invested years of your life into,as well as gallons of blood, sweat and tears? Put that baby up anywhere you like, you have earned it!!!.

Jura Koncius:!!!!!

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Washington, D.C.: I had a small fridge in my dorm that was a hand-me-down from my sister. It allowed me to have breakfast in my room and not have to go to the cafeteria to sleepily eat cereal.

Jura Koncius: You were lucky!

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Home Accessories: Without a doubt, the place I love the most is the annual Baltimore Craft Fair, supposedly the best craft fair in the U.S. -700 crafters! Always the last weekend of February in the Baltimore convention center. I've found beautiful glass bathroom accessories and flower vases and a terrific ceramic lamp, and a verdigris wire wall sculpture in the shape of a horse. And everything appreciates in value b/c they're all hand-made. Another great craft fair is the annual spring Smithsonian Craft Fair.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Linked threads!: You are talking dorm rooms and at 1, decluttering is the topic. Now is a great time to advertise your old furniture and appliances for sale or for free on Craigslist or local freecycle sites. I'm going to post 2 comfy but beat up old chairs and the matching ottoman.

washingtonpost.com: Thanks for the plug! Yes, at 1 today Home's Liz Seymour and organization consultant Caitlin Shear will be chatting about Liz's now-cleared-out attic!

Jura Koncius: This is a REALLY super idea. And I am so glad that Elizabeth posted Liz's chat at 1 pm. That attic series made me so ashamed of my attic. Check it out. The before and after photos are stunning.

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Hot Pot VS. Kettle: I have to say, I use my electric kettle much more than I ever used my college hot pot. We picked it up last fall after a trip to England where every place we went had one.

It's great for tea, hot cocoa, and French press coffee as well as ramen noodles, instant mac-n-cheese, and other soups and instant foods(of which Trader Joe's has lots of options -- a stock of those might be good for a new college student). And the way they are designed (lift off the plug-in base) makes them much easier to maneuver than the more traditional hot pots.

I've gotten rid of my drip coffee maker and don't even miss it.

Jura Koncius: Mac and Cheese. Yum.

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Springfield, Va.: We're starting to plan a baby's room, but don't know where to start with colors. Gender is unknown, and the baby might be close to a year old when we bring him/her home. Room doesn't get a lot of natural light. I like a light minty green but husband likes yellows better. Suggestions please!

Terri Sapienza: Congrats on the upcoming new arrival! I think either of those colors sound lovely, and, actually, could work very well together. Maybe you could paint the walls with one of the colors and bring in the other with accessories?

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Cubeland: For the tiled bathroom poster - we have tiles in our bathroom that are an interesting color of dark teal. I can't really describe the color, other than that they're unusual enough that we had no idea what color paint to use. We ended up going to the Ben Moore store and picked several paint strips (the kind with 4 colors on it)that looked like the tile. We then found the color that most matched the tile and picked the lightest complementary color on the strip. That way, it's all tied in together in the same color family. We haven't painted yet, but we're hoping this strategy pays off.

Terri Sapienza: Good idea and great advice. Thanks!

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Bethesda, Maryland: Good Morning!

My mother gave me about a dozen brass decorative buckles several years that were apparently used on saddles. They're about 3 inches tall, with various designs. I don't know what to do with them. Any suggestions?

Jura Koncius: They sound like a wonderful collection you could display on a table or a shelf or coffee table.

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Dorm stuff: Hey, Jura -- how is your son getting to college? I remember five years ago taking our daughter to college for the first time. Rented an SUV, then discovered the boxes in which her stuff was wouldn't all fit. Ended up putting all her clothes in large plastic garbage bags so we could get everything in the SUV!! Just a warning...

The good news is that every year she took less and less stuff with her.

washingtonpost.com: Check out Jura's piece today on "green" dorm furniture and accessories! College Greening (Post Home Section, July 31)

Jura Koncius: The good news is that we will be driving our son to college and we can take two cars if needed - it is only five miles away!! We are spoiled. I know plenty of people that have had to move in garbage bags, but you do what you have to do!!!

