I find it difficult to pinpoint why I love something. Was it from when I was a child feeling safe in the family home decorated with antiques, wallpaper and pretty floral curtains? Was it when I got my first job in a clothing store and bought the maxi skirt in the black chintz floral with tiny heart shaped buttons running down the front? Was I born to like certain colors with no choice in the matter? Like those who are left handed or right handed?

I have no idea without years of therapy. lol! I just enjoy certain things and try to work them in somewhere in my home keeping scale, proportion and suitability in mind.

awm03, what a wonderful way to describe why people in the 70's choose those colors.

I often wonder about why someone/everyone made a design choice. Such as those white laminate with wood trim cabinets that apparently everyone now hates. Well, since there are still so many of them still in kitchens, some people loved them, or at least liked them a lot.

Huh, I forgot to mention why I love things, lol.

I live in a cottage. It was built as a summer cottage for blue collar folks. Summer cottages usually were built reusing things from the "main" house or other places. So, the current trend to repurpose and reclaim and mismatch just fits my home. But I just like old and worn anyway, an eclectic mix that just makes it seem real and lived in.

My grandpa was a contractor and would salvage old things from his jobs-he built a "shed" (bigger than a 1 car garage) and used beautiful old french doors that a client had replaced. I think that's where I get my enjoyment of reclaiming/salvage.

I like and prefer vintage. A lot is just better built. How many stoves made in 2013 will still be working in 2063? How many pieces of pressboard furniture will still be around in 100 years?

I dislike open concept homes for me. I've been in a few that are spectacular, but I would go nuts. I clean one room at a time, and I'm easily sidetracked. I need a good start and end point for everything I do. Where do you start when one room takes up 7/8 of your house?

I'm not a fan of modern or MCM. Once again, it doesn't bother me if I see it in one's home, but I couldn't live with it. It just seems so plain, boring, cheap, I don't know, unimpressive. I'm not a fan of clean lines I guess.

Chickens in kitchens. The only chickens that will ever be in my kitchen are the ones that roam our property. Occasionally a door gets left open and they sneak in looking for food. They are certainly not welcome, nor are there ceramic/resin/plastic/metal counterparts.

I'm also not a fan of words on the walls. My brother and his fiancee have an apartment that is filled with words on the walls. I understand they are not able to do anything permanent and it's their way of personalizing, but it makes my head hurt. She has paired it with Americana everything. Americana is popular here and way overdone. I think my biggest issue with Americana stems from the fact that I can no longer find antiques in antique stores. 1/2 of the booths are overpriced Americana scattered with particleboard 80's furniture. I'm pretty sure 3/4 of the homes out here have stars on the outside and I think it looks ridiculous.

I love the living walls indoors. I love flowers and plants indoors and out. They just make me happy.

I also love white kitchens. Not so much the OTK version or the all white kitchens, but just white kitchens in general. But only if they look lived in and used with some personal style. That being said, I love all kitchens in all stains and colors that show personal style. I absolutely adore kitchens that are a combination of periods and styles. They look homey and inviting. I like furniture from different decades in different styles. I don't think furniture and decor has to match, it just needs to be what you love at the time. I think it keeps you from feeling like you bought the store display.

What was/is the trend of the French or Italian chef from a few years ago...not sure what he/it was called....statues, pictures, etc..an acquaintance had them all over her house...he was everywhere. Just didn't get that trend at all....to me it was akin to the ducks/hearts trend of the 80's.

Like Gracie said, I hate trends because they are trends. Hate is too strong a word for me, though. I just get bored.

The rooms I like the most (could hang out in, not just admire) are ones where I feel like I would like to meet/know the people who live there.

