With my house on the market, I am currently feeling like a slave to my stainless appliances and glass shower walls. I am going through microfiber cloths at an astonishing rate. I do love the look and think they add to what makes my house special, but my next house will be different...

Luckily, when we moved here to FL, someone in a carpet store warned me away from sisal. We went with polypro look-alikes instead. I own a slipcovered sofa and it never really looks tidy.

Layered table vignettes. I love the look, I'm drawn to the beautiful little stories that people create with items gathered from here and there, the look of someone about to sit down to tea, the nature inspired tableau........

But to actually live with all that? I'd lose my mind! I'll lift a lamp and a plant to dust under them but forgive me, my life is just too short to even consider the upkeep!

How about all that open shelving in the kitchen, instead of upper cabinets? Anyone have experience with that? I see those kitchens, which I love, but can't imagine worrying about the dust and upkeep -- or wondering if a centipede has walked across my plates or something :)

Amy, I hear you on the glass shower doors. That's a looksgreatbut I did myself! As you say the look is wonderful, especially if your bathrooms are small. I put the glass doors in specifically because in my 5x8 bathrooms the extra visual depth made such a difference.

But the maintenance is indeed MUCH more demanding. In the master bath which I use daily I squeegee the glass and it stays pretty decent. But the hall bath...arrgh. My teenagers and my husband both prefer to shower in there and they (especially hubby-grrr) just won't squeegee or wipe regularly. So my weekly cleaning is much more involved even if I do extra daily cleaning.

Totally agree about the others as well. DLM, you made me laugh, I'd also go nuts trying to keep a layered vignette clean. And squirrel I too have wondered about those cool open shelves. Seems to me you would be dusting your dishes every time you used 'em :).

Ann

Before I chime on the subject, I'd like to say DD1 has a LOT of slipcovered furniture purchased from Shabby Chic stores. They are very easy to take on/off, wash/dry and come out unwrinkled. I also have a white denim slipcovered sofa in a guest bedroom (used to be DD1s) and it is never wrinkled or unkept looking...even when it was used daily. I will say it got dirty faster when she lived SOMA in SanFran (the streets stay dirty with so little rain) but I've had it four years and only washed the slipcovers once. I think the difference is in the quality of the materials. Less costly fabrics to do not hold up well to everyday use and don't launder as well either. None of the upholstered pieces come "untucked" with daily use.

The layered accessories would bother me in my home. I don't like the "store" look.

Do you squeegee your shower glass after each use? Use white vinegar to keep the shower doors clean. Come along with microfiber clothes afterwards to finish off.

Squirrel, I have a pine hutch with double plate racks and doors with chicken wire. They can get dusty if you're not using them on a regular basis. As far as bugs go, we do not have them in our new house (knock on wood). Two years and I've only killed spiders. We had bugs in our last house all the time - no matter how clean it was kept! They can get into closed cabinets just as easy as open shelves. ;)

I hear you! As soon as I put ANYTHING away, if it is within my just-turned-one yo's reach, it's out. My friend says it is like trying to rake leaves with the wind blowing them all down from the trees. Add 2 other kids and 3 spunky cats to the mix, ack! I need low maintenance!

I want to look at the gallery for pics of people's actual homes for ideas. The magazine/staged pics are lovely, but are they realistic?

Uh oh, I have white slipcovered sofa, sisal rug and I just put an open shelf up in my kitchen.

We did budget for a glass door to the shower, but I just knew I would never be able to keep it as clean as I would like it and went for a shower curtain instead.

Trying to think of what bugs me about those pics, but I think it was really the white slipcovered furniture. I loved the look so much but couldn't see how to achieve it in our home (2 small kids, 3 pets). Slipcovering the sofa myself sort of solved the problem. Not a big investment (just my time) and we can clean it. Every time I walk in to the room, it makes me smile :-)

I need to go find the slipcover thread to see the pictures. Maybe should also add DD1s DR chairs are the only things slipcovered in all white material. Everything else - white backgrounds with light prints.

