sguingri I have a tile top table with white grout. the best thing i have used to clean it is Westley's® Bleche-Wite Whitewall Cleaner for tires. Just spray it on and let it set for a while. It lefts the stains out and you wipe it off. For scum and lime on shower doors, I have used 0000 steel wool. They look like new!

777sheree "Sealer's Choice Gold" is the best sealer I've found. Highly recommended. Order online, as is professional grade. Paint on with paint brush, wipe off any excess with a rag. I usually do 2 coats, then don't worry for years. Have used on kitchen floor grout as well as bathrooms.

Debra Campbell Design This is a 3rd home for my clients (Tulsa, Jackson Hole, and Carmel-by-the-Sea) so they have lots of visitors. They wanted a comfy area to spend time when they have a full house (kids, grandkids, guests) and want / need to escape. The French doors open up to a private patio as well. The home is an historic, restored Mediterranean in Carmel.

calkelley my in-laws have 2 chairs and a table (facing a TV in a bookshelf) in a large sitting area in their bedroom. I have always thought it was the most well-designed, comfortable areas of their house.

Betty Madren I have a white blanco sink and love it. It's about 4 years old and I will buy it again for my next house. I clean it with a Mr, Eraser pad, rinse, and done. When coffee or tea stains have been in it for a while, I'll use the spray, walk away and come back to rinse. It's clean. I love it!

greyhoundgirl We had a black silgranit sink installed when we built our house in 2007. I clean it with a paste of baking soda and white vinegar weekly, and it's still looking great. No scratches, stains , or any other damage to speak of. Highly recommended.

Murals and More Decor Here's a nice frame option that we did for a client. Features a tempered glass mural in a shower. Same concept for kitchen murals too.

Murals and More Decor Also if the majority of a backsplash is stone or marble, I like to recommend a mural done on marble, rather than ceramic. It maintains the overall warmth by keeping the materials similar and complimentary.

palatti To Lauribtown: It would be easier to alter the cabinet the sink sets in then to not use the sink you love. Think of having a cabinet maker build you a drawer under the farm sink and place the sink as low as you need to to undermount it. Sarah Richardson did it in one of her shows...it was a great use of space that would be otherwise impossible to see or reach in to.

betsclass Thanks for such a helpful article. I'm in the process of having my whole house redone because of a fire. I'm trying to decide whether to make my cabinets a darker color than my flooring. Are there any set conditions when to choose light or dark wood on floors and/or cabinets? Can the same colors be used? White woodwork is out of the question. My husband does not like it.
Thanks!

uberv There are products such as horticultural vinegar that will kill weeds without introducing nasty chemicals.

Michellina Zdraveski-van Loder Thanks Ruari and uberv, I'll have to google the horticultural vinegar as it's not something I've heard of but sounds very interesting. I use vinegar for everything around the house, so may as well try it in the garden. Our whole yard is going to be garden beds for vegetables, so we want the ground around them to be paths and gravel. I'd still be able to do the crazy paving with the gravel in between?