By Caroline Inge

Good Morning! First of all, I want to thank everyone who submitted photos of your home! I was so thrilled to see how charmingly family photos were displayed in your homes. Great job! Here are my four favorites:

The first two are from Kristin. Thanks! She used picture ledges which are great for rearranging and switching out photos. They also make alignment and symmetry much easier. Here are some from West Elm that I like. Here are some from Pottery Barn that are similar to Kristin's.She used the same frame in different sizes to unify the photos, but the shapes and sizes were varied for a more eclectic look.

By Caroline Inge

Good Morning! As you may have heard on the news last week, the official Obama family portrait was unveiled on Friday. The shot was taken on September 1, 2009 by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz. I personally think it's a beautiful family portrait, and it got me thinking: do you have a favorite family portrait? Not everyone can have a family photo taken by Annie Leibovitz, but do you have one taken by a professional or do you prefer photos taken by friends or family in a celebratory moment? Is it a photograph or a painting? Is it a casual, spontaneous shot? Or is it posed and formal?

One of our readers e-mailed us needing help decorating a difficult wall in her home's entryway. She said she is on a budget, but does have some flexibility. Luckily for her, we have more decorating on a budget ideas than we know what to do with!

Here's the picture of the problem wall:

She needs a decorating idea that will complement the clock's beauty without taking away from the clock itself. Since this is a narrow traffic area, it would be best to stick with a wall decoration rather than anything that would end up taking up floor space or jutting out into the walkway.

The house is located on a farm with lots of land, and part of the house was built in the pre-civil war era. This would be a ideal opportunity to incorporate this historic appeal into the decor of her home, while still giving it an updated look.

There are several options she could use for this wall:

1. Artwork

An impressive piece of artwork, like this countryside painting from Cottage Living, would make a bold statement.

This is a pricey option, so a budget-friendly alternative would be to buy a print and get an impressive frame for it. Art.com offers a diverse selection to choose from. I quickly browsed through and thought that this print would complement their country home.

2. Mirror

Since this is a small area, a mirror would give this room the illusion of having a bigger space. Moving the clock over slightly to the left and adding a horizontal mirror like this one from Coastal Living would really open up this space and brighten the room.

3. Collection and Display

Using an arrangement to display like antique plates, or a collection of framed photographs is an easy solution and a provides an opportunity to add a personal touch using items you may already have around the house.

A vertical plate rack hanger, like this one from Fine Home Displays would be ideal for placement on either side of the grandfather clock.

Browse through our images of collection and display items for your favorite ideas!

Need help with ideas? E-mail us at contactus@myhomeideas.com and we can help!

Kali came to me needing advice for one of her first big furniture purchases now that she's in the real world where the old college hand-me-down furniture just isn't cutting it anymore. I can sympathize, Kali... college furniture in a post-college life is not so great!

Kali needs a bookcase for her bedroom to hold approximately 50 paperback and hardcover books, but one that will also allow her to display some picture frames and other decorative items.

She likes “natural-looking furniture like bamboo, and rattan," and prefers deep, rich, jewel-toned colors like burnt orange, magenta, and dark eggplant purple. She is going for a latin insprired bedroom, and wants to incorporate a sunset-colored fillet lace wall hanging she purchased in New Mexico. Kali needs a versatile piece that will easily incorporate into any future furniture purchases. Since she has such an eye for color, it is a good idea for her to buy a neutral-colored piece and use her accessories to add color.

I was raised a firm believer in investing in quality furnture items that are made with real products. I can't even recall how many times I have heard my mom say, "Don't buy cheap furniture." Now I'm a believer after seeing too many warped dressers and shelves in my dorm days at Auburn. So, it might be a cheap and easy solution to go pick up a shelving unit made of compressed wood from a local superstore -- but I just cannot support this decision. In fact, I am going to have to go ahead and strongly advise against it.

Here is an ideal piece of furniture for Kali to invest in:

This Bedford 2-Shelf Bookcase from Pottery Barn is a great looking piece for Kali's taste and needs. But at $420, it's still a bit too pricey for a recent graduate's budget.

Now, if Kali was really adventerous and handy, a smart alternative for her would be to buy unfinished furniture and stain the wood to her desired color. I have many reasons for suggesting a stain as opposed to painting. First of all, I am just a fan of the look of natural wood. Second, it will almost always look more expensive. And third, you can always go back and paint over the stain, but it is much harder to sand off all of those layers of paint if you want to go back to a natural finish.

This oak bookcase from DiscountWoodWorks.com is only $170.

If a taller option was needed, this pine bookcase would be a similar alternative, costing only $130.

A quart of stain, like this Minwax stain from Lowe's, will cost around $10. Make sure to finish it off with a high-quality sealant for a beautiful finished look! Or you can choose to buy a product that has the stain and sealant in one, like this quart of Polyshade Bombay Gloss in Mahogany. Just make sure to test out the stain color in an unseen area before painting the entire shelf.

I love dark wood. To me, the darker the better. But it's best to start off with a shade lighter than you desire at first, because you can always go back and get a darker color later. Also, for a more contemporary finish, choose a stain with an olive or true brown hue to it, as opposed to a cherry finish to keep it from looking too early '90s .

Staining seems like a scary project to take on, but for more information before you get started, read this article on stains and top coats before you begin.

Are you in a decorating rut? Need some help with ideas? E-mail us and we can help!

You've got style, now show it off! Take a digital photo of a room you designed and send it to us. Here are some of our favorites. Also, tell us what you think about our most recent Reader Pics. Use the comments section below to share your thoughts.

Jenny, Birmingham, Alabama

Ashley, Atlanta, Georgia

Kathy, El Paso, Texas

Cathy, Stanwood, Washington

Stephanie, San Diego, California

Judy, Marietta, Georgia

Marianne, Chicago, Illinois

Check out more about these rooms in our first Reader Pics gallery. We want to see your favorite room in your house. Send us a picture of your room along with a description of why it is your favorite. Is the paint color perfect? Is the side table an antique? Does your family love to gather there? Tell us why you love it.

Here's what you do:
Email a description of the room, along with your name, city and state to youvegottoseethis@gmail.com. Attach a picture (preferably a .jpg) larger than 400 pixels by 420 pixels. We can't wait to see your room!

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If we decide to use your photo, you understand that we can use it anywhere on the site, including e-newsletters and blog posts, and that other bloggers will be able to post comments on your photo. You also acknowledge that the photo is yours alone and that no one else has any rights to it, and that we may delete it from the site at any time.