Burning Question: Got Any Burning Questions?
We’ve loved getting your read on quite a few surprisingly controversial subjects over the years (from whether you prefer wood or carpeted floors in the bedroom to which way you like to dispense your toilet paper):
Some topics elicited way more responses than we ever thought possible (like this chatter about how early is too early to decorate for the holidays). While others got unexpectedly heated (who knew there were such strongly opposing views when it came to being pro or anti cul-de-sac?).
So now our big question is: got any more questions?
It’s not really that we’re “out” per se. There are always about a million things to ask, from what upholstery fabric you prefer (velvet? chenille? microfiber? duck?) to whether you like sofas or sectionals better (and why). But we thought it was about time that we asked you guys what big important home-related conundrums are plaguing you so we could officially add them to our roster of Burning Questions.
So what say you our curious readers? Is anyone out there dying to discuss the pros and cons of slate roofing vs. metal or asphalt ones? Anyone else wondering if a wood deck or a stone patio is more popular among our bevy of opinionated readers? Just comment on this post with any and all home or decor related burning questions (general ones where everyone can chime in, like “this vs. that”- nothing too personal to your house or your sitch) and we’ll do our best to address as many as we can moving forward. Sounds like a good time, eh?
First image courtesy of Toothpaste For Dinner, second image from Google Maps (it’s actually my childhood subdivision).
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I would love to know…
…what kind of upholstery fabric you prefer?
…do you like sofas or sectionals better?
…what are your feelings on leather furniture, sofas/sectionals, beds, etc.?
Your entry way (into your living/dining room) is always so clutter-free (of coats, shoes, umbrellas, bags). When people enter your house, where do you stash their things?
Ha, wow, you guys are quick! Thanks for the TV in the bedroom yay or nay link – lots of interesting thoughts there. We are on the nay side :)
Another burning question – If you have a large opening between 2 rooms, (think large arch between dining and living rooms of a large house), should the 2 rooms be painted the same color? If not, exactly where should one color stop and the other start? Seriously, I really need to know! :)
Sorry, I meant an old house, definitely not large. Thanks again!
Patterned Curtain Panels: how do you decide on a pattern for a curtain panel for a great room/dining room combo that complements or adds accent without overpowering a room with too much pattern or with too much definition? A pattern that won’t become dated. And if one is not a seamstress, whatsoever, who makes great patterned curtain panels that are gorgeous, well made and don’t look cheap?
What do you use as air freshener? Plug in, what kind, defuser, etc. I hate a lot of the plug in smells and what something more natural to fresh my 110 year old house. HELP
What do you use as air freshener? Plug in, what kind, defuser, etc. I hate a lot of the plug in smells and what something more natural to freshen my 110 year old house. HELP
Have you painted while pregnant? I’m about to do my baby’s room and was wondering whether a regular mask was ok or if I needed one of those expensive respirators…
And – have you ever hung a pot rack? I looked at Lowe’s today to see if they had some sort of kit for it, but no. I’m not sure about what screws, etc. to get individually to hang one.
Stained and oil-based poly’d hardwood floors vs. unstained and water-based poly (oil-based is always going to have a faint yellow tint, but is supposedly more durable; water-based is much lower on fumes, etc.)
Textured ceilings – not just the popcorn ones, but the ones that look like someone repeatedly pushed a round broom into wet drywall compound. I’ve been told by a professional builder it’s usually done because it’s cheaper (the ceiling doesn’t have to be perfectly square/flat or have perfect drywall seams for the texture to look ok, unlike a smooth finish – basically, they can use less-experienced drywall people, so it’s the cheap alternative) – how to get rid of them, pros/cons of keeping them, etc.
wall-to-wall carpet vs. hardwood floors – why do/did people cover up old wood floors?
Ok, this one has been bugging me forever.
I live by the beach and I don’t know if it’s just ’cause of the location,but termites are a HUGE problem in my house. Ive been wanting to add molding to the top and bottom of our 8 feet walls but Im pretty sure the termites will eat right through it. Would painting a white line at the top and bottom of the walls (in place of the molding) look tacky?
I have a really tall closet.. so tall that I can’t find a door big enough! I don’t like the idea of using fabric curtains,but what do you guys think about using sliding panels? What other things can I use to in place of a door? thanks!! :)
How has your bed been working out? When we move, we plan on selling/getting rid of our huge King in favor of a Queen (3 sons are getting old to all want to get in and cuddle every morning) and would like the most earth friendly option. I love the fact that it came in such a portable package. Is it still comfortable? Does it ever feel too warm? Too squishy? Are there permanent indents? Hope that you love it.
I live in a 110 year old home and needless to say there are smells lingering and the smells change…weird I know. Anyways I would love you to know what you all and everyone else for that matter use to freshen the air in your homes. Plug-ins, air purifiers, candles, etc…I prefer natural smells and have been very disappointed with every store bought products so far. Please help!
To Tara: Definitely paint your paneling. It’s a great, smooth surface for eggshell paint. It will reflect light in your space, which is always a good thing. I have 70s paneling that I’ve painted and I absolutely love it. I wish there had been paneling everywhere in my house instead of the awful textured drywall. And, if you don’t like the color of the brick, paint it as well. Good luck.
