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House and home

Coldness to current interior design

(121 Posts)
Vintagejazz Wed 03-Aug-22 08:15:14

I know a few younger relatives and friends' children who have bought older houses recently, done them up and invited us in to see them.

While they're all very stylish, I never feel any of them are genuinely warm and comfortable homes. Bare floorboards with no rugs, black leather chairs and couches, laboratory type grey and steel kitchens, brand new ikea furniture throughout with no old bits and pieces to give a sense of family continuity...

I know tastes change and younger people want something different, but is it just me who finds a lot of newly refurbished homes quite cold and bland nowadays? And to think it's a pity to see so many old houses become 'neutralised'?

Doodledog Fri 05-Aug-22 11:34:22

I like striped carpets on stairs, and would like them in rooms used occasionally, but I think the bright ones might be a bit much in a regularly used room, or one where you want to relax.

My neighbours have no carpets anywhere as far as I can tell. I really think there should be bylaws to stop people in adjoined houses having bare wood on stairs and in upstairs rooms (and it must be worse in flats). The noise when the children run up and down stairs and play in their rooms is really intrusive, and the fact that there are none anywhere means there is nothing to muffle the sound.

They must be the fourth lot of neighbours we've had, and whereas the others haven't all had as many children (there are four of them) we have never had so much noise as since the carpets came out.

knspol Fri 05-Aug-22 11:40:26

I love the newer, cleaner ,more spartan look but where would I put all the old, treasured possessions we've accumulated over the years that I couldn't bear to part with?

NotSpaghetti Fri 05-Aug-22 11:41:39

Well I suppose not many people will have these really bold stripes even if (like ne) they love them. They are way too expensive - except for the likes of the Johnsons and their "set" I think.

Musicgirl Fri 05-Aug-22 11:41:58

I really dislike grey because I find it very cold and depressing; almost as if the walls are bearing down on me. It is even worse when coupled with charcoal carpets. Also a complete lack of personality without ornaments or pictures etc. I suppose it is office/industrial chic but it is not for me. I have always gone with my own tastes but the advantage of this is that because I am not totally up to the minute, it does not date as quickly.

NotSpaghetti Fri 05-Aug-22 11:42:30

In a big cupboard knspol??

sandelf Fri 05-Aug-22 11:43:32

When we moved it did make us look at everything and say 'why do we have this?' - We kept the really precious to us, but otherwise we have gone quite 'simple' - easy to keep clean and tidy. Light oak, light yellow, creams. I'm pretty sure the fuel bills will lead to a move away from 'one room downstairs', to just heat the space we use.

SparklyGrandma Fri 05-Aug-22 12:05:06

I love colour in rugs, paintings etc but I am having my flat painted in a light grey (Amonite,F&B) at the moment. It sets off the coloured bits nicely..

cathieb Fri 05-Aug-22 12:20:07

The pale, carefully stripped-back look can be beautiful but I often wonder if all the 'real stuff' is shoved behind the immaculate cupboard doors! I have a lot of colourful things in my flat, all full of meaning and memories. I did go carefully through all my possessions recently to check if they still meant something and 'sparked joy' and I got rid of those that didn't. I value my possessions over having tidy spotless rooms but that's just me, and I do sometimes have a sneaking envy of the owners of those perfect minimalist homes!

kevincharley Fri 05-Aug-22 12:30:22

Well I have no issue with it. If that's what people want, that's fine by me. Who am I to judge?

Chaitriona Fri 05-Aug-22 12:40:15

The first house I had went with our jobs as teachers. I painted all the living room walls purple and had a bright green poster of khrishna and rada above the fireplace. When we were moving on, the next teacher, an older lady, came to look at the house she would now live in. The next day the village decorator turned up to take measurements.

AmberSpyglass Fri 05-Aug-22 12:44:33

Carpets are hideous and frankly unsanitary. The brilliant writer Meghan Daum has an essay called ‘Carpet is Mungers’ which encapsulates a lot of my life philosophy, for better or worse!

There should be better insulation to stop noise travelling, though. I think it happens in new builds.

There’s an increasing trend towards maximalism, which I adore. Rockett St George is one of my favourite online shops, but I can’t afford to shop there as much as I’d like!

grandtanteJE65 Fri 05-Aug-22 12:55:41

Why would you expect the younger generation to furnish their houses as we did at their age?

I did not furnish my home, like my parents, when I was their age.

Bare floorboards with rugs have the advantage that both can be washed, which being allergic to house-dust makes visiting a home furnished as mine is much easier and pleasanter to me.

If you compare IKEA's prices to any other furniture store's I think you will readily understand why so many people buy there.

We all have our own taste and preferences and that is how it should be.

I personally detest the fashion that has existed in Denmark since the late 196os to paint walls and window -frames white. To me it makes the whole house look like a medical clinic or the like, but I am beginning to doubt that I will live long enough to see the fashion change.

