There is just something so decor friendly about choosing new roman shades. Decor friendly roman shades are a wonderful addition to almost any room.  That said, I would avoid using them for windows next to wet areas like kitchen sinks and bathrooms. Because roman shades are fabric and harder to clean, keeping them from bathrooms ...

Today Tammy writes: Help me diva!  I have looked at the website baliblinds.com for weeks now.  I've ordered samples in several styles of window treatments and I think I've finally found "the" color for my living room, but it is not the type of shade I originally thought of. I want window treatments with good light ...

Today Steve writes: I just read your article on window treatments for hard to reach window treatment solutions. It was helpful, but I still have a question.  What type of window treatments can I get with the remote option? Well Steve, you can get several different types of remote control blinds and shades.  Remote functionality used to ...

Today Patricia asks, My husband and I need a master bathroom remodel badly. My husband thinks we can do it ourselves but neither of us are that handy. I am afraid this will turn out to be a bigger project than he expects and we will end up over our heads. But he ...

Today, Tina asks: I have a small bathroom I'm shopping for new tile for, and I just don't know what to do!  What size of tile should I go with?  I've heard that I should go with small tiles and I've also heard that I need to stay with big!  Which way is it? Don't despair you ...

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't get asked  which are better - granite or quartz countertop surfaces?  There is no real right or a wrong answer here.  Simply put, both granite or quartz are great countertop options.  What you've got to ask yourself is what will work better for you. Lost? Consider ...

Not too long back, we were contacted by a PR firm that wanted to share a product that competes with SimpleMat called Bondera TileMatSet. Intrigued, we agreed to receive what Bondera calls a Tiling Toolbox. On the surface it might look like any other wooden box, but once opened up, we discovered that it contained ...

Several of our readers have expressed frustration and anxiety about how to deal with hard to reach window treatments once Spring comes and the sun is out again.  Many of who, mentioned feeling like they are living in a cave because they pull the shades down for the sunny months and only open them in ...

If you have extra wide windows you might think your chooses for window treatments are limited, but there are more styles out there then one would think! It just takes a little more thought and a little more thinking outside the box! Here are 3 popular styles for extra wide window blinds: Vertical Blinds - These ...

Just starting the process of adding a kitchen backsplash is rather overwhelming. This video below demonstrates just how fast you can be over-run by simple kitchen backsplash idea overload. So while there's easy to install backsplash concepts like SimpleMat, chances want to still explore the alternatives. That is where this article comes in. We hope to clear ...

Today an anonymous reader writes: Really need your help with this one. Should I be looking at ideas for my backsplash with tile samples? I work a lot, so I don't have a lot of time to look for new kitchen tile backsplash ideas, do you have any suggestions? I just want to make sure I ...

Today Cindy writes: Help! Our old curtains are just not cutting it any longer and we need help deciding on window treatments for our bathroom. At this point we are open to any ideas you might have. Curtains, blinds, whatever. We just need something new and that works! Thanks! Well Cindy, I am glad to hear you ...

Today Alice writes: Recently my husband and I have accepted that we are in dire need of an update on our window blinds. Unfortunately however, we're stuck on choosing cordless wood blinds over wood blinds with a cord. We're just not sure which choice of blind makes the most sense? Please help us Diva, we ...

No matter how you spell it, Simple Mat or SimpleMat, it has proven itself to be something of a new product celebrity. Featuring the ability to allow for a kitchen backsplash without the fuss and muss of the typical backsplash install, Simple Mat has done wonders for those wanting a great looking backsplash in a ...

Today a reader via Twitter.com asks: Diva, what's your opinion about painting over wallpaper? Painting over wallpaper can be done, but I'd only be painting over wallpaper as a last resort.  If taking the wall paper off will damage the wall or there are multiple layers of paper then painting over is a good idea.  However if ...

Today Sandy writes: Dear Diva, I am having problems with moisture in my bathroom. We have bathroom tile in the shower and on the floor. Yet in both instances, there are signs that we are seeing moisture problems developing. The tile was in place before we moved in, do we need to re-tile if the damage is ...

Trying to tackle a small bathroom makeover on the best day, is a daunting task. Attempting such a small bathroom makeover in a weekend, is generally thought to be impossible. Despite this belief, we did some research and have found that truth is stranger than fiction in this matter. As it turns out, while this ...

Wood flooring for real life! In a bathroom? Seriously? Yes, New Bathroom Wood Flooring from Shaw's Cosmopolitan Collection hardwood floor is a 1/2" engineered wood floor made out of maple that when installed properly, is a great fit for your bathroom. Shaw's Cosmopolitan comes in 2 colors: black and white. With its shiny ...

Recently there has been some concern over just how reliable it is for those looking to install a kitchen backsplash with SimpleMat. Some of the concerns made against the product included: the glue being more adhesive than initially thought, tiles being too small, just too limiting in product styles available. Speaking for myself, I think ...

What home makeover doesn't begin or end with a fresh coat of paint? Paint can change the feel or mood of any room. And with low or no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints, painting just got better for you and the environment. Today's low VOC paints are available in more colors and ...

Getting ready to buy a new couch for your living space?  There are a few things you should do before you hit the showroom to look for new living room furniture. First take measurements!  You know the old adage "measure twice, cut once."  It applies to this situation. There is no reason to go looking at ...

When I first saw SimpleMat, I didn't think it would work all that well. But after seeing SimpleMat in action, I was shocked at how simple to install it really is. SimpleMat from Custom Building Products is the easiest way to tile a backsplash, wall or counter top I've ever seen. It comes in 9" x ...

Today a reader asks: We have 3 small dogs and also foster an additional dog each month.  We have carpet throughout the house even in the kitchen.  It is quality carpet and seems to clean well when I use the Bissell and better when I call the carpet pros once a year.  However I am tired ...

Today a reader asks: Dear Diva, I have been wanting to do a new tile backsplash for my kitchen. After giving some thought to using vinyl tile as a backsplash per your recent post, I am curious if have any tips for keep the costs down since I am trying to do this on a budget. Still ...

Small children and pets are both hazardous to our window treatments. But at the same time, window treatments are also hazardous to our kids and pets!  So it's important to know which types of window treatments are best when keeping children safe with blind cords.  The best styles of blinds that minimize the risk to our ...

Today Diana writes: Hi Diva, I just got a new old house and I have a very smelly and gross carpet problem. When I looked at the house in April there was no odor because it was still cold, but now, with the warmth and humidity, the smell in one of the rooms is overwhelming and disgusting. Hard to believe, ...

Recently I received a question on a public forum about how to prepare plywood for vinyl tile: Concerned reader asks: So I've moved into a home that has wall to wall carpeting in every single room. That includes the kitchen and the bathroom. I was rather amazed and a little appalled that someone would do that on ...

As we all know, times are tough and money is tight. That's why it's important to make wise decisions with your money. One way to do a living room makeover without knocking down walls and doing that dream renovation is to purchase a new area rug. Not to worry, it'll be a popular ...

In a previous article, I touched a bit on the value of considering backsplash ideas that can be done start to finish in under an hour. And among those ideas, was vinyl tile as a backsplash. While seeming rather "blah" at first pass, the truth of the matter is that this is both a time ...

Anyone who has been to this site before, knows that we are in love with kitchen tile backsplash design ideas. But let's face it, not everyone has the time or interest in totally ripping out the kitchen or even trying to get a project of that kind of scope done in one day. It's a ...