Home Front: Online Decorating Consultants, What to Do with Leftover Paint, Decorative Pillows, Unclogging Drains and more

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, September 25.

A transcript follows.

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

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Jura Koncius: Hi everyone. Have you tried online dating? What about e-decorating? Terri has a terrific article in today's Washington Post HOME section about Web-based designers who work with you without ever walking into your home.

Have you guys tried this? And maybe we could get a discussion going on what you think of it.

Let's go.

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Terri Sapienza: Due to the overwhelming number of questions we receive about paint, I just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that the suggestions we make are merely a starting point. While we can certainly recommend colors that we like, it's impossible for us to help pick out the best color for a room without ever being there and seeing everything in person.

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Washington, DC: I have a standard size fireplace mantel. I would like to hang a rectangular mirror above it, as I have been unable to find artwork I like. The living room is not large by any stretch of the imagination -- is there a standard sized mirror I should be looking for, and is how high above the mantel should it hang?

Jura Koncius: A lot of people are liking the look of just laying a piece of art or mirror right on the mantel and against the wall. Saves on wall holes, too. Otherwise, a mirror should not hang too high, as you should be able to see yourself in at least part of it if you stand in front of the fireplace. I've always thought Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware had great mirrors. Buying a great old frame at a flea market and having a mirror put into it is also a neat idea.

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washingtonpost.com: eDecorating (Post Home Section, Sept. 25)

Terri Sapienza: here is today's story...

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Anonymous: We're painting a girl's nursery Olympic Lime Flip. The crib that we have is a pale yellow (and we can't paint it per the crib-lender). We want to use pale pink curtains and a pink rug from IKEA with a bunch of different colors in it. My question is - what color should we paint an old dresser we're turning into a changing table? I like the idea of a pale pale blue, but I can't find the perfect shade. I'd be open to non-blue suggestions as well!

Terri Sapienza: Sounds like you already have lots of colors going on in there: lime, yellow, pink. I would paint the dresser white.

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Extra paint: I am painting my new condo and misjudged the amount of paint I would need. I now have at least a half gallon of paint left over for 3 different colors. I also have 3 pints of 3 different colors. Is there a place where I can donate them so they'll be used? I could store them if needed but that seems like a lot of paint to hold onto. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: You should hold onto a bit of each color of paint you used for touch ups. You could get little glass jars and label them and just save a bit of each color. How nice of you to want to donate the paint. I don't know where you live, but you could call a local church or homeless shelter. Does anyone else know of places to donate paint?

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Arlington, VA: We bought a beautiful antique dresser for our bedroom. We also bought a flat-screen HDTV to put on top of it, mainly because it was so light, 35 lbs. Unfortunately, even with a lighter TV, the dresser developed a hairline crack across the top. Can this be fixed?

Jura Koncius: Oh dear! That is a cautionary tale for everyone. Go to www.furnituremedic.com and tell them what happened. They can dispatch someone to your home to see what they can do.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi--I made a great design discovery recently that I'd like to share.

I bought a headboard from homedecorators.com, and I couldn't be happier. I was looking for something to go with my sleek Design Within Reach dressers, but all DWR was showing were platform beds, which I hate--they're all oversized and have those lethal corners that don't work in a small bedroom like mine. Plus they're expensive and not that attractive anyway.

So I started looking at headboards, and I was happy to find a nice brown ultrasuede at homedecorators.com for $229 (Premier Tufted Headboard). I was stunned at how nice it looks--it looks far more expensive than it is. The lines on it are so simple it could go with just about any decor, and it comes in 50 different fabrics.

No, I don't work for them--just a happy customer.

Terri Sapienza: Thanks for passing on the great tip!

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Jura Koncius: This is a rather basic question - but do you all have hints out there for clogged drains. My good friend Michael always say to get Liquid Plumber and then pour boiling wanter on top of it! My basement drain is always clogged, even though I buy those mesh filters to use on the drain from the washing machine...

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Derwood, Maryland: Good morning. I'm looking for a warm paint color for my bathroom walls. The tile is white, and the vanity is a warm pale gray (Pratt and Lambert Chalk Gray). I'm going for a spa look. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.

Terri Sapienza: I did a story about making changes in a bathroom, which included paint color suggestions from designers. I'll post it in a second.

