An interesting perspective for sure. I would disagree that many of them aren't about money. Those that live with some of the defects--it is about money. If I had light cans in my ceiling I would hate them but they would remain. That's a major expense to fix.

Here are the ones I think about, know they are fashion fails perhaps,.but it's part of living in a second hand home and learning to love what you have.

Scent: This is so true. After being gone when I come into my home if the smell doesn't attract me I start opening windows!! I BURN a candle after dinner. It burns off cooking smells. The latest melting candles with a light bulb--sure it might mask odors but it doens't ELIMINATE them! If I wake and I smell dinner, again I start another candle or open a window.

Entryway: I read a ton of posts about entry ways here and I am ALWAYS embarassed. Mine is what it is. Open the door and BAM you are in the livingroom. It's the way the house was designed. Do I love it ,heck no but sometimes there is just no getting past the architect's fail.

7. Curtain hang. No way ever will I see curtains like in the example and feel the hanger knew what they were doing. The gap between casing and rod UGLY has all heck. Maybe it's the breathing room #3 was talking about, hahahah

9. Rug too small GUILTY and I don't disagree but I find it adds the color I want. It holds the coffee table or the coffee table holds it down...it's layered on top of the GHASTLY wall to wall... My home my choice.

15. Ceilings. Not smooth, prefer the minimal 'pop corn' texture to dry wall seams...which do come in time with age of a home no matter how good you thought your mudder was. Color/wall paper?? HARD PASS. I don't want my guests distracted by THE CEILING. Want the ceilings to feel higher keep them flat white forget the silly hanging curtains falacy.

16. Mixed metals: Not my issue but I do wonder what other's see, if they notice the mixed woods. 70's home that has gone under a few rennovations updates. sigh

18. TV. Sure my head agrees, but FUNCTION leads and so TVs are prominent. They just are. I live here waaay more than I entertain here.

That was a good read. Agree with most of them. Not that I'm not guilty of some of them...

I do take issue with #4, traffic flow. Sometimes it can't be fixed because it's a structural issue. Example is my own house. The staircase to the basement is smack-dab in the middle of the kitchen/eating area. It would be tens of thousands of dollars to relocate the stairs. So we live with it.

And I love my can lights. I don't care if others think they're swiss-cheese. I do not like hanging light fixtures in my own home. I have ONE hanging light fixture in a 2000+ sq ft house, it's over the sink and the only reason it's there is because DH likes it and I had to concede something. I do agree with the table lamp advice, though -- can lights + table lights for me.

There is no 100% of everything, for anyone, right?

As a designer, I might rearrange the pecking order as to what I first notice upon entering any home!

I notice the Architects mistakes FIRST. The entry door almost bangs into a stair ....the place where nobody but you and family are going upon entry.

I notice if I am hemmed in...denied view to all beyond, and the light......

The rest? Indeed I know 80% who you are / how you live, in mere seconds. ....: ) and if I have time to really think about this ( fortunate or unfortunate trait) , I shall return and you can beat me up lol.

Had to laugh at some of the examples (oversized sectional?!)--thanks, Jan.

^^

You had to CRAWL into that sectional visual!

Looks like AI illustrations for a lot of the photos, as they say upfront that they use AI. The sectional sofa laying siege to the coffee table was a good laugh.

"I notice the Architects mistakes FIRST."

Yea, in a perfect world we'd all be able to buy a house with no goofball "mistakes" in a perfect location at a price we can afford. If only that were the reality for the average homebuyer...

Actually, the two dumb-*ss layout issues in my own house that I complain about constantly didn't even register when we bought the house. It was only after living here that it hit me. I wonder if it's the same for others -- you like the house and property so much that the flaws just don't register. IDK.

Jan - As a designer, what is your approach to non-fixable flaws when working with clients?

Regarding recessed lighting, it doesn't cost any money to turn off the glaring lights. Use table lamps instead. Oops you might have to buy some, but it's not a huge amount of money.