HannahLoisLuke Fri 05-Aug-22 14:00:16

JaneJudge

and so much grey. Imo grey is the new beige/cream

Hardly new. I had my sitting room painted grey fifteen years ago but it does seem to be going on and on. Livened up with charcoal or anthracite ?

DutchDoll Fri 05-Aug-22 14:00:43

I have a very pale grey paint from the Dulux Heritage range called Lead White. It's not at all grim like some shades of grey. We have this in our porch, kitchen and utility room.
Our sitting room carpet is a mid lilac.
Our landing and stairs have a deep red carpet.
The rest of the rooms downstairs are either wood look Amtico or porcelain tiled floors.
We have curtains in our lounge, sort of textured flowers. The 3 bedrooms have multi coloured striped curtains on a white background. All our windows have blinds, mainly white, wooden Venetian blinds.
I have several smaller rooms rather than amalgamating them to create bigger rooms. My husband watches TV in the conservatory and I read my kindle in the sitting room with a patio door between us. It suits us down to the ground.
We have lived here for 49 years!

Vintagejazz Fri 05-Aug-22 14:01:00

I think we've all acknowledged that fashions change and a new generation will want something different. It's just that some of us find the current minimalist scandi fashion cold and spartan.

4allweknow Fri 05-Aug-22 14:05:38

Grey is out according to a local kitchen designer. It's green that's taking over. Of course there has to be an "in" colour and design eg knock the walls down for total open plan. It's all to do with profit. I do wonder at the noise and smells permeating all over large areas. Smells do stick to materials. Wonder how all the open planners will cope trying to heat such large spaces given the horrendous fuel costs. Also the planner did say, but seemed to skim over that separate rooms seem to be making a come back. I'll be in fashion if that ever comes about.

Fernhillnana Fri 05-Aug-22 14:10:52

I’m dreaming of an ice blue kitchen with white worktops, only because my sage green one is falling apart!

Doodledog Fri 05-Aug-22 14:19:02

Why would you expect the younger generation to furnish their houses as we did at their age?

Who has said that? I haven't seen anyone expecting others to do anything. We are just saying what we like, not advocating that others should like it too.

Notspaghetti, I can imagine that stair carpet costing a fortune. The fitting alone would be really expensive. It certainly makes a statement.

Gabrielle56 Fri 05-Aug-22 15:59:41

We have a23year old home and original tastes! Every piece or artwork is by moi! And I have a quirky taste in furnishings and colours too, it's our home and we have it how we like it! Many say "you may have trouble selling if it's too individual?" Who cares ? I'll probably be past caring by time it's being sold!! We've had bath removed and a mahoosive shower are installed , it'll be just as easy to reinstall a bath so tough cheddar! I love original ideas and also detest the Grey's of modern décor our Ds has gone all stripped and grey and it looks cheap and nasty in his lovely 1930s home!!

Gabrielle56 Fri 05-Aug-22 16:07:53

Wow! Muse, love these, fantastic array of colour, so interesting and tactile I bet too! Love them!

Gabrielle56 Fri 05-Aug-22 16:15:42

AmberSpyglass

Carpets are hideous and frankly unsanitary. The brilliant writer Meghan Daum has an essay called ‘Carpet is Mungers’ which encapsulates a lot of my life philosophy, for better or worse!

There should be better insulation to stop noise travelling, though. I think it happens in new builds.

There’s an increasing trend towards maximalism, which I adore. Rockett St George is one of my favourite online shops, but I can’t afford to shop there as much as I’d like!

Carpets that are not cleaned properly are unsanitary as you say - usually in a typical British house!! And the habit of bathroom carpet???? , vom- inducing.....
As a being originated and brought up with other (Germanic European)sensibilities and cleaning habits I find the lack of cleanliness in the houses I've visited over the last 60 years appallingly bad! Hate saying it but Brits appear to be on the grubby end of spectrum! And I never ever did or will get to grips with the'glory hole'?!?!? Why tolerate a messy junk area that's never cleaned or cleared out? Wasted space and seriously yukky!

Rosina Fri 05-Aug-22 16:17:48

Grey is undoubtedly chic and a good neutral colour, as you can put almost any bright shade with it to liven it up, but a house near us has had dark grey window frames and doors, which look awful against the red brick of a 1920's house. A tin of paint to alter a grey wall is a change that can be coped with easily, but there are now so many grey kitchens, fitted bedrooms - I wouldn't buy a house that had such dull colours that would cost a fortune to change.

missdeke Fri 05-Aug-22 16:26:59

What I can't understand is the current trend for putting stylish before comfort, so many of the sofas they use on the interior design programs look as uncomfortable as a dentist waiting room furniture!

GagaJo Fri 05-Aug-22 16:33:25

My sofa is very square and boxy. It's also 15 years old and very comfy. I've fallen asleep on it many times.

Aveline Fri 05-Aug-22 16:36:46

Gabrielle56 how's your immune system? What rude comments you make. I'll happily live in the filthy squalor of my home in preference to a sparkling laboratory.