# Is it really that bad?



## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

I had a friend put together my rooms in 3D and I designed it. I did the living room, kitchenette and dining room. All is open concept. I was going for a mix of mid-century and California casual. I was excited to show my friends that I have known for many years on another group chat board. This board does not have anything to do with homes or anything with design. I just wanted their opinion. They responded really badly, they were not mean, they just did not like it. This made me scared because now I am second guessing everything and I already started to buy many pieces. I was also planning to sale my old stuff, that is really not that old to get the new stuff. What if I changed it all and everyone hated it and then I would miss my old stuff that I sold. I thought I would come here to the decorating board to get your opinions. Is it really that bad?








<a 
href="https://s689.photobucket.com/user/BodyArtic/media/tr_a24c45c5-e700-4049-b5d7-9ec516623c87_692024_2_elsie_userview_2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://i689.photobucket.com/albums/vv256/BodyArtic/tr_a24c45c5-e700-4049-b5d7-9ec516623c87_692024_2_elsie_userview_2.jpg" border="0" alt="Kit1 photo tr_a24c45c5-e700-4049-b5d7-9ec516623c87_692024_2_elsie_userview_2.jpg"/></a>


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

I am sorry, let me try the pics again. I am using photobucket, I wish I new of a better host.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

I am sorry, I guess I do not know how to post photos here. Can anyone help?


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Someone will help you find the link for photos. I can't do links on this computer. There's a how to by Cricket.

Why do you care what people you don't really know, think of your decorating? You said this isn't their area?

You should decorate in a way that pleases you, since you will live there. I like 18th century American mahogany but that doesn't mean you should. You learn as you live what works well.

I had a roommate years ago who had a bright orange fake fur chair. I will never live with one again. :smile:

Taste varies as much as people do.

People here may critique your furniture layout for practicality, but hopefully will not critique your taste.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Well I do not know how to post the photos, but these links below should take you to them. Push the arrow on the side to view all three images.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPBZ-mGENurzXL4TF7QbajvqgK5--EikE0PnFJn


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Nik333;
I had a roommate years ago who had a bright orange fake fur chair. I will never live with one again. :smile:
Taste varies as much as people do.
People here may critique your furniture layout for practicality said:


> Nike333 Your roommate can party all night, get drunk and steal, but you draw the line with the orange chair? :smile: I am just kidding.
> 
> I think I care so much what others think is because since my husband died four years ago, I kinda threw in the towel. But now I am really trying hard to accept, move on and be positive. I was thinking about going back to school for interior design, but I just may not have the talent for it.
> 
> Thanks for your advice and I agree decorating is personal and I thank you for your encouragement, but I still would love for you all to take a look. I added links above.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

Neither your pictures nor link worked for me :/


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Yep: google wants me to sign in to my account. 

That ain't happening, I have no account.

So I'm a " no account" user.

Honestly though , What does it matter what a bunch of people that you barely know on the site , think of your personal taste.

As long as you are comfortable, and happy with your surroundings you will be a happier person. 

So I advise " You can't please everybody, So just please yourself.":wink2:


ED


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

You should be able to just click on "Manage Attachments" and select the photos (no links) you want to show. Click on the "Upload" after photos have been selected.

If computer is behaving particularly badly, you can add the photos to your "Album".


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I saw the first photo. It's cute & looks clean and fresh.

Taking a design class sounds like a great idea. They will tell you if they like your techniques.

Some people just enjoy being mean, eslecially on the Internet.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Nik333 said:


> I saw the first photo. It's cute & looks clean and fresh.
> 
> Taking a design class sounds like a great idea. They will tell you if they like your techniques.
> 
> Some people just enjoy being mean, eslecially on the Internet.


 eslecially ?

I'm not being mean, is that a foreign word or ?:devil3:

Yeah I know : fat fingers on little buttons, I have the same problem on this full sized keyboard. :vs_whistle:

But I agree that there are "trolls" out there that only want to blast someone else, because their life is miserable, and can't stand that someone else is not. 

So OP, as I said, just please yourself, She's the important one.


ED


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

de-nagorg said:


> eslecially ?
> 
> I'm not being mean, is that a foreign word or ?:devil3:
> 
> ...


I was trying to find the tutorial then had trouble getting back. I don't have fat fingers, just need to preview. At least I don't write bad jokes.:biggrin2:


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Ann - Go to the top of the page and click on Forums at the far left, top. On the list of Forums, go down to the last one, something like DIY support. The 10th tutorial is on posting images. :smile


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Thanks SPS-1 for the photo help.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Ann, SPS showed where to look under ‘additional options.’

You first have to hit reply ( like when you reply to a post)
before you can scan down to see - additional options.