We were very close to buying a house last year for this very reason (turned out the 'hood was just too dangerous) . . .I wanted to meet the owners and be their friends. They had a cozy sense about them-- many bookshelves filled with well-loved books (was told they held book group meetings there), comfy kitchen that didn't try too hard, original fixtures in the baths from the 40s, etc. It needed a lot of work (just to fix what was not maintained properly) but that was OK. I "knew" them by looking at what they owned. If someone follows trends, the only thing I know about them is that they follow trends. I could still very much like the person, but I wouldn't know them from their house.

I feel lucky to live in a time where we have access (thanks, Craigslist and Father Time) to items from so many different periods. That is what keeps things interesting and personal-- that is where a house becomes a home.

I'm solidly entrenched in the "form should follow function" school of thought. And the "have nothing that is not useful" one too. And took some classes in hospital lab design, museum design and traffic control, flower arranging, and landscaping.

Anything that impedes the flow of traffic -for no good reason- annoys me. Sunken living rooms, elevated dining rooms, barrier reefs in kitchens, excessive numbers of doors. Found objects stacked artfully on the stairs. Begone!

Anything that inhibits the intended use of a space, whatever its use is, annoys me. Again, it often boils down to "traffic and work flow" ... the trendy corbels you bang your knee or arm on in the kitchen, the must-have chandy or mini-pendant that doesn't cast enough light , the doors on mudroom cubbies to hide the clutter in the mudroom (that was installed to keep the clutter out of the kitchen or LR), the kitchen that routes the kids seeking cold water through the cook's hot pots and chopping area.

And the impractical, installed because they are fashionable, materials. Utility counters and sinks you have to treat like fine furniture, floors you fear to let the dog walk on ...

Decor: Beds that take half an hour of pillow-removing before you can get between the sheets. Curtains sweeping the floor, collecting the cat hairs.

I guess, I really don't hate or love "TRENDS", what happens to me is I am either comfortable in someone's home or not!
They can be really great hosts or hostesses, but if a house is too full of STUFF, I just can't breathe.
To each his or her own, but have a very dear friend, who owned several resale/antique shops, and her home is merchandised just like her shops were.
She loves It I do not but,I do not have to live there,
I love her and my other friends, I accept what they love and hope they do the for me !!!

P.S. A couple of them are artists and I don't choose art worth a damn. If they hate it they just keep their mouths shut (at least around me) LOL

RED

very good points, lazygardens. I agree, trendy or not, things have to FUNCTION!

I think we like even the appearance of function more than we realize. For example, if columns look wrong, we may not immediately know why, until we realize that they are not holding anything up/are non-functional. Ditto for shutters. Seems that is a problem with cheap design; it applies good design inappropriately.

Chevron stripes are starting to annoy me They're everywhere. I even saw a DIY blog where someone was painting orange chevron on a lamp shade just because she didn't have chevron anywhere in her house yet, and she felt she should.

It looked like jack-o-lantern teeth.

And it's even invaded clothing fashions. I see young twenty-something girls wearing chevron print, strapless, flutter-hemmed cocktail dresses with dusty feet in black flip-flops while they're doing the grocery shopping. It's just odd. It doesn't fit in my home's style, and I refuse to do it just to go along with the crowd.

Apparently, Washi tape is a big trend in Blogland.

I resisted, and resisted, until I saw this idea, which made my heart sing (or weep) ... Washi-taped bathroom pipes:

And my version (Ok, no, it's not Washi tape, it's a Post-It note, but I worked on this for hours):

This post was edited by Miz_M on Wed, Aug 21, 13 at 16:18

When it comes to the simulated resin animal horns and coral, and anything else that was once a living thing, thank goodness for resin! Using the real deal for something as frivolous as a decoration in a home while depleting the natural resource should be a crime. In my case, my conscious would get the better of me.

Someone mentioned contrived, but I don't know if it was this thread~that's another thing I find annoying. The throw 'casually' draped over the arm of a chair/sofa bugs me, as does a completely set dinner table as a decorating 'accessory'~does nothing but collect dust. Does anyone really set out a bed tray in a guest room or on an ottoman? I like vignettes on a tabletop, just not the ones set up as 'real life'.

