Have we lost the ability to make our homes comfortable and cosy?

I guess when looking at houses to buy, online or in real life, you have to use your imagination in thinking of yourself living there - your furniture in situ, your bits and pieces, etc
People seem to vary in this - on TV property shows, some people are able to see beyond what’s there, and imagine how they would use the space.

MaizieD. Just demonstrates how refreshingly different we all are. Something to be celebrated.

I don’t really understand the nostalgia for old “characterful”houses. They look attractive, but unless have undergone major renovation work, in which case they are no longer original anyway, they are unsuitable for modern lifestyles.
The idea that older homes are not suitable for modern lifestyles is often said on the George Clarke programmes, but I don't know what it means. What 'lifestyles' are they talking about?

My house is Edwardian, but the style is typical of Victorian houses and has the same layout as the 1930s one we lived in before buying this one. It's a very common layout in British homes. You open the front door into a vestibule, which leads to a hall, off which is a large sitting room at the front, a smaller dining room (which doubles as a second sitting room) behind, and a kitchen at the end of the hallway, beyond which is a boot room with a downstairs loo and broom cupboard at the back. Upstairs are 4 bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate loo.

What 'lifestyle' would that not accommodate? We brought up two children here, and the layout works now that there are just the two of us. We could eat in the kitchen but choose not to, as I don't like sitting on top of pots and pans, so we use the dining room, which will comfortably seat 8 (10 at a push) then collapse the table afterwards to create more room in there so we can use it as an alternative room for reading, watching TV or listening to music.

As I said upthread, next door is one giant room - even the hall is incorporated into the space. They have 'zoned' it, which basically recreates the original layout using furniture - sofas around the TV, a dining table and chairs at the back, and the ubiquitous kitchen island with more chairs around it. If you want to have a barn dance or have a lot of parties for the whole family, there is definitely space to do it, but there is no privacy anywhere other than the bedrooms, and the heating bills much be enormous.

But yes, it's down to personal taste. They wouldn't like my house either.

Staceyann

I guess when looking at houses to buy, online or in real life, you have to use your imagination in thinking of yourself living there - your furniture in situ, your bits and pieces, etc
People seem to vary in this - on TV property shows, some people are able to see beyond what’s there, and imagine how they would use the space.

Could they have cluttered that room any more in the ^after picture 😱

That’s what I wondered - is there space to move around without falling over something?

Doodledog When we were planning our new house I measured the outline of our Suffolk Cottage and added the ground and first floor measurements together. I then added an extra 60 square feet. The exterior measurements for this house are the as those that I arrived for the Suffolk Cottage but the house looks much bigger because it has a sloping roof. It also has 3 tall built in cupboards, one for coats, one for linens and one for cleaning tools etc.

The hall is very large compared to most and also contains a sideboard, plus a pig bench and very tall houseplants. One is about 10 feet tall. It has a double glass door with a tall glazed panel on either side so it is light and airy. The hall is recessed with a bedroom on either side, with their walls extended outwards forming a covered recess where I could easily put a couple of chairs and a small table should we wish to sit undercover.

The only corridor that we have is that leading to the main bedroom and bathroom and which separates them from the living areas.

We also have covered terraces on the east and west sides of the house each with a table and chairs so we can catch the sun as it moves. Far too hot at the moment.

We too have lots of shelves for books throughout the house including the bedrooms.

The thing I love most about this house are the (almost) floor to ceiling windows because I can be somewhere gazing out doors and I'll see a deer or two walk past. Occasionally we'll see a sparrowhawk trying to catch a smaller bird. We don't have to go up to a window in order to see out.

I hope that I don't sound too boastful - I'm just trying to point out some of the benefits of open plan living.

I am going to boast now - aimed at those of you who like mid century furniture. Back in the 90s I was working in Felixstowe which at that time had one or two auction houses.

When we lived in London I used to travel past Wendy Dagworthy's shop. She always had an Ercol chair in the window which I admired very much.

One day the auction house had a selection of Ercol (pale variety) in two lots. There was a 2 seater sofa, 4 armchairs, a coffee table and a nest of 3 egg shaped side tables. I got the lot for £100. I was very chuffed to say the least. They sat in the corridor of our Suffolk cottage and then storage until we moved to France. No room to walk past them because of the width and sloping ceiling of the corridor.

Could they have cluttered that room any more in the ^after picture

I agree and it looks a bit difficult to watch the telly. 🤔

I don't think it's boasting (although some do like to brag on here, I agree) to say you arrived at something you love and gives you contentment.

For every home that one person loves, someone else will be asking "why".

Houses on websites have been decluttered and often decorated ready for selling usually. Our neighbours house looked completely different on Zoopla than it did in real life - it also looked about 50% bigger because of the way the photos were taken so the rooms all looked airier with more space. They told us some of their furniture was moved out of the rooms too, to give the impression of more room.

