Pillows.

Avoiding trends that may in the future identify a time frame . . . I've used several things in this house that will be "out" someday, but I used them anyway because I enjoy them. If they go "out" I'll either continue to enjoy them or replace them!!

Professional kitchen appliances . . . I guess I'm tired of cooking!!

Having the latest thing . . .

Anything that I "must have" because someone else says I "must have" it.

symmetry.

tfm - I think I have you beat because I do have a TV in the master bath. It's between my husband's and my vanities, and I love being able to watch the morning shows while I get ready for work.

As for things that aren't important to me, I'd say having my bed perfectly made up with lots of pillows, and elaborate tablescapes. I've seen beautiful examples of both here on the forum, but I don't care enough about them to make an effort. Another thing that I can't be bothered to make an effort for is seasonal decorating, except for Christmas, and even then I'm pretty much of a slacker.

A bed that is dressed in the latest style, a duvet, umpteen pillows on the bed, Benjamin Moore or Farrow & Ball walls, a decorator-perfect kitchen, anything that is "in" (it'll be "out" before you can turn around), anything that is there to impress other people, huge bathrooms where you feel uncomfortable being undressed....that should do for now.

The price of items.
I don't care if it's high end or not as long as it's what I want and will enjoy.
I don't care if my closets get messy as long as no one else sees them lol

Great question, Palimp!

I don't care about current trends. If my house looks like other peoples' houses, it means I've failed. I love timeless decor like English Country. I treasure my oldies but goodies. I love a little whimsey and unexpected, so very "grown up" rooms can bore me. I didn't bother to learn the rules. I've been an artist all my life with a voracious appetite for eye candy, so maybe something rubbed off, I dunno. I just do my own thing and find if I really like it, others say "wow." I don't like rooms that look like they need velvet ropes to keep people from touching things; I want everyone well fed and comfy. I love luxury, but not high maintenance, so try to strike some balance.

"If my house looks like other peoples' houses, it means I've failed."

Bingo! Nuf' said.

I don't give a hoot what my laundry area looks like.

I don't give a hoot if I have a great room.

I have no interest in a chandelier in my bathroom.

Decorative pillows and blankets laid artfully across sofas are just dust collectors.

I have no use for home decor items from large, chain stores.

I have no use for backsplash tile laid on the diagonal.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here.

It isn't important where I find my "treasures". Thrift shops,HomeGoods, Goodwill,Crumpton auction,consignment, curb shopping- matters not. I buy/pick up what I feel is vintage or is me.( oh, I guess I am vintage too)
It all blends with the few family antiques that we have which are a mix of styles and ages 1700s to the late 1880s and newer 1930s and 40s. eclectic from the gitgo thats us.

I have to admit that I love the day before or after a holiday when most of house is perfectly clean and in order. Since I keep my own house, reality sets in pretty quickly.

I have expensive antiques and value finds, I don't always
have to get an original. I don't like stainless steel, my walls (most likely) will always be cream with white trim; I don't mind taking my time decorating as my taste evolves.

I just love to walk into a house that is filled with things someone loves (it is always obvious) vs perfection to design rules.

Ditto on the big master suite. While we have a master bath (and I LOVE it...but it's not huge - just perfect sized), I've never understood these newer houseplans where literally half the bedroom space is given over to the master suite and then you have 3 kids rooms that are about the same size as the master's walk in closets. A couple friends of mine have homes like this and while the homes are stunning, even they are at a loss for what to put in these big master bedrooms. They've got king sized beds, full sized sofas, armoires the size of an entertainment center, etc. yet their rooms still look cavernous and empty.

Our MBR is about 11x14 - big enough for a queen sized bed, a couple nighttables, and a dresser - I can't imagine what else I'd need.

Now there's a lot of stuff I care about that I don't necessarily attain all the time (or can only dream of attaining...) -- less clutter, less kid-stuff, walls without fingerprints. But I tell myself that someday when the kids are grown and gone, I'll miss tripping over train tracks and wiping handprints off the fridge, right?

