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islanddevil

10 decorating trends you wish would go away, yea or nea??

islanddevil
11 years ago

http://shine.yahoo.com/photos/10-decorating-trends-wish-away-slideshow/

Agree with the animal heads, fruit, signs and chalkboards, and thought the French trinkets died years ago, but suprised about the mention of open concept. Will open shelves or no upper cabs scream 2010 in a few years?

Comments (39)

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh, I am very confident 'open concept' will go.
    I can say that I, for one, am not neat enough that I want everyone walking in my front door and looking at my pig sty.
    I like me some walls sometimes.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Trends

  • EATREALFOOD
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like having a lot of fruit out on the counter -I eat it too ! Didn't know fruit was for decorating. Who knew. I also like distressed painted furniture.
    I never heard of the "trend" of hanging animal heads though. I always figured that was a hunter thing. My kitchen & sitting room are one room essentially, in a small space it works well. I would not like a large space to be completely open though.

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  • gwlolo
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't like too open concepts. I am glad for the walls in my kitchen. When I am in "action" there, I am like a whirlwind .. I don't want any unnecessary distractions and I do to want to invite people to amble in through the open space.

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So I just watched the show. I like distressed furniture, but hate badly distressed stuff. You know. Like it has leopard spots? I also like panted furniture and faux finishes done well. I don't think everything should be white or blue, though. :)

    Fruit? Yes. To eat.
    But BIG EAT SIGNS? Naaahh. It's like yelling, "FAITH" "LOVE" and other demanding signs.

    Animal heads? ohhhhhhh... no......

  • ae2ga
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I really like open concept in the front rooms - l/d/k - but bedrooms and bathrooms must be separate. I have never been a fan of "vintage" which looks to me like a desperate cry for Jasco, a sander, and some stain, and the only animal I want is my dog.

    Ultimately, I plan and decorate my home to be the way that I want it because I like it. Some parts are not "on trend" and "not in tune with the neighborhood" and I could not are less - I like what I like. I will move when I am dead or too old to care for myself any longer, and my children can do what they will with the house.

    Kind of like fashion, I don't get the idea of wearing or decorating the way that someone else says these "should" be done.

  • runninginplace
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Interesting list-agree with the antlers, especially in hipster/urban/suburban environments with nary a hunter or even any nature in sight.

    Have never liked writing as decor, including the now ubiquitous phrases reminding us to live laugh love, or about how happy families are xyz or whatever.

    Chalkboarding walls, sides of furniture, fronts of fridges etc. always seems to me one of those decorator ideas that are far better in concept than execution. Nobody has that great handwriting, chalk generates a lot of dust and who the heck has time to post chi chi menus and lists every day.

  • gr8daygw
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The list seems to have a bit of angst toward those who have certain things in their home. I have never seen anyone with an EAT sign in their home, maybe in a restaurant but those are flashing!!! Haven't seen any of those heads either except in some magazines. One trend that I am personally tired of is the black furniture and furniture devoid of all personality and line and wrought iron lamps.

    What I would love to see is more lamps with personality. I remember when lamps were beautifully done ceramic or porcelain hand painted and added so much color and depth. All these wrought iron lamps just don't have the same impact. I feel a shortage of good lamps out there! I like some wrought iron because my home is contemporary/traditional but with all the cheap imports flooding the market it's hard to find a really nice, shapely, well made lamp. We have a vintage lamp store near us and the lamps are so full of character but the owner is quite proud of them and they are so expensive!!! They also do hand made linen and silk shades that are just beautiful. It's so fun to browse there.

  • alex9179
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My dislike for taxidermy dates back to my childhood. We arrived at my grandparents' house after the holidays and, after walking in, my mom points to the wall and gasps, "Grandad shot one of Santa Claus's reindeer!"
    My poor granddad was desperately trying to figure out what to say to that, looking at our horrified little faces. He told us that the sleigh was going too fast and they had crashed into the house. I spent the entire weekend walking around outside trying to find the other end of that deer. My mom has a sick sense of humor, lol!

    My bowls of fruit are used. Lemons and limes for margaritas and apples/oranges/bananas for snacks so my kids don't gnaw off my arm between meals.

