That’s a Talker: 10 Stories You Had Lots to Say About This Year
The world’s ugliest color, tubs vs. showers, and TVs over fireplaces had readers talking in 2016. Tell us what you think
Erin Carlyle
December 27, 2016
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
There are some topics in design and home renovating that we could go on about for hours. And when we tackle one of these, Houzzers let us know — enthusiastically. Readers weighed in with particular gusto on the following 10 stories, which garnered the most comments among those published in 2016. Check out the pieces and the comments. Is your perspective missing? If so, we’d love for you to join the conversation.
10. ‘The World’s Ugliest Color’
Writer Jennifer Ott makes the counterintuitive case for decorating with the color that researchers identified as the world’s ugliest. “Now, I tend to believe that there are no ugly colors. Whether a single hue looks terrific or awful often depends on the context in which it’s viewed,” Ott writes. She provides several examples of rooms in which supposedly ugly colors look, in her opinion at least, just lovely.
Houzzers have had a mixed response to the color, with some declaring it reminiscent of the contents of a diaper. What do you think?
Full story: Dare to Decorate With ‘The World’s Ugliest Color’
Writer Jennifer Ott makes the counterintuitive case for decorating with the color that researchers identified as the world’s ugliest. “Now, I tend to believe that there are no ugly colors. Whether a single hue looks terrific or awful often depends on the context in which it’s viewed,” Ott writes. She provides several examples of rooms in which supposedly ugly colors look, in her opinion at least, just lovely.
Houzzers have had a mixed response to the color, with some declaring it reminiscent of the contents of a diaper. What do you think?
Full story: Dare to Decorate With ‘The World’s Ugliest Color’
9. 5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
Houzzers love a good bathroom remodel, and this story shows five before-and-afters, with cost information as well — ranging from $11,000 to $60,000. The great thing about these projects is that they all took place in bathrooms of the most common size: 8 by 5 feet. This story garnered more than 300 comments from Houzzers.
Full story: 5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
Houzzers love a good bathroom remodel, and this story shows five before-and-afters, with cost information as well — ranging from $11,000 to $60,000. The great thing about these projects is that they all took place in bathrooms of the most common size: 8 by 5 feet. This story garnered more than 300 comments from Houzzers.
Full story: 5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
8. Rethinking Beige in a World Gone Gray
With gray the prevailing neutral these days, beige has taken on stepchild status in the design world. This story makes the case for ways to update beige for those who still love it — after all, not everyone is on the gray bandwagon.
“Goodbye, gray? Hurray. I’m over cold interiors. Give me the warmth of color,” lydia1144 writes in the Comments section.
Full story: Rethinking Beige in a World Gone Gray
With gray the prevailing neutral these days, beige has taken on stepchild status in the design world. This story makes the case for ways to update beige for those who still love it — after all, not everyone is on the gray bandwagon.
“Goodbye, gray? Hurray. I’m over cold interiors. Give me the warmth of color,” lydia1144 writes in the Comments section.
Full story: Rethinking Beige in a World Gone Gray
7. What’s on Your Refrigerator?
Wondering if she was the only one who still loved tacking things up to the fridge, writer Becky Harris put out the call for Houzzers to show their refrigerators, and they did in abundance.
“I don’t like the messy look of stuff all over the refrigerator. I like to be able to wipe the door in one easy swipe of a cloth,” susanenash comments.
Houzzer rindayi has a different perspective. “I am quite a tidy person, but on the refrigerator I have gone wild — son’s art, magnets etc. My son loves the fridge, and we are always changing up his art; the magnets each tell a story. For me it’s the best part of my kitchen — each time I open the refrigerator or pause by it, I smile.”
Full story: Houzz Call: What’s on Your Refrigerator?
Wondering if she was the only one who still loved tacking things up to the fridge, writer Becky Harris put out the call for Houzzers to show their refrigerators, and they did in abundance.
“I don’t like the messy look of stuff all over the refrigerator. I like to be able to wipe the door in one easy swipe of a cloth,” susanenash comments.
Houzzer rindayi has a different perspective. “I am quite a tidy person, but on the refrigerator I have gone wild — son’s art, magnets etc. My son loves the fridge, and we are always changing up his art; the magnets each tell a story. For me it’s the best part of my kitchen — each time I open the refrigerator or pause by it, I smile.”
Full story: Houzz Call: What’s on Your Refrigerator?
