Most of the time stiffness is due to laundry detergent build up or hard water conditions. It can also occur with lack of breeze. Laundry flapping in the wind is less stiff due to the fabric constantly moving. I live in a hard water area and still hang my clothes outside. I do not mind the stiffness, even in my towels and have not found the stiff towels to be less absorbent. In fact, I read somewhere, can't remember where, that still fabric is actually good for your skin as it exfoliates there in by keeping your skin healthier. Besides most stiffness goes away with wear and/or use. As for the smell of the clothing line dried, it has been my experience that unless you use a heavily perfumed detergent, the fresh air pretty much removes any scent. Now if you live in an area where the air stinks, then you may end up with that smell on your clothes. I had a prob with that a while back due to a near by resturant and all their greasy smelling cooking. My clothes were smelling like old hamburgers. Thank God they moved their business else where and I have had no further problems. Detergent build up and using fabric softner can make your clothes smell nasty too depending on what you are using, aka ingredients in them. Type of fabric can have a factor as to scent too. On a final note regarding odor in lined dried fabrics, many people are so use to the smell they get from detergents or their driers, which actually alters the smell of clothes even washed in perfume free detergents, that they have absolutely no idea what actual fresh clothing smells like. Clothes washed in a scent free detergent and then put in the drier smell different from those that are lined dried. Once you learn what an actual outdoor fresh smell is, the rest is a piece of cake.

Exactly, although I really appreciate your critique of my bedroom space. DH would not allow me to switch chest of drawers. That's his "side" of the room, bed, bench, lol. Y'all don't know what it took to talk him into curtains! Although, he has been pretty good throughout this decorating process. I did previously try to put the basket under the side table, but it is too tall with the pillows and would be a pain to get under to retrieve them. As for the air return, I cannot block it with anything that large and solid. You should have seen the dust on the solid painted screen. The heating and air guys were not thrilled with that, either. One of these days, I'll see the perfect console table to put there, but in the meantime, that's what I feel comfortable with and it's staying. I can't believe y'all have not seen these decorative screens as just that...decorative! Must be a southern thing. Anyhow, all I wanted to do is show you my newly revamped space because it is such a big improvement over what it was. Thank you for the kind words, tryingtodecorate. The color is Decatur Buff in the bedroom, and my fireplace wall is as well. I have considered painting that entire wall like the trim color, a paneled look like my previous home (seen below) and may do so when we replace the fireplace box (another story.) yayagal - We may sell, so come on!

my pleasure, and thank you for the kind words! Your current cabs now are creamy with the glaze, right? I would just take off a door, haul it in and have it colored matched! I actually found those at Target of all places - sad to say but I picked my granite around them! I just loved them, and I'm not usually a canister person, but I have a pitcher, a platter, cream/sugar bowl . . . anything the had, really! Also got the breadbox there. Red does look good with Santa C., so don't toss them yet. There are lovely garnet splotches in it, and the red I used in there for Christmas looked great. You can pull it in with towels and accents and likely have it look great. The cabs are IKEA - my saving grace. We're starting a new kitchen in a couple months, and I think I will do the same style in white this time. I'm always around if you need help!! Good luck!

I'm not sure this is a discussion I should jump into, because my mind is a jumble of 'ifs' (and a jumble this week, in general), like IF it goes with the style of the home and kitchen, and IF it coordinates nicely with other elements...and it's all personal opinion/judgment. A concern: I do worry about hearing things like putting it in the middle of an otherwise neutral field of backsplash, because I think it should relate to the rest of the backsplash...not just sit in the middle of something that's as plain as possible. That's a hard call, though, without seeing all the materials together. Worth the money or not: Such an internal thing for each person. I am terminally practical, but also artsy, so might splurge for something that I would LOVE each time I walked in the room, but whose price would not overshadow that love. I also understand the value of compromise, but again it so depends on the feelings of both people involved. Will DH complain for a few minutes, then forget about it while you LOVE it and him for the rest of your kitchen days? Or... Will you be just as happy to see something else for the money saved and to have a happy dh? Only his and your hearts know the answer to those things. If you're going to compromise, I think it'd be safer to NOT try to copy the exact look. I really wanted some beautiful painted tiles for my baking wall backsplash, and I wish I had the inspiration pic to show. But the colors I wanted didn't seem to exist...for any price that was anything close to reasonable. Instead I chose to do a pattern myself of small mosaics that gave me an intricate pattern and the richness of color I was after...Overall, a similar impression without being a copy of the painted. I'm not trying to say this is what you should do, just that I felt it was safer than trying too hard to get the look without spending the money for the 'real' thing. I still spent more for those colorful little mosaic marble tiles ($25/sf) than I would have OK'd as a price for tile anywhere else in the house...Because the color and overall look was crucial to my vision of that area. For the approx 15 sq ft area, and in the scheme of things, it was worth it to me. Plllog, in particular, has said a lot of things I agree with here, but these 2 things really stand out for me, and would be things I would have said: 1) There's thrifty, like not throwing away perfectly good bags that can be reused. Then there's penny wise/pound foolish. There is a difference between getting something cheap or at a good value. Value has to do with quality and how much it means to you for the price, a cost for the life, not just how many pennies you have left after leaving the cash register. 2) I would much rather do something bold and dynamic that I loved than ever be stuck with boring. YES! ;-) Best wishes. Most of us have had to make similar tough decisions (because 'pretty' is important, too) and completely understand the related...