Miz M: HAHAHAHAHA! I like yours more.

RE: Iheart, "And what is up with all the "grown up" nurseries and kid rooms? I'm talking about the sober serious supposedly elegant rooms. What happened to whimsical youth focused nurseries and kids room? "

Gosh, this is SO TRUE. I recently saw a "grown up" nursery on Houzz. Let me just say that probably 100% of the people who have the $ to decorate a nursery that is on Houzz will likely want to redo the child's room before he/she is even walking. There is NO reason it needs to look like a room for a 30 something year old. No reason. I still remember my circus wallpaper from my room. I stared at it while I went to sleep, in my crib and then bed. It was fun. I can't imagine at looking at something boring or gloomy. If kids don't get to be kids when they are KIDS then, well, I am not sure what to say. It is really OK for a child's room to look like it is for a child. That doesn't mean it has to be bombarded with commercial characters or craziness, but it should at least appeal to children, not bloggers to ooh and ahh over. It doesn't have to be 99% gray with just a touch of pink, which is what the room was. Most young girls and even boys like pink, or they at least like it more than gray. (Pink used to be a "boy" color, back in the day!) I think some people think of children like they do those teacup pets-- as an accessory. Not that that is anything new . . .

MizM- LOL! love it

I recently read a study that said having a myriad of choices actually makes us less satisfied with our decision. For example, if your choice at a restaurant is beef, chicken, or fish, you will know exactly what you want and will be satisfied when you get it. Compare that to, say, the cheesecake factory menu where there are a million chickens, a million beefs, and a million fish. You are more likely to have order envy when the choices are so close. Compare that to the design world. It's a wonder we aren't all paralyzed just choosing pillows. Or kitchen knobs. So it's always better to buy what you love (trend or not) and then it will all work together.

On that note--I still love toile but hate chevron and ikat. All my wood is dark to midtone walnut and cherry, probably because that's what I grew up with. I appreciate bleached woods that are all the rage, but they dont make my heart sing. Oak was considered cheap in our house, so I don't like it. I think we are all a product of our environment.

I love marble, not because it's "in" but because it reminds me of the restaurants of Paris. (I would give anything to go back to my 20s and trade all the money I spent on hard rock Paris t-shirts for anything in a Paris flea market!)

Miz M - Will you marry me? love it.....

Lolauren, do you have a swimming pool? If so, YES! Or, do you want to move in with me? I'm working on decorating my other bathroom pipes as we speak.

I have to warn you, though ... I do paint some furniture, and that may make us very unpopular around here. But, I don't do Skittles colors, or antiques, or beautiful finishes.

If the thought of painted furniture makes you feel rage-y, I can sign a Pre-Nup stating I will not go near any wood with a brush. I'm all about compromise!

Haha :)

No pool, but I have lots of sinks (and associated plumbing.)

I did buy a CL buffet that everyone on here told me to not paint. Confession.... I painted it, and I love it. No pre-nup necessary.

Why I love or hate a trend has a lot to do with what I grew up with.

I hate drum lamps...I know they are trendy now, but I remember them as they aged away in our smoke-filled house as they got dryer and browner and the glued burlap edges started to unravel...couldn't wait to see it gone. So I guess part of it is, what memories does it provoke? Another part is, what will it look like in 15 years and will I still like it?

There is a cycle to style, just like with cars...they go from new and on trend.... to used and dated.... to vintage and classic. The question is, when looking at an item, does it have enough style and character and quality to survive the "used and dated" phase...or will it be tossed in the trash? My uncle had a sunburst clock from the 50s that I always liked and its style has survived til today. The wire legged formica topped, metal edged tables, not so much.

For example, I don't like and don't understand the ikat thing. It is something to me that will be a hallmark of an era and when we look back on it in a couple of decades will be a "what were they thinking" item. Just like I know some people are gaga over vintage bark cloth, but it was too stiff and old fashioned back then, and it still feels that way to me today.

