Lets do some D&R unpopular opinions!

[SusanBAnthony]

I feel like I am full of them. I wonder if you guys wish I would just shut up and go away.

Don't paint your wood cabinets, ever. The end.

Ditto wood trim.

Lb2006's teal bathroom is awesome, and could be such a cool retro look. I would never rip out awesome teal tile.

We looked at a house with a baby blue toilet and shower and I loved them.

The bathroom vanities with open shelves and baskets are stupid looking and would be hard to keep clean. They look like an impersonal cheap hotel, not a house.


Man, I a, on a roll tonight, and I am not even drinking!

[SusanBAnthony]

Ooh, I thought of another one! Why is all wood furniture stained so dark? Blech. You can hardly see the wood grain. Might as well buy cheap ikea brown/black colored fake wood.

[Deleted]

I think all wall to wall carpet is unsanitary and disgusting.

Every Toto toilet I've ever seen is hideous; I don't care how well they work if they are ugly.

I agree with SBA about painting trim, though I can't make myself care too much about cheap thin trims. Also, this doesn't seem like a particularly unpopular opinion here, maybe just slightly controversial.

If it's furniture or a kitchen from IKEA, I don't like it. I've owned some things at some point out of financial necessity, but as soon as I could afford to not shop there, I stopped.

I love lace curtains.

Large houses are wasteful and I don't envy them at all (especially cleaning them). The excesses of the house featured in The Blind Side post just disgusted me. Or maybe deep down I'm jealous? I don't think so though.

[ohjessica]

I'm probably full of them too since I often find myself having opinions that differ from the norm on this board. I'm also not a technical decorator so I just kind of go with what I like and don't get caught up in decorating do's or don'ts. That said, I never really understood why people like bottom freezers. Seems like such a pain to have to bend over and sort through food. Seems like it would be harder to keep that organized because it's so much easier just to throw things in rather than bend down and put things in nicely.

[RoxMonster]

My unpop op is I only like super dark wood. I want it almost black or at least espresso. I hate wood that is light colored.

[mrs.jacinthe]

I strongly prefer side-by-side refrigerators. I'd pass up a ~2k french door for a $600 side-by-side anytime. I also prefer a top-loading washing machine.
I prefer white appliances too over stainless or black.
I hate tile in all varieties and locations.
I don't like houses with a great-room concept or open floor plan (GASP!)

[bunnymendelbaum]

"wall art" makes me die inside.

[Deleted]

Oh, that's a good one MrsJ. Open floor plans do suck. (Still think you're a nut re: tile though .)

[mrs.jacinthe]

Jan 22, 2013 20:36:01 GMT -5 @juno said:

Oh, that's a good one MrsJ. Open floor plans do suck. (Still think you're a nut re: tile though .)

LOL.  I think you're nuts for not liking Ikea.  So there.  

FWIW, it was SOOO hard finding a house out here that didn't have an open floor plan.  Egads.  

[sailorgray]

My UO is that I hate these posts because I usually love what everyone hates :^)

[pitterwoo]

I don't want any stainless steel appliances in my kitchen.

I totally love ikea and would probably shop there even if I could afford better, but then again I don't really know what that would be like. I guess I am their target customer- design for the masses.

I rarely, if ever wish that I had another bathroom. It would just be more cleaning.

[Deleted]

Now wait a minute. Loving IKEA and hating IKEA can't both be unpopular opinions. I challenge your opinion as not unpopular pitterwoo

[munkii]

I like top freezer fridges; in fact, we just bought one a couple months ago.

Granite is blech.

I do not like open floorplans.

I'm not convinced stained trim is terrible. The only reason I painted my is because it's already painted.

I'm tired of gray, greige, and light yellow on walls.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Jan 22, 2013 20:53:29 GMT -5 munkii said:

I'm tired of gray, greige, and light yellow on walls.

oooh, it's ON.  