  • kateskouros
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    chalk is never a good idea, anywhere. especially near food. or where people breathe.

    as for the open concept, i never could conceive of a plan like this in our own home, simply because for more formal occasions there are always people in the kitchen cleaning up and preparing for the next course. i don't need to see that and neither do our guests. yet the kitchen is big enough for a few friends to hang around when i'm doing the cooking.

    i always thought the concept of opening kitchen, living and dining areas was developed out of necessity, for condos and the like. and while it makes great sense to adopt this type of layout for smaller homes, i could never see the point of doing this in larger homes as it really limits the function of the dwelling to very casual entertaining.

    a trend is born when a concept developed purely out of need is applied to a space strictly by want and are destined to fall out of favor.

    one good reason why materials like stainless will never be "out". while it certainly became more popular as it was made more affordable and utilized in more budget friendly brands it could never be categorized as a trend.

  • Bunny
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The animal head was awful, but the rest just came across as peevish. I hated the kitchen, not because it was open, but because it looked like a snow cave. Anyway, who the hell cares what someone chooses in their home? I've always had family photos in my living room, which I'm told is a no-no. Sue me.

  • sochi
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There are quite a few I agree with in the article, surprising.

    - I'm tired of antlers, but I don't think I've seen them in a real house
    - never liked the words thing
    - I would be happy to see something other than SS and granite. Most granites I don't like, SS I like but am tired of seeing it everywhere.
    - I agree, who has time for writing on chalkboards? My kids like scribbling on ours though
    - TVs generally are a huge pet peeve of mine, but especially over fireplaces
    - open spaces can be done well, or not. Most we see arent that well deigned. They are great in small spaces though and will be around for some time, as I hope that small(er) homes become more and more the norm. Hopefully designers and architects figure out how to do it correctly.

  • cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have no use for dead animal parts hanging on walls in my home.
    I don't need to be told how to feel.
    Love open concept- again big dogs dictate no small rooms or doorways. I need to be able to walk.
    I am way over SS and granite.
    "Cliched" design is trendy for trendys sake and was never IN to begin with IMO.
    I also keep fruit handy for grabbing.
    Neon has never appealed to me as far as home decor.
    Where I put a TV depends on many things- don't have one over the mantle because I burn all winter and it is HOT over there! But I wouldn't not do it if that was the best spot.

    The whole trend concept is just a way to get us all to toss our stuff and get new things. The industry must hate people like me who use the same things for decades and feel no need to duplicate what I see in advertisements.
    I style to my own likes, dislikes, and specific needs- sometimes it is 'in' and sometimes it is 'out' but it always works for me.
    And it's ALL about me and my family!
    Really.

  • williamsem
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Up here in upstate NY most of those aren't trends. People have antlers because they killed something, and are proud of it. They'll be hanging in every house they own unless it becomes illegal, lol! Most of the white distressed chairs are just old, or were in an outbuilding, or stuffed in the attic for years. Though they are bought new in the fancy expensive homes in certain areas.

    If I had anyplace else for the TV I would not be building it in over the fireplace later this year. The guy who designed our great room should have his degree revoked and repeat a common sense course. He either can't design a room or is trying to rid the work of tvs by refusing to consider them in design.

    I do like some open rooms, but I need walls. I need them for furniture, and I like some privacy. But I do love French door or large openings with columns, they look great in the right space!

    I just use what I like. The only time I realize I like something trendy or completely out of favor is when I'm shopping and either see what I want everywhere or can't find anything close anywhere.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think antlers are visually interesting but I really do not understand taking pleasure in shooting an animal with a gun. So why would one want a reminder of that?

    Like most things, the first (starving artist?) who thought of using words or letters as decor was clever. The 1000th person looks silly.

    I agree that open concept was born of a need to make little rooms seem larger, and cost less to build. I dislike kitchens open to great rooms. I always feel as though the kitchen cabinets, with their bags of snacks, are staring at me.
    I like SS, although I don't have any. I never ever cared for granite and put it in under duress in my last kitchen, being told you COULD NOT use marble. I like it even less now that every boob on HGTV always says "we really like the granite" or "oh, we really wanted granite".

