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Realtor.org reports that Candy Spelling, the widow of Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling, will be placing their 56,500 sq ft home on the market. In interviewing real estate professionals, she had her dog, Madison, brought in each time to see how the dog reacted to the Realtor. The one the dog liked best got the listing.

Hopefully, the dog’s choice will be able to do the virtual tour(s) required for a home where even the owner doesn’t know how many rooms it has. I know that I would probably need to use GPS, not to find it, but to get out once I’m done with a showing. At any rate, Hormel is particularly enticing to dogs, so get some ready for your next listing appointment.

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The last 2 1/2 years have been lousy for Morissa P. Wiley of Souderton, a single mother with two children.

As a trained nurse working for a hospice that couldn’t guarantee her the same number of hours week to week, Wiley, 30, was receiving wildly fluctuating paychecks. “One week, it was 60 to 70 hours; the next week, it could be less than 20 hours,” she said.

Then, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She had surgery, recuperated, and, instead of returning to nursing, got a full-time job with Cemcolift Elevator Systems in Hatfield. “Yes, I build elevators, another girl and I,” she said.

But her return to work wasn’t quick enough. Wiley was months behind on the home loan she and her estranged husband took out in 2004 through the rural mortgage program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

As the mortgage payment grew from $948 a month to more than $1,150, Wiley sought help on the Internet and contacted New Hope Modifications of Bellmawr, which promised to work to modify her loan and save her house.

For $1,800 up front.

“My friends told me not to, so I told the person at New Hope that I’d send $500,” she said. She mailed New Hope the check - and, eventually, about $800 more.

“They kept telling me that everything was OK, that they were working with my lender, and not to worry,” she said. “They never called me; I always had to call them, and I started getting suspicious.”

Shortly after the last reassurance from New Hope, she found a notice that her house was destined for sheriff’s sale.

“I got on the phone and called New Hope,” Wiley said. “I wanted to know if they were really working with my lender or if I should start looking for an apartment for me and my children.” Her contact “was always off or out on leave.” A supervisor declined to return the money she had sent.

Someone advised Wiley to call a bankruptcy lawyer, so she contacted William D. Schroeder Jr. of Colmar, who filed a Chapter 13 petition halting the sheriff’s sale.

In the meantime, her lender agreed to work with Wiley to modify the loan. On April 22, she and Schroeder will meet with a bankruptcy trustee. Typically, petitioners with regular income propose a plan to make installments to creditors over three to five years.

If the petition is granted, Wiley will give her lawyer two checks every month: one for the trustee to pay her debts, the other for her mortgage.

As her prospects have improved, New Hope Modification’s have suffered. The New Jersey attorney general sued it and Hope Now Financial of Cherry Hill on March 12, accusing the firms of selling loan-modification services that never materialized and asking the court to shut them down.

Eighty consumer complaints had been filed against New Hope and 23 against Hope Now, involving more than $100,000 in payments. “I guess we’ll have to sue to get it back,” Wiley said.

The bottom line: Be careful. If you need help with your mortgage, go to http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/.

“On the House” appears Sundays in The Inquirer. Contact Alan J. Heavens at 215-854-2472 or aheavens@phillynews.com.

Inquirer real estate writer Alan J. Heavens is the author of “Remodeling on the Money” (Kaplan Publishing). His home-improvement columns appear Fridays in Home & Design.

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Pure whimsy is plucked in these spring-poppin’ fleurs from Crate and Barrel. Simple, sweet, straight from the garden, these enamel-on-iron flowers come in four wake-me-up colors: bright pink, orange, yellow and spring green. Slip on just one, or two, or, well, who’s stoppin’ you?

Cost: $2.50

Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, crateandbarrel.com

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The push to crack down on foreclose-rescue scams is coming from all quarters these days. Locally, latimes.com reports:

State Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown pledged Saturday to investigate and prosecute businesses that charge struggling homeowners fees to help get more favorable terms for repayment of their mortgage loans.

“We have lawyers, we have investigators, and we will go after those who break the law by falsely representing what they can do,” Brown said at a congressional hearing in South Los Angeles.

Brown, a Democrat planning to run for governor next year, vowed to focus specifically on bogus television ads that lure homeowners into expensive mortgage consulting deals that are useless.

“We will document the rip-offs that are over the mass media as best we can,” he said.

On the federal level, part of the plan is to educate homeowners with theater ads. From the Wall Sreet Journal:

The Federal Reserve is coming soon to a theater near you.

The subject won’t be the drama inside the central bank or its role in the current financial crisis. Rather, Fed officials plan to launch advertisements in movie theaters to warn homeowners about foreclosure scams.

Intended to extend the reach of consumer warnings on the Fed’s website, the ads will run in 14 cities with high-foreclosure housing markets and an outbreak of scam artists charging for guidance that is free from nonprofits working with the government.

The point of both the local and federal efforts: Don’t pay for what you can get free and you won’t get ripped off.

—Lauren Beale

Thoughts? Comments?

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You’ve heard about the bad mortgages, about sad struggles with insolvency, about the wave of foreclosures that has crashed over America. But what happens next?

