Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Are show homes a new thing for people?

231 replies

Dojasayso · 30/03/2021 20:26

Just musing through Instagram and I realised something.. most people's homes are borderline show home standard.

It's not a put down because my home is the same in terms of cleaning and nice decor with a lot of effort, time and expense.

But I growing up I don't remember the being as standard? I remember fridge magnets, pictures, ornaments etc.
I remember friends houses having carpets that don't match the sofas and a rug that was gifted 10 years ago that doesn't match the home but families kept anyway.

But now I can't think of a single friend or acquaintance with such a mis matched home.

Of course there were home fashions but these weren't the default standard in most homes.

Of course the grey homes with mirrored furniture were a thing (I hated that trend). But even so, people put a lot of money and time into creating that imagine.

I don't remember people putting as much into their home decor years ago.

Now most people I know have gorgeously decorated homes where things match and even family photos are up in black and white with stylish frames.

Is it a new thing to have a show home type house? What do you think has caused it?

I think it may be due to social media?

OP posts:
taintedtrees · 30/03/2021 20:50

I was thinking that the other day, people put photos of their homes on SM and they are exactly like a showhome with not a single thing out of place. They look almost sterile.

ParkheadParadise · 30/03/2021 20:51

My DH owns a house building company. I get to use the interior designers he has that designs their show homes.
In the past, they have designed and furnished several rooms in our house.
I spent hours cleaning my house and I like it to look a certain way.

mogloveseggs · 30/03/2021 20:55

Ours isn't.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement
ExponentiallyDepleted · 30/03/2021 20:56

I only know one person with a showhome type house, it is immaculate and I often wonder where all the stuff is. It's a fairly large 4 bed detached and they've done it top to bottom over the years. It is beautiful but a little sterile for me, I prefer a cosier, mismatched look.

saraclara · 30/03/2021 20:58

I have one friend with a house like that. But she's always been that way and I've known her for more than 40 years. Other than her I know no-one (of mine or my daughters generation) with a show home

RMRM · 30/03/2021 20:59

I was chatting to the estate agent about this and he said (generalising) that people 30 and under want instagram perfect houses instantly and us 'oldies' (40s plus) were happier to wait and do it bit by bit like in the olden times. WinkGrin

SplendidSuns1000 · 30/03/2021 20:59

Matching furniture and nice home decor are much more available and affordable now. B&M for example, while not to my taste, sells a range of decent quality home decor and furniture for a decent price. Also the rise of buying and selling second-hand furniture in good nick helps those who can't afford to buy a 3 piece DFS suite.

crimsonlake · 30/03/2021 20:59

Thank god for mismatch and people with some individualism I say. I buy rarely but when I do it is something I love and I keep for years, not because I am following a trend.

kowari · 30/03/2021 21:05

Mine matches because I had nothing and had to furnish from scratch with IKEA pine. Then accepted or rejected any additions depending on if they went with what I had. Haven't bought much since and I declutter when I'm stressed.

ZednotZee · 30/03/2021 21:06

I think its a shame, unless you really enjoy housework and spending a large portion of your time decorating and curating a certain look.

Many homes seem to have a standard 'look' now from what I have gathered looking at rightmove.

Mine is a mess fwiw so you don't even notice my admittedly nice decor because of the clutter and general child caused detritus.

Wearywithteens · 30/03/2021 21:07

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

warmandtoasty2day · 30/03/2021 21:13

heck knows what the estate agent photos will look like of our place when they are taken Blush it will be a thread on mn 'take a look at the state of this on rightmove' Grin

folloyourarro · 30/03/2021 21:14

@ZednotZee I don't think that's unique to now though, I think (most) houses have always had a certain "look" depending on the decade. My house growing up was far from a show home but you could easily date it from the 90s in photos.

JackieTheFart · 30/03/2021 21:14

@warmandtoasty2day this is literally why I haven’t posted asking for help staging my photos Blush

Nuttagblz · 30/03/2021 21:18

I wanted my home to look mismatched in a non trendy way as it reminds me of sitting in my nans house on a sunday afternoon. She had lots of knick knack that all her kids brought her back and it felt safe and grounding.

Most of these IG accounts are doing it for the money, there is a youtuber who has redcorated her house so many times it is almost all the time, it is to create content thats all.

userxx · 30/03/2021 21:22

@Wearywithteens

“I was chatting to the estate agent about this and he said (generalising) that people 30 and under want instagram perfect houses instantly and us 'oldies' (40s plus) were happier to wait and do it bit by bit like in the olden times.”