    How food (fruit) can be a trendy in a kitchen is beyond me. If you keep out bags of doritos, kid will eat them. If you keep out a bowl of yummy fruit, they will eat that. (and then ask why you never buy them doritos)

    The quest to hide a TV at all costs is a little silly, especially now that they are not horrific and bulky. Yet they should not be in living rooms IMHO. It is very hard to reconcile the two big rectangles everyone wants to feature in their family rooms, the TV and the fpl. They look dumb side by side. A tv above a mantle is the wrong viewing height, and detracts from fpl (which are almost always about style and harken to the past, whereas the TV says modern). If one can't be over the other, which one do you chose for your sofa to face? I am happy with our solution. Our family room has a large L sofa. One part of the L: faces the TV, one part faces the fpl.

    Some more trends I think are on their way out (painful since I own all of these). Barn doors on things that are not barns (my front door is barn doors, and the door to my MBA is a french barn door too. Drum shades. Peekaboo chandeliers inside of drum shades. Metal and glass lanterns used in interiors, evoking exteriors. Ikat anything. Slipper tubs.

  • beekeeperswife
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The fruit thing is annoying to me that they would suggest it as a "Trend" or "Fad". On 2nd thought... thinking of it as trend makes me feel better. A trend is a way that things are moving. I think decorating with things that are typically found in a kitchen, like beautiful food, is great. I bought brussel sprouts on a stalk, brought them home put a couple of inches of water in a 24" tall narrow vase, put them in it--they were gorgeous sitting on the counter waiting to be eaten.

  • palimpsest
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with most items on the list when they are taken to extremes. I don't mind genuine vintage signs, or peoples intials used as wall letters, (particularly if it's a collection)--I think the prefab wall words from Homegoods or Target has gone too far-unless maybe if you did a wall of every phrase you could find as some kind of installation. :P The chalkboard is okay in certain contexts but I make my grocery list on paper so I can take it to the store, or keep it in my head--I don't think this is a great method of making lists or communication. If it becomes decor you don't "see" it as a communication anymore, imo.A bowl of fruit that gets eaten, sure, a tall glass column of limes or something that will go to waste seems like photoshoot decorating, not real life. Shed antlers, vintage antlers or taxidermy from a different century with different sensibilities...okay. I don't think we will ever recede from open plan completely but I do think a flexible plan of rooms that can be opened or closed is the way to go. I am not into creating the chippy paint look: again, if it "grew" that way fine. Faking it, not so much. I would like to see people move away from formulaic kitchen design with its narrow scope of "must haves" or "should dos" when it comes to materials and colors. Paint colors are all acceptable in context as are redux decorating styles --in the correct context.

  • Bunny
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    At least people stopped hiding their TVs in big old armoires. What TV? Where? I agree that flat panels are less unsightly than the old bulbous technology. I don't have a family room, so where else am I gonna put the TV if not in the living room? I watch TV, hopefully more judiciously than I once did, and I don't have a problem with it being out in the open.

    I had planned to replace my Office Depot whiteboard with a chalk board in my kitchen. After many experiments, I realized that I didn't want all that chalk dust in my kitchen, so I came up with a different solution. Who has time to write on one? I do. Stuff like "Tuesday - Kaiser 9:30," "Garlic." If I don't remind myself, nobody else will. I already know that kitchens are for eating. Is there a "Poop" sign for the bathroom?

  • williamsem
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I must admit, I do covet an Etsy sign that says "Exfoliate!" for my bathroom, but it's fabulous because it has a pastel looking drawing of a Dalek in a tub with a scrub brush on it. It continues the theme my "Dark matter made me do it" sign has started.

    We also have no other room for the tv. It's the kitchen and great room downstairs and 3 bedrooms upstairs, and that's it. Can't put the TV in front of the window, there is a door accross from the fireplace, and offsetting it accross the room leaves a confused mess for placing furniture. Oh well, could be worse!

  • suzanne_sl
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Most of that stuff strikes me as "to each his own." Personally, I don't care for decrepit furniture, and I do like some interior walls. I don't prefer TVs over the fireplace, but I also don't prefer having my MV over the stove. As williamsem points out, sometimes there just aren't other choices.

    for gr8day: this is a lamp that my late mom's great-aunt gave her for her 7th birthday. That would be 1925. We recently re-wired it, added a harp (that thing that the lamp shade screws onto), and a new shade. It was given to Mom's first great-granddaughter who was born this past December.

  • Iowacommute
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lists like this seem so snobbish and try to tell people (who don't have a firm sense of their own interests) what they should or should not put in their home. It's sad.

