Home Front: Your Design and Decor Dilemmas, Solved

Every week, Washington Post Home Section writers Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza help you in your quest to achieve domestic bliss. They were online Thursday, May 21.

Browse an archive of previous Home Front discussions.

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Terri Sapienza: Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining us today. Is everyone looking forward to the nice, long weekend as much as I am? If you're headed to the Delaware beaches, be sure to check out today's section for our picks for the best home design and decor shops out there. There are lots of good ones, including a great shop in Easton, which you should definitely check out on the way down to Delaware. Okay, let's get going...

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Anonymous: I just had gray tile put down and I'm trying to figure out what color should the walls and curtains be?

Terri Sapienza: Is this a bathroom? kitchen? bedroom? We need a few more specifics.

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washingtonpost.com: Shopping by the Sea (The Washington Post, May 21, 2009)

Terri Sapienza: Here's today's beach shopping story.

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Washington, D.C.: I'm moving into a great rowhouse and I'm so excited! The floors are wood (living room and bedroom) and ceramic tile (kitchen and bath). Any suggestions for reasonably-priced rugs? The floors are beautiful, so I don't want to completely cover them up. Any unique suggestions for floor covering?

Thanks!

Jura Koncius: I think the rugs from West Elm are really good and well priced. Ikea also has some great buys. Have you thought of using woven rugs for summer? Try overstock.com too.

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Narragansett, R.I.: Hi,

Thank you for these chats. I learn a lot.

I'm remodeling my kitchen and need some advice on backsplash. Cabinets are white beadboard and granite countertop is Blue Pearl. Appliances are stainless steel and floor is light maple laminate. I am going with a seashore motif. Cabinet hardware is brushed pewter with different designs like shells, seahorse, turtle, fish. Lighting is from Elk Lighting line the Seashore collection, which is a frosted glass, nickel trim and the shade has realistic looking shells on it. I have about 12 inches between countertop and bottom of upper cabinet to work with.

I'm torn between white subway tile, small glass tile or some combination of the two. Or going with 4x4 white ceramic tile and throwing in a few painted tiles with a beach motif. Also if I go with glass, I'm leaning toward blues. Looking at Datile Glass Reflections line. I would appreciate your opinion. Thanks much.

Terri Sapienza: Between your two options, I would go with the subway tile or a combo of subway and glass tiles. Tiles painted with a beach motif would be harder to replace if you ever got tired of them. If you really want the beach motif, I would choose neutrals for your permanent fixtures, like tiles (white subway and blue glass tile sounds nice), and bring in the beach theme with accessories, like the hardware you're using and maybe some beach-related art.

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Painting in Annapolis: I'd like to repaint my half bath in a something akin to "Nantucket red," but am having trouble finding a color that is neither too pinky nor too rusty. The room has white tile and trim. It's a well-lit room that faces north, if that makes a difference. Thank you!

Terri Sapienza: What paint manufacturer makes Nantucket Red? I need to know before I can look for it.

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Pittsburgh, Pa.: Looking for tips for finding the bedding we want. We just purchased new bedroom furniture for the house we are building, and now I'm looking for bedding. I was thinking something in a deep red/berry color. The furniture is a dark walnut shade. I've looked all over the place -- Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy's, TJMaxx, Overstock.com, JCPenneys, Dillards, Boscov's, Kohl's... can't find what I want! It needs to be somewhat feminine, as the furniture has a masculine feel to it. Any suggestions of places to look for bedding options, particularly online?

Terri Sapienza: Have you looked at Pine Cone Hill bedding? It's very soft and feminine and, I think, they have red/raspberry options.

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Arlington, Va.: Ladies -- I was so inspired by the drapery expert a couple of weeks ago that I decided to finally do something about curtains for my living room window. It's a fairly large bow window, and I want to do stationary panels on either side. Since I don't plan on ever drawing them, they don't need to be wide enough to cove the entire opening. How wide do they need to be, though, to provide a nice effect? I'm trying to get some idea of how much fabric I'll need to create the panels. Thanks so much!

Jura Koncius: Dear Arlington:

I have Claire Schwab, our curtain expert from Alexandria from a few weeks ago, on the line. Claire says: "Assuming that your bow window is wide, and you don't need them to close, I recommend that you do a stationery panel on either side -- I suggest one width and a half of fabric on each side to create the illusion that the curtain is full -- and this equates to 8 to 10 yards of fabric total, depending on pattern repeat." Claire says that by only putting the panels on either side of the bow window -- you can buy two smaller wood poles instead of one wide rod that goes all the way across -- try to mount the panels more on the wall than on the window to all for light and view.

