bohemian hellhole

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Dear Alice, I noticed you have wood floors. Any tips for cleaning them without splurging on chemical laden floor cleaners? ~Susan

via Homeseed

Dear Susan, Wood floors are a mixed bag. While I would never trade them for carpet, there are times when I feel like they are always dusty or dirty. Winter is the worst for this, since we are always walking in and out of muddy wet northwest sidewalks and yards. I am also not a fan of a giant bin of shoes right by the front door, so we keep ours on most of the time. What I do know is that regular sweeping and spot cleaning with a damp cloth will cure most of these ills. Regular vacuuming will get rid of all the dust that stays behind a broom. {After years with a Swiffer, I have officially sworn them off. Too expensive, too smelly, too much filmy residue}

via VivaTerra

For a more heavy duty cleaner, you can mix one cup of vinegar into one gallon of water, and damp mop your floor. Try another variation on this recipe at the Bastyr Center. Some sources will say that vinegar is bad for floors, but in my experience that statement is always followed by a sales pitch for a chemically based product.  Usually you won't need anything other than a damp cloth. Not even vinegar. I usually try to dry as I go with a clean towel.

via calvary carpentry

My favorite scratch 'fix' is to rub a walnut on the damaged wood. It's pretty handy, unless you don't have walnuts.

Vinegar Tips has an overload of information on how to use vinegar for pretty much anything.

How to Clean Stuff has a comprehensive list of tips for removing stains and spills on wood floors.

Also, you can use spent tea leaves to help sweep up dust and dirt. It smells nice too!

Eating cereal, Alice

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Ask Alice: Spray paint or Brush?

Dear Alice, Is spray paint really the best way to update lamps, tables or other things? Can I use a brush and regular paint instead? Thanks, Mikki

via The Frugal Girl {who has great tips on brush painting furniture}

Dear Mikki,

I am afraid I am not an expert on the subject of spray paint. I have a friend who swears by it, and paints everything, and it all turns out fabulous. Once, after visiting her house, I got all excited about spray painting some picture frames I had. I bought paint, went out to the garage, and made a drippy, awful mess. There was a fine coat of paint all over my arms and shirt, and pretty much everything in sight. The picture frames themselves were uneven and gross looking. I think I sneezed out pink paint for a few days after that as well.  {I will add, there was once a chandelier that I did spray paint with some measure of success. It ended up looking good anyway. I think the difference was that the metal was not smooth, it had a pattern embossed into it. Maybe it was just the fact that it was made of metal? Or that I never looked at it up close since it was up on the ceiling?}

For me, I would way rather just use a brush. Sanding between coats with some crazy fine sandpaper* will do wonders for the final finish. The argument of 'spray paint is less messy' holds no truth for me. Rinsing out a brush and not breathing in a mist of chemicals sounds so much better. To each his own though, and I have seen remarkable transformations using both methods.

I feel skeptical about the overuse of spray paint, the same way I do about hot glue. It should not be the band aid that is put on every single item available. Just because it 'could' be done doesn't mean that it 'should'. {Thank you, Dr. Ian Malcolm}

When it comes to lamps, and items that have a super smooth surface, spray paint is probably the only way to go. Check out these resources for more accurate information on how to do it right.

Here is a blog post complete with a printable tip sheet on spray paint.

Real Simple has a classy lamp makeover here.

This post has all kinds of FAQ's regarding the use of spray paint, and yet another post on the same blog has a pro/con list for spray paint. She even has a how to video on the subject!

Another friend of mine repainted all her kitchen cabinets. She wanted to achieve a smooth surface, but didn't want to spray. She used a fine foam roller rather than a brush to avoid stroke marks. {Sanding* between coats and attention to detail are important when painting large flat areas.} Her kitchen cabinets turned out really great!

I think doing a bit of research on the specific item you are hoping to paint before you start will really help you figure out the best method for the project. Get a second opinion on your plan, color choice, method, etc. from someone whose color picking skills you trust. 