6. Houzz Call: Show Us Your Summer Gardens
Houzzers love to show off their projects and their homes, and this year’s call for summer gardens resulted in more than 300 photos and gardening stories. Perhaps a peek at some of the most beautiful among them will get you dreaming about next year. Or click the link below to see all 300-plus.
Full story: Houzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!
Houzzers love to show off their projects and their homes, and this year’s call for summer gardens resulted in more than 300 photos and gardening stories. Perhaps a peek at some of the most beautiful among them will get you dreaming about next year. Or click the link below to see all 300-plus.
Full story: Houzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!
5. Is Open-Plan Living a Fad?
Architects around the world weigh in on this popular style, in which rooms — typically the kitchen, dining room and living room — flow together without walls separating them. Some benefits of this approach are that it encourages sociable living, promotes outdoor-indoor living and works well for smaller spaces. On the downside, cooking smells can be a problem, kitchens can be noisy and open-concept areas can look messy and lack storage. Oh, one more: There’s not much privacy.
Hundreds of Houzzers so far have weighed in on this hotly debated topic, in multiple languages.
“I can’t imagine a time in the future — in Australia — where we no longer want open-plan and indoor-outdoor flow design,” Flannel Flower comments. “I think we owe much to those from Mediterranean backgrounds, who now call Australia home, for opening our eyes to the more light-filled and alfresco design that is so much more suitable to our sunny environment.”
But wuff is not into the trend. “I am not a fan of big open-plan living; I feel like I am walking into a dance hall when I go into some houses. It is nice to have some private sitting areas,” this Houzzer writes.
Full story: Is Open-Plan Living a Fad, or Here to Stay?
Architects around the world weigh in on this popular style, in which rooms — typically the kitchen, dining room and living room — flow together without walls separating them. Some benefits of this approach are that it encourages sociable living, promotes outdoor-indoor living and works well for smaller spaces. On the downside, cooking smells can be a problem, kitchens can be noisy and open-concept areas can look messy and lack storage. Oh, one more: There’s not much privacy.
Hundreds of Houzzers so far have weighed in on this hotly debated topic, in multiple languages.
“I can’t imagine a time in the future — in Australia — where we no longer want open-plan and indoor-outdoor flow design,” Flannel Flower comments. “I think we owe much to those from Mediterranean backgrounds, who now call Australia home, for opening our eyes to the more light-filled and alfresco design that is so much more suitable to our sunny environment.”
But wuff is not into the trend. “I am not a fan of big open-plan living; I feel like I am walking into a dance hall when I go into some houses. It is nice to have some private sitting areas,” this Houzzer writes.
Full story: Is Open-Plan Living a Fad, or Here to Stay?
4. Is It OK to Hang the TV Over the Fireplace?
Our first Design Debate — which coincided with the presidential debates of 2016 — has elicited a lot of feedback from Houzzers. In this piece, Tamara Leicester of Tamara Heather Interior Design argues against placing a TV above the mantel. In her view, the hearth is the symbolic heart of the home, a place to spend time with loved ones, relax and, most important, converse. Putting a TV there makes television the focus of that communal center — and is unattractive to boot, she says.
Matt Clawson of Clawson Construction argues that the fireplace is no longer the center of our daily lives, and that it has been replaced by the TV. So why not enjoy this fact and put the tube where it makes good pragmatic sense? He lays out his points as well.
Houzzers have weighed in on both sides, but lslav2012 has gotten a lot of love for this comment: “New rule: In your own home, it’s OK to do whatever the heck you want.”
What do you think?
Full story: Design Debate: Is It OK to Hang the TV Over the Fireplace?
Our first Design Debate — which coincided with the presidential debates of 2016 — has elicited a lot of feedback from Houzzers. In this piece, Tamara Leicester of Tamara Heather Interior Design argues against placing a TV above the mantel. In her view, the hearth is the symbolic heart of the home, a place to spend time with loved ones, relax and, most important, converse. Putting a TV there makes television the focus of that communal center — and is unattractive to boot, she says.
Matt Clawson of Clawson Construction argues that the fireplace is no longer the center of our daily lives, and that it has been replaced by the TV. So why not enjoy this fact and put the tube where it makes good pragmatic sense? He lays out his points as well.
Houzzers have weighed in on both sides, but lslav2012 has gotten a lot of love for this comment: “New rule: In your own home, it’s OK to do whatever the heck you want.”
What do you think?
