apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Over my dead body will Eddie supplant Kelly.

Go Team Kelly!

I agree with all of these except Minimal furniture... the point of it is how timeless it is.

But if you like wings keep following the flock ;)

Great. Let's throw out everything we absolutely loved and had to have as recently as two days ago, and replace it with a bunch of new crap that will be "so over" in another 363 days. How very sustainable.

Also, if "Obvious MCM" is out, how can "Mad Men interiors" be in?

How can Mad Men Interiors be 'IN' and 'Obvious Mid-C Modern' be 'OUT'?

Fun list (even though I fell in the "out" category" with my collection of obvious mid-c furniture - which makes me question the inclusion of the obviously mid-c saarinen table in the "in" category).

I do think the Ikea docksta table should be in the "out" category.

To the above list, I might also add:

Out: Ikea adel medium brown kitchen cabinets (Ikea's best selling)
In: Ikea solar kitchen cabinets (absolutely beautiful)

The tulip table is lovely but I can't help but be tired of it after seeing them in every second AT house tour.

To add to the list, I'd say "buying new" is out and "making do" is in!

What exactly is "obvious" mid-century modern?

Hopefully the mid-century pieces I've just come into (woo hand-me-downs!) are "stealth" enough to pass inspection. ;)

Here's my personal "What's In, What's Out" list for 2009.

Hot: Choosing pieces that you love, regardless of whether they're deemed hip and savvy (or hopelessly passe).

Not: Caring about "What's in, What's out" lists.

emmabemma- AGREED!!

Your attention!!!, commercial spam two comments above....

three sorry

Saarinen tulip table is "in" next year? I truly don't think that table will ever go "out" and will always be in since its incarnation. The form is so beautiful and flexible, the options are diverse and they're all wonderful in their own way. That table will be one to surpass "in and out" lists for years and years.

UGH!

Has anyone seen the kind of things on Etsy?

I'll stick with Ebay, thank you!

Who made up this list? Mostly we are tired of certain trends, we had that post before all the 2008 roundup roundup-o-rama, but what is the criteria for deciding what's in for 2009? Whatever you tell us is "in," because you'll post about it, despite hate. I'm over graphic posters of every kind until you show me one that's so fantastic. If it has words or directions or instructions on what to do or what kind of mood to be in, I think it's over. How is eBay out? Etsy isn't necessarily in or out. It tends to attract the same sort of aesthetic, and that's kind of twee. No, really, really twee. As for the photocopying the wallpaper, no followup was to be had regarding the suggestion by a blogger last month to photocopy some expensive really interesting wallpaper instead of buy it. I think using photocopies to make up your own wallpaper is a different idea, not necessarily in or out or legal or not legal.

You forgot to say owls are out, and using plastic hangers as "functional wall art" is out.

Designer - Out
DIY - In

I hate being "over" things that are "out"... I love my keep calm poster and my MCM pieces, obvious or not. Maybe some of ya'll can afford to update yearly but I certainly can't. The trick is to only subscribe to trends you think will carry over and become timeless or to just buy what you like no matter what list its on.

ps... enough with the etsy already! i like it but its a bit overrated.

-Eleazar
http://www.blogazar.com

I'm with blogazar! I'm keeping my MCM pieces AND I'm keeping my KCACO poster, since I bought and framed it because I love it, and not to have the latest graphic poster on my wall. Is "Other Graphic Poster" going to be out next year? Will I be ridiculed if I buy one this year and still love it in 2010?

ps: why is the font size so freaking small, all of a sudden? Is it just me?

It's been over two weeks since you posted an original, non-link post, so I just removed AT from my reader.

All bloggers write link posts, but two weeks worth of self-serving posts linking to nothing but your own stories is too much. It helps your SEO, but does nothing for readers.

Goodbye Apartment Therapy

In the words of an infamous poster, people, keep calm. In-Out lists aren't holy scripture; they're just opinion and a bit of fun. If your home is stylish it will look good regardless of fads and fashions... and if it isn't, then maybe inserting a couple of faddish things can give you 12 months of fashion cred!

However I for one will laugh my head off if the Obamas unveil their new White House and it turns out to be full of Keep Calm posters, wood farm tables, antlers and chalkboard paint :)

Can we get anything besides MCM? I love it, it's great, but I'm a bit tired of seeing only MCM interiors here.