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McLean, Va.: Dear home gurus, Since we're all interested in saving money these days, I recently bought a small (about 4x6) wool Oriental rug at an estate sale. It's in good condition and there are no visible stains, but it could probably use a good washing. Am I crazy to think that I could do this myself with some Woolite, a brush, and a garden hose?

Jura Koncius: I have a friend who swears by this washing method. He does it on a driveway on a warm day and leave it out to dry for a while, flipping it over. Give it a try. Of course, serious rug dealers and collectors would not do this but in a money-saving economy, an estate sale rug should be able to be cleaned in this way.

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Babies, and basements, and paint, oh my!: We are expecting our second child and will be finishing a storage room in our basement this weekend so my husband can still have a home office after the general reshuffling. My question: the room has no windows and is quite small. I am concerned it will look like a cave (particularly since my husband would like to paint it gray). Might you have specific color suggestions for us? (Gray or otherwise.) Thanks so much.

Terri Sapienza: If you must go with a gray, I would definitely keep it light, like BM's Horizon, Wickham Gray or maybe Edgecomb Gray, which has a little brown in it. I would also mare sure to bring in lots of extra lighting with table lamps and task lighting. Maybe you can have a few recessed lights installed as well?

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RE: Bedding for bedroom: Garnett Hill has really nice bedding also.

Terri Sapienza: Yes, they do, good suggestion. They are also having a sale right now on children's beach clothing an accessories, including very cute beach towels for kids for only $9.

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Arlington, Va.: Ladies, I finally splurged and bought a double-wide chaise for my backyard. I envisioned laying on it with my kids in the shade on a hot summer day, reading. Unfortunately, the neighborhood birds have designated it their personal toilet. Cleaning droppings off the fabric is not easy, and the fabric just looks bad now. Any suggestions for fabrics that clean up easy but are comfortable? If only sweaty thighs didn't stick to pleather...

Jura Koncius: It's funny. I bought a wonderful wrought iron mesh chaise with a very thick comfy cushion for $30 at a yard sale a few weeks ago I just love it and I asked whether the cushions were weatherproof and they said yes. My husband however will not leave the cushions out because of bird deposits and because he doesn't want them to get rained on! He keeps taking the cushion off and putting it in our outdoor storage area, and I keep taking it out! I think most of the fabrics that are easy to wipe clean would not feel great on the thighs, as you said!

There are those plastic covers which I think are ugly and look lousy for most of the day when you are not using the chaise. You could put towels on top of the chaises during the day in the same color as the cushions and take them off and wash them when they get soiled. This method would be sort of like what pet owners do on sofas -- they put towels or blankets on them for their pets to lie on so they won't ruin the upholstery. If anyone out there has any other solutions, please do share them with us! I do love my chaise and I should report that I bought a $20 small round black mesh metal end table to go along with it at Target. Great for morning coffee.

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Washington, D.C.: I want to redo my kitchen completely (now that we've decided to stay put for the next few years) but I am having trouble figuring out how to find an architect/kitchen specialist who specializes in kitchens in small spaces. I would like to try to make the most of my small space with high end materials but most of the companies I see seem to focus on kitchens that are as big as my house. Any suggestions?

Terri Sapienza: Award winning local kitchen and bath designer Jennifer Gilmer has an online kitchen design service that is reasonably priced and can be for kitchens of any size. You should check it out: www.kitchendesignonline.net.

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Jura Koncius: Our editor Liz asked us to give a shout-out to all of you out there from New Jersey. She will be at her beach house this weekend and will be visiting the Rumson VNA of Central Jersey Stately Homes by the Sea Encore Designer Show House Sheep's Run. Have any of you visited the house? It is open through May 31 and is a 1915 era home with 27 rooms.

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Washington, D.C.: Good morning. I just wanted to give a shout out to Restoration Hardware for their good customer service. I accidentally purchased a lamp shade instead of a lamp online, and when I returned it to a physical store (still wrapped, with receipt) two months later, they swiftly gave me a full refund, including the shipping. I've always been pleased with them, and I just wanted to pass along some praise.

Jura Koncius: Thanks for sharing your experience.