Full story: Design Debate: Is It OK to Hang the TV Over the Fireplace?
3. Design Mistakes You Should Never Make
In hopes of helping our fellow Houzzers ward off remodel remorse, we asked readers to share design advice on things you should never do during a remodel. The advice runs the gamut, from never painting a bedroom red, orange or yellow — “Those colors are too energizing [and] irritating to foster rest,” lisknits says — to advice on appliances, including, “Rethink front-loader washers, side-by-side fridges and double sinks,” from ckp88.
Renovation advice can be so helpful in fending off remodeling headaches. On the flip side, the great thing about advice is that you don’t actually have to take any of it — you can do what works best for you.
Houzzers have had plenty to say regarding our 30 design mistakes, and some gently disagree. For instance, nnigrt cautions readers: “Never renovate aspirationally. If your family isn’t crowded around the kitchen table now playing games, they won’t suddenly do it (more than once) in a new game room. If you don’t have company now in your ‘humble home,’ odds are you won’t suddenly have friends who want to visit your fancier one. You will be just as much of a slob in a nice space as in your current one. Renovations change little that is wrong with us or our relationships.”
But Momo has found that renovating did, in fact, change habits. “Just wanted to say that before we landscaped our yard we never had people over, but now that it’s nice and comfortable to hang out in, we have gatherings at least monthly,” Momo comments. “Perhaps a renovation won’t change your habits, but if your space is the reason you don’t have company, then improving it can certainly increase the frequency of hosting parties.”
What advice do you agree with, and where do you differ?
Full story: So You Say: 30 Design Mistakes You Should Never Make
In hopes of helping our fellow Houzzers ward off remodel remorse, we asked readers to share design advice on things you should never do during a remodel. The advice runs the gamut, from never painting a bedroom red, orange or yellow — “Those colors are too energizing [and] irritating to foster rest,” lisknits says — to advice on appliances, including, “Rethink front-loader washers, side-by-side fridges and double sinks,” from ckp88.
Renovation advice can be so helpful in fending off remodeling headaches. On the flip side, the great thing about advice is that you don’t actually have to take any of it — you can do what works best for you.
Houzzers have had plenty to say regarding our 30 design mistakes, and some gently disagree. For instance, nnigrt cautions readers: “Never renovate aspirationally. If your family isn’t crowded around the kitchen table now playing games, they won’t suddenly do it (more than once) in a new game room. If you don’t have company now in your ‘humble home,’ odds are you won’t suddenly have friends who want to visit your fancier one. You will be just as much of a slob in a nice space as in your current one. Renovations change little that is wrong with us or our relationships.”
But Momo has found that renovating did, in fact, change habits. “Just wanted to say that before we landscaped our yard we never had people over, but now that it’s nice and comfortable to hang out in, we have gatherings at least monthly,” Momo comments. “Perhaps a renovation won’t change your habits, but if your space is the reason you don’t have company, then improving it can certainly increase the frequency of hosting parties.”
What advice do you agree with, and where do you differ?
Full story: So You Say: 30 Design Mistakes You Should Never Make
2. Should You Keep Your Bathtub?
Designer Jennifer Ott has a two-bathroom home and was at odds with her husband over whether to keep a tub in their second bathroom. She felt a walk-in shower would be nicer, but she was wondering about resale value. When she surveyed friends and colleagues, she got a mixed response about the importance of a second bathtub. Some parents and real estate agents insisted it was necessary for would-be buyers with kids, while others told her their kids had done just fine with a portable bathtub in the shower. Opinions are strong on both sides.
“I’m on team tub,” altairj comments. “My 5-year-old son will happily play in the tub for 45 minutes straight (Yes! Relaxation for me too!), whereas in the shower he’s in and out and, if I don’t monitor him, spraying water into every nook and cranny. I find the tub useful for hand-washing large items as well. If the bathroom is for your guests, consider that your guests might have kids that prefer tubs. It’s not only resale value, it’s flexibility, always useful in one’s home.”
On the other hand, it’s not all about the needs of the very young, teamaltese comments. “Just remember, if you are lucky, there will come a day when you can’t get in and out of a tub easily. And friends in a condo with a baby? No tub! They shower together on weekends, all three, and baby gets a tub in the farm sink in the meantime. Shower plus bonding.”
For what it’s worth, the majority of people who have voted so far in our poll on whether their single-bathroom home has a tub have said yes, it does indeed.
