I like white too! But I love an old ivory cream color that looks like it's been in an old farmhouse for over 200 years. I like old stuff.

I agree with you Eileen in that my taste is also all over the map. The older I get the more I want a more white space = light gray, light blue, ivory, old wood, wide planked floors of old wood, bead board ceilings, no curtains and very wide open spaces but minimal sq. footage.

I'm thinking Cottage Style for my next house...but I love love love color. I avoid florals and frills send a chill through me. I think it was Grandmothers lace that ruined me of lace and frills. ;-)

Yes, gals, I'm in the same boat. I just call it eclectic. LOL. I have a circa 1825 farmhouse in a tiny town. My kitchen only has one length of lower cabinets and that houses the double drainboard cast iron sink. No overhead cabinets. The rest of the kitchen is all furniture. Corner cupboard, ice box cabinet, big pie safe for pantry, hutch, etc. I used to sell old kitchen stuff at flea markets, so I collect that also and kitchen has a lot of primitive. Colors are greens, blues, black mixed with my copper and stainless steel hanging. I have a couple of pot racks, and since my beams are exposed I have stuff hanging from the ceiling too.

Other parts of house have mix of farmhouse/cottage, traditional with plenty of old stuff mixed in. I'm a saver, as in I like to save things that others might not value. I particularly save old linens, old crocheted pieces and unique glass that doesn't have to be in perfect shape. Most of my saving was done in the past when I was more mobile and now I just enjoy it. Cherry is the predominate wood, although the dining room has a Mission oak side board and an antique table in oak as well as a mahogany side board and china cabinet.

I like supporting artists and craftspeople so decorations tend to be either old glass, such as candle holders, vases, kerosene lamps, etc. I collect light houses too.

I don't mind florals but they need to either be antique or look it.

Like I said, eclectic. I'm pretty open. Especially where gifts are concerned. Smiles.

[I'm having some carpal tunnel issues and think I just overdid it. Once I get to yapping I don't seem to know when to stop...ouchhh]

Great question! Another eclectic one, here.

At heart, I'm a traditional girl. In a perfect world, my home would be a brick colonial like what you'd typically find in the Georgetown area. In your first link, I like the second photo under "classical" style and parts of the first photo under "traditional." Historic homes and antique furniture with clean, elegant lines make me swoon. I also love large, crisp, brightly colored florals and paisleys (ala Waverly) used sparingly.

Continuing in my perfect world, which of course includes our four Golden Retrievers, I'd also have a second home in the English countryside, with that relaxed, but effortlessly elegant, sort of Ralph Lauren look.

My dislikes are ornate and fussy things, e.g. Victorian era furniture, American "country," lace, modern styles generally (although I love bits of Scandinavian, a nod to my maternal Swedish heritage), and orange.

In reality, our current home was a finished spec house that we bought mainly for the lot and suitability for dogs. My kitchen and adjoining family room are sort of Tuscan - deep gold walls, maple cabinets, brown/gold/black granite, and hardwood floors. Although not really my style, attractive and functional with gold dogs.

My office/sanctuary has dark blue walls with a mishmash of furniture ranging from a blonde large IKEA desk unit to an oversize burgundy leather chair to dark oak bookcases. Our dining room is deep red with mahogany and black furniture.

I'm not a fan of white, simply because of dogs, except that I love it as an accent, in moldings, etc.

But as others have said, I'll appreciate any gift because my "style" is so mixed up! I guarantee I can make just about anything work.

Sue

Like the others above me, am not too fond of overly fussy prints and looks. Although our house is a mission revival ranch, the adobe brick construction gives it a faintly southwestern appearance. I would not want to fill it with heavy rustic furniture.. I find that I like contrast of clean simple lines of furniture with traditional architecture. Focus on functional as opposed to overly modern or glossy look. I really hate accsesories that do not provide a funtional value like pretend antique books etc. I like a curated eclectic look with some mid century modern pieces with classic looking sofas and pop of color in an arm chair. I do love global bohemian decor but not too matchy matchy.. The asian room ,the modern room, the tuscan room, or the southwestern room in the link was not my taste. We do like to travel and when we do I like to pick up something for the home. I love books..we are a big reading family and I love fabric art that is handmade.

But gifts are always amazing and I would love anything and treasure it .. I am so excited about my first swap:)

Karen, What do you mean "your next house"? You've got the forever house!

No cutesie or frilly here either. I learned from RiverRat some years ago to "decorate with meaning"; I have been trying to stay with that theme. Although I found this house (see link below) for sale about 1 1/2 miles from that I'm seriously considering.

My color scheme is outdated red. I've been keeping anything that has to be left on the counter dark as in black in order not to be obvious.

This dialogue will be helpful for the swap.

Here is a link that might be useful: Good Fit?

This post was edited by mustangs on Fri, Jan 18, 13 at 20:02

Mustangs, that's a nice house for you but would there be room enough for HG?

Cathy, The grass doesn't look real in that photo.;-)I'm not sure that I would be able to find you in that house the next time I visit. Although it would be nice for a CF get together!

I've been to your home and I love it! We are thinking a simple small life in the future. I have my dream home but I long for simple, less and no maintenance cost kind of home.

Cathy, I think you might need 2 or 3 more HG's to ignore all the stuff that's going to need done around there! Plus...13 bathrooms?? Then again, how many kitchens? This place might have some merit.

LOL Cathy, that's quite the house...or maybe we should call it a compound.

I'm into contemporary, I guess. My kitchen is in shades of gray, with accents in aquas and blues. I have collected pottery that is contemporary too. I like an organic feel these days, I just found a new dining table in concrete.

Don't sweat it, I love it all.

Nancy

I am definitely eclectic. I don't have a kitchen theme because I don't really have a kitchen yet. That said I have a very small house in the woods in Maine with a lot of windows currently looking out at snowy sugar maples, pines and rocks. Because my house has a such collection of mismatched windows I like to keep things simple and functional. I like green, greys and yellows - but I like most other colors too. My family has so many artists that I have quite the collection of art inhabiting my very limited wall space.

This thread scared me a bit at first. I was thinking of it being a cooking swap and people were describing their cabinetry - after a moment I realized that the cooking related objects have to fit into someone's decor and it is helpful to know someone hates red frilly flower tablecloths. I am having fun coming up with a gift for a stranger.

I didn't really like any of them, although I guess I'd go with contemporary.

I do not like color, I like white. I can handle bits of color, like a picture or a single appliance but not a whole wall. I like wood, white, lots of light, high ceilings, lots of windows. I dislike fussy stuff, clutter or anything I have to dust.

Is that a style?

Annie

My decor is Early American Thrift Store.

Our house is small and in the woods also. We've been building on it for more years than I care to think about. DH is a woodworker and it's the old 'plumber's sink always leaks' thing. Now that he is sort-of retired he's finally getting around to finish work.

Lots of wood inside and out, a mix of antiques and handmade (living room tables are The Kid's 4H woodworking projects). Basic, permanent colors, aside from various woods, lean toward earthy greens and blues but I have an eclectic mix of glassware and dishes so the color scheme depends on the day.

Country Farmhouse meets The Boontoolies. Fusion!

I just noticed this post but if it's any help to my swap partner, I like everything if it's sent with thought and kindness.

Ok, that's not what you want to hear, the rustic, modern country and traditional looks are my favorites. Anything that looks like it came from Pottery Barn and all handcrafted things. I like patterns!

I missed this post, too, but if it is useful, I'd call my style eclectic rural. We live in a small cape in Maine, we favor rich colors and bright Fiestaware. As Bumblbeez so gracefuly stated, I like everything given with thought and kindness.