Every day, thousands of Americans begin their lives again after they are ejected from their homes.

They rent, live with friends or family, or seek refuge in a shelter. They usually have stacks of overdue bills, empty savings accounts, and a red flag on their credit reports that will take years to fade. They often suffer from feelings of shame, failure and displacement.

The Housers, the Melendezes, the Gambinos, the Boykins — four families from different backgrounds and different states — are all enduring the same life smack-down.

They’ve all lost their homes within the past year. They’ve learned lessons and changed behaviors. They’ve opened new doors after their front doors closed, turned to social programs that helped or let them slip through a crack.

They all seek happily ever-after endings. But there are no guarantees.

• Bitter medicine

GAHANNA, Ohio (AP) — Her family’s health fell apart with such ferocity that Sarah Houser laughs in disbelief when she remembers it.

Their troubles began in the summer of 2007 with a sharp pain in her husband Eric’s stomach from a debilitating intestinal disease that required several surgeries and left him with seven hernias. Days later she came down with a scratchy throat that wouldn’t go away.

“It was like the Thursday after his surgery I found out that the cancer was back,” Houser, 38, says. “There’s four tumors in my neck … the biopsies say that the lymph nodes are malignant.”

Eric Houser was kept out of work for months, and this family of seven — which includes three kids, a 1-year-old granddaughter and their son’s fiancee — lost their medical coverage. Their income dropped, while their monthly health care costs soared from about $165 to about $480. Their $1,300 monthly mortgage bill went unpaid.

In November 2008, a little more than a year after they got sick, a sheriff’s deputy knocked on the Housers’ front door and told them it was time to leave.

“We never thought we’d be homeless,” Houser says, as her granddaughter, Marleigh, toddles around the kitchen at the family’s small rental home, a few miles from where they used to live.

They camped out at a Holiday Inn Express for two weeks, refusing to split their kids up among relatives and friends’ homes. The couple borrowed money from friends to get by and found this house two weeks later. Houser says they were determined to stay in the same town so that Chris, 16, and Mary, 14, would not be uprooted from high school.

“That was a prerequisite for the kids and Eric and I,” she says. “That as long as we’re all together we’ll be OK.”

She coughs and takes a sip of orange juice. She has been in and out of the hospital in recent weeks for radiation treatments.

“We don’t have a lot, but what we do have we own,” she says. “We don’t even have a credit card. And we weren’t living beyond our means. It’s just something that happened.”

The family is slowly moving forward, trying to rebuild the lives they once had. Eric Houser works from home for an electronics manufacturer and has regained medical benefits he lost last year. And the couple is currently mulling an option to purchase the rental house.

Their eldest son, 19-year-old Alex, recently landed a full-time job, and his fiancee plans to enroll in Oberlin College in the spring. Both gave up their original plans to attend college when Marleigh was born.

But beneath the calm surface, Houser is uneasy.

“I’m still sick,” she says. “Eric’s better, but we didn’t expect what happened to happen the first time. I can’t work right now. I wish I could, but I can’t. Is it going to happen again? Do you put your own health at risk to go to work?”

Over the coming months, she will continue to battle cancer, her son will prepare to graduate from high school and — if Houser has her way — the bills will be paid on time. For now, they are focused on simply staying together — under one roof.

• Finding angels

MIAMI — Laura Melendez holds dear the few “angels” who’ve guided her along the road out of foreclosure.

A mother of five boys, Melendez tells a story of a man named Angel who fixed her SUV on the cheap, and a woman named Esperanza — Spanish for hope — who hired her at Wal-Mart. There’s also a nephew who has given her moral support through trying times, and her rambunctious sons’ hungry mouths to motivate her daily.

“You find many people along the way who are like angels, but a lot of people who supposedly are your friends actually put more things in your way to trip you up,” she says.

Melendez’s path has been full of obstacles.

She and her boyfriend bought a $250,000 home near Homestead, Fla., in April 2007. They were able to pay their $2,600 monthly housing expenses through a combination of their salaries and help from Melendez’s mother’s Social Security checks.

Melendez says she had her doubts from the start. The interest rate on their mortgage seemed high.

“I like to think things through. Because of the kids, I didn’t want to end up where I am now, because it’s not easy. I told him, `Be careful.’”

She worked at a shelter for at-risk women, and her boyfriend built boats. They were managing to pay their bills until her boyfriend lost his job. He eventually left her and the five children, returning to their native Puerto Rico in December 2007.

With her boyfriend gone, Melendez, 33, found herself in even more trouble. Her mother got sick and ended up in an assisted living facility, so Melendez lost that financial help. She stopped paying the mortgage, fell behind on her SUV payments, and eventually walked away from the home last fall.

Facing life on the streets, Melendez sent three of her children to live with their father in Puerto Rico. She moved into the house of a friend for three months until he told her to leave Dec. 2, 2008.

Melendez sought refuge at a homeless shelter with her other two children the next day. She lived there for about three weeks until she got a $203-a-month apartment through a government program in late December.

