Home Front: Ideas for Window Treatments, Sources for Cabinet Knobs, Searching for the Perfect Shade of Lavendar and Much More

Every week, Washington Post Home Section writers Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza help you in your quest to achieve domestic bliss. Koncius, along with special guest Claire Schwab, an Alexandria, Va.-based designer and window treatment expert, was online Thursday, May 7 at 11:00 a.m. ET to take your questions and suggestions.

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

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Jura Koncius: Good morning everyone. Terri is out of the office doing a cool story. And our guest today is Claire Schwab from Alexandria, who is the subject of a very educational and informational story on window treatments today by Terri in the Home section. Claire will be answering all the questions from you on those difficult windows you are dealing with. And let's get her take on French doors and what to do with them..

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Arlington, Va.: I'm thinking of having family day care in my living room. What kind of window coverings should I avoid because children are rough on them (besides the obvious blinds with strings)? I really love the really nice Hunter Douglas ones with the sheer fabric between the louvers.

Jura Koncius: Yes. I love the ones with the sheer fabric myself. I don't know how kind kids would be to those, but probably better than the plated shades and of course a no-no would be the blinds with strings -- dangerous! What about plantation shutters? Those would be the sturdiest.

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Cloud Chief, Okla.: Hi, LOVE your discussions. I have always wanted a lavender bedroom and now I finally have the chance. But the furniture going in there is cherrywood. It seems like lavender is cool and silvery and the wood is warm and red. When I choose a lavender to paint the room do you think it would help to lean towards more blue? Or purple? Any suggestions? I want the furniture and walls to be happy together! Thank you.

Jura Koncius: You are so right, Cloud Chief. I think something with a blue tone would be your best best. What about Windmill Wings or Pantone's Iris? Or if you want something dramatic, look at Pitch Blue by Farrow & Ball.

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Pikesville, Md.: What is a good source for cabinetry knobs for a kitchen? Selections at Home Depot and Lowes are pretty pedestrian.

Jura Koncius: I was just at Restoration Hardware (and look for a story on that next week) and I must say their knobs are superb. Also you can go to www.myknobs.com or www.nanz.com or www.sunburstknobs.com. Any other ideas?

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wdc: Hi Claire, Can you help please with window treatment advice for my bedroom? I live in a fishbowl, northern exposure, with one 5' wide bedroom window with a radiator in front of it. I want to maximize light, but need some privacy during daytime and total privacy at night. Grateful for your suggestions. Thank you.

Claire Schwab: The radiator definitely makes challenging. I recommend roman shades (two if you have a double window with a divider strip in the middle) or wood blinds. They both keep a lot of privacy at night, but offer light during the day. The blinds would best 'filter' the light during the day and are a bit more affordable than romans. I recommend decorative tapes on the blinds for color.

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washingtonpost.com: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Window Treatments (The Washington Post, May 7, 2009)

Jura Koncius: Here is Terri's story about Claire Schwab in today's Home section.

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Arlington, Va.: Can plantation shutters not be opened? We have the old-fashioned kind, and my kids love to bang them.

Claire Schwab: You can request a magnetic closure on shutters or even pick these up at a hardware store! I have 3 kids -- great idea! Banging is one noise we can all live without.

Just install one set of the magnet on the back of the shutter at the bottom (where the frame of the shutter is) and the other part of the magnet on the frame itself. TOP AND BOTTOM for an extra hold.

Good luck!

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washingtonpost.com: The Smart Way to Sell Your Home? Neutral-ize the Colors. (The Washington Post, May 7, 2009)

Jura Koncius: By the way, here's a great paint package today in the HOME section. Check it out for ideas on what neutral colors work best if you want to sell your home and also the latest on green paints -- that is eco-savvy paints, not the color green.

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Tenleytown, D.C.: Not a question, but a thank you! I emailed you in September asking for suggestions for a soft green paint for my new bathroom. One of your suggestions was Hancock Green. I bought a sample, and loved it, and now my bathroom is Hancock Green! It was the perfect color, so thank you for that.

Jura Koncius: Love Hancock Green. Glad it worked for you, Tenleytown. And thanks for writing in.

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Springfield, Va.: I love the idea of the remote-control blinds -- push a button and all the blinds close or open at once. Does it work well in real life? I would really like to do it on curtains, particularly a very high set of curtains. What do you think about this?