Budge, I had two stenciled sisal rugs in our last home (kitchen cooking area and under the breakfast room table). We only had problems with the kitchen one looking bad - DHs coffeemaker overflowed, not once but twice. I ordered a new rug and threw the coffeemaker away. Three kids, four cats and one dog...and a messy DH. My grandparents had wall-to-wall sisal in their den. It was already there when I was born and still there when she passed away 34 years later.

anele, friends tell me I have a "magazine worthy" home due to my decorating and neatness. If DH is not home, it is within a minute of being picture ready 99% of the time.....but that's because the three children are in college and I am a BIG picker-upper. Always have been. So yes, I'd have to say some people do live that way but it's not the norm. It also doesn't mean there are no dust bunnies!

In magazines / books, I love seeing paintings hung in front of bookcases and side / coffee tables layered to the nines with objets, books, flowers, etc. Love it. Love looking at it in someone else's home.

It would drive me batty in my own home, but I live with my housekeeping's worst enemy -- my husband. While he and I mesh in so many ways, he is my worst nightmare of a roommate. I am a total neatnik / clean-nik (?) and he couldn't be more antithetical. We have a 3.5 year-old and a 1.5 year-old, three indoor cats and one (mostly) indoor puppy, and they are all an absolute dream compared to him!

It's one of those things where I have spent way too much money at a therapist's office trying to figure out how to live in an environment I find crazy-making and still, after ten+ years of living together I cannot get a handle on it. The slob always wins. I resent madly cleaning up after him because I already clean up after myself, the children and the pets (although, in all fairness, the children are quite good about picking up after themselves). But if I leave his crap out the only person it hurts is me. He doesn't see it but I sure do!

Anyway, that's my "looks great, but ...".

I use white linen curtains & white cotton slipcovers on all my upholstered pieces in the summer, but because I remade the Surefit models to actually fit my furniture, the slipcovers don't ever sag, and because thrre's a laundry in the basement, dirt isn't an issue. Actually, white slipcovers don't get any dirtier than any other color, it's just that with a white sofa, yow see the dirt, whereas with a brown Herculon plaid sofa, you don't. I mean, I suppose the logical outcome of the dirt-hiding approach to choosing fabrics would be to use brown sheets in your guest room, so you'd never have to wash them at all--just throw them away when they fall off the bed.

Anyway, most of my upholstery is old--ancient velvets & tapestries & damasks & cretonnes--and it can't really be cleaned, so slipcovers are a must in warm weather when the windows are open, and the easiest way to keep those covers looking good without worrying about stuff like fading is to use white covers--and then bleach the hell out of them. Short answer, I don't consider white slipcovers at all impractical.

And although I wouldn't use it here at my place, I also think sisal matting is great, and even more so--rather than less--if you have kids. I mean, you can remind kids not to leave their toys all over the living room floor & forbid them to take their juice boxes into rooms with pale berber carpet, but let's face it: they're kids, it's a losing battle, your floor will alwaye be stained & cluttered, and years from now, they'll remmeber you as a nag.

But rip out that berber and lay sisal, and Presto! your room stays photo-ready at all times, without your ever having to say a word, because kids won't go in there. See, form does follow function. It just depends on which 'function' we're talking about--feeling nice underfoot or keeping the room presentable.

And as for worrying about dust on collections of stuff, hey, I have more important things to worry about than that. Besides, as the great decorator Mario Buatta once said "Dust is a protective layer for fine furniture."

So what DOES bug me in magazine fantasy land? Beautiful sun-filled rooms with no curtains on the windows & not a lamp in sight, so that--apparently--the whole room turns into a glittering dark cave at night. Or that whole stupid breakfast-in-bed nonsense in at least one spread in every magazine. Exactly who is it that squeezes that juice & makes that coffee & arrancges the toast in that antique silver rack? Isn't it, in fact, the woman who has to carry the loaded tray all the way back to her bedroom & then somehow, climb back in bed without upsetting the whole damn thing onto her precious hand-embroidered bedlinens? Who comes up with this nonsense? Do they really think American women are that dumb?

Or how about the romantic, candle-filled spa bath with the crystal wineglasses & the plate of fancy cheese & the antique book of poetry close at hand. Please.

