Pet Peeves: The Holy Trinity and Beyond

[ehall1052]

Ok, this is funny... a custom tiny home in Bradenton, FL was stolen out of someone’s backyard. Police are asking everyone to be on the lookout for someone pulling a tiny house down the road.

[Mittengirl]

True story - in third grade I went to a classmate’s birthday party and as we were lining up for food, birthday girl’s mom told us to be very careful because they just got new (light tan) carpeting.  Well, I just put my sloppy joe on my cheap paper plate and... I think you all know where this is going.  Who the hell puts down very pale carpeting before serving a bunch of 8-year-olds sloppy joes?!

[twinks]

Tired of hearing people wanting the same style house they grew up in. Is it really that important??

[CruiseDiva]

On 2/5/2019 at 2:04 PM, juliet73 said:

I hate when people walk into a formal dining room and are shocked because there is carpeting! 

Our dining room has carpeting and no one has ever spilled anything on it. Although we have luxury vinyl in the kitchen/breakfast room we have a rug under the table there. Again, food seldom gets spilled on it. 

[chessiegal]

Dear HHs, Houses do not have downfalls, they have downsides. Ceilings are not short or tall, they are low or high. And for goodness sake, learn to use the proper case of personal pronouns. A house is not whatever for John and I, it's whatever for John and me.

[auntjess]

Speaking of carpeting, here's one of those time-capsule houses, posted to FB.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/537-Rogers-Ave-West-Springfield-MA-01089/56241116_zpid/?fbclid=IwAR0BbaJhp0T96u3LZypxA6tCjnq5I8IbEO0HShf8foK-1kHKcrB7nXoAHQY

[Mittengirl]

Holy wallpaper!  I would love to see the Property Brothers try to sell someone that house.  

In the first interior picture, with the wallpapered(?) ceiling, what is that area in the back right corner?

I remember when the Sears & JCPenney catalogs used to sell matching wallpaper, bedspreads, and curtains.  Those were the days.

Realtor.com has some different pictures of the above mentioned house.  Still yikes, though.

Edited February 19, 2019 by Mittengirl

[Kohola3]

On 2/17/2019 at 10:51 PM, auntjess said:

Speaking of carpeting, here's one of those time-capsule houses, posted to FB.

I got seasick just looking at a couple of those rooms.  How could you walk across the floor and not fall over from vertigo?

[Mittengirl]

Can you imagine having the flu and trying to navigate those bedrooms?  You wouldn’t know what surface to aim for.  Probably end up walking into the wall instead of landing on the bed.   God help the vision impaired.

[Mannahatta]

On 2/17/2019 at 10:51 PM, auntjess said:

Speaking of carpeting, here's one of those time-capsule houses, posted to FB.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/537-Rogers-Ave-West-Springfield-MA-01089/56241116_zpid/?fbclid=IwAR0BbaJhp0T96u3LZypxA6tCjnq5I8IbEO0HShf8foK-1kHKcrB7nXoAHQY

Thanks for posting this, Auntjess. If this house isn't an object lesson on why one shouldn't blindly follow decorating trends of the moment - I don't know what is! Lol

[auntjess]

These rooms come under the "...and Beyond."
https://www.boredpanda.com/terrible-real-estate-photos/?fbclid=IwAR1NAXT40vINWEDwjM_Rxjyl0R8L_rGkFXYcdm4xAdYrAkYi387yUC153_U&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic

[Kiddvideo]

Most of the bathrooms had two sinks, though. Score! Don’t have to hear that complaint every fricking time.

It’s one of those homes that would be fantastic with updating (ca-ching.) The episode would drive me up the wall, though. I hate when people make fun of the decor and don’t look at the space.

[auntjess]

14 hours ago, Kiddvideo said:

I hate when people make fun of the decor and don’t look at the space.

Some people don't seem to realize that "this too shall pass," and people will laugh at their design choices in the future.
And I still don't understand why people don't have a mirror over their dressers, if they even have a dresser.
This is where you decide on jewelry, make sure it's in the right place.  
Do they keep their jewelry boxes in the bathroom?  

[blueray]

I know this was posted somewhere. But I finally caught an episode with no narrator. I really missed her and the show felt empty and cold. I really hope they bring her back, as the show was missing something.  At least she is still doing International.

[Grrarrggh]

Why do people bother claiming they want character when what they really want is an open concept grey/white house with a white kitchen, ss appliances and white subway tiles? 

[chessiegal]

I've been watching the HH marathon today. Good thing y'all aren't making a drinking game of me saying "You idiots!" to the TV.

