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nuranarI've just skimmed a bunch of home style/design blogs, and I have to say, I do not like the VAST majority of what I see.
* I don't like edgy contemporary. Never, ever have. Anything surreal, stark, abstract - not for me.
* I don't care for "chic," shabby or otherwise. Shabby looks rundown and abandoned. Things that should be rotting in the barn don't belong in the living room. Non-shabby is very aware of how cute it is.
* I like old-fashioned stuff that doesn't look old. Keep your tea-dyeing to yourself!
* I don't think I like anything "Parisian"... hard to quantify, but this is just a preference. Combination of stuffy luxurious colors and textures with cold wrought iron and trendy "contemporary" stuff. Maybe it's supposed to be sophisticated, but it's not me.
* I don't like too much obviously decorative stuff. I don't mind collections or themes. I mind lots of useless junk creeping out from every corner, shelf, and countertop, clearly chosen just because it fits the color combination of the moment. It's stifling.
* I don't like minimalism. It's cold and unwelcoming, and just as pretentious.
* I don't like overhead lighting. The shadows are unnatural in a building, and it tends to be harsh. When it's not harsh, it's too staged, like a set.
* Bare floors are cold, hard, and unforgiving. I'm a grown-up rugrat who lives with bare feet and likes sprawling on the floor. Carpet is good.
* There is nothing lovely to me in a neutral palette. It's bland and has no interest. One chair in an obnoxious color does not redeem it, either.
* I don't like over-coordination. Not everything has to be perfect.
* I don't like the trainwreck of colors, styles, and patterns that passes for eclectic.
* I don't like most "Victorian" interiors, either. Too much lace, frills, and stifling luxury.
After that boat-load of negativity, what DO I like?
Typing up what I don't like really clarified things. Particularly when I noticed how a number of my dislikes are paired. I don't like either minimalism or maximalism. I don't like all neutrals, and I don't like all clashing color.
Here's the one picture I pinned, that I totally love. From the Antique Style blog.
Yes, VERY antique. But it doesn't have to be very antique for me to like it, I assure you of that. If I did, why don't I like more modern decorating schemes? Antique influence is HUGE, and to be found everywhere except in the strictest contemporary/abstract schemes.
I think my requirements are that:
(1) It be pleasing to my tastes, which do incline to the traditional and classical
(2) It be welcoming and pleasant
(3) It be genuine.
That last begs some explanation.
* "Chic" style isn't genuine, or real, to me. Furnishings and decor are deliberately aged, or bought because of how aged they are, and often put in places they never would have been originally, or where they would never have gotten their current worn look. And then often cutifying them with ribbons, lace, and doilies. Personally, I can't get past the artificiality and proclaiming that this is Shabby Chic Style. This is by no means a criticism of choosing antiques and vintage items for their intrinsic identity or utility. Aging is natural. I want a certain style of vanity table that to my knowledge has never been reproduced. When I find one, I know it won't be perfect, and that's fine with me. The thing is, I'm not choosing it solely because it's imperfect.
* In that vein, I like old things, or reproduction things, that don't look old. I love discovering how things looked way back then, when they were new and colorful and sturdy. I love antiques, but I won't fill up my home with them, because they're not always comfortable for me, and definitely not always for guests. I want them to enjoy my home.
* I both dislike and don't mind decor/clutter. (Decor becomes clutter when it covers nearly every surface.) It depends on what the clutter is. If it's "decorator stuff," yuck! Open the windows and get me some space! But if it's your own stuff, pictures, collections, your own dishes, I'm okay with it. It's yours, you live with it, you genuinely like it. You didn't just get a load of random stuff that fit the decor colors, and which you'll unload in a year or two when you get sick of it.
* I both dislike and don't mind clean, open spaces. I dislike it when the effect is Minimal! See How With the Trend This Space Is! I like welcoming spaces, and minimalism is very rarely welcoming. However, I also like clear white walls with space on them, clean color schemes like blue and white, and a distinct lack of frills. Maybe it's my Regency/Federal/Classical side. To me, the color and decor, even if simple, are welcoming and soothing if it feels personal enough.