Or, worst of all, those ginormous & glitzy designer kitchens where we see a beautiful couple--she, barefoot, in her cashmere running suit & with her prefect blonde hair in a ponytail, and he in his immaculate t-shirt, with just a hint of a beard & his perfectly-tousled pilow hair just so--and they're both laughing with delight as they dice their way through a pile of fresh produce big enough to feed an army. Well, an army of vegetarians, anyway. Where's the beef?

Magnaverde.

"The slob always wins. I resent madly cleaning up after him because I already clean up after myself, the children and the pets (although, in all fairness, the children are quite good about picking up after themselves). But if I leave his crap out the only person it hurts is me. He doesn't see it but I sure do!"

RMkitchen - I suffer from the same problem and it drives me NUTS.

A good friend has a gorgeous, sleek living room with white rugs and furniture and orange and turquoise accents in a lot of glass and prettybreakablethings. I love to sit in there but am terrified I will spill my coffee or wine, or knock something off a table. I never have my kids over there.

It looks great, but . . . .

Yes, MV the perfect fantasy is enough to drive you crazy.

I guess my pet peeve is the kids rooms that have everything placed just so - including glass vases and trinkets! My younger DD's room (3 yrs) has nothing but books and stuffies at her level and they are where ever she last left them. My older DD (8) has a ton of stuff (takes after her mom) everywhere - arranged however she likes - often in very odd vignettes.

The "totally 18th-century antiques everywhere" but not a livable chair nor table in sight. Sigh. Where are their OWN collectibles and ideas??? Its not that the concept isn't wonderful -- but there has to a balance between "Designer-Decorator" and "Real Life Chair and Martini" type of living ......but perhaps my jealousy is showing? LOL!!

And many of the latest rooms (of any style or manner of decor) show NO accessories -- naked tables and mantels. Not a vase of flowers -- nothing! Just how awkward would a guest feel if they brought along a gorgeous spring bouquet of tulips (in the accepted color of simple white -- of course!) Would the host simply refuse to "clutter" up their artful room with such a pedestrian display????? LOL! I suppose they would faint at the sight of my usual offering of various herbs and a few flowers tied together in a bouquet? LOL!!

Yes -- excellent posting Magnaverde! Just where are the blasted lamps and lighting?? Hope they have dimmer switches for the main ceiling lighting! LOL!

We did have a sisal rug under the kitchen table for a few summers -- and washed it down with the hose and soap -- and it dried fast under the summer sun here in Dallas! So it worked out well -- and simply wore out. Must look around for another one for this summer .....

As for dust -- well -- the dust bunnies here are so organized that the cats now refuse to go in the dark-and-spooky places in our house. And it is easier to leave the DH a message in the dust on the coffee table ......

But spring cleaning is just around the calendar ......

Teacats, I have some smaller sisal rugs that need a hosing too. Did you scrub them? I'm wondering if they will get tatty if I use a brush on them?

My new sisal's have a nubbly texture to them. Just like 70's shag carpeting, the stains and dirt sort of disappear into it (sounds gross but what the heck, you can't see it)

Allison -- spiders aren't bugs? lol I was going to say 'spiders,' but centipedes are creepier :) I do think 'bugs' are just a fact of life, unless they're exterminated, even if one doesn't actually see them. Esp, when you're near the woods or shade, like me. Of course, my cheap little home is poorly made and sealed. It's probably like having an open window. Beetles and field spiders just come inside when it gets cold. They are no dummies! I see the big C's (thousand-leggers) each year, whenever that is, as I just let them be because I've heard they will eat other bugs!

Overaccessorizing. Whodaheck wants to dust all those tchotchkes? I have more important things to do... which is probably why many people would probably consider my rooms a bit UNDERaccessorized. :-) With limited energy, I am all about the low maintenance - I will not be a slave to my house!

Glass tables. I know some people absolutely adore them, and more power to them, but I had a glass-topped coffee table once and really disliked that it needed constant cleaning to remove dust, fingerprints, etc., and the "clank" as anything was put down on them got to me. Thank heavens it was free so I didn't have a trace of guilt about putting it out on the curb when the Psychic Shopping Network brought me a replacement.

