Group larger treasures together

Q: My husband and I are collectors, and through the years we have amassed a fair amount of OPJ (other people's junk) that we quite like. It's not always a simple task to display our treasures. We have a curio cabinet for the model cars, and a framed glass display case for my funky necklaces. What about larger items?

A: Collections can get out of control, and yet it seems a shame not to display them so that you can enjoy your fabulous finds. Grouping like items together as you have with the cars and jewelry is a great way to show off small pieces. The eclectic series of clocks shown here would fall into the medium-size range. They were chosen to keep track of the time in different time zones. The family has children studying and traveling around the world, and business trips add to the busy confusion. There's a clock set for everyone's current destination. The clocks are lined up vertically in a hallway, beside the entrance to the living room.

Before you hang anything on the wall, experiment with placement on the floor or table. When you are pleased with the arrangement, take some measurements and use a plumb line or level to ensure the items are in position.

You don't say what your large collectibles are, but if it's furniture pieces or carpets, then that's a whole different matter. These finds would stand on their own, introduced as part of your decor.

Q: I have a basement wall of gray brick and would like to apply a whitewash style of terra cotta with pink and yellow to brighten up the room. Can you suggest a paint technique?

A: This is a combination of paint techniques that works effectively together to contribute warmth and depth of color and a lightweight ambience. When painting with glazes, work in 2- or 3-foot squares so that you can manipulate the paint before it dries. Start with the pink and yellow shades of terra cotta. Mix the paints with equal parts glazing liquid. Dab on the darker colored glaze over your gray bricks with a 3-inch brush, randomly covering about 70 percent of the surface. Apply the lighter glaze to 30 percent of the surface. Fold a soft clean rag and dab over the wet paint to blend the colors and remove any visible brush strokes. Now mix a white wash using 2 parts creamy white paint to 1 part water. Brush the whitewash over the entire surface and then dab with a folded cloth to remove brush strokes and rub away some of the white paint to reveal more of the colors underneath.

Q: We want to develop our basement, but we plan to move within five years, so we want to make decisions that will add value to our home. Would you recommend shag carpet or laminate flooring (with big shag area rugs)? Also, will we ever recoup the costs of putting in a fireplace? Thank you for any tips you can provide.

A: I would definitely go for the permanent laminate floor and layer with shag rugs. The click-together laminate floors are easy to install, and you can find any look you want, from oak to barnwood, leather and metals. Consider that the thicker laminates are more costly, but they are also far more durable. Builddirect.com has an inspiring collection and delivers to your door.

A fireplace is always a draw. There are so many options, from wood- and gas-burning full installations to electric. The latest trend for spaces that do not have chimneys are products fuelled by bio-ethanol.

Debbie Travis' House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle.