STAND YOUR GROUND

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Yesterday I went to select new carpeting for my small house. Three cats lived here for 15 yrs and they are now gone, and I am left with the clean-up. Due to my own disabilities' I cannot put in a wood floor, so carpeting it is. Since this is my last decorating opportunity, I decided to put a different color in each room. I am a color person. I am so sick of the same color throughout a house. Well, a paint lady walked by and overheard my conversation and ran to my rescue to stop me from getting all these different colors. She and my nice salesman acted as if I were senile to even suggest more than one color. "No, it won't look good", she said. "You are just like my mother". The woman was in her 50's., and the sales guy agreed with her. "Of course, its your choice". I nodded my head. So, I withstood the pressure and now will have a different color in each bedroom. The stairs and LR is a different color. I think I'm going to like it. I'm starting a new trend. One color house--no longer trendy. I can't wait to see it when it done.

Any stories from the rest of you, where you went against the crowd.

Annette

I complained about the rise in the cost of the carpet, and they honored the old price. Inflation curtailed.

 

[Karl_K]

The trendy grey paint drives me batty.
To me its so depressing,
Rock on and color it up!

 

[Bonfire]

I agree with @Karl_K , color your world Annette!

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I wrote this post as I was awaiting the guy who measures the carpeting. I can't help but laugh. He comes in and says where do I measure? He looks down at his pad and he says with true -I don't understand this- it says you have different colors for each room.. I said, "Yes" He says, "Well you're going have to tell me exactly which color goes in which room. "Yes, I can do that". I do explain which color goes where, and we averted his discomfort.
How funny. I feel powerful going against the grain.

Tomorrow, I get my quote

Annette
I was just thinking --I picked a royal blue for one bedroom. Doesn't the white house have different color rooms. Mine is like the White House's Blue Room. I feel so much better

 

[elizat]

I think it's good you are doing what you want. Honestly, most folks don't really like carpet in many parts of the US anymore and would probably just remove it anyway when you sell the house unless it was brand new. That's what I have always done and my realtors have said it's pretty common. Have what you like, when you can enjoy it!

I am going to be installing wallpaper in our office and in a bedroom. Wallpaper is definitely not for everyone either!

This is my office wallpaper, in the blue.

Empress Wallpaper • Romantic Chinoiserie Wallpaper • Milton & King

EMPRESS is a romantic & decorative chinoiserie wallpaper design inspired by the beauty of an oriental garden in full bloom. Cockatoos and butterflies accent the gorgeous crawling flowers as they climb the twisting vines and branches.

www.miltonandking.com

 

[MamaBee]

That’s great you stuck to your guns! I would love to see photos when you’re done! I like light walls but love colorful area rugs in my dining rooms.

 

[missy]

Good for you Annette. You are the one living there and you know what you like.
This is your life and AFAIK we only have this one life to live.
Live it your way.

And yes, I feel like I do this almost every single day.
I am not one to follow the rules or trends.
I do what works for me and what pleases me.

For example, I hate area rugs. I know they ground the room etc. but I prefer bare wood floors. Given my allergies and my overall aesthetic preferences. I don't care if anyone else likes it. I like it.

You do you and I'll do me.
Be you. Do you. For you.
Exactly.




ETA When Fred was alive I had area rugs for him. His old arthritic body loved the comfort of the area rugs. So that was one exception. There are exceptions to all rules of course and that's OK. May he RIP. I would bring area rugs into every room of the house if I could have him back.

 

[kenny]

I'm shocked, I tell you.
Thoroughly shocked!

A different color of carpeting for each room?
It's simply not done!

Don't be abnormal.
Be normal.
We are all desperately dependent on social acceptance.
I mean, think of the children.

People MUST not vary!
There is only one right way to do things, and you MUST conform!

 

[MissGotRocks]

@smitcompton I am chuckling with you! Good for you for getting exactly what you want! Life is too short to settle or be totally guided by HGTV. Trends come and go and most folks don’t redecorate their entire kitchen, bathrooms and living spaces to satisfy the television designers every few years.

Enjoy your new carpet to the fullest!!

 

[dk168]

In private, it is my way or no way, no argument.

I may ask for opinions, however, at the end of the day, I am the decision maker and shall live with whatever decisions I have made, good or bad.

An example is food related. I keep being criticised for this and that when it comes to food, such as using bowls to separate side dishes, not liking my plate swimming in gravy, liking my bacon very crispy, etc., etc...

My response - I am the one who is going to eat this and I shall eat it which way I like.