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Takoma Park: Not exactly a design question but we've talked about hostess gifts before so I'm hoping I can get some quick suggestions. I'm going back to my home state of Minnesota in August to visit relatives and will be getting together for a visit with a blogger friend that I've never met in person. I'd like to bring a a little gift that says "D.C." or D.C. area (Maryland crabs?). She is a bird/nature lover if that helps. Thanks so much!

Jura Koncius: One nice place to look is Apres Peau gifts at 1430 K St. NW. They have some lovely Washington theme gifts including Georgetown chocolates, Capital cufflinks, and vintage D.C. map coasters and paperweights. Gift shops at the National Archives, the U.S. Capital and the Smithsonian would also be good choices.

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Re: bedding: Another option -- consider having it custom made. A lot of people on Etsy, for example, will do it. One of my friends had her baby's bedding made by an Etsy seller, and it's gorgeous.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Rugs at overstock.com: I agree, this is a really good resource for well-priced rugs. I bought a 100% wool oriental rug, 9x12, for $400, with delivery only $2.95. But one thing to keep in mind is that the computer doesn't always translate colors accurately. My rug was a little darker than I expected, which is actually fine. But if I hadn't liked it, the cost of returning it would have been prohibitive (because it weighed a LOT).

Jura Koncius: Good to know.

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Centreville, Va.: It's almost summer time and the cushions on my patio furniture are not looking their freshest. Do you have any tips for sprucing them up?

Jura Koncius: Check the tag on them for laundering/cleaning instructions. If you can't throw them in the washer, maybe you could give them a run in the dryer to fluff them up.

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For bird-y furniture: I would suggest also trying a) moving the furniture away from branches where birds might sit, if possible, or b) trying to get the birds to relocate -- can you put up one of those "Owl" statues (the birds see an owl and think it's real and it works like a scarecrow)?

Jura Koncius: All good ideas.

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Great Falls, Va.: I was so excited to see that the Home Section was doing "Shopping by the Sea." I couldn't wait to find out what you had to say about one of the best places to shop for home furnishings, decor, gifts, etc. Tulip at 2302 Highway One in Rehoboth, right by Betzel's Kitchen Design. My jaw dropped when I realized that you didn't even feature it. It is two floors of amazing finds. Shame on you. I know the other places, and especially Jeff West is wonderful, but really. Perhaps the red planters in front turned you off? I don't like them either, but I think they are "eye catchers" on a boring stretch of highway. Tulip used to be in Bethany on Highway #1 (west side). Thanks for letting me share my comment. I am a decorator. -- Larisa Looby

Terri Sapienza: Hi, Larisa. I'm sorry you were disappointed that Tulip wasn't included on our list, but I stand by my decision not to include them and feel no shame whatsoever. I did stop by there and browse for quite some time, but simply wasn't impressed; nor did I find their merchandise "amazing." I think it's a nice shop with equally nice offerings, but when I compared it to the others I visited, I felt it fell short and just wasn't as interesting as the others I eventually wrote about.

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Alexandria, Va.: Trying to find a centerpiece for my dining table and have run out of ideas. I'm now thinking of a bowl-shaped glass vase with flowers. Question now is do I go the fresh flower or fake flower route? The former can get expensive and the latter could just look cheesy. Recommendations?

Jura Koncius: I personally do not like faux flowers. Why not go to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods and buy a $14.99 orchid in burgundy, yellow or chartreuse? These orchids will last for weeks with just a bit of water once a week. Look for a nice pot or cachepot at a yard sale or thrift shop or shop your own closet for something to put the orchid in and dress it up.

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re: I am concerned it will look like a cave (particularly since my husband would like to paint it gray).: Oh, just let the man have his cave. Paint it dark, and hang some bats from the ceiling.

Terri Sapienza: Yikes. This is a little negative...

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Clifton, Va.: Pittsburgh bedding question: I found great linen choices at Restoration Hardware. Italian linens are so luxurious. On the web site they have pieces reduced 60%. Found stunning pillow shams for $20 (reg $100).

Jura Koncius: Great tip!

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Arlington, Va.: Hi,

I recently moved into a new apartment and I'm in the market for a coffee table. My living room has a cream-colored couch and dark wood bookcases/TV stand. Problem is, I want something unique and fun, not just a plain wood or glass table -- maybe with stone or a brightly colored mosaic/tiled top -- and under $200. Ikea and places like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel don't have what I'm looking for. Are there any stores in the D.C. area that carry unique pieces that don't break the bank?