[CherryAmes]

I hadn't seen HH in while but caught one last night which reminded me why!  Youngish couple with baby triplets looking for a house and the budget was $375-$550.  That is not a budget!  It was totally producer driven I think as they were a pretty nice normal couple who had relatively few demands.  He wanted a 3 car garage and she wanted a grand staircase for those prom photos one day - but aside from that they were pretty sensible.  Anyway it got so stupid with her insisting that the $425K home they were looking at was over budget.  No, it's $125K UNDER budget!!

[meep.meep]

On 2/17/2019 at 7:51 PM, auntjess said:

Speaking of carpeting, here's one of those time-capsule houses, posted to FB.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/537-Rogers-Ave-West-Springfield-MA-01089/56241116_zpid/?fbclid=IwAR0BbaJhp0T96u3LZypxA6tCjnq5I8IbEO0HShf8foK-1kHKcrB7nXoAHQY

230 days on the market!

The wall paper and carpeting are bad enough, but it is clear that they didn't take anyone's advice about staging it.

[auntjess]

I'm not sure how you could stage something like this.  
It would certainly look strange with the same backgrounds, carpets, wallpaper, etc., and up-to-date furniture.

[CruiseDiva]

We are having the tile in our foyer replaced because, after 31 years, it has cracks in it. At the specialty tile store I happened to notice that they had some of that painted cement "Moroccan" look tile way in the back of the showroom. I asked if they have much call for it since I see it all over the shows on television. Nope. They have the samples and will special order it, but have never had anyone actually buy it. Interesting.

[deirdra]

On 3/7/2019 at 11:49 AM, CruiseDiva said:

they had some of that painted cement "Moroccan" look tile way in the back of the showroom. I asked if they have much call for it since I see it all over the shows on television. Nope. 

The problem with a lot of this stuff is that it is "busy" and in your face and you will get sick of it in a few years when it is no longer "in fashion" but it is very expensive to tear out and replace.  I grew up in the 1960s and remember backsplashes of multicoloured 1/2" square tiles being in vogue for backsplashes and we made ashtrays out of them in art class.  They went out of style in 2 years.  Turquoise (early 60s) followed by avocado green appliances and bathroom fixtures, followed by harvest gold in the 1970s.  At my friends' house as my parents stuck with their 1952 everything until they sold the house in 2011.  So I'd much rather stick with plain or traditional furniture and fixtures.  I don't really try to keep up with trends, but will indulge in new towels, linens, or paint when I feel the need to change things up - for a modest cost.  I have a couple of Moroccan couch-pillow shams that I got in Morocco in 1979 for about 50 cents apiece; I don't need acres of fake-Moroccan tile.

Edited March 10, 2019 by deirdra

[biakbiak]

Backlash against “open concept” has begun.

[CrazyInAlabama]

My understanding is the cement tiles have to be installed, sealed and then grouted.    I'm sure they'll come up with matte glazed tiles that fix that issue, but I don't know that they're really all that popular except on renovation / flip shows.  

[meep.meep]

On 3/6/2019 at 4:57 PM, auntjess said:

I'm not sure how you could stage something like this.  
It would certainly look strange with the same backgrounds, carpets, wallpaper, etc., and up-to-date furniture.

The furniture is very specific - round bed?  Most of it is upholstered in busy patterns, if not to actually match the wall paper.  Taking it all out and replacing with bland ordinary furniture would lesson the impact of this.

It's been on the market for almost a year - you'd think they would be willing to make some changes.

[Homily]

On 3/10/2019 at 9:13 PM, biakbiak said:

Backlash against “open concept” has begun.

It's funny as I am used to being on this site and finding mostly likeminded people where open concept is concerned but this was linked on another message board I visit and it was amazing to me how many people are either just plain pro-open concept or are very defensive about it!  Way more people were posting positively about open concept than I am used to seeing that's for sure!  And no way could you discuss it with them.  I guess though if you've invested a lot of money into changing you floor plan or you bought a house with open concept you don't appreciate being told you may have made a mistake in terms of resale. 

Still and all if there is in fact a backlash the model home builders where I am have yet to be convinced.  I was out this week-end looking and I don't think I saw any house that wasn't open concept.

[chessiegal]

I heard on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, the NPR quiz show last weekend, that real estate agents are reporting many people don't want open concept anymore. Some people are even adding walls.

[Homily]

4 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I heard on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, the NPR quiz show last weekend, that real estate agents are reporting many people don't want open concept anymore. Some people are even adding walls.

We looked at a house a few weeks ago where the couple (I think) must have watched one too many flip this house shows, anyway they had taken down the walls that had enclosed the kitchen so they have the open concept (with walls, cabinetry and even the floor all in shades of gray as well) but anyway this wouldn't maybe have been so bad if they had done a professional job.  But they didn't.  A lot of what they'd done would have to be undone I suspect.  Including putting those walls back.  Put it this way, the flip work was so bad that the backing of the dishwasher could be seen in the living room area - when there is no wall you do still need to enclose the appliances in some way people!! Those flip this house shows have a lot to answer for!!

