Are show homes a new thing for people?

[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?

I think until the 70s - 80s people could not afford lots of designer-y stuff for their homes, and a lot of stuff was inherited. But you could really tell when you saw something on tv or film that was meant to be luxurious because everything matched. Then came Habitat and all the home stores since then so we can all afford to have stuff which matches. And there are a lot more home magazines since the 80s too. The other thing which changed is that you cant really inherit modern stuff since it is not generally built to last. So we have to replace it more often.

@ElephantsNest

Only if you live in a lower middle class area!

This

Give me a home with character and individuality any day over a house that looks like the Argos catalogue.

I’d love a show home. I’m useless at design and our house just always looks so dull.

I would absolutely hate to live in a house where everything was mismatched. I think they’re so disorganised and ugly; it’s like the owners can’t be bothered to make sure they live somewhere nice.

It’s just so basic, making sure your house looks good. It shows you have pride in your home and take care of it.

@ElephantsNest

Only if you live in a lower middle class area!

This. I only met people who wanted their homes to be like this, and worked at it, when I moved to an English village which was overwhelmingly lower-middle class. People were (to me) insanely houseproud. It was also the only place I’ve ever lived where men seemed to spend weekend mornings either mowing the lawn or washing their cars.

To be honest, I found it kind of sinister. But then, I find showhomes sinister.

@emilyfrost

I would absolutely hate to live in a house where everything was mismatched. I think they’re so disorganised and ugly; it’s like the owners can’t be bothered to make sure they live somewhere nice.

It’s just so basic, making sure your house looks good. It shows you have pride in your home and take care of it.

Or their idea of ‘nice’ isn’t ‘matchy-matchy’?

@emilyfrost

I would absolutely hate to live in a house where everything was mismatched. I think they’re so disorganised and ugly; it’s like the owners can’t be bothered to make sure they live somewhere nice.

It’s just so basic, making sure your house looks good. It shows you have pride in your home and take care of it.

Why do you think mismatched = doesn't look good.

Pieces of furniture which don't 'match' but compliment each other in style, feel, or colour can look absolutely beautiful. Do you think antique furniture looks dreadful? It rarely comes in matching sets.

My house of definitely not show home standard. I've tried to get things to work with each other, not match as such, just be harmonious. I have however taken the odd photo, not posted on Instagram, which when viewed back make it look really good, if I do say so myself. Clever photography can make things look much nicer than they are in real life, but my photos are more luck than being clever with a camera/phone 😉

Its a certain look I've noticed..Grey walls, grey carpet, grey sofa. large wall clock, telly on the wall. I don't like it and couldn't relax in a home like that. I like cosy throws, books, junk shop finds.
Mind you I probably have a bit too much clutter . Roll on the charity shops opening

It's like a kind of hobby I suppose, a bit like gardening?

If it makes you happy then why not. Personally my house is extremely cluttered and I am perfectly happy with that!

Depends on your friends surely? I can't think of any of my friends houses that are 'show-home' standard like some of the monochrome monstrosities I see on Instagram. They're all nice, just 'lived-in'.

Even the friends with the most style and taste and money for beautiful quality matching things have the kids paintings stuck to the fridge, random shoes in the hall and mis-matched bits and pieces scattered about.

I think it’s down to personal taste. Everyone has to live as they please. I really don’t think putting others down , as a few on this thread are, simoly for decorating their homes differently to you, is a particularly pleasant thing to do.

To be honest it always smacks of envy.

Only if you live in a lower middle class area!
This. I only met people who wanted their homes to be like this, and worked at it, when I moved to an English village which was overwhelmingly lower-middle class. People were (to me) insanely houseproud. It was also the only place I’ve ever lived where men seemed to spend weekend mornings either mowing the lawn or washing their cars.

^^cant get away from class in England 😆 but yes definitely working class pride of home is a must. Needs to be spotless grey and matching.

The internet/social media have enabled the show home dream. Plus now you can shop online either for new or secondhand furnishings. It's easier to be picky because there's so much choice now.

I remember decorating in the 1990s and getting inspiration from programs like changing rooms or a magazine.

I grew up in an unkempt house which was never pulled apart for a deep clean.

Due to that I do make quite a bit of effort to live in a nice home with not too much clutter.
Although I dont follow trends I do like things to match or have a theme.

I absolutely love colour and warm so a grey home could never be me! Plus my house is very very old so I've kept original features like fireplaces.

I do think class may come into it. My richest friends have unmatched furniture, clutter and hoard a bit but it's not noticeable due to so much space. Very homely but full of junk.
My working class friends are very house proud and the minute they were able to buy bought new builds they decorated grey and white and keep minimal.

I just don't really remember home decor being such a big thing growing up. You had the odd person with a super housebound mum that had magnolia everything. But the majority had mismatching stuff and character of the people who lived there.

A lot of homes now do look similar but in a glossy magazine type way.

Those pictures make my teeth itch!
Our home is a mix, some inherited antique furniture, our main sofas are 2 chesterfields that have aged well, I really dislike the matchy-matchy look and colour themed houses.
I'm not on social media thankfully 😂

Mine matches but purely because I couldn't deal with it not matching.

My house is clean and tidy because that's just the way we are.

My son pulls his toys all across the rooms but it's toys it's a clean mess. When he naps or goes to bed they get put away.

As for clutter, cannot stand it.

To be honest it always smacks of envy.

why is it not possible to have a negative opinion without being accused of jealousy or envy?

More accurately, why is it not possible to have an opinion without someone taking it personally? Is it such a surprise that not everybody shares your taste? Who cares.

I love my home. I have lots of colour but things kind of match. We have a beagle mainly on the odd coloured chair snoring in the evening. It's lived in but clean. I think it bugs one of of my best friends as she is a pick two colours and decorate like a show room which is lovely but not me.

The other thing that blew my mind was the extent to which people were horrified by what they termed ‘clutter’,and I just thought of as ‘stuff I used’. Our (very nice) neighbours invited us over soon after we arrived, and had what looked like a completely empty kitchen with bare work surfaces — not only the cups, tea and cutlery, but also the kettle, coffee machine, toaster etc all lived in drawers, and were only taken out to be used. Neighbour emptied the unused water out of the kettle and put it away immediately after she’d made us coffee.

I thought this was a personal quirk until we started going to other neighbours’ houses. The entirely empty kitchen surface was clearly a widespread thing.

I remember admiring a bouquet of flowers one woman had been given and her saying she couldn’t wait to throw it out to have uncluttered surfaces again.

Mine is not at all like that but I do feel pressure as most of my friends are. It's really weird that I feel out of whack with this trend. I won't be following, I just feel like I need to justify my antiques, ornaments and mish mash inherited loveliness!

Do you think antique furniture looks dreadful?

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable Yes, I think it’s very ugly. It doesn’t match, it’s usually ugly old wood, and I would never allow anything like it in my home.

I have quite a few interior design and architect friends through work. Even though they have stylish homes, they never look like show homes because honestly no one with children lives like that. Instagram photos are curated photos like any other interior shoot. Shuffling stuff around and moving things into place. Instagram is not real life.

I don't post pics of my home on SM as it's my home. Dito the kids and their accounts. It's our private mess lol