Terri Sapienza: You should try browsing through Miss Pixies on 14th Street, a consignment shop that carries lots of unique pieces at good prices. You can see current merchandise online here.

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painted horses: Do you have a favorite Pratt & Lambert color? My dining room is BM Cornsilk and I'd like to paint an adjoining room (French doors between, so still fairly separate) in a neutral beige or taupe, preferably with P&L paint, but I'm at a loss. Can you recommend a shade? The room has red oak hardwood floors but is otherwise empty. I think that's my problem -- too many choices.

Terri Sapienza: I like P&L Seed Pearl, but that may be too light for you?

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Falls Church, Va.: Good morning ladies. I've got a problem with these stupid little moths. I cleaned out my pantry and if it's not in a can, I put it in the fridge or the freezer. But I still get these little moths. They're horrible. Can you give me any advice?

Jura Koncius: Those things are really pesky! You must take every single thing out of your cabinets and wipe them down with a strong cleanser, maybe something with a bit of bleach in it. You have to throw out everything that is not made of metal or plastic -- all your cereals, flours, cookie bags etc and start over. At first, put everything in canisters or in your refrigerator. Watch what you bring in from the outside.

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Norwich, Vt.: I really enjoy your column and look forward to it every week! My question is in regard to sofas. What do you think of a bench cushion for a sofa? we have young children and are wondering how a bench cushion would hold up compared to a typical two- or three-cushion sofa. We love the look but want to make sure it's practical. Thank you!

Terri Sapienza: I personally prefer a bench cushion over two or three separate cushions on sofas. I think it looks neater and is more comfy when you are laying on it. Plus, nothing (food, toys, etc.) can fall in-between the cushions. In terms of practicality, if you're are thinking of stains, it is easier to flip over one of three cushions if there is a bad accident on one side. But I would go with the single cushion and have the fabric treated with a stain guard.

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Cleveland Park, D.C.: I have a small bedside table made of wood that's currently white but I'm thinking of sanding and repainting it to make it pop a little more. My bedroom is light blue with white trim and my linens are also white. What color do you think would work well? If it helps, my living room, which is right off of my bedroom, is a sage green with a white sofa and Pottery Barn's yellow Moorish tile rug. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Do you want to introduce a new color? Or do you want to add a bit of pale blue to the white table -- you could do a fresh coat of white and add pale blue hardware to it or a few stripes. If you want to do a new color, pale yellow or light green would make a nice new accent color for your bedroom.

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hostess gifts: Someone at Eastern Market has lovely cherry blossom-themed gifts, e.g. cherry blossom soap.

Jura Koncius: Yes. Good idea.

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Coffee tables: I bought a leather-topped, solid-wood coffee table at Capital Consignment in Bethesda for $75 (hard to explain -- it's not soft leather like an ottoman, but stretched over the wood, with a painted wood border, and even has a little drawer to store all the remotes). Miss Pixie's had a similar one last weekend (although it could be gone by now). Definitely hit the consignment/thrift stores for good quality furniture at Ikea prices.

Jura Koncius: Great tips. Good for you.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hello,

I am redecorating my powder room. It is basically a blank slate, with a white toilet and white wall-mounted sink. Can you give me some ideas for interesting and special paint? This is the bath most of our guests use so I want it to look special and interesting.

Terri Sapienza: If you want something special and interesting, I would consider wallpaper. Especially in a small powder room. A very cool color and/or pattern would make a fun statement.

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Re. Pittsburgh: May have better luck looking for something dark in the fall/winter.

LL Bean has bedding also.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Red/berry bedding: Try the Company Store online. Good quality, and they have annual sales.

Terri Sapienza: Thanks.

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Falls Church, Va.: I loved the article on keeping chickens! My friends thought that I was crazy when I started a small flock of three, but having chickens is a blast. They have such personalities and are so easy to take care of. And I get about five eggs a week from each of my girls. Home grown eggs that are still warm from the chicken are the best!!

Thanks again.

Jura Koncius: We will pass this along. Thanks!

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Still a subscriber, but of what?: I thought I understood the print newspaper crisis, but I do not understand how the entire front page of the Home section is one drawing, albeit a very attractive one. Are there not enough journalists to provide content for that page?

Terri Sapienza: It has nothing to do with the "newspaper crisis" or a lack of journalists. We thought is was a great drawing so we wanted to give it a lot of space. Everything else simply starts inside the pages instead of starting out front.

