Comments on: Advice from Mimi Reilly

By: class-factotum

class-factotum — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:42:47 +0000

Thanks for the shout out!

My friend Ilene shares the same decorating philosophy as you guys: she decorates to her taste, which means her house has red walls, deep, rich furniture colors, bold rugs — and it is STUNNING. I would not have hesitated to buy a house like hers, even though I prefer light walls. Maybe what people look for is a beautiful home, not one that looks like a hotel!

By: La Petite Acadienne

La Petite Acadienne — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:07:15 +0000

We are the same way with our own home. We’re not planning on leaving that house unless it’s in an ambulance or a pine box, so we’re decorating it the way that we want to, and don’t give a sweet damn about any potential subsequent owners.

Part of the front of the house is faced with sandstone, and right above the door, and also above the window, we have two 6-foot long pieces of sandstone, which were lovingly engraved by my husband. The piece above the window bears the verse “A house is made with walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” The piece above the door has our initials, framed by natural, windblown-looking maple leaves. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24208698@N06/sets/72157606850107394/)

Professional decorators would be horrified that we put our freaking initials on the house…in STONE, no less. But, we’re planning on being there for many decades (inshallah), so we’re not really worried about what the next owners may think.

Besides if they’re good people, maybe they’ll find it charming.

By: Twistie

Twistie — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:09:09 +0000

I think that’s what drives me nuts about decorating advice that’s all about resale value. People get scared to paint a wall a color they love because it might make someone else not want to buy the house later. Well what about wanting to live in the house you have? Furniture can move with you, paint is quick and cheap to redo, and you should love your own home.

Some people have been horrified when I tell them of my plans to turn my kitchen into Pepperland from Yellow Submarine. They worry the next people to live here won’t be Beatles fans. Well, the people who live here now are Beatles fans who love the outrageous. When we get done with the room, there will be nice floors, nice counters, more cabinet space than you can shake a stick at (we actually have that part right now), and plenty of light. The walls and cabinet doors can be redone any way the next people want them to be at minimal expense. Mr. Twistie and I aren’t going anywhere, so we want a home we love.

By: shiloh

shiloh — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:24:43 +0000

The outsourcing of the home design is a sad thing especially where I live now because every other home is the same, soul-less, zen-like stupor inducing copy of every other home.

It’s like the same group of ID people got together and decided that they would see how much white, off-white, black, neutral and accent walls in fire engine red the world could take. Not to forget the clean lines, mirrors on everything, stainless steel, pebbles and exposed concrete. It’s a cold-look that might work for singles but for homes with kids it just doesn’t.

It’s surprises many of my friends that we chose everything ourselves and painted, assembled, repaired, improved, landscaped and regularly rearrange the place without professional advise.

But it my home damn it, and I’ll do it my way!