Baby Safety

Dear Melissa:

We’re having a baby soon and I’m trying to childproof everything I can. Can you give us some suggestions about the baby’s room? O.G., California

Dear O.:

First of all, congratulations. This is an exciting time for you.

By now, I’m sure you know all about the outlet covers, cabinet and drawer latches, and car seat and crib safety requirements. You’ll be safer if you are purchasing the latter two new.

There are a few things that you may overlook in the baby’s room, however. Keep the baby’s crib, changing table, and any chairs away from window treatment cords (even the breakaway kind) and any type of bed canopy. If you must use them, be absolutely scrupulous about crib bumpers. They should attach to the crib slats with SHORT ties that Velcro or snap on. (I know this from personal experience.) And keep all bedding and drapery away from the room’s heat source.

Look for dressers that have been weighted at the bottom and can’t topple over. Even better is anchoring the dresser to the wall. (Same goes for bookcases.) Make sure, too, that the dresser drawers have stops and can’t be pulled free. I recommend that you install wall-to-wall carpeting once the baby is old enough to start crawling, to avoid nasty splinters.

Good luck to you. M.A.K.

Spring Is Coming

Dear Readers:

I am cautiously optimistic that spring is around the corner; I even heard a rumor of the appearance of crocuses. Of course this time of year inspires people to behave irrationally, often concerning their homes. Take spring cleaning, for instance. Personally, I like to avoid this at all costs. There are, in fact, some things that seem like a really good idea, but which one should never do. Here are a few of my favorites:

o     Never take off your cushion covers or slip covers and throw them in the washing machine, (unless of course your daughter wants to use them in her Barbie house);

• Never refinish an inherited piece of furniture unless you are sure it’s not valuable;
• Never wash mini blinds in the tub;
• Never wash prefinished wood floors with water,(the cracks between the boards have not been sealed);
• Never spray clean fabric flowers;
• Never deep clean good upholstery yourself -- get a professional;
• Never scrub laminate countertops will anything stronger than a nylon scrub sponge; and
• Never repaint walls and woodwork when all they need is a good cleaning.

On the other hand, now is the perfect time of year to:

• Straighten all of your cockeyed pictures;
• Rearrange the furniture;
• Roll up and store your heavy carpets;
• Purchase a cheerful new bed ensemble;
• Indulge in some potted spring flowers;
• Lighten up your window treatments;
• Wash your patio furniture and BBQ grill;
• Switch around those tired old accessories;
• Change your throw pillows;
• Consider summery slipcovers; and
• Purchase thirsty new towels, a wonderful shower curtain, and pretty new table linens.

It’s also a really good time to get outside and just forget about your house. Enjoy the warmer weather. M.A.K.

Dear Melissa:

We just finished picking out cabinets for a new kitchen. We are going to use either a neutral granite or granite-like Corian for the countertops. We would like to create an unusual backsplash and I need some suggestions. D.S., North Carolina

Dear D.:

I am assuming you are planning a full-height backsplash, rather than a 4-5” high one. You probably know by now that your choice of materials is endless, but I’ll share some of my personal favorites with you.

There is nothing simpler nor cleaner looking than continuing the same countertop material up the backsplash or using tile. These can look a little uninspired, though, so I prefer to highlight several key areas along the wall -- such as behind the range, under glass cabinets, and above a planning desk, for example – with accents.

If your kitchen is traditional, the accents can consist of ceramic tile murals or picture-frame molding surrounding contrasting tiles set on a diagonal. When using ceramic tile, decorative molding is also critical.

If your kitchen is contemporary, I suggest either a simple stainless steel backsplash; glass tiles; stone tile with accents of quilted stainless steel or patterned sheet copper, or a combination of ceramic, metal and glass tiles in a collage. Regarding the latter, if you are artistically challenged, just copy some simple modern art of your choosing.

My absolute favorite and signature look is a reverse-painted glass backsplash. The painted design under the glass can be classic, traditional or contemporary. And it’s so unique and cleanable. You will need an artist, however.

If you have difficulty picturing patterns and materials, turn to the many kitchen and bath books on the market for some great visual aides. M.A.K.

Whwn a Vessel Sink Won't Drain

Dear Melissa:

I don’t know if you’ve ever talked about this but we’re having a problem with our very expensive bathroom sink. It’s called a “vessel” sink and it sits like a bowl on top of, not in, the bathroom vanity. I don’t want to admit how much this sink cost us but no matter what we do it won’t drain. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Overflowing and Disgusted

Dear Disgusted:

Oh, honey, been there; done that. Twice. It doesn’t even have to be a vessel sink to do this. I know from experience that an equally expensive marble drop-in sink can have the very same problem. The common denominator is that these sinks are missing the hole that normally handles the water overflow.

It seems this handy little channel also adds much needed air to the pipes. Now, I barely passed Physics, but I know just enough about plumbing to know that for some mysterious physical reason, water can’t drain without the right amount of air. Go figure.

There is an air vent in your bathroom wall that is probably not enough to handle this type of problematic sink. I am assuming that you too did not opt for a pop-up drain. I have tried many suggestions, but only one remedy has worked for me. It’s called a “touch drain”, and it’s similar to a pop up, but more contemporary looking and less expensive. You simply press the disk in the center and it “pops up”, sucking in the much needed air.

Some high-end European manufacturers now build in overflows even in their vessel sinks. You might try one of these next time, if there is a next time.

I hope the touch drain works for you. Otherwise, there’s always the very retro-chic plumber’s helper --- the plunger. M.A.K.