So many decorating things are unimportant to me, narrowing them down is difficult, but I would have to say that a "decorated" bedroom is at the top of the list. Our bedroom sports a comfy mattress, 100% cotton sheets, a sturdy bed frame (heh heh), small side tables and dog beds. No pics on the walls, no useless fancy pillows on the bed, no TV, no lounging area and, oh yeah, the bed never, ever gets made except on Fridays, when mr. sandyponder changes the sheets.

My other one is obsessing, we really don't obsess over cleaning, decorating, matching anything or what anyone else thinks of our house. We believe that life is too short to get all worked up over stuff like door hardware and electrical cords, and that the energy it takes to obsess over stuff that doesn't matter is better spent getting as much fun as possible into life.

sandyponder

Collections of anything - I hate dusting and 'displayed collection' makes me think 'maintenance, dusting, ugh.' (Consequently, I do collect dust balls on occasion).

Decorative pillows on the sofa, armchairs and bed - love how they add color to a room but the first thing I do before I sit/lie down is move them away from me.

A master bedroom used for anything except sleeping - no chaise longue, no reading nook; give me a good bed and a well-organized closet and I'm good to go.

En suite baths - am I the only one who doesn't like hearing other people pee in the middle of the night, or brush their teeth while I'm still in bed? Except in a hotel, when it's desirable, I'm perfectly happy with hall bathrooms.

I "LOVE"; decorating with off white and tan! Professional stainless steel BIG kitchens, lots of granite! Matched sets of everything, pots & pans, dishes, glasses. "LOVE" "BIG" master baths & walk-in closets (but not big master bedrooms, they're not cozy).

I "HATE"; silk flower sprays hung on walls!!! Decorating done with the color "pink" as a prominent color(OK for a childs bedroom). Doggie nose prints on sliding glass doors. Cats that walk on kitchen counters and over cutting boards. People that comment on my decorating when they walk in. I've been told I have too much stuff in my house by one person and told it looks too well staged by another. lol

Good thread. I like to see what people "generally" appreciate in a home.

I just thought of another one.

The one place we spent the least amount of money on (none) was the laundry room. I love looking at others who have them all tricked out but, to me, it's a very utilitarian space.

We put a freestanding hutch for the supplies, washer/dryer and small closet. It has vinyl flooring.

It's just an in and out room, off the garage, and I'm grateful we no longer have to go down in the basement, like in years past.

Trends!

I had (and still have) a blue kitchen with white appliances. Even back in the l970s when gold & avocado reigned!

I purposely did not put oak cabinets in my l984 kitchen; knew back then it would be overused; I went with birch.

I had exposed hardwood floors when everyone else was covering theirs with carpet!

Its interesting to see what people say.

Rather than veering into the whole philosophy of what you like or dislike though...what is/are the thing(s) that you don't care about/notice even though you are obsessed about something else?

I am looking for that thing that someone is obsessing about in a thread and you look at it and think "huh?" or are not even sure what the "problem" they are pointing out is.
In a nutshell.

Of course -- now I'm worried about posting my photos or ideas .... because I do like so many of the things that folks don't really care about ..... hmmmmmmm......

Hard question for me! :)

Let's see:

I don't care about that there are two coffee tables in the one-and-only living room in this house

I don't care that there are too many lamps in each room -- I like to have lighting options

I don't care that there are antiques and new items clustered together

I don't care about the origins of items -- from Goodwill to Ikea to Bombay Co to T.J. Maxx to Target ..... if it works -- it stays!

I don't care that folks around here find my collections odd .... OR that some of the visitors here at the house have remarked about my books or the fact that I have a (generally) clean-and-tidy home .....

I admit that I do lust after lovely kitchens here at GW OR large closets (closet envy) OR having another room to decorate

I don't care that we chose to put in laminate flooring (faux plank wood that works so well!) or faux wood blinds or even faux plants ..... IF anyone wishes to replace any of these items for me -- that would be just fine! LOL! These items WORK for me -- and this house!