One more thing, My Perfect Color will mix ANY color for you in spray paint form, and in any sheen. You can buy one or a thousand cans. That is pretty fantastic in my opinion, especially given the limited color palette offered by Rustoleum and Krylon.

*Mirka sandpaper is by far the most amazing stuff I have ever used. Thanks to Alexis Kane, who I was lucky enough to learn some classical refinishing from. Also, if you ever have a piece of furniture that is worth something, but needs repair or restoration, call/email Alexis. She is really gifted and has a staggering portfolio.{ Also, she would never want you to paint your furniture. }

Brushing my teeth, Alice

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Ask Alice: Open shelves or cupboards?

Dear Alice, I have a tiny kitchen, and sometimes it feels like the cabinets are not helping. Even though I need storage, would open shelving be better than cabinets? What would I do with all the stuff that isn't pretty to look at? Thanks, Jill ~ somewhere in Oregon

Olivet via H&H

Dear Jill, I think open shelving would be a great solution to a small space! One the first things I did to my last kitchen was to take out all the upper cabinets. It made the whole room feel so much bigger. I put up a few shelves for items that I used on a daily basis, like dishes and coffee makers, etc. The rest I stored below or in some cabinets that were just off the kitchen in the mudroom.  Since I like to take things apart, I did all the work myself. This may not be the best choice for everyone though. I chose Ikea shelves, because they were inexpensive, but there are so many options out there, you are sure to find something that fits your style!

via apartment therapy

via apartment therapy
When removing a cabinet, be careful! There will be bits of debris flying around and tools endangering your fingers the whole time. Basically a cabinet is a box,  nailed to the wall and into some studs. In older cabinets, these nails are hard to find, and many times the cabinet was built in stages piece by piece into kitchen. {like stick building a house}  In these cases the best method {for me} is to just take it out with a hammer. Just beat it apart. You can also try using a Sawzall fitted with a metal blade to cut apart the seams and slice through the nails holding the wood together. Should you be able to locate the nails holding your cabinet up, you can try to use a drill to screw several holes around each nail head. When you pull the cabinets off the wall, they will come away and leave the nail heads stuck to the wall in a little wood chunk. You can then remove the nails with hammer or prybar with less effort and damage.

via extreme how to

If your cabinets are newer than say, 1960 or so, the whole process should be much less destructive. New{ish} cabinets are usually hung on the wall with visible fasteners on the back panel. If you can locate these and remove them, the whole thing should just come off the wall, with little to no damage. If there are layers of paint gluing it in place, run a razor around the perimeter of the cabinet to separate it from the wall.

via remuddling

After the cabinets are down, you will need to repair the wall because there will be holes in it, and possibly dents from a pry bar or hammer. To do this you will at least need some joint compound. Spread it on in thin layers, sanding between coats until each area is smooth and flat. It the holes are really big, you can cut a patch of drywall and fit it in the hole, using small strips of drywall {or wood} across the back to secure it in place. There is a good tutorial here.  There are also ready made patches that use a piece of drywall with extra paper around the edge, like a drywall band aid.  It just kind of sticks in place with joint compound. If it is fist sized or less, you can just use mesh tape over the hole, and layer the joint compound over it until the tape doesn't show. If it is finger sized or smaller, just use spackle, then joint compound for the top layer.Now that the patches are done, prime and paint the walls! This may be a good time to paint the whole kitchen a new color as well.

