Hi, I'm new to the site. Looks like fun! I'm looking for stakes that stick to the brick wall. They have twisty ties attached to hold the vines until the vines can attach themselves to the brick. My friend got them at a local nursery, but they no longer carry them and don't know where to find them. Anyone know where to find these? Thanks!

I think this is one of those times when a vision can't be explained to people who have never been in your home. If you love these and think they will look great, then try them out. To your comment about having a large library, I didn't mean to imply that someone with or without books should avoid art featuring books. I just meant that I already have so many walls covered by books that I was having trouble with the concept of featuring books on one of my few plain walls as an explanation of why the art you are considering didn't strike my fancy. You obviously have a much larger home than mine with many more walls to decorate.

Thanks Mtnrdredux, I appreciate the compliment! The problem is, the other rooms just immediately came to me based on their features and the pieces I had with which to work. I might have struggled over the exact wall hue or which accent fabric, but I knew what direction I wanted. This study is in pretty bad shape, and it's mostly for my husband, and we're reworking some big elements in the room, so I have too many choices! As far as the floor covering, that is up in the air also. The current rug is a nice old wool Wilton I really like with black and soft blue and salmon, but I could use it in two other rooms as well. I would love to pick the rug first and use that as the jumping off point, but nothing has spoken to me yet! I'm constantly searching CL and eBay, though, so maybe soon. Yayagal, do you mean mineral spirits, or did you really use mineral oil? I tested the finish with denatured alcohol to see if it's shellac, and I'm still uncertain. But a thorough cleaning is a good idea. The ceiling and windows were filthy from years of nicotine, so that could certainly be a factor with the original trim. I've been searching for some inspiration pics of wood mantels and white trim, but I can't find many. Here are two from Houzz: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/living-room-eclectic-living-room-chicago-phvw-vp~371189) [Eclectic Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2104) by Chicago Kitchen And Bath Rebekah Zaveloff [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/this-old-house-family-room-traditional-living-room-boston-phvw-vp~35004) [Traditional Family Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2107) by Cambridge Architect LDa Architecture & Interiors I like that they are both vintage mantels in a more transitional decor. My mantel actually looks a lot like the second photo. It feels somehow appropriate that the mantel stand out from the trimwork in these cases. But neither one has bookcases or built ins surrounding it. Would that change the balance somehow? And they both feature light color walls which helps the trim blend away a bit. How would the overall look change if I did a deeper wall color, white bookcases, and my oak mantel? Too busy?

Here's the link: https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/household/painting-brick/ To be clear and so we're all speaking in proper context, the 3 to 5 year recommendation is about REGULAR HOUSE PAINT. Which I have repeatedly stated that regular house paint is not the best product to use to change the color of brick. 30 years ago there wasn't the range of product to choose from like we have in 2019. Also, from the same article. And, again, to ensure everyone has proper context... "The Brick Industry Association also advises using a porous paint for exterior brick walls, so the brick can breathe." " Zumeta recommends looking into having your brick professionally stained, rather than painted. Although it can be more expensive, a brick stain penetrates the pores of the brick, unlike paint, which simply sits on the surface. It creates new color without some of the long-term risks that come with paint." In addition, the article speaks to the substrate. Which I also mentioned earlier in the thread because it matters. Bottom line is it's not okay to make sweeping, generalizing, fear-mongering comments about the pitfalls of painting brick without specifying product and substrate. The details matter. Lastly, from the article, this is bad advice. Which makes me question the article overall. I wouldn't use Super Paint exterior on normal substrates let alone brick unless the budget was Super tight for painting normal exterior substrates. JMHO: “Choosing a high-quality paint is vital for painting brick successfully,” says Watson. Both Watson and Crocker recommend using specific masonry paint products for painting brick, starting out with a conditioner and a primer, and then using a breathable latex exterior or interior paint, like Sherwin-Williams’ SuperPaint Acrylic Latex."