Claire Schwab: I think that remote controls are wonderful, but just be ready to replace batteries. They are not only in the remote but also up in the headers of the blinds and curtain rods. If they are too high up, you will have to have a tall ladder on hand or ask window washers or painters to help you if they come to your home to do work.

I've only had one break on me in my career. It was Hunter Douglas and it got fixed and replaced very quickly and easily.

It's a huge time saver and you can find many sources of this if you Google "remote control curtain rods or blinds."

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Arlington, Va.: I have a reclining chair that is showing wear in a couple of places, particularly where the cat uses it as a scratching post. It's a brown, a synthetic suede-like fabric. I recently moved and hoped to get rid of the chair altogether, but I just switched jobs and am not in a position to buy new furniture. My question is, do you think I could use sew-on or iron-on patches to cover the damage from the cat? I have in mind embroidered patches in bright colors, maybe flower patterns, so I can turn this chair from drab to fab. But I didn't turn up much on Google or Etsy and I'm not sure if an iron-on patch would stick to the suede. Any ideas?

Jura Koncius: Dear Arlington: I can relate to having a shredded piece of furniture. In my living room right now are two slipper chairs that are shredded on the corners by my dear cat Gus, who by the way turns 15 years old today. Go Gus! We have chosen to just leave this be, shabby gentility, until we get around to reupholstering the chair. You can also buy see-thru vinyl band-aids I call them to put on furniture where cats like to scratch and then pull them off when you have guests if you hate the look of them. Pet lovers must make style sacrifices for their animals! But back to your problem, I would not use patches on it. What about covering it with a nice throw or blanket? That would be a better idea.

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Re: kitchen knobs: The Great Indoors has a nice selection.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Austin, Texas: In response to the question on removing wine stains, I've had great success with this recipe, which attributes it to the Washington Post! This actually took a large red wine stain out of a cream colored carpet well enough that I can't find the stained spot any longer. I used carpet cleaner, not dish cleaner, in the recipe.

The Second Solution (For Immediate Help!)

The Washington Post ran an article in July 2004 by staff writer Leef Smith... To whip up the super solvent, all you have to do is stir up nearly equal parts of plain old hydrogen peroxide and Dawn dishwashing soap (or Patti recommends using a soap that's suitable for the fabric; i.e., carpet cleaner for carpets, Woolite for wools, dish soap for washables, etc.). Then apply it to the red wine stain.

Nancy O. via Patty S.'s simple recipe for red wine stain removal:

A little suitable soap

A little hydrogen peroxide

You must use BOTH ingredients

Spray, pour, or dab the mixture on the stain

Jura Koncius: Okay. Who knew? Thanks for the tip.

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Love your chat Jura...: Jura will it be odd to have bamboo shades in my master bedroom and vinyl shades in the rest of my house... from the outside? I'm going with a tropical/warm theme in my master and bamboo shades with panels is best to achieve the look.

Jura Koncius: Are the windows of your master bedroom in front of the house? If not, I would say definitely go with the bamboo shades for your theme. But if they are in the front and you want a unified look from the outside -- curb appeal they call it -- you might not want something different in the front.

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Decorating magazines: I'm the chatter who was thinking of putting our piano in our dining room. We've done careful measuring and have concluded it just won't fit (well, it will fit, but it would be really tight for one side of the dining room table). So back to the drawing board on that one. (We've concluded that it would fit along the backside of the kitchen counter in the kitchen, but that might be really strange-looking.) It's quite a challenge finding a place for it because we don't have that many full walls. Sigh...

We're going to be repainting the dining room (it currently has a striped wall paper and flowery border -- ick -- so 1980s), but I need to look at some pictures to get an idea of colors/styles. Are there any magazines you'd recommend for browsing through to get ideas? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Ick. That border has got to go, you are right. I would suggest House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home, Elle Decor or Traditional Home.

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No. VA: I want to buy a house with a large two-story bank of windows in the great room. I love all the windows, but my neighbors might want me to have some window coverings at night. What do you suggest? Some of the coverings, like the honeycomb shades, don't look as good as I think they should when they are totally covering all the windows. It's a little claustrophobic and they look cheaper.

Claire Schwab: My favorite choice here is to hang tall, long draperies off a pole at the top of the upper windows. It makes for a very dramatic effect in the room and can really make a statement.

I'm hoping you have room on either side of each window to allow the curtains to 'stack' back off the window. make them a bit wider so when you open them during the day they don't block a lot of the window or the light.

