http://www.househacker.com/ househacker/tags/gallery Sunset magazine has a lot of cool stuff on their site, not the least of which being this huge home decorating idea gallery, viewable by room type (within kitchens, for example, there are small kitchens, eat in kitchens, etc) or style (contemporary, retro, exotic, etc). There must be thousands of beautiful room images online to serve as inspiration for those of us that tend to know what we like when we see it, but can't come up with much from scratch - or perhaps the gallery is most useful for those just suffering from some sort of temporary design block.

The site also has this 25 item smart home piece, as well as an interesting before and after gallery.

Definitely lots to explore.

Link: Sunset Design Assistant]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Huge-Gallery-of-Home-Decorating-Ideas gallery of soapstone countertop installations. It's a little surprising that soapstone can be used as a countertop, as one might have assumed that because of its use by the Inuit and others as sculpting material, it would be too soft to stand up to the wear and tear of a kitchen countertop. Perhaps it's the fact that, according to the Soapstone West FAQ, countertop scratches can be repaired easily by sanding it with

...120 grit sandpaper to remove the blemish then mineral oil can be reapplied to achieve a good as new look.

The company clarifies the material's properties here:

What is Soapstone?
Soapstone or Steatite is a metamorphic rock that comes in degrees of hardness. It is composed of talc, magnesium silicate and chlorite. The softer is known as "talc" and is used to carve or crush to a powder for a variety of purposes. Soapstone West uses the harder version of steatite, which makes it appropriate for countertops and other similar uses that require durability and other unique properties. It is a quarried stone that comes in shades such as green/gray, blue/gray and charcoal gray in its natural state but turns quite dark to almost black with the application of mineral oil.

The material seems to have real drama and weight, even if it doesn't appear to be the most flexible or versatile stuff available for countertop installations.

Here's their soapstone sink gallery.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Beautiful-Soapstone-Countertops bathroom gallery available for your viewing pleasure, and it's filled with some seriously nice bathrooms. The gallery is divided into three categories: contemporary, traditional and eclectic.

Of course if you were looking for something classy, like LED toilet seats, you'd want to go here.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Kohler-Bathroom-Design-Gallery Electronic House has a nice slideshow of their product of the year picks. Selections include a nice variety of HDTVs, audio components, projectors and home automation toys. The Electronic House guys sure seem to know how to live.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Electronic-House-Products-of-the-Year-Gallery