Marie Claire via A Lovely Escape

Next, pick out shelves!  When you are hanging the shelves, make sure you are securing them to a stud. There are no wall anchors strong enough to withstand the weight of dishes and pans every day. Get a stud finder. They cost like $15 for the basic battery operated kind. {there are little magnet ones, but I don't trust them. Also, you will want a level. If you are looking for inspiration, browse Pinterest for kitchens with open shelves for ideas on placement, spacing and quantity.

via apartment therapy

The best part of open shelves is the opportunity to asses what you actually want to have in your kitchen, or what you really use. Try cutting back on your dishes, pots and pans to just your very favorites, and see how it goes for a week or two. Small appliances and other things can be placed on a fitted tray in one of your lower cabinets for easy sliding in and out. If you are totally out of storage room, see if you can find a cool wardrobe or set of lockers or something like that to place close by the kitchen, for easy access to pantry items and cooking gear. Depending on the number of shelves you end up with, there may be room for canisters or baskets filled with high use items such as napkins, towels, cereal, coffee, etc. Make sure you like to look at everything you put on your shelves...you will see them all the time.

via Laura Powers

***If you are a renter, please don't do any of these things without consulting your landlord and getting written approval. {this is from painful personal experience} You can usually just remove your cabinet doors without permission, if they are stored carefully with all the hardware. Just re-install them when you leave and no one will be the wiser. If you want a damage free cabinet backing idea, try liquid starch and fabric on the backs of the now open shelves. Just soak the fabric in starch, and press it up along the back panel, adding more starch if you need it, and smoothing out the bubbles. When it dries, it will just look like you have a fun cabinet. If you want to take it down, just spray some water on it and it will peel off. The cabinet will look like nothing happened!***

via Little Green Notebook

 Another thing to consider when creating more 'felt' space in a small space are the windows. Do you have curtains? Blinds? Take them down. Unless you do a lot of naked cooking, you don't really need privacy in your kitchen. Being able to see farther makes it seem like there's more room.  Brain space. If you have to have the option of closing off your windows, choose something low profile like a roller shade.

Making my bed, Alice

p.s. check this kitchen out- its extra tiny!

p.p.s. Smitten Kitchen has some great tips on how to make the most of what you've got.

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Ask Alice: What's your Secret?

via summer house art

Dear Alice,

What is your secret to finding (cheap or free) awesome, interesting things for your home? Well, maybe you don't want to give away your secret... How about some tips though? I have yet to find something on the side of the road - what am I missing? Is it about timing, frequency, or is it about opening your mind to possibility?

Thriftless in Seattle

via summer house art

Dear Thriftless,

I am not sure there is a secret, but I do have some things that I do that may be helpful to you.

First of all, I am always scanning the roadsides for free piles. Just today {insert expletive here} my sister in law walked over to my house and came across an amazing antique painting of a wolf or some sort of creature in a really beautiful frame, just sitting on the side of the road. About half an hour before she showed up, I was seriously considering a walk, and then decided it was too much work so I went out to prune some roses instead. Had I not been lazy, that painting would be mine now. The point is, be vigilant. Be watchful. Little treasures pop up in the strangest places, when you least expect it. The basement kitchen back splash in our last house was literally found on the side of I-5. {of course, always exercise caution while roadside scanning, or better yet, have someone else drive} You might want to keep some rope, a packing blanket and some tarp in your car just in case you find something bulky, wet or dirty.

Secondly, always carry a list. You may even need to carry several lists. Currently in my bag I have a list of all the cabinet hardware that I still need, a list of kitchen drawer measurements, a list of random things like window sizes, picture frame sizes, lamp shade types, and color swatches, as well as a list of furniture that I am on the lookout for. {also, to go with the furniture list, I have corresponding measurements for where the item will reside one day} Sometimes I have lists for other people too. Having a documented record of sizes, colors, shapes and other details can really come in handy when you find a good deal but wonder "will it fit?". This has saved me from buying something completely impractical or just plain the wrong thing so many times.