You will have to go the custom route here due to the extra tall length, but you will want a professional designer and his or her installer to be on the job anyway to hang and measure they curtains and poles.

I also recommend breaking the curtains into sections since you have such a long length. Consider doing a solid fabric on the top 2/3 of the long panels and a pattern or darker solid on the bottom 1/3. This makes it look even more custom and doesn't cost much more.

We just did this technique for a client in Great Falls. The fabric she loved was very expensive so we put that on the bottom portion, then selected a solid fabric -- the one we needed most yardage for -- at a mere $27/yard. The look was great and cost much less than doing the whole drapery in the expensive fabric.

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Denver, Colo.: My Royal Velvet by Fieldcrest sheets and pillowcases are almost threadbare. Any idea where I can find them? Or who is a suitable alternative? I love these sheets because they are so light and silky feeling.

Jura Koncius: www.linensource.com seems to have Royal Velvet. I know what you mean about those sheets, they are so so soft.

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Bethesda, Md.: What options do I have for a round window? I don't want to cover it permanently, since it has a great view, but would like to be able to cover it for privacy on occasion. Thanks!

Claire Schwab: Wow -- this is a tough one. So many people make those sheers gathered around the edges sinched in the center with a rosette.

I believe you can order blinds or shutters to fit a round window. The frame is made from a template that you or your installer/designer makes and then the louvers fit into the frame. You can louver the slats on the shutter or blind to allow light to come in, but close them for privacy

Next Day Blinds would be a good source for this. Perhaps a Google search on shutters for round windows would help.

I haven't done any of these, but have seen it in shelter magazines so I know it exists.

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Tysons Corner, Va.: I am working on updating my kitchen on a budget and I am at a total loss on what to do with my back splash. I have honey oak cabinets, a cream-colored silestone counter top with flecks of browns, white appliances, light wood floors, and lime green accessories on the counters. I was thinking of a simple subway tile back splash, but do these tiles come in cream colors? I think white would be too stark against the counter tops. Do you have any other ideas? Is there a website that has a bunch of pictures for me to get some inspiration from?

Jura Koncius: I hear the American Olean subway tiles at Lowe's are great and very affordable. I myself used mirror on my backsplash with my cherry cabinets and black/brown/cream granite. I really love it. And it's so easy to clean.

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soft yellow?: Can you suggest a SOFT yellow from the Behr line for a 10x13 room in a dark corner of the house? Trim is honey-toned oak, and there is a fair amount of it. Thanks.

Jura Koncius: What about Eggnog or Social Butterfly by Behr.

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Charlotte, N.C.: I saw an ad in a magazine for something that looks like peel and stick crown molding. Do you have any experience with this? Is this a bad idea?

Jura Koncius: Bad.

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Scaggsville, Md.: I agree with your comment regarding verticals on sliding glass doors. Could you provide more insight as to what to do with these doors? Ours open onto a screened-in porch. What about panel curtains?

Claire Schwab: Love panel curtains on sliding doors. The fact that yours opens to a screened porch sounds like you like the idea of softening the doors more than needing them for privacy or blocking sun.

If you have space on the wall on either side of the doors, consider hanging panels on either side (see large photo in this morning's article). If you only have room on one side and think that hanging a panel only on one side would make it look lop-sided, consider a valance across the top in a fun pattern. It will still provide warmth and interest to the door space.

If you still need some covering on the doors with a valance, you could hang sheer curtains that actually do go to one side (the side away from the door handle). The sheers would be light, airy, and a soft transition into the screened porch area.

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House Calls Calling...: Hi ladies!

I'm the subject of "House Calls" today and I absolutely LOVED what Heather designed! She offered me a lot of great inspiration and really nailed the feel for the room!

The one thing that I'd like to change is the colors, since the room will eventually turn into a nursery, and I'd like to avoid having to re-paint in a couple of years. I love the feel that Heather put together, but was wondering if you had suggestions for different colors that would still keep that cozy feel. I'm hoping to go with a lofty white of some sort, but don't want the room to be so washed out. Other suggestions?

Thanks!

washingtonpost.com: House Calls (The Washington Post, May 6, 2009)

Jura Koncius: Hi. So you must be Daphne Pee of Silver Spring. I also thought the room Heather Safferstone of Sally Steponkus Interiors was very glamorous and multi-functional. I know what you mean about the paint color Cotswald by Benjamin Moore, it is a bit dark. It's funny I thought of maybe a straw color and then I looked at my Benjamin Moore fandeck and there it was -- STRAW. I would suggest that.