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

Terri Sapienza: here you go...

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Washington, D.C. : I have been trying to find a 78 to 80 inch traditional sofa but am having great difficulty. The one I am replacing has a low back and deep cushions, and is extremely comfortable, but is very old and needs to go. Any suggestions?

Jura Koncius: Yes. Rowe Furniture makes lots of smaller scaled pieces. Check out their Mini Mod collection at www.rowefurniture.com.

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Germantown, MD: The motor in the ceiling fan in our bedroom stopped working. We took down the fan, and threw away the motor, but the fan blades and glass shades are in perfect condition. Are there any locations that would be able to reuse or recycle these items? Thanks!!

Jura Koncius: You could post them on craigslist or freecycle and anyone who wants them could pick it up.

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Washington DC: I've seen people post opened/unopened cans of paint on Craigslist with descriptions/names of the colors available.

Jura Koncius: Great.

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An answer-able paint question, I swear: Hi ladies. In my master bedroom there is a chair rail. I'd like to paint the walls (a pale lavender--if the Chipotle bribe works with the DH), but don't see the point in painting the bottom half because it's mostly covered by furniture! I know most of the time "they" say to have the darker color on the bottom, but I'd have white on bottom with the lavender on top. Thoughts? Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: Have you considered having the chair rail removed and painting the entire room the same color?

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Washington, DC: My wife is on an anti-clutter campaign. I say that one way, within reason, is to create places to store items (like kids' toys) that are attractive, like a wicker chest in the living room. She considers that clutter. What are some decor-friendly ideas of this nature that might pass the clutter test?

Jura Koncius: When my son was small, I had wicker storage cubes or baskets in every room so his toys could end up there at the end of the day. JCPenney has woven ottomans with tops that open for storage. Outfitting closets with shelves and keeping things put away in cabinets and drawers may be the only thing that will please her. The important thing is to reduce the amount of things you have and not buy more, a good policy in this gloomy economic mess.

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extra paint: If you have a friend with an artistic eye or if you have one yourself, buy a canvas or two at a local art supply store and use the paint to make an abstract painting for your new place. My friend did this and it really ties everything together.

Jura Koncius: Fun!

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Arlington, VA: Interesting story on eDesign, Terri, but I have to agree with Patrick Baglino's advice to find someone local. We hired Bernice Parent, a decorator who is in Vienna (I'd seen her work at a friend's house). For a $2400 retainer, she has helped me choose paint for the entire house, and totally redecorate the family room, living room, master bedroom, and foyer -- paint, wallpaper, window treatments, lighting, flooring, new and reupholstered furniture, and accessories. We've bought all the wallpaper and some furniture through her, but bought other pieces directly from a store or Web site when their price was lower than hers. Compared to the $450 to $1495 price ranges for full eDesign services, I got a bargain. AND, she has helped me physically rearrange furniture, artwork, and accessories as they arrived. Can't do that electronically!

Terri Sapienza: Good points, Arlington. Sounds like you hooked up with a great designer. And while I agree with everything Patrick said, too, there's something to be said for paying for a plan and working on it at your own time. This is especially great for those who already have an eye for design and need help pulling it all together.

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Boulder, Colorado: Home Painting Question: We are building a new home in the mountains of Colorado. What is a good "all-around" interior color of paint that we can use through out? We are using deep greens, browns, rust, golds, and reds in our furniture and rugs, along with some brown leather furnishings and large stone fireplace with browns/golds. We have a huge wall of glass on the west side living and dining open floorplan, with wood flooring and vaulted ceilings. We want something that provides the right color tone to set a rustic elegance ambiance. Thank you

Jura Koncius: Manchester Tan by Benjamin Moore is a classic color that might work with all of your elements.

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Washington, DC: It is hard to find a place to accept even unopened cans of paint. I tried Habitat for Humanity and a couple of other organizations and they all said no. If someone finds a place let us know!

Jura Koncius: Interesting.

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Kensington, Maryland: Hi there -

I have been in search of two funky, colorful pillows to use on my dark brown leather sofa for almost two years now. Sounds crazy, I know but I wanted to pick up the color in the two arms chairs which flank the sofa. The problem is the arm chairs (from Ethan Allen) are an unusual blue/green color. Not quite seafoam, not light blue . . .

