I can't say I dislike the words and phrases used as art trend, but I mostly ignore it, never giving it much thought. It wasn't until Karla Tamez posted her Bakery sign that I remembered the sign I have in my own kitchen! D'oh! Never even considered it as part of the same trend.

Also, I'm not asking whether y'all think I should take it down or not. I like it. ;-)

@ Patti -- I laughed at first when I saw your sign because I was thinking of the green cartoon character. Then, I remembered it was Gumby, not Gumbo.

GUMBO in huge metal letters? That rules. I know I previously said I generally dislike wall words, but GUMBO is hilarious and is way better than EAT or KITCHEN or something lame and boring.

I don't have word signs but even if I did I would never allow one that said EAT. Who needs that kind of encouragement unless maybe all you keep in your kitchen are fresh vegetables?

Maybe we need signs that say “Don’t Eat” or “Eat Less”?

I don't post very often so I don't think niccihg was talking about me, but given that the topic here is "things I'm sick of" shouldn't it be okay to say what one is sick of? If someone doesn't want to read negative comments, why would they read a thread titled "Things I'm Sick of"?

Karla Tamez if you chose to take down your sign, maybe you could hang it inside the cupboard on back wall where you keep your bakery items, or on a pantry wall. I have large letters that spell LOVE on my pantry wall. Makes me smile. Best wishes with the bananas.

You can include yourself creekgirl in with all the other

"pompousness and self-indulgence gets tiresome when it is a chronic stance and when it is often not even accompanied by any sort of alternative suggestion for remedy"

Back to post’s intent; poorly hung curtains or drapery, referring to drapery as drapes, unbalanced spaces, too much or too small wall art, unedited decor, dust collections or high maintenance furnishings, painting high quality antiques with chalk paint, mirrors in odd places, itchy looking bed linen, insufficient lighting, too bright or day-light light bulbs, poor quality pulls and knobs that hurt your fingers when opening cabinets, tearing out kitchens without thought of donating, lazy contractors who like to skip steps. Lastly, and repetitive, comments about someone’s post when it’s too late to change what’s been installed. Just sayin.

Since you asked...I think you should take down the sign. It distracts from your beautiful kitchen. You don’t want the switchplates to stand out.

Stupid trend (and dangerous) are those freestanding bathtubs that are everywhere now.

To be clear, in my initial post up-thread, my comments were related to design dilemmas across the board / in general, - obviously NOT this thread , which invited people to talk about things of which they tire.

We recently bought an old home (built around 1890) and my pet peeve has resurfaced as I search for paint colors. Am I the only person who is really sick of gray walls everywhere? Nearly all of the old remodeled homes here have gray walls in varying hues and white paint over the original woodwork. But Pinterest in particular has pages and pages of gray paint palettes. Is gray a fad, or in its more neutral shades a trend that has been going strong for several years?

my tub is freestanding and it just sits there, not dangerous at all

What’s unsafe about free-standing tubs?

I do find that they present some problems. To look good, they need some breathing space all around them, so in the end, they take up more space then the 1980s jacuzzi-style tubs with a deck around them; and they are harder to place on an angle in the room (without looking dumb).

But unsafe?

Yes, unsafe getting in and out.

I’ve personally had more issues with those shallow built ins than my clawfoots.

For some reason the only fitted sheets we could find for our matress were grey. I like grey and all, but why only grey?

Jeesh -- if you analyze it, then everything is inherently dangerous.

Even standing on a sidewalk. lol!

I don't now if freestanding tubs are dangerous or not, but I do think many of them resemble sarcophagi and look like they should have someone stretched out in them wearing their best suit. The bath showroom we visited recently had a marble tub that would have been perfect in ancient Egypt— it just needed a mummy to make it comlete.

Hmmm. Not my favorite thread but I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to gripe, having put in due diligence reading everyone else's gripes...

here on Houzz, definitely people who troll dilemmas, clearly drawn by something they hate in the title or picture, and pop in just to $h!t on the OP. Keep scrolling, talentless trolls!! I see lots of pics and think "nope. Can't go there today..." and move along. How hard is that??

Design things I am tired of that haven't already been mentioned:

-grey HOUSES!! Thanks hardieplank. Every new house around here gets the grey hardieplank treatment, which makes everyone in old houses think they should paint their house grey and white too. Feel like I am living in battleship cove.

-Arborvitae. Horrible.

-Box-cut lilacs, forsythia, and other plants that are supposed to have loose habits. Just no.

-stone slapped on facades haphazardly, halfway up the windows, or one wall only, not at all recreating real structural stonework.

-million+ dollar new builds with cheap lifeless windows

-historic beauties with cheap windows

-garage or other additions towering above the original house

that being said, its not the end of the world...

I’ve got to agree, people should be forced to give up their electric hedge shears if not being used on hedges (privet, boxwood et al.)

I agree on the obsession with free-standing bathtubs, especially since a lot of the time they are jammed into a space. Also, the reliance on ceiling lights in living room spaces--people get some lamps! Ceiling lights are harsh. Finally, it seems like every question on increasing curb appeal has as a first simple response--landscaping, landscaping, landscaping--so often overlooked.