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RE CABINET KNOBS:: Hi, Great Indoors in Gaithersburg has a great selection of affordable and higher-priced kitchen knobs.

Jura Koncius: Another vote for Great Indoors.

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Arlington: I live in an apartment that has vertical blinds everywhere. I cannot take them down, but would like to minimize the impact, particularly in the living room where they are on two adjacent walls. Typical curtain rods do not work as there is no space between the two. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Claire Schwab: Yikes! If you do not have room for curtains and can't take down the verticals, could you consider 'masking' the windows or the blinds with a spacious plant? Don't laugh, but if you have room for a live or silk tall tree there within the windows or in the corner of the adjacent walls, it could really help hide the windows but not block out the light. I love palm trees - full, open, spacious, and the silk ones look great. Live is good, too, and you can get them from Lowes. Michael's craft store is good for fake.

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RE: Jura Koncius: Are the windows of your master bedroom in front of the house?: Thanks Jura, my master is in the back of the house! So, bamboo it is!

Jura Koncius: Yeah! You get your wish.

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No. VA again (with two-story bank of windows): Claire, that sounds beautiful! What do I do about privacy? How would I close the curtains?

Claire Schwab: Glad you like my suggestion. Thank you. A professional designer or installer can order drapery hardware for you with an extra length of cord on it so you can pull it from the sides (it's a continuous cord pull out of nylon and hides behind the curtain itself).

You can also get remote control systems but they are very, very expensive.

The industry has exploded over the past 10 years with great pole finishes, hidden track systems, and finials and rings. Most designers will have catalogs to show you and can price it out for you once they measure the width of each window.

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Cherry Blossoms: I was the person who wrote in last week about finding faux cherry blossoms. I bought some last night at Pier 1, along with a really tall glass vase. Put it on the table I envisioned and now I'm not sure. It's not bad but the wall/ceilings are high so it almost brings attention to the height and since nothing else is on the wall, it almost seems bare, with of course a massively high bouquet of flowers. Any suggestions? Someone suggested a picture or two on the wall between the height of the vase and the cherry blossoms.

Jura Koncius: Glad you found the faux blossoms. You know, sometimes you don't need to cover every surface. I would say go for the simplicity and beauty of the blossoms and don't hang anything else up there. Less is more.

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RANCH CLUB: Where can I buy INEXPENSIVE curtains for my screened porch....we need them for more privacy.

Claire Schwab: Ikea is a great, affordable source for this. They have roll up blinds and even weather proof panels you can buy there. Just be careful when you go. It's a tempting place and I always buy more than I need!

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Jura Koncius: Our editor Liz Seymour suggests Anthropologie for knobs too. Great idea.

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Nashville, Tenn.: We are redoing our kitchen and trying to choose a counter top. We have light white oak cabinets and a 4-inch tumbled travertine tile back splash. The space is painted Swiss Coffee by Behr (a creamy white). We have white appliances.

I don't know whether to do a big travertine tile on the counter top or add contrast with a black granite tile counter top. My husband also likes the colorful Talavera tile and thinks we could do a counter with those, such as white with a border tile.

Jura Koncius: I like the black granite idea myself.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi -- I have a panel track on my sliding door but need to change the panels. Any suggestions that don't involve ugly Smith and Noble fabric? I'd like something stiff. Currently have plastic panels that look really cool but are fraying.

Thanks!

Claire Schwab: I have not worked with a panel track system before, but know what you are trying to deal with.

I would take a photo or two of this and go into Next Day Blinds. They have so many options and have a very well trained staff. Perhaps it's time to let go of the panel track and move onto another updated look.

I would hate for this panel system to limit your choices when there are so many other options out there: shutters in a panel track frame, woven wood blinds in a vertical design, or even draperies. They could be stiff for you if they were lined, but it sounds like a hard window treatment is more to your liking.

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Potomac, Md.: Enjoyed today's Home section articles on paint and color; have a comment and a question. First, I'd like to recommend Maria Killiam's wonderful discussions of practical applications of color theory.

Second, the feature on re-stagers' favorite colors didn't include one that I've lusted after during many open houses in Potomac and Kentlands this year. It's a warm dark buttery yellow, usually used in main-floor rooms. Any ideas of what it might be?

