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christy_bell

Is it just me or does everyone look to have a magazine home?

Christy Bell
9 years ago

As I scroll through the endless sites and images on the internet to get ideas for my home I am struck by how many homes look to be perfectly decorated - like out of a magazine. Fresh and up to date on all the latest trends. After looking, I can get discouraged in my own home and ask myself if I've made the right decisions in decorating or why it is that after a year of living somewhere our DVR is still on a plant stand under the tv (better than the card table that used to be there). We just purchase a piece at a time and live in the "almost" finished spaces. I'm actually at the point in my life where I don't want to keep redoing spaces anymore - just do them and enjoy the home, then get on with life. We moved into this new home about 1 1/2 years ago and it will, hopefully, be our last. However, I'm going through and working on getting it finished up so that I can enjoy it - but it takes time, money, and effort, so I move a bit slower, I guess. I suppose that one of the other things that I notice is how spaces have no personality anymore. Where are the unique items passed down from grandparents, or pictures of family, etc. I'm trying to keep that in mind when I redo spaces - I want to keep them personal.

Can anyone else relate or am I just having a pity party?

This post was edited by christyinco on Sat, Nov 29, 14 at 12:17

Comments (151)

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That was interesting, I am a 71.

  • marcolo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a 9. And proud.

  • violetwest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    holy crap, I got a 90! and I'm a Boomer. The tattoos and piercings probably put me over the top, haha

    This post was edited by Violet.West on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 10:59

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a 69. And that's w no facebook, videogames or tattoos or piercing. But politically liberal and dont watch TV usually or read physical newspapers, etc.

  • sas95
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a 69 as well.

  • kswl2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I answered politically liberal as well. Could it be the religion question?

  • molanic
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ha, I got a 12, but am on the tail end of Gen-X ('79). I have no interest in Facebook, Twitter, and hardly ever text. But, wouldn't online forums be a form of social media as well? I just prefer to talk more in depth about things I am actually interested in with people than take selfies, let everyone know I just bought a coffee, or played Candy Crush. Important posts on Facebook tend to get buried in all the crap.

    I'm definitely not a Luddite though, I'm the tech go to person in the family. My interests let me fit in with different age groups. I can go from crocheting to playing some nice violent video games. My mp3 player shuffles between the big band music of the 30's to Snoop Dogg. We can't judge people too much based on their age alone.

  • beaglesdoitbetter1
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I scored an 80. I'm surprised because I answered politically conservative, no video games and only 1-9 text messages. Maybe having a cell only and not religious was the thing that pushed me over the edge to 80.

    I was born in 83 but don't really think of myself as a millennial. I guess I am, whatever that means.

  • mdrive
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    72

    no piercings, tattoos, 'conservative' (there was no libertarian category)

    i have a facebook profile, but it was created for the sake of keeping up with family, iow, no real interest in social media otherwise...would be interesting to know how the questions were weighted

  • JennaVaNowSC
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My score was 38 which lists me as a GenXr. I was born in 1950, so am definitely a baby boomer.

  • molanic
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There is an option on the results page to change any answer and the slider moves so that shows you how they are weighted. I think there are some bugs in the "see how others answered." When I first looked at it they were the opposite of how they should be. Then when I changed my answer and switched it back it showed the correct graph.

  • Oaktown
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, I got 4. I don't think it's any one question, because I modified my responses a bunch of ways (e.g. more tv and texts on weekends, relative importance of religion, etc.) and still could not get higher than 10?

  • violetwest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    there's also a .pdf with a more in depth report. very silly. might possibly should have been a new thread--wish we could split it off.

    will post test to my facebook page /cough/

    This post was edited by Violet.West on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 11:48

  • kswl2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I went back and retook the test, changing my answers to simulate Millenium-ness, and I got a score of 99 with these answers:

    Yes watched more than an hour of tv in past 24 hours

    No did not read daily paper in past 24 hours

    Yes played video games in past 24 hours

    Cell phone only

    50+ texts in past 24 hours

    Success in high paying profession SOMEWHAT important

    Interracial marriage good thing for society

    Not contacted gov official in 12 months

    Have created social network profile

    Religious life not important to me

    Parents NOT married

    Yes tattoo

    Yes piercing

    Liberal

    I think if I had answered that a successful career was not at all important that score would be 100%.

    Again, those are not my answers, just the ones I used to try to score as millenially as possible!