    Everything on that list (okay except for the sayings or word cut outs) is fine-it's the way you display it that makes it seem contrived or trendy.

    My hope for a specific trend in 2013? Do what works for your own interests, space, budget, and lifestyle.

  • lawjedi
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    hmm. I'm a fan of doing what you love... and if it coincides with what is currently "in" great... and if not, who cares? you love it. ;-)

    I happen to be someone who loves decorating with words. I always have. This probably dates back to spending waaay too much time writing things out, having fun with handwriting. I still like to play around with sharpies -- or specialized computer fonts... I have many different things throughout my house that have words on them that are special to me... bought and/ made over the last 20 plus years.

    I now will publicly admit I just bought something the other day... I debated in the Target aisle for a good 20 minutes before I succumbed... I bought an antique brass metal "eat" sign!!! The debate was 'cuz it was even a bit too kitschy for word-loving me.... but I couldn't walk away from it! the "A" in eat was formed with a fork and spoon and it just reminded me too much of my grandma's giant fork and spoon she had hanging when I was a kid. I really wanted that nod to my grandma on the wall! And now that it's home and in my house, I love it. Kitschy and all. ;-) Rock on, grandma!

    If you love it, if it makes you smile, it belongs in your house. If it doesn't, get rid of it.

    Just my 2c.

  • Gooster
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I believe some of the suggestions on the list are in reaction to the tendency for certain ideas or concepts to become predominant to the point of being obnoxious. For example, those ceramic animal heads have plagued a number of TV-design shows, with the original inspiration somewhere. (Clearly, to make it to the point of mass adoption, someone has to be mass producing these things).

    I think we all agree expressions of originality are great; in alignment with your personal goals. They are not so great if you are a home buyer and encounter a confetti mix of purple roof tiles (like an actual home in my neighborhood).

    So, as a result, many of the opinions in this article fall under the theme of "pet peeves".

    I believe the point on "open concept", per se, was not on them across-the-board. Rather, I believe, on the trend to make everything one single room. For me, personally, I hate the open concept bath and toilet, which I've seen in some designs.

    Likewise, I did not read the Paris-French theme "trend" as a specific trend, but rather trends that imitate a specific style, and do it rather poorly. I've found that certain design themes take over, and it becomes impossible to source anything but a certain style. Around here, it is faux Tuscan, especially for Kitchens.

    The fruit thing strikes me as a bit odd, an in the minority. It is called a "fruit bowl" for a reason. Now, I personally don't like to leave apples out for long (they don't last), but I'm not about to put in a clear refrigerator like that certain reality TV housewive.

  • suzanne_sl
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    gooster - could you discretely pop out and take a photo of the house with the confetti purple roof tiles? I've never seen such a thing. Berkeley, CA has some really...interesting...color combos for houses, but I've never seen a colorful roof.

  • marcolo
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What most of these have in common is inauthenticity.

    EAT
    It's like living in a Hallmark card--all manufactured emotions. "Live, Laugh, Love!" says the sign, as Dad zones out on the couch, Mommy microwaves and the kid is texting his dealer for a nickel bag.

    ANTLERS
    If you're a hunter, fine; if you love flea markets, fine; if the closest you ever got to a deer was watching Bambi, then why is part of his head on your wall? I almost put a set in my office because they go with my Adirondack-theme photos but now they're just over the top.

    OPEN CONCEPT
    No one wants to admit that this concept is fake, but in reality everybody does not want to do all their business in a single room. The telltale clue is the rise of rooms where people can get away from open spaces, like man caves and especially "spice" or "working" kitchens, where you can do the dirty work of cooking while leaving your show kitchen ready for the film crew.

    EIFFEL TOWER STATUES
    These scream, "I don't speak French, and have never been further than Epcot but I watched 'Julie and Julie' three times on cable."

    CHALKBOARDS
    No one really uses an entire wall to write out their grocery lists. The same people who buy Eiffel tower statues imagine they'll be writing dinner menus with "haricots avec pommes de terre" in curly script, but in reality their kids will fill the board with naughty stick figures.

    I think the same thing goes for the fruit. Fruit you eat is one thing, but buying twenty four identical pears to march along a shelf is clearly not about the fiber.

    Some of the items don't fit this mold. The author apparently just doesn't like neon (is that really a big trend now?). And I think the stainless steel and TV over the fireplace bits are just about trends that once seemed practical, but have proven by now that they aren't.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Touche, Marcolo.