The rug issue can be solved by placing a colorful small rug atop a larger, very inexpensive jute one. I got an 8x10 braided jute rug for $200 on Amazon. Wouldn't work with wall to wall though.

My drywall ceilings are over 25 years old and I can't see any seams. I wouldn't have popcorn ceilings on a bet.

The matching furniture set I totally understand, and if I were to redecorate my bedroom now, I probably wouldn't do it. But when we were first married and found beautiful 18th century cherry reproductions from Henkel Harris, we bought all the pieces we liked: bed, dressers, night stands. Not going to spend any money replacing them with cheap knockoffs sold these days. The beautifully finished cherry wood, smooth-as-silk drawer insides, solid brass hardware and classic styling are worth more than I would gain if I tried to replace them with anything close to that quality.

Many of the other points I agree with. But as a designer, I see things that most homeowners just don't care about.

Number 17 (sloppy trim, paint lines) and #21 (exposed wires and cables) are my most 'can't abide' items on the list. Oh, and the ubiquitous oversized sectionals in rooms that are almost always too small (#12). I am always amazed at how looking at a photo of a room emphasizes the 'must needs fix that' which isn't apparent to my eye when living in the space.

So good! - mismatched lightbulb temperatures really hit home - that makes me crazy. there is a house on my evening dog walk that has overhead lights in their dining room that are so bright and so cold, it looks like a truck stop at 2am on the jersey turnpike… every night I think why??

I also think clutter blindness is a thing I see with friends - empty nesters with Costco memberships ending up with boxes and boxes of ziploc bags stuffed everywhere -

didnt mean to sound so judgy 🙈yikes

I think as a designer we do this on a daily basis and often it is why clients think we have some magic plan. I do look at my house often to see what might be off. I also agree when you see a picture of your space youmight see things you do not notice daily. I am a minimalist for sure so no clutter is my first aim always. I am sure anyone who loves all their stuff out will find my home sterile I guess but it is where I live and I love it. I live alone now and find my house is so easy to care for and keep clean it works for me. BTW I happen to love LED 4000K lighting I just turn off the ones not needed but I sure hate incandescent yellow toned lighting always had halogen before LED still white light .

Totally agree about yellow lightning. Not a fan.

I love the warmth of incandescent lighting in living areas and bedrooms. In utilitarian spaces like kitchens, baths, and offices I like to use halogen recessed lights. Not a fan of any LEDs unless outside, and even there, used judiciously. There's nothing worse than a home illuminated with so many LEDs that it looks like an airport runway. :(

^^ I'm with Diana. I'll take incandescent or halogen any day over LED, there's something about LED lights that just aren't quite the same, even in the warmer bulb colors. But...good luck finding the bulb size you need in a halogen. I have a couple stashed away but once they're gone they're gone. Although, I hunted down some old-school fluoro tubes for my plant light cart last fall, so you never know.

^^ Oh that is a gorgeous house. I wouldn't want to leave, either. I think you all know I'm a 3000K girl myself. :0)

And what is with the hotels lately? WHOEVER thinks it's a good idea to put 4000K or 5000K lightbulbs in hotel rooms should be fired. Well, maybe not fired but at least have a good dressing down. Idiots.

It's because we've had LEDs shoved down our throats by the media, the government, the design industry, the electrical industry. That's all you can buy these days unless you search high and low for halogens or incandescents online. Whatever happened to having choices????

I'll be moving into the above house with Jan! I have some recessed lights in my home that I had to have adjusted because they were so BRIGHT! I love the warm, cozy look each room has in Jan's comment. I'd love to be stuck inside of it during a snowstorm/thunderstorm!

Someone just followed that X post with this!

Hate crime INDEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A home that is dark even in the daytime...ugh. Stayed over in two of them recently and so depressing. The only light is from the TV --which is on constantly. There is no sense of time.

Give me all the bright light I can get! I turn on every light and open every window shade when I'm home.

