Every house has its story. What's yours?

We've lived in this house for 16 years.  Of those 16 years, this is the first where a room wasn't lying with its guts hanging out.  There's no drywall dust in the air, no trim to miter, no dry rot rotting our bank account away.    All the rooms have been finished.  The plumbing, sewer and electrical have been brought up to code.  There's flooring in all of the rooms.  We officially finished the kitchen last April.  I think I'm facing the existential equivalent of ennui.  What else does life have to offer now?  I've accomplished it all - a 1952 rambler has    » read more »

There it is-one of the primary conundrums with which one is inevitably encountered on moving into a new house or apartment: which pictures to hang, and where?

There's a huge threshold to be crossed before one can bring oneself to the dramatic moment of actually digging up a hammer and poking a hole into the otherwise virginal (at least, in that particular spot) paint or wallpaper. How can one be sure the picture, poster or painting is going to look good there? How can you know before you actually make that leap, damage the wall, and hang the damn thing up?    » read more »