Dear NYC LOVER, When I read your original posting asking for advice on a sleeper sofa/chaise I was happy to see it was the exact same thing I am looking for- style, size and everything! It's funny because I actually just came home from Jensen Lewis where I found the Cadet by Cerrito. It is the one I like the best, but it is just so expensive. I saw one at Macy's- Portofino by Max Home for only $1200. It seems comfortable and has a great flip-flop chaise so you can switch sides, but I am scared of the quality and I can't find much information about it online. I wonder why some couches are close to $4000 and others are only around $1000. I am very curious to know why you chose the Tyler by Carter. Did you see it at Jensen Lewis? I looked at it online and love the look, but what are the dimensions? I couldn't tell from the website. It seems like it might be 117" with the chaise. I can't go over 110." Also, you mentioned you saved $1000 over retail. How? Do you know if it is possible to find the Cerrito sofa online for less? I must decide soon if I should just buy the Cerrito or keep looking. Here is a link that might be useful: Max Home sofa

Just got a new Ballard catalog yesterday, and noticed that they are now emphasizing that ALL their upholstered furniture is US-made. They have some really good looking updated, but still traditional styles. As for cushions - back or bottom. Just be sure that any sofa one buys has cushions covers with zippers on them. Most are filled with poly, or poly/feather, and they will compact and droop - pretty quickly, in fact. When they do, take the pillows/cushions and their covers to a GOOD upholstery shop and have the filling replaced. Bottom cushions of often used chairs/sofas, are best done with springs and a wrap of something with a nice crown. Loose back cushions are a problem with pets - they like to use them as a hammock and they always look like an unmade bed. If they are filled with a 50/50 down/feather fill, then at least they can be fluffed up to look nice. I finally gave up and just had my sofa done with a tight back - looks SO much better. Throw pillows are easy and inexpensive to replace, and the dog doesn't sleep on them the way her predecessors did on those loose back cushions. I'm far happier. What one must realize is that today's upholstered furniture, no matter where it is made, is simply not the quality it once was. People do NOT want investment furniture - a sofa they will keep for 50 years They like change and won't pay for true quality, thus the manufacturers (even ones like Baker), have lowered the quality for price point reasons. If there are no buyers for quality, one must make lesser quality at the price point customers want to pay.

Mary, Are you referring to window restoration or just sealing up some existing windows? The two are going to be very different type professionals. If it it just sealing up some exterior trim on windows, a decent painter can do that. If its window restoration, that is a different ball of wax. Window restoration is a very niché marketplace. The best thing to do is start with a Google area search near your home and especially in those areas that are more heavily concentrated in older homes. Next would be to ask around any of the historic districts that are in your area and see who they might have a list for. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the comments - The situation gets stickier - I talked to the PM, and he said he already BOUGHT the "homemade" pocket door frames he described. He hadn't mentioned that. I'm really irritated now. This after multiple emails to him going back over the fall where I asked him to hold of purchasing a frame unit yet, and even as recently as January 9, we talked about what features were paramount. So now, not only am I uncertain why "his" frame is any better than well-regarded frames, I'm feeling pushed into taking something I know nothing about. I said to him, ok, if you put them in and the doors don't work well for daily/frequent use, are you prepared to do them over? DH says I'm being too nasty and not trusting - he's a "professional". I just get the sense he's trying to get away as cheaply as possible. Maybe I'm not trusting, but this is the second thing he's bought before we confirmed. The Architect plan had two window sizes shown as possible, based on our preferences. I had told him that was a place holder, and then when we met to review that wall (above the tub), he said he had ordered it months ago. And of course, he bought the smaller, thus cheaper one. So the real frustration is that I know of no way to kick the tires on a pocket door. Do I trust the guy as a "pro", or bunches of online reviews from contractors & homeowners? Would asking him to give me references for that door unit be fair? Thanks.... we've had a bunch of delays between a major architect screwup and some walls not built as the plans showed in 1979, and so I know he's trying to catch back up on the schedule a bit (was due for completion before Xmas). Such fun!