The Freshaire Choice Paint

Price: $33 - 38.

What it does: Provides environmentally friendly paints that are free of strong odors and harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

How it makes your life easier: The suffocating fumes of fresh paint are a thing of the past with this eco-friendly line of 66 tinted colors. No kidding. My husband and I painted our entire master bathroom in less than two hours, with literally no reason to take a breather or even crack the window. As the company's slogan says, you can literally "smell the difference" with this line. The paint's odor was so faint that we were able to sleep in our bedroom with the bathroom door open -- that night. (It was completely gone within two days.) The paint dried within two hours and the color (Roof Top Garden) was beautiful. It was a far cry from our experience painting the bedroom with traditional paints that smelled so strongly we had to open windows, sleep in different rooms and blow fans for days to try to lessen the smell. One caveat: make sure that you THOROUGHLY stir the paint before applying. The powder used to tint the paint can clump if not mixed well. The paint -- which comes in flat, eggshell and semi-gloss finishes, as well as interior primer and ceiling paints -- is backed by a lifetime warranty. The can, packaging and color chips are made from recycled materials and can be recycled. The Freshaire line may cost a few dollars more than traditional paint, but many people will find the trade off well worth it.

Who would use it: Homeowners, painters, interior decorators, builders, people with asthma and respiratory sensitivities.

Where to get it: Home Depot. (Get up to three free samples while they last at www.thefreshairechoice.com/contact.html)

Orchids for sale

When my prom date gave me an orchid back in 197-, oh, never mind the year. Anyway, I didn't realize just how special the beautiful flower is. But members of the Triangle Orchid Society know, and you can know too. The society's spring orchid auction and picnic is May 18 at Umstead State Park. Hundreds of orchids will be on display at the auction, which is open to the public. For more information, visit www.triangleorchidsociety.org or contact Paul Virtue at 846-1245. You can also check out the Triangle Orchid Society's next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 418 Anderson St., in Durham.

Spring viewing

It's spring, so there must be a show house open for viewing somewhere in the Triangle. These events are always great places to get ideas for decorating your own place. Here are a couple to check out. This weekend check out The Woman's Club of Raleigh 2008 ASID Designer Showhouse. The show house is actually two decorated townhomes in Ramblewood at North Hills. The Showhouse is designed by members of the American Society of Interior Designers-Carolinas Chapter. This one also benefits Hospice of Wake County and other community projects. The Showhouse will be open today through June 1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; until 7 p.m. Thursdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 at the site, or $15 in advance at Harris Teeter stores. For more information, go to www.asidshowhouse.org.

Three homes with a modern design are in the spotlight next weekend in Durham. Modernist design is characterized by large and numerous windows, long exposed beams, extensive use of natural light and aesthetic geometric forms, according to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. See examples of this architecture at Triangle Modernist Houses' first Mini-Tour on May 17. The event begins at St. Stephens Episcopal Church off Rugby Road, where a free shuttle bus will take participants to the houses. Advance tickets are $7.50 each; day-of tickets are $11. To get information or to buy tickets, go to the Web site.

Garden variety

N&O garden writer Carol Stein is conducting a gardeners forum at the Garden Hut in Fuquay-Varina. This one, at 11 a.m. today, is about organic gardening. Next weekend (May 17), garden writer Pam Beck talks about gardening trends and will sign her book, "Best Garden Plants for North Carolina." Both talks are free, but registration is requested. For information, call 552-0590 or go to www.nelsasgardenhut.com/.