Hi home design gurus! I’m working on a story for FOF about keeping your home up to date.” Can you help me by filling in the blank — Your home is out of date if __. It would be a bonus if you could offer a solution for the problem! Examples would be wallpaper borders, vinyl and linoleum floors etc.
0 Answers
SharonFrley wrote on :
you have old refrigerator, You don’t have backsplash and microwave and other appliance over the counter. People are more aware out the green option energy saving appliance are must to have.Now a days there is trend of cabinet concealed appliances which gives a clean look to your interior.
http://www.shewrites.com/profiles/blogs/4-fabulous-kitchen-appliances-that-are-definitely-here-to-stay
Beverly1956 wrote on :
Your home is out of date if your light fixtures are shiny gold and bath fixtures are gold as well. I’m thinking about giving it a shot and spray painting the lights but the bathroom faucets have got to go.
jaowinner wrote on :
Miniblinds and verticals are OUT!. There are so many fresh, innovative blinds and shades that can meet your needs for privacy, light control, etc.
shellyleer wrote on :
Your home is out of date it everything is matchy matchy. Just take a look at the design blogs and you can see trends and styles of artsy people. You will see these translated into mass produced and magazine photos in a year or so. The time lapse has been narrowing. What you see in mainstream decor now was on the blogs two years ago. Pinterest is a great place to view up to date design. The designer that can make a space look uniquely and personally curated is a hot commodity. P.S. I think white walls are fantastic. It can give your home a really artsy feel. Of course, you need great art.
Patricia Assanowicz wrote on :
Sorry but those wallpaper borders have to go, turn your walls into clean beautiful walls again. I lost count on how many homes I have gone into to remove those pesky borders, either by the ceiling or the floor, that I still cannot figure out, wallpaper borders, wood paneling, popcorn ceilings, say good-bye, if you can afford to have someone come in and remove any of these or all then start fresh, paint you can always change, you will be amazed how much bigger your rooms will look when they are given a fresh coat of paint, you can paint over wood paneling but, it takes alot of work, you have to sand and sand and if you are paying someone it is cheapr to just take it off, and start anew. Wall paper to me goes back to my granny, I used to get dizzy walking into her house, every room was different, accents on your walls, photos, a couple of shelves, recess lighting, to put it simply, your home is out of date if you still have the 3 things I mentioned in the beginning, also one more thing, overcrowding a room to me is a no no.
Sue Smith wrote on :
Your home is always out of date if you have your husband’s taxidermy on the walls! Someone, PLEASE help me convince him that this is so tacky! Even if he would allow me to just decorate the rustic family room with the taxidermy (aka :dead animals!) that would be better than having them in the Great Room, in the stariways, in the hallways, and in our son’s bedroom! Our home is rustic and in the woods overlooking a lake, but the dead animals still need to go! HELP!
Sara Wald wrote on :
Hi all! Thank you for the fabulous responses. You can see my article here: http://faboverfifty.com/content/style-blog/?p=15292
Gail Armstrong wrote on :
Your home is out date is it has vinyl in the laundry room and small tile pieces in the kitchen.
Linda McCoy wrote on :
Hi Sara, I’m an artist not a design guru, but here are a few ideas I’ve worked on with collectors to update their decor. Take a photo of a painting or print to the fabric store, don’t try to match the painting, but select one of the colors in the painting that you love. Purchase enough fabric to add pillows, cover dining room chairs, draperies or table cloth or runner. Another idea is to have a painting reframed, as sometimes this can date a room. It’s amazing what a change of mat color can do for a print or watercolor to freshen the look. In addition, most local artists are happy to do commission work, you can find them online, or through local art clubs. Bring a piece of fabric or color idea to them and they sometimes will work up a small “study” so you can see if you like their idea before the larger piece is complete. A new piece of artwork can transform a room. This is a nice solution if you have purchased classic furniture pieces that you do not want to part with.
nancy meadows wrote on :
As an interior designer/coach, I’m asked this question all of the time. My first response is, if you’ve not changed anything in your home at all in the last 10 years, it’s dated. Your life has changed, so why not your home. It doesn’t require all new furniture either. Think in terms of a new paint color, assessories, and window treatments. None of these improvements have to be costly, and your home becomes newer-looking and feeling. You’ll feel better, too!
Mary Evenson wrote on :
I’m not a design guru and I don’t try to keep my home up to date. I like comfort. Many ideas are great, but often it requires more money to do than many of us can/want to spend.
When we go to the Parade of Homes houses, I tend to notice that much of what the people are telling me is just silly. Colors come and go – Avacado was king once, so will whatever is current now, like stainless. Rip out your old pink tile and replace it with travertine, which will eventually be passe.
I like many of the newer ideas over what was there, but as often as not it is just because it is new and fresh. The new and fresh becomes old and stale.
I do not like dark kitchens or baths – so sue me 🙂 I LIKE white appliances and sinks and tubs, most of us will eventually hate a color we live with, but white we just get bored with, and then we can change the colors around them and suddenly the room is new and fresh!