Unused "museum rooms". WHY??? I just can't quite see the point of heating/cooling, buying furniture and such, and paying mortgage and taxes for spaces that are never used except to look at. That's probably my "downwardly mobile reverse snob" self talking. :-)

Ditto for furniture that can't be used - torture-chamber or overly-fragile chairs, tables you can't put anything on, dressers with drawers that won't open, etc.

White carpeting. 'Nuff said. (Although I don't really think it looks that good, either, but that's probably because I just can't get by the practicality aspects.)

Count me in on the glass doors. Have had one before and anything that needs such fussing as daily squeegeeing and wiping down and scrubbing with this-that-and-the-other product is just not for me.

25-foot ceilings in cold climates. Makes more sense to me in hot climates to get the heat up out of the "human zone". I think we New Englanders are obsessed with heating. :-) Combined with enormous square footage, unless very carefully furnished they can evoke more "hotel lobby" than home. To go along with that, light fixtures so high you can't change a light bulb without setting up scaffolding look nice but...

SH, I had open shelving in the kitchen of one of the college apartments I rented, because there was ONE base cabinet and ONE upper cabinet and I wasn't in a cashflow situation to purchase freestanding cabinets. It made me crazy. I had to wash every dish before I could use it because everything accumulated that sticky dust if I actually cooked, regular dust if I didn't. :-) (Same goes for a lot of tchotchkes on top of cabinets. Cute but they get gunky and climbing up there to scrub everything down is not my idea of fun. I know they're "out of style" but give me a soffit any day if the cabinets can't go to the ceiling.)

Who, me? Opinionated?

We didn't scrub the sisal rug -- just gently hosed it with spray water -- and then swished around a VERY light soap-and-water -- and then sprayed again. Then picked it up and hung it over the fence or a couple of chairs to dry. Not perfect -- but cleaner! LOL! You could perhaps use a sponge on some of the harder-to-clean marks?

>How about all that open shelving in the kitchen, instead of >upper cabinets? Anyone have experience with that? I see those >kitchens, which I love, but can't imagine worrying about the >dust and upkeep -- or wondering if a centipede has walked
>across my plates or something :)

Squirrelheaven, if those open shelves were at my house it wouldn't be a centipede walking on the plates, it would be a cat...probably fresh from digging in the litter box, too.

Mari, I thought I wanted open space above the cabinets when we moved in, so I didn't take the builder up on his offer to build a soffit and put in a real vent hood over the stove. After several years of scrubbing grease off everything, I talked DH into retrofitting a vent hood. In the process he built a mini soffit-ish area to run the pipes through. But that's just over the stove, not the whole area.

I've tried to tell myself that it looks okay to just have NOTHING up there, but I ended up displaying some blue and white transferware to go with the color scheme of the kitchen. At least it's dishwasher-able. Once a year (more or less...when I think about how dusty it might be getting up there) I have my limber, skinny daughter climb up there and get the plates down so I can wash them. I also have her take down the layer of paper (plain old printer paper) that is lying on top of the cabinets and replace it with a fresh supply. That takes care of the dust pretty well for us.

Wood floor in my kitchen.

I hate to cover up a gorgeous oak floor, but like heck if I want to spend my life wiping and vacuuming, waxing and chasing the kids to maintain it.

I want a floor I do not have to think about. ... like pavers.

However, I can't bring myself to cover this floor.

: (

Also, I'm figuring out that kitchen floor space is the most expensive floor space in the house. Taking it up with a $600 cabinet that houses exactly 2 pans and 2 lids and a bouquet of carving knives... what are people thinking?!!?

I'm going to shrink my cabinetry, build a basement food, accessory storage area with ugly junk that I don't have to look at, and really put some time, money and attention into less in the kit.

The trend in growing kitchen budgets alarms me.

Even a HUGE side by side fridge/freezer in the kitchen... it would be so easy to just have a normal sized fridge in the kitchen (just like the old days) and plop a freezer in the garage.

Sure, I know some people entertain, but most of us HONESTLY don't have a need for storage of 12 full size platters arranged with hors d'oeuvres on a regular basis.

HA! I often tell people that in my next house I won't have a kitchen...just a little dorm fridge will do! (I am a Non-Cooking fool...!!!)