I have never really been into trends. Well, perhaps some. Had a corduroy couch I upholstered in deep olive back in the late 60s. And got the wallpaper itch.

What bothers me about trends is the aftermarket. I collected tin signs, mostly coca cola. Lost interest when the market started producing all as if they were the real thing. Oddly, when we had a ranch auction, the reproduced brought double the price than the antiques

It is the same with lithographs I have loved, artists bought very early on. When they became books and the pages framed to sell, plus those darn wall calendars, my interest faded.

Was fascinated with word/wall writing and even fabric. Never bought any and glad I didn't. It is so overflowing in the stores now. In reality these have been around forever, at least since the 70s. I can remember them in our offices back then. Note pads with sayings? Posters with positive thoughts? Greeting cards? Ooops, lied about having a recent word sign. There is one in my office that says "chocolate".

Obviously I did fall for some trends early on without realizing. But 90% of what I own is based on what is loved.

I'm over beige walls and gray doesn't work well for me in snow country. Have my gallons of paint sitting by me to change my world at home.

The one thing about trends is eventually they become priced low enough for those who can't pay real price at the beginning. I like repurposing in small doses, this is a trend that gives so much for those who can't have high priced furniture. And many options for a wide audience, wherever the trend goes. But I prefer natural materials in most everything.

I can't stand wall words either, but I have a wooden sign in my kitchen that can't find it's way out. It says "no whining."

This isn't a decor trend, but a fashion trend. Exactly when should I start to expect to see straps and inseams longer than 3" again?

The thing about that Washi-taped P-trap is by the time you buy all the different Washi tape, you could replace it with a nice chrome or other metal-finished P trap for less money and it would last longer.

Unless blogland assumes correctly that you have all this stuff lying around just waiting to be used.

Pal, that was my first thought, too ... how many rolls would that take? I only had one color of Post-It notes.

Growing up, I was drawn to the clean lines of modern furniture and spaces. My family and relatives had colonial. To this day I do not like colonial and love MCM.

Our original home had a long claw foot tub. Sill dream about that tub!

So, maybe it is something to do with the things you loved or did not love during childhood.

I thought there were/are studies done regarding kids attention/learning etc. and that bright primary colors, ie. blues, reds, yellows were best for learning or something like that so I don't understand using gray in such abundance in a bedroom. If Mozart is supposed to be played while the child is in the womb, surely colors can influence even infants.
I would have died for a pink and purple bedroom with a princess/fairy canopy when I was 8.

I love the trend towards:
eco-friendly green materials
energy efficient house design
smaller but higher quality houses
walkable/bikeable neighborhoods

Why? Because I appreciate some kind of responsibility for our environment, health, and communities

On another note, an architect friend of mine said that the majority of his clients prefer visible upgrades over invisible quality features, such as higher quality building materials or better sound insulation because most plan on selling before the place starts falling apart.

This post was edited by nosoccermom on Fri, Aug 23, 13 at 9:37

Just a comment about Ikat--this to me is not a trend--just new knowledge of Central Asian cultures. A guest from Tajikistan 25 years ago brought me yards of this beautiful silk, but in colors that were entirely wrong for my house. I still have them, but am happy to see that the artistic idea is being translated into Western terms. It is honest, an historic art form for a thousand years, probably--nothing wrong with it being discovered and used appropriately here.

vedazu - exactly. I had to laugh when someone in the other thread said sushi was trendy (which may have been true 20 years ago - now it's just mainstream). As a person of Asian descent, I would just call sushi "food."

I suppose sometimes I dislike a trend because I don't want to be like anyone else...

As a painter, (interior and exterior, and artistic too) I see trends in my work everyday. I understand that if you don't play up a grey tone with an accent colors, it can look quite drab.