* I like a balance of coordination. I definitely prefer for there to be unifying schemes; it's relaxing. But it's stifling when EVERYTHING matches, and the space crosses the line into Decorator Set Piece. Too much contrast is hard to handle, though. The eye is jumping from one thing to another. My ideal is a coordinated space that yet has enough personal preferences and whims that don't really fit in to make it lived-in and real.
* I don't like "Victorian" style because of the aforementioned overload of lace, ruffles, flowers, and cuteness. I do like (most, not all) genuine Victorian interiors, though. "Victorian" style cherry picks the floral, the lace, the velvet, and the pink, but misses in other places: dark, solid wood; other jewel tones; Oriental rugs in strong, abstract patterns; portraits and landscapes instead of pretty girls; books instead of teacups; etc. True Victorian style spans 80 years and there's a huge variety within it, but the modern re-interpretation is stuffy and articifical to me.
* I love almost all true antique interiors, with a particular love for Federal and early Victorian. I like the spectrum of clean lines and light colors with classical elements, all the way to more intricate heavier furniture that's still not drowned in overly ornate interiors.
So a big theme in Balance. Not too much this, not too much that. Decided leaning toward the classical. And over all, welcoming and comfortable.
* I don't like edgy contemporary. Never, ever have. Anything surreal, stark, abstract - not for me.
* I don't care for "chic," shabby or otherwise. Shabby looks rundown and abandoned. Things that should be rotting in the barn don't belong in the living room. Non-shabby is very aware of how cute it is.
* I like old-fashioned stuff that doesn't look old. Keep your tea-dyeing to yourself!
* I don't think I like anything "Parisian"... hard to quantify, but this is just a preference. Combination of stuffy luxurious colors and textures with cold wrought iron and trendy "contemporary" stuff. Maybe it's supposed to be sophisticated, but it's not me.
* I don't like too much obviously decorative stuff. I don't mind collections or themes. I mind lots of useless junk creeping out from every corner, shelf, and countertop, clearly chosen just because it fits the color combination of the moment. It's stifling.
* I don't like minimalism. It's cold and unwelcoming, and just as pretentious.
* I don't like overhead lighting. The shadows are unnatural in a building, and it tends to be harsh. When it's not harsh, it's too staged, like a set.
* Bare floors are cold, hard, and unforgiving. I'm a grown-up rugrat who lives with bare feet and likes sprawling on the floor. Carpet is good.
* There is nothing lovely to me in a neutral palette. It's bland and has no interest. One chair in an obnoxious color does not redeem it, either.
* I don't like over-coordination. Not everything has to be perfect.
* I don't like the trainwreck of colors, styles, and patterns that passes for eclectic.
* I don't like most "Victorian" interiors, either. Too much lace, frills, and stifling luxury.
After that boat-load of negativity, what DO I like?
Typing up what I don't like really clarified things. Particularly when I noticed how a number of my dislikes are paired. I don't like either minimalism or maximalism. I don't like all neutrals, and I don't like all clashing color.
Here's the one picture I pinned, that I totally love. From the Antique Style blog.
Yes, VERY antique. But it doesn't have to be very antique for me to like it, I assure you of that. If I did, why don't I like more modern decorating schemes? Antique influence is HUGE, and to be found everywhere except in the strictest contemporary/abstract schemes.
I think my requirements are that:
(1) It be pleasing to my tastes, which do incline to the traditional and classical
(2) It be welcoming and pleasant
(3) It be genuine.
That last begs some explanation.
* "Chic" style isn't genuine, or real, to me. Furnishings and decor are deliberately aged, or bought because of how aged they are, and often put in places they never would have been originally, or where they would never have gotten their current worn look. And then often cutifying them with ribbons, lace, and doilies. Personally, I can't get past the artificiality and proclaiming that this is Shabby Chic Style. This is by no means a criticism of choosing antiques and vintage items for their intrinsic identity or utility. Aging is natural. I want a certain style of vanity table that to my knowledge has never been reproduced. When I find one, I know it won't be perfect, and that's fine with me. The thing is, I'm not choosing it solely because it's imperfect.
* In that vein, I like old things, or reproduction things, that don't look old. I love discovering how things looked way back then, when they were new and colorful and sturdy. I love antiques, but I won't fill up my home with them, because they're not always comfortable for me, and definitely not always for guests. I want them to enjoy my home.