She lost her job at the women’s center in January, but she had already secured a part-time job as a cosmetologist at Wal-Mart.

The job is now full time, and she received a healthy tax refund check that has helped her catch up on her bills. She has paid off two cash advance loans and some credit card bills, fixed the brakes on her SUV and signed up for a home phone.

“It’s not easy, but thank God,” she says. “Until now, God has given me health, and if I have to give my heart for my kids I will. Everything I have done, I’ve done for them. They are the reason for me to live.”

She wants to start making regular payments again on her SUV, make some additions to her new place to live and maybe even get cable and a cell phone — all promising steps.

She has been reunited with all but one of her boys. Her goal is to find an inexpensive plane ticket and bring him back from Puerto Rico as soon as she can.

“I can’t be without him,” she says. “I’m happy because I’m here and with them (other kids). But he’s missing. He’s missing.”

• Learning limits

CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — This isn’t how Fred Gambino expected to celebrate his 60th birthday or 30th wedding anniversary.

He probably would have hosted a big family party on his home patio or at his cottage up-north. And it’s a safe bet he would’ve fired up his “monster” grill that serves 40 guests.

Instead, he and his wife, Linda, will mark both milestones this year in the condo they rent, a half-mile from the suburban Detroit ranch home they lost to foreclosure Jan. 1. They also lost their car and the cottage because they couldn’t afford them after Gambino closed his real estate appraisal business last June.

He said he was left with no choice. Accounts at his company dwindled as the housing bubble burst, and costs of doing business rose.

His eight-burner grill is stored in his son’s garage. He makes do with a much smaller model that fits his downsized life. Hot dogs have taken the place where expensive steaks once sizzled.

“I’m a meat-and-potato man, and all of a sudden the meat’s gone,” says Gambino, sitting in the condo’s small living room with Linda.

The Gambinos’ already fragile living situation is threatened again. They recently learned the condo’s owner has fallen into foreclosure, which means they may need to find another place to live by late summer or early fall.

Still, he isn’t feeling bitter, or blameless.

“I was one of those that if I wanted it, yeah, get it. Don’t worry about it. We’re making money. Unfortunately, I overextended myself,” he says.

“That’s part of why we’re in a predicament. Half of it was the economy and the job, and the other half of it was if I would have put aside the money instead of buying the cottage in 2003 that cost over $1,000 a month with utilities. And that’s not counting the money you spend when you go there every weekend.”

The cottage on Houghton Lake, about 155 miles northwest of Detroit, was a point of stress in their marriage. Fred says Linda tried hard to talk him out of buying it.

“I used to buy things and let her worry about paying the bills,” he said.

Their home sold at sheriff’s auction last June, and they had to leave by Jan. 1. The vacant home once worth $185,000 is on the market for $77,000.

Help these days comes various places: A friend lent a van he wasn’t using, and family members have paid their $800 rent.

Linda makes $50 a week baby-sitting a granddaughter. One son paid for Fred to take refresher courses and a test to become state-certified — an upgrade many mortgage companies now require from appraisers.

He failed at two attempts despite intense studying with a friend and fellow appraiser. But he’s making some money working for his oldest son, Fred Gambino Jr., who owns his own appraisal firm.

By summer, Fred Gambino hopes to be working steadily and paying the bills.

“We figure we’ve gone to the bottom as far as we can,” he says. “Now we’re just going to work our way back up again.”

• An easy target

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Charmaine Boykin was the ideal target of those looking to make a quick buck during the height of the housing boom. She was inexperienced in the home buying process, had less than perfect credit and a minority.

The majority of blacks who took out purchase mortgages in 2005 got high-cost subprime loans, compared with around 17 percent of whites, according to Federal Reserve data. And minority homeowners are bearing the brunt of the foreclosure crisis.

Boykin’s home went into foreclosure after a difficult pregnancy forced her to quit one of her two jobs and her adjustable mortgage rate rose, doubling her monthly payments to $1,387.

“I had no choice,” says Boykin, a South Carolina single mother of two. “I had to go out and get an apartment for me and my children.”

Financially, Boykin says she has hit bottom. But with a new associates degree in business and a new baby, she has a plan to rebound.

“It was definitely a lesson learned,” she says. “I think my interest rate was around 9 percent. And it was adjustable … And (I) just worked with someone who was out to make money and sell a home.”

She says she will use part of this year’s tax return to pay off old bills, get credit counseling and educate herself on what to do when buying a home.

In addition to looking for the best loan, Boykin said she’s also learned to avoid choosing the wrong house.

She bought a house from a mortgage broker who was buying houses, making cosmetic repairs, and flipping them. And soon after she moved in, she had to spend $6,000 to fix a roof leak and other things.

There will be another house, Boykin says. But this time, there will be a better chance to make it a permanent home.

“I feel like in a year or so, I’ll repair my credit and get back out there and get another home for me and my girls,” she says.

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A transcript follows.

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

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Jura Koncius: Good morning! I’m just back from the High Point Furniture Market where the economic news was the top item of discussion, but where also the furniture business goes on with new designs. I saw Darryl Carter’s collection for Thomasville which is totally cool and also Martha’s new mattress line - more on that later. So let’s go!

