I agree with you guys! People want advise about "wall art" with coordinates color with pillows and vases or all white. I really don't like Joanna Gaines one that people adore. I like colors and old and I call my style "grandma" :) If I like a picture I put in my wall I don't care if is the same colors of my pillows or not. To have an idea I love Betsy Speert

dyliane - I posted my kitchen (in my "my pics" idea book) for someone who wanted ideas for an oak kitchen update and was told that her mother would like my style:)

I agree with a lot of what you say, although not the messy/dirt/cat hair style of decor! The problem with Houzz is that most of the articles and photos are of the transitional style in a gray palette so popular right now. If you like colorful, primitive, traditional, early American, 18th century, Louis XV, XVI, true country/rustic, you won't find a lot of it here. You might want to visit websites like Better Homes and Gardens, Country Living, Old House Journal, Apartment Therapy, and especially Pinterest, where you can see more varied styles. Houzz isn't particularly amenable to suggestions from readers either. A few months ago I asked them to do an article on color, and how it doesn't translate well in print or on a computer monitor, and got a canned answer. I haven't yet seen any article remotely resembling what I requested.

I think you have to use Houzz solely for inspiration, much as you would if you visited a museum of priceless art. You know you can't purchase the artwork, but you can derive ideas from it that you can use in your home, in your way.

Lori - love your living room! Any home that has dogs that are allowed on the furniture is my kind of place. If my house was on fire I'd grab 3 items; my Irish Wolfhound, my box of tax records, and the Furminator. The rest can be replaced. Real people, real homes would be a great addition to this site.

Actually, I like that idea of showing real people and their real homes. Every time I read about hiring an architect and a designer to design the perfect home, I think, heck, most people don't have the money for the perfect home - they just want a comfortable house that won't fall down around their ears, and that quite often means a tract home with builder's quality fittings. So what? That's how the majority of people live, and I'm more interested in how to make that better than in looking at some over-the-top vacation home that gets used twice a year.

Well I don't necessarily need to see someones socks on a counter but I do think a lot of the homes seen on houzz, although very professional, are dreadfully boring. "Real homes" are often much more interesting.

I would like to see room makeovers done on a shoe string budget. Furniture and decor from target or TJ MAXX ect

Our home has been updated somewhat and my white cabinets are now back in style. I did work with a decorator who is very grounded and begins with what you have/want. Just moving a few pieces around made all the difference in the world. She also helped select our hardwood floors, kitchen brick floor and fireplace reface. I needed help before I dropped serious $$$ on these projects. Our house is very lived in with no painted furniture. My coffee table is the correct scale for the room, but is beat up. The grandchildren love to have tea parties on it and I don't worry about it.

jhmarie I love your kitchen!

Ahh yes!!!!
Y'all are awesome, and obviously way better at expressing what I was trying to say than I was!! I'm considering editing the original post.

I digress...you've all nailed it, and Tems, I don't REALLY want people seeing my socks (on the floor, cat on the counter, but either way!!) and dirt.

What I want to see are kitchens that aren't as big as my previous house and all white & granite, bathrooms that didn't cost $20,000, living rooms that have decor, not all art that might cost more than my truck.

I know the houses would be cleaned & staged (even I clean before people come over...Mostly lol).

I guess that's what I was trying to say, it's really about the size & cost, not about the dirt. :) :)

If I were to edit this thread (if I even can???) What would be a jazzy title to draw people in that agree with us, and not offend? :) You guys are creative!

ETA: Doesn't look like I can edit it...

Wonder how we get the powers that be at Houzz to notice? Would love to see a series of articles about "the real homes of Houzz"

chiflipper YES!!! and thank you!! It's kind of a dog eat dog life we live. If you actually want to sit on the couch, you'll have to move a dog, and most likely will wind up with said dog in your lap. Particularly the 100# one that still thinks he's a lap dog!! :)

janeinbama I want to like your post multiple times! :)

jhmarie your home is very nice! <3

jmm1837 I have a very good friend that lives in a double wide/manufactured home/whatever it is, that she has decorated and redone, and it's nothing short of amazing. It's more decor that makes it amazing than the architecture, but still, amazing.

my kid has recently been into home reno shows, and what's amazing is that a show like Fixer Upper makes you feel like they're customizing so much to the tastes and lifestyle of a particular couple, but if you watch a bunch of them in a row, you realize that 95% of every house is the same, no matter what is being chatted about -- the white kitchens, the iron pendants, marble baths, etc. I know that they're in one part of the country, but even Property Brothers can tour a modernist masterpiece for inspiration and still end up with the same open-concept white-kitchen makeover that they might have done in a vacuum. it's more than a little depressing...