* I both dislike and don't mind decor/clutter. (Decor becomes clutter when it covers nearly every surface.) It depends on what the clutter is. If it's "decorator stuff," yuck! Open the windows and get me some space! But if it's your own stuff, pictures, collections, your own dishes, I'm okay with it. It's yours, you live with it, you genuinely like it. You didn't just get a load of random stuff that fit the decor colors, and which you'll unload in a year or two when you get sick of it.
* I both dislike and don't mind clean, open spaces. I dislike it when the effect is Minimal! See How With the Trend This Space Is! I like welcoming spaces, and minimalism is very rarely welcoming. However, I also like clear white walls with space on them, clean color schemes like blue and white, and a distinct lack of frills. Maybe it's my Regency/Federal/Classical side. To me, the color and decor, even if simple, are welcoming and soothing if it feels personal enough.
* I like a balance of coordination. I definitely prefer for there to be unifying schemes; it's relaxing. But it's stifling when EVERYTHING matches, and the space crosses the line into Decorator Set Piece. Too much contrast is hard to handle, though. The eye is jumping from one thing to another. My ideal is a coordinated space that yet has enough personal preferences and whims that don't really fit in to make it lived-in and real.
* I don't like "Victorian" style because of the aforementioned overload of lace, ruffles, flowers, and cuteness. I do like (most, not all) genuine Victorian interiors, though. "Victorian" style cherry picks the floral, the lace, the velvet, and the pink, but misses in other places: dark, solid wood; other jewel tones; Oriental rugs in strong, abstract patterns; portraits and landscapes instead of pretty girls; books instead of teacups; etc. True Victorian style spans 80 years and there's a huge variety within it, but the modern re-interpretation is stuffy and articifical to me.
* I love almost all true antique interiors, with a particular love for Federal and early Victorian. I like the spectrum of clean lines and light colors with classical elements, all the way to more intricate heavier furniture that's still not drowned in overly ornate interiors.
So a big theme in Balance. Not too much this, not too much that. Decided leaning toward the classical. And over all, welcoming and comfortable.
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no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 09:29 pm (UTC)Thank you for mentioning it, though. I think I'll go back and look at some, such as the Brighton Pavilion, and really analyze it for myself.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 09:23 pm (UTC)(And after years of not being able to find one single solitary vacuum cleaner that works AT ALL, I'd be happy to never have a carpeted room in the house again. I long for hardwood. At least brooms work.)
no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 09:36 pm (UTC)And yes, carpets necessitate a vacuum. (Memories of the dorm, here.) As with all these reflections, it's just personal preference. I'd also love a huge back gable to my sewing room so I could actually see more out of the window than a brick wall. That's not going to happen, but it won't stop me from loving gables and dormer windows and window seats. ;)
no subject
Date: 2012-09-19 02:21 am (UTC)Besides the fact that I *am* pretty attached to having my fandoms wrapped around me, I don't even know exactly what I'd like if I could go for a theme.* As you say, I love the more library-like aspects of genuine Victorian style, but not lace and ribbons. And I do like Japonisme/Anglo-Japanese (I did on pure aesthetics long before certain fandoms of mine came about).
I must admit I also love my aunt's apartment, which I'd say is very modern with Asian touches (probably an influence from her husband, who was stationed in South Korea before they were married). It's just so spacious and light compared to what I've always had. It makes that apartment look gigantically roomy. (Although even that decor would probably be defeated by the vast storage needs for all my *stuff*...)
(* I was actually working on a deliberate theme of "nautical" during my teens, and some of that is still manifested--although many years of other things have since been layered over it.)
no subject
Date: 2012-09-19 02:25 pm (UTC)(I admit I have a big soft spot for nautical things, too. One of my prize possessions is a powerful pocket spyglass. :D)
I want to look into Japonisme/Chinoiserie more myself. I suspect my own balance will be very subtle, since I lean toward Anglicized elements. I've gotten a bit more used to it, though, particularly through the blog of a friend of mine. She and her husband were stationed in Japan for three years and just got back, so it's particularly interesting to see how much she brought back and how she's decorated the house they're in now.
