Reader question: Will this work?

Help! I'm still on the hunt for accessories to put in my living room. Will this work?

No.

I followed the link you sent me for that telescope and it's not even a functioning telescope. Why would you put something like that in this room? It would make some kind of sense if you had an interest in astronomy. If that were true though, why not get one that works? Do me a favor and never buy another purposeless accessory. Don't buy cheap junk to add "interest" to a room. Ever. All it does is add to the pile of junk that you will end up throwing away eventually. Until it gets to that point though, it will be one more useless thing to dust.

Your home should look like you. The stuff lying about should relate to your life and have some meaning for you. Buying stuff for the sake of accessorizing is how you decorate for a magazine spread, it's not how you make a house a home. Accessorize with things that reflect your interests, your loves and your passions. Are you a reader? Then put a book case full of the greatest books you've ever read in your room. Are you a photographer? Set an arrangement of antique cameras on that mantle. Have you been to interesting places? Buy a couple of things that remind you of the places you've been. Hang and arrange an assortment of photographs that tell the story of your life and the lives of the people you love. You home is the one chance in life you get to be the star of your own show. Don't share the spotlight with the junk aisle of T.J. Maxx and Marshall's.

In the meantime, I'd suggest you invest in some paint and an area rug. Move that black floor lamp out of the middle of the room. Get some end tables and a coffee table. Set lamps on the end tables. If you're feeling spendy and adventurous, get rid of the sofa and chair set and buy a well-made sofa and a chair or two that coordinate with it but don't match it. Hang some art on your walls.

Is this starting to feel overwhelming? I don't mean it to be, but putting together a living room requires a bit of planning. Just adding a bunch of disparate stuff will lead you nowhere fast. Think it through before you spend a dime and then execute your plan. Remember, no junk!

Still overwhelmed? Hire a designer. In the hands of a good designer, you will spend no more money than you would without one and the whole thing will come together in a matter of weeks. Awww heck, you can even hire me.

I love this kitchen

My sources tell me that this kitchen was featured at the GE KBIS booth in Atlanta last weekend. GE?! Really? Interesting design is not the thought that pops into my head immediately upon hearing the name GE, I have to tell you.

This kitchen's really clever and beautiful. Aside from all the crap that's cluttering it up, the cabinetry alone in this thing is impressive. The wall shelves echoing the shape and color of the counters and supports is genius. I love the idea of taking something like a Chinese chest of drawers and interpreting it as kitchen cabinetry. Bravo GE, good job.

The results of my moonlighting

This is a stray dog that was sacked out in a walkway of the Stabian baths in Pompeii. I swear, Pompeii is lousy with stray dogs. It's the strangest thing.

The great Franki Durbin took the week off from her equally great blog, Life in a Venti Cup. I stepped into her fashionable shoes for the last five days and I wrote about (what else?) Italy. Franki's going to be filling in for me at some point in the next couple of months when I take off on a well-deserved vacation. Ahhhh, I can feel it already.

Anyhow, here are the links to my Life in a Venti Cup project from last week.

How I Ended Up in a Villa in Sorrento

Oh Sorrento, the Curious Gateway to Amalfi

Spend Some Quiet Time in Ravello

Find Amalfi if You're on the Amalfi Coast

OK, Here's the Last of my Traveler's Tales from Campagnia

And with that out of my system, I think I'm done writing about Italy for a while.

Woo-hoo! Life comes back.

The US Department of the Interior just announced that it's reopening the crown of the Statue of Liberty on July 4th, 2009. It's been closed since the national nightmare of September 11th, 2001. The crown was closed originally because it's nearly impossible to evacuate it in the event of an emergency. In order to deal with whatever eventualities arise, visitors will be limited to 10 at a time and there will be a lottery held to determine the lucky ten, three times an hour. The lines will be beyond belief but what a great sign that life's coming back.

Follow-up: great new colors and styles from Medallion Cabinetry

So as promised, here are some better photos of some of the new offerings for spring from my pals at Medallion Cabinetry. Everything I'm showing here is from Medallion's Platinum line of inset cabinetry. Feast your eyes.

Here's the Trinity door as a beaded inset. The wood species is maple and the color is Bliss, a new paint color for us.

Here's the Tahiti door as an unbeaded inset. The wood species is cherry and the stain color is Ginger Snap.

Here's the Gable door as a beaded inset. The wood species is maple and the color is Eagle Rock, a new glaze color and technique.

This is the Fiji door as a beaded inset. The wood species is maple and the color is Amaretto, another stain and glaze combination.

Here's the Catalina door as a beaded inset. The wood species is maple the color is Truffle, another new paint color.

This is the Camelot door as a beaded inset. The wood species is knotty alder and the color is Amaretto.

This is a Catalina door as a beaded inset. The wood species is maple and the color is Appaloosa, a new stain and glaze combination.

Finally, here's a Bahamas door as an unbeaded inset. The wood species is maple and the color is Harbor Mist. Harbor mist is an addition to our Coastal Collection of finishes. The Coastal Collection features opaque, pigmented stains finished with a dry brush technique. They're beautiful, all of them.

Photography can't do these finishes justice, they have to be seen live. And that my friends can only happen at a Medallion dealer. You can find a dealer near you through Medallion's website. Go forth and see!