I don't care that there are TWO litter boxes here -- including one that lives in the master bathtub (and is nicely hidden) and one in the kitchen (a solution to a difficult problem with the MC - middle cat)

Jan (blowing the dust rhinos off her desk ..... cough cough ....)

this is quite an interesting post..I could care less about trends, what people feel is in style or not..or basically about other people's opinions.

Having done Interior Design my entire life..I find that too many people really care about what other's think..and esp if someone says something negative about their home it can send them reeling..

No 2 people..even married couples, see things alike. and it is a shame to allow someones negative things to sink deeply and put your home into chaos.

I spent too much time early on worrying about other people's opinions..and then i realized..it isn't worth it..

As long as your home is clean, appealing, well organized enough to find what you need when you need it, and it is in a style that you enjoy..why should you care about what other people think.

sure it is nice to ASK for opinions when you have a question about how to proceed..but never take them to heart..always weigh the pros and cons on something and then make up your own mind just as if those opinions were nothing but reading a book or a magazine..totally innocuous.

so many people have been so deeply hurt..probably all of us at one time or another..and some of us daily..by what people think..that is no way to live our lives.

I don't give one flying rat's patoot about having what's new, sleek, and/or generally accepted as "the best" in my home. I couldn't care less about having granite countertops, honed backsplashes, high-end stainless appliances, top grade cabinetry, spa-like baths. It's just not "me" at all -- in fact (if I dare say so) those things bore me to an extent. I do, however, get excited over vintage items. The older I get, the stronger I lean towards the imperfect, and strive to perfect a Wabi-Sabi frame of mind.

"Rather than veering into the whole philosophy of what you like or dislike though...what is/are the thing(s) that you don't care about/notice even though you are obsessed about something else?

I am looking for that thing that someone is obsessing about in a thread and you look at it and think "huh?" or are not even sure what the "problem" they are pointing out is.
In a nutshell."

Gotcha. While I can be obsessed about a color in a room, I don't have the same feeling where hardware finishes are concerned.

I will combine black, pewter and copper. When I hear questions about the suitability of mixing brushed nickel with polished, that's a *huh?* moment for me.

"A place for everything and everything in its place."
I am constantly seeking variation and I find this edict too controlling and too limiting.
Corollary: I enjoy what I consider "useful clutter." Sleekly clean kitchen surfaces disturb me. I want stuff I need to use out where I can lay my hands on it.

I think one of the funniest obsessions I've read here on GW was one in which the OP was concerned the LED (is that correct? Not sure) lights on her kitchen applicances were different colors. Others chimed in they had to have theirs changed to match because it bothered them so much. (Of course, many of those kitchen people are REALLY into kitchens. Me, not so much) I laughed out loud about that one, since I couldn't even tell you what colors mine are; I had to check. But, I'm ashamed to admit, I spent thousands on new appliances because our dishwasher had to be replaced and the stainless steel didn't match our other perfectly servicable appliances. My greatest obsession, design-wise, is symetry. It simply drives me crazy when things look unbalanced to me, and I've been known to use rulers to make sure things are even. (I think my grandson inherited this. MY DIL told me he used the side of his hand to measure his stick figure's legs to make sure they were the same length during his recent kindergarten tests) I'm also more than a little suggestible when it comes to great ideas I read here....hmmmm, baby tears in a silver compote...I want that!!!.....transferware plates on the wall....let's check ebay!!!....metal pig next to the sink...WHERE did she get that??

Kitchen cabinet stain color. It's wood: let it be light, medium or dark wood. 'nuff said, I won't even go into glazing.

Oh rat -- I read all your responses and gosh, I am obsessed a/b everything above. :-(

Every detail is important to me, design wise. LOL Sometimes I let things go because I thought, heck nobody gonna care or notice a/b that or, who cares, I'm tired, it's not important enough. However, when it's done, that detail would be the one thing that bugs me to no end until I have it changed to exactly the way I like it.

I think I have OCD when it comes to design/decorating :-(

Not important:

Antiques or vintage items. Most of them are too ornate for my taste.