LOL :D , 101% agree, i don't mind it may be a bit messy inside the photo but at least more human. Thanks for your post!

pitbulls a person after my own heart! I'd love to see that also! :)

Here are a couple I"ve read recently

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/reader-bathroom-updated-romantic-style-for-9000-in-minnesota-stsetivw-vs~78116080

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/reader-bathroom-3000-diy-transformation-in-tennessee-stsetivw-vs~74773709

so I guess they're here, just not at the top of the lists.

I second the idea of having a section devoted to budget friendly projects and ideas - actual before and afters. Although I have to say that I have gotten some very useful tips and ideas about what can be done with a limited budget or no money at all. No money changes usually involve - decluttering, changing furniture layout, moving things around, rearranging artwork (lowering, centering, etc) to make it aesthetically pleasing and therefore balancing the look. There are some very helpful pros in design dilemma section.

I live in a MCM-ish house. All of our savings went into downpayment and left virtually nothing for renovation and decoration. So I turned to Craigslist, estate sales, Salvation Army, local Freecycle. I have picked up pieces of furniture that I have flipped to make money to buy something else I desired but could not afford. IKEA is where I get actual new stuff. But all that takes time and patience. I work part time from home so I can do it. It can be very challenging for someone working full time. My home is constantly "evolving" in terms of what is in it and for how long. I am still searching for what is my final look. So it is not unusual for second hand furniture to stay for a few weeks or months and then be resold because I have grown tired of it or gotten something nicer and more fitting for a better deal.

We redid two of our bathrooms ourselves with the help of youtube (I know, the horror!!!!!!, Sophie Wheeler will come and smack my head now). But we consulted our friend who is in that business to make sure what things where done according to code and of course it took forever and was a big mess and super stressful. But one of our bathrooms cost us 1800 USDs. Something I am fine with ripping out once we actually can afford higher end tile and cabinets and a pro to do it. But it is much, much better from the 47 year old original that was in place before.

Another example - I needed window treatments for our master bedroom. I got a quote from a local drapery store for 1200!!! I guess I was somewhat naive or ignorant about what these things go for. Anyhow, I remember coming home and thinking who on earth can anyone pay that money for one window. It is a large window, but still. I had a specific look in my mind what I wanted it to be so off to the rabbit hole of the Internet I went. I found a modern powder coated steel ceiling track from Amazon and bought the curtains from IKEA. My project cost me 150 dollars.

I can add pics later for those interested.

Would love to see your pictures A V!!! And I literally LOL'd at the Sophie Wheeler comment!

A few years ago my house was getting on my nerves for the number of little things that needed attention (walls with handprints) and a one large thing that needed attention (the carpet upstairs was over 20 years old) and some in-between things (chipped countertop.) I also had a little bit more time as the kids were getting older. I started plugging things into Google and was amazed by the amount of home bloggers and home sites. I find Houzz to be the "glam" place, though with the right search words you can find some less "glam" homes.

One thing I came across was bloggers who features other bloggers homes or homes of just creative, often DIY people who had really made their home their style. I do not always like all of them and some are very similar - all on the same design wagon, but I enjoy the step into someone else's home, often of modest size. I also discovered a couple of sites out of the US that feature more European style homes (though also some from the Americas) and I enjoy those sites too.

Here are just a few:

http://www.ajoyfulcottage.com/p/living-large-in-small-spaces-series.html

This series is no longer being added to but is the first one I came across:

http://theoldpaintedcottage.com/pages/cotm-archives-2015.htm

This one is good:

http://town-n-country-living.com/the-charming-home-series

This one has glam celebrity homes as well as more modest homes:

http://hookedonhouses.net

This one is out of Portugal but has homes and gardens from all over.

EDIT written in Portuguese, out of Brazil:

http://depositosantamariah.blogspot.com

jhmarie, I love your cabinets. I don't know why so many people hate oak. I'm in the minority and happen to love oak.

My coffee table is quarter sawn oak. I'm sure designers would say it's not big enough and that my rug isn't big enough either. I happen to love both of them.

