Great thread! Thanks for adding all the info, Mara; your plants look VERY nice. I was going to mention the same thing, about propagation being done by seed, not from cuttings. I haven't tested that theory for myself but, looking at mine, I can't imagine making any cuts. The point where each branch meets the main stem is very thick. Most of the other Ascleps break into segments easily. In my experience with Ascleps, cuttings must be taken at the point of segmentation; any segment cut through the middle will die. Yours, Mara, are most likely 2 different plants, grown from seed. That means you can get some horns if they ever bloom together! I only have 1. Stush, I don't have much to add except that I grow mine in a sunny spot right next to my stacking Crassulas. It seems to like plenty of light.

I was in love with a pic of a wooden island with big wheeled feet. I got the same responses you did from the forum and from my contractor. I ended up having my dream island built for me - just without the wheels. I still love it, but I was able to have electrical and didn't lose the extra inches of storage I would have lost with feet. Maybe you could get your island made but without the feet or the feet could just be decorative?

Ok, now that I realize it's going to be much less money than I expected to recover this whole thing, I think I will go to the upholsterer and have the downproof covers made at the same time as real covers. Anyone willing to help pick out fabric? (Last time I picked out my own, it ended disastrously.) What's nice and washable? Picture (sun's not quite up yet, but I wanted to show accurate color): Ignore everything else in the room--it's all going. I do have a large jute rug coming, but I could change to something else. The wall will be a gallery wall. I really want to do something bright and fun. This was my original inspiration picture for the room--though I recognize that my room is smaller, my couch is bigger, and I don't have skylights: Would it be crazy to do all the back pillows in different (coordinated) colors? I like eclectic, bordering on eccentric.

So interesting to think about the implications of lighting - I will definitely have to play around with different bulbs! Gracie01, the art is actually a 4 piece panel (antique, Chinese, gold w multicolor cherry blossoms, birds, etc) I agree that's not showing as such on the monitor. Pillows are gold in same fabric as chair on opposite wall. Second set of pillows has a creamy background with green-ish geometric pattern - again, absolutely agree it's not appearing that way at all through these pics. I'm realizing that part of my issue is that I never really wanted yellow walls to begin with, and sort of let the painter (whom I actually think is great) influence the decision to do this Greenmount Silk. I'd actually prefer something like a BM Gray Mirage at 50% or so...as it is, the blue against the yellow still looks garish to me. I don't want to change the window treatments, unfortunately, as they were custom made for this space, and price-y. I really appreciate all of the helpful suggestions!