Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. It s a great idea to shop for green products. Fortunately, they re becoming easier to find. But don t forget to factor transport into the true cost of what you re buying. Every time a product has to be loaded onto a ship, truck, airplane or train to get to you, fuel is consumed and its carbon footprint gets bigger. If it has to go to Italy to be cut and polished, that stone countertop suddenly gets a lot more expensive for you and the environment even if it was quarried in the next county. Reclaimed wood siding is a great idea, especially if it was taken from a barn down the road. If it had to be shipped across the continent, though, you re better off using lumber that was harvested near you. Look for the stamp of the Forest Stewardship Council to be sure it was sustainably harvested. When it comes to cabinets, doors, hardware and decorative details, never underestimate the power of your local salvage yard. Invest a little paint stripper or brass polish, and you ve got an authentic piece of history that hasn t had to travel far to find a home. By the same token, before you junk that tattered old sofa, find out what your local upholsterer would charge to revive it. Most likely, it ll cost less than buying, packaging and transporting a new one. By employing services and retailers in your community, you re keeping money and jobs local and encouraging wise use of nearby natural resources. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Moving to the baby's room, Bob continues to talk with Bernadette Upton of Eco-Decor about the materials used in an ideal room for baby. Although the room is designed for infants, Upton reviews safety procedures to put in place when the baby becomes a toddler, such as removing tablecloths, anchoring furniture, removing climbable furniture, and safeguarding electrical outlets. Upton reviews Treatment-free fabrics used in the window treatments, including washable cotton and solid wood to avoid the glues and formaldehyde found in pressed woods and particle board. The exposed edges and surfaces of particle board and pressboard should be completely sealed with a non-toxic sealer to stop off-gassing. The sofa is an eight-way hand-tie, which can only be constructed using solid, formaldehyde-free, wood. Upton recommends using wallpaper over vinyl, using a minimal amount of it, and airing it befor hanging. When selecting a crib, Upton recommends selecting one from after 1991 because the crib bars are a safe distance apart from one another and harmful chemicals were banned from the manufacture of children's furniture after that date. The baby's mattress is an organic, chemical-free mattress. The house has natural wood floors with throw rugs. The Baby's Breath brochure is available from the American Lung Association.

Bob goes furniture shopping at Sears with the homeowners and a designer in New Hampshire.

Bob and architect Michael Pierce review the elements of DD Allen's interior design for the Miami condo. While the dominant colors throughout are calm whites and blue grays, Pierce stresses that he and Allen choose to punctuate their designs with punches of furniture and color. The magenta Morrison three couch, which is a recumbant three draws the eye as does the purple velvet chair from the 1940s. These strong punches of color are offset by a series of black and white photos by Miami photographer Iran Itzakhan, the Kagan white kidney couch, and the white art deco-style table made by project supervisor David Southard through his furniture-making business, DS Woodworks.

Bob visits the home's airy, light-filled basement family room. The house, which is built on a sloping lot, allows the basement level to open directly to the backyard. Leslie Curtis brings in touches of color in all her rooms and the basement is no exception. On the walls a soft, sunny yellow, "Evening Primrose" from Bob Vila's Signature Series paints was chosen. The floor covering, a Dupont Stain Master carpet in a neutral color, features Miracle Fibre technology, a process that puts color into the chemical blend of the carpet's yarn so that it maintains its hue throughout the lifespan of the rug. The denim khaki-clad sofa and chairs are from the Eddie Bauer Home Collection. Bob shows off the family room's entertainment system that features a Panasonic 42-inch flat screen TV with a DVD player/recorder with Replay TV.