I have to agree with James111. All of the best of/month were cute, but this post is beyond ridiculous.
Maybe you will all come back with fresh rested eyes and something new to show us for once. :(

The Obamas' White House, not "The Obama's White House."

@ Eve in hochelaga, no it's not you I have the same problem, everything is to tiny....

in - sanity
out - the emperor's new interior


in - finding your style & mixing it with your needs
out - kowtowing to the styles of anyone else


in - reusing & diy ----> MCM or not
out - $3,000 couches & $80 throw pillows


in - cutting consumption & truly being minimal as a lifestyle
out - calling buying more bamboo everything & 20 "not a plastic bag" bags & calling it green, when it's actually just getting more crap

Agreed - james111. AT has been unbearable for the last two weeks. "Best of 2008: Most-viewed 'Good Question' of week 32!" Self-referential and incredibly boring. One or two concise "best of" posts would have been great. See you in February.

Yeesh, everyone seems to be grouchy after New Year's. I've got some bones to pick with the "In and Out" list (I hate these kinds of lists on lifestyle websites), but I actually appreciated a lot of the "Best Of" roundups. I've missed some real gems this year, so it's nice to catch up. Also, it's great reading for the people who've only recently tuned into the site.

I will be a happy, happy woman if I never see another Keep Calm And Carry On poster! The trend was cute at first, but now it's just... too... much. *twitch* Ditto for MCM. I used to be ambivalent about it, but now it's been FAR too exposed (not just in AT, also in design mags), and I'm so over it.

I do like the patchwork Egg Chair, though! And we can always do with more Etsy.

In general, I'd like to see more bright colours, more bold patterns, and more things which make me go, "Ooooh, shiny..."

IN or OUT? Shallow, self-absorbed websites.

End of year lists are sooo mid century. What would Bennett Cerf say? "Let Phyllis do the decorating," probably.

Ahh someone forgot to close the small text code again...!!

Winged furniture and half coloured walls? Unusual fabrics = crazy colors that make you nauseous? What's going on, second hand granny furniture revival?

I really hope your predictions are wrong :p

Out: coarse jute and sisal
In: soft alpaca rugs

Out: collections
In: one stand-out piece

Out: excessively bright colors
In: steely grays with a pop of color

Out: plastic, veneer, mdf
In: solid wood

Out: paying retail
In: freecycle, DIY, craigslist, getting in on sale

It's okay, everyone. Take a deep breath, have a cookie. It's a list, not the law.

ugh. here's what's IN for me in 2009: stop reading AT comments. everyone is SO NEGATIVE-- ALL THE TIME. there is a difference between critically constructive dialog and unabashedly DEstructive attacks.

Surely whoever made this list is friends with Eddie Ross. I can't believe his name is even being bantered about.

Jealousy make you ugly Gigi818

I'm with emmabemma

Out: knee-jerk negativity
In: praise, enthusiasm, and constructive comments

... I hope.

It would be awesome if you agreed with someone 30 posts up if you repeated what that was or put it in your own words. That's what's in for 2009.

How about buying and gathering things for your home that make you happy is in, and stop trying to make your place look like everyone else's is out?

Fontessa, if you think this website is so "shallow" and self-absorbed" than why are you here?!

Ouch, you guys! And I thought I was grumpy after too many late nights!

Listen, for those of you who are new to AT, the final two weeks of the year are always devoted to rounding up the year past. It's something that's good for us to do as editors and I believe that looking back before looking forward is good for our readers as well.

But it's also a bit of a quiet time/vacation on our sites. We post a lot, nearly every day of the year, and these two weeks allow us (and you) to take a break.

If you don't like roundups, enjoy the break and we'll see you all on Monday, January 5th when we resume full tilt blogging.

ps. as for In/Out Lists, we've never done one before and I think they're fun. While no one person's list is authoritative, if many people chip in, we should be able to see a few ideas that really are over and a few that are just begin born.

Enjoy and don't take it all too seriously!

The two weeks of "best of" posts were frustrating because I was home sick and kept hoping for something new. However, I really enjoyed the "homie" awards (except the twee name) because the comments nominating blogs introduced me to a whole bunch of new blogs - all their old posts were new to me.

As for the Out vs In - I couldn't afford to implement last year's trends and I won't be able to afford to implement this year's trends. It is all a big window shopping experience. I am looking forward to a decrease in deer and bird motifs and all coverage of Ms. Palin. I look forward to increases in any cool typography, serious interest in budget design, and new recipes on AT's kitchen site.