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Salt Lake City, Utah: My kitchen has an accent wall painted with Behr “Dragon Fruit” (130B-6). I’d like a paint color that won’t clash for a nearby bathroom with lots of white tile (also polished chrome fixtures). Prints on the bathroom wall will have some greens and blues with pink-peach-orange highlights. Any suggestions for painting the bathroom? Thanks.

Terri Sapienza: Dragon Fruit is such a fun color! What about using in the bathroom as well? If you’re only using it for one wall in the kitchen, it wouldn’t seem like overkill to use it in a nearby powder room as well. I think it would work well with the white tile and existing prints.

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Washington, DC: I would like to replace my existing sofa. I am debating between a classic leather or an upholstered sofa where I could change upholstery when the time comes to move or change things up. Which style do you think has more “staying power”?

Jura Koncius: A leather sofa is a great investment and has a wonderful feel to it that gets better with age. Upholstery gives a softer look - but it won’t wear as well as leather. Frankly, reupholstering is getting so expensive, it sometimes even isn’t worth it on a sofa that doesn’t have good bones.

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House Calls: Kudos to the designer in today’s House Calls for her clever ideas (especially the bike) for using some of the furnishings and fixtures that was already in the room, and most of all, for choosing materials and furnishings that were reasonably priced. This looks like a solution that the homeowner could incorporate without breaking the bank.

washingtonpost.com: House Calls: Elements of Style (Post Home Section, Oct. 23)

Terri Sapienza: I couldn’t agree more. I thought today’s House Calls was great and filled with lots of colorful, creative and affordable ideas. Thanks!

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Springfield, VA: Hello, thanks for taking my question! I’m looking to get a decent sleeper sofa for about $2000 or less. So far I’m looking into Penney’s, Crate & Barrel, and Pottery Barn (and obviously Craigslist). Do you or the chatters have any ideas of where else I could be looking? I saw an ad for a Mitchell Gold Bob Williams sale, but there are no prices listed on their website, are they really expensive?

Jura Koncius: Sofa beds are a continual topic on these chats. Craigslist is obviously a good place to start. But in these economic times, sales are going to be abundant in the furniture stores. Go to the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store at 1526 14th St. NW 202-332-3433 and check the sofas out yourself and try the sofa bed. They have late shopping hours most nights. The funny thing is, many sofas at Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel are made by the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Co. Do you have specific sofa beds out there to suggest?

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Newark, DE: Hi Ladies, I know every room needs a focal point. How do you manage this in a living room without the obvious (TV or fireplace)? I have only one wall that isn’t broken by either a closet, hallway or entrance to the dining room. The only other wall is completely floor to ceiling windows. Any suggestions deeply appreciated.

Jura Koncius: A wall of books is a wonderful backdrop for a room. You can buy freestanding book cases that look almost like custom these days from places like Ballard Designs, West Elm and Ikea.

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Washington, DC: I was wondering if you can give me ideas on how to make my home smell nice and fresh. I sometimes walk into people’s home and their home smells fabulous… almost like a perfumery! Is there anything I can SAFELY put in the vents or are there any other ideas?

Thank you for taking my question!

Jura Koncius: Burning a good quality scented candle in the evenings is one way. Buy some fresh lavender and put in in some bowls in your room. Keep fragrant fresh flowers out.

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Washington, DC: hi! I am repainting the trim in my apartment and removing the radiator cover to expose the radiator (love the old fashioned look!). I cannot decide if I should paint the radiator the same white as the trim or the light green of the walls. The radiator is below a large window that has a lot of white trim, so my thought is it keep it white because it will disappear with the trim of the window. help!

Terri Sapienza: I, too, love the look of old radiators and would never cover the ones in my house.

Painting yours the same color as the wall will make them disappear more than if you painted them the color of the trim, so you just need to decide how visable you want them in your home. Sounds like you like the way they look, so I would paint them the color of the trim.

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Annapolis, MD: Good morning!

We recently inherited a good deal of furniture (as in, enough to require a moving truck) as well as various and sundry small items. I’m struggling to fit them in with our house, and am thinking that I need some help! How could I go about finding a decorator who will help me make the most of the things I have, as opposed to buying new? I certainly don’t need more stuff!

washingtonpost.com: Making A Plan (Post Home Section, Feb. 21)

Jura Koncius: You might totally benefit from some design-by-the-hour services. Or even at first, the services of a professional organizer. You also might want to buy a book like Dominos Book of Decorating which gives you the basics of decorating in easy to digest fashion. You can find designers by the hour by calling ASID 202 488-4100.

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Chicago: My husband and I are planning to put our townhouse-condo on the market in the spring, so are starting to wonder if there are things we should be doing now to get ready to show it. We have already put considerable money into it — remodeling kitchen and master bath and replacing most floor coverings — but there are some other things we never got around to doing. To name a few, replacing ugly wallpaper in the powder room, getting new light fixtures in the kitchen, and upgrading some of the window treatments (the bedrooms and kitchen have white metal blinds).