I've searched the usual suspects for cool pillows - Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, Home Goods, Pier 1, Bloomingdale's, etc... and have struck out.

Any online options for funky, interesting pillows?

Thanks much.

Terri Sapienza: Rather than search for premade pillows, why not search for some cool fabric and have pillow covers made for pre-bought inserts? Because you won't need much fabric, you might be able to splurge a little.

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Washington DC: One of the most effective and eco-friendly ways to unclog your drains is a scaled-down version of what professional plumbers use. Buy a wire spool auger that attaches to your hand-held power drill (just like any bit). The drill spins the coil which you can extend down the drain and pull out the yucky culprits.

Jura Koncius: Wow! Thanks.

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Paint Donation: The person could try donating the leftover paint to a public school that offers shop classes.

Jura Koncius: Great idea.

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Fairfax VA: Hi, love your chat every week. I have a paint dilemma. There is one cranberry dark red wall in the dining room and I need a nice beige color for the rest of the dining and living space. I need something not too dark, a light beige would be perfect! Any suggestions?

Terri Sapienza: Take a look at Benajamin Moore's Natural Wicker.

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Fairfax, VA: Hi there, Any resources for finding a color that goes with a specific group of colors? I tried going to the Duron website, but the names of these colors are no longer in use. What tools can I try?

Jura Koncius: If you go in person to a paint store, they can give you brochures that show different paints that go together. Check out the websites of several different paint companies - some are better than others at suggesting color combinations.

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Donating paint: See if there is a Rebuilding Together chapter in your area (www.rebuildingtogether.org). Some chapters work year-round to repair and rehabilitate the homes of low-income elderly, persons with disabilities and families with young children. They welcome donations of all sorts!

Jura Koncius: Thank you.

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baby's room: sounds like a fun happy baby room.

Sponge paint the dresser with a checkerboard top.

Jura Koncius: yeah.

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Enterprise AL: RE: E decorating - The article points out that there is a clientele profile for this service. It would appear that they have some sense of direction and know what to specifically mention to get decent advice.

Terri Sapienza: Yes, most of the designers I spoke to for the story indicated that their e-decorating clients are typically "design-savvy" folks who have done their homework and have a good idea of what they like and want.

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Enterprise AL: Finding a good local designer is easy in a big metro area but not so much if you live in the rest of the country.

Terri Sapienza: True. And a good point. Another way these virtual services can be helpful.

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Washington, DC: I want to paint our bedroom a buttercream color, but am afraid it will look too yellow. Do you have a Behr suggestion? I have in mind a rich, deep cream color.

Jura Koncius: Cosmic Dust or Cancun Sand look good in Behr. Also like Vanilla Milkshake.

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Sofa and Ceiling Fan: Try Craigslist for some traditional sofa ideas. I've seen great items there. Also, people tend to list where they purchased.

Blades and Shade - Try the Habitat for Humanity Store. They accept donations. Maybe someone only needs the blades or just wants a new look.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Washington DC: Good morning. We rented our house to students while we were living in Vienna, Austria for several years. We're back and the house shows a huge amount of wear and tear. I'd like to have all the rooms painted but I've discovered I'm color-challenged. Any suggestions?

washingtonpost.com: Talking About Color (Post Home Section, March 20)

Jura Koncius: Hmm. You don't live on Nebraska Ave. do you??? Sorry your house took a beating. Use this opportunity to bring some fun colors into your life, or do some accent walls. Next week we'll have a great story in the HOME section which involved a lot of super ideas on accent walls.

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Paint donation: Donate the paint to a local school theatre program for set design - or just a local community theatre

Jura Koncius: More good ideas.

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Home Decorators: Since it's a common question: I bought a credenza with drawers, and spent about three hours last weekend putting it together. My reaction: seems pretty sturdy, decent quality, instructions were easy to follow, and I'm pretty pleased with myself. Downside: lots and lots of screws and those toggle anchor bolts, so get yourself a good screwdriver, and followup with an Advil for your aching wrist! But a great buy.

Jura Koncius: Yes. Nothing in life is free. So if you saved money on the furniture, you pay for it in time and wear-and-tear on your body.