That being said, I love grey tones because they do work with everything, they "change" throughout the day's lighting. They seem to be much more versatile than the tan tones from a few years back...which had a tendency to backfire (too flesh colored, etc.) I very rarely have to repaint a grey!

Vinyl Word Art...I understand the concept...but seriously...The stuff wrecks my hard work! When you tire of it and still like your wall colors (like 3 months down the road) you will remove it and "ghost wording" will still be there. And then I get called because there was something wrong with the paint, or my technique....The customer is always right, though. ;)

I often paint wording on OBJECTS. When people ask me about vinyl letters, I suggest this option, as it is basically removable. You can take it down after 6 months, and hang something else there! I paint on the glass of old wooden sash windows, or whatever surface, you name it.)

Okay, I digress...My dislikes...Unpractical decorating...DH and I are building a house, someone suggested I must do a white kitchen..I laughed...A white kitchen on a farm, that's just silly to me. Families are messy, and do I really want to torture myself? That being said...I won't have granite, because dishes break when they hit it! We will have linoleum in the messy parts of the house. I can't stand laminate flooring..It does not hold up to wash & wear. And white carpet...Ugh!

Another dislike: Cathedral/vaulted ceilings. I understand the concept...But to paint those things...Really? Impractical...And where does the heat go? Besides, who wants to dust a ceiling fan and wash windows 20 feet up in the air?

And one other...I'm an old house person...I recognize the shortcomings of small kitchens and small rooms. But coming from a big family, I like the idea of being able to "hide" in the kitchen...That's why, in our floor plan, I can go around the corner, and hide in the kitchen!

On the kids' rooms...Please let them be kids...When I was a teenager, my mother let me write on my walls...Poetry, and drawings, etc. It was a beautiful chaos...But it really let my creativity blossom. I probably won't do that for my son, but I am going to paint a farm scene and dinosaurs! (His request)

I painted my 5 year old niece a vibrant purple wall, (The other three are grey.) The room once had a kitchenette...We painted it lavender (And built a little closet in it) It is her "tea room." As she grows, I think it will become a lovely reading room. (See attachment! What little girl wouldn't love that room?!)

I'm all about individuality...And if I can save something vintage in the process...I'm happy. It has very little to do with trends and more to do with my funky nature. Each to their own. In the meantime...I'm taking the woodwork and doors out of a house slated for demo (and beyond saving), refinishing it and installing it in my basement. My new house will have a little bit of that old house feel. :)

Sparklebread: That dresser is gorgeous! Maple, maybe?
Never ever paint it!!! lol

Not all children like Disney cartoons on their walls or a zoo theme. One of my children gravitates toward globes, maps, and solar system models that are realistic and not childlike. His imagination soars and he enjoys it. I'm not going to force a more typical look into his bedroom if it doesn't fit his personality.

I really enjoyed your post, happy grrrl. You express yourself very well! And this was such an interesting thread- I'm glad you brought it back.

The little girl's room is adorable!

Love, love, love your niece's room. Can I have it if she ever outgrows it?

I have really enjoyed reading this thread, I just ran across it today. While I had lots of thoughts and comments along the way, I think the one that sticks with me the most is TRY as a wall word.
I believe I will do that in my new home. So simple, yet profound.

Well done Pal. :)

and what the heck is Washi tape anyway? and why would you put it on your pipes??? lol

This post was edited by loribug26 on Wed, Oct 30, 13 at 14:05

Because I live with one, I thoroughly dislike the new fireplaces that have no mantle and a great flat expanse behind (for an unwanted TV) which no one knows how to decorate successfully. For Christmas it's no problem as I can fill the area with a small tree and Christmas garden underneath. But it's hard to imagine how to decorate other times without a mantle and the blank space and bare corner behind it. Having grown up with fireplaces in almost every room, this new look leaves me cold. I once heard Santa moving a fireplace screen by accident, and we became experts at snipping a cigarette into the LR fire before Mother could see it. No hope for anything exciting with this newbie.