My question is whether these things could make or break a sale in a tough market or whether they are things that are largely a matter of taste and decorating, and so not worth investing in to try to predict what a future buyer might want.

Terri Sapienza: This is more of a real estate question than a Home section question but here’s my opinion anyway: I would take down the wallpaper and paint the powder room a nice, neutral color. The light fixtures and window treatments I would leave as is - just make sure you have the blinds pulled all the way up and out of the way during open houses. Good luck.

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Ashburn, VA: Good morning and thanks for considering this question. My basement steps are carpeted–two kids and two dogs–need I say more? I can’t afford to have them replaced with hardwoods. Does anyone have creative suggestions for sprucing them up? I’m considering just removing the carpet and painting them.

Terri Sapienza: I think painting them is a great idea. But if you wanted to add a little softness, you could try using one of Dash & Albert’s very cute and very reasonable indoor/outdoor runners on top. http://www.dashandalbert.com/.

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Washington, DC: Do you have any suggestions for a Duron pale periwinkle? I have a studio condo with mostly maple furniture and want something elegant and equally cool/warm, not too pallid or girly.

Jura Koncius: I like Floss Flower by Duron. Funny, I saw a designer at the furniture market wearing a pale periwinkle pashmina on a black jacket and it made me want to go buy something in that color.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Good morning! We are trying to decide what color to paint our new front door. We have a red brick rambler with white trim, and we’d like to make a little bit of a statement with the front door color. What do you think of a mustard-y yellow? Any specific paint suggestions? Any other colors you think would be better?

Jura Koncius: I actually wanted to do a golden yellow for my door. I live in a brick house with white trim as well. My husband and son told me it would look too French Country. picky picky picky… Anyway, I would love a color like Martha Stewart for Valspar Rain Slicker. I ended up with a French blue door - Benjamin Moore’s Sailor’s Sea Blue is a good choice.

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Ohio: First time mamma to be here! Need help determining a paint color (your favorite, right!) for the new nursery. Since we won’t be finding out the gender of our new baby, I’m thinking of doing a sage green and cream combo. The room is about 12 x 12 with a narrow floor to ceiling window letting in minimal light. The current trim and baseboards are off white. If I keep the same trim and stick with the sage/cream combo, can I still use dark wood furniture? Any suggestions on where to look for quality, affordable furniture?

Terri Sapienza: Congrats on the new addition to your family! I think a green/cream paint combo with dark furniture sounds lovely. However, because the room gets minimal light and the furniture will be dark, you’ll definitely want to stick with lighter, paler shades of green for the walls to lighten things up a bit.

As for furniture, I would recommend buying your crib new, but you can search for other pieces at flea markets, Craigslist and consignment shops.

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bedroom furniture for a teen?: My daughter’s bedroom is in desperate need to be organized. We like the bed frames with linked shelves/storage from Pottery Barn Teen. But $1800 - $3200 is too high for us. Is there another company I can search to find something comparable? I looked at Ikea and they don’t have anything like it.

Jura Koncius: Try Belfort Furniture in Sterling. They have a large kid/tween furniture department. Young America by Stanley is one brand that might have something she would like.

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Ohio: I often see in design magazines, and love the look of, dining areas with a wall of bookshelves (filled with books). I like that it gives the room a dual purpose: dining and also a reading table/homework area. These are usually pictured in loft-like or modern homes with an open floorplan, but I’m wondering if I could put in a wall of bookshelves in my more traditionally shaped dining room and achive good results? It’s a large room, so it won’t feel closed in, and one wall is a very large arched entranceway, but it does have 4 walls, and it’s in a 1930s home (though with more modern furnishings).

Jura Koncius: Yes. Totally a great idea. It really warms up the room and lets you show some of your personality in the room by the books you choose.

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washingtonpost.com: Redesigning the White House (Post Home Section, Oct. 23)

Jura Koncius: I had a lot of fun writing the article about design in the last four White House administrations in today’s HOME section. Elizabeth has linked it here. It will be fascinating to see what the next family will do!

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Frederick, MD: I need a nice soft shade of blue paint to paint one wall of my kitchen to offset the boring look of white walls. The kitchen sort of has a Williamsburg colonial look to it. Floors are vinyl but the pattern has an assorted pine board look. Thanks!

Jura Koncius: What about Tear Drop Blue by Benjamin Moore?

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Arlington, VA: My sister brought back a beautiful batik of a giraffe from her travels in Africa. It’s about 3′ long, by 12″ or so. I can’t think of a good way to hang it without framing it. I feel that a frame would take away from its rustic nature, and make it feel too stuffy for my tastes. Plus, it’s not at all straight cut, so the edges are very uneven. But I also would like to protect it from dust. What would you recomend?

Terri Sapienza: Wow, that sounds like a cool piece of art! I would recommend taking it to a framer’s shop and seeing what they think. A good framer will be able to talk to you about options. I’ve always had good luck at District Fine Arts in Georgetown, but I would talk to a few places to get a range of ideas and prices.

