Why are so many houses so similar?

[PoorOldCat]

I get updates from rightmove every day and I think about 90% of the houses have really similar interiors.

Everyone seems to have laminate floor, brown leather sofas, the ubiquitous 'feature wall' in some awful oversized floral pattern, steel and black framed things and huge tellys. And the kitchens and bathrooms all seem to be the P shaped shower bath and the varying shades of beige tiles.

I don't understand why, it's like looking at a display in B&Q over and over again. It's so ugly. But most of all it's so dull.

Do people like this stuff or is it just fashion, which no one really likes aside from the fact it makes your house look identical to other people's?

Finding a house to be proper nosey at, that has some sort of identity of its own is hard work.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to do or why it pisses me off so much, and I certainly don't want to offend anyone who does like their house this way...all the agents seem to say these are beautifully presented and will be very popular, so maybe it is just me who hates it, in which case, I'll take the flack

But why is it so popular to have your house like this? Because I just don't understand.

also OP when people sell a house the idea is to depersonalise it so it looks bland. when you view lots of houses they can all become similar.

Karen look at BTC (if you don't mind £££ - too much for my budget! but lovely)

ikwym about lighting though. I hate fake chandeliers and hate modern shiny chrome space age stuff.

here is a good example of what I was on about on this thread. If anyone cares.

Sorry stupid !

I agree re lighting, even with a generous budget it's a tricky area to get right

I think Senua has hit the nail on the head when she says it's because they're no longer just homes, they're investments.
Obviously that's not true for everyone, but the general consciousness of what a house has to look like to sell has had an impact on the interior deco we're exposed to on tv and in magazines (eg those Grand Designs people who always claim to be building for themselves but it's amazing how often it pops up on the market a few years later).

Good point, yes, I had an idea it might be something to do with the buy to let thing as well.

It's a sort of a thing, this way of depersonalising, isn't it. Like saying in the 1980s, a fitted kitchen will improve the value of your home. And a nice avocado bathroom suite.

This is the thing. It's a fashion and as such I think I have very little faith in it.

In another 20 years folk will be ripping out and deriding as 'so 2010s' the neutral tiles and the laminate. And for this, so many houses have been a little bit more destroyed.

Noddy, it's like the stone cladding rectangular part sticks out of the wall, and the actually fireplace is nit in the middle of the surround. It's to the right. !

Karen, i like tiffany style lamps. I have no idea if they are fashionable or not but i like them. Ihate boring lights! Although "boring" walls are fine!

Everyone should just be able to decorate the way they want. Some people don't have flair for it so look in magazines and follow what happens to be in fashion if they like the look of it.
I'd probably judge your taste just as you'd judge mine and neither of us would care what the other thought.

If I bought a period house with original features I'd never rip them out I'd just decorate to my taste and the style of the house. Just because you have a 1930's house doesn't mean you have to decorate it like it actually is 1930.
But if you like that style then you can do what you like.

Unfortunately, or fortunately which ever way you want to look at it, many houses have been thrown up with no love or care but it means more affordable housing. I'd love to live in a beautiful old cottage but I can't afford to.

Because it's the in thing. Like stencilling and those awful wallpaper borders than I made DH put up only his kept falling down. I don't bother with following trends. And those totally hideous 70's/80's style brick fireplaces. They are the ugliest things ever.

My MIL's 70s house has one of those brick fireplaces and I actually rather like it; it's nicely designed and built, and fits the room.
How long till we start to appreciate them?

I think 70's period features will be appreciated in the future if they were works of art or good quality items. Plastic baths/kitchen units are something I can't see ever being appreciated by future generations.

I do get a bit fed up with all the laminate flooring and leather sofas everywhere. We've had it for years due to numerous allergies but everybody who comes to visit thinks we're following the fashion. We have bright, vivid walls though :)

My Parents have one of those fireplaces. It's vile.

I doubt it will put many people off when it comes time to sell because that house also has massive rooms.

We all compromise a bit on houses, and most of us change the things we don't like.

I hate magnolia. Houses have no personality anymore. Everyone does the same thing and it is so boring. Yes it looks clean and simple but not cosy and homely. I am adding texture and colour and interest to my home. I spend a lot of time choosing the right things for us although practicality is very important to me. I guess people just choose the same as everyone else as they have no imagination. Or they like that sort of thing. Each to their own. I'm sure lots of people will hate my sense of style in interiors .

Yes that is true tunip. We are planning on staying here longterm so are decorating to our taste not to sell on.

I remember in the 1970s my mum hankered after a 'through room'
Ie a lounge/ diner.
My first house in the 1980s had one,with a tiny kitchen and a pink and grey bathroom.
We bought our current house in 1999,double doors separated our 'through' room and the kitchen was a'breakfast' kitchen,the bathrooms (three in a five bed house) cream or white but with wooden bath panels.
Times change,people have differing tastes.
We have now a very large 'living' kitchen with sofas,wooden floor,granite work tops etc,which no doubt will all be very dated shortly!

op i know what you mean, theres nothing to nosy at

noddy im not suprised your a designer ive always thought you had great taste

I look at that house u linked to oldcat, and i see potential to make it nicer very easily. It doesnt appal me

I hate laminate floors, feature walls and beige tiles, but we do have brown leather sofas :)

Our new neighbours have done exactly that. We live in a Victorian terrace and they have spent £££££ renovating it. The builders have just left after 10 months. He invited me round for a nosey as we chat over the garden wall whilst we smoke :)

It is awful. Exactly as you describe (obvs no furniture yet) all original features gone, laminate flooring, cream bog standard kitchen and pastel walls everywhere. I know it needed a lot of work but the end result actually made me sad.

I hate watching homes under the hammer for exactly
This reason. I usually wind up shouting at the telly. So builders not understand that original features on good condition are actually desirable??

I like watching Homes Under The Hammer. The problem is that you see and empty property. It could easily be personalised by the addition of carpets, furniture, pictures, soft furnishings etc. I would describe the finished result as a blank canvas.

I think it's a combination of houses being investments, high street stores following fashion and stocking a particular "look" and our disposable society. Older furniture was solid and intended to last a lifetime (or more!) where stuff now is intended to be used then replaced when fashion changes.
It is far more expensive to keep old features than to modernise though. We had our stained glass repaired, encapsulated and sealed into double glazed units which cost way more than ordinary modern windows. Not everyone could or would pay that, a developer almost certainly wouldn't.

It is each to their own though. One of my best friends has a modern house and has redecorated it quite a bit as she keeps up with home fashions. Another friend has an Edwardian house and has it very true to the period (floorboards, coal fires, wooden window frames, antique furniture, etc). My house is also Edwardian but fits somewhere between the two, we have gone with the mod cons where it suits us but tried to observe the house's character where we can. Ours is not fashionable but is a kind of modern version of traditional, bit battered but not stylish enough to be shabby chic but it is a lovely family home which is what matters to us.

I detest brown interiors. What makes me cross is looking at houses that have clearly recently had thousands of pounds spend on blandifying them, and knowing that if one were to buy, one would a. be paying a premium for the last person's lack of taste, and b. have to rip it all out, which is environmentally horrendous as well as a waste of money.