Unique items. I don't care if I have the same things everyone else does.

Items created or designed by someone famous. Chances are I don't know who the person is, even if he or she is very famous.

Having everything put away. In our home, things that are used every day are left out, like the toaster, coffeemaker, cat's medicine, hair dryer, dog leash.

Matching metals, finishes, wood, brands.

Window treatments. Don't need them, don't have them.

Hiding the TV.

Paying a lot of money for anything decorative.

And, lastly, the same thing many others have said: what others think isn't important to me.

For me, it's got to be covering up appliances in the kichen with cabinetry so that they don't look like appliances.

I thought it was a KITCHEN; you know, where you're supposed to cook???

Besides, if you put those wood panels on your refrigerator you have nowhere to display recent photos, notes, etc. with cute and funky magnets :) Some of our favorite tacky souvenir magnets have found their way onto my fridge and I couldn't start my day without looking at them!

terricks-LOL. I forgot to mention the tv on my tree out in the backyard and if I would allow it (which I wont) DH would have one on the front porch. Not sure what this family would do without tvs. Guess my preschooler's brain is already fried

Besides, if you put those wood panels on your refrigerator you have nowhere to display recent photos, notes, etc. with cute and funky magnets :) Some of our favorite tacky souvenir magnets have found their way onto my fridge and I couldn't start my day without looking at them!

Absolutely! Our fridge clutter tells a tale of where we've been and where we're going, and I wouldn't want to be without it! :-)

Okay, tfm, you win! A TV on a tree??!!

Interior design as an "expression of who you are." Umm, no. One's character is an expression of who one is. (Are you honest? Down to earth? Charitable? Friendly?) The interior of my house isn't a public display to impose "who I am" on people. Interior design is for my family's comfort, organization, and to add color and interest to our daily lives.

you know--if we don't really give a rat poop a/b what other people thinks a/b our house & our things, nor we care a/b the current trend, how come there are so many posts asking ...

do you think this goes with that?
what should I do in this room
does this color goes here or there...
is this too small (big/round/square...)
do you think this look too dated or will be dated soon
what is the newest trend in (WT, paint color, etc.)

My MIL doesn't give a rat-poop a/b what other people think of her house (yet she loves to tell people what she thinks a/b their house and most often it isn't flattering). Her house hasn't changed in the last 20 years but she isn't exactly the kind that hang out on the home dec forum. :-D

Do you have people in your life who has their house full of clutter, and you'd try to be nice and said, "oh it adds characters & personality to your house," while inside you just wanna go through their house with a supersonic vacumn and suck everything up. :-)

My friend who's a decorator is very mean to me. He has no problem telling me if it's too "ugly, enough crap already, etc." and sometimes I hate his gut and sometimes I'm glad.

I'm sorry if this appear to be mean :-) I spent too much time with my MIL over Easter LOL ;-D

Every time I watch an HGTV decorating show where the realtor/host tells the person they need to store their t.v. I am amazed that the person does it. Now, I do not love those large-screen t.v.s that take up a wall, (even though my friend's large-screen makes for a cool Rockstar evening!) but I do think that when a lot of people tour a home, they might just be thinking........."Oh, good! There's room for a big t.v.!"

I am not going to comment on other's obsessions. I am obsessed with getting just the right paint shade and the right furniture arrangement. Sometimes friends mock my painting craziness and I know they just don't care like I do. But it doesn't hurt my feelings. Here, though, on the boards, some DO get really hurt when their obsessions get bashed.

Red

LOL bellaflora! You need a quiet space, a good book, & a nice cup of hot tea -- a little MIL decompression.

I think the people who ask those kinds of questions are just stuck on a particular problem & need some help from people with a better eye or with a different perspective or with past experience. Doesn't mean they are decorating because they care so much what others think. It's simply that they feel their own skills are lacking, so why not ask for free advice from somebody whose skills are sharper? I really enjoy a beautifully decorated room -- but sure can't pull it together on my own. I just don't have the spatial relations skills.