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Kensington: Hi — I am painting our small bathroom this weekend and would love a suggestion for a nice gray-blue color. Something that you might see at Mt.Vernon — is there a color called Federal blue or gray?

Also, we have young kids — which paint is no or low VOC?

Thanks

Jura Koncius: You might want to use the Aura paints by Benjamin Moore and I would choose one of their historic colors. Maybe Yarmouth Blue.

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Clifton, VA: Springfield,

Take a trip up 395 and get off at Edsall Rd and check out the Solid Oak and Cherry Sofa Gallery behind Marlo off General Washington Dr.

Great prices and service.

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Ellicott City, Maryland: For Springfield, VA’s question on where to shop for a sleeper sofa. Check with Greenfront Furniture in Manassas. Great prices. You may or may not find exactly what you’re looking for, but I think it’s definitely worth the visit. Huge selection of furniture. Also Greenfront in Farmville.

Jura Koncius: Totally.

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Sleeper Sofas: My husband and I have a sleeper sofa from Jennifer leather (Jennifer Convertibles is good too). We bought when we were in grad school and poor, and have never regretted the investment. It’s held up beautifully, and the bed has been slept on by friends and family with no trouble.

Jura Koncius: Good thoughts.

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Wichita, KS: Hi Ladies! My 3rd son arrived just a few weeks ago and we are planning to paint his room blue. But blue is such a hard color! We are looking for something Benjamin Moore that is just a hint of blue, not cotton candy or dark blue. Can you help?

Thanks! Love the chats, I never miss them!

Jura Koncius: A shout out to Kansas!!! Congratulations on your third son. What about Woodlawn Blue or Morning Sky Blue by Benjamin Moore?

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PB Teen on a budget: That mom should check out Value City Furniture too. I’ve seen items there that look straight out of the PBTeen catalogue.

Jura Koncius: Wow!

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baby’s room: What color do you prefer for a baby girl’s room? A pale peach or a pale purple/lilac/lavender? Furniture and trim will be white. Any Valspar paint suggestions? Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: I’m partial to lavender because I think it’s a beautiful neutral color that works well with so many others. It’s a color that will grow with your daughter, too. As she gets older and her (or your) taste changes, you can simply bring in accessories and bedding in different styles and colors to chnage the look completely without having to repaint. Lavender is the perfect backdrop to so many shades and furniture finishes.

Take a look at Valspar’s Cool Morning, April Morning and Morning Chill and start from there.

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Arnold Maryland: I am looking for a quality, wooden corner shelf to put on the first landing of the stairway to the second level of my home. I want to put a vase on it so that I can have fresh flowers there all the time. I’ve seen shelves at Target but they do not look quality. Any ideas?

Terri Sapienza: How about Ballard Designs? I think they have a nice selection of corner pieces.

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Arlington, Va: Can you tell us some of the highlights from the Home furnishings market? I have been looking for a tight back sofa and contemporary/transitional furniture, and am hoping that design goes in that direction. How about trends in color for the coming year? I have noticed a lot of the higher end upholstery designers are showing white sofas in the magazines again.

thanks!

Jura Koncius: Yes. Funny you should mention it but I did see a lot of white both in case goods and in upholstery. More pure white as opposed to cream. As I mentioned, Thomasville’s new Darryl Carter line has some wonderful new pieces and the prices are very good. Rowe Furniture and the new Calvin Klein collection (which will debut at Macy’s in a few months) are both good sources of more streamlined sofas. The Hickory Chair line has wonderful pieces by Mariette Himes Gomez and Alexa Hampton.

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House Calls: I liked the House Calls fine today — but did no one think to mention that the designer closed in the open space between kitchen and dining room? It looked like a whole imaginary wall was built! It seemed to be a focal point of the re-design that was completely glossed over…

washingtonpost.com: If you look at the other pictures online you can see that she was replacing a large flat mirror with two more decorative mirrors. It does kind of look like a doorway or pass-through in some of the photos, but it’s a mirror. - ET

Terri Sapienza: Our producer, Elizabeth, explains…

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Green Nursery: Ladies,

We are expecting our first and would like to create a green nursery — both eco friendly/toxic free and literally green. Any suggestions for lovely, baby-like shades of green, preferably from a non-toxic paint company? THANKS!

Jura Koncius: Lots of nursery questions today! Go to www.yolocolorhouse.com. This cool environmentally friendly company has a neat corporate message and wonderful colors. I like Leaf 01, 02 and 03. Also Aura by Benjamin Moore - Wales Green or Pale Vista.

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Richmond: re: the batik. I’ve always found that when I want to frame something ‘rough,’ and want to keep that unique look, I have it framed mounted on spacers, so it looks like it’s floating in the box-type frame. It keeps something with texture from being squished flat and lets you see the sculptural quality of the piece.

Terri Sapienza: Good tip. Thanks!

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Hanging Batik: We used the following method to hang a tapestry from Peru.

Covered foam core in a dark fabric (using glue) then used a thick needle (like you use for leather) to sew the tapestry onto the backing. We used small stiches so that the tapestry would be well supported. Get a thimble so you don’t jab your finger too horribly as you push the needle through the foam core.