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Golden, Colo.: Hi Terri and Jura!

Have you or the chatters had good experiences with any of the closet renovation companies? I live in a 50s ranch house. Love the house, but the closets are SMALL -- thought a closet organizer might be able to maximize space. By the way Jura, I have a coon cat and she loves hearing about Gus!

Jura Koncius: Dear Golden. Nice to hear you have a coon cat - they have beautiful markings. There are franchised closet renovation companies but I'm not sure which are in Colorado. I do know that the Elfa system at the Container Store is very popular and they do have carpenters and closet consultants they can suggest to you.

Two of the big companies are www.californiacloset.com and www.closetfactory.com.

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Chapel Hill: Planning to remodel kitchen and have a question about stoves. Are the upscale Viking, Thermador stoves really worth the price differential from an upscale GE or Sears brand Kenmore? Am I just caving to peer pressure and keeping up with the Joneses? I enjoy cooking and baking, but have never felt the need to have a "professional" kitchen. Am I missing out on something?

Jura Koncius: I think you answered your own question. If you are not wildly into cooking and baking, then those very upper-end kitchen appliances may not be for you. Some of the top tier products available from GE or Kenmore might be just right for you.

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Suburban Md.: I have a set of 4 folding wooden chairs (like the ones from IKEA), and I am looking for slipcovers for them. SureFit makes some $10 ones, but they only come in two colors. Can you recommend a place that does semi-custom ones, or at least have more choices? (I've looked into custom ones and they are REALLY pricey.)

If all else fails, how hard is it to learn to sew?

Terri Sapienza: I am far from being a DIYer, but...if one of the SureFit slipcover options is white, can you dye them the color you want? If you're nervous, buy one and see how it works out before investing in the rest.

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Chevy Chase, Md.: I need to have 2 apartment-sized sofas and 2 large chairs reupholstered. Everyone tells me that it's just as much as buying new, but they're good pieces. Is Yi's the best place to call for this? are there other workrooms or upholsterers who do good work at a fair price? What about bringing your own fabric (BYOF)? Is this a no-no, or not a big deal?

Jura Koncius: Bringing your own fabric can save you a bundle, especially if you can find it at a fabric outlet or on sale somewhere. Reupholstering something can be just as expensive as buying new. I might check out sales at some of the furniture stores whose styles you like before I take the plunge to reupholstering, which takes a lot of time and effort. Yi's has been around a long time and is said to have fair prices. Another name I have been given is M&K Upholstery in Gaithersburg at 301 670-0325.

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Hoboken, N.J.: Hi,

I have a question about curtains for my railroad-style 1BR condo. I have two windows in my small living room that came with standard white blinds. I'd like to get curtains, but not sure if I should go for one big curtain rod across the wall or two separate curtain rods. I'm leaning towards two, but what panel size do you suggest? Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: You don't mention how close or far apart the windows are, but I would lean toward two rods as opposed to one long one. Having two sets of panels rather than one will add more softness to the room, too.

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D.C.: This is not strictly your area, but does anyone know how to remove ants from peonies before bringing them into the house? Thank you.

Jura Koncius: Wow -- this is a great question. Other than hosing it down gently or shaking it every so gently -- I can't think of anything else? What about you guys? Those ants seem to crawl out of everything you bring in these days... and yesterday I saw gypsy moth caterpillars everywhere - one was spinning under my doorbell. UGH

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gray basement: If you go with gray, be careful it doesn't resemble a battleship or a submarine! How about a rich/jewel accent wall or wall hanging/material/rugs on the wall to help draw attention away from the fact it's a basement wall. If the fabric is light, I have success with using a nice curtain rod and those curtain clip things.

Terri Sapienza: Yes, exactly, which is why I suggest a light shade if going with gray. But I would have to disagree with your suggestion of an accent wall -- the whole room should just be painted one light color.

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Mirrored furniture: I am really drawn to mirrored furniture, but I can't tell if it's tacky or not! The ones I like are from Horchow. I have a huge foyer that I use as an office and need some accent pieces and was thinking of getting a mirrored chest (it's not too big). However, the rest of my furniture is pretty traditional (think Pottery Barn). I have a cherry wood desk and bookshelves. Would a mirrored chest work okay with traditional furniture?

Jura Koncius: Yes. I think mirrored furniture is really great looking and it is timeless in its look. In your hallway, this would make a nice statement piece.