This is what I’ve observed too from the houses in my street - I just wonder how all these young couples afford to do a whole house up before they move in while it’s taken us years!

Credit cards and big loans.

Original poster
Dojasayso · 30/03/2021 21:23

I do think that it must cause such unnecessary pressure for people with young kids and/or financial struggles.

OP posts:
dementedma · 30/03/2021 21:24

I dont think I could live with everything matching, even if I could afford it. Growing up, our stuff was all second hand and mismatched and I just accept that as the norm. Now, in my late 50s, I am able to buy new stuff if I want to, but its a hard habit to break. Am in my bedroom just now: bed is new( first time I've ever had a new bed in my life), carpet is new ( still get a kick from walking on it in bare feet), lamp was new from IKEA. Wardrobe and one chest of drawers match, but are second hand. Second chest of drawers is second hand and matches nothing. Bedside cabinets second hand and dont match. I cant imagine the luxury of having a new, matching things!

SpacePotato · 30/03/2021 21:25

“I was chatting to the estate agent about this and he said (generalising) that people 30 and under want instagram perfect houses instantly and us 'oldies' (40s plus) were happier to wait and do it bit by bit like in the olden times.”

I think it's part of the instant gratification culture among younger generations. I grew up knowing if I want stuff I had to save up. Household items weren't as cheap or instantly available at a click.

edballsfriendlyneighbour · 30/03/2021 21:25

I think people have been stuck at home for a year with very little to do other than buy things and work on their homes.

Again, the Insta generation have had no holidays, nights out, fancy restaurants to post so it becomes about the home instead because what else is there during a lockdown?

Easy access to credit means a lot of people succumb to buy now, pay later and live beyond their means, rather than needing to save and do things bit by bit.

Not to mention the likes of Mrs Hinch who appeals to a certain demographic and idealises a clean, perfect looking home.

PferdeMerde · 30/03/2021 21:28

What’s the point in filling up your house with shite you don’t need?

ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 30/03/2021 21:34

@Dojasayso

Just musing through Instagram and I realised something.. most people's homes are borderline show home standard.

It's not a put down because my home is the same in terms of cleaning and nice decor with a lot of effort, time and expense.

But I growing up I don't remember the being as standard? I remember fridge magnets, pictures, ornaments etc.
I remember friends houses having carpets that don't match the sofas and a rug that was gifted 10 years ago that doesn't match the home but families kept anyway.

But now I can't think of a single friend or acquaintance with such a mis matched home.

Of course there were home fashions but these weren't the default standard in most homes.

Of course the grey homes with mirrored furniture were a thing (I hated that trend). But even so, people put a lot of money and time into creating that imagine.

I don't remember people putting as much into their home decor years ago.

Now most people I know have gorgeously decorated homes where things match and even family photos are up in black and white with stylish frames.

Is it a new thing to have a show home type house? What do you think has caused it?

I think it may be due to social media?

All but one of my friends have homes that are attractive, but personal to their tastes and lives. They have fridge magnets, mismatched cushions, and pictures / rugs / art kept for sentimental value. I would hate to live in a "show home" like you describe. Soulless.
ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 30/03/2021 21:35

@SpacePotato

“I was chatting to the estate agent about this and he said (generalising) that people 30 and under want instagram perfect houses instantly and us 'oldies' (40s plus) were happier to wait and do it bit by bit like in the olden times.”

I think it's part of the instant gratification culture among younger generations. I grew up knowing if I want stuff I had to save up. Household items weren't as cheap or instantly available at a click.

This rings true for me.
SavingsQuestions · 30/03/2021 21:36

Wow now I wouldn't see the "show home" look as something desirable at all. I'd probably assume (possibly wrongly) that they had different values to me and we might not be a great match for friendship. Obviously if we got to know each other that might not be the case but it would be my assumption!

I have heard of school mums changing everything in a room rather than changing something, which seems wasteful to me. So if they are "doing their child's room" a few years after they last "did it" they literally get rid of all the old furniture, buy all new matching to a theme etc. I could not do that!

I think it lacks character and wouldn't be easy for me to live in. We're outdoorsy and bake and just couldn't live in a show home. However I recognise that a lot of time and money and dedication goes into it and they are often beautiful!

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 30/03/2021 21:39

My home looks like a show home. But what you can't see is ExH took all the furniture so I needed to start again from scratch. The cheapest way to do that was to head to IKEA.