You can get foam core at a craft store along with easy hanging mounts.

My husband thought this up. He’s amazing!

Now we can hang the tapestry on the wall and see all of its texture and warmth without a frame in the way!

Terri Sapienza: Wow, what a crafty husband you have! Thanks for sharing.

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RE: Home smells: I enjoy burning candles, you can get great smelling ones for not too expensive at Ross. Also at Ross I got some Yankee plug-ins, they are the best for a giving off a nice clean smell.

Jura Koncius: What a great idea. I got some great candles and soaps at Marshall’s that were Crabtree & Evelyn.

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sleeper sofa: I second the vote for the furniture stores behind the Marlo off of Edsall Rd. I furnished my entire apartment from the small stores there (under budget) several years ago, and have been sending friends there ever since. My queen-sized sleeper sofa is now 6 years old, and my guests still comment on how it’s the most comfortable one they’ve ever slept on.

Jura Koncius: Wonderful.

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For Chicago home seller: We just went through this process in Palatine (Chicago suburb). Check with your real estate agent about what gives you the most bang for your buck. But the buying public is very fickle at the moment and want lots for very little. One woman rejected our house simply because it didn’t have granite countertops in the kitchen. (Hello? Home Depot, anyone?!)

(Personally, I wish people wouldn’t waste their money on updating things in their house because it’s likely not to my taste so I’ll just rip it all out.)

My best piece of advice is to start your freshening process NOW. We did everything at the last minute and in a rush and it was a miserable experience. And then the house sat on the market for eleven months (just sold last month, thank goodness). Good luck!

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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One more thought for inexpensive nursery decor: (for the expectant mom two weeks ago) would be to hang a quilt on the wall. The simplest way to do that is to buy an inexpensive decorative rod and clip rings at someplace like Target. Also makes it easy to change out to a different quilt later on, if one is lucky enough to have more than one!

Jura Koncius: Great idea.

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Washington, DC : I’ve been vexed by a problem with what appears to be water spots on my cloth-like lampshades. Is there a place to take lampshades to be cleaned?

Thanks

Jura Koncius: Wow. That is a problem. If Gaylord’s can’t help you clean them they can sell you the perfect new shade. 4620 Leland St., Chevy Chase, Md. 301 986-9680.

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Enterprise AL: Since someone brought up the wall of books -we are debating between a built in unit and free standing. Husband leans toward the built-in. Do you think it would have resale merit? I would be stuck with same problem again if we were to move - 2 bibliophiles and no storage.

Jura Koncius: I do think it has merit in resale. It’s a custom installation that sets it apart from other houses. You can also us it to display china or plates or other things.

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Tysons: I would like to spruce up my kitchen by adding some new window treatments and would love some suggestions. We have a regular window above the sink and 2 sets of French doors. Right now all we have are some rather sad looking Venetian blinds. Would you recommend Roman blinds or some sort of a valance to cover the Venetians when they are up (98% of the time), or something else entirely?

Thanks!

Terri Sapienza: Roman shades are always a nice choice. They not only provide privacy when needed, but are a great way to add color and pattern (depending on the fabric you choose) and softness to a space. Another idea is natural woven shades, which will add a nice texture to your room. You could also do a valance and a woven shade, which is a nice look, too.

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Alexandria, VA: Can you recommend a Sherwin Williams greige color? I’m looking for a light shade, but one that will have some contrast with white trim. (Feel free to also recommend a complementary SW trim color!)

Jura Koncius: Reticence for the greige. Pure White for the trim.

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Arlington, VA: Ashburn –

I assume your house is of recent vintage. Chances are they used the worst pieces of plywood, OSB or whatever was available, and met code to cover the stringers for the steps to your basement. Removing the carpet to paint may result in you having to a lot of cosmetic work to make these treads, etc. look presentable.

Jura Koncius: Thank you, Arlington.

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Arlington, VA: Does the Floss Flower (Duron pale periwinkle) have an equivalent in Benjamin Moore? It sounds like just what I’m looking for!

Terri Sapienza: If you like the Duron color, but prefer BM paint, you could always bring the Duron color swatch into a BM retailer and have them color match it for you.

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Alexandria, VA: We’re going to be sofa shopping soon as well - my question is, are there any types of fabrics/materials that are more resistant to an occasional cat-clawing than others? Ours aren’t nearly as bad about this as when they were young and we keep them clipped, but I can’t say they never do it when I’m not looking…

Jura Koncius: This question comes up frequently! My cat Gus doesn’t seem to like the velvet of our sofa very much. He did like the jacquard of our slipper chairs so they have some shredded corners. I have heard that leather is not of interest to most cats, but there are exceptions of course. The tighter the weave, the less they might like it.

