Having a clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve is key. Then be open to ideas offered. Some people just want validation but they ask for advice instead. In the end, it's the poster's right to do what they want but sometimes what we want isn't the best option.

A thoughtful idea to start this thread. Hopefully some of the professionals will weigh in with suggestions.

Is this where I can ask a design question?

@Maria -- no, just start a new thread with your own subject line and question.

I'm a fellow librarian, and I've often thought the very same thing! People often don't know what they're asking for, now do they know how to ask for it. I've found that my professional understanding of information seeking behavior has helped me in many ways in my personal life.

Relatedly, another skill I've had to hone as a librarian is realizing that Being Right About Things at any cost is going to lose some people, and then they might miss out on valuable resources. I think the culture here has somewhat enabled some posters who would benefit from reflecting on how they present their ideas before they post. As someone with strong opinions, this was a tough lesson for me to learn. But wanting to feel validated and understood is a feature of human nature, not a bug. Work with it. You can be truthful without being dismissive or rude, and the best part is that it's far more effective and less frustrating for everyone involved.

I'm sure I'll get a chorus of "if OP couldn't handle it, they shouldn't be on the internet" now. Of course anyone is entitled to write whatever they wish provided it doesn't violate Houzz's TOS. But just because you can doesn't mean you should. Going WITH human nature yields far greater results than whining about how an OP is never heard from again after a barrage of comments that overwhelm. Anyway, there's my unasked for two cents, thank you for starting this thread :-)