  • Gooster
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm an 82.... that probably explains a lot. And I'm proud as well.... but I don't take selfies.

  • violetwest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    kwsl -- those are basically my real answers, except for parents married and fewer texts.

  • kittymoonbeam
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ha! I scored 8. I always felt old fashioned even when I was younger. Trying to be like my grandparents I guess.

  • likewhatyoudo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    too funny I got 52 and I am 52!

    I love a photo ready house. I strive to live in a clean put together home and I don't apologize for it. I make my bed every morning and fluff pillows and wipe down the counters before I go to bed. I like everything to have a place and put away.

    It is of course easier now than when the kids where younger.

    We have raised our two children to be successful adults. We now have the extra funds to vacation and splurge now and then. I am frugal and do a lot of clearance and Craigslist shopping. But some items I did get to purchase brand new custom and I will take care of it and probably will have these pieces for 20 years.

    I agree with Kswl - "There's some odd judgment on this thread....if there is something so inherently wrong with wanting a nicely decorated home that might actually be appealing to friends and guests as well as ourselves, then why are we all here? "

    I won't judge anyone for not having a magazine house if you don't judge me for striving to.

    I have several rooms in my house not picture worthy but it doesn't keep me from striving to get every room in my house as nice as possible for my own enjoyment.

    Bring on the magazine house pictures as well as the modest rooms! I love before, during and afters!

    This post was edited by rtwilliams on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 13:16

  • melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have really enjoyed this thread -- ever since finding the Decorating Forum I've felt like my home will most-likely not be magazine-worthy, at least not without a lot of help from a designer and a lot of $$$, and that makes me kind of sad because I would like to live in a beautiful home.

    Evenso, I do try to make our home as nice as I can :-) I have not really ever liked our home, but we've lived here 13 years and, now that we're outgrowing it, I've really been trying to make it work and be content...complaining and being unhappy did not do a thing for making our place nicer. We've had to do a lot of major remodels due to things being worn out AND to increase functionality, and in the process I've learned so much more than I ever would have if I lived in a "perfect" house.

    I took the milennial test, although I'm GenX (closer to the end). I scored 64...which is probably about right all things considered. I do not have any tattoos or unusual piercings, and my text count was on the low end since DH has been home (some days are much higher).

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Kswl- in re trying to be a faux millennial,

    I think NOT watching TV is millennial, not the other way around.

    As far as interracial marriage, I think a millennial would be indifferent ... In other words so evolved that they don't even see it as good it bad, truly blind to it.

  • blfenton
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A boomer with a score of 13. That's me and don't plan on changing.

    The cell phone/landline question is awkward because yes we have both but the cell phone is DH's and the landline is mine so technically my score should probably be even lower.

  • athomeinvagw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mtnrd, you are correct that it would be no Tv. Additionally, the highest rating would show that the person values their career at the highest level.

    This post was edited by athomeinva on Wed, Dec 3, 14 at 12:45

  • anele_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I got 55 and I was born in the 70s.

    I don't text, ever. I just have a pre-paid flip-phone. We have both landline and cell.

    I wasn't sure about the married/not question, though-- my dad died when I was 13, so I put not married because I remember more of the later yrs, but maybe not correct.

    No tattoos or piercings!

    Liberal, not religious. No games, TV, etc.

    I don't think interracial marriage is good for society, but rather that it shows society is moving in the right direction. Didn't like the phrasing of the question.

    So OT!

  • violetwest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thread wins the GW prize for hijacking. still fun, though.

  • kswl2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Very interesting.......I went back and modified my answers and there was no more than a five point difference in the outcome regardless of which one was changed and I never got to 100% . Mtn, the interracial question changed my score only 1 point ---downward-- when I changed it to "makes no difference."

    One possible conclusion was that the score has more to do with one's actual age than with the answers to the questions. On the fake test I said I was 30-45. When I took it again as an 18-29 year old I dropped a point, so that's not it.

  • allison0704
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you, vedazu! It is still on the FKB, and there is a link to photos on Atticmag:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Allison0704 on FKB

  • athomeinvagw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How to get 100%
    no tv
    no news
    yes to games
    only a cell
    50+ texts
    one of the most important things (career)
    good for society (interracial marriage)
    no (contact a gvt official)
    yes (social media account)
    not important (religion)
    not married
    yes (tattoo)
    yes (piercings)
    liberal
    any age (i tried 65+)

  • bbstx
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I scored a 63. My texting over the last 24 hours has been a little slower than usual. When I adjust for my true average (10-49), I jump to 74. Apparently texting is heavily weighted.