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Richmond, Va.: I'm still chuckling at this - "when we go and pick him up, we will fill them up again and instantly have everything packed ". Make sure you take another EIGHT plastic bins with you for all the stuff he'll accumulate!

Jura Koncius: Ha!

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Annandale, Virginia: I'm planning to paint a small bathroom with green tile. We plan to paint it a silvery gray. We were thinking of putting a wainscoting of silver metallic material -- the type with a diamond type pattern embossed on it. Does anyone know where we could find this?

Jura Koncius: We don't but we are asking everyone else!

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Chicago, Ill.: Good morning. I am headed back to college for my Senior year (eeeek!) in one week and am living in an un-furnished townhouse. I am getting a full size bed but no frame.

Is there a way for the mattress, that will quite possibly just be on a box spring, to look cozy and dare I say, stylish?

Jura Koncius: Well, you will want to cover the box spring in something, whether a fitted sheet or some sort of interesting fabric. Make sure you use lots of pillows on top in contrasting fabrics to make the whole thing look comfortable. Add a blanket or throw at the end of the bed.

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Keene, N.H.: My daughter is going off to college and we were told of a great service that Bed Bath and Beyond provides, and others may, too. You go to your local BBB and choose the items you need, they send the order to the store nearest the college, that store compiles the items, and you just have to pick them up and pay for them. It's a great idea for those of us who are sending our children far away and don't have a lot of suitcase space!

Jura Koncius: Very true!!! It's terrific.

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Alexandria, Va.: Good morning ladies, I'm re-doing my kitchen (and using Granite Transformations, so I'll provide a full report upon completion as well as a re-facer who says he's the only one in the area using real wood doors!). I'm going to have maple cabinets and black countertops. I have NO idea what to do with the floor - hardwood, laminate, tile - or color. Can you provide direction/inspiration?? Many thanks!

Jura Koncius: I would do a laminate floor in a maple color. PERGO just came out with a new crop of colors. Check it out.

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Boston, Mass.: I just bought 6 large black frames with matting, glass and backing from a store that was closing! They just need to be cleaned up a bit, and I will replace their black and white photos (although cute) with my own and hang in small apartment as a grouping. Got all 6 for $20! Can't beat it. Awesome accessories at a major discount! Check out "going out of business" stores for accessories at bottom dollar prices. (these frames are from a Talbots Kids store).

Jura Koncius: Wow. That was a great score!

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Cleveland Park - couch and bookcases again: hi there... thanks for taking my question! The other wall has a long Chinese antique table with the TV on it. I think the wall with the couch and bookcases might end up looking really heavy, but... we need bookshelf space, and I thought the tall bookcases would draw the eye up and make the small space seem bigger. Would it look funny to have one tall bookshelf, then a couch, and then a side table with lamp - all along the 13 1/2 wall? thanks again - I appreciate your help!

Terri Sapienza: Again, this is difficult to give a good opinion on without seeing the actual space, but I do think having a tall bookcase on one side and a short end table on the other would appear and feel very lopsided. Do you have windows in this room? A nice way to draw the eye upward is to have window treatments installed above the window molding and close to the ceiling. Could you do this and use a low bookcase somewhere instead? What about the other two walls in the room? Can you move the TV table elsewhere and replace with a built-in shelving unit with storage for TV and books?? I can't say what's best for sure without seeing the room myself. sorry!

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NoVa.: I haven't had a chance to read all the stories about cleaning out and organizing, but as we prepare for baby #3 we are doing a lot of that as we shuffle children's rooms etc. (oldest to new room in basement, middle to her room, youngest into existing nursery) I have two comments... setting up a new room for a 10 yr old is almost as bad as setting up a dorm room! The negotiations on color and furniture and accessories has been intense!

Also, I have discovered the joys of Freecycle. It is a great way to move on all that stuff that you can't use/don't need anymore, but still has some life. You'd be amazed at what people want/need/can use. Even my really old blankets went to someone who uses them to foster animals before adoption!

Jura Koncius: Thanks for sharing that.