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Washington, D.C.: For sleeper sofas, try Hamilton Sofa Gallery. I know there’s one in Rockville and one in Falls Church, and I think a third location. I went in and told them I knew nothing about sofa beds, but wanted something I wouldn’t be ashamed to have someone sleep on while I slept in my comfy bed. They showed me some of the basics about construction and showed me the different levels of mattresses for the sofa bed. And they didn’t look at me funny when I pulled out several of the beds to try them out. (Some of the other customers did, but what can you do?) They had a what seemed to me to be a decent selection of upholstery choices. And, from the name, you can tell what their specialty is. Not so great if you’re looking for other furniture too, but sometimes you want a specialist.

Jura Koncius: Thanks. Yes. Hamilton’s has been around a long time and it’s a good suggestion.

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Dustless floor sanding: Need to take up the old carpet in my mother’s living and dining rooms. Have already removed it in an unused bedroom and the flooring is in good condition.

But to the important question, how “dustless” are the sanding options provided by a reputable company like Magnus Anderson (which has a local affiliate)?

My elderly mother has breathing problems and if the process is not pretty dustless, would rather look at replacement options.

Anyone have experience with this?

Terri Sapienza: Unfortunately, anytime you have a floor refinshed, it’s going to produce LOTS of dust. I’ve never heard of a “dustless” refinishing process. But if anyone else has, I’d love to hear about it.

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DC: I recently replaced the picture over my fireplace with a new framed portrait of my kids. I love it, but it is a bit smaller than the previous picture hanging there. I’m afraid it’s a bit too small to go over the fireplace. Do you have suggestions on what I could also hang, maybe on either side to complement the photo? It’s a hard question, I guess without seeing it. But, thought I’d throw it out there. Thanks.

Terri Sapienza: Instead of hanging it on the wall, you could try placing it on the mantel and leaning it against the wall. Then, you could layer another piece of art or photograph (or two) to the side of it.

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Maryland: what color is Dragon Fruit?

Terri Sapienza: It’s a reddish-pink, like a dark watermelon color.

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Arlington, VA: Where can I find a chair similar to the Louis Ghost chair, at a cheaper price point?

Jura Koncius: That is an excellent question. This chair is truly a treasure and is one of a kind as far as I know. Louis Ghost designed by Philippe Starck by Kartell is made of polycarbonate and costs around $369. You might try to find it on ebay.

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painting radiators: Don’t forget to use oil paint! Latex paint discolors and cracks when it gets hot.

Jura Koncius: thanks.

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Chicago: Good couch fabric for cats: Microfiber words well because it’s smooth and they can’t get their claws into it. Anything textured like tweed is asking for trouble. We had a leather couch for years with our two cats and it held up well except for the arms. Not that they were scratching them, but they would poke little holes with their claws when they jumped up from the floor. I finally made some arm covers that we could remove when we had guests. Leather is also good if you have a cat with a lot of hairballs, which I did.

Jura Koncius: Yes. Hairballs clean up better on leather. Sigh. What we put up with for these darling little animals! Thanks for those tips.

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Sofa bed: I have one from Jennifer convertibles and guests say it is one of the best they have ever slept on.

Jura Koncius: Terrific.

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Radiator painting question: I have done some research and it is not advisable to paint radiators. The paint impedes the conduction of heat. I ended up getting custom-made covers from the Wooden Radiator Cabinet company that are both functional and beautiful (although expensive).

Jura Koncius: Another opinion…

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re: dustless floors: Think long-term, too, though. Refinishing with lots of dust is a one-time occurrence, but living with dust-trapping carpet is an everyday thing your mom will have to live with. I would rather move her out temporarily while the floors are refinished and let her enjoy cleaner air and floors for the long haul…

Jura Koncius: Thanks.

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Small Framed Portrait: You could try a larger frame and mat to bring it up to size. Or put a larger frame around the smaller one with a mat between - kind of like a picture in a picture effect.

Terri Sapienza: Great tip! This is exactly what one of our designers recommended in a story we ran last week about designer secrets. Reframe the photo with a larger mat so it will fill the wall space better. Thanks!

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Fairfax VA: We refinished our floor with dustless options. Instead of having an attachment directly to the sander, they run lines to an external vacuum to suck up the dust. We were fairly happy with the result, we had to wipe down some of the dust on the windowsill but other than that it was pretty dustless. Nothing in the areas that were not refinished.

Terri Sapienza: I stand corrected. A dustless refinishing option…

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Gaithersburg, MD: Dustless wood floor refinishing: good, but not perfect. We decided to go out of town on a (not too far) weekend trip to avoid the dust when our floors were being redone.

Jura Koncius: thanks.

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painting radiators: I think you need to buy paint specifically for metallic surfaces.

Jura Koncius: thanks.

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re: Yankee plug-ins: For folks so interested in low VOC paints, you don’t want to use any of those plug ins, spray scents, etc. They are worse than the paint with Volatile Particulates since you paint once a decade and those plug ins run all day.

Jura Koncius: Agreed!

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re: One more thought for inexpensive nursery decor: (for the expectant mom two weeks ago) would be to hang a quilt on the wall. : Particularly helpful since someone will give you a cute baby quilt that should NOT be put in bed with the baby (smothering risks).

Jura Koncius: Yes.

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Jura Koncius: Time to go. We appreciate all of you checking in with us. Enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

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