    Just proves that GW content is far better quality then the "published stuff".

  • Iowacommute
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Marcolo-that was awesome.

    Although I do like stainless-in some places. I loved my time in a restaurant or maybe it was growing up with a metal shop in the basement. I find metal comforting.

  • allison0704
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Obvious Signage - I don't mind one letter in a house, but don't particularly care for multiples or words. Vintage signs ok, but one is plenty.

    Taxidermy - PETA and anti-gun peeps have spoken, but hunting is a way of life for many. It puts food on the table. We're not hunters, but my DS DH is. He killed 2 deer this week, 3 this season and their freezer will be full. While they can afford meat if his shot is bad, others cannot.

    I have vintage/antique German antlers in our MBR entry. We live in the woods. As long as they don't have eyes to follow me, I don't care. Another bedroom has several antler mounts, again, no heads, no ears/eyes. Who cares.

    Open Layouts - The writer posts about open concept kitchens, which we have and love. Everyone else seems to like it to or else everyone I know lies to me about it - doubtful. I'm a neat freak, even on holidays. But if I hadn't gotten the cabinetry made that I wanted, it wouldn't be open. We never try to get away, and I like that I can be working at the breakfast room table but still in close contact to DH in living area.

    Open bathrooms - I'm not for bedroom/bath combos, but I hate (yes hate) toilet closets. Not for me, but I could care less if someone has else them.

    Cliched Design - Never a good idea.

    Brand X Cookie Cutter Kitchens - Yes, tired of them.

    Chalkboard Overload - One of my favorite things as a child was the small built-in chalkboard in my grandmother's kitchen. She always had grocery list or doctor's appointments written on it, but we were always welcomed to draw. Whole walls or doors, not really my thing but if it's yours, who cares.

    Food as Decor - Who does this without intending to eat?

    Neon - Never in my house.

    Intentionally Distressed Furniture - I don't like poorly executed distressing, but I love vintage pieces or new made to look old, as long as they are done well. I wouldn't want distressed as my only pieces, but I like the mix we have.

    TVs Over the Mantel - Ours is over the mantel in our main area, but it stays cleverly covered when DH is not home. Room is large enough so that it's not too high to watch. No sore necks, etc. The lower level den TV is not over the mantel - who ruin a beautiful stone FP.

    Rather than writing about pet peeves, the author should have taken the opportunity to make suggestions instead of whining.

    I totally agree with the poster on the lamp - most of ours are old or were made at a local lamp shop with vintage finds. Love my lamps.

    This post was edited by allison0704 on Mon, Jan 21, 13 at 13:31

  • TxMarti
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I wondered how many House Beautiful Facebook followers answered those questions. Some of that stuff has been around for decades.

    The words? I think I have some that are at least 25 years old. "Ho ho ho", "Peace" and "Boo" have been in my holiday decorations that long. I like the words on stands and in frames. I never have really liked the words painted on walls but I like them painted on furniture.

    Deer heads and antlers are a sore subject in our house. I absolutely hate them in a house and dh would like nothing better than to have his trophy mounted and hung on the wall. Thank heavens he has yet to shoot that trophy. Dh is a hunter, and the pleasure comes from being able to provide meat for our family not from killing the animal. Since we are not vegetarians, our meat has to come from somewhere, and this is more humane and healthier than the slaughter house. We do have antlers hanging all over the garage though.

    Open concept isn't new but it has evolved. I dislike the room they showed, but not because it's open concept, but because it is cold and sterile looking and I wonder if they did that to make their point. Same thing with their stainless kitchen. I don't want my kitchen being in full view of the front door visitors, but I would like being part of the family gathering when I'm in the kitchen working. I like stainless and granite but don't want those to be my only choices. Are you listening Lowe's, Home Depot, and Best Buy?

    The Eiffel tower thing is new to me, but I am a little tired of fleur de lis.

    There are places for chalk boards, just as there have always been. When I was homeschooling, I had a white board in the kitchen and it made dust too. I had a white refrigerator and finally found that Vis a vis markers worked great on them, and no dust. I painted a chalk board in the garage and it comes in really handy. If you have kids who like to draw, erase and draw some more, painting a chalk board is a great idea. I don't care for them painted on backsplashes, mainly because they are hard to reach. I don't care for them put in places intended for writing menus or shopping lists for the same reasons others have mentioned. But I like them used for notes and calendars in places that make it easy for family members to keep up with each other.