Michelle: Check out barn-style sliding doors if you have the space. You can have them custom sized. My neighbor has them in various rooms in her house and the are FAB!
I want to install wood or laminate floors in LR/DR/BR but keep tile in kitchen and bathrooms. I have the builders basic baseboards that are 2.25 inches. Is it better to install higher baseboards? If I keep oringinal baseboards, should they be removed before new floors are installed or install with the baseboards in place and trim with shoe molding?
Tiled areas (kitchen and bathrooms) have shoe molding trim along baseboards. Should I also replace the baseboards and put new shoe molding in these areas? Would it look strange to have 2 different baseboards in your house?
Would it look strange to have no shoe molding where wood/laminate is intalled but have it in kitchen and bathrooms?
Thanks so much for all the burning questions! With almost 200 rolling in it might take us a while to get to many of them, but we’ll do our best to address the most common ones that we think will apply to the most people. Stay tuned!
xo,
s
My burning question: Should all the ceiling fans be the same throughout the house or can I mix and match?
Choosing a finish for the hardware in your home…all the same? different in different rooms? what about the kitchen- appliances are stainless, knobs/pulls are satin nickel- what to do about the sink?
We actually already tackled that subject! Scroll back through the comments for the link. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sorry about the multiple posts…sending from a Blackberry can cause problems sometimes. :)
Can’t wait for all the discussions! Great questions everyone.
Heather
Does the back of your yard attach to a forest? If so, do you ever get any wildlife visitors? It doesn’t really look like you live in the suburbs.
How do you handle the criticism you get for having a blog? I am sure you get more then your share of negativity, does it ever get to you?
Are you going to take a blogging break when the baby comes?
Love your style and your blog. Keep up the good work.
Here’s a post all about our home’s lot (the main reason we fell in love with our house).
http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/06/the-lay-of-the-land/
We do get our fair share of wildlife (deer, squirrels, bunnies, chipmunks) but luckily they don’t eat our trees, shrubs and flowers (or our chihuahua!). As for dealing with criticism, we know that decorating and design are extremely subjective so we never expect that everyone will agree with us on every subject but we have been surprised to see how many lovely and supportive people are out there. We love blogging and sharing our adventures with everyone and always appreciate the feedback we get when we do.
As for a blog break when Baby P comes, we’re actually stockpiling extra posts already so we’ll have plenty in the hopper to keep things going relatively uninterrupted. Stay tuned to see how it all shakes out…
xo,
s
Did anyone give a recommendation for removing popcorn ceiling? worth it? safe? not worth it?
We don’t believe so, but you can always scroll back through this massive list to see what people had to say on the subject. Here’s hoping we tackle that topic soon (and of course there’s always google to tide you over until then)…
xo,
s
What would you do with over the cabinet space?? I’m having a hard time displaying “collections” without looking too cluttery.
To heather: I use reed diffusers and scented candles. I only have candles in the living room, though. I love the look but the smell doesnt last very long after they’ve been turned out. I find the scents in the diffusers last longer and are great in bathrooms. Hope that helps you out!
My daughter comes home from Kindergarten with tons of artwork. I have plans to take pictures of them and make books I can keep instead of the actual artwork, but what about bills/important paperwork? Do you guys have a “system” that helps you organize mail as it comes in? I feel like paper is taking over our home!
Hey Kelly,
We’ve actually tackled the topic of storage and organization a bunch of times, but here’s our most popular all-encompassing post about how we store almost everything in our house (including bills, important papers, receipts, etc): http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/04/how-ya-bin/
We also have a ton of other links on the subject on our How To page (just scroll down to the “Organization Options” section). Oh and don’t forget to read the comments for even more info and ideas (especially on that big post that we linked to above). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
popcorn ceilings- only in the foyer and front bedroom, rest of the house has nice, smooth ceilings…BUT, the bedroom has popcorn on the VENTS!
butcher block counter on kitchen island- stain color? We have a skylight with wood surround (sounds weird, actually really pretty and bright)- do we have to match the wood color exactly since it’s directly above, or go with something different for a contrast?
doors in master bedroom- SO MANY! We actually have a his and hers closet each, also a walk-in closet which used to be a bathroom (now have a nice, large add-on bath), plus door to hallway= 5 total! what can we do to break it up- curtains? mirrored/windowpane doors…we don’t have much wallspace
I only see posts about killing bugs here, not tips about storage?
“We’ve actually tackled the topic of storage and organization a bunch of times, but here’s our most popular all-encompassing post about how we store almost everything in our house (including bills, important papers, receipts, etc): http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/11/calling-all-experts-critter-control/“
Sorry wrong link! 200 questions can get confusing! Here you go: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/04/how-ya-bin/
xo,
s
Ok…my question is how do you get all of your paint jobs to look OH SO GOOD?!?
I just repainted my bedroom this weekend (trying to make my home more cohesive) and every single edge/trim area seems to look like crapola. I taped everything off and pushed it down nice and tight, but there are places where the paint leaked through!!! Do you have tricks or secrets?