I am curious. Do people use a step stool to get in and out? Also, there is nothing to hold onto. No grab bars. Not safe, I think.

Wouldn't one first stand up in the bath tub and proceed to grab the top rim of the bath tub and swing one leg over at a time? Have a rug outside of your bath tub to eliminate the possibility of slipping.

You could always install one of these bad boys ;)

I like the idea of “design for all”. And design appropriate for “aging in place”. So this freestanding bathtub trend seems to be counter to those design concepts. I wonder about resale value of homes with these monstrous tubs.

I’ve always had one, they’ve been around for 100’s of years (as long as plumbing has been put in homes at any rate), and before that people probably used buckets and copper tubs and the like, I have no idea why they should be considered “monstrous” or why they would effect resale value? Even the shallow built in tubs found everywhere in the burbs can be difficult for seniors, you can buy grab bars for that reason (or put in a walk in shower with a bench).

http://search.easycomforts.com/search?w=tub+grab+bar&sourcecode=30659000013&cmp=paid_search&msclkid=a0e0570ee5611dcd1c5d0b36531da4c0&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%5BADL%5D%20%5BNon-Brand%5D%20Mobility%20%26%20Accessibility%20-%20Accessibility%20Furniture%20%26%20Fixtures%20(Exact)&utm_term=tub%20grab%20bar&utm_content=Bars%20-%20Grab%20-%20Tub&adlclid=ADL-abad5ae4-7418-4b82-9bd7-26a26e0f3281

wiki history of tubs

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathtub

I'm not a fan of being *told* things as if A-I'm stupid, or B-it could not possibly in any way shape or form be what I am saying it is, that it is 100% impossible. I had a boss-(boss's wife technically) at a job many years ago who would berate me b/c she knew everything. For instance, in some small communities, you CAN and DO have a telephone number that is for one town and an address that is for another neighboring town. I know this for a FACT--I grew up w/one town phone number, a different town address---and I'll be danged if she didn't TELL me that never happened, I had no clue what I was talking about, and I'll be danged if she didn't call the post office to prove me wrong. Guess who sat there on the phone and *argued* w/the person at the post office that *they* were wrong? HA!

The immediate go-to of "if you can't do it 100% this way then don't bother, wait and save up to do it the way we feel it should be done" when not everyone makes lots of money, and not everyone wants to wait until they're 70 to have a nice looking house. Seriously. That's a bit ridiculous. Heaven forbid if you don't have what is deemed "enough" money, you just couldn't possibly deserve to live in a house you enjoy or that looks nice to *you*, just continue living in a place w/stained and smelly carpet and cabinets that are falling off the hinges b/c you're so pathetic that you can't afford a 100k dream kitchen.

huh, not sure where this rant is coming from? If you ask a bunch of pros in any field, they are going give you what they think is best, and most can’t run their businesses otherwise. Me, on the other hand, I’m no pro and I’ve always been making do with whatever I’ve been given.

Another one is when advisors get mad when their advice isn't taken and continue to whine about it even when things have been purchased that can not be returned. (Kitchen cabinets, upholstery, etc). Get OVER yourself!! i think there is a Houzz syndrome that sets in and some people get nastier over time. Time to take a break if a stranger's sofa choice is wrecking your day.

So here is a new one-to me, anyway. saw this today:

OP asks a question, takes the advice. A foray is made to advise on the rest of the visible space. (I have no problem with this, it is the beginning of many great journeys). OP says no thanks, I'm cool, if you see here in some other pictures that represents my style. OP is evicerated by several houzzers, her home insulted, why are you here you clearly don't need us, bla bla bla.

I suspect Missi is referring to the many instances in which Posters are advised NOT to take on whatever changes to backsplash, counters or paint they might be contemplating and instead save for a full remodel.

I get the complaint, because not everybody guts their kitchen every 10-15 years so they can have what is in. And some folks, (like me) aren't planning on being in the same house long enough for that sort of expense to be a good investment.

In other cases, however, the advice is what it is because the OP will end up throwing good money after bad. Too many people don't really understand that even expensive professional painting for cabinets will never match the durability of the original finish. Most times, within about 5 years or so that paint will start to wear. And if the cabinets so painted were quite dark to start, it's going to be very obvious. Too, in some situations painting the cabinets will cause them to clash with the floor all while the OP states that the flooring won't change. It isn't always delivered very well, but sometimes the advice to do nothing until you can afford to do it all is aimed at preventing disappointment.

Yes, so often on these threads people are advised to paint perfectly good cabinets. You make some good points.

What was the question/topic again ? : )

Yes, that's part of what I'm referring to, thank you Holly.