    Very thoughtful post, kittymoonbeam.

  • blfenton
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    anele - I agree with you about the interracial marriage question. I wasn't sure what the intention of the question was in asking.

  • lilylore
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Posted by marcolo: "Because everything a Millenial does or owns is designed for public display..." Seriously?

    Posted by palimpsest: "..the closely related trend chasing is given a rather enthusiastic support in these forums, as much as there is lip-service to marching to the beat of one's own drummer. Because if the beat of one's own drummer is "dated" or "too formal and stiff" or "dark and not light and airy and open" --it is firmly pointed out as incorrect."

    I have never noticed an absolute support of all things trendy. Funny.

    It seems at on-line forums there is always a comfortable coterie who gather to poo-poo trends and anything new or different. I wonder, does this come from insecurity and agism directed inward, like a couple of unhappy geezers who meet at Denny's at 5 AM in time for the senior special and a whole lot of grousing about the world. "It ain't like it used to be in the old days". Because, no. It is exactly like it was 100 years ago: at 5 AM you were sure to find a couple of grouches or prudes at the local tea-room grousing about how it ain't like it used to be in the olden days. Disliking new trends, or being suspicious of trends is one thing (and a very ancient thing), but feeling a need to defend the old and lambast the new belies an obvious insecurity.

    And yet, some people feel a distinct need to come to a public forum to complain about new trends, and change, and bright undignified colors like turquoise. (perhaps they are unable to complain about it at home because nobody will listen?). And all of that would be uninteresting to me, except that the grousing is rarely accompanied with even a meager effort at critical thinking, but rather it's either crooked-fingered criticism or elitist boasting ("I would never..."). And we read a lot of rhetorical grousing. "Don't you just hate...", "Who does that?...", "Pass the donuts, are those sprinkles? Why do they put sprinkles on a perfectly good donut?" (as a side-note: general grousing doesn't make one witty like Andy Rooney -it makes one a grouch. And isn't that what we expect from teenagers on twitter.)

    What it is, is that some folks want to make these blanket complaints if only to make themselves feel better, to stroke their own ego, "Don't you hate the new...", and that seems so very selfish to me, because what they're really doing is seeking someone to stroke their world view and their fragile ego and perhaps their suppressed heartache. What's lacking in all of it is any sense of design. It is keep-it-the-way-it-always-has-been, or traditional is safe and everybody else are fools. But no. Even when 'the fools' are acting foolish or making foolish choices, they are not necessarily fools. A fool, imho, is someone who has a very limited and narrow range of expression. And some very bright people choose to act foolish, just because it's easier. Traditional design is easier. Contemporary design is always more difficult to accomplish and trying new things takes courage. Sorry, but traditional design doesn't speak of courage.

    But what we're all talking about seems to be the extremes.

    On one end of the spectrum you have folks who slavishly follow every new trend, who's interiors look foolish and pretentious, on the other end are the traditionalists who are terrified of any change, who's interiors look suffocating and pretentious. While it is easy to ridicule the foolish, the stifled we tend to patronize with our pity. Neither extreme is glamorous or authentic. Both are slaves to arbitrary rules.

    Trends aren't just the blind leading the blind, and every period of time and every style has had it's trends. Traditional design has also gone thru too many trends to list (anyone remember Mario Buatta, Sitster Parish, Albert Hadley?) For Traditional Design with antiques in the 1970's a must have was a hall-tree, I wouldn't call hall-trees a trend today, in the 1950s, antiques were country colonial, also not huge on trend right now. Yet folks who purchased those items considered themselves 'traditionalists' and not 'trendy'. Life is full of changes, and a traditional designer who is afraid to evolve has a tendency to create lifeless and dead interiors.

    And what is a trend anyway? If you see a handsome woman with a daisy print neck-scarf, you might think, how pretty. And you know what, everyone who sees that scarf is likely to think the same thing, and suddenly daisy print scarves are flying off the shelf because it suites the zeitgeist. Trends do not make the zeitgeist, it's the other way around. I think most folks haven't a clue about contemporary culture and the influences around them and it seems to them to be so much hoo-doo at work and a lot of lemmings running toward the cliff. What it comes down to is that they might be terrified of change, to them the phrase "on trend" is offensive (that attitude comes off as elitist, imho, the very thing they accuse trendies of.). But what 'on trend' means is that folks who are looking for a change will be able to find a certain fabric, color or style in a wide range of prices and might actually be happy with that up-date, because so many others are. There is a simple reason that Jackie Kennedy was a 'trend setter' in the 1960s: she spoke to the zeitgeist and understood it. And if she were alive today, I doubt that she would be appalled by ikat or stainless appliances or hardwood floors, nor would she flaunt the fact that she didn't have them.