**The list can be used defensively too: when well meaning friends or relatives offer you things you don't want, you can look at your list and say "Hmmm, it looks like I don't have room for that, sorry!" or, "That's just not the right size, how disappointing!". **

I learned this from my mom. When I was young, I collected Nancy Drew books. I would only buy the old ones, and looked for them anytime we went thrifting. My mom kept a list in her wallet of all the numbers I had, that way she could check it against one we found to see if it was already at home or not. They all had the same, yet varying title, so memory could not be trusted. It took a while but we got them, one at a time, like a treasure hunt. I think there might be one or two left, and I am pretty sure she still has the list.

via summer house art

For things that you want to color match, but don't want to drag around with you, like a throw, or a chair, or a painting, the best thing to do is head to the local paint store and grab all the paint chips you think might possibly match the items in question. {even chips that aren't close, but might be darker or lighter shades} Take home your giant stack of chips, and match then to your items there. Then, label the paint chips you chose for reference, and stick them in whatever you carry with you. This step, while tedious will be invaluable to you later on. You could even get really high maintenance and make a mini notebook, taping in your paint chips, and adding your lists by category or something. {a moleskine would work well, rubber band it to keep loose pieces in}  Adding in little inspiration photos might help too. If you have this with you, it will be easy to refer to when you are shopping, or driving, or dumpster diving. Even if it's free, there is no value in a good deal if you don't actually have a use for the thing you pick up.

via summer house art All of these paintings on plywood were found by Helen in a free pile after a garage sale one day.

Third, always, always carry a tape measure. This cannot be said enough. Have one on you all the time. It can be little, and cute, but it should be at least 6' long.  Having measurements handy of art you would like to frame, AND a measuring tape when you are at a thrift store? Priceless; or at the very least, helpful.

Another thing you should always have on your person is a multi tool of some sort. This way, if you find something for free but only want part of it, you can take it apart right then. Once, I drove by a wooden piano bench that had an amazing cut velvet upholstered seat. The seat had a huge hole burned into it, but there was lots of salvageable fabric left. I pulled over, and was able to take the seat off with my handy screwdriver, leaving the quite usable wood frame behind, and available for someone else.

Fourth, be consistent. If you have a list of say, a particular type of dish or china that you are on the lookout for, walk the dish aisle each time you are out shopping. Do the same for picture frames, furniture, etc. Even if you are shopping for pants, taking a few minutes to scout out the relevant shopping areas for the things on your list will pay off in the end. Stick to your list, and stick to your style. If an item is the right size, the right color, the right price, but also has an embossed pattern of cat paws all over it, you should probably pass. {unless you are the cat lady}

A word of caution, don't go into houses that are plain scary, or have free items down in the basement "it'll just take a minute". That is what all bad movies are made of. Like this:

via twin city sidewalks

Finally, keeping all of that in mind, don't be too strict. Sometimes you'll find something that you had no you would like, but it for some reason you love it. Don't over think it, just grab it. Your home should reflect you, and things that you love, and that can't really be categorized neatly for anyone. Neither can your space.

The antique mirror above our mantel was found at a thrift store for $19, the vintage japanese wind up walking bear was in the bins, and the lighting parts are waiting to be reunited with their other parts that have been in my bag for the last month while I was looking for a part.

 Feeding the dogs, Alice

**If you are housebound, or live in the boonies, these things can still help you. Making lists, measuring things ahead of time, {and even ordering color samples from companies you are looking into ordering from} will help you when you are looking things up online, in a catalog,  or if someone you know just calls you and says "hey, I have this dresser, do you want it?". You will be prepared!**

 

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a lamp?

Dear Alice, I recently purchased a lamp with a frayed cord. Is this easy to fix? Where should I start? ~ Regina

 

via Rental House Rules {where they have how to links and lots of advice on buying second hand lamps!}

Dear Regina, Last week I did an unreasonable amount of little projects, spurred on my the list I made for the William Morris project. Funny you should ask, because one of the things I did was to repair and re-wire a lamp. This little light was given to me years ago by a dear friend for Christmas. I used it, and moved it, and eventually broke it. Somewhere along the line I also lost the threaded rod that held it all together. It sat in a drawer, or a box or a bag for seriously 9 years, and I could never bring myself to just get rid of it. I also never managed to fix it until this week.