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Derwood, Maryland: Thanks for re-posting the Bathroom Refresher article. I remember wanting to save it back in April.

Jura Koncius: But of course...

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clogged drain: Here's a lower-tech solution that has worked well for us. When my shower started to drain very slowly, we re-shaped a wire hanger to be straight with a tiny hook at the end (using a plier to make the tiny hook), removed the drain cover, and used the wire hanger to reach down and pull up a giant mass of hair that had accumulated about 15 inches into the pipes. Now the shower drains perfectly!

Jura Koncius: Yuck. But it works!

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Leftover paint: Also, sometimes the theater departments at high schools (public and private) will take paint. I know of one school (in NY, sorry) that takes all the extras and mixes them together to use as a primer over plywood...

Jura Koncius: More ideas.

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extra paint: ask the local high school if the their theatre department could use it to paint sets. or even local community theatre.

Jura Koncius: Yes.

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Clogged Drain: What is clogging your drain? Hair, or lint? Or tree roots? It is best to clear the clog mechanically with a snake instead of using caustic drain cleaners. Call a professional if it's tree roots. That will cost you $200. Ask me how I know.

Jura Koncius: How do you know?

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Arlington: Regarding extra or unused paint, I agree with saving a bit for touch-ups.

As for any extras, you could put it on your local Freecycle board. My sister did this and she had multiple responses.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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re: clogged drain: Any chance that tree roots or something similar is the culprit?

I believe you can rent a drain "snake" at Home Depot for a thorough clean out.

Jura Koncius: A delightful weekend is ahead of me I see...

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Boston, MA: A paint color coordination question: in my 1950s Colonial home I have a RL Natural Canvas (love it) living room, a Behr Poppy Glow (orange) dining room and a Behr Wickerware (yellow) hallway between them. The yellow and orange next to each other look like preschool -- I'm thinking to repaint one or the other or both. What do you suggest? I like the orange more than the yellow and would consider a deeper orange for the dining room. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Would you consider doing a second room in the Ralph Lauren Natural Canvas if you like it so much? Poppy Glow is a really bold color but if you love orange, why not just do an accent wall in it instead of all four walls?

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Extra paint poster: It's me, the poster who asked about donating extra paint. Thanks for all the suggestions. I figured I could get rid of it on Craigslist if all else fails. I asked a friend who teaches at a school (can't use it) and one org who is getting back to me but I'll keep the other suggestions in mind. I knew the chatters would be able to help!

Also, for those getting paint samples of Duron. Their paint "samples" are the pints. Its nice to get that much paint for only a $1 more than BM but its just a lot of extra paint, esp,. if you aren't going to choose that color. Next time I'll learn to measure and ask the store for feedback.

Jura Koncius: Good thoughts. Thanks.

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Oviedo, Fla. single mom : Hi - round two for this question, pls. I told you that my 13-YO girl wants no PINK in her room. The focal point is a custom-made padded headboard - tall - of mostly chocolate brown with a broken ticking stripe of watermelon pink. The piece overall is 80% brown, 20% pink. The builders' beige carpet and lemon yellow walls, white trim make this piece look lost. The one west facing window floods the room with light and the accordion shade is off-white. You suggested pale pink paint last time. Maybe I wasn't clear - she wants no pink paint. Other color ideas? Would a deep brown room look good? Or pale mocha, not trying to match the headboard? Or punt and go off-white? Or bring in a third color? I want this piece to pop, and I am also thinking of a mirrored chest, to play up the art-deco aspect. Ideas please? Be specific. I want her teen room to be memorable and lovely, as she is.

Terri Sapienza: If you're looking for the headboard to pop, I wouldn't paint the walls deep brown, even if it is a different color than the headboard. You need contrast for a piece to pop. What about a pretty tangerine color? It would look great with the brown and accents of watermelon.

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Annapolis, MD: When painting a bathroom, where the shower is used most, does it make a difference what paint finish is used, i.e. glossy or flat? if so, why? We have and use the vent fan.

Jura Koncius: I would use glossy as it will repel water a bit more.

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Hyattsville, MD: Comment on the Liquid Plumber - I just had the drain behind my kitchen sink wall replaced for a lot of $$$ - it was rotted through.