    But I am not blind to the fact that corporations want consumers eager to scoop up what ever trend they exploit, as clax66 pointed out.

    Posted by GregNow:"I think everyone secretly wants a magazine home "

    I don't secretly want a 'magazine home', if I know what you mean by that? And not all homes in magazines are what one would call a 'magazine home' (ever see Nest magazine?) But I have turned down offers to have my rooms photographed because that would ruin it for me. However, I do love looking at design magazines -something I couldn't do if everyone felt the way I did.

    PS: My Millennial score is '2'.

    "I want to live my life, not record it." Jackie Kennedy

    "It looks like it’s been furnished by discount stores." Jackie Kennedy on the White House before her famous makeover.

    "Even the simplest wicker basket can become priceless when it is loved and cared for through the generations of a family." Sister Parish


    Palm Beach pad of Joe Holtzman (former editor of Nest.)

    This post was edited by Lilylore on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 14:20

  • tinam61
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Don't know why I'm just looking at this thread today - but it is very interesting (enlightening?).

    I don't strive for a magazine worthy home. To be honest, I would never want our home in a magazine. As evidenced by the rare picture I've shown here, I am somewhat of a private person (as is hubby) and would not want our home on display to anyone and everyone.

    Many family and friends compliment us on our home's decor. I inherited a love of making a home pretty - both indoors and out from my mom and my grandfather. While my papaw was not into interior decorating, he loved making the outside beautiful and always had beautiful gardens.

    While it IS nice to have someone compliment you on your home, how we decorate is done strictly for us. Most importantly, I want our home to work for "us" and to feel warm and comfortable and of course welcoming. It's our retreat from the rest of the world. We too have alot of items from family, trips, childhood, etc. and share a love of antiques. I love blogs, and a small number of magazines, but am by no means a trend follower. I know what I like and I will wait until I can find/buy what it is that I want rather than settle for something else. In just the last few years I have finally gone back to using more of the colors that I really love (hubby doesn't care so much about that LOL) and in doing so, I love our home even more. On a day I work and drive back from the city, I love walking into our home. I love seeing items that are memories of the life we've shared and also from others who have been part of our life.

  • robo (z6a)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love the pad ^^. My friend had a true golden girls floral couch she hated...I was like "send it my way!" The floral was so pretty and colors so vibrant.

    I am extremely clutter tolerant and clutter generating which would always prevent my house from being magazine worthy. I wish I had a little robot butler to pick up after me. Part of it was nurture - messy house growing up, part is nature - I'm easygoing and mess doesn't really bother me, and part is time - I often work 60h a week and I am really too lazy to work those kind of hours, so it impacts my home life.

    I also have, well, apartment therapy calls it that "warm" decorating style: some people like cool minimalism, I like having books and blankies and tsotschkes around. Just makes me feel more comfortable. When I have it reined in and everything displayed correctly in its place - more magazine worthy. But more stuff, more effort to corral the stuff, more chance for chaos, less magazine worthy. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the look of minimalism for other people but it makes me antsy at home.

    I will say that I like decorating more than anything else, I will easily spend many times the $$$ on my home in a year than I spend on my personal appearance. Which is stupid because I see way more people in person than people see my home. But I'm just not that interested in how I look. I would love for my home to be deemed interesting or magazine worthy and I really appreciate compliments on it, which are somewhat frequent (my home is not great shakes for the standards of this forum, but I travel in humble circles). I also love giving house tours and explaining my design decisions such as they are.

    I also have three cats who absolutely destroy every piece of upholstery I own (EVEN THE LEATHER -- WHY?!?!) despite many tactics on my part. My cats are my biggest decor shame as much as I love the crazy jerks.

    This post was edited by robotropolis on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 14:29

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "I have never noticed an absolute support of all things trendy. Funny."

    I haven't either. But that's not what I said. Funny.

    Actually, I have, noticed an almost absolute support of all things trendy: In the Building a Home Forum.