The first thing to do is inspect what you do have, is your lamp complete? Does it have a socket, switch, cord? Is it stable? Do you need to add feet, or like me a new threaded rod to hold it all together?

This is a diagram of basic parts. Not all lamps are identical, but they usually include a healthy dose of these parts. {via glassart3}

When I got out my bag of parts, I realized the the bakelite piece holding the socket together was broken. I decided the best way to fix it was superglue and duct tape. It works quite well, and no one will ever know. Except you. Then, I made a list, went to the hardware store and purchased a lamp kit. It was the easiest thing to do, it came with extra nuts and washers, as well as two threaded rods. I needed a cord too, to I took one off of a super lame Ikea lamp that was in my give away pile. {free!}

The lamp I have is basically a bunch of parts, stacked on top of a threaded rod. It was like a giant beading project, only I didn't lose all the beads. I started by threading the socket cap onto the rod, and then adding parts down to the base. The rod was longer than what I needed, so I marked it, and cut it off with my very favorite English hack saw, the 'Break Neck'. It's so lovely, and so handy!

After that was done, I added a washer and two nuts, forming a lock nut on the end of the rod. This keeps the whole thing firmly together. The next step was the actual wiring.

I threaded my lamp cord through the rod, up through the socket cap, and stripped about half an inch off each side.

{you may say 'hey, I can totally see that duct tape!', just wait.}

Twist these wire ends so that they don't fray out and poke you in the finger.  Each socket has connections that vary a bit, this lamp just had little 'tunnels' that I sent the stripped wire into, then tightened down the connection screw on top of the wire. {lamps are simple circuits, unless you have a crazy fancy light that has computers or AI inside it, you don't really have to worry which side each wire goes to}

Once the connecting screws are nice and tight you can add the finishing touches, socket sleeve, harp {if relevant}, shade and bulb. I do not recommend a CFL. If you are really worried about how much electricity you use in your lamps, buy a halogen bulb please. Other wise you might end up with a brain cloud. I am not kidding, CFL bulbs can do you in.

That's about it. If you have further questions, ask in the comment section below, and I will do my best to help!

Washing clothes, Alice

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Ask Alice: How do I put up Wallpaper?

Dear Alice, It seems like wallpaper is becoming the new accent wall. I have never hung wallpaper before, how do I put it up? ~ Jessica
via Seidman Paperhanging

image from Rosie's Vintage Wallpaper via Lara Lewis

Dear Jessica,

The best tutorial I know of is the one Martha Stewart put together. She has great step by step instructions and lots of photos to help. I can't be that precise. When I wallpaper, I usually have a towel, a needle, wallpaper adhesive and a paintbrush. Since I often find my wallpaper secondhand, there are rarely instructions handy. It happens like this: when the time is not right, and there are lots of other things going on, I decide, hey! I have some wallpaper, why not put it up NOW? I grab my generic wallpaper adhesive, my paintbrush, needle and towel, and start hanging. I don't recommend it. Instead of pasting the paper, I paint the adhesive right on the wall, nice and thick. Then I {always starting at the top! If it insists on falling down, you can tack it into the wall with pushpins to hold it still while the adhesive sets} start hanging the paper, depending on the project the best rule is to begin in the middle of the wall and work outward. Leave a few inches of extra paper at the ceiling and floor trim, because it is aways a better idea to trim it after, rather than cut it 'to fit' and find you cut it too short. Then I wipe the whole thing down with my towel, {damp} and start working out the bubbles, from the center towards the edges. If there is a horrible bubble that won't budge, I poke it with my needle and work all the air out. Continue on with the rest of your wallpaper, making sure that the pattern lines up. You can paper over light switches {just cut a little hole for the switch}  and outlets and trim around them after you work out the bubbles.  Hooray! Wallpaper! {If you can, buy extra, because chances are you will have a few 'accidents', but that's ok! It will all turn out good in the end, but if it doesn't, I'll come help you.}

If all that sounds too messy and difficult, you can frame some wallpaper pieces and hang them on your wall. Katy Elliot explains it all here.

