Interesting. People can become addicted to anything.

What hath Bob Vila wrought?
;)

Like you it has always been a hobby/interest of mine...but obsessed....no. I'm probably the opposite in that regard...I'll buy something just to fill that empty space then regret it later....too impatient. And fickle....one minute I like bold color...then I long for neutrals. But I've always enjoyed decorating magazines and when I'm watching movies I often find myself looking at the decor in the background instead of paying attention to the plot and dialogue. When I was a senior in college in the 70's I took a design course and thought of switching majors until I talked to the professor about it and he said most of the time is spent making dioramas of period rooms...uh...no thanks. I'm sure interior design classes have evolved a lot since then!

Interesting article.

I've always naturally been interested in decor and home design. When I was little, I would re-arrange my bedroom weekly. I would watch Bob Villa just to see the finished room. Its a hobby that I enjoy, not an obsession.

Some of the comments below the article are maddening. Like having an interest in home design is some kind of sign that you aren't really living. How annoying. Just like some people love fashion, love to travel, love to paint, love to cook - I love home fashion!

Bob Vila... I still remember vividly. Young, married, living in an apartment. DH worked most Saturdays. I turn on the TV. There is Bob Vila showing new homeowners how to tile their shower. I was hooked! But then I have been collecting house plans since I was ten.

I did not read any of the comments. In our local paper comments on articles are always so horrible that I never read them anymore. For some it must be an obsession to read news articles and post comments that hostile.

My mom used to joke that, while other girls were dreaming of their wedding, I was dreaming of my first house and decorating ideas! I would move bedroom furniture regularly and, in high school, I completely re-arranged the living room with my sibs while mom and dad were away for their anniversary.

Home improvement/decor is not a compulsion for me. I don't constantly change things out, I collect. But I WILL hold out for something like the right paint color. Why paint a wall more than once a year when you have the ability to create the color that sets off your things?

I'm sure part of my continued interest comes from buying a property in need of rehab or a blank slate. I can't imagine looking at properties with the mind-set of not changing anything.

I am spending quite a bit of time on home décor at the moment because I'm picking things for a master bath remodel. I can easily repaint a room, but my tile and fixture choices will be permanent for many years, so the time researching is well spent. I'm a SAHM with kids at school who are older, so I do have the luxury of time to do the research. I don't remodel or decorate for others or to compete with anyone.

At least when I'm out looking for that perfect item, I'm not talking and texting endlessly on my cell phone ... now that is an addiction much worse than home décor!!!

I used to draw complicated 3-D cube structures as a kid!

Agree with others. Home decor is a hobby I do for myself. I do obsess over it and waste time reading blogs and looking at magazines but its no different than DH and espn. We built a house 3 years ago and I'm still decorating it. I'm thinking my interest will somewhat fade since most of the key spaces are "done". And I definitely don't do it as competition! None of our friends are really into decor as much as I am and that's fine with me. I have a special needs child so I spend a lot of time at home. I like to make it a sanctuary as well as a space that reflects us.

"Obsessed with home decor? You may have self-image problems."

Well that is certainly 'armchair psychology'! LOL

I have had an abiding intense interest in home decor and all things related since childhood. Like others I decorated and rearranged my bedroom constantly, read my DM's magazines, and started drawing houseplans at a young age. It is in no way an obsession but is one of my primary interests. I have come to the age and place in my life where I like my house altho know there are things I could redo/replace/redecorate but like it the way it is so only tweak here and there.

I have seldom felt I absolutely HAD to have a certain accessory or item but instead tend to find things I love and make them work in my house. I'm sure there are people who obsess about finding 'the perfect thing' without success which cannot be fun.

I still look at pics frequently online and infrequently buy a magazine but as there are so few new ideas in most magazines it's seldom worth it.

Decorating my houses has always been something I find fun which I wish it was for everyone. I don't ever expect to think my decor will ever be 'done' not because I'm trying for perfection but because I see it as an evolving project and a fun hobby. Fortunately things wear out, I find new things to love, and thinking and planning changes is always something to amuse me in a spare moment.

I never had much interest in decorating until we had to stage our house 2 times to sell it (long story, first sale fell through after we had got rid of all the staging). I have a new house to decorate but doubt i'll spend much time or money on decorating once
we get that accomplished. however I have a dear friend who began decorating her bedroom when we were in grade school. She has a decorating gene. She just loves pretty things and loves to surround herself with them. She loves creating her own little sphere where she has total control of each detail. It gives her joy to accomplish each decorating project. I never thought of it as a compulsion or a sickness, it is a form of self expression and exercises the artist inside her.

I think the nesting instinct is natural and healthy. For many of us, the home is the one area in our lives where we can have order and control in a chaotic world. So maybe there is a psychological element. I decorate for myself, not for others. I realize my friends are more minimalist, and they probably think I go overboard with the creative expression. But this is my sanctuary, and my surroundings are important to me. For people who spend less time at home, perhaps decor is not a priority. I think the article is making a lot of assumptions about a very popular hobby.

Self image problems if one is obsssed with decorating! Time for therapy or time to find a healthy hobby.