I’ve taken down wallpaper borders – they were new now they’re old. Are they back and for how long.
I would use portable color to update my home and it can be hard to change when your significant other has the opposite taste. My husband likes brown, I like pastels, took us 6 months to agree on colors for the main floor of our 4 level home LOL
I have had fun reading the ideas on here, some are excellant and all are good.
Hope I wasn’t too rambling.
Best of luck with your story.
Cheryl Wilson wrote on :
How about having berber carpet and your home showing how out of date it is? It was all the rage and then we discovered it isn’t so great. It snags constantly! Better to go with the newer carpets that are low pile and very classy. Better yet, bamboo flooring!
Kathy Fodi wrote on :
I have been looking for a new floor, but keep trying to keep the shine on the I have which is rather difficult.
Kathy Fodi wrote on :
the vinyl floor you have is so out dated that when you go to the store it actually has come back after being out of stock for 15 years and they are bring ing it back again like they do with fashion that has been gone and suddenly is back in style. A new floor is my only solution.
Jane NC wrote on :
I think white or off- white walls, while not really outdated, are so boring! Picking up a color- even a subtle one- can tranform a room immediately. It gives personality, so you don’t look like you live in an anonymous apartment or you’re too timid to try a color. Try it, you’ll like it!
jvosler15 wrote on :
Your home is out of date if…you find yourself lingering in retail stores, catalogs, websites, etc dreaming that this was your own space! My blog recently covered the issue of color trends and can be applied to all areas of design, which you can find on my website myinteriorcreations. Specifically, the economic trend’s impact upon color and design has led us to a simplified, uncluttered and organic theme, in direct contrast to the busy and bold theme of financial days-gone-by. The earthy, organic taupes and tans paired with lots of texture and just a simple “pop” of rich earthy jewel tones will bring any home right into a slice of current heaven! Don’t sweat over the big ticket items-change the wall colors and stock up on fabulous throws and pillows!!
Lake Gal wrote on :
Sounds like you’re being covered well for the interior, but don’t forget about the outside and your ‘curb appeal’. Your home is out of date if you have large overgrown bushes and shrubs surrounding your house. Replace any old tired looking shrubs with smaller fresh plantings. Trim way back or cut down any outdated overgrown bushes. Stand in front of your home and take a good look at what others see. Also fresh ground mulch goes a long way. IF your front door haven’t been updated in years, try some new paint on it or your window shutters. For that matter, old tired shutters can age your home, try replacing them with something more modern.
Sara Wald wrote on :
Oh I love this! I would have never thought of mentioning the exterior of a house.
norma.byrd.45437 wrote on :
You asked about durable furniture fabrics. If you have children and/or pets, look for fabrics that have built-in stain protection and high wear features (these are noted on better fabrics as the Wyzenbeek Method and will have ratings such as “Exceeds 20,000 double rubs”—the higher the rating the more resistent to wear. It means how many times you can scoot on and off before they start to disintigrate.) Look for high content of poly fibers such as ultra-suedes—they’re easily scrubbable and almost indestructible, and believe it or not, high quality cotton and poly velveteens are too. They both look wonderful and wear like iron. Avoid silks, thinner cottons, brocades, and loosely woven fabrics such as tapestries (use them in throw pillows or other accents). The looser woven threads tend to wear and break (and get caught in kitty or dog claws) and soon look raveled and shredded. Outdoor fabrics (many mills are doing them now) are being designed in much wider colors and patterns and are coming indoors due to their extremely good maintenance and wearability, plus being more resistent to ultra-violet fading. And don’t overlook commercial fabrics—they also are being designed in broader color and pattern choices. You can also have your furniture professionally treated for added stain resistence. Ask your designer to recommend a reputable company for this.
Karen Smith wrote on :
Shame on you Sara – “Lino” as the Brits call it, is the hottest, hippest ‘new’ floorcovering in lots of urban places. It’s a natural product that is anti-bacterial too! My pet bugaboo in out of date homes is that wood paneling in basements and rec rooms. If it’s real wood and taking it down isn’t practical, my favorite solution is pickling it — bleaching the old stain out and adding a pale tint. (Pickled floors used to be really popular in the southern U.S.)
Kristin Drohan wrote on :
Your furniture in one room was a matching suite.
Solution: Mix it up. Use matching nightstands as end tables in the living room. Paint on piece in the group black, white, or accent color in the room
All your living room furniture is pressed up against the walls
Solution:
Float your living room sofa and chairs in the middle of the room
Sara Wald wrote on :
Hi Kldrohan. Can you please explain why it is better/more modern to float your living room sofa and chairs in the middle of the room vs. on the perimeter?
Kathy Johnson wrote on :
Your home is out of date if your furniture has plastic slip covers !!!! Remember those??? LOL I remember my Mom had them. It felt like we were sitting on ..well like on plastic. Too funny!
Seriously, your home is out of date if you still have white walls everywhere. Color on walls really warms up a home, even if it’s just one wall. Happy painting!