Happy New Year.

Eddie Ross? Are you effin' kidding me? Yes, if 2009 is the year of Golden Girls and Sugarbaker chic.

Gosh, K T G, I just checked out your profile and read through your latest comments, I can't help but wonder why on earth you even bother to follow AT, it seems to make you a bit grumpy!

In: Spending your time on things that make you happy
Out: Moaning about everything to seem clever

Here's my personal list:

In: Vintage Finds
Out: Retail "Sales"

In: Local Resources
Out: Big-Box Stores

In: Personal Style
Out: Catalog Style

In: Rich Colors
Out: Beige & Taupe

In: Cotton & Wool
Out: Microfiber

In: Made in North America
Out: Made in China

In: Renting
Out: "Owning"

In: Cash
Out: Credit

In: Signed Prints
Out: Posters

In: Needlepoint
Out: Knitting

In: Making Do
Out: All New

In: Pulling up a blanket
Out: Turning up the heat

In: Comfort Food
Out: Molecular Gastronomy

In: Doggie Bags
Out: Sending food back to the kitchen

In: Tea
Out: Coffee

In: Tap Water
Out: Bottled water

In: Being Grateful
Out: Being Greedy

I'm just glad you're done with all those "best of" posts!! I mean, most of us have been reading this site all year - that was totally unnecessary! Booooooooring. I stopped visiting your site in December...

Occasionally I like perusing apartment therapy to snoop in on other people's homes but things like this affirm your reporting is absolute slovenly and asskissing to all the wrong people. Abysmally poor design taste.

i'm in agreement with bepsf, except for the knitting. knitting rules! :D
looking forward to what apartment therapy brings in '09. i personally really enjoyed the 'best of in '08' over the last couple of weeks; i only joined you folks in may, and seeing what came before was informative and fun.

Given the price of admission, I have no problems with some slower days, everyone deserves a break and I don't imagine there's too much happening in the design world this time of year anyway.

Having just discovered MCM I'm perfectly ok with it staying around a while. My town tends to be 3-5 (at least) years behind the trends anyway, so I should be alright.

Cassielynn---you are correct. I apologize to you and the other readers here. My remark was absolutely unwarranted.

In: Finding your own favorite new artwork... my new finds... 26gallery.com and the work of Greg Gossel

how can ebay be out?

that's like saying 'shops are out'

weird.

Winged furniture?

That is a safe bet! I saw a gray winged chair in the home section of Target today... for mega bucks.

Since when is the cheap Target furniture so expensive?

If I wanted to spend $300 on a single chair, I'd go to a furniture store.

I just hope I don't have to see another "For, like, ever" poster.

one (of many) ironies, is that MCM interiors are 'out', but Mad Men Interiors are 'In'? Are they not nearly the same?

This is silly.

Obviously, I'm rather biased, because I love his work so much, but give me a Starck Icon (Miami?) interior any day, over the cute, thrift shop stuff I normally see here.

Intelligent design reigns true, over the random ill-conceived.

January is so cold and dark... but the silly IN/OUT lists do make it almost bearable!

what keep calm poster? what mid-century what? what half-accent walls?

what have you poor people been indoctrinated with?!

of course mcm, they are comfy!

My beloved black trollsta end table isn't going anywhere; and, for the love of all that is holy, I hope you're desperately wrong about Eddie Ross: Martha-on-meth should never be "in"!

All the sad sacks need to quit whining. You sound like a bunch of eighth graders! You don't pay for this, you know.

And if you can't accept repeated posts because some people wanted to spend time with their families during the holidays, then do us all a favor and leave quietly.

Maxwell and co., we here in the dirty south salute you!

reflecting on the goal of AT: "To connect people to the resources they need to improve their homes, while reducing their reliance on stuff."

i'm not sure pimping another repro/retro poster is on-target, so i agree with a few things on the "out" list... but not sure pimping anything over and over (in essence creating a trend) is on target with the above.

in the coming year, i hope AT dials back on the quantity-driven content and focuses instead on quality... diversity. keeping an overall style or verve is one thing, but we simply don't need 5 posts featuring (____) per day.

i really do enjoy visiting the site daily (and i'm sure AT's advertisers appreciate that, too), but i do get grumpy* when my expectations of high-quality, avant-garde content aren't met (or when the good stuff is buried by chaff).