[auntjess]

4 hours ago, Homily said:

Still and all if there is in fact a backlash the model home builders where I am have yet to be convinced.  I was out this week-end looking and I don't think I saw any house that wasn't open concept.

It's cheaper to build when you cut out walls, that for sure. 
But I sure wouldn't buy one.
 

[auntjess]

4 hours ago, Homily said:

We looked at a house a few weeks ago where the couple (I think) must have watched one too many flip this house shows, anyway they had taken down the walls that had enclosed the kitchen so they have the open concept (with walls, cabinetry and even the floor all in shades of gray as well) but anyway this wouldn't maybe have been so bad if they had done a professional job.

I wonder if they took out load-bearing walls, without putting in beams to hold the load?  
I'd want a really good inspection, if I was the agent trying to sell it.

[mousegirl]

Just a few more pennies worth about open concept - just for fun, I visited an open house showing not too far from my apartment.  I live in a small community north of Glendale CA (those of you who are familiar with this area of SoCal will know where this is).  It's quiet and well-established, with older homes on lovely tree-lined streets, and a small business district nearby known as the "Mayberry of Southern California".  It's a wonderful place to live, and thus, of course, is insanely expensive. 

The open house was a completely re-modeled two bedroom, with one and three-quarters bathrooms.  The realtor told me that the original house had been stripped down to the studs for the re-do.  The open concept kitchen, living and dining area was beautifully designed and was, indeed, the only way to make the original footprint work - even open, the area was quite small, but "felt" spacious.  You could have guests without being packed in too much.  I usually hate OC (I don't even want to type the phrase out) but walls would have made the public rooms claustrophobic.  I guess sometimes it's the only option. 

By the way, the price?  $998k.  Lordy.

Edited March 19, 2019 by mousegirl

[chessiegal]

I woke up at 3 am and couldn't go back to sleep, so watched some HH reruns. It just struck me - wow, talk about 1st world problems.

[Homily]

Anyone ever been ready to move, started looking at houses and realized your house is pretty damn nice after all?  We are feeling pretty discouraged after the Truly Awful houses we saw today.

[CherryAmes]

On 3/24/2019 at 6:50 PM, Homily said:

Anyone ever been ready to move, started looking at houses and realized your house is pretty damn nice after all?  We are feeling pretty discouraged after the Truly Awful houses we saw today.

We're househunting right now - the good news is it's a seller's market where I live which should mean our house will sell quickly.  The bad news is it's a seller's market where I live which means anything good is going fast and for well over the asking price.  Dammit.  And totally agree with comments above about every house (it seems) being open concept.  I  had to laugh at a show I was watching the other day where one of the characters said "Oh yes let's get a house where we can cook dinner in the living room" 🙂!

[deirdra]

10 hours ago, CherryAmes said:

I  had to laugh at a show I was watching the other day where one of the characters said "Oh yes let's get a house where we can cook dinner in the living room" 🙂!

Were they being facetious or serious about wanting to cook in the living room?

Edited April 8, 2019 by deirdra

[auntjess]

I'm rethinking the need for a closed kitchen, as I see these ads where they deliver the exact number of servings you need, complete with all the trimmings, and you just pop it on the stove, and voila.
Where's the fun in that?  Just order out.

[chessiegal]

16 minutes ago, auntjess said:

I'm rethinking the need for a closed kitchen, as I see these ads where they deliver the exact number of servings you need, complete with all the trimmings, and you just pop it on the stove, and voila.
Where's the fun in that?  Just order out.

I've done Blue Apron once and Hello Fresh once. There is no just putting things on the stove. There is chopping, seasoning, assembling and THEN cooking. The beauty is you don't need to buy more of something like herbs or vinegars than you need. There is definitely meal prep involved. Order out is WAY simpler.

[auntjess]

I'm a fan of bathrooms only as big as they need to be, but if you want one for show, this tub is exquisite .
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/seattle-woodworker-creates-stunning-bathtubs-using-marine-technology/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sendible&utm_term=hn&utm_campaign=hn&fbclid=IwAR1Ud1rMpVGlYnCZv7Clifod57fwUJk7B8TFWfC6uZIj4QGOXOUamfwq9qI

Edited April 16, 2019 by auntjess

[AngelaHunter]

On 4/8/2019 at 12:04 AM, deirdra said:

Were they being facetious or serious about wanting to cook in the living room?

We saw a house when we were hunting, and it had a spa bathtub - in the bedroom. Not in an ensuite, but actually IN the bedroom. Puzzling.