The plumber said Liquid Plumber is very bad and may have contributed to the problem/demise.

I think snaking is the way to go - if possible.

Jura Koncius: Gulp.

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Round Table: Hello!

I have a round pedestal dining table (30"h x 46"w that includes one 18" leaf) that seats 4 (6 when extended with leaf). I wanted a table cloth or a runner and place mats (for when I am not using the table cloth). I like runners, but I don't know if they are made for or appropriate for a round table; your thoughts? Also are round place mats best? And lastly what do you think of dining tables that are always "set"?

Jura Koncius: I HATE dining tables that are always set. I think it looks very fake! I also prefer runners to tablecloths on tables that are not being used for dining at the moment. Runners on round tables are fine. Also I think either oval or round placemats work.

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Dulles, VA: While I found the e-design article interesting, I am amazed that people consider $900-$1500 per room to be affordable.

My new furniture, floor, and paint in my bedroom didn't even cost that much.

Are there options for design assistance for those of us further down the economic scale? Library work may be rewarding, but emotionally, not monetarily!

washingtonpost.com: Home Front with Jura and Terri is 100% free!

Terri Sapienza: The prices you mention are the ones on the highest of the services I mention in the story. Others offer their services for $500, even $120.

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Paint: Montgomery County has a paint disposal program. I am not sure if you have to be a resident or not. Maybe they can direct you to a local agency.

Jura Koncius: Thanks. I wonder though if disposal just means they dispose of it safely and don't reuse it?

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Ohio: After a laundry room drain clog a few years ago, the plumber sold me a container of enzyme powder stuff that you mix with water and pour a pint or so into each drain (no toilets) and leave overnight. It keeps clogs from occurring. I still have the stuff, it lasts forever and the container size is about two quarts. I was a little skeptical but it really works.

Jura Koncius: Sounds magical.

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Bowie, Md: Hi. I wanted to pass along the name of a nice little furniture store in the Bowie area. I recently visited Remedy for Living in the Fairwood Green Shopping Center and saw some really nice, contemporary furniture. I liked the chaises and other chairs the best. In fact, I had to leave because I was only window-shopping and I was being tempted.

I'm just a nearby resident, not an employee! It's worth checking out.

Jura Koncius: Love that! Thank you.

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single wall?: now, I've seen places where the bedroom is one light color and one of the walls is some other color that pops. sometimes it looks great but sometimes it looks weird. Is there any kind of criteria as to when its okay to do that? (high/uneven ceilings, windows/no windows, location of the furniture, etc...)

Jura Koncius: Read next week's HOME section. We will have some ideas for you.

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Falls Church, VA: A flooring question for you ladies and readers: anyone have experience with Konecto vinyl flooring? It's considered a "floating" floor since it's not glued or nailed down, and it seems to be the only solution to our kitchen, mainly because it's waterproof, and we have dogs. I love my animals, but two of them are still puppies and still have accidents. I would love to have laminate flooring, but it seems to be out of the question, at least according to the floor man who came out to inspect our old disgusting floor. Thanks for any help.

P.S. I actually would really like ceramic tile, but apparently this surface is very hard on legs, and I am standing in the kitchen a lot. Am I wrong on this point? Thanks again.

Jura Koncius: Ceramic tile is very hard on your feet - and if you drop anything on it it will break. Marmoleum is a popular eco-friendly choice these days. I do love my laminate floor in my kitchen and it's nine years old now... Konecto is not something I am familiar with. Anyone out there?

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Friendly MD: We need to do so much I don't know where to start.

We need to paint our house another color and landscape the front yard. (The backyard is a corral for our unlicensed deer herd.) We need to redo our kitchen (1980 decor), decorate a home office and our master bedroom, update the master bathroom and main bathroom, put down hardwood flooring to replace carpeting, and paint the interior of the house. We also need to replace our windows. HELP!!!

We are not planning on moving so we are not looking at recouping our updates to sell our home. We know the kitchen will be the most expensive project but I am not really feeling it 'cause I don't spend that much time in the kitchen.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!

Terri Sapienza: In one of her books, Rooms, one of my favorite designers, Mariette Himes Gomez, recommends getting the shell of a house in order before decorating, and I think that's great advice. That said, I would start with the floors, windows and paint, then pick your projects from there. Good luck.