Peoples' living circumstances also dictate their decorating style. We are older and never had children, so have things that would not be children friendly. I just have to worry about our long haired cat.

HGTV has created a certain amount of "group think" in design and is the source I believe for the current dislike of mid tone oak. When people watch shows where routinely house buyers walk into a home and say "Yuck, oak cabinets!" then they begin to feel their cabinets are "Yuck." HGTV is a marketing tool, and it wants to make people hate their kitchen so they will buy a new one.

When posters say they are on a strict budget but want to change up their oak cabinets, I often suggest the least expensive thing they can do is turn off HGTV. Little by little they may come to like their kitchen again.

I often post this on discussions like this one. It is pretty funny:

http://victoriaelizabethbarnes.com/a-manifesto-against-the-tyranny-of-luxury-kitchens/

jhmarie the deposito santa mariah is not from Portugal, it's from Brazil

jhmarie great links! Some of those are my favorite also.
I have a house obsession. My dad has 50 years in the construction business and I grew up under the drafting table. I love lots of different styles but get so frustrated at the trendy...everything looks the same!

dyliane - your right. I meant to say it is written in Portuguese.

I agree with you, real homes that are lived in would be nice.
I know grey is the "in" color but personally I find it depressing and overplayed!!

I joined this site because I enjoyed gardenweb I'm saddened by the fact that the app makes it impossible to reach the gardenweb forum where people talk more and sell less.

jhmarie - thanks for the link (manifesto)...SO true and SO funny!

I just type Houzz.com into my phone's browser and access the mobile site that way. I don't bother with the app and I don't experience a lot of the frustrations that app users report. It's not as complete as the desktop version, but definitely enjoyable and totally functional.

That's mostly why I'm here too balou79, I loved GW and got so many ideas and info from there when we were building!!

Funny about the grey. I like it, but I don't like it b/c it's "in". I have a friend that's getting ready to build and she went to the cabinet maker with plans for grey cabinets. He told her he's been doing a lot of grey lately, and she immediately changed her mind. I was torn about her decision. I told her not to decide against it just because it's the current trend, but if she really likes it JUST do IT!! This, coming from me, who has RED cabinets. Soooo many people said "really? Red? Are you sure?" when we were in the planning stages. I'm so glad I stuck to my guns because it makes me smile every day. Now we get lots of compliments on them. I know it takes either guts, or stupidity to go with something like that, that you know you're going to have to live with for a long time, but I love them. :)

HAHAHA... :D yes!! The manifesto link is so what I was going for here!!! ;) Note to self, I should never be a blogger. I obviously don't have the writing skills! :D

ETA: this might be my new favorite blog. She's so funny!

lori - I had to smile to myself when you wrote that your red cabinets make you smile. We have a granny afghan pattern carpet in our family room - the most sturdy piece of carpet you'll ever see. Yes, very colorful but when visitors walk in for the first time they smile. Previous owner called it her "smile room". We've been here over 30 years and if and when we need to replace it, I hope to do it with something just as colorful.

Jhmarie - Your kitchen is lovely and has a good feeling. I think I may know which dilemma that was that you said the wife needs to turn off HGTV. What a waste of money to tear our perfectly good cabinets.

I use Houzz for inspiration but many times learn that its not in my budget. I have also used it for advice on "how to" and received very helpful replies - even from Sophie.

Have you all see Becky Harris's article about pillow forts? Now that's real life!

just as you shouldnt get your news from only one source, no need to get your decorating inspiration from just one website. its a big web, lots to see in all the different tubes. houzz is houzz. it doesnt need to be sockheavendecorating, y'know.

I promised some pics so here you are. I am the crazy lady going through thrift/consignment stores, donation centers and regularly check our local Craigslist. All our furniture is second hand. In the living room I am currently trying to decide between two coffee tables. I just let them be there until I make up my mind :D. In the dining room, there is a corner where I have stacked more coffee and side tables that I have decided to store away for now. Here and there I have stuff just lying around that I haven't found a spot yet. Mind you - I started doing this some 5 years ago and it has been ongoing process. I have been lucky to have had some great finds. My kitchen is all original except for the floor tile. Cabinets are 49 years old and, yes, the countertop is Formica :D.