(*) calling someone grumpy, cranky, jealous, etc... is not a constructive approach to confronting folks with opinions different from your own. personally, i'm a bit disappointed that maxwell went there, too.

In? Out? Who cares?

Reality: people describing Modern as a "trend' (even tho it's been around for almost a century now).

Hope: Well considered solutions to every day problems - regardless of 'trendiness'. If it works, it's good -even if it's modern.

Reality: Cheap chinese knock-offs that hurt the economy and the environment further.

Hope: High quality, made to last pieces that won't become landfill in 6 months. Even if it's not modern. Even if it's not trendy.

Reality: Blathering talking heads on HGTV telling us to rip out perfectly functioning appliances because they are white instead of stainless to create 'curb appeal'.

Hope: People on HGTV telling us to do important things, like spend money on insulation instead of granite counter tops; or buy a home that fits our needs instead of tearing down and building another (yawn) McMansion.

Reality: Design blogs (in general) pushing 'new', 'hot', 'trendy' products.

Hope: Design blogs devoting more wordcount to solutions that have actual, real-world potential.

Reality: A design culture obsessed with percieved individuality, novelty, and useless trinketry.

Hope: A design culture obsessed with actual needs - like safe, affordable, comfortable housing.

Well here's looking forward! Happy O-Nine!

People telling you to leave if you don't like it is out.
People accepting a difference of opinion without getting bent out of shape is in.

in - silly lists filled with self-contradiction and the reactions they generate.

having bought two winged chairs in the last 3 months (a hans wegner papa bear and a great wrought iron patio chair i think is paul mccobb), i should be thrilled (but they are obvious mcm) so i guess i shouldn't be.

i kind of enjoy trendspotting but don't see much value with in/out lists; after all, many trends are ghastly from the get go. i really couldn't care less about the "in" color, gadget, table, poster, or designer / designer guru in training.

my sentiments are with redneckmodern, modfan, i come for inspiration, for fodder to tweak to my own needs, for beauty, for practicality, and for simple, original, elegant solutions. keep delivering these, however infrequently, and i'll be around sorting through the dross.

IN: Bitching about how shallow design blogs are while constantly surfing design blogs
OUT: the phrase "pops of color" (oh I wish I wish I wish)

LOL @ all of these comments!!!

In: Fontessa's second post!

Out: Reading websites that piss you off. I spent the holiday reading the actual newspaper and it was much better experience without all of the comments! I realize crazy comments really ruin my mood, especially when they are racist, sexist or any other sort of ignorant post. That rarely occurs on AT, so I still peruse.

Anyway, yeah, I take this list with a grain of salt. I don't even know what half of the shit on the lists are. And I've never seen a 'for, like, ever' poster, but kudos to the enterprising person who was able to make a buck off of that.

But I will say that there was trend that I truly hated: DNA art. A damn blow up of an agarose gel framed on your dresser X-p

Maybe I'm just hating bcz I didn't come up with it...

OUT: DEMANDING ANYTHING of a FREE BLOG/WEBSITE.

IN: Sharing your opinion while respecting that of others.

Also "IN"? Remembering that there is a REAL PERSON behind every post and opinion. Anonymity may make it easy to write vile comments, but that doesn't mean that you should.

THANKS TO AT STAFF AND THE "BEST OF" POSTS.. YOU DESERVED YOUR HOLIDAY BREAK.

The advantage of repeat posts is that you spend more time reading the comments than re-reading the article. Keeps you busy anyhow.
Happy 2009 AT :-)

I am a collector--always have been, always will be. That means I have a lot of stuff. Objects, furniture, dishes, etc. Many different styles and inclinations from different decades of design. Thank god I have a sizable attic and a garage. I just switch things out with other things when I feel like changing. I can never afford things when they are trendy. I always wait til they wind up in a thrift store or antique mall.
I don't know that much about design or trends, but I do enjoy seeing the cool things on AT. Keep up the good work!

In: the Greatest Generation.
Out: hipsters.

OUT: Go to a chain home decore store, and have a look at what's regular price or small sale to see the recently 2008 OUT stuff, and have a look at the deeply discounted stuff to see 2007 OUT stuff!

I was just at Wonderbucks and they have a zebra-print chair up front, regular price. FWIW, I thought it was a cute chair. :-)

modtramp: ... i s'pose it depends on your definition of "free". while AT is without personal, out-of-pocket monetary cost, it is not "free" in the truest sense of the word.

