Eric Piasecki.

Good stuff HERE.

What do you think?

...of these $300 makeovers?

Full story HERE.





And if you were told to spend $300 on your place to give it an update, what would you do? How would you stretch those dollars?

Reader Decorating Dilemma: Matching sofas?

Hey Decorno,
You are the best thing that I read every morning while drinking coffee and contemplating working. I have a question for you because I trust you in all things decor. I have a large living room (20 x 22 feet) that i am trying to make into something that is great for when we have lots of family and or friends over. I am wanting to get 2 couches for the room. Where do you stand on getting 2 couches that are exactly the same? I am one for symmetry, so it naturally appeals to me BUT i am thinking that it may look too much like " I wandered into a big box decorating store and bought the display".

Where do you stand on matching couches?

Thanks
K.
Halifax, NS

I think the more the merrier. If you love the sofa, why not get two if you have the space. I think the key is to mix up other elements like the lamps and end tables.

But what do I know? I am no decorator.

What does everyone else think?

Ikrom needs a cow.

I think one of you here mentioned KIVA before. I finally checked it out and felt compelled to loan Ikrom some money for a cow.

The internet is bananas. We live in amazing, glorious times. We really do.

Shifting gears:

If you are tired of economy talk, don't go HERE. If you want a continuation of the recent economy post, then definitely go there.


I thought I was the one to host the comment dust-ups around here. Whew. I am glad Jamie is finally doing her fair share of stirring shit up. It's about time, dammit. I can't do everything, you know. Sheesh.

Almost.

Yeah, we lived with that disaster yellow kitchen for 4 years. If you are late to the party, you can read more about the horrible old kitchen and my paint-peeling party HERE in my love/hate letter to home ownership.

It's not a super deluxe remodel or anything. We didn't move any walls. We didn't reconfigure the space. It's just cosmetic, but we sure as hell needed it.




(Update: A few Seattle people have emailed to ask about the cabinets. I got them from BUILDER'S SHOWROOM. The cabinets are manufactured by a local company, CANYON CREEK.)

Roam.

I am taking a month off this summer.

I find this really mind blowing. I have been with my company over 6 years now and I figured that before I turned 7 there, I might want to take more than just a week off at a time.

When I requested the time off many months ago, it seemed pretty distant and I didn't start planning anything for fear the whole thing might blow up. But no. It's coming. So now the questions. When? Where?

I want to go to Italy, Greece and Turkey. A part of my wants to take a boat of some kind from southern Italy to Tunisia just to place a foot on that continent. But then I think I should go to Croatia and Montenegro. Who knows. Somewhere sunny and beachy and not here.



But a larger part of me is tired of getting on planes for work and kinda wants to get in the car with no predetermined plan, and just drive. Away. To California. Through Arizona. On over to Austin, Texas. Keep going through the south.

Decisions, decisions.

My big anxiety now is this: don't squander the time. Do something memorable. And relaxing. And get a bitchin' tan while I'm at it.

I am open to your suggestions. Especially if you've taken a chunk of time off and done something similar. Did you take the trip of a lifetime? When? And to where? Did you love it?