I’d like to try to stripe some of my walls at some point, but I’m scared to because of how just the trim turns out!
Thanks a latte! <–That sounds really good right now. :)
Hey Abigail,
Check out this post for the answer to that issue (of course you still have to tape things off cleanly and push each edge of the tape down firmly but it should be a huge improvement): http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/01/nursery-progress-painting-the-walls-ceiling/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
#1–is anyone still doing (tough-wearing/easy-on-the-budget) laminate countertops in their lower-cost kitchen renovations? I’ve heard that the “new” laminates are “much better.” Does anyone have pics?? How does it really look?
#2–How many people just have WONDERFUL working relationships with their spouse on home projects, and how many people DON’T? In our home, DIY projects spell one thing: conflict!! We don’t do things together because of it. How do other people find ways to work around this?
trash can or no trash can in restrooms? I see alot of pics of remodeled restroom and there is no trash can in sight. Granted, not all cans are easy on the eye and many just rather flush down the TP. We use small decor style ones for our restrooms mostly for practical reasons (we have a septic tank so it’s best not to flush down toilet paper with each use). Also if you do use a trash can the “burning” question is…with or without trash bag? We use the small white plastic bags that we get at Target, Walmart or the grocery store (holler for recycling!)
Wow, you all have a lot of questions! Good luck getting to them all…I don’t know if these have been mentioned but it’s what we’re currently pondering in our household.
-TV above the fireplace? Those of you who have done this, do you like it? Would you do it again? Is it comfortable?
-Painting the exterior of a brick house? A yay or nay?
How did you guys and your blog become “famous”? I was looking at the newest issue of the DIY magazine and my fiance said “look there’s your buddies”… I wish! :)
Hey Lauren,
Here’s a post all about how our little blog baby grew: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/09/how-did-we-get-here/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
To Kathy – Totally worth removing popcorn. Husband did it this weekend in the baby to be’s room. He filled up a spray bottle with hot tap water, sprayed the ceiling and then started scraping away. Then he sanded away the rough spots.
I suggest priming the ceiling after you’re done with this before you paint it whatever color you want.
Great moderator step.
my question to pose is which eco-decor tip/product did you pick up that you wished you hadn’t? (example – in everyone’s haste to buy CFL bulbs, most forgot about the mercury disposal issues. my friend with a new baby was shocked to hear about that.)
In the long run, is it better to install a pool, or a spa, provided cost is no object?
I hope it isn’t too late for questions . . . :)
I’m making a headboard for my bed, and the fabric I’m covering it with is a black/grey print. However, I’m at a total loss for what color (solid? graphic?) of bedding to use! Any suggestions?
Are your wood floors original to your house, or are they engineered hardwood? The picture of your hall floors in your February 28th posting shows such a SHINE! My husband is obsessive about clean hardwood floors, but he has not found a product that he feels produces the shine he would like to see. Suggestions?
Hey Megan,
Our floors are hardwood. Here’s a post about getting most of them refinished (to match the new ones we installed in the kitchen and den): http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/01/floor-refinishing-101/
As for how we clean them, we water down Mrs. Meyer’s soap and give them a good once over every season or so, but for the most part it’s the poly topcoat that keeps them shiny. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I thought of another question – I need a chair for my living room and although I like the solid fabrics like yours, I love some of the prints. I haven’t purchased a chair though because I’m worried that the print will look dated quickly, or I’ll get sick of it, or I won’t know how to work in other prints…Any blog posts on selecting prints, chairs, or anything else around this topic would be great.
Just thought of another burning question, which you’ve probably covered already.
Seating in the great/family/living room- Sofa and chairs OR sofa, loveseat, and chair, OR sectional, etc.
I don’t know if you’ve already done this one or not, but do you pre-wash dishes before you put them in the dishwasher?
I just read an article on the front page of Yahoo about wasting soap in the dishwasher and washing machine (really GREAT tips, by the way!! — here’s the link to the story — http://customsites.yahoo.com/financiallyfit/finance/article-109082-4469-3-how-to-really-use-your-dishwasher-washing-machine?ywaad=ad0035 )
I do pre-wash, but after reading this article, I’ll probably stop! Woohoo for less house work!!! Let the machines do it all!! :)
Hi guys! I’ve been obsessively reading your blog for a couple of weeks now, and I love it! We’re currently house hunting ourselves, and I loved reading about you guys trying to find a house that needed just the right amount of work, instead of looking for something that was move-in ready. I know this “burning questions” entry is old, but is there any chance you might do a post about what kinds of “problems” to welcome in a new house (walls that can be knocked down, ugly wallpaper that can be stripped, etc.), and which issues should make a home buyer back away fast? We’re happy to DIY a lot of stuff and think it’s more fun to buy a house with personality that’s not quite perfect yet, but we’re also on a pretty tight budget. It doesn’t help that many of the homes in our price range (and in this market) have plenty of issues. So, how about a little DIY-friendly homebuying primer? Good Bad vs. BAD Bad? =)
This is a perfect question to post on our Facebook page so we can weigh in along with other people so you’ll hopefully get lots of feedback! Hope it helps!
xo,
s