Bob and designer DD Allen visit another Miami apartment designed by Pierce Allen. This 1,000-square-foot apartment was made of two former units and now has three bedrooms and an open living, dining, and kitchen area. The unifying concept of the apartment is the color scheme that is all white with punches of color throughout. Allen found vintage pieces like the Kagan sofa and table that were refurbished for the apartment. Vintage lighting designs from France, ship's dining chairs recovered in white, and a dining table made with surfboard technology complete a sleek, shape-focused blend of modern design and contemporary finishes. The kitchen, too, is white with lime green accents, an all-white, molded Corian counter, and an island with a floating, stainless shelf. Vintage glass panels with an etched bamboo motif and original handles grace the doors to the guest bedroom. Pivoting, laminated, frosted-glass doors open onto the master bedroom done in white, with a lime green upholstered back wall that softens the space and functions like a huge headboard. Lucite shelves, a bright pink ultra-suede wall, leather, and glass bring a funky feel to the sleek, monochromatic design that runs thorughout the apartment.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Give your dog a sense of security and boundaries to keep him out of trouble while you re out of the house. A dog is happy when he knows where home base is. A pet crate, a designated corner, a closet with a pet door or even a laundry or mud room with a gate will define his space. A good dog bed is actually not just a luxury. While it keeps your pet off the floor and away from drafts, it also reinforces his place within your house. And it keeps pet hair concentrated; it s easier to throw the bed cover in the washing machine than to constantly clean the couch and the rug. Pet doors are liberating for both dogs and owners, and thru-wall doors are available for homes with glass doors. Some are even keyed to pets collars to keep out unwelcome visitors. If your pet tends to chew indiscriminately, keep extension cords out of reach. Avoid poisonous plants like tulips, azalea, lily, oleander, castor bean, cyclamen and kalanchoe. Keep the kitchen trash in a cabinet with a child lock. And store cleaning products, batteries, fertilizers and medications and any other toxic chemicals in a locked cabinet. Clean up spills right away, especially in the garage or on the driveway. Antifreeze containing ethylene glycol can actually taste sweet to dogs. Ingesting even a little will kill them, so buy the kind with propylene glycol instead. Other highly toxic household products dogs have been known to get into include rat poison, mothballs, fabric softener sheets and, believe it or not pennies. Keep dangers out of reach to keep your best friend safe at home. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. You re-painted the living room and now you can t stand your old furniture. Well, you re in luck. Lots of new imports means there s never been a better time to buy furniture. Before you shop til you drop, though, do some online research. Find out what pieces you like and locate showrooms where you can try them out in person. Bring paint chips and fabric samples with you. If you re going to be living with this piece for years, you shouldn t just go by the picture: Quality of construction and comfort are something you need to see for yourself. If you have kids, pets or you like entertaining, be sure to find out how easy or how difficult it s going to be to clean the piece you re considering. And think of all the places in your home where it could come in handy. Years down the line when you re furnishing a teenagers basement hangout or an in-law apartment, you ll be glad you chose something versatile and durable. Measure your room to be sure that big sectional couch will fit where you want it without looking too big or too small for the room and to make sure it ll fit through the door! There are some great room planning tools available online to make buying furniture easy. You can map out your room, enter your measurements and try out the different pieces and configurations until you know what works in your space before you buy. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

The house has a lot of architectural character from the nice dark woodwork. The selection of new furniture for the house reflects this character. All of the new furnishings were purchased online and the only two objects still remaining in the room are the grandmother's piano and an Indian armoire. The accent cushions for the couch use the same colors and floral patterns found in the Indian armoire. The furnishings were bought from Levitz.com and the rug was from BelleRug. The oriental-style rug really unifies the room. Adult space has been reclaimed with the addition of the space for the family's children.

The Mashers' Victorian remodel includes an expansive outdoor deck to bring indoor living outside. Bob looks at the western red cedar deck that creates the transition from indoors to the gardens and yard planned by Ruth Foster. Meg Tarvin from FrontGate joins Bob to look at the furnishings that recreate this space as an extension of indoor living. Starting on the deck, Tarvin shows Bob the teak table with a stone center that turns and functions as a lazy susan. The teak chairs and umbrella are upholstered in a Sunbrella fabric to live up to year-round northern weather. Below the deck, an outdoor room is furnished with a wicker-look synthetic couch and chairs with Sunbrella-covered cushions. The seating and the elegant rug are synthetic and intended to live outdoors in all kinds of weather. To keep outdoor living comfortable, FrontGate has provided a Mosquito Magnet to attract and trap biting insects and a firepit for warmth and ambience.