[pitterwoo]

Jan 22, 2013 20:48:27 GMT -5 @juno said:

Now wait a minute. Loving IKEA and hating IKEA can't both be unpopular opinions. I challenge your opinion as not unpopular pitterwoo

Maybe we'll have to take a vote, but I bet there are more decor snobs that don't want ikea than low rent types like me who feel all high fashion with our new Ektorps and Hemnes.  

eta: I think it's because most comments are about making do with ikea stuff or getting ikea for something temporary.  I'm totally thrilled with my stuff from ikea and wouldn't really trade it for anything else for those particular items.

[munkii]

You know, MrsJ, I used to like light yellow. Then I lived with it for 5 years; after a while, it just felt so old lady.

[Susie]

Hmm.

I like wall to wall carpet in bedrooms.  I hate area rugs over hard flooring because I think it's a PITA to vacuum.  Pretty, but a PITA.

I also have chosen to live with our jewel tone carpet in most of the house for the last 4.5 years.  I'm sure that's an unpopular decision!

[mrs.jacinthe]

Jan 22, 2013 21:00:48 GMT -5 munkii said:

You know, MrsJ, I used to like light yellow. Then I lived with it for 5 years; after a while, it just felt so old lady.

Ehhhhhh.  ::hobbles around her light yellow bedroom::

Get off my lawn!  Whippersnapper.

[Deleted]

Jan 22, 2013 20:57:45 GMT -5 pitterwoo said:

Jan 22, 2013 20:48:27 GMT -5 @juno said:

Now wait a minute. Loving IKEA and hating IKEA can't both be unpopular opinions. I challenge your opinion as not unpopular pitterwoo

Maybe we'll have to take a vote, but I bet there are more decor snobs that don't want ikea than low rent types like me who feel all high fashion with our new Ektorps and Hemnes.  

eta: I think it's because most comments are about making due with ikea stuff or getting ikea for something temporary.  I'm totally thrilled with my stuff from ikea and wouldn't really trade it for anything else for those particular items.

I love a good bargain on something permanent as much as the next girl (hello $300 used sink and tub from CL and bed made from free lumber).  I definitely don't judge prices paid!  I just hate the look of most Scandinavian stuff at any price (which might be more unpopular than just hating IKEA).

ETA: I think this plays heavily into my hatred of MCM.  Yet another unpopular opinion, especially among TBM LOL.

[pitterwoo]

wow Juno taking on MCM and the scandinavian look altogether. good luck with that! :-#

[Deleted]

Jan 22, 2013 21:17:31 GMT -5 pitterwoo said:

wow Juno taking on MCM and the scandinavian look altogether. good luck with that! :-#

Hey, the topic is UNpopular opinions

[TBM]

Jan 22, 2013 21:08:12 GMT -5 @juno said:

Jan 22, 2013 20:57:45 GMT -5 pitterwoo said:

I love a good bargain on something permanent as much as the next girl (hello $300 used sink and tub from CL and bed made from free lumber).  I definitely don't judge prices paid!  I just hate the look of most Scandinavian stuff at any price (which might be more unpopular than just hating IKEA).

ETA: I think this plays heavily into my hatred of MCM.  Yet another unpopular opinion, especially among TBM LOL.

I love MCM, but I also love and appreciate the furniture and buildings of different eras.   I don't necessarily want to live with them, but I can still appreciate the workmanship and skill.    

I don't understand the lace curtain love, but if it makes you happy...

I have little tolerance for what I call impersonal decorating.  I don't understand how replicating someone else's room or buying everything for a room from the same set because the store said that it went together is showing the personality of the people who live there. 

Rome wasn't built in a day, and your home doesn't have to be completed in one day either.  Take your time and find things that speak to you and are meaningful to you and it will feel like home.

Matching sets and symmetrical arrangements make me want to scream.  So do light yellow walls.  I have tried both, and they seriously make me feel agitated.

Not all wood is pretty and should be left unpainted or uncovered. Sometimes species were chosen for furniture or floors because they were going to be covered by paint, carpet, linoleum, whatever.

White paint is not the fix all for cabinets and furniture...sometimes it works and sometimes it just looks cheap.