DK

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Hi,

Yesterday I went to select new carpeting for my small house. Three cats lived here for 15 yrs and they are now gone, and I am left with the clean-up. Due to my own disabilities' I cannot put in a wood floor, so carpeting it is. Since this is my last decorating opportunity, I decided to put a different color in each room. I am a color person. I am so sick of the same color throughout a house. Well, a paint lady walked by and overheard my conversation and ran to my rescue to stop me from getting all these different colors. She and my nice salesman acted as if I were senile to even suggest more than one color. "No, it won't look good", she said. "You are just like my mother". The woman was in her 50's., and the sales guy agreed with her. "Of course, its your choice". I nodded my head. So, I withstood the pressure and now will have a different color in each bedroom. The stairs and LR is a different color. I think I'm going to like it. I'm starting a new trend. One color house--no longer trendy. I can't wait to see it when it done.

Any stories from the rest of you, where you went against the crowd.

Annette

I complained about the rise in the cost of the carpet, and they honored the old price. Inflation curtailed.

this is so excitting
i have sold quite a lot of paint in my time and it was just depressing mixing up all that grey and white
i have heard a plausable theory (froma paint company tutor) how the grey interior trend got going in this country is a while ago now but up in Auckland they were pumping out new houses at a great rate of knots
it was litterly so much quicker to spray the interiors all one colour and for that matter all the same sheen

i hate grey
i also hate grey exteriors and grey roofs and grey fences
lucky our town never got much of a new housing boom so houses and fences and roofs and outbuildings come in all colours although i do see way too much grey sneaking in
but when we lived in Wellington our bedroom window looked out onto a large new subpurb that was just sheep a few years earlier
we watched it sprawl down the hill
first roads and streetlights then never ending grey including grey tinted windows
so borring
so unorgional

death to grey cannot come soon enough for me

different coloured carpet sounds very excitiing
i like carpet, its warm and it feels nice to walk on especially over concrete floors
but we have nice floorbaords and its eaiser on my alligies
i also like wallpaper

 

[redwood66]

Do what makes you happy since you say it's your last time doing it. Good grief I agree with @Karl_K about grey. We're looking at homes to buy and everyone has painted everything grey! None of it goes with our furniture we've kept. Plus they've kept the 90's honey oak cabinets - not a good look with grey paint.

 

[Bron357]

Too many people decorate to be ”on trend” (which changes and is dated two years later) or for “resale value”.
if you are selling your house in 5 years or less, it might make more sense to go more “traditional” BUT I’ve known people to rip up and out 6 month old carpets and kitchens to make the house “their own”.
My advice, your house, your style your way.
When I remodeled my kitchen I chose both Grey metallic and aubergine cabinets. I remember the horrified look on the installers face when he unpacked for installation “Oh no, the cabinets are in two different colours, some are purple OMG”. His horror look turned to incredulous as I explained the colours were right and just as I chose them.
My kitchen has never been in fashion so it can’t go out of fashion and I love it today, 15 years later, as much as ever.
you do you.

 

[elizat]

Do what makes you happy since you say it's your last time doing it. Good grief I agree with @Karl_K about grey. We're looking at homes to buy and everyone has painted everything grey! None of it goes with our furniture we've kept. Plus they've kept the 90's honey oak cabinets - not a good look with grey paint.

A friend just redid her kitchen and lower level. She loves it. It looks like a battleship. Everything is grey. Grey floors. Grey paint. Grey cabinets. Grey counters. Grey toned black appliances. All light fixtures are black. It's so so so GREY. I like grey as a neutral wall color but the trend of everything grey is so not for me.

 

[missy]

I'll share my mom's thinking on this.

Many years ago my mom took the house we grew up in and renovated it completely. She took our two bathrooms and made it into one larger bathroom. Any real estate expert will tell you that is not very good move for resale. She did this over two decades ago now. And you know what she said when others told her oh no don't do that. She said she wanted to make her house her haven and love everything about it and so she did. She was very pleased with the outcome.

Would I have done that? No. I mean now this house has one bathroom. And in my opinion having two bathrooms is good for most marriages. But good for her. And my parents will have been married 59 years this coming December. So obviously it works for them. They are living their lives and enjoying each moment. Just how they envisioned it and in my book that's how we should live. In the moment and we should be able to enjoy our surroundings. IMO.

 

[TooPatient]

Too many people decorate to be ”on trend” (which changes and is dated two years later) or for “resale value”.
if you are selling your house in 5 years or less, it might make more sense to go more “traditional” BUT I’ve known people to rip up and out 6 month old carpets and kitchens to make the house “their own”.
My advice, your house, your style your way.
When I remodeled my kitchen I chose both Grey metallic and aubergine cabinets. I remember the horrified look on the installers face when he unpacked for installation “Oh no, the cabinets are in two different colours, some are purple OMG”. His horror look turned to incredulous as I explained the colours were right and just as I chose them.
My kitchen has never been in fashion so it can’t go out of fashion and I love it today, 15 years later, as much as ever.
you do you.