I'm getting old. Other people's clutter doesn't bother me anymore. How they choose to live is none of my concern.

Now that washers and dryers cost more than a thousand dollars a piece I've stopped caring if they match so when one breaks down I don't buy a pair.

I'm over stainless steel appliances. Now that I have them I hate them...they're high maintenance, constantly needing cleaning. When the water dispenser broke on our refrigerator I was actually glad I no longer had to wipe up water marks left from water dribbling down the front of the door. I'm ready to go back to white and black appliances.

Wood floors and travertine tile in kitchens is impractical I don't care how great they look. Too much focus has been put on looks rather than practicality in kitchen design.

Your post made me laugh! Not the part about your 'mean' decorator friend........that was annoying. Just because his job is decorating does not give him the right to be critical of you........unless you ask him to!
No, I had to laugh at your dead-on hit to those who SAY they don't care. If we didn't care, we wouldn't be here, now, would we? I have plenty of friends who fix their houses as they like and don't care what others think. They don't post on decor threads. And even those of us who claim to be thick-skinned (Me for example!) may really not be immune. I painted my old house in an olive green. I was so proud. And when I re-hung my prints and put my furniture back, it was wonderful. But then a friend came over and said I painted my living room in 'Pea Soup'. I laughed, but it irked me. (His LR was sponge-painted in raspberry and light pink, but it still didn't kill the sting of 'Pea Soup'.)

Anyway, I don't think you are mean. You are realistic and have hit close to the heart of the matter.

Red

tablescapes, don't have them.

I line up my food in my fridge, labels facing forward ; I did that even before I got a glass front fridge.

This is a decorating forum, so I expect obsessiveness and odd questions.

The fact that something will be hard to clean or show dust is totally unimportant to me if I want it or love it.

I don't notice the color of hinges and probably wouldn't mind if they were different from the door knobs. I don't mind exposed electrical cords, or having a tv in the bedroom.

Although I think I've only posted pictures with questions once or twice in several years, I must admit that I care about what people think, so I can't say that isn't important to me. Don't need people to love my choices, but if they hate them, it stings a little. I wouldn't change my style(s) just to humor others, but I do care.

Interior design as an "expression of who you are." Umm, no. One's character is an expression of who one is. (Are you honest? Down to earth? Charitable? Friendly?) The interior of my house isn't a public display to impose "who I am" on people. Interior design is for my family's comfort, organization, and to add color and interest to our daily lives.

Y'know -- you are so right. I'm sure I've actually said here a time or two that my decor is an "expression of who I am", and I think probably many people believe this to be true. However, now that I think about all of the people for whom decor is simply not important (for myriad reasons), it really is true that their lack of a coordinated, well-appointd home is absolutely no reflection on who or what they are. In fact, some of the warmest, most welcoming homes I've ever visited were the dwelling places of some of the most charming, funny, kind, and gracious people I've ever known. So you're really right ... decor does not express "who we are." That has to come completely from within. :-)

Okay, i'll bite.

The "odd number rule." I get it. I see it. I just don't think it's important.

I guess what is "not important" is not as important as what is important....and that is a true, cozy, comfortable feeling home that says "welcome....come in and visit with me"...... I don't like too much elaborate decorations...they make me nervous....nor do I like the starkness of the ultra-modern design...too cold of a feeling. Some times I have a hard time describing just what I do like, but I sure do know it when I see it~~~
but it is fun to read and look at what the rest of you do...but sometimes, I think I really need to "get a life"...I spend far too much time reading these...but oh heck, as long as the dust isn't too think on this monitor, I'll just keep looking~~~~ HAPPY DECORATING~

Here is one that I totally respect other people obsessing about and on SOME levels I do too. This one is odd because I do have some background in color theory and can do things like make grey from anything and mix full spectrum colors.

Once I pick a color (this may take quite a while) I may notice that it looks a little pinker or a little yellower than I thought, I may notice that the lighting affects it in ways I didnt expect--and then I say "eh. I'll get used to it."