Jura Koncius: I haven't been to any Potomac open houses lately, but if you look at Farrow & Ball's color card, there area lot of wonderful buttery yellows like Yellow Ground. Also the Shine shade from C2.

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Alexandria, Va.: For the person looking for a "lavender" for their bedroom -- it always comes down to your personal taste, but we were looking for that perfect balance between light blue/light purple and went with Behr's "Glass Bead" and couldn't be happier. I was worried because it almost looked white coming out of the can, but it dried to a perfect neutral shade of not too blue, not too purple.

Jura Koncius: Thanks for this idea.

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Back splash & Knobs: We bought a mess of handles online and got them for about 80% less than HD or Lowe's. I think the site was knobsforless.com about 4 years ago.

For the backsplash, don't forget to make the grout darkish...remember the "splash" part of the question.

Jura Koncius: Yes. Always remember the splash.

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Cabinetry, etc. hardware: I like vandykes.com a lot. They've got a great selection and they service people in the business so that when I've called they've been very helpful and knowledgeable.

Jura Koncius: We will add them to our list too. Thanks.

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Fairfax, Va.: Can shades be installed on skylights? Are they remote controlled or manual?

Claire Schwab: I refer again to Next Day Blinds. They have installers who come and measure this tricky space and then install them.

I have several clients in Old Town who have used them for skylights and the shades look great and work well.

Your options for shades will be somewhat limited, but there are a lot of colors from which you can choose. Hunter Douglas' pleated shade line is a nice choice here and you can get them in light filtering or room darkening options.

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Knobs: eBay. Seriously. We needed to update our house before selling and the old tarnished builder's grade brass mushrooms weren't cutting it. We ended up with some lovely antique brass birdsnests for the master bathroom at $1 each and gorgeous satin nickle leaf design pulls for $.50 each (and for 40 knobs, this was a big deal). These knobs were at least $3-6 EACH at places like Lowes and HD. Many potential buyers commented on the "nice knobs" and our real-estate agent was amazed.

Jura Koncius: Fifty cents is a great deal.

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Washington, D.C.: I decided to paint an old piece of furniture and get new pulls and knobs. I love what Anthropologie has, but before I bite that bullet, I wanted to know if there was another place that could go to get cool quirky hardware. Any suggestions?

Jura Koncius: We just sent a bunch of ideas out for you.

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Bethesda, Md.: Hi ladies. We just painted our bedroom C2 Kind of Blue, with BM's Cotton Ball trim. Now we're looking to replace our ceiling fan. I'm wondering what your opinion is on getting an ivory fan rather than a wood one that matches either the floor (generic oak) or the furniture (medium walnut color). We have a high vaulted ceiling (also painted with Kind of Blue), so we really need it for air circulation. But I'm not big fan of how a fan looks, so I'd be in favor of it fading into the ceiling as much as possible. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I think white would be fine. Or something metal.

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Arlington, Va.: The window treatment article was perfect timing! I'm at a loss for how to treat a combined kitchen and dining area that could use the color and interest of curtains, but one of the windows is right next to the stove/oven. Valances seem so old fashioned. Is the sill-length rule hard and fast? Thank you!

Claire Schwab: The Dining Room can have panels and valances but the kitchen area can just have a valance -- but in the same fabric.

Consider hanging the same shades under each window in both rooms -- I love woven shades -- they are updated, fresh, good for layering, and filter the light. If each window has this and the same fabric, you will be able to get away without hanging panels in the kitchen and will avoid any potential fire hazard near the stove.

That sill-length rule only applies to draperies in my opinion. I think all draperies should hit the floor or break on the floor (like a cuff on your pants). Roman shades and any kind of blind are fine to come to the sill.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi, I have a color coordination quandary: I have an old davenport (with an ornate, dark wood frame) in my living room that is in desperate need of reupholstering. Also in the living room are two chairs from the 1960s. The chairs are in fantastic shape, with clean lines, medium wood frames, and bright yellow upholstery. I don't love the bright yellow, but because it's the original fabric and it is in great shape, I'm going to run with it. So, I'm thinking of doing a gray fabric on the davenport. Now, my specific question -- what options do I have for a third color to incorporate into this gray/yellow palate that would work with both? I love bright colors, but would like the chairs to be the only yellow. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I think having the chairs be the only yellow is fine, although you might want a little yellow in a pillow or a lampshade or something. That would pull it together. What about a sage green as a third color?

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Arlington, Va.: What are these panels Claire keeps talking about in the article? They don't sound like drapery panels?