Your kitchen sounds amazing!

We ripped out the beautiful off-white carpet (oh so plush and wonderful and just like I always wanted) that still had the new carpet smell and had only been walked on by the handful of people looking at the house once listed. Western Washington state with three dogs coming in during the rainy months...

The realtor for our previous house felt the need to remind us that carpet and paint are easy to do and cheap in the context of a house purchase. One house had all different colors of carpet and paint. I loved it! There was one room with a color I couldn't stand, but the rest were just so fun and happy feeling. I was definitely sad that the house had serious issues that made it not a good option. (Roof, foundation, mold, drainage issues, and more just from our quick walk through.)

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,
Thanks for the support, everyone. Elizat, you're right. A new owner will just tear it all out and put their own stamp on the house.
This morning I got my quote, and of course they didn't honor the old price. i also found a discrepancy in the square yardage they calculated. I have another bill from the last time I did it. I don't know how to handle that one. They are recalculating now and I will discuss the square yardage when they call back.

Bron-- Just looked at suggestions for grays myself, and aubergene was suggested to go with grays. Sorry, you are now trendy.
I will make a confession now. I put color in the three bedrooms, aqua(soft), royal blue, and navy blue. I like blue. However, I went with gray(E) for the stairs and my living room. I have had the light beigey color for too long and I think i can jazz up the gray. They showed a velvet aubergene chair with grey carpeting that I loved. Stunning!.
Missy, your mom did go out on a limb, but I have two small bathrooms next to each other, so I too considered making a large one. One of the bathrooms is now a closet with the plumbing roughed in ready to make it into a bathroom if the next owner wants two baths upstairs. I have a powder room downstairs. The closet was more important.

Awaiting the next quote.

Annette

 

[Lookinagain]

I agree, go with what you love. Yes, carpet and paint are easy to change for either you, or a subsequent owner. If you have wood floors under the carpet, the next owner won't even have to replace the carpet if they like wood floors. I've been in my house forever. I don't redecorate often because the last time I did, probably 20 years ago, I did what I liked and I still like it today. Most of the rooms make me happy when I walk into them, and that is what counts.

I will add that I did stand my ground when I redid my kitchen many years ago. The trend was dark cherry cabinets and stainless appliances, neither of which I like. I went with white for both, which were not popular and I'm glad I did. I realized long ago that if I had dark cabinets I'd probably not clean them enough. With white, I can see the drops and drips and therefore I clean them. Works for me.

 

[Calliecake]

@smitcompton, Get what YOU love. It’s a great feeling to love how your home looks. It’s going to look beautiful Annette.

 

[monarch64]

I don’t think grey is the absolute worst but it’s very close at this point. I agree with others that it’s rather depressing to see nothing but monochromatic rooms, floor to ceiling.

I just bought a condo (finally!) that’s being almost completely renovated—baths, flooring, kitchen, lighting—and am able to have a say in colors/styles. Went with lighter, warm hardwoods throughout, white cabs with champagne gold (brushed gold/brass) hardware/faucets) in kitchen, baths, and have chosen warmth in everything due to the original stonework fireplace facade; it looks very 70s but now that’s its charm. I am so sick of barn this, Pinterest that, gray everything, so I went with classic and warm and am having the entire interior including trim painted Simply White so I have a nice clean slate on move-in. Then? I’ll color in my blank canvas. Very refreshing to choose rather than move into Grey Gardens.

 

[MamaBee]

I don’t think grey is the absolute worst but it’s very close at this point. I agree with others that it’s rather depressing to see nothing but monochromatic rooms, floor to ceiling.

I just bought a condo (finally!) that’s being almost completely renovated—baths, flooring, kitchen, lighting—and am able to have a say in colors/styles. Went with lighter, warm hardwoods throughout, white cabs with champagne gold (brushed gold/brass) hardware/faucets) in kitchen, baths, and have chosen warmth in everything due to the original stonework fireplace facade; it looks very 70s but now that’s its charm. I am so sick of barn this, Pinterest that, gray everything, so I went with classic and warm and am having the entire interior including trim painted Simply White so I have a nice clean slate on move-in. Then? I’ll color in my blank canvas. Very refreshing to choose rather than move into Grey Gardens.

I would love to see photos. Please start a thread somewhere. Your ideas sound wonderful.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

our poor old house is waiting to be painted inside and out
i just have to wait for Gary to get better
i want all jewel tones inside
so i love this purple and grey combo - although i wouldnt do the grey as every room in the house is already grey
nice carpet is really exspensive here so i would be reluctant to move into a new house and rip out new carpet but we dont have carpet so no worries in that dept
even though there are just the two of us i would love a 2nd loo but its not going to happen, ill just be ahppy having a nicenew bathroom one day

 

[Calliecake]

Threadjack Warning - GREAT NEWS @monarch64. I’m sure it will look beautiful.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Monarch,

I'm glad life is improving for you. The Condo is great news. Have fun decorating. I too painted my walls white. As you said, an empty palette.
Nice to hear good news!