Ok, this isn't really a trend but...it irks me to see pillows on furniture with a karate chop on the top of them.
~diane

To the trend on "adult" looking, neutral or sober kids' bedrooms, I think all of the ones I've seen are nurseries. An infant only focuses about 12-18" from his/her face, so most babies can't see their own rooms anyway for a year or so (if they are even in them much). As was said, these expensive rooms will probably be redecorated in a year or two anyway; so my comment would be, if the mother enjoys a peaceful, calm nursery in which to tend to her baby, why not? As long as it's functional! The parent is the one seeing and using it at that point, not so much the baby. But when that baby is a toddler or small child, or if the parents don't plan to redecorate, then perhaps a more colorful, engaging space is called for.

I grew up in an area where the idea of a decorated nursery or kid's room was non existent. The bedrooms were mostly functional areas and there might be a nod to the age of the baby/child/adolescent with a bedspread or a picture or two. They were basically adult, functional, rooms once the crib disappeared. I am 50, so this might be a historical thing and a regional/socioeconomic thing.

My siblings and I did have decorated rooms but they were pretty mature masculine or feminine, and I was seven when mine was done. (I had a bulletin board for kid stuff).

I'm surprised I never responded to this before.

I am a sucker for trends. Anything new shiny and purty, if they light it nicely and put it in a shelter mag, I want it. Even if it is something I used to hate, I kind of cock my head and reframe it.

I am not particularly proud of this, but there it is.

I think, if I were to try to analyze, I like trends because I like change, I like the new, I like moving forward. I noticed a long time ago that, after a certain age, people often seem to stop wanting things (material things). While that is arguably more evolved, better for the environment, better for their finances, I somehow find it sad, too. There is something, to me, very primal about yearning for shiny pretty things, with the yearning being more important then the getting, as always.

mtnrdredux -- you're brave to admit it! I have that response to Crate & Barrel catalogues -- I want every dish, glass, pot, and pan they offer! When I could easily afford them, I easily resisted the urge. But now that my fiscal belt is drawn tight, I've got the worst longing... Even with all the messages to re-use and re-cycle, my green-ness manifests mostly in yearning for STUFF!

I find as I age the things I thought I was tiring of I now want. One is open concept rooms/homes…really thought I was sick of it. Now that I’m older and the kids are gone a small open concept perfectly suits my needs. Although I’m seeking a much smaller square footage someday I hope to have grandchildren and host family gatherings. With an open plan I can squeeze in extra tables or accommodate more seating with folding chairs if I have to. We can gather all in one area which in my neck of the woods could spill out to a patio. Same thing with open kitchen’s, thought I was over it but now it makes the most sense for how I plan on living and using my space. I want all my kids and future babies where I can see and enjoy them. As far as décor trends go, I love and hate. Hate a whole room of it but love being able to poke a few trends in here and there to make me feel hip to the action.

I dislike the dreary nurseries that are all over blogs and Pinterest. Some are lovely, but I think my kiddo would be depressed living in a gray or navy blue room. He's been drawn to things with color since he was a few months old.

I also dislike all the owl stuff. Although I loved my great-grandmother, I remember her having a lot of owl jewelry and probably some knick-knacks. I think of owls as an old lady thing.

Oh, I think you might be surprised what kids would like or dislike in a bedroom if they were given free reign.

I have seen kids express an interest in a black room, dark brown, dark grey --"like a cave", dark green "like the woods" or navy blue like space or water, and for girls in particular, very dark purples and dark pinks, and purple and pink may be "bright" on some level but they have low light reflectance values.

I've never known a kid to pick out the timid cheerful pastels their mom's pick out for them.

Hi, my name is T, & I'm a trendaholic! This thread has been so FUN to read!! I LOVE new trends &ideas...I also love the old & cherished & many different styles of decor..I have my "rusty old things" decorated basement filled with family heirlooms and flea market finds. My shabby chic guest BR dripping in weathered white woods & crystals.. The beach cottage Master that is crying out for me to replace the popcorn ceiling with beadboard... Then there's our den dining kitchen open concept filled w SS, light woods, blacks whites blues & tans.....all that said ... I DO have my limits when trending however...