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Alexandria, VA: Re Clogged Drains - try plunging it too, this sometimes will clear a blockage before resorting to a snake/auger, which you can do yourself or have a plumber come out. As far as drain cleaner, I too have had better success by following it up with boiling hot water. In older homes it used to be the case that drain cleaners could do a number on iron pipes, but I think these days the drain cleaners say "safe for all pipes" on them, but I don't know if that claim can totally be trusted. I've also heard that pouring a mixture of baking soda and vinegar down your pipes once a month is good preventative maintenance.

Jura Koncius: Lots of good info here. Thanks.

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Maryland:$2400 is a bargain? Is that a misprint?

Jura Koncius:?

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For pillows: Try looking on etsy.com, which collects a lot of handmade stuff. There are some fabulous pillow-makers on there, plus great artwork. I need a bigger house to display everything I want!

Terri Sapienza: Good tip, thanks!

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Columbia, MD: I am looking to get a new bathtub for my bathroom. Another option is going with a Bathfitter. What is your opinion of this?

Jura Koncius: We want to do a story about Bathfitter and that kind of business. Any of you have experience with them?

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Boston, MA: On the teenage girl's bedroom: I think tangerine would look amazing, but... that's a very hot bright color for a bedroom. As a teenager, I wouldn't have focused or slept well in a room that "hot". Do consider her temperament too, when choosing the color. I think a pale silvery blue could be calming, look nice with brown/pink, and pick up deco/mirrored objects too. Cheers!

Jura Koncius: Thanks for that.

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Alexandria: We have a red brick home with chocolate brown trim, and an adjoining shed that is salmon pink with the same brown trim. We recently had a new flagstone patio put in that is bluish gray in color. We were thinking of updating the trim around the house to a shade of colonial blue, but what to do with the salmon pink walls of the shed? Any other suggested color schemes? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I actually would stick with what you have and don't worry about the color of the hardscaping. Brown trim with brick or salmon is a very handsome and classic look.

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ooh, pillow inserts...: I've been meaning to ask this for a while now...where does one find pillow inserts? I see so many lovely pillow cases in, for example, the Pottery Barn catalog, but my husband and I are allergic to down and would need either primaloft-type stuffing or just plain batting. Do fabric stores sell these? Is it ridiculous for me to consider making my own if I don't have a sewing machine and would do it by hand?

Thank you!!!

Jura Koncius: Try a foam store like American Foam Center in Fairfax. 800-241-3626.

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master bedroom: I have a new upholstered bed, couch, and end-of-bed bed in slightly varying shades and textures of camel/wheat. The store designer recommended we paint the bedroom Benjamin Moore's "Smoke" - which is a pale grayish blue. What do you think? This is a more colorful mix than I usually pick - the rest of my rooms are much more monochromatic . . . Thanks!

Jura Koncius: What else do you have in the room? Gray and beige are still a rather neutral combination. Any thought of going a bit bolder?

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Crofton, MD: Good Morning! Love these chats. I am in the process of installing wainscot in my two-story foyer, hallway, and up the stairs. The wainscot is 36", white and the floors are oak hardwood. I am in need of suggestions for painting the walls above the wainscot for the foyer and hallway. The foyer opens to the living room, which is two different shades of green. I am open to any color suggestions. Thank you

Terri Sapienza: Instead of paint, how about wallpaper? You could do a cool stripe that picks up the green in the adjacent room or a fun pattern that's totally different. A fantastic wallpaper would be a great way to welcome people into your home!

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Odd painting question: I have an old small dark wood cabinet about 6 feet high with a small glass door about 2'x 2' and shelves inside for curios. It is not an expensive piece (paid about $150.00 for it 10 years ago at a junk shop), but I would like the curios to stand out more. Would it look weird to paint the inside shelves and back, with keeping everything else the dark wood? If it isn't too weird, I'd love to paint it something a bit funky but not too loud.

Jura Koncius: It sounds like a fun idea. I've seen people wallpaper the back of shelves in cabinets like this as well. It will set off your collections.

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RE: chair rail painting: My vote, and this is also how I've seen it done in historic houses with fancy wainscot is to paint the top half. I personally like it better, the cheerier color is visible!