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Annapolis, Md.: After a lengthy kitchen remodel, we are finally getting our hall closet back. For many years it acted as a pantry. We have gutted the closet to the studs and are putting in a closet organization system. However, when we were at Home Depot, we saw this cedar planking that we could line the closet with. Would this be a good idea? I like the smell of cedar and this is for our coats.

Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Cedar closets are wonderful. It would be a great scent every time you open the door. If you have the energy and the the time, go for it!

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Dual-purpose room in Reston, Va.: Hi, thanks for taking my question. Can you recommend any design resources for creating dual-purpose rooms? My husband and I are expecting our first child, and we'd like to turn our current guest-room into a nursery that can continue functioning as a guest room. We intend for the room to be gender neutral and have a more adult (versus baby) aesthetic.

Terri Sapienza: How about submitting your room to our House Calls feature? sounds like a perfect dilemma for one of our local designers. If interested, send a photo of the room and contact information to makeover@washpost.com.

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Displaying a quilt: I was given a beautiful handmade twin-size quilt. It's too nice to use on the bed (my dog sleeps there) but too large to hang on the wall. I think it might be too long to display effectively on one of those blanket rack/stands. Anyone have any ideas for ways to use or display it? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Quilt stands come in a lot of heights - we actually have an old stand that was once probably a free standing wood towel rack in a large bathroom. Displaying them on a stand is really one of the most effective ways to enjoy them and yet not have them beat up by pets, kids and overuse.

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Charlotte: My diplomas hung in my office at work. Now that I'm retired, they are still in the box I brought them home in. Maybe I should think about getting them out and putting them up...

Jura Koncius: Do it today!!!

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Washington, D.C.: I didn't initially get my diploma from my BA framed, but then when I got my Master's degree it somehow seemed a bigger deal. Since I went to the same university for both, I had a double opening mat and used one frame for both. You could use ready made, but I actually had the mats done in the school colors. I went to a do-it-yourself place and saved some money.

And if it matters at all... my diplomas are actually in my bedroom. I didn't necessarily need them to be visible to everyone else, but my degrees are what I am most proud of on a personal level (as a first generation college graduate) and I want to display them for me.

Jura Koncius: Love hearing your story. Thanks.

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Diploma City: For my husband's birthday I got his VA Tech and Johns Hopkins diplomas out of the basement and had them professionally matted and framed. They turned out beautifully and he was touched by the sentiment. They hang with my diploma right next to our computer in the family room. Making it a special occasion gift made it easier to spend the money to have it professionally done, and it really adds to our decor.

Jura Koncius: You just gave me a wonderful idea for a gift for my husband. Since so many of us work in cubicles these days, we don't have places to hang diplomas at work but there must be somewhere in the house we can enjoy them.

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Arlington, Va.: What are your favorite paint colors for a bathroom with original black and white tile? I'm considering painting the walls white, but husband wants blue or green. Do you have any color suggestions? Thanks and I love the chat!

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Arlington. See the story on tile posted above which includes paint suggestions from local designers for black and white bathrooms.

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Washington, D.C.: I'm going to be a tad snippy: I think most people work hard for the knowledge gleaned rather than the diploma, and should focus more on utilizing that knowledge than framing a piece of paper. I also brought nothing but clothes, books, shoes, computer, and toiletries, and linens to college a mere 5 years ago. I honestly have no idea how any college kid can afford anything more, or why they would even need to since the dorms are fully furnished and often have mini-kitchens and common rooms with multi-media equipment.

Jura Koncius: Love snippy.

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Laundry room diploma: My engineering degree diploma is in the laundry room to impress the washer repairmen.

Jura Koncius: I'm sure they are dazzled. And they probably add $50 to your bill!

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Silver metallic material: You can get sheets of this stuff from good tile supply houses... it's becoming popular for splashbacks.

Jura Koncius: Oh great.