Annette

 

[Austina]

As others have said, it’s your home and your choice @smitcompton.

Having previously had lots of colours in my other homes, both on the walls and carpets, my new home is GREY and I love it I have colour accents in other pieces, but the walls are grey, the ceilings are white, my kitchen is white with dark grey quartz, my bathrooms are white with grey tiles, my fire place is dark grey shiplap, my wood floors are grey toned. Not a brass accent anywhere, all brushed nickel. I had to choose everything via the internet as we couldn’t travel due to Covid, and I’m really pleased with the way it’s turned out.

Did I mention that I LOVE gray?

 

[monarch64]

I would love to see photos. Please start a thread somewhere. Your ideas sound wonderful.

I might do that. I’m a little shy because I am a people pleaser and scared of judgment. If I do start a thread it will be over in Family/Home or whatever it’s called these days so it isn’t as visible as Hangout. Thank you for your interest!

 

[monarch64]

As others have said, it’s your home and your choice @smitcompton.

Having previously had lots of colours in my other homes, both on the walls and carpets, my new home is GREY and I love it I have colour accents in other pieces, but the walls are grey, the ceilings are white, my kitchen is white with dark grey quartz, my bathrooms are white with grey tiles, my fire place is dark grey shiplap, my wood floors are grey toned. Not a brass accent anywhere, all brushed nickel. I had to choose everything via the internet as we couldn’t travel due to Covid, and I’m really pleased with the way it’s turned out.

Did I mention that I LOVE gray?

I’m sorry if my comment bothered you; I really hope it didn’t. That which brings joy is so subjective. I remember absolutely hating brass/bright gold hardware in the 2010s because it seemed dated. Then it was everything white, all polished or brushed nickel, and also a ton of stainless appliances. Then it was oil-rubbed bronze. Like you could NOT get away from these trends, they were ubiquitous. Kind of like 1970s Brady Bunch avocado and orange and shag rugs probably were when those things were trendy. We all grab onto whatever aesthetic speaks to us. I could’ve been more diplomatic in expressing my opinion and would have had we been talking jewelry, but here in Hangout I feel pretty free to not step on toes as far as this kind of thing. While I may not love grey and shiplap, I do love consistency and commitment, and you have those in spades. Cheers and enjoy your lovely home in good health for many years to come!

 

[Austina]

Not at all @monarch64, I’m not offended in the least. We all have our own tastes, and mine have certainly changed over the years. I always had lots of colour in my previous homes, I think that’s why I’ve gone so plain in my last and this home. I also remember when certain things, like gold fixtures, were all the rage, and that’s why I prefer stainless/nickel now.

I also love wallpaper, but with the texture they put on walls here, I don’t think I can do it and get a smooth finish.

I love the colour purple, so have a purple striped sofa and purple accessories.

Honestly, if you’d told me a couple of years ago that I’d have shiplap I wouldn’t have believed it. I live on a former ranch now in Texas, a far cry from my mock Tudor previous home in the leafy suburbs of England.

 

[monarch64]

Not at all @monarch64, I’m not offended in the least. We all have our own tastes, and mine have certainly changed over the years. I always had lots of colour in my previous homes, I think that’s why I’ve gone so plain in my last and this home. I also remember when certain things, like gold fixtures, were all the rage, and that’s why I prefer stainless/nickel now.

I also love wallpaper, but with the texture they put on walls here, I don’t think I can do it and get a smooth finish.

I love the colour purple, so have a purple striped sofa and purple accessories.

Honestly, if you’d told me a couple of years ago that I’d have shiplap I wouldn’t have believed it. I live on a former ranch now in Texas, a far cry from my mock Tudor previous home in the leafy suburbs of England.

Oh I’m so glad! I was worried I had really put my foot in it. I haven’t paid close attention to your posts here but I do recall your journey from across the pond to Austin from the NIRDI thread a while ago. Happy you’re here in the states and thriving. What a drastic change—I admire your ambition and resilience, very cool.

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

When we first built our house in 1991, I chose to put different color carpet in each bedroom. The rooms were separated by hardwood in the foyer. Everyone told me how awful it would look, but I wanted a different feel in each room, so I stuck with my original plan. When it was done everyone was surprised how much they liked it.

Eventually, I decided to get rid of all the carpeting and go with hardwood throughout. Plenty of people told me it would look too plain and would be cold. I did it anyway, and we all love the plain floors.

Life is short. Do what makes you happy.