Claire Schwab: Designers actually refer to stationary draperies as panels.

They are fixed on each side and are never meant to close to the center. Most of my clients select 'panels' because we are doing another layer, say a woven shade or a shutter, so the draperies are there to frame the window or warm up the space. I like to line and interline them for fullness. It's a nice inexpensive trick that makes the panels look fuller than they are.

Clients like them because the labor is less expensive and panels don't take as much fabric as closing curtains.

Hope this helps.

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Paint color, McPherson Square: I know you like the sage green paint from Restoration Hardware. Any similar paint in the Behr brand? I need to paint my half bath. Oh...and you are absolutely right! The knobs at RH are absolutely amazing. My kitchen cabinet knobs look ugly to me now! (and my kitchen is only a year old, but I didn't pick out the existing knobs.)

Jura Koncius: What about Grasscloth or Corn Husk Green by Behr?

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No Tile Countertops!: I had a tile countertop and the grout was a maintanence nightmare. It was very diffcult to clean. Whatever the homeowner gets, I would recommend full pieces (whether granite, marble, etc.) instead of tile.

Jura Koncius: I totally agree.

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Lavender bedroom: I too have a lavender bedroom, which I love, and it has dark wood furniture (except the bed, which is upholstered). I don't remember the name of the color, but it is a sort of greyish lavender. Don't go too purple! The dark furniture is great, by the way -- keeps it from looking like a little girl's room. And I have sheer dark grey linen curtains (West Elm).

Jura Koncius: Very nice.

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Mclean, Va.: We just moved and have really ugly thermostats in each room. They look like intercom systems.

Since we are renting, we can't replace them, but I would like to hide them. Any ideas?

They are about 5 x 7 and stick about 3 inches out of the wall.

Jura Koncius: In my dining room, I painted my my ugly doorbell chime cover in Palladian Blue! It hides it. Otherwise, I think you just have to go for the industrial look.

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Montgomery Co.: I am considering replacing the hideous carpet in the lower level of my townhouse (on slab, but above ground) with ceramic tile. A hardwood floor is too problematic due to the slab. Do you see a downside to the tile? Thoughts on the under-tile heating element? I have very active and messy children.

Jura Koncius: I hear the under-tile heating elements are great and give off a nice comfortable heat. I hope your basement isn't prone to getting wet since investing in ceramic tile is expensive. Tile would be great for active and messy children. You could throw an area rug on top in the winter to make it a bit cozier.

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Capitol Hill: Hi Claire,

We have a traditional row house with a box bay window. We are considering buying new windows: not the double hung variety, but instead the kind that can tilt open to let air in, and can also swing open into the room. What kind of window treatments would work for this, allowing the windows to open? We like the idea of blinds, but can't use them due to the way the windows open. Thanks!

Claire Schwab: Sounds great! You can do shutters that are framed on the outside molding of each window. You can open the shutters to allow you to open the windows, but recognize that the shutters will be sticking out into the room.

Another option is to hang draperies (the closing kind) that are mounted above and beyond the windows on the flat wall. When the draperies are pushed back in the open position, they will be out of the way of the tilting windows, but then you can close them at night for privacy.

I don't know how shallow your bay window is, but from the work I've done on Capitol Hill, I have found that most of these bay spaces have tall windows and room to mount poles for curtains.

If you go the shutter route, just try to respect the molding in the house. Capitol Hill is known for its beautiful moldings. An installer or Designer can assess a good place to mount shutters and still retain the window molding.

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Alexandria, Va.: We've just finished a kitchen remodel and we now need to replace the kitchen table. It's a small space, so I'm looking for a round table no more than 40" in diameter, bonus if it can be extended. I've been striking out on places to find such a table. Any ideas? Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Try Belfort Furniture in Sterling or JCPenney. Also small tables like that can be found in used furniture stores, thrift shops and vintage shops and estate sales. Put a notice on craiglist that you are looking for one.

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Re: Behr sage green: You can have Home Depot color match to RH's silver sage. Just bring in a swatch. My friends did this for their LR and it looks great.

Jura Koncius: Great. Thanks.

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To Claire: Claire, what kind of window coverings are your current favorite? What do you have in your house?

Claire Schwab: Thank you for asking! my favorite combination (and I do love a combination or layering effect) is long panels that don't move and woven shades underneath that go to the sill of the window.