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Bowie -- Please help w/color!: I need to paint my toddler daughter's bedroom this weekend. She has asked for yellow walls, but she has a lot of pink furniture, so trying to find a yellow Lowe's paint that works with cotton candy pink furniture. Cowslip 1? Pignoli? Canary? Help!?! Her new bedding (PB Mallory) has pink, yellow, green, and white. Am I better off convincing her to go with something like Apple Green 2, or a pale pink?

washingtonpost.com: Here Comes The Sun (Post Home Section, April 10)

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Bowie. Whoa...pink and yellow sound like difficult colors to match well together, especially because finding the perfect yellow paint color is so hard to find, even for designers (check out the story posted for some insight from experts on the color). In the meantime, I think yellow would be a nice color for bedroom walls, and a good color that will grow with your daughter. As she gets older and grows out of her pink furniture, most other furniture finishes will work well with yellow.

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Bathroom Makeover: I have two bathrooms...one master and one hall bathroom. Right now they are just plain Jane bathrooms... all builder's grade materials. I have an idea of what I want to do and I have a good contractor but wondering if you can hirer a interior designer to pull my thoughts together. Would you do that or would you just go to a bathroom remodeling place and work with their designers? And if anyone has any recommendations in NoVa... I would be happy to hear about it!

Terri Sapienza: Anyone have any suggestions for this chatter? In the meantime, we'll post a story about bathroom re-do, with advice from experts making changes to a bathroom on different budgets.

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washingtonpost.com: Do The Bath (Post Home Section, April 24)

Terri Sapienza: Here's the bathroom story...

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Arlington, Va.: Since someone mentioned a man-room and someone else mentioned the word "tacky," I need to throw those two together. I simply do not understand the concept of a man-room. It drives me absolutely crazy when my guy friends talk about the need to outfit their man room and place a mini-fridge down there and a big screen TV. It's like they never want to see their wives! And where's the woman room? My wife and I bought our house together, all of the rooms our ours, and I guess I'm lucky that she likes sports as much as (if not more than) me.

Jura Koncius: Love your thoughts on this. We do not have a Man Room either...

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Washington, D.C.: Keep in mind that a lot of dorms call hot pots a fire hazard and don't allow them. It was one of the rules I had to enforce as an RA.

My other piece of advice, as a recent-ish college grad, is: don't bring all that stuff! The coolest person I knew in my dorm was one who had to fly to school and therefore brought minimal stuff. Her room always looked great, as opposed to mine, which was a cluttered mess. It took me pretty much all four years of college (moving every year) to learn the art of the minimalist.

Jura Koncius: I fear that girls have a harder time eliminating items from the dorm packing list than boys. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

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Silver Spring, Md.: Unless you are a professional who displays credentials in an office, diplomas would seem to belong discreetly hung in private space. (I have them but they are stored in a fire-safe box.)

Jura Koncius: Here is another opinion about diplomas.

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Shaw to Bloomingdale: Soon I'm moving to another group house that has furniture. I would like to donate the extras that we have. I know some places will come pick this stuff up. What are some of your favorite places to donate furniture? Is there one for vets? does Walter Reed have lounges that might need comfy furniture?

washingtonpost.com: Clearing Out For A Cause (Post Home Section, Jan. 3)

And my mom often donates things to Purple Heart, which benefits veterans.

Jura Koncius: Please chime in.

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Silver metallic material:: Do a google search for "tin ceiling." We actually just bought a beautiful copper plated tin ceiling from Brian Greer's (www.tinceiling.com/). Many of the sites have particular patterns for wainscoting and backsplashes, but you can use the ceiling tiles and fillers for the walls as well. I think the Tin Man www.thetinman.com also had a good selection, and www.mbossinc.com and www.americantinceilings.com are often featured on home decorating shows.

Jura Koncius: Great ideas.

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Arlington, Va.: I'm seeing a lot of deep slate blue on walls these days and I'd like to paint my kitchen/family room this color. There are white countertops, oak floors and lots of windows in the room. Any paint color suggestions that won't be too dark but make an impact? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Behr's Winter Dusk or Cool Lake are lovely.

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washingtonpost.com: Triage for Dated Tile (Post Home Section, January 25, 2007)

Jura Koncius: fyi

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Washington, D.C.: My sister and brother-in-law are renovating their house and since I always quote you two to them, I thought you'd be the best place to go for advice!

In the master bedroom, they will have two sets of closets and will need some sort of folding/sliding doors. They don't want folding doors as they go off their tracks a lot and don't hold up well.