Remember those home interior type parties? The "groupings" the sales Hostess put together ? & everyone ooooed & awed over as they filled out their new look by checking squares on a sheet of paper of the things theyLOVED??? I went to a few of those back in the day, but never imbibed even though I wanted desperately to help my friend hosting it to get the free brass wall butterflies that would finish her 'grouping' to covetous perfection. Lol...
I just found this site yesterday & haven't got a thing done around this house since. So many trends... So little time & not nearly enough rooms :)

Hi, my name is T, & I'm a trendaholic! This thread has been so FUN to read!! I LOVE new trends &ideas...I also love the old & cherished & many different styles of decor..I have my "rusty old things" decorated basement filled with family heirlooms and flea market finds. My shabby chic guest BR dripping in weathered white woods & crystals.. The beach cottage Master that is crying out for me to replace the popcorn ceiling with beadboard... Then there's our den dining kitchen open concept filled w SS, light woods, blacks whites blues & tans.....all that said ... I DO have my limits when trending however...

Remember those home interior type parties? The "groupings" the sales Hostess put together ? & everyone ooooed & awed over as they filled out their new look by checking squares on a sheet of paper of the things theyLOVED??? I went to a few of those back in the day, but never imbibed even though I wanted desperately to help my friend hosting it to get the free brass wall butterflies that would finish her 'grouping' to covetous perfection. Lol...
I just found this site yesterday & haven't got a thing done around this house since. So many trends... So little time & not nearly enough rooms :)

Didn't someone (Pal?) have a post a few years back about why we hated some trends, and that one reason revolved around what we grew up with? Because I honestly don't care for MCM - at least the stuff that I grew up with -- the starburst wood clock, formica countertops, the hanging chained light fixtures, the gold carpeting, specific colors such as harvest gold, avocado green, some tones of rust/orange, etc. Meanwhile, a friend of mine who is 12 years younger loves MCM.

And, it's that I don't want to live with those things (and they don't fit into the style of my house) but I don't mind seeing them in other people's houses as long as those things "fit" the style and are well-done. Then, I can appreciate the style... but I still don't want to "live" in the house with the style.

Also, now that I'm older and have traveled, I don't like things that just purchased to "pull the design together" - like when stagers are trying to neutralize a room with objects that pull the colors together but don't have any real "worth." Stuff that doesn't really have any meaning or purpose. I like to decorate with things that remind me of places that I've been or that are made by artists/craftsmen (doesn't have to be expensive) rather than mass-produced.

When I was just out of college, I had more of those decorating pieces from Target, etc. because I hadn't traveled and lived enough (plus, no money) to have accumulated many items that had personal meaning, yet.

Hate: Shag carpeting. Hated playing on it as a kid (scratchy and caused rug burns). Hated vacuuming it (would get caught in vacuum). Still hate it. I know that the frieze carpet today is much better, but I still won't put it in my house. I have a dog and can't imagine trying to get that carpet clean.

Same here, Kees_Lover. When I was in college, shag carpeting was ubiquitous in rental property, usually in an utterly disgusting condition. Not an easy image to shake.

My current peeve, though, is the abuse of respectable furniture with waxed chalk paint. I love beautiful wood but also have been known to yearn over brilliantly painted dining chairs, dressers, and side tables. On my Craigslist, though, inexpert sellers are doing terrible things to inoffensive household objects with chalk paint, "distressing" them (Ha! The the poor things are begging for mercy!), and then demanding large sums for the result. A few sellers do commendable work in enhancing tired old pieces, but with many of the painted items, multiple unattractive colors are used, the distressing is executed inappropriately, and the furniture just looks ugly. Sometimes it really grieves me.