I have a friend who hates overhead lighting so I finally started using some of my lamps and under cabinet lights when she visits. But at the same time her house is so dark to me I'm ready to leave after a day. too depressing for me idk.

To me lighting is deeply personal, and trying to force one "sweet spot" number like 3500K or 4000K in every room of every home misses the mark.

Mother Nature doesn't give us one flat light all day. She gives us bright, crisp, white sunlight during our peak productive hours, and then rolls out that soft, warm, amber glow in the early morning and evening when our brains need to wake up or wind down. Why shouldn't our homes do the same? When you’re trying to figure out what works, it really comes down to a few big things:

• How you want your home/room to feel: Do you need to feel energized and focused, or do you want to instantly drop your shoulders and relax after a long stressful workday?
• Your decor and furniture style: The era of your home makes a huge difference. If you have a 100 year old home filled with rustic antiques, a harsh white light is going to make the space feel sterile and cold instead of rich and inviting. On the flip side, if you have an ultra-modern, minimalist look softer, more yellow lighting can feel heavy and drab.
• The colors you love: Light changes color completely! If you love shades of dusty purple or deep wine reds, a yellow bulb is going to turn those gorgeous tones completely muddy and dingy. But if you lean toward cozy fall colors, a super bright white light can make them look garish and way too vivid.

Another huge trap people fall into is confusing the amount of light with the color of the light (lumens vs. Kelvins). A lot of times, people buy a cold, bright-white bulb because they just want to be able to see better in a dark room. But then they end up with a space that feels like a sterile hospital wing! If you need a room to be brighter so you aren't squinting, you don't need a whiter bulb—you just need more lumens (the actual volume of light). You can absolutely have a space that is beautifully lit and easy to see in, while keeping the color temperature in that cozy, warm yellow range.

Personally, I say throw out the rulebook and mix it up! In my own bedroom, I have bright white lighting in the areas where I'm getting dressed so I can actually tell my navy from my black. But by the bedside? It’s strictly soft, warm yellow lighting. When I'm unwinding with a book before sleep, the last thing I want is to feel like I'm sitting under a pharmacy fluorescent.

"Another huge trap people fall into is confusing the amount of light with the color of the light (lumens vs. Kelvins)."

Yep. Happens all the time. Had to explain this to DH just the other day. For some reason he was having trouble grasping this very simple thing, so I did a quick demo for him by walking him into a different room that has the same 3000K bulbs as the eating nook but higher lumens -- turned the lights on, slid the dimmers to high and his comment was turn them down they're too bright. I think he got it after that. LOL!

Jennifer, your post is clear and well-written, and your analysis is spot on! Thank you!

^^^

One hundred percent , both comments.

Drove me crazy with a client after a beautiful room , wonderful lamps, and all they could manage was a flick of ceiling pot lights washing out EVERYTHING: ( Grrrrrrrrrrrrr...................

Ohi have missed you all!!

Yes, I was just thinking of you, Kathy! Hope all is well!

Great article, @Jan Moyer Thanks for sharing! Hard to detect smells when they are yours. A babysitter once told me she loved how our house always smelled of cooked rice. I hadn't noticed. I won't have pets in my house anymore because of how they make the house smell. How do I know what my house smells like? Ask a true friend I guess. And then if it's a bad smell, how do I know how to get rid of it? A realtor taught me to add Clorox to small sponged in small leak proof containers and hide them through the house. It works as long as it is maintained. The bleach evaporates. Contrary to what you might be thinking, it doesn't smell like a pool. A plumber taught me to clean the sink then the garbage disposal with ice chunks followed by dishwashing detergent. I suppose having smaller trash containers and changing them often is helpful. I don't like opening windows because of all the mold spores that come and grow in the house. Long term, that advice seems to add to the smells. I feel the same way about live plants and the mold smell that lives in the potting mix. Dried plants may be an option between live plants and plastic ones. I've wondered about other things like baking soda, volcanic rocks, and charcoal for eliminating smells. Do they work?