What’s not hot in homes (part 1)
There will always be “predictors” on the market trying to anticipate home design trends. Many times, they predict that a trend is going out when large home improvement stores offer it at a discount, while the industry shops around for newer, more expensive looks. Sometimes the predictors are right, and sometimes they are wrong. For example, stainless steel appliances have been declared “out” for years, yet they are still hugely popular and proudly advertised in home listings.
While it is important to remember that your house is your house and you can decorate it as you see fit, you also have to consider that you will most likely want to or have to sell your house eventually. If you are worried that your home improvement look will look dated in the near future, remember that quality and durability are more important that being “trendy”.
Below are a few things I believe you should avoid when redecorating in 2006, but remember, this is my opinion.
Bold-colored appliances
Are they out yet? I hope so, because a rehash of this terrible idea is the last thing anybody needs. Maybe I’m biased because I was tortured by my parents’ “harvest yellow” kitchen appliances for the first decade of my life, but buying a bright orange dishwasher limits your future decorating options, and will look dated in no time.
Oh yeah, same goes for bold-colored rooms (they often make a room look smaller, require many coats for a good finish, and few will share your opinion of the particular hue you’ve chosen), but repainting a room is much easier than buying new appliances when you want to sell your home.
Above-counter or “vessel sinks”
As the price of these sinks continue to decline, many more people are starting to install these trendy glass bowl sinks that sit atop countertops. They look great, but are hard to keep clean because of their transparency. Some shallow models splash, and since they sit on top of the counter instead of in it, it may be difficult for small children to wash their hands. Leave these trendy sinks where they belong: in trendy bars and restaurants, where they can afford to have some clean them constantly, and where no one will be leaving their toothpaste stains in them.
Built-in flat panel TVs
TVs mounted to walls and in many cases “framed” to look like a picture present a lot of commitment. Sometimes placing a TV in a place where it looks good; say, above a fireplace, doesn’t mean its the best place to watch a TV. Mounting your flat-panel like a piece of art makes it harder to move, and then you have to deal with covering up whatver you placed on the wall to mount the TV with.
Awnings
Of course, this is a no-brainer, but if you have awnings, I’d remove them sooner rather than later. Just get a nice set of blinds or some sort of window treatments.
My brother recently bought a house and sent me pics, and I noticed he had awnings. By the time I got there to see the house, the awnings were gone. Removing them was the first thing he did.
To be continued…