So the next thought was sliding door. The contractor suggested mirror, but they are afraid that will look very '70s.

Any thoughts of something that won't look cheesy or ruin the room?

thanks so much!

Jura Koncius: Not mirror! Folding louvered doors may not get them on the cover of Architectural Digest, but if you install them properly they do work and don't take up room. We have a double closet in our bedroom and the louvered doors have been there since 1986 when we moved there and work great.

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Washington, D.C.: Any recommendations for craftsmen who do built-in bookcases? We're looking for something more traditional and elaborate than what seems to be popular these days. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Will you share?

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Frame Diploma with Picture: I get the idea that diplomas can be tacky - since they are just a statement of accomplishment and not all that visually interesting.

I had mine framed in a double mat with a photo of the elms of Penn State University (a lot of other folks at PSU do this with a pic of the Nittany Lion statue). I think this makes it more pleasurable for everyone to view. It was not cheap. It hangs in my home office. I like looking at the elms.

Jura Koncius: Looking at elms and lions is good. Thanks!

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Alexandria: I have my BS, MPA and JD in my home office above my computer. I worked hard and paid for all three of my degrees. My younger daughter, the PhD has all of her diplomas framed and in her house as well. Hang proud!

Jura Koncius: Yeah!

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"a lot of dorms call hot pots a fire hazard": What we did was bake some of those prefab cookies in the illegal toaster oven when we knew the RA was around. The smell was irresistible, and as soon as he took that first bite, the RA went from sheriff to accomplice...

Jura Koncius: Ha! I remember my roommate Krista and I had an avocado green square electric frying pan and we would make Hamburger Helper! Does anyone still use electric frying pans!

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Wood floors: I have natural (i.e. unstained, just finished) oak floors on the main level of my house. Right now the stairs to the upstairs have carpet that needs to be replaced. I was thinking of in lieu of new carpet having the stairs and the upstairs hallway also be oak thanks to my cat.

The question - do I stick with natural or use this as an opportunity to make the main floor wood darker, which seems to be the trend right now? I am hoping to sell my house in two years so I'm looking at resale.

thanks

Terri Sapienza: If it's in your budget, I think having real wood floors installed is always a nice idea. You can always throw an area rugs and carpet runners on top to soften the surface, if you like.

As far as the color of the stain, you really should be basing your decision on what you like and what would look best in the house. I love dark wood floors, but have also seen homes where a lighter finish looks fantastic. Are your walls painted dark colors? If so, a dark floor would make the rooms feel heavy and small. Keep thing like this in mind when making the decision. I wouldn't base the color choice on trends. The fact that you have wood floors at all is going to be the big selling point.

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Mount Pleasant: Hi, my new bedroom has high ceilings and okay light, and I'm looking for a nice gray paint that won't be dreary. I'm thinking icy and calm, to go with black furniture and white-matted black-and-white photographs, with very sparse touches of orange here and there. Does this sound nasty? Tryin' to work with what I have here!

Jura Koncius: Sounds crisp. Slate Quarry by Martha Stewart for Valspar (Lowe's)would be a nice choice.

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For neutral baby room: We chose not to find out the gender of our daughter when I was pregnant, and to be candid, got so sick of looking at yellow and mint green bedding for a gender-neutral nursery. We (well, rather I) opted instead to go with a red and denim barnyard theme. We painted the walls a light tan and I found a bunch of neat little prints of barnyard animals that we framed and hung and accessorized with denim and reds. BabyGap used to have a really cute red barnyard bedding set, not sure if they still do or not.

BTW, we moved about 6 months ago, and sadly our diplomas still haven't been hung. Not sure if it seems pretentious to hang them, but will do so (in a hallway) TODAY!

Jura Koncius: I love the fact that we are inspiring people around the country to hang their diplomas. Maybe we should declare a HANG YOUR DIPLOMAS day and forget all those people who think they are TACKY!!!!

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Baltimore, Md.: Trim paint color assistance please...

I am painting the entire common areas BM's Winter Sunshine, and the kitchen which in my condo is the end of one long room will be BM's Terra Cotta Tile in the areas immediately surrounding the cabinetry. I am having the hardest time finding a trim color to match with both, because I can't paint a large swatch of trim color/finish. Any cream/white trim color suggestions?