Don’t pay too much attention to everyone’s opinions on the other
forum. If you post your pics here, everyone will help you.
We have lots of talented people here. :smile:


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Two Knots I am a little confused, the photo's showed up, did I do it wrong? Thanks for your kind words.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

It looks fine to me but what you like is the only opinion that counts.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

It looks like we posted at the same time.
I see your pics now.

This is the look your going for, right? I love everything, it’s bright,
cheerful and cozy. The only thing I’m not crazy for is the black
light over the table in the DR. I have to go back and look at it again.

Everything else is :thumbsup:


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Great décor, Tidy, neat, uncluttered, not austentacious. 

I would be proud of it myself.

And am honored that you ask my opinion. 

Tell those naysayers to go " fly a kite", in a rainstorm. :devil3:


ED


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

I agree with Neal that your own opinion is the only one that counts.

But for myself, I rather like the light colors and modern styling. I think the couch would look better if it matched the white chairs. But then again, white going to be tough to keep looking new. Not fond of the dining room light fixture --- try Wayfair, they have hundreds, perhaps thousands to choose from.


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## sestivers (Aug 10, 2007)

So those are CAD drawings, not real photos right? Are the items simply what were available in the CAD catalog or are you expecting to purchase those exact items?


I like it; not sure why anyone would be disparaging your ideas.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I went back to take another look at the photos.
I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen them before. The chairs
and blue pillows in the first photo are particularly familiar.


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## Roxygal (Sep 4, 2019)

I think it looks pretty good! Maybe your "friends" are jealous. Possible.
The only things I'm not crazy about is the picture on the top of the shelf, not significant, and the side dining room chairs look uncomfortable. Otherwise I give it a thumbs up.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Thanks Very much to everyone for your encouragement and advice! You all got me excited to finish what I started! I took pictures and measurements and my friend put the room together and I got to design with things I want to buy. Most of the items are from Crate & Barrel, CB2 and West Elm. West Elm especially because they mostly lean towards mid-century.

Two Knots the chairs are from Joybird and the Pillows are from the Pillow Collection. I already purchased the coffee table, cabinet under the TV, the kitchenette table , pillows and rug and artwork in the living room. I can send actual photos once I get everything, but it is going to take a little while as I am doing it all by myself now. 

Roxy Gal- I thought about the same thing about the dining room chairs, but I wanted to bring in the walnut as it is in the living room and kitchenette. They are also very reasonably priced. Once I sat on them they are really more comfortable than they look and so I was sold.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

I wanted to ask you one more question that maybe you can help. The couch is from Cb2 and is almost $2,300.I never had a leather couch before, but does all leather puddle after awhile.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Two Knots said:


> I went back to take another look at the photos.
> I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen them before. The chairs
> and blue pillows in the first photo are particularly familiar.


I posted on Houzz asking about if I should add wallpaper to the dining room wall. I posted on a online seller board with people I have talked to for over 15 years. That is were I got a bad reaction. Did you see it either of those places? It is definitely my house, perhaps you have seen my house here as I have posted pictures of my house here before.

SPS- I actually have a white couch now, I am a clean fanatic and even so, I will never buy a white couch again. I know the chairs look white in the photo but in person they are actually a mix of gray, beige and white. They are so much more pretty in person


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Ann34 said:


> I wanted to ask you one more question that maybe you can help. The couch is from Cb2 and is almost $2,300.I never had a leather couch before, but does all leather puddle after awhile.


Type of leather is very important. It is either "bonded leather" or "genuine leather". Bonded leather will start to deteriorate after a few years (depending on usage, of course). Genuine leather will last ten times that. Genuine leather is a lot more expensive than bonded leather.

Not sure what you mean by puddling. I have two leather couches, about 25-30 years old, that the leather is still in excellent condition. The one chair is showing wear on the armrest, plus some scratching post damage from when I took in friend's cat while she was in hospital --- but that's another story.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

I think they look alright. It's not my style tbh, but it looks good for "that" style. It reminds me of like... idk European design I suppose is best I can think of. Like I'd imagine it being modern Swedish or Norwegian.

Please don't put up wallpaper... As a person who's had to deal with attempting to replace that stuff, please don't. I have five walls I have to /PULL DOWN/ to get rid of that crud right now. 

Paint it, use stencils, its way better looking than any wallpaper and you (or the next owner) can change their mind some decade later  My latest "I want it" thing is 3d wall panels.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I love leather furniture. Have a leather recliner couch in the den
and two leather chairs. As SPS pointed out make sure it’s 
genuine leather. Bonded leather is thinly cut leather glued to
a piece of fabric. 

We clean the leather pieces every few months and put a leather
conditioner on it. I let my puppy on the leather couch without
worry.


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## Deja-vue (Mar 24, 2013)

The Design looks great. The only thing I would change is in the Fireplace room instead of

small TV (too low) Big Picture.

to

Large TV over Fireplace and small picture.
:biggrin2:


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Not what I would do for myself but it certainly looks fine from here.