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Centerpiece: I love going to the Korean wholesalers on Florida in NE and getting tons of lemons for next to no money -- I can then eat them in all sorts of fun ways! If they are getting tired and I'm uninspired I just juice them.

Jura Koncius: What a terrific idea!

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Ashton, Md.: Here's another shout-out for Tulip...When they were in Bethany, I always found something unique and beautiful to buy. I do notice the Rehoboth store is not quite as wonderful but still worth a visit!

Terri Sapienza: I agree. I think the Bethany location was better and carried more interesting unique things than they do now. But a room filled with Vera Bradley is not my idea of interesting.

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Silver Spring: Coffee table: I bought a leather coffee table. It can also be used as additional seating. I love it.

Jura Koncius: Cool.

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Gray in Basement: We went with BM Feather Gray in our basement, and it really feels nice and light.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Bedding and bathroom: Two things -- Lands' End has lots of good quality bedding, and their sales are terrific (go to their "overstocks" page on their website).

And on wallpaper in bathroom -- great idea! We moved into a house with wallpaper in several rooms (including on the CEILING), and most was very dated looking and we had it removed and painted the walls. EXCEPT in the powder room, which has silver wallpaper with a flower print -- it's probably a little dated, too, and not the wallpaper I would have necessarily picked, but I think it looks great in a small bathroom. Definitely more of a statement than paint.

Terri Sapienza: Yes, wallpaper is definitely a statement in a small space. I put up Farrow & Ball wallpaper in our powder room two years ago and I love more every time I see it.

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U Street: I just moved into my new Dupont apartment and I'm so excited to get down to decorating. I have some ideas for details in shelving units and other projects I've seen online using wallpaper. Do you have any suggestions for where I can get a roll of fun wallpaper (I'm thinking a damask print) that won't break the bank? It doesn't have to be the best quality because it will never actually make it to the walls. Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: Anthropologie has some fun wallpapers that are supposed to be easy to put up and take down. I don't know if they have any damask prints currently, but it's worth checking out.

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Red/berry bedding:: I've done well with bedding from Target, and they tend to feature lots of reds. Great prices and good quality. Look online, which has a larger selection.

Terri Sapienza: Thanks. But I would recommend going to an actual store. Target's website is horrible and annoyingly difficult to navigate.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi ladies,

I'm replacing the vanity in my master bathroom and am struggling with the myriad of options available for the vanity countertop. I will be purchasing a countertop that is 31" long, and I don't want to spend more than $300. For purposes of resale would marble, granite, or something else be better? Are there advantages or disadvantages to one versus the other? I'm going to custom order from one of the big home improvement stores. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: Either marble or granite would give your bathroom a rich look. Try visiting a marble or granite warehouse to see if you can get a small piece at a discount price. You don't need much, but it will make a big difference in the look of the countertop.

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Reupholstering: What about having custom slipcovers made? Not the same look as reupholstering, but less expensive and if they're custom you will be much happier than with a generic one-size-fits-all slipcover.

Jura Koncius: Yes. That is true. You have to be careful about the cost of slipcovers too -- they take more fabric.

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Rug cleaning: My husband took our wool 6 by 8 rug to the car wash and used a push broom and the pressure hose to rinse, scrub and rinse. Then we brought it home and laid it over our plastic lawn chairs in the sun. Took out all the stains (puppies!!!) and odors. Cost $5.

Jura Koncius: WOW!!!

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Peonies: Dunk them in a bucket of water.

Jura Koncius: Great idea! I knew someone out there would know!

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Bethesda, Md.: Comment to person looking for red bedding: A nice, airy red toile would also look feminine against the darker, heavier wood. I think it would keep your bedroom set from looking too heavy (...even if you find the perfect shade of red in a regular bedding set). Pottery Barn has some toile bedding currently.

Jura Koncius: Toile would be lovely.

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re: yikes. This is a little negative... : Sorry, wasn't meaning to be negative. Just trying to be silly and make the point that if it's his room, let him pick what he wants. I wish I had a room for just my husband, where he could pick all the colors and furnishings. He'd love it and would finally have a home for his Star Wars poster. But we have a small place and don't have an extra room for that.

Terri Sapienza: Oh, okay. Now I get it. You mean you don't let your husband hang his Star Wars posters right in the living room?

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Terri Sapienza: Looks like were out of time. Thanks for joining us today. Have a great, long holiday weekend. Chat with you next week.

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Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.