    I keep fruit on the counter, always have and always will. I don't like biting into cold fruit. It hurts my teeth.

    I've never like the chipped and peeling paint look. But I do like a well done distressed look. I read a magazine recently that featured a home of the year full of chippy, peeling paint cabinets built from salvaged wood, and it just looked rough and unattractive to me. But the owners loved it and that's all that really matters.

    I got a kick out of the tv above the fireplace as that is exactly what I have been considering. Currently our (gas) fireplace is in a corner and the tv is on the opposite wall with all the furniture grouped around it. So our backs are to the fireplace. A bad placement I would like to correct by moving the fireplace to the only wall available - the one the tv is on. That way we get to enjoy the look of the fireplace and the tv.

    I saved this one for last. "Don't start the neon trend. Leave the colors in the '80s.." That makes no sense to me. How can their followers be tired of a trend that hasn't started yet? And was it the '80s? I don't remember neon colors in the '80s. I remember earth colors in the '80s.

    I know what I like and what I don't like, and doubt if any article saying what is in or out will change my mind.

    This post was edited by marti8a on Mon, Jan 21, 13 at 14:07

  • joyce_6333
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I guess I've never been a trend-follower. Instead of buying the latest thing currently trending, I'd rather have my money in savings. I'm not criticizing anyone who does, that's just my lifestyle. I do like trends, and love seeing all the trendy decorating here on GW.

    As for the slideshow:

    I do have one sign in my kitchen that was given to me by a BF (cousin) who recently was killed in a car accident. Although I'm not a "sign" person, this one gives me some comfort. It says: "Wine and friends should be old". She never will be.

    No animals heads in my house either. And never will.

    Open concept is not for us. I like a separate kitchen and living/family room. Great for families with small children. I wonder how much time people with open concept spend cleaning up these areas in order to take pictures they want to post on GW. Rarely do I see pictures of a "lived in" open concept space.

    Spent a month in Europe this summer, but bought no souvenirs. Not my thing. Oh, except for the bookmarks of Michelangelo's David. He was magnificent.

    I certainly can image stainless steel taking a backseat to "something". Not sure what they would be. As for granite, liked my quartz counters in our previous home better. Much easier to care for. And I'm liking laminate alot more. Used to be granite was on floors, and laminate on counters. Now it's just the reverse. Hmmmm...

    Each to their own on chalkboard. If it works for you, go for it!

    Like another poster said, I like my fruit room temp. And I'm more apt to grab and apple or orange if it's handy. But I never put fruit out as a decorator item. Hate green apples!

    If you like neon, why not. Personally, I'm pretty much a beige person. Decorating and personality wise! :-)

    Shabby chic is cute, just not my style at all.

    Now, have to say I really like my TV over the fireplace. TVs now are so big they take up nearly an entire wall, or corner, if set on a console. We had our fireplace and mantle made quite low just for that reason. It's a big black box no matter where you put it!

    Another trend I hope at least evolves is the ALL WHITE everything. If you look at Houzz, almost every room is completely white: white walls, white cabinets, white counters, white floors, white trim, white furniture, white window coverings, etc. Maybe they throw in a colorful pillow here and there, but otherwise these rooms are cold and uninviting. Can't image visiting someone's home like that, and feeling comfortable enough to put my foot on their all white footstool. These homes see so "machine-made". For me, give me an arts and crafts home with lots of beautiful hand made furniture, wood accents, and tapestries. I can cozy right up to a room like that!

    Bottom line, it's all about what you like. If you're a trend follower, you will never be satisfied. There's always something new and better right around the corner!

  • MarinaGal
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If I am not mistaken, aren't most of these outgoing trends really Domino circa 2006?

    On the topic of fruit, did anyone catch the Dutch model's fruit fridge on RHOBH? Now that is some major fruit display!

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    >Food as Decor - Who does this without intending to eat?

    Evidently everyone who stages a kitchen for a photo shoot. If you need limes, why are they in a giant apothecary jar where you can't reach the bottom half? And it's been de rigueur for a couple of years now to have a bowl of green apples in any kitchen photo, it seems. I guess trend buckers may have a single line of pears, but only unripe bartletts, never bosc or forelles or anything like that.