My 2cents.

Terri Sapienza: Good suggestion, but the original poster didn't mention wainscoting on the wall beneath the rail. Sounded to me like she just had the rail. I could be wrong though...

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Alexandria, VA: RE: Affordable designers - One idea I saw on a show on HGTV some time back is to see if there are any colleges/universities around you that have an interior design school, and see if there are any seniors that are offering services cheap either for extra money or as a project for school credit. They may not have a lot of experience yet but will be a lot cheaper and have a better eye for design than an average schmo like me. They're also likely to work hard to do a good job as they'll need references for the job market.

Terri Sapienza: That's the exact advice that local designer Patrick Baglino gave in my story today. He suggested those on a budget seek out a recent design school grad who will have the skills, just not the experience.

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Baltimore, MD: We have an all-brick house with white shutters, a white door and white columns on the porch. We'd like to paint the door a color (perhaps grayish blue), but are confused about whether that means we need to paint everything blue (so we would have blue door, blue shutters, blue columns). Or, do we just paint the door & shutters? Or just the door? What about trim around windows and the porch? Help!

Jura Koncius: You can just paint the door and why not choose something fun. Blue Wave or Utah Sky by Benjamin Moore are good choices in blue.

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Glen Allen, VA: Just recently I bought a pillow cover at Pottery Barn and saved a ton by buying an insert at Michael's with a 40% off coupon (which they seem to have in every Sunday paper).

Terri Sapienza: great thinking!

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pillow inserts: Michael's has them in different shapes and sizes.

washingtonpost.com: And here's my two cents - I bought some cheapo ugly pillows at Target that were the right size and stuck them inside some pretty woolen covers my dad got when traveling in S. America. - Elizabeth

Jura Koncius: Elizabeth - you need to chime in more often. Love your idea. And Michaels is a great idea too. You know, Michaels has so many things that aren't available anywhere else.

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Washington : You have recommended Restoration Hardware towels in the past. They recently came out with a baby line that includes towels that happen to come in the exact colors of my bathroom! Any idea if they are the same quality?

Terri Sapienza: I would assume they are the same quality, but have no first-hand knowledge. Anyone have any first-hand experience with the new RH baby line?

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Takoma Park: they have pillow inserts -- just plain batting I think, definitely not down -- at Ikea. Lots of shapes/sizes.

Jura Koncius: super.

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Enterprise AL: For the kitchen person - get a gelpro floor mat - they are heaven.

Jura Koncius: Must try one.

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Ohio (again): Wal-Mart has pillow forms, several sizes/shapes. Fiber fill covered with white fabric so you can make your own covers. I bought two recently to make new throw pillows for my mother who lives in a retirement home. They are in the crafts and needlework section.

Jura Koncius: I wish there was a Wal-Mart closer to downtown D.C.

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drain clog clearer: For about $2 at Home Depot, you can buy a thing called "Zip-It". It's a plastic thing with hook-like projections. You slide it down the drain, and pull up all kinds of hair and gunk. It's great for bathroom drains.

Jura Koncius:$2 is a deal.

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washingtonpost.com: O.K., two more cents from me - a friend works for Blissliving Home and they have some very pretty pillows.

Jura Koncius: We will check these out.

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Maryland: sorry about the $2400 question! I meant to say $2400 for a retainer for a designer. That seems high to me. Did she mean $240?

Terri Sapienza: I doubt it. A $2400 retainer sounds pretty average.

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Jura Koncius: Thanks for the great ideas about unclogging drains, finding pillow inserts and recycling paints. We hear there are going to be some good participants at the Dulles Expo Center Remodeling and Home Decor Show this weekend so it might be worth checking out, especially if it's raining.

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Eco-Drain Cleaning: Once you get the current clog removed, you can keep your drain clean by using baking powder and white vinegar. Rinse first with boiling water, pour baking powder and a bit of salt down the drain, let it sit for a while (scrub with wire brush if you want) pour white vinegar down, follow with more boiling water, then cover the drain for about 20 minutes. Again, this isn't great for unclogging drains, but it's a good way to maintain a unclogged drain without making your bathroom smell like Dran-O.

Jura Koncius: thanks

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