Some day all of the 'modernizing' is just going to look more dated than the house would if it had been restored thoughtfully instead.  I avoid real estate listings that say 'recent upgrades',  and 'modern kitchen', when they are talking about homes built before 1970.  I have seen some well done remodels, but I have seen far more really awful ones, that completely ruined the original character of the house.

I have so many more.lol

[pitterwoo]

Jan 22, 2013 21:45:22 GMT -5 TBM said:

Matching sets and symmetrical arrangements make me want to scream.  So do light yellow walls.  I have tried both, and they seriously make me feel agitated.

When we got married I painted our kitchen cabinets a light a bright yellow (a tad brighter than I had anticipated).  I later read somewhere that couples with yellow kitchens fought more and babies with yellow nurseries cried more.  As we made it through our first year of marriage I started to think there might be something to it.  Oh well, the cabs are still yellow and we don't fight so much now.  I might be more judicious about its use in the future anyway JIC.

[munkii]

TBM reminds me...I truly dislike modernizing old (especially historic) homes. The Cambridge project on TOH this past fall broke my heart.

I also like linoleum and vinyl. Not all of it, but it's come a long way.

[aimeedyan]

I think double sinks in a bathroom are a complete waste of counterspace. Seriously, what in the world are people doing in a sink for so long that they can't share one? Counterspace is where it's at, yo.

I'm another who thinks the bottom freezer is hassle. I've heard the complaint about no space for pizza/cakes/deli trays in a side by side but I've yet to have an issue. I think the french door thing was just the trendy thing to do for awhile.

The baby name on the nursery wall is so overdone. Why did anyone find that cute in the first place?

[TBM]

Jan 22, 2013 21:55:51 GMT -5 aimeedyan said:

I think double sinks in a bathroom are a complete waste of counterspace. Seriously, what in the world are people doing in a sink for so long that they can't share one? Counterspace is where it's at, yo.

I'm another who thinks the bottom freezer is hassle. I've heard the complaint about no space for pizza/cakes/deli trays in a side by side but I've yet to have an issue. I think the french door thing was just the trendy thing to do for awhile.

The baby name on the nursery wall is so overdone. Why did anyone find that cute in the first place?

ITA about the double sink vs counter space thing....team counter space here.


I disagree about bottom freezers and french doors.  We could almost fit an island in our small kitchen if we had a french door  fridge.   I grew up with freezer on the bottom, and find it so much more convenient, since the freezer is not where most of our food is.   We use ours mostly for dog food, bread and frozen vegetables, and it's where other food goes to die.  I want my everyday food closer to eye level.   My mom's side by side is a pita when we are getting ready for holidays and trying to prep.  It is the bane of my existence. ;p

[pinkeggs]

Most granite countertops are ugly. I like the much lighter ones, but I will never understand the popularity of the darker ones.

5-10 years from now, granite + stainless steel will be the number one thing to cause people on House Hunters to sigh and say, "This is SO 2010. We'll have to redo this."

[pitterwoo]

(hug)Merida
you're making me blush.

I couldn't keep up with the Joneses if I tried, so thank goodness I'm not trying.

[Deleted]

I like matching furniture.

I like granite. 

I like stainless steel appliances. 

I hate rooms that look decorated.

I like photos of my kids all over the damn house.

I like my TV above the fireplace. 

I love a double sink in the kitchen vs a big single basin. 

These are all things that are popular IRL, but not with the D&R crowd.

[house]

Huh. So I don't get the MCM hate. Just because it is "so 1950" or "1970" or "2010" doesn't mean it HAS to be updated! I for example love the vanity in the bathroom remodel post! I might change the countertops and tiles and floor but the cabinet looks very Dorothy Draper inspired and I think could look really nice painted a nice color such as robin's egg blue or a peacock blue.
I also love time capsule houses.
Oh and DH loves the stainless steel look and says will probably still go for it even when he turns 90! Lol! I love granite too, but this time we will be going with quartz.