  • eastautumn
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    robotropolis, I like having real life friends like you... People who notice and care about design who inspire me to keep striving to get my interior into a more pleasing state for our family, but who follow their own style and are laid back and relaxed about it.

    As for the cats, I can totally relate to their being a decor shame... We have two and they have added "patina" to our leather settees, but my husband keeps their claws trimmed to prevent them from ripping things to shreds and it helps a lot. I long for area rugs to add color and warmth to our hardwood floors, but every time we try to put one down, our little old man cat decides it's a place for him to pee :( He doesn't pee on the 2 that have been down since we moved into the house, it's only new ones he cares to destroy. We want to replace the one in the living room but are scared it will become another pee pad. He's so sweet though, that we put up with his weirdness.

    palimpsest, our home is new construction but the most frequent comment we get when new people walk into the entry hallway for the first time is "This house reminds me of my grandparents house!" The woodwork/trim throughout the first floor is very traditional, stained fir, which we chose to do because we both love older homes but couldn't find/afford one in our area with a big enough yard for our dog when we were looking to settle down. I'll admit we didn't spend much time in the "Building a Home" forum at the time (some, but more in the "Old House" forum for ideas), but not everyone in a new home is striving for trendy.... I'll admit I like white painted trim as much as the trendsetters these days, but my husband finished all the woodwork himself (which took over a year of work evenings and weekends), so I'm not about to cover it up just to get "the look" that's so popular in design magazines nowadays, even in "This Old House" which is my go to magazine for inspiration!

  • Oaktown
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    christyinco, I like to look at shelter mags, but less so now than a year ago. When I start feeling down about our half-furnished house, I will think about the Magnaverde quote in the forum intro and then start thinking, hey, with the life we have, we're not doing too shabbily.

    >>>Actually, I have, noticed an almost absolute support of all things trendy: In the Building a Home Forum.palimpsest, if you are referring to the ongoing "How's your build going" thread, I always thought the nature of that was a support thread? In general, there is a fair amount of trend reference in terms of pointing out resale considerations -- I think that's natural since the building folks are generally discussing fixed elements and larger financial outlays than one might over here. But, there are a good number of people on that forum who are building because they don't want what is on trend and available in pre-existing homes (e.g., the Castlehaus), and there's plenty of support for them as well ;-)

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    At 71 now, but if I eliminate the cell phone, watch some tv and read a newspaper, I will drop to 6.

    Life 15 years ago.

  • athomeinvagw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What is being considered magazine worthy here, it seems to vary by poster? I do not equate clutter free houses or very neat and clean houses with being magazine worthy. I also don't think trendy automatically makes for a magazine worthy house. I was thinking design worthy houses that have consistent decor, that works with the style of the house, and not something that you would see in any house on the side of the road. Alison's house is a great example, at least for a magazine like Southern Living or similar (a magazine not based on the top trends or DIY, etc.)

    As for cats, I have lived with many and they can sometimes pick up on an owners vibes and sometimes not, just like kids. My current cat does claw almost everything except the new sofa which is velvet. I had read that many cats do not claw velvet and bought a yard to drape on an ottoman that she loved to claw, sure enough she stopped clawing it. She went a bit crazy on the sofa the first day it was here, jumping up on the high arms and acting nutty but after a quick test with her paws did not claw it, she did lick it for a second. So, it seems that the standing fibers feel odd enough on her paw pads to make her not want to claw it.

    Almondstriations- For magazine inspiration try The Old House Journal, it is much better than This Old House which used to be one of my favorites but has become way too focused on cheap and trendy.

  • violetwest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cats are trendy these days ;).

    another reason why my home will never look like a magazine. But even if I had the money to buy expensive upholstered furniture, I wouldn't, because I value my cats more. Slipcovers ftw!

  • kswl2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you, lily, for that illuminating polemic on décor, trends, fora, and persons older than yourself.

    In the spirit of "A fool, imho, is someone who has a very limited and narrow range of expression," I humbly offer:

    Belies is synonymous with "contradicts," please check usage above.
    And it is pooh pooh, not "poo poo," although I must admit the latter sounds very.....millennial.

  • patty_cakes
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Got an 18, halfway into the boomer, which I *think* i might qualify at age 72, or is that pre "boomer baby"~~"Baby Boomers is the name given to the generation of Americans who were born in a baby boom following World War II. The Boomers were born between 1944 and 1964." I watch too much TV~hey, i'm retired, don't reaf a newspaper, text occasionally, no games, landline and cell, have contacted a government official online, and joined lidekin only, for some strange reason.