I documented a little wallpaper project a while ago here.

Folding clothes, Alice

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?

Dear Alice, Every time I hang curtain rods using wall anchors, they still wiggle loose in the drywall after a while. What am I doing wrong? Sincerely, Joanne

via De Le Cuona

Dear Joanne, There is a simple fix to your problem: use different anchors. When you buy curtain rods, or towel bars, or about a bazillion other kinds of things that you have to attach to the walls, they come with screws and anchors already in the packaging. I suspect that there is some awful factory somewhere churning out undersized inadequate plastic anchors just for the purpose of making people cry.

via Alibaba

Throw them away. The whole baggie of fasteners. Garbage. Yes, even the screws. Next, take yourself to an actual hardware store, in other words, not Fred Meyer, or Kmart, or Target. Go to Ace, or True Value or even Home Depot. There you will find a whole aisle of fasteners that will actually work.

via D&L Grain and Pro Hardware

I usually buy my fasteners on the paranoid side, I would like each one to support me hanging on said curtain rod or towel bar. Most recently I hung a large mirror in our hallway. It had four little tabs for fasteners. I bought a package of six, {which was good since two of them had to be re-done. Long story. Buy extra.} and each one was weight rated at 80 pounds.

No, the mirror didn't weigh 320 pounds, but the anchors were only about $4, and I know it's not falling down anytime soon. Plus, they worked well, which is more than I can say for those little plastic pluggie things. The anchors will most likely come with machine screws, and they will most likely be silver. If this is unacceptable color wise, and you need black or brown or something like that, go buy some nail polish that corresponds to your metal finish and just paint the head after the whole thing is up and anchored in the wall.

via She Knows

You will never ever notice once you are more than 6 inches away. I promise. Don't get silly and pick red nail polish either. You will regret contrasting screw heads, believe me.  There are a few things I need to point out. First, If you are the proud owner of a stud finder and can install your curtain rods into a stud, this method is much preferred. You will still need to throw away the fastener baggie that came with your product, and you will still need to go to a hardware store and buy proper screws. My favorite is the 'gold screw', in 2" or 2.5".

via Tool King {this link is for 3", but I just wanted you to see what they looked like, in case you go shopping}

Then, you can proceed to the nail polish step. Second, if you are installing your curtain rods into sheetrock, or some other kind of hollow wall, you will need to get the kind of anchor that toggles behind the wall, creating kind of a 'fastener sandwich'.

Via Home Depot

Like this.

via Buildex

DON'T buy these spring toggle ones:

via Toggler
The expanding anchors are ok, but really won't hold up to the strain of a set of curtains.

via ITW Proline

Are you totally thrilled about all these images of screws and anchors? It's beyond interesting.

Buy the most heavy duty ones you can find, within reason, basically each one should be able to hold up double the weight of the whole shebang.  Like, if your curtain rods, with curtains on will weigh around 20 pounds, get a package of anchors where each one can hold 40 pounds, and so on. It will save you heartache later. 

Also, I should mention that most of this should not be done without an awesome drill. The E-Z Anchor Toggle  can be installed with only a screwdriver, which is really nice, but if you are installing anything into a stud, you're going to want one. I have a Milwaukee impact driver, and I don't know how I would do anything without it. It's like having super drill power.

Have a friend make sure you are installing your curtain rod at a good height*, and that it is level. Mark your holes and check them several times before you actually start anchoring. The last thing you want is a solidly installed crooked curtain rod.

via Honey and Fitz

Have fun!

Taking a walk, Alice

*Height is a personal choice, and my two cents is to split the difference between the top of the window and the ceiling. Many people will tell you to go as high as you can, but sometimes it just looks silly. Use your best judgement, and keep your curtain length in mind. I don't recommend placing your curtain rod right down on the top of you window, unless you have a really good reason. Which you might. I don't know. That's a different question, and can usually only be answered on a case by case basis. Whew.

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?