Decisions were much easier when I was younger.
“What do you want to get mom?”
“Flowers.”
Whether for her birthday, Mother’s Day, Easter or a “just-because” occasion, flowers were always the easiest gift option. But that was before floral became a fashion trend.
Now the flower scene has evolved into something a bit more complicated. First, there is the amount. Single? Bouquet? Gift Basket? And then, the tag-a-longs. A balloon? Or a bear? How about some candy? And don’t forget the actual flowers. Real? Dried? Or — artificial? And lastly, the colors. Extreme? Plain? …

As a serial mover, I know what makes a new place instantly feel like home. It’s not the artwork, books, or my favorite duvet, although they help. It’s the lighting. I need light. Lots of it. All of the time and in different intensities. From all directions. Overhead, floor, desk lamps: these are the tools I use to turn a humble studio apartment into My Place.
Trust me, nothing updates a standard white apartment more than changing the stock, boring overheads.
Unsurprisingly, I’ve amassed a lovely collection of lamps and lights. But …

A few years ago it was the summer of weddings. Friend after friend of mine got engaged and then invitation after invitation for their nuptial celebrations. It was like the plague. An epidemic of matrimony surrounded me. And coming up with meaningful, personal, and creative gifts taxed me. But somehow I made it through and was glad to be done with it.
Now, an epidemic of another sort descends. Babies. They’re everywhere in my life. Cute, adorable, slobbering bundles of joy. And so, my gift-giving predicament has begun anew. I want …

So, your mother’s redone every room in the house and your sister’s found cool new ways to rearrange her tiny apartment since she moved in, but somehow the creative design gene seems to have skipped you.  Not to worry — there are people who do this stuff for a living.  And even if you’re not a complete decorating disaster, having someone who is familiar with home design and merchandise can be a big help.
In Pittsburgh, some stores offer in-house design services, in addition to selling furniture, home décor and accessories.  …

Over to the left a bit. Some more. No, wait. Move it up a little. Down? No. No. No. Something’s missing. Something just doesn’t feel right.
I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve said that within the last two months. Decorating a house is hard enough, but decorating a new house can be just downright impossible. At least that’s what I thought when I moved into my new place.
But I was an amateur back then, the type of person who expected to find exactly what I wanted at …