    I don't think the article is referring to real fruit for eating.

  • LE
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The "staged" fruit always distracts me. (This is distinct from a bowl of fruit you'd actually eat.) It's something like a giant clear glass urn filled with only lemons, for example. Am I the only one who immediately calculates the rate at which you'd have to use them before the ones on the bottom turn into a science experiment?

  • lavender_lass
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Suzanne- That lamp is adorable! What a great gift for a little girl :)

    Marcolo- LOL! I especially like the Eiffel Tower comment. As for open concept, I think a happy compromise is to have two larger spaces...one with with plenty of comfy seating, bookshelves and/or main TV viewing area...and the other with an eating and small seating area off the kitchen.

  • Fori
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Of course antlers are shed every year and can be picked up in the woods. No killing required.

    I don't have any.

  • allison0704
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm sorry for your loss, Joyce.

    Evidently everyone who stages a kitchen for a photo shoot.

    lol I wasn't including staging in my comment. My comments were for real people with real homes.

    Yes, fleur de lis and "bling." Like Donna Decorates Dallas, or whatever the name of that show was... ugh.

    I wonder how much time people with open concept spend cleaning up these areas in order to take pictures they want to post on GW. Rarely do I see pictures of a "lived in" open concept space.

    lol See my post above - I am a neat freak. The house is neat unless DH is home, but I don't think anyone wants to see his feet on the coffee table. If I needed to pick up for pictures, it would take less than 2 minutes. Neat freak... nicer than saying a bit OCD.

    Another trend I hope at least evolves is the ALL WHITE everything.

    OMGeez, yes! Or a room or house all shades of gray.

    I guess I've never been a trend-follower. Instead of buying the latest thing currently trending, I'd rather have my money in savings. I'm not criticizing anyone who does, that's just my lifestyle. I do like trends, and love seeing all the trendy decorating here on GW.

    Antlers, taxidermy, etc have always been around. I've had my collection at least 6 years, and only started seeing them scattered in Veranda, Southern Accents and Architectural Digest (and in local antique stores) a few years before. A few years before that, I saw plenty in Europe.

    I am tired of the white porcelain versions someone mentioned.

    I agree everyone should save, and if not debt free should be working towards it.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I didn't mean to wander into a discussion about the ethics of hunting --- sorry about that.

    Certainly if someone needs to hunt to eat, I care far more about humans than I do animals. But I think it would be naive to say that a significant amount of hunters hunt because otherwise they may not be able to eat. And i think most hunters do not find killing an animal upsetting or distasteful, whereas a lot of non-hunters do.

    That's why I don't like antlers, not because of trends but because i would be upset if I killed an animal, even if I had to to eat.

  • ginny20
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't hunt, and heads would bother me. But I don't mind antlers in the appropriate setting, like a lodge, or cabin, or in someplace like Wyoming (I'm remembering Jackson Hole) or the southwest. And, as someone pointed out, antlers aren't always "harvested." They can be found.

  • allison0704
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I found mind in antique stores. ;D

    I know, mtnrdredux. I could never hunt anything other than a roach, scorpion, venomous snake or mice in the house/rats anywhere! lol I won't eat deer or lamb (too cute), but I've had elk - I was up sick during the night. 90% of the hunters I know use the meat, the other 10% let someone else have it.

    Now, back to talking trash about limes.

  • mrsmortarmixer
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    As a hunter, who married another hunter, who was the son of a taxidermist, I have taxidermy work in my house. We also walk miles every year looking for antlers that have been shed. We have over 120 at last count in our living room. Six heads, 4 fish, a number of skulls, and quite a few hides. But it feeds our family, and maybe once a month we have a meal with meat from the grocery store. You would probably find taxidermy work in 50% of the houses in our area, maybe more. I don't take offense to anyone who doesn't like them, and they are and always will be confined to one room, so those that visit and do not enjoy looking do not have to.

    I dislike open concept more than anything. Put a doorway with a door in every room in the house, I wouldn't mind.

    I keep oranges, apples, and bananas on the counter because they look pretty and because my kids can reach them without my help.

    I wouldn't put a chalkboard in my house for the dust reasons. I've never been to France. My daughters' bedroom is lime green and bubble gum pink, and I've seen some bright colors in other homes. I wasn't offended. Do what you want.

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