    And yes, cats are a MUST for a home to be truly decorated. Well, at least *my* home. And one dog. lol I like a lot of 'stuff' too, but not grandma/fuddy duddy things, like floral 'swags', over the top floral arrangements, floral upholstery, or tchoctkes all over the place.

    I think I *can* have my home look magazine worthy, but not on a day to day basis. On Christmas eve with the table set and the candles lit, the house all decorated and before the Grands get here, or when it isn't family, but *real* company. Having just dusted/washed/vacuumned every surface, fluffed every pillow, arranged every coffee table book, put away junk mail/magazines, etc., it *could* be almost magazine worthy, but I don't have a single piece of MCM, so probably not. ;)

  • lilylore
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Posted by kswl" "Thank you, lily, for that illuminating polemic on décor, trends, fora, and persons older than yourself.
    "In the spirit of "A fool, imho, is someone who has a very limited and narrow range of expression," I humbly offer:
    "Belies is synonymous with "contradicts," please check usage above.
    And it is pooh pooh, not "poo poo," although I must admit the latter sounds very.....millennial."

    Oh no, thank you kswl, but I actually believe I was talking about my own age group not persons older than myself.

    Yes, there seems to be confusion on the word usage for belie, you state that "Belies is synonymous with "contradicts," you seem to have missed the actual deffinition in favor of a synonym, (contradict), belie is defined as "fail to give a true notion or impression of (something)."

    I wrote "...a need to defend the old and lambast the new belies an obvious insecurity."

    and actually the definition and your suggested synonym both parse.

    1. a need to defend the old and lambast the new contradicts an obvious insecurity.

    2. a need to defend the old and lambast the new fails to give a true notion of the obviouls insecurity.

    But I hardly see why it matters.

    'poo-poo' was because I was actually thinking of monkeys and what they throw when they don't like something. But I have to admit that I have always been horrible at spelling, I find that it is quirks like that that keep me humble, and am grateful when the worst someone can say about me is 'she can't spell, bless her heart'.

  • sergeantcuff
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    And this thread was going swimmingly for 130 posts!

    Let's face it, the "magazine homes" are occupied by the wealthy, it's hard to compete if that's your inclination.

    I will probably never be done. It's a good thing that I didn't have the money to do it all at once as I was/am too uniformed to make good choices.

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    T'was brillig, and the slithy toves
    Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
    All mimsy were the borogoves
    And the mome raths outgrabe.

  • sergeantcuff
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's it! I want my house to be all mimsy and beamish-y

  • marcolo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Why are people suddenly posting meaningless gibberish in this thread?

    On a completely unrelated note, love the Jabberwocky quotation.

  • maddielee
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Is online Scrabble a video game? I 'm an old liberal with no tats who watches Tv and reads the daily paper.... just wondering?

    ML

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think maybe I've misunderstood the whole thread. Is it about magazine houses?

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Those aren't magazines, Pal. Those are Restoration Hardware catalogues, silly. Close enough.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The end.

  • Mmmbeeer
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "Let's face it, the "magazine homes" are occupied by the wealthy, it's hard to compete if that's your inclination."

    Hmmmmm...I'd say that may have been true before but in this day and age of blogging and sites like Apartment Therapy, there seem to be (to me, at least) lot of homes that are truly photogenic that are tiny or well appointed or very cleverly decorated utilizing a relatively small budget.

    My mom has always had a talent for decorating--I would say her home is pretty much always "photo ready" and much of it is from garage sales, refurbished, or even recycled curbside throwaways. Her sisters have equally beautifully decorated homes. I also enjoy the challenge of creating an asthetically pleasing home while staying within a budget. I would say the shared common denominator is a talent for finding objects that mesh well to form a kind of cohesive theme as opposed to simply having an unlimited budget to purchase the latest trends. Some of it is the ability to see and replicate patterns that tie rooms together. I can look at my mom's home and see how she uses what she has to tie in the view of her gardens (that my dad has worked so hard on) that we can all see from her living room windows and bring that into her home. It can be a kind of "tuning into your environment" in a kind of unconscious way (did I use that word correctly? Lol) that a lot of people lack. That being said, decorating is simply the ability to arrange objects in a pleasing manner. There are many talents I would kill to have; the trick is to enjoy the ones you are blessed with.