Cactus dude, its all good. If you're not familiar with mid Atlantic and Northeast Beach culture, its radically different than going to a beach in California. California is more about day tripping to the beach. It's a year round beach climate and people go there to surf or picnic or watch the sunset. Here, our beach season is short. Businesses have three precious months to make money for the entire year. Rent is VERY expensive. Anything that sets you apart from your competitor or makes your place look more "beachy" will help make the season. Tourists generally don't do day trips either, as most of the east coast cities are a few hours drive from their favorite beach resorts. So visits are often in increments of every weekend, entire week's vacation or entire seasons renting a house (often year after year or generations). Repeat loyal customers are big business. The thousands spent on "disposable" palms can translate to hundreds of thousands for the beach club, bar, mini golf or restaurant. Same for the garden center that sold the palms and installed them. Growers too.

I agree. Don't care HOW long he's been selling tile. If he doesn't even go out to LOOK at the job, how can he advise you on suitability? A Jersey Mud Job isn't a pejorative term...that's what it's called...and it is a substandard way of setting tile and has been for years, but it IS cheap! (lol) If your home is not on slab, go back to the John Bridge site and check out the "Deflecto" calculator in the blue bar at the top of the forums page.

I read an article on this site not long ago (can't remember where now) that I thought gave some good advice. Buy a couple of high quality pieces. Really nice sofa and chair for example in a neutral color. Then accessorize and add color with less expensive pillows and smaller more original pieces from flea markets as others have suggested or even second hand stores. If you spend some time browsing photos on Houzz and start an idea book you will soon see the similarities in what you like or don't like. Even colors you gravitate towards. So you could get some nice pieces and ideas from Ethan Allen but don't buy everything from them. Fill in with less expensive and unique pieces. It will keep the room from looking like a showroom. Also once you pick fabrics or pillows you like paint stores (at least my local SW) is great about helping pick out paint colors. I think you could very well pull a room together based on an inspiration photo and help from furniture and paint stores. I am no whiz at decorating but I have learned a lot from reading these forums. Good luck and have some fun with it :)

I wouldn't accept it. The installers could have used some glue under the pad to keep it from moving during the stretch in step of the carpet. If the carpet mechanic is really good, they won't need glue and will use masking tape to hold the pad together. I would complain and request that new padding be installed without being stapled. If they state they can not install that way, call their bluff and pull up some youtube videos of others installing with the methods I have stated above. You didn't pay for new carpet and padding to feel the staples in the pad.