A V, I love the bed! I also think I like the wood coffee table as opposed to the glass. Probably because I wouldn't want to clean the glass! :D

All you need to clean wood furniture is a dust rag to swipe along the surfaces (probably can do it while walking past the item if you're so inclined :P) and that's it. Though I would advise some sort of wood protectant/polish every once in a while if you're hoping to keep wood furniture around a long time and want it to look pretty. I have so many pieces in my house that will be antique heirlooms, when my parents moved across the country at the start of their retirement I got some of their furniture and my mom is still asking me if there's anything else of theirs that I want - I don't need wall to wall furniture! And it's not like I have so much space to begin with, but the dining table with 2 leaves and the china hutch? While those would finish up my Ethan Allen Georgian Court collection, they are MASSIVE!

I guess I should be glad that the man I married didn't have much furniture and was willing to endure his clothing being stored in suitcases and on a small portion of the closet rails until I finally relented and gave up a couple dresser drawers. Lol I sound awful don't I, but it really did take a while for me to give some ground in the clothing storage war. ;)

Thank you Lori! I prefer the wooden coffee table myself too. I just love the warmth of the wood.

I'd love for Houzz and designers to add more information on how much a room cost. My favorite rooms have a mix of styles - that collected over time look - but I know they are very expensive to replicate. Sort of the stuff you see in Elle Decor.

As long as nobody says "If you have to ask the price..."

Yes yes, I already know I can't afford it! We come to places like this because we're home design/decor porn addicts! Now show me some jewel tones baby, mix in some dark stained woods too! ;)

I definitely agree leemiller.

For those looking for design shows with a little more depth try Vintage Flip (they use original wood and just clean it up with proper care, strip wood and celebrate original lighting, fixtures and hardware). Rehab Addict takes homes back to its origins and undoes bad renos of past decades, Restored takes old homes and will modernize for roots but preserves where he can (even walkways). He also researches the homes and man they have character!

These shows have what you put into them. I have seen Property Brothers use art created by homeowner. They also put kids photos, family growth charts framed from previous homes etc. but if the home owner is sterile, that's what the show gets.

Jennifer D just saw your comment for some reason! Agree 100%. I need color!!

I always laugh inwardly when I see images of perfectly designed and defined homes, with no mess at all in evidence, anywhere. As a former graphic designer, I understand why this is done, but one of the results is what you express in your thoughts above -- it doesn't seem real, and in a way, real people need not apply. I'd like to see rooms and interiors that are in the active state of being lived in, to get an idea of, "This is what the place looks like with humans in it." Then, with a view of the books scattered about, the sweater draped (not artfully, but hurriedly) over the chair, the empty dish on the coffee table, I could decide whether or not that format would work with everyday life in mind -- because that's what we live, everyday life.

Well said Steve Henderson! :)

My house would totally be suited for that - seeing how a place looks with humans (sometimes rather messy ones) living in it. Not only is there a sweater tossed randomly over a file cabinet, but there's a jacket thrown on top of that and the second drawer slightly open because I've been working on some of my client's cases and preparing for doing their court call hearings most of the day. I did manage to get the several pairs of shoes off the mat in the front hall and back where they belong, mostly because today it's raining and when I leave to run my errands shortly I need to wear the rain boots. :P

Your posts just made me think of the pictures of pillows on a sofa that have that PERFECT crease in the top. That is just too much for me!

That crease is a sign of someone recently unpacking them from their home staging supplies and carefully setting them out like they would a model home in a new development for open house.

Although my house is almost "Houzz-worthy" and I receive many compliments on our space, I live with furniture that we purchased some 55 years ago, hand-me-downs from friends who consider teak "dated", a few newer pieces, and some family antiques. There are sometimes messes in various rooms and irrelevant things on the kitchen counter, but I try to straighten things up before I go to bed. The family knows the "sundown rule", so they pick up their possessions as they head to bed. That way, we start every day with a "clean" (neat really) slate. Everyone's own rooms are their own business.

My husband recently commented, "Stuff that we have to have is prettier than we are"! which I think says it all. haha.

I like the "sundown rule" yvonne! Good Idea! I'd love to see your almost Houzz-worthy home, and I thought teak was one of those "timeless" materials!!

so true Susan!

My house if 90% used furniture that I have re-purposed in one way or another. (Nothing is chippy or distressed though). I still have paneling from 1968 (painted), and textured ceilings, white appliances and laminate counters. My house will never be showcased in a magazine, but it works for me. I like to mix different styles and use bright colors.

yay for bright colors!! :)