Part of it is, if someone comes on and says "I have 5k for 12 cabinets, where do I look for the best I can get for that price?", they're told they need to wait, it's not good enough, they're doing it wrong, it's a waste of money...except it's more along the lines of berating the person b/c they "absolutely 100% can NOT get new cabinets for less than 60k and anything less is worthless and a pathetic attempt to get what you clearly can not afford and do not deserve so if you can not be bothered to do it correctly, don't waste our time" Regardless of the fact that possibly it took a person 5 years to save up that money--they're expected to wait what, then 55 more years to get the "right" cabinets...or I've seen mention that they should find a second job and if the don't, they don't want the "proper" cabinets "bad enough". Seriously?

I also enjoy when someone asks for help on how to make the current layout or whatever, work, and if they have *any* limitations, hooooo that gets others riled up. It's one thing if someone were to say "help me remodel my kitchen but I don't want to buy anything or change one iota of it"--you can't possibly limit yourself more than that. But when it's asking for say, kitchen layout help, and the answers are--remove walls, move the electrical re-route the water to the other end of the room, better yet, switch the kitchen to the other end of the house and move the three bedrooms to where the kitchen is and then take part of the den to make a bathroom and the other part of it to expand the living room, hire a structural engineer for possible load bearing walls ---egads, who in the world can do all that when they just want the kitchen to look nice? Nobody on the site can possibly think outside the box a little bit w/out delving into tens of thousands of dollars?

Not sure if this fits; but, I am sick of being sick. Come on... people have been to the moon, probes to Mars. A little help with the common cold? Not a cure even just a reduction in time? How about a little less snot? Can you tell, I have my annual cold after the holidays ;^) sniffling with my box of tissues.

Asking people where their designer, architect, etc. is. They posted on an Internet forum for a reason, either they don’t have one or they want additional input. Regardless, not online and none of your business.

@Missi Rogge, that is why I am afraid to ask for help. I cannot easily afford a new rug, or paintings that are not Bed, bath and beyond as an earlier poster said but even those of us without money want to know how to make our homes a bit nicer. I don't even know what transitional, mid century and whatever else is. I like what I like, no matter the "style".

I also do not like the spelling police. I speak 3 languages, english being my third. Be happy that some people actually try to communicate in your language. Auto correct also loves changing words.

Be that as it may, I love reading Houzz and love seeing the recommended changes take shape.

Good point, tyger, about English not necessarily being the first language of some posters

tyger-three languages, that's fantastic! (I never would've known English wasn't your native language) There is a DIY thread floating around here someplace that has lovely posters who understand and share ideas/thoughts, if you'd care to pop in!

@tyger_lily (and anyone else), if you post a good description of your goal, clear photos of the room, a floorplan if it's applicable, and an actual dollar amount that you can spend you should get some good advice. You might get some advice you can't use, but that's the nature of Internet. Just ignore it!

There are a lot of very creative posters here who are geniuses at transforming a room with second hand finds and a bit of paint. And even the pros mostly get that not all updates have a $$ budget.

Yes, sometimes the poster is advised to hold off on a cosmetic fix because with a proportionally small increase in budget real change can take place. The people who are told "wait" are usually the ones who could spend a bit more ($7000 instead of $5000 for example) to get a much better result. And sometimes what the poster thinks is an amazing idea, others know to be a bad decision. Better to say that so the person is informed, isn't it?

It’s good to figure out a style/what ypu need, as when you see something that fits, you can go aha! That is something that might work. It’s like going to the grocery store with a plan, without one you might end up with a bunch of random things but no meal, if you understand what I’m saying. I routinely see stuff on the curb here, it’s a common phenomenon, I also go to garage sales and thrift stores, when I see interesting budget friendly stuff I KNOW what I want and what I like and I can walk away from the stuff I don’t need or want.

This is how all of my living spaces have come together. When we first moved here we needed lighting, there was almost nothing nice or useful from the previous owners, so every single time I came across worthy, salvageable, sometimes even matching sets of lighting, I snatched it up from free to maybe $30, that is how we got almost all of the ceiling/wall lights we needed for an entire house from basement to second floor, plus an inlaw suite. We even have plug in lamps from the curb, yard sales and I’d challenge anyone to guess whether or not they came from a boutique or out of the trash. All I had to do in a couple of cases was shop for new shades.

It took time, but I find if you set your intentions you will eventually be sucessful. People throw out so much here, that I even found the parts to fix my food processor on the curb right after I said to myself “I may have to order the parts, but let’s see if I find them first”. They were practically brand new in case anyone thinks that weird.

Tyger Lily- here is a link to the DIY Design on a dime post Missi is referring to.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5414982/the-diy-thread-ask-show-help#23483417

I'm not really sick of it, but I don't understand the necessity of extra pillows on sofas and chairs. Sure, I have some. They add visual interest, but when people come over and sit on the furniture, they move them out of the way before they sit down. They end up on the floor most of the time.

I hear ya, Hazel. I had some of my beautiful throw pillows sat upon or totally smooshed into a wrinkled mess by a particular person I happen to be married to. I'd rather he move them to the floor.

"He" would rather you not have them.

Ugh! You sound like my husband, wacokid! My husband dislikes pillows on the sofa and bed. My 12-lb dog even knocks them onto the floor. I swear my husband taught her that "trick"