Q: Can I recycle a slate counter from our kitchen island to an outdoor table surface? We're renovating our home and I'd like to salvage and re-use as much as possible. The 7' x 2'6" honed, black slate slab topping the island is the perfect size and shape for an outdoor dining table.

Q: I know it looks terrible, but I love this couch. I got it in college at a flea market, and back then it was in pristine condition. Many years later, it probably needs to be put out to pasture, but I'd really like to save it. Someday I'd like to replace the foam and reupholster it in aqua cotton velvet without the skirt so its mid-century legs show. For now though, is there a quicker fix? 

Q: I am a contractor and have been asked to freshen up the exterior of this semi-detached house. I was thinking window boxes, grass and a horizontal railing for the top deck... The skylight/door/window/deck exit needs some love, as it's seen better days. Looking for suggestions or advice, color schemes and bright ideas.

Q: We just bought a 1930s tudor, and can't figure out how to layout our living room. The room has lots of openings (front door, door to sunroom, open arch to dining) as well as a fireplace. 

Q: Hi, I'm from Pakistan. I am an art teacher and I love to do creative work but now I need your help. I have one room where my husband, kids, and I live. Actually, we live in a joint family house and we have just one room for us. I want to do some work on my walls for the kids and us that looks like a kids' room but not only a kids' room - do you know what I mean? Please help! 

Q: We just bought our first house and are super excited to start making it our home. Our first project on the list is to update the kitchen to reflect our own style. The oak kitchen cabinets are quite boring, and we hate the tile backsplash (bluish, tan, brown), faux granite counter tops, and black appliances... but unfortunately our budget at the moment just allows for us to paint the cabinets and walls. We were thinking a white or gray for the cabinets, but  are lost on a color for the walls. 

Q: We're up against a long, narrow, sunken living room, 20' 7'' x 10' 1''. On one of the long walls there are french doors to the backyard, as well as a large window that begins about a foot and a half from the floor. The other long wall isn't a wall at all: there's a large opening (really a step up into the kitchen and dining area) with two short walls and pillars on either side:

Q: My fiancé and I have these wicker kitchen chairs that have been in her family since she was a child. They have been reupholstered, and we are now looking to paint them black to match our decor a little better. However, the wicker back on the chair shown has deteriorated. Where can I find the supplies to fix this either online or in the Philadelphia area? So far I've struck out. I'd prefer to do it myself rather than paying to repair it.

Q: I have lived in this old 1940s condo for six years now, and I seem to be the only person in the building that is having this problem. Our windows are all the old crank style, and they are magnets for mold and bird poop! My biggest problem, however, is that every morning our windows have a layer of condensation all over the window, metal frame and sill. It has all but ruined the sill and some of the hardwood floor below it. Leaving other windows open and laying towels on the sill are options that have not worked. It's also impossible to replace the windows at this time. Any advice on how to keep these dry and clean of mold?

Q: Loved this retro-style curtain valance in HGTV's latest issue.  Has anyone seen a good DIY version of this?  Don't even know how to search for this style online!