Q: We have a good-sized house (three bedrooms and a bonus room), but every inch is running over with someone's possessions — we also have four children. I'm a passionate gardener; however, I don't have any place to work, except out in the nonheated garage. I'm thinking of taking over the breakfast room, since we have an eat-in kitchen. Would that be selfish? Unsightly?

A: No to your first question — you're not being selfish because the whole family will reap the benefits of what you sow. But will a potting center be unsightly? A real danger of "yes" lurks here, considering potting is all about dirt.

You can find ways to have your hobby as well as maintain good looks. An example is the clean, convenient potting center in the photo we show here. It organizes everything you need, except sunlight and rain, in one small corner. In this case, the corner is on an enclosed porch, but you could put the potting center wherever you have an extra few square feet.

The key is compatibility. Bought unfinished, the three separate elements — tall table, cupboard and backing unit — work together visually, thanks to a gentle blend of wood-stain colors. The tall back element is a clever construction involving a 7-foot section of cedar fencing, two fence posts and a narrow shelf with hooks for hanging tools. More details are included in a free booklet called Wood Beautiful, which is available free at www.minwax.com.

Q: I am in love with an armoire that I found in a mall furniture store. It would be perfect for our TV, DVD player and other electronic gear. It looks Country French but — and this may be politically incorrect — it was made in China. The Olympics aside, I am still reluctant to buy China-made goods. We need the jobs in the U.S., but I really like the armoire and the (comparatively) low price. What's a home decorator to do?

A: Pick your priorities and go with them. If that means buying furniture made in China, you are hardly alone. A lot of furniture manufacturing started traveling east in the past decade or so, even the American Furniture Manufacturers Association changed its name in 2005 to American Home Furnishings Alliance. Fallow factories, mostly in North Carolina and Virginia, have only been utilized to store furniture shipped from the East.

But that was then, and currently we are experiencing what some economists call "reverse globalization."

The weak dollar and high shipping costs are causing ecological concerns due to the carbon footprint of shipping goods for long distances. Moreover, low-paid Chinese workers are demanding better salaries and costly environmental controls at their factories.

The bottom line, according to the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, is a greater number of American furniture companies are starting to bring the work back home. Maybe you want to wait awhile on that armoire; you might be able to find one from the U.S. that you will love just as much.

Rose Bennett Gilbert is the co-author of "Hampton Style" and associate editor of Country Decorating Ideas. To find out more about Rose Bennett Gilbert and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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