Thank you!

Terri Sapienza: Check out these popular trim colors (all from Benjamin Moore): White Dove, Linen White, Cotton Balls, Ivory White, Linen White, Marble White. good luck!

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man room: although I don't have one, I can see the point, which is to clear out adult play stuff from rooms that one (the wife?) wants to look more decorated and presentable. Large-screen TVs are desired by many, but they don't really make any room look better. Perhaps they can be hidden away somewhat, but from a decorating standpoint there's no way they improve looks. Same for other stuff-comfy chairs (lazy boy or whatever) usually aren't too attractive.

So, if I were a wife confronted with a request for a man room I'd think "sure, then you can take all your man-junk out of the rooms that I want to look pretty".

Jura Koncius: I see an article on Man Rooms in our future!!

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Annandale, VA: I have a twist of a question about storing diplomas. Any suggestions for non-framed storage and preservation?

I've never felt the need to display my diplomas (BS and MS), so never got the framed. I'm proud I earned them, but just don't feel the need to look at them all the time (plus I don't have an appropriate space like an office in my apartment). I do however want to store and preserve them neatly and in a way that could be taken off a shelf and looked at on rare occasions. My high school diploma came with a padded folder with the school name and colors, which is easily kept on the bookshelf. I'd like something similar for my others, but they are much larger and not a standard paper size (like 8.5x11 or 11x17), so don't fit the ones I've seen online.

Jura Koncius: Thanks for sharing this.

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Arlington, VA: A comment: My son will be a freshman this year, and his university offered sets of linens, towels, etc. that you could order and just pick up there. They had a huge selection of colors -- and he chose BLACK! I laughed about it to the guy who took the order, and he said black was the second most popular color after navy blue. Go figure. Must be guys. I'm thinking the girls are all coordinating with room mates and buying elsewhere.

Jura Koncius: That is hysterical!!! My son didn't care so I bought him navy blue sheets last week in XL TWIN. Black is hard to find normally!!

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Fairfax, Va.: I am buying a pale blue duvet cover but I don't want the matching blue sheets. I'm thinking of getting indigo sheets. But I'm not sure about dark sheets and a lighter comforter. Will that look OK?

Terri Sapienza: I think you should go with whatever you like because: it's your bedroom, they will be covered up most of the time and you will be the one sleeping on them and seeing them the most. So, if you love the indigo sheets, I say go for it. That said, I personally like the idea of white sheets paired with a pale blue duvet.

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for the baby's room: how about that seaglass color that is not quite blue and not quite aqua?

Jura Koncius: thanks

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Burke, VA - For Yellow and Pink question: I would paint the ceiling a nice soft yellow and the walls a white, which gives you a buffer between the yellow and pink and the room a sunny appearance.

My diploma is in a box somewhere. My success in my career I owe completely to on-the-job experience.

Jura Koncius: Hang your Diplomas day is here - find it.

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Jura Koncius: Okay guys. Thanks for all the great emails. I'm going to find my diplomas and hang them...

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Bethesda, Md.: Hi ladies - love the chats. After 8 years I'm finally getting around to getting rid of the previous owners' taste in decorating and replacing it with mine. So I have 1 dining room light fixture, 4 overhead lights, and 3 ceiling fans to get rid of. I hate to just throw them away as they are all perfectly functional and still look good. Do you know of any organizations that will take these types of items or should I just try to sell them on Craigslist or at a yard sale? Thanks!

washingtonpost.com: You might find some ideas here -- Clearing Out for a Cause (Post Home Section, Jan. 3)

Terri Sapienza: check out this story for some great ideas.

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Man Room?: I thought it was a man cave. You know - a place where they can hibernate and retreat from society like bears. Often in the basement.

Me - I'll take a woman-treehouse.

Jura Koncius: one last one.

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washingtonpost.com: More Home chats coming up today at 1 ET: Organizing the Attic with Liz Seymour and Caitlin Shear, and Stylish Green Living with the folks from Sprig.com!

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