DH would put hardwood floors for the bedroom in this list. When we built this house we put hardwood throughout except tile in the baths. He said NO to the master bedroom. "It looks great, BUT "my" feet are gonna hit carpet when I get out of bed." He won...the bedroom has carpet.

Here's my all-time favorite (not) -- lamps on tables in the middle of rooms with no cords anywhere in sight.

The dishes-on-open-shelves in kitchens always bugs me too. I love the look, but I can't imagine it ever really works in real life.

I fall in love every time with the beautifully fringed ottoman used as a coffee table. Unfortunately, at Red's place, the real 1950's leather-topped, round coffee table always has a stack of books in the process of being read, the remotes, a cup of hot tea or glass of wine, and maybe a set or two of miscellaneous feet. Upholstered ottomans would never survive.

I actually want the white slipcovers. I use ivory matelasse bedcovers in the warm months (April-October here) mainly because, they show soil. I have two little dogs. Keeping them off the bed or the sofa would be a full-time job for the housekeeper I can't afford. So, matelasse coverlets on the bed and draped over the sofa tell me when their cat-chasing/pine needle rolling/rosebush racing has made them too dirty to live with. I wash the dogs and the coverlets at the same time. (Gentle cycle--Extra-large Washload--No softener 'cause it makes them break out in hives.)

Red

Re bugs, we have lived in this house just over 10 years. I can honestly say I have never once found bugs other than an occasional spider or grand-daddy long-legs. I've never had any type bug show up in cabinets or food (flour, grains, etc.). And we do live in a wooded area although our property is fairly well cleared, not heavily wooded. I really think the big difference is the termite protection we use, it is not the spikes (our exterminator recommended against those for our area), but it is a perimeter treatment. It was done when we had the house built and then at 5 year intervals. We were told when it was first done that it would significantly cut down on ants and other bugs. It could also be our hot summers too, I don't know, but we don't have a problem. Now, if we could just do something about MOSQUITOS! *wink*

We have a large sisal rug in the sunroom and I love it. Never had any problem keeping it clean. I even spilled a small bottle of fragrant oil (one of those things that the reeds soak in and make the room smell good - never again!) and was able to get it out with warm water and a bit of dish soap. Took 2-3 times, but it cleaned right out. You can't even tell where the spill was. We go in and out of that room to the outside quite abit, so it gets alot of traffic. My only complaint would be that it is not the most comfortable on bare feet.

I've never tried slipcovers, but I don't think white would work for me.

tina

It looks great, but...is there a good seat to watch TV...or is there a good seat for the 4 of us to watch a movie together...

It looks great, but....where in this home office do I actually work? Or, where do I file important papers?

LOL Squirrel. Spiders are technically bugs, but they don't gross me out like centipedes, roaches, etc...and they spin such cool webs! We do live in the woods, on a lake, but still no bugs. No pest control either. I don't get it..I really thought we'd have more bugs here than when we lived in the city.

No pest control in the south and termites? They are evidently pretty bad here. The only time we actually had trouble was with mulch that had termites. No more hardwood mulch for us.

The only pest control we do is the termite control. I think it's mandatory here when buying a house, termite inspection anyway, all new homes get a termite treatment.

tina

Allison, when I first moved out, many years ago, a centipede had me trapped in the lr one night. I couldn't go into my bedroom and sleep! Imagine, being scared to death of a darn bug. So, I slept on the lr floor :) Don't you know when I 'woke' up, the centipede had joined me in the lr!

Have no idea what happened, but they don't bother me at all now. Maybe because I always seem them up high, probably looking for spider webs up there, hm? Those big field spiders though, just freak me out. I imagine I have little spiders around somewhere, as I occasionally see some webs and they like the corner light by my front door, but I rarely see them! Just how I like it :)

Now, I had a mouse one year that joined me at my reading chair like he was one of the family. I will never forget him :) He makes me laugh to this day. Taking his little bath and all, relieved that the cats were no longer in the room. I think he had been watching me with the cats or something ;) Hmmm, this looks like a good deal ... may I introduce myself! I called him Mr. Scruff (cause he was such a scruffy looking thing, with big ears and bulging eyes -- hyper-thyroid like the cats?) I finally managed to whisk him out the window (after he stopped for a little drink in the sill :) If he survived the fall -- as I had to startle him to get him to move on it, and he jumped spread-eagle out the window -- I'm sure he just came right back.