I don't feel the need to paint knotty pine or other kinds of wood. I did however get caught up for awhile obsessing whether or not I should paint my oak furniture black.
When most designers would never paint a room black or use really dark paint because they say it makes the room look small. I say the darker the more dramatic and it has taken me years and several coats of paint just to get the right shades for the walls.
The only time I notice hinges is when I am wiping the paint off of them.
They say a little touch of black should be used in every room, I use black as the higher percentage of colour in every room(either as a fixture, accessory, wall or floor covering or furniture. All the rest of the decor I consider the little touch.

Wall color isn't all that important to me unless it is a very intense color. My light-flooded bedroom used to be the darkest forest green and it was so dismal and dusty looking! But for the most part I think neutral walls look great; whether they're more beige or green or gold doesn't seem to matter too much. My neighbor just painted her kitchen one shade lighter of a terra cotta and I can't see the difference (but it makes her happy and that's great!) In general, I've found johnmari's rule about "light walls for light rooms and dark walls for dark rooms" to be the only rule that's really worth following.

I also don't mind furniture that is out of style. Most of the people I know have those slouchy leather sofas and loveseats. They are not fashionable but they are well made, extremely comfortable and stand up to kids and pets. In a room with the right lighting, floors, scale, artwork, etc. it just doesn't seem to matter.

I really don't notice details so much as the overall scale of things. I don't care if things go together as long as they are not screaming at me. I guess I have more of an impressionistic outlook.

I have a tile floor in my entry that I don't like. It was put in by the POs and is just not me. But, I don't really care. I guess my rule is that if I can't change something without spending a whole lot of time and energy and money on it, I'll just ignore it. (But as someone noted earlier, if I had a money tree I would probably be pickier.)

I have oak cupboards that are probably dated and tile counters but they are all in good shape and very functional, so they don't bother me. My appliances don't match, but in a way that is a good thing - the dishwasher blends in with the cabinets rather than matching the fridge and calling attention to itself.

I used to feel that lighting was one of those unimportant details that only designers fussed about, but I have since discovered how easy it is to change a space just by adding a lamp or turning down the dimmers, so I've done a 360 on this issue.

There are many things that do bug me, but you don't want to hear about those :-)

What Isn't Important to You, Design Wise?

- Displaying family pics....I don't like most of them anyway.
- Displaying things people give me...it's just clutter.
- Alot of knick-knacks...who wants to dust that crap?
- Hiding my big 52" TV. It's there to watch, right?
- Spending alot of money on custom drapes....store bought works just as well.
- Having designer everything....WHY???
- And most of all, keeping up with the Jones'; it's just not my "style".
- Lastly, that my LED lights on the kitchen appliances don't match.

Deeinohio, that very well could have been me that posted in the kitchen forum about the different color LED lights. Though I can't remember if I actually did post, I do remember it being an issue when I noticed it. Okay, kitchen obsessed at first, but now, I don't even notice it. Ha-ha, I'm laughing with you.

Large bathrooms and whirlpool tubs don't do it for me.

Home theaters look like a waste of space to me.

Finished basements with a bar -I would prefer to sit and entertain on the first floor and would only use a basement for laundry, storage or a workshop.

Walk out basements- I would prefer to exit my first floor at ground level and not on a deck or multiple steps.

As I sit here in my cluttered office (I will file the stuff away -- someday), I look up at the wall and see something that is important to me -- a large picture of the Andromeda Galaxy. I use it to put things in perspective.

deeinohio, LOL, I remember that thread about the different "types" of LED lights! You and I are similar, I have not a clue what color my lights throw off. I just know they light my task, okay???

Oh and Mistybear, I don't understand painting wood that's perfectly good. My Grandpa built a knotty pine cabin that my family inherited. I can imagine a bunch of "decorators" coming by with their paint brushes and cans in hand....only to be chased out by me! I also have a house filled with oak woodwork that I never realized was "dated". I imagine if I painted the woodwork in every room 10 years from now I'd be stripping it because it'd be back in vogue again.