I followed dreamdoctor here from another post. I didn't grow up with Christmas, so the variety of these lights and their evolution is a total mystery to me, although they have always held a fascination for me. I have a set of white Christmas lights woumd around my wrought iron rail at the top of my split entry stairs that I put there at least a decade ago. So long ago I forget they are there and that anyone would judge their aesthetic value. They have become an essential to light my stairs at night as well as serve to give a bit of flavor to that part of the house in the night. I'll have to check out "modern versions!" BTW dream doctor I have been a vegetarian for a few years and still love the smell of bacon, as long as I don't think about it. Kind of like my recycled leather floors. My own hypocracy is a work in progress. ;-)

The parlour palm is the most reliable palm for indoors .. Plants add exponentially to the indoors effect and personality, as has been said many times over, however as with anything, ideally should be placed/chosen tastefully and not in a hodge-podge or messy looking fashion. Unhealthy looking plants are particularly unattractive ..

@Souzette Lovell, I know nothing about bidets but just commenting on your question about water being splashed on untiled areas of your bathroom. I constructed my bathroom entirely with villa board, and the only plaster is on the ceiling. I have also tiled the entire bathroom to the ceiling because it made sense to do this rather than be concerned about any water ingress anywhere as well as any damage from something like the hand held shattaff you mention and it means zero maintenence having to repaint from time to time. My suggestion is if it's not too late to use villaboard and not plaster, in fact I'm surprised all bathrooms aren't fitted out with villaboard but I don't think it's compulsory except for the shower cubicle. I did it so there would never be an issue with water damage as this material is impervious to water ingress. Otherwise if it's too late and your bathroom is complete, I would tile this wall or a section of the wall as it would make more sense to be able to wipe the tiles regularly in case of any unwanted splashes from regular use if there are children especially, as their aim isn't always perfect and it's hard to clean plaster ha-ha!!

@ Barbara...Oh dear, dear Barb, always sitting on the fence...ha ha...(my turn to say something that I mean but not really say it so to speak....all in the ha ha!) Don't know how you manage to stay on everybody's side as well as your own...you must have a Diploma in diplomacy girl! I could never do it as well since I am afflicted with "foot IN mouth disease"...(that's everybody else's die-ease,) not mine. I appreciate the ability to voice a different opinio and I respect the ability in others.. I dislike black as a decor accent anywhere. The furthest I will go is Charcoal...now THAT'S an interesting shade for a toilet seat! I've seen all colours in ceramic toilets, even sickly purple- pink and all colours in plastic toilet seats including black...mostly black...well ALL black then..some .with an open space at the front for reasons that should be ovbious. Have not seen one of those since the 1940's though. I recall that in those times most vehicles on the road were also black and when my Dad sent from Nauru Island where he worked for some car paint...all there was - was black. Dark Days those! Why bring them back in tpoilet seats? So, now that we've experienced all colours and some lids with embedded artwork, some of it not really good....why not a charcoal toilet seat? Why has it "gotta be white?" Why, Maybelbridges, do you think you can see if its clean ONLY if it is white? Is that why everybody is painting just about everything white? Tis a puzzlement! Having returned to this poll and given due consideration to all comments....I think I will also sit on the fence..(.opps...seat) and say...weeeellll.....what does it matter what colour as long as it keeps a lid on things? And...for me...I'll opt for something to the left, something you can polish to a high sheen with fragrant O'Cedar and say...gimme a warm wooden one any day above all the rest.