Street of Dreams
I recently found this blog, McMansion Hell, and I LOVE it! Photo courtesy of McMansion Hell.
Would you ever want to live in a show home? A McMansion? Do you read design magazines? Ever notice that the homes in design magazines are not nearly as showy as these homes? There is a reason for that. Street of Dreams homes and McMansions are not designed for people, they are designed for product sales and show. I pride myself on designing homes for real people.
Sometimes, homeowners get caught up in "things" and flashy showy ideas rather than function and feeling. I admit it, those flashy, showy items are certainly enticing... but are they always necessary? And, must a home have ALL of them? A good design has one continuous idea, or concept that is carried through to every element and idea. It establishes a feeling, and that feeling is so much more than "wow, look at this fancy trinket". It is simple, cohesive, functional, feeling, and personal.
Using Pinterest and Houzz for inspiration will land you with a very generic space, looking just like your neighbors. Trust your designer to create something unique to YOU!
Which brings me back to the show house. Typically a show home is created by giving several product representatives and designers a single space within the home. The consistency is created by giving the designer a theme, "beachy", "rustic", etc. There is no continuous concept. These people do not work together to establish a holistic idea. Instead, you're walking from one showcase to another. Cool to look at, but not a home.
Remember my article on gathering design inspiration? One of the first things I said is that Pinterest and Houzz are NOT a good place to start. They are great places to look for inspiration details, but starting with these websites will get you a mish-mash of ideas rather than a cohesive, functional home that works with you and is created for your lifestyle. My advice for all of you working on design projects is to:
- Let go of the "inspiration" sites
- Focus on how you want to FEEL in your home
- Focus on imagery that makes you feel this way (not house imagery!!)
- Establish a holistic feeling for your home and focus on the activities that will take place in your home.
- Remember, you are creating a home... not a showpiece. The true showpiece will come with it's purpose, not it's flash.