[msmarjoribanks]

On 4/16/2019 at 11:48 AM, AngelaHunter said:

We saw a house when we were hunting, and it had a spa bathtub - in the bedroom. Not in an ensuite, but actually IN the bedroom. Puzzling.

I saw one place that was being sold by a single father whose sons were in college, so he was downsizing.  It was an old house that had been rehabbed, including turning the former attic into a master suite with bathroom.  However, perhaps because he was a single guy, he hadn't bothered putting a wall up between the bathroom portion of the room and the bedroom.  (I guess perhaps he never had women over?  Dunno, but it was pretty funny.) 

[chessiegal]

On 4/16/2019 at 12:48 PM, AngelaHunter said:

We saw a house when we were hunting, and it had a spa bathtub - in the bedroom. Not in an ensuite, but actually IN the bedroom. Puzzling.

Sounds like honeymoon suites in the Poconos and elsewhere. Cuddle in the Jacuzzi tub and then off for a romp in bed.

[Grrarrggh]

What in the heck are people doing in their bathrooms these days?! So many require HUGE bathrooms. Not just dual sinks but tonnes of floor space. Are they realising that open concept means that their bathroom is the only place to get away from people? And wouldn't bathroom/closet combinations make for musty clothing? 

[laredhead]

Grrarrggh, I totally agree.  I live in a house built in 1957, and it has 2 bathrooms.  Not sure if they measure 8' X 8' each, but they have a tub, toilet, and sink mounted in storage cabinet.  Both have built in linen closets.  I can mop the floor with a couple of paper towels - lol.  That's space enough for anything I need to do in a bathroom.  When I walk into new houses today, and see the huge bathrooms, all I can think of is having to keep them clean and that acre of floor mopped. 

[jpgr]

I agree, to a point. A bigger master bath is definitely on my list for our next house. We currently have two bathrooms, both are very tiny (9' x 5'). I'd like space for a linen closet in the bathroom, and I'd like two sinks because my hubby is messier than I am. I don't need it to be huge, though!

The closet in/near the bathroom thing is something I have wondered about for a while - I don't want all the moisture from a bathroom environment that close to my clothes.

[msmarjoribanks]

I get wanting a somewhat bigger bathroom when sharing them, but with some of the huge ones it seems such a waste of space that would be better used in other parts of the house.

[Kohola3]

24 minutes ago, msmarjoribanks said:

...but with some of the huge ones it seems such a waste of space that would be better used in other parts of the house.

And these are the morons complaining about the size of the bedrooms.  You have to get the square footage from somewhere. 

I don't know what people do in their bathrooms -  hold square dances?  Entertain friends?  That's the room I spend the least amount of time in - get in, do what needs to be done, get out. I'd much rather have a bigger bedroom or living area than a bigass bathroom.

[chessiegal]

We moved from a house with 2 bathrooms that barely fit 1 person each to a house with a master that accommodates both my husband and me. Since we're retired, mostly not needed, but still nice for me to be showering/drying my hair while my husband shaves, brushes his teeth. And we are 2 people who have no problem sharing bathroom space at the same time. Seems some people do, but I don't get it.

[deirdra]

I don't mind sharing a bathroom except when everyone needs to get ready for work/school at the same time.  It is hard to put on makeup when the mirror is being steamed up by another person showering, my hair frizzes in seconds in high humidity, and I don't like to get dressed until my skin is dry, so I prefer to let my hair and skin dry while lounging in a peaceful bedroom, not in a humid bathroom with hard surfaces and the fan/extractor going. So I'd rather have space for a chaise in the bedroom than extra space in the bathroom. 

I really hate the ensuites designed with the closet opening off of the bathroom, especially on the far side of the bathroom.  Humidity is not good for clothes and who wants to walk by someone having a poop on their way to selecting an outfit? I imagine that they are designed by men, as must be houses with the garage on the opposite side of the house from the kitchen, so that unloading groceries is always a chore.

Edited May 1, 2019 by deirdra

[Kohola3]

10 minutes ago, deirdra said:

I imagine that they are designed by men...

Bingo.

[auntjess]

6 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

6 hours ago, deirdra said:

I imagine that they are designed by men...

Bingo.

Mike Holmes' kitchens are like that.  I love him, but he thought a microwave in the bottom part of the island, "so the kids can reach it," and he tends to put fridges by themselves.
I need a counter or some space nearby, so when I'm having to take the gallon pitcher out, or something else, to reach something, I can.

[laredhead]

Auntjess, you are so right about counter space around range and within easy reach of refrigerator.  When I remodeled my kitchen a couple of years ago, the kitchen designers (women!) kept talking about how important it is to have counter space easily reachable either adjoining the refrigerator or close by so that you could set things down while getting them in or out of the refrigerator.