Your house is undoubtedly sealed really well. One of these days I plan on going around caulking and such. Although I think the thru-the-wall heating vent is pretty much just open to the outdoors, if that makes any sense. Not to mention the soffit area around the attic. I see light :(

Yes, it is a much tighter house and the lower level is on a slab. Last house had unfinished basement with crawl space under kitchen. When we gutted the kitchen, we found a perfectly good lizard skeleton. The kids donated it to the schools Science lab! lol

Tina, yes, we have Termite protection and have an annual inspection. We don't spray monthly for bugs (roaches, ants, etc) inside or outside is what I meant by no pest control.

I'd imagine a crawl space would make a difference, too, Allison. I'm wondering if your bugs have houses on the lake, lol. Plenty of food outside I'd think. Water, and warmth, brings them in most I think.

Gotcha! None of that here either - I don't like the chemicals in the house if i can help it (especially with a pup!).

No slab here, we have a full basement but it is very water tight. We've never had a mouse here either. Now we have plenty of deer, squirrels and rabbits LOL, but thankfully they stay outside. I say thankfully because I had a squirrel in my office (at work) who was eventually killed.

I do think that is the problem we have here squirrelheaven (in the hot, humid south) - the water and warmth. Evidently termites like that too.

tina

Our lower level is a finished basement, but I had a "basement" for 20+ yrs and refuse to call this one by that name since it is built out nicely and open to the lake on the back and sides.

How about camel crickets? I think some call them water crickets. Gosh, I do not miss those!

Maybe we should start a bug thread. :)

Back on subject: The breakfast trays set up in magazines (or IRL) kill me too, MV. Fresh flowers in several places in the room are not realistic either, for most, even with flower beds. I really enjoy seeing my flowers outside and rarely bring them in - also because Boo (cat) would think they were for him. I used to have a lot of houseplants, but tossed the old, scraggly ones before moving and gave the better ones away.

Leather riding boots by the back door....something else to pick up to vacuum under.

The older I get, the less I like out. I really narrowed things down when we moved two years ago and can clean this house in the same amount of time it took to clean the last one which was half the size.

Chicoryflower, I hear you on the kitchen. We did a 48" fridge/freezer and the only time it gets a work out is on holidays. I could do without a freezer if we had an ice maker, but all of the ones I've seen in friends house were so noisy. I don't store any food in our kitchen. It's all in the pantry. I don't have normal kitchen cabinets and love my kitchen, but if I were to do it over again I would make a couple of changes. I'd love for the fridge to be in the pantry...this one is not large enough or it could have been but then I wouldn't have the table for the toaster and microwave there.

Allison, I'm easily seduced by big, beautiful kitchens... until I price them out.

I'm editing some of my cabinet space out of my kitchen so I can have a proper desk, more entry space, and some wall space to display art.

I'd love to have a tiled floor to ceiling kitchen with floor drains - and sprinklers on the ceiling. Just close the door and the whole thing is like a dishwasher. That would be cool. I think I *would* pay for that!

This post cracks me up! Oh yes, those magazine photos are lovely, but let's get REAL.

Tables cluttered with antique goodies, lamps, picture frames etc, well they would've survive one wag of my 70 lb furrkid's tail. Ha!

White carpet, what are they thinking? Not everyone can check their shoes at the door, what if you're outside and oops, an emergency potty run?

And I'm gonna get beat up about this, but I cannot imagine that horrible stainless steel in my kitchen. My GARAGE maybe! You want to see what it looks like after some use? Go in your local box store and take a look. All those prints and nastiness on it. Ewww! But that's fine, the cleaning lady will deal with that issue. Not to mention, uh oh, a few years from now, whoops, it's dated just like the avocado of the past.

What about the bright airy kitchens with no window treatments where the sun shines in full blast. Well that's fine and all but in reality you'll see every little dust particle in every corner of the room 24/7. Not to mention the fading that sunlight will do to your floors as well as your hardwood tables. YIKES!