Full story: Should You Keep Your Tub?
Designer Jennifer Ott has a two-bathroom home and was at odds with her husband over whether to keep a tub in their second bathroom. She felt a walk-in shower would be nicer, but she was wondering about resale value. When she surveyed friends and colleagues, she got a mixed response about the importance of a second bathtub. Some parents and real estate agents insisted it was necessary for would-be buyers with kids, while others told her their kids had done just fine with a portable bathtub in the shower. Opinions are strong on both sides.
“I’m on team tub,” altairj comments. “My 5-year-old son will happily play in the tub for 45 minutes straight (Yes! Relaxation for me too!), whereas in the shower he’s in and out and, if I don’t monitor him, spraying water into every nook and cranny. I find the tub useful for hand-washing large items as well. If the bathroom is for your guests, consider that your guests might have kids that prefer tubs. It’s not only resale value, it’s flexibility, always useful in one’s home.”
On the other hand, it’s not all about the needs of the very young, teamaltese comments. “Just remember, if you are lucky, there will come a day when you can’t get in and out of a tub easily. And friends in a condo with a baby? No tub! They shower together on weekends, all three, and baby gets a tub in the farm sink in the meantime. Shower plus bonding.”
For what it’s worth, the majority of people who have voted so far in our poll on whether their single-bathroom home has a tub have said yes, it does indeed.
Full story: Should You Keep Your Tub?
1. Shoes or No Shoes?
Hundreds of Houzzers have weighed in after etiquette expert Lizzie Post tackled the classic clean-home debate: shoes on or off in the home? Her advice: Guests should ask the host’s preference and simply follow it. It helps to come prepared with clean indoor shoes, or at least clean socks. Her tip for hosts who don’t want shoes inside: Offer visitors clean slippers to keep their footsies cozy, and to help them save face despite holey socks or unattractive bare feet.
Houzzer kathleenho seems to speak for many of her fellow readers, asking: “Lizzie, how do I, as the host, politely ask a guest to remove their shoes if she [or] he does not ask or offer? That’s what I find is the most common situation. And they usually seem annoyed when I do ask them to remove their shoes. Also, if a frequent visitor (like an in-law) consistently ‘forgets’ to take off his [or] her shoes, do I remind them every time, or just accept that they simply don’t want to do it?”
Good question. Anyone have a gracious way to break the shoe news?
Full story: The Polite House: On ‘No Shoes’ Rules and Breaking Up With Contractors
Browse more of our most popular stories
Hundreds of Houzzers have weighed in after etiquette expert Lizzie Post tackled the classic clean-home debate: shoes on or off in the home? Her advice: Guests should ask the host’s preference and simply follow it. It helps to come prepared with clean indoor shoes, or at least clean socks. Her tip for hosts who don’t want shoes inside: Offer visitors clean slippers to keep their footsies cozy, and to help them save face despite holey socks or unattractive bare feet.
Houzzer kathleenho seems to speak for many of her fellow readers, asking: “Lizzie, how do I, as the host, politely ask a guest to remove their shoes if she [or] he does not ask or offer? That’s what I find is the most common situation. And they usually seem annoyed when I do ask them to remove their shoes. Also, if a frequent visitor (like an in-law) consistently ‘forgets’ to take off his [or] her shoes, do I remind them every time, or just accept that they simply don’t want to do it?”
Good question. Anyone have a gracious way to break the shoe news?
Full story: The Polite House: On ‘No Shoes’ Rules and Breaking Up With Contractors
Browse more of our most popular stories
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Most people who come to our house automatically start to remove their shoes. Unless it's raining or really dirty outside I tell them that our dog doesn't remove his shoes or wipe his paws, so "come on in!" As much as I'd love to have a spotless house, I've come to accept that a farmhouse with not very careful kids and hubby and pets can't possibly be like a city apartment or suburban home.
People and relationships are more important than clean floors. We don't wear outside shoes inside, but never ask company to remove theirs. Some do or ask anyway so I just say, "if they're not muddy, whatever you want". Just do a quick sweep/vacuum after the gathering.
Can someone please enlighten me how one turns on the shower without getting soaked with cold/or too hot water in some of these remodeled bathrooms where there is a stationary panel of glass? Some look like it's too far to reach in and you'd have to be standing in the shower to turn it on (versus a tub/shower hardware combo where you start the water running into the tub). Pondering our own shower remodel... thanks