Sara Wald wrote on :
LOL thats so funny! Any good alternatives to plastic slip covers for people trying to protect their furniture?
Renee Robinson wrote on :
Your home is out of date if it doesn’t reflect you and your growing development and tastes.
Sara Wald wrote on :
Thanks!
Rosemarie Sussex wrote on :
I agree with most of the Gurus about your home is out of date if your color schemes are old. Just repainting a darker hue will bring an outdated room up to date. Also, using different patterns (such as plaids, paisleys, etc) as long as they are in the same color families.
One trick is to go to the fabric store and look at the dots on the side of the fabrics, they will show all the colors used in that pattern. If you follow those colors in whatever you pick you’ll be ok.
You can paint vinyl floors with spcial paints and stencil to hide imperfections.
Sara Wald wrote on :
I like your tips about the color dots. Two questions – what specific patters are out of date? What specific patterns are more current? Also, loved your suggestion for vinyl floors. What are these special paints and stencils specifically? Is there anywhere on the internet with pictures you can send me links for?
norma.byrd.45437 wrote on :
Your home is out of date if the furniture, accessories, and color schemes are specific to a certain design era. Remember the harvest gold/avocado/burnt orange that we loved in the 60’s and 70’s? Giant flower prints were “in” then. Or the celadon/lavender/dusty blue of the “Southwest” style in the 80’s? There were periods when everyone had to have antique oak book shelves, country ball & claw foot tables, and fake ice boxes, or howling coyotes and peeled log furniture, or shiny chrome or polished brass light fixtures, or all stainless steel kitchen appliances, just to name a few. Many homeowners are taken in by “current trends” and feel that to be “up-to-date” they must follow such directives slavishly and go whole-house with strawberry pink/chartreuse/yellow colors, or super-mod, all Asian, or Spanish Colonoial design. My best advice to my clients is “If it’s IN today, it will be OUT tomorrow.” The greatest design comes from carefully choosing and mixing furniture styles that you love, fabrics and colors that remain classic in spite of fads, and appliances selected for how they work for you rather than keeping up with “the latest trends” regardless of how far-out they look. So when things need freshening, keep these thoughts in mind and when someone mentions “this is SO hot right now” run, don’t walk to the nearest exit.
Sara Wald wrote on :
Great advice – thanks.
Louise Fadness wrote on :
Your home is out of date if you walls are all white. Enliven your environment with a color or two. Look at your artwork or decor to see what common color element is present. Then look around again for an accent color. You’ll be surprised to find that your mind’s eye chooses similar colors. The common color element can replace your white walls while the accent color can be placed on one wall or can replace decorative pillows. My common color is peanut shell and the accent is a brick red. Keep the ceilings and moldings in the white family. All my artwork (to my surprise) contain these colors and each piece was enhanced by this color scheme. Be brave and take the plunge.
Sara Wald wrote on :
Thanks Corky. My walls are all white – oh no! I need to paint!
What specific colors or color combinations would you say are outdated? What colors are more current?
Louise Fadness wrote on :
I think sage green has run its course. The greens I’m seeing today are either bright or deep. When you visit a paint store, look for pamphlets that emphasize the most popular current colors. Also, the salesperson should be able to give you some guidance. Colors in the mocha and chocolate families and metallic paints like pewter and bronze seem to be surging back. And don’t forget about shag carpeting. The pile is denser and the colors are beautiful. Plus they feel luxurious under your feet.
LISA STEWART DESIGN wrote on :
Your home is out of date if the colors are out of date. Update it easily with new throw pillows, towels, rugs and throws.
Sara Wald wrote on :
Thanks DesignGuru. What specific colors would you say are out of date? What colors are up to date?
LISA STEWART DESIGN wrote on :
The towel section in the departments stores always has the most current colors.
Sara Wald wrote on :
The towel section!? Really? Wow anyone know why this is? Great tip BTW
Helen Kenney-Poore wrote on :
I think drapery/window treatment ages a home. If your drapes are hung at the top of the windows I would buy new ones and hang them halfway between the top of the window frame and the ceiling and make sure they come all the way to the floor.
Sara Wald wrote on :
Thanks Helen — Do you have any links to pictures of this so I can see? I’m trying to get a picture in my head…
Helen Kenney-Poore wrote on :
Check out Smith and Noble website. You’ll notice that all drapes are hung higher then the top of the window frame. http://www.smithandnoble.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SNPhotoGalleryView?roomType=all&windowStyle=Wide and Short&decorStyle=all&bid=10478&langId=-1&catalogId=10101&storeId=10101#
Sara Wald wrote on :
I love this tip! Thanks — I’m going to use it. Also found this site with great images of higher hung curtains: http://www.thedesignfile.net/thedesignfile/2010/03/tip-hang-drapes-high-and-wide.html
Sara Wald wrote on :
Hi Helen — what kind of effect can someone expect from hanging the drapes higher as you suggested? How does this made a room more up to date?