I line and interline the drapery panels. It makes them look fuller. I do a goblet pleat or a french pleat at the top where it goes into the rings on the pole. I also like to trim the inside edges of the panels (we call this the 'leading edge'). it offers another layer and can bring color into the room. It also makes it look very custom.

You could buy panels ready made (Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn) go to a craft store like Joanne Fabrics or G Street and then glue gun trim onto the curtains if you want to do it yourself. A dry cleaner could sew it on for you if you are not into glue!

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Lavender bedroom too: I have a lavender bedroom and I went glam mixing white, silver and mirrored furniture and kept my bedding white except for some pops of color for decorative and throw pillows. I love it!

Jura Koncius: Sounds very glam.

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Re: tile counter tops?: While I can see that the typical tile counter tops would be a serious pain in the neck, I have large (12"x12") dark granite tiles with matching grout. The maintenance on that isn't so bad. I imagine it's cheaper than a giant piece, and the look works, too.

Jura Koncius: Yes. It would save money.

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Springfield, Va.: I have Hunter Douglas Silhouette blinds in my bedroom -- the sheer, silky ones. Dust and dead gnats (ugh) get inside them. How do I clean them? It's difficult to reach the bugs when they're in the middle and not near a reachable end of a slat. The Hunter Douglas website was no help. Someone suggested using a leaf blower but I'm afraid this might damage the blinds as they're so delicate. Thanks.

Claire Schwab: Please, no leaf blowers!!!! You make me laugh.

I used to have these in our guest room and know your pain!

Lower the shades all the way so they are fully opened and then tilt them up a bit with your hand. In the other hand, hold your hair dryer into each 'cell' or pocket.

Hope this helps and keep those gnats away from your shades!!!

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Chicago: Hi Jura, thanks for taking my question. We just bought a condo that's going to need a complete repainting on all interiors. The time frame is tight so we will have to paint immediately the moment it becomes vacant and move in immediately after. In other words, no time to debate on paint colors or to do test swatches. We are interested in doing a low-VOC paint (allergies and respiratory problems, prefer mass-market product like BM or Sherwin-Williams) and light, neutral colors (thinking light yellow/tan/brown for living areas and maybe blue/gray in bedrooms/office). Can you recommend some paint colors for me?

Jura Koncius: Check out the green paint article in today's HOME section. And there is also an article about great paint colors you can use to help sell your condo -- well I think they would also be great to use when you just buy a condo, because they are tried and true and neutral. Don't make a bad decision in haste to go bold.

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Windows in the Kitchen: How wonderful to have a window-treatment expert this week! I rarely see kitchens addressed when it comes to window treatments. I've inherited some truly hideous balloon-type valances and venetian blinds in my otherwise great kitchen, but I'm at a loss for what to replace them with. (And I'm sorry to tell you that there's also a wallpaper border to match them.)

One of the windows is a rather large window that looks out to the side yard (and a neighbor). The others are a single long window to the back yard, as well as a door with a windowed panel. Any ideas? Thanks!

Claire Schwab: Oh goodness...I can picture this now! How times have changed -- for the better!

I refer to woven shades here or a fabric roman shade. You don't need 'fussy' in a kitchen. You need practical and tailored.

You can make a roman shade flat across the bottom or request a 'soft' roman shade that has a bit of fullness at the top, then allows the bottom hem to gently (and I mean gently) swag. This is good for someone who doesn't like a hard flat edge.

Wovens are nice, though, because they are so pretty, have pattern and texture, and are good for light and privacy.

There are so many great kitchen magazines out now (Lowes, Barnes & Noble). I love pouring through them for ideas on the windows, too, and see what others have done. Looks and options change all the time.

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High and Wide: Claire, you mentioned a mistake that people make about not putting up the rods correctly. Is there a minimal high and wide measurement or is it just what looks good? I think I am more concerned with the wide as opposed to high.

Claire Schwab: It's best to have a designer look. Proportion is key, you are right. You don't want them looking fatter than taller.

I always try to go up as high as I can. Even up to the crown if possible. Then you're much safer in how wide you go.

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Faux vs. Real Wood Blinds: You mentioned Next Day Blinds in the article because of their service. Would you recommend their products or would you always go Hunter Douglas? The prices are considerably different and I am not so sure that Hunter Douglas is worth the price.

Claire Schwab: I love Hunter Douglas -- they have great options, but NDB's brand is fine. They have more affordable options and also offer great warranties if you allow their installers to put in the product.