DaisyAnneReturns

I don't think it's boasting (although some do like to brag on here, I agree) to say you arrived at something you love and gives you contentment.

For every home that one person loves, someone else will be asking "why".

Agreed.

We love our very old home, many generations old.

Suits our needs, we've added space along the entire back and huge windows, white casings and trims. The floors throughout are wood, no carpet, kitchen island with granite, old wood worktops as well as very old solid wood cupboards and cabinets. Pretty old reception rooms on the front, beautiful old wood abounds.

Pale cream paint, no wallpaper - suits lovely artwork.

Huge gardens, grounds all round, can't see another soul.

Personal taste.

I should add, our taste suits only a few - fine by us. We'd de-clutter to sell. Pictures are to appear spacious and empty of personality. You can well imagine your own possessions in the empty spaces!

Whenever we decide to move we will ave to de clutter. The problem is which items to keep and which to sell. I've started already having stopped going to antique fairs and car boots before covid.

I remember watching one property port show which involved experts advising sellers what to. One woman looked around, saw some orange cushions and said "I couldn't live here, not with those orange cushions"

Some people just cannot see through the clutter to what others call "the bare bones" (hate that phrase)

Dinahmo

I remember watching one property port show which involved experts advising sellers what to. One woman looked around, saw some orange cushions and said "I couldn't live here, not with those orange cushions"

Some people just cannot see through the clutter to what others call "the bare bones" (hate that phrase)

Yes, I said something similar upthread. I think some people are able to visualise rooms without the current decor / with their furniture and deco in, but some people can only see what is there. That’s why people selling houses are advised to keep rooms plain and uncluttered.

I think these bland homes simply reflect the fashion of the moment - which is changing all the time. I, personally, like a home which has personality and warmth and I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

Many people who do not consider themselves artistic lack the confidence to dress their homes in their own style and follow the trend of the moment.

Your house sounds lovely, Dinahmo. What's a pig bench?

Apparently one that in the dim and distant past (I hope) pigs were put onto either to be slaughtered or butchered, or both. Horrible but it's quite a nice piece.

I love grey because it lends itself to virtually any other colour so you can change the feel of a room quite easily. I hate my house because it’s a creamy sort of colour and I can’t face decorating them. My partners house is grey and each room just has a splash of a different colour, either orange or green: sometimes blue or black. The thing that would put me off a house would be a very expensive bathroom or kitchen that wasn’t to my taste because I couldn’t rip out a good kitchen but couldn’t live with one I hated either.

MOnica you are looking for a new home. The decor doesn't matter as it will all be changed when you find your new home. You have to look at the house and decide what you want to do in it and would it work for you.

I hated when I was selling my old house the number of people who said I don't like the colour but I told them it was up to them what colour they had if they brought my house. You are buying the bricks and mortar . The shell is up to you. Don't be put off because you don't like the colour or how people have arranged their furniture.

You need to use your imagination . If I had your attitude I wouldn't have brought my beautiful bungalow. But I saw what needed doing and how I could make it work for me . It felt like home the minute I walked through the door.

When I choose my kitchen and shower room and colours for bedrooms, living room and hall surprised myself with what I found I liked. My kitchen is green with wood effect worktops , putty coloured tiles and almond white walls . Spotlights in my ceiling and wood effect Karndean flooring which flows into the hall which is also Almond white. My carpets are pale grey . Living room walls frosted steel, bedrooms Amethyst showers 5 and shower room grey darker shade on the floor than walls large tiles and white toilet ,shower rectangule and basin inset into cupboard. Large stainless steel wall radiator . All my ceilings are white. Dark purple curtains in bedrooms and charcoal grey in living room . Blind not needed on shower room or kitchen . Even choose a dark green composite front door and internal doors are unfinished oak which my decorator put on a wax varnish and brought out the beautiful grain in the wood. 3 glazed doors 3 solid.

I love it and really pleased with what I have done . Completely changed the front and back gardens.

Don't be put off by photos you might miss out on a home that is perfect for you.

I’m not sure that colour or decor makes the slightest difference when you buy a house.
It’s like Whiff said, as soon as you walk through the door, you know if it can be home.
This house was a lot of sludgy greens, green carpets throughout, browns, terracottas, all colours I really dislike. So many things were wrong for us, that on paper, it would never have appealed.
But as soon as we stepped into the hall, I knew it was the right house.

I think that the trend for open plan has a lot to answer for.
When we were searching for a house in 2015k/2016 most larger houses had knocked walls down to combine kitchen with dining room. We prefer separate rooms and needed space for mother in law to have a living room downstairs.
Unless fashions change, then when we tootle off, this will happen to our house.

It's simply a matter of individual taste and that is also true of most you estate agents.

young, not you.

I like grey walls. My preferred style is cosy (some call it cluttered) and I find that by starting with a fog grey neutral base, I can use the soft furnishings and "stuff" to change the look of a room without repainting.