And yes, those open cabinets, I have to dust weekly, I cannot imagine something open like that where you don't dust weekly. And that brings to mind those pot racks too. I have one I don't use. If I have to dust weekly then what are my pots getting on them? Not to mention the dead bugs I'd find. Who wants to wash dishes before using them? Not I. I'm into being practical and REAL. Yes, all these "looks" are trendy and all, but the practicality of the matter just flew out the window. But like I said earlier, it may just be the cleaning lady and the personal chef who are dealing with this issue. Ha!

The overuse of white marble in the decorating magazines is starting to make me nutso. It's absolutely beautiful but, as one who has marble in a bathroom and a butler's pantry, it etches and stains and looks yellowish and dingy with continued heavy use. If you're into 'patina' it's fine, but show us patina, because that's the more honest look of white marble after a month of use.

Well i've never been thankful for our cold winters until reading about your bug complaints. I am a total outdoor person and absolutely see the need for bugs and appreciate all they do for the environment, but having termites and centipedes would make me nuts.

About an hour from here we have the largest garter snake nesting grounds in the world. These are perfectly harmless small snakes, but people who live near the grounds at nesting time in the spring literally have them dropping from the ceiling into their beds, find handfuls in their kitchen pots, etc.

Oh, I have gone off topic haven't I. Back to original programming.

I just have to say I love this thread.
when I see some of the photos of the rooms with no "crap" on the counters... I think "Let my husband live there and see how it looks then!"
I so relate to the ottoman/coffee table thing. I have a big wood and glass coffee table in teh family room, and it has remotes, and lots of magazine and books on it at any given time. And, of course, a mug of hot chocolate or a bottle of water. I did have a pretty vase with greens in it, but DH complained it impaired his viewing of the tv.
You know, reality bites as they say!

I am sitting here with my feet up on one of 2 big upholstered ottomans in the morning room. I have a wooden tray that holds coffee or a glass of wine and prevents accidental tip overs. DH has his feet up on the other side and our books are at our feet too. At least for us we love them and so does our cat KB...he just pushes everything onto the floor LOL.

I have open shelves in the kitchen. I use all the dishes all the time and we have a great vent hood so after 1 1/2 yrs I am still really happy with them. As for bugs we finally started having an exterminator after living here for 4 yrs and not needing one. I think the residual from the po must have kept them at bay. Anyway I have the doors open a lot and also several of the large windows so we do get a few moths etc but nothing too bad. We never have mosquitoes since we got rid of every place outside that had standing water. I am amazed since we are in the South that we are so bug-free!

Table vignettes look so good but as you have already said they are "dust catchers" and I hate to move stuff when I clean.

I got rid of all the glass in showers except one bath. I have the open wet rooms and it is so easy to clean. I am glad the one that still has glass is only used by guests and that is rare since most want the bathrooms that are open as they love the way it looks too.

I love this thread and look forward to others comments. c

Allison, I pick up a lot, too . . .while I would not say my rooms are within 1 minute of being clean, a few rooms (the living room, dining room, and my bedroom) usually are within 15 minutes of clean. I am a FlyLady fan and thus keep an eye on my hotspots and aim for clutter-free living. (Though I admit-- I am going to try to get more seasonal decor!)

But still, even clean, my home does not look like a magazine! If I had either time or money, I might get closer to that goal. But things like the baby throwing up today (all over me, at church!) mean those things are secondary now. For now, I nurse my baby while oohing and ahhing over homes online and that's about as close as I'll get!

The sad thing is, once I have the time to really work on decorating, it will mean my little ones will be all grown up. Sigh. That time will come too fast-- and then I'll miss these days of milky smiles and a far-from-perfect house.

RE: slipcovers-- I am just so tempted to get some white ones. Sue, they'll get dirty but so do my dark sofas.

sapphire--I'd have the same cat problem. One of my cats is SO BOLD. He will even jump onto my DD's highchair and try to steal her turkey! He is my #1 decorating consideration/concern-- even more than my kids!

Red-- Hahaha!!!