Some people prefer the name of Hunter Douglas. I use both and am happy with both. It's really a question of budget.

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Indoor/outdoor rugs in Alexandria: Hiya, We're looking for a new indoor/outdoor rug for our screened porch. My idea was to go fairly cheap so that I can just replace it every few years or so after the weather takes its toll. So far we've looked at Pier 1, World Market and Home Depot but am still looking (all had very limited styles ranging from $70-$100). Any other suggestions would be great! Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Try ballarddesigns.com or homedecorators.com.

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Reston, Va.: Desperately need paint advice, last minute, please! I love RH silver sage but fear it's too dark in my 11-foot ceilinged room. Can I cut a gallon with one gallon of white and achieve just a lighter hue of SS?

Thanks!

Jura Koncius: But of course! That's what designers do all the time.

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Springfield, Va.: What kind of blinds will stand the test of time for renters?

Claire Schwab: Wood blinds are best, and let go of those plastic wands you use to louver the slats. Ask for cord controls. They last longer and don't cost any more. You will end up with cords on the right of the blind that make it go up and down, and then cords on the left that allow you to open or close the louvers.

Vinyl wood blinds are even more durable -- and less expensive!!! They withstand temperature changes and don't crack or break if you bump into them or clean them too hard.

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Resource for knobs: Try knobs4less.com. Great selection--and prices.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Question for Claire: Claire -- loved your great advice in the article. What do you think about panels and sheers for treatments in a master bedroom? Our bedroom windows in our new construction home are not deep enough to have shades installed inside the molding, and we'd like something that will admit light but create some privacy. Are sheers with panels that close to provide darkness very old-fashioned? I'm looking at the Restoration Hardware line of draperies but may need to go custom to get the right length and installation services. Thanks!

Claire Schwab: Good instincts! Just make sure you buy a track that allows for 'double' curtains. Restoration Hardware sells this. You buy a bracket that will fit two rods.

If you want to have rods that have cords on the side that allow you to open and close them (both the draperies and the sheers) you will need to have a white metal double traverse rod installed. The issue here is that when you open the drapes and sheers, you will see the white rod exposed at the top, so you will need to consider a valance or cornice that is mounted over all the layers and rod.

A designer can create this for you and see if your space will allow for this. The key here is to make the valance DEEP enough for two layers of curtains to move easily underneath.

There are great sheer patterns out there now that don't look old fashioned. Hope is on the way!

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Bethesda: Hope I'm not too late. What's your feeling about decorative window film for front door sidelights (instead of the ubiquitous gathered sheers)?

Claire Schwab: Yeah -- we're on for 10 more minutes. I share your feelings. On our sidelights, we installed window film and it has worked beautifully. The rug and hardwood in our foyer look the same 8 years later. Be sure to ask for a darker version of film. They offer about 10 degrees of light and UV control on film.

Please know this will not provide privacy at all, but will protect the things inside. Decorative patterns are very nice now, but keep it simple and tailored.

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Arlington, Va.: Hiding thermostats -- we hid the thermostat in our house with a tapestry. It has wood bars across the top and bottom of it with round knobs at the ends which helps keep it off the wall a little so you don't see a "lump", and air can still get to it. I was worried it might interfere with the temperature readings, but that doesn't seem to be the case. (Individual results may vary -- probably depends on the tapestry and your air circulation -- you just have to experiment.)

Jura Koncius: Creative.

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Washington, DC: Does anyone have any experience with Benjamin Moore's Aura and/or Sherwin William's Duration paint? Prefer one over the other?

Claire Schwab: I just had the outside of my house repainted two years ago using Sherwin's Duration. I LOVE IT!!!! it still looks the same now as the day they painted it.

They can match any color from the line into the Duration formula so you have many more choices.

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Fairfax, Va.: Plantation shutter question...

I love the wood shutters and am wondering if you can recommend a manufacturer or supplier that has good quality shutters? I don't know the difference and am looking for some guidance. Thanks so much!

Claire Schwab: Kenfair Manufacturing in Alexandria. 703-751-5900. Ask for Brenda!

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Inddor/Outdoor Rugs: We've been very happy with L.L. Bean for both style and durability.

Jura Koncius: more

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Indoor/outdoor rugs: Or my favorite, Dash & Albert at dashandalbert.com.

Jura Koncius: one more

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Jura Koncius: Wow. We really heard from you today! Window treatments are clearly a hot topic. See you next week and thanks so much Claire!

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