Q.  My husband and I are building our first house. In the living room, kitchen, dining room (1 big room) we would like to decorate using warm yellows, reds, greens and orange. We will have white appliances, oak cabinets and nickel light fixtures. Will gray carpeting and a grayish/tanish linoleum work? A. Congratulations on your…

Question for Our Experts: I’ve heard about whole-home, wired smoke detectors.  What are they all about, and why are they so great? Our Experts’ Answer: Short Answer This type of smoke detector is called “wired” because it relies on a hardwired power connection as its primary source of power (with battery as a backup), and…

Q. We are planning on going for “honey on cherry” cabinets and gunstock wood floors in our new home. We would like to go for granite countertops. We have a few options but haven’t been able to decide which one to go for. The reason for the confusion is that I like my kitchen to…

Q.  I have cherry cabinets and granite counter tops that have black, tans, browns, and rust colors. My appliances are stainless steel and black. What do you recommend for a wall color? I’m trying to stay away from whites and beiges. Any ideas? A. You may want to consider a warm color to balance the…

Q.  I am purchasing a home with an open floor plan: living room, dining room, family room merges with open kitchen. I plan to re-do the floors in solid hardwood and paint the walls a neutral color. My question is: with an entertainment center in a bleached oak and white kitchen cabinets, what is the best…

Question for Our Experts: I was under the impression that if I have a water softener installed at my home, I’m helping to protect my appliances and keep my drinking water safe.  But my friend just told me about whole-home water filters and ultraviolet light treatment.  Are these extra layers of protection that I need? …