buehl: I also got really high prices locally. The best I found was $21/sq ft which included freight. That was contractor's pricing. I had two quotes at $28/sq ft!! So I gave up on buying it locally and used the sources that other GWers provided. And I don't have to pay sales tax, either. I would much prefer to buy it locally, but jeez, it's just way too expensive. When I do the 'store locator' thing on the Jeffrey Court website, I get the Florida Tile warehouse here in Denver. I called them, and they gave me a long list of local retailers. It seems in Denver, at least, the pricing is set by Florida Tile. My GC has an account with Florida Tile and he was given the $28 price (no discount) because it's a special order. He told me to buy it online.

Wow, thanks for all these super detailed answers. With all these questions I realize that I should have been more precise in my statement. I have just recently moved to Japan and live in one of those 20 sqm apartments. The other room I have is already finished (with a shelf, kitchen, table, washing machine, fridge etc.), so this one is my "living room" where I spend most of my time at home. Though it doesn't really feel home yet so that's why I ask here. Everything I have in here were garage sales/gifts or super cheap. The floor is Tatami (Japanese rice mats), and since I like the feeling of walking and sleeping on these I don't really want to cover them with a rug. I talked this morning to my landlord and painting the wall and he said it is possible, but it will be regarded as damaging the apartment and I will have to pay for restoration after moving out. I'm not really on a budget but as a student every ¥ counts of course. I have actually a quite big balcony, I would say around 1mx3.5m, but a part of it is covered because of the outdoor part of the air conditioning. All the furniture is movable. I don't really need any more per se, but if it makes me feel more comfortable then I will consider it. Right now I'm just trying different layouts. I really like the idea for plants on the balcony and in my room. I will definitely try that. And yes, sloedjinn is exactly right :) I admit that the knitted lamp is quite cool but a bit too expensive for my taste.

I'm getting confirmation from the city on the ADU conversion in writing but new laws passed on Jan 1st of this year make it pretty clear I don't need to replace parking. The biggest land/hardscape I'm interested in doing is the entry walkway to the back. It may not look like it now but the walkway is almost 5 feet wide, from the tall wall to where the short wall steps up on the right. Stripping out the reeds on the one side and pulling the vines off the wall on the left. I like the wall of greenery but the clinging vine is terrible to maintain so commercial trellis mounted on alternating sides along the walkway with a non-clinging flowering vine attached would be nice I think. In-cement up-lighting placed opposite the vine to reflect light on to the vines at night? The maybe a glass door with intercom for security?

Before you do anything, 1st go to your zoning department, give them the address and tell them what you wanna do and they will tell you it's doable or not or what you will need to do to get it done if there are no permanent restrictions. Good luck