Mason,

I have read and seen a lot in the media recently about the dangers of radiation from granite countertops.  I have always thought that stone tops would be a great improvement to my own kitchen, but now I am concerned.  What do you think?

Lisa C., Richmond, VA

Lisa,

I recall way-back-when, we made fun of the saccharin / cancer scare.  How many pounds of sweetener could one possibly gorge a lab rat with, and did that have anything to do with our own use?

Well, I have not dedicated years of my life to the type of scientific research that generates these assertions, so my opinion is based on

Question for Mason:

We are finally after 4 years re insulating our kitchen walls. The drywall has been removed as well as a layer of old barnboards.  We have reinsulated and the vapor barrier is in place.  I like the idea of putting the barnboards back and having a rustic looking kitchen wall.  My question is how would you refinish barnboard? (this board is really old and has a rough dark colour to it).  And what would I use to fill the gaps between boards? 

-Tracy H

Tracy:

Wow!  This sounds like an exciting project with the prospect of adding a very unique finish to your kitchen walls.  I love

Mason,

About 12 years ago we had our kitchen remodeled in our 1925 home in Northside. It's a very narrow galley-style kitchen, and it requires having a side-by-side refrigerator--there's not enough swing space for a full-door model. We dislike the side-by-side because you can't really fit anything of any size in either side, but at the time that was our best option. So now, the fridge is dying, and we've started looking at 3-door models with the freezer on the bottom.

This is great, except that we can't seem to find one that will fit into the space that our current 66-1/4"-high model tucks

Mason,

Would you recommend cork flooring for a kitchen?

Brenda G. Dallas, TX

Dang, Brenda, I didn’t know our blog went all the way to the Lone Star State! Welcome, and know that I love your question!

There are SO many choices for flooring these days. Kitchens, obviously, have some very special needs in terms of durability, maintenance, clean-up, comfort, and of course, STYLE! The “best” floor for your kitchen should be based on which of these considerations you personally find most important. Porcelain tile is durable and sanitary, but not so comfortable for long periods of standing. Wood is