And if you like it that is all that really matters.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Deja-vue said:


> The Design looks great. The only thing I would change is in the Fireplace room instead of
> 
> small TV (too low) Big Picture.
> 
> ...


Here is my thinking behind this... I did not want a large TV and I wanted enough room for a cabinet. I also wanted to add more light and it was a great place to add the floor lamp. On the other side, I really wanted the book shelf. I did the picture on top of the bookcase to give a diagonal look. The picture on the book shelf high, the large picture on the fireplace middle and the TV low. If the TV was higher it may compete with the picture on the fireplace and would be too high above the cabinet underneath it. I like the cabinet because it is extra storage and hides the TV equipment.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

IDK if you have the budget, but they make cabinets that have a motorized TV lift in them so you can hide the TV if company comes over. 

However, my recommend would be bigger TV used as a digital picture frame when company's afoot. I've done landscape scenes for my designs - used Paint or whatever to add location titles to the pictures and the company stands around the thing yapping with each other about "Oh I been there!" "How'd ya like it" all night. heh 

There's near flat TVs out there these days so it's even easier to do, but you just build a wood frame to hang out over top of the bezel and it gives it that polished/finished look you want on a picture.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Just the TV location seems "off" to me.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

123pugsy said:


> Just the TV location seems "off" to me.


Hard to watch it from the couch or chairs.


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Nik333 said:


> Hard to watch it from the couch or chairs.


Thank you all for your advice!

The TV is actually on a full motion TV mount, so it pulls out past the fireplace and tilts for perfect viewing on the couch. The TV is about 1" thick and the full motion ultra thin wall mount when collapsed is about 1" also. When not in use the TV goes all the way back to the wall only 2" away from it. I do try think about everything that goes into the room. 

Mystriss I love your ideas and I think they would be beautiful! For me I have other TV's in different rooms so I did not want the TV to be a big focal point. I actually had a Samsung the frame TV which was bigger and you could use all kinds of Artwork and frames and most people never knew it was a TV. I would get a lot of compliments asking where I bought the Artwork. The TV was beautiful and the picture was fantastic. 

I actually just sold the TV and paid for the new TV and the cabinet underneath it with the money I sold the Frame TV with. I sold it for two reasons, one the Frame TV artwork competed with the other artwork. I want the fireplace artwork to be the focal point. I also change out my artwork very quickly. So if you don't like the Williams Sonoma Starbust artwork over the fireplace, don't worry I will change it. The second reason was it was larger and it was too big for the cabinet and the lamp that I need the extra lighting.


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

Uf dah, too much energy for me honey. I tend to keep my wall art up way past it's expiration date 

Though I'll say I kinda like the pic over the fireplace there, its maybe a little big for my tastes (I like "white space"), but the design is interesting and matches the dining room light (which I'm guessing is visible from there so it's a nice tie in.) IDK if it's worth the cost to do, but I'd ditch the white matting and make the frame smaller, a mid-thin black to really make it pop (maybe 1/2 to 1" wide matte black wood)


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

Thanks Mystriss I could see how the black frame could make it pop and also tie a little of the black in the dining room to the living room.


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## mitchleeanderso (Jul 23, 2018)

I think your pics and your decorating taste is great! Build it!

I have to agree with all the others that the only opinion that matters is your own. My wife and I have dabbled in DIY home improvement for years across three houses. Our motto is "it's our house so we'll do what we want".


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## profdlp (Apr 9, 2017)

I am late to the thread, but my attitude on stuff like this is to do what makes you happy and don't let other people cause you to second-guess yourself. The only person who needs to like it is YOU.


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## yellowgorilla49 (Nov 16, 2019)

de-nagorg said:


> Yep: google wants me to sign in to my account.
> 
> That ain't happening, I have no account.
> 
> ...


Yup. I think I can't agree more than de-nagorg's opinion. Whatever pleases you, then you should follow it. You will be happy with your own taste, though.


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## NightNovel (Nov 15, 2019)

Well done, i like it. What about TV, are you sure about that place? It's not conveniently to watch it while chilling on the sofa, as for me


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## Ann34 (Sep 13, 2015)

NightNovel said:


> Well done, i like it. What about TV, are you sure about that place? It's not conveniently to watch it while chilling on the sofa, as for me


Thanks NightNovel. The TV is on a wall mount that swings out and tilts and you can easily see the TV on the couch with the full motion wall mount.


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## NightNovel (Nov 15, 2019)

Ann34 said:


> Thanks NightNovel. The TV is on a wall mount that swings out and tilts and you can easily see the TV on the couch with the full motion wall mount.


Oh, wall mount, sure! :biggrin2:


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## Leopard2 (Nov 24, 2019)

Ann those pictures are great! I love your ideas! Ignore your friends.


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