Er... yes. Stuff definitely gets in the way of decor! SO with you!
no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 09:34 pm (UTC)I like wood. I like furniture that doesn't match but still blends with everything else in the room. I like framed pictures and a few tasteful items as accents.
Dan likes stainless steel, black metal, glass... so you can imagine what that looks like blended with my stuff in the same room...
no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 10:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-28 10:11 pm (UTC)Even if we just had the wooden ones in the main area of the house, that would be fine. The part of the house everyone sees is really the only part I am super concerned about making look coordinated.
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Date: 2012-09-18 11:39 pm (UTC)And I'm glad I'm not the only person left on the planet who likes carpet! I'm a floor-dweller too! LOL!
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Date: 2012-09-19 02:17 pm (UTC)Oh, YAY! Carpet sisters, unite!
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Date: 2012-09-19 08:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-19 02:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-19 02:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-19 03:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-19 04:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-21 04:51 am (UTC)What's really interesting is that I could have written most of the dislikes *and* likes that you did, but what I *do* like is rather different in several ways. (Not vastly different, but definitely not the same, if your Pinterest boards are indicative of the moods you're going for.) I'm curious as to why this is so, since we both like classical inspirations, i.e. Georgian/Federal/Regency, dislike starkly modern/minimalist interiors, and also dislike too many frills.
(I've deliberately avoided the vicarious pleasure of decorating my dream home on Pinterest, save for a few inspirational pins, so I'm afraid I don't have a good visual example of what I like, to show for comparison.)
One of the key differences may be that some of those truly antique decorating schemes - Victorian and Federal, for instance - often paired elegant, classically-inspired furniture with multicolored, busy, rich patterns and deep colors. Like the abstract Oriental rugs, patterned urns, wallpapers, chintz, etc. Your take on Victorian doesn't seem overly cluttered, but I think it would still feel too heavy for me. For instance, the multiple picture frames in your image would be too visually complicated for me to relax with.
Do you like warmer colors in your favorite interiors? I'm noticing a fair amount of rich, deep browns (the furniture), different variations on reds and pinks, and yellows - in addition to cool blues, of course. :) All of which contribute to the cozier, lived-in feel that it sounds like you enjoy.
I'm not big on extreme minimalism, but I like the idea of a light, neutral palette as a base - though a room definitely needs color! I'm fond of blues, greens, whites and other cool shades, with splashes of very vibrant colors like turquoise - or bright flower hues. (In fact, I'm wondering if we both subconsciously like to surround ourselves with colors that we look good in! So, soft powdery blues and rose pinks for you, and bright!blues and tropical colors for me. Though I suppose that rules out your yellow-and-blue color combos, and my appreciation for soft pastels and lacy Edwardian-inspired sunrooms...)
Another thing to consider: I've come to realize that some of the pretty details I like are actually part of the architecture (or look like it), match the walls/ceilings, and are not just added objects. Make sense? So an elegant crown molding, corbels, ornamental plaster designs, or a decorative arch (this one (http://pinterest.com/pin/206954545347728821/) is so pretty!), would be even better than just putting stuff in a room. Intricate enough to push against starkness, but subtle enough to avoid visual clutter. This, IMHO, is key to making white/light rooms appear less cold. Obviously, you can't change your home's structure, but if you find that lots of your favorite interiors have elements that look like they're part of the house, instead of being Decorations In A House, you could consider adding things to fake it. I'm sure this is clear as mud, since it's something I just noticed about myself; it probably requires visual examples.
I think your take on liking interior decorations that are genuine to their owners is spot-on. There are some styles I'd hate to live with for a long time, but they fit the home, the architecture, and the owner, and the items are important to the person who chose them, which makes it work. (And really, architectural style and scale is extremely important. Trying to decorate an extremely Mediterranean/Spanish Revival home with an open floor plan in, say, overly-fussy Victorian is probably not going to turn out well. Likewise, a rustic cabin wouldn't lend itself to a slick, urban midcentury modern look. And I love a number of styles that are far too...grand to look appropriate in an ordinary modern home.)
And definitely take a look at Chinoiserie/Japonisme. I can't speak for everything out there with that label, but I do like some of it, and it could work very well in a Victorian setting.
(Oh, wow. Apparently this is a brain dump comment!)