AT -- and other ad-driven sites (dooce, design*sponge, eichlernetwork) -- makes a living off of our readership (click-throughs and page-hits) in the same way NBC, Radio-Alice, SFGuardian or any other ad-driven (but no-cost) media does. so, as cogs in the for-profit machine, our opinions do/should matter.

... and to give credit where credit is due, the ATstaff does indeed seem to be dialed into their audience (more than many). thanks for that.

Thank you, people. I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time. These comments are hilarious. So many of you take things so seriously. As if AT were the final word. But anyways, so many undies in a bunch made for a good laugh.

IN: AT
OUT: BUSH!!

Can we PLEASE be done with silk screened birds yet?

They were cute and all, at first, but sheesh.

More "Outs"...

Chalkboard Paint
Wall Decals
Photo Murals
Books arranged by color
In-Sink Garbage Disposals
Brushed Chrome
Curtains pretending to be Closet Doors
Incandescent
Disposable

...and more "In's"

Oversized Lamps and Lampshades
Enlarged & Framed Personal Travel Photos
Book Trading Groups
Urban Composting
Antiqued Brass
Upholstered Doors
Compact Fluorescent and LED
Rechargeable

bepsf yes!

So In:
Designs that are....
Local**
Animal-friendly**
Earth-kind**

In: Made in North America
Out: Made in China

In: Making Do
Out: All New

I actually think In and Out - lists are OUT. Style is becomming more and more personal. Following a list like this, would be OUT and untrendy in my opinion. Go for the things you like and that work for you and your home! :)

I think that readers would have been happier with no posts on holiday days rather than rehashed posts that they've read numerous times already (the Hot Posts are bad enough) - but I'm guessing that the advertisers want posts to happen every day...

Actually, I like the end of the year recap posts - I always find something that I had read before, forgot about it, and then tried to find it later but couldn't.

I bookmarked the end of year wallcovering post.

Wow. I'm surprised at how many people are upset about the rehashed posts. Honestly I'd say a good 80% of the blogs I read have stopped posting for the holidays and so I was pleased with having any content AT put up.

I figured they were doing it to A. do a little round up for the end of the year and B. let them have a little break from posting to visit their families.

I found it nice that my daily blogs weren't updating. I got bored online really quickly and actually turned off the laptop and was constructive for awhile.

Besides this 'in and out' list is just a prediction. Something fun to see if it comes true. Its not like you actually have to abide by it.

Sorry if my comment sounds like a regurgitation of Maxwells I just realized he pretty much said the same thing.

I actually appreciated the roundups,especially at Unplggd. I just skipped through the ones I had already seen. No big deal.

Cookies? Did someone say cookies?

I hope eBay is out.

They keep losing market share to Craig's List (which is free, although a pain) and Etsy (which doesn't seem as determined to screw over sellers). What's eBay's solution? To step up their terrible policies toward sellers, driving them into the arms of other sites. What a genius business model.

Out: Ikea

In: Second-hand furniture that will actually last 10 years or more.

Bravo to Emmabemma who said choosing what you love is 2009 trend. I think folks are tired of keeping up w/the Joneses, especially since their -- and the Joneses 401k funds -- are now mush.

Here are a few more:

Rooms that work for how people really live, not how a magazine or web site says they should.

Water and energy saving devices.

More personalization and comfort at home.

For more trends:
http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/2009/01/year-ahead.html

You go, cassielynn!

Books arranged by color is the dumbest design idea ever--maybe you are buying them for the look, not the content anyway?

I think we'll have a style-of speech change because of Obama:

OUT: Fake Folksiness, and "dumbing down"
IN: Using correct grammer and vocabulary

I blame Reagan for the downward spiral we've had the last couple of decades. Maybe that paradigm has been supplanted.

I think Sarah Palin should be 'out' on all accounts in 2009 and beyond.

We'll be finished with George W. Bush in 11 days.
Our planet cannot survive an imitation of him in Gucci pumps.

Eddie Ross? Ew. His reality tv persona was about as charming as a cold sore and his Martha-meets-WASP-granny style just doesn't float my boat. At least Kelly's style has evolved since the whole Hollywood Regency trend saturated the design world. And she gets extra points for that crimped beehive she sported on Top Design. That takes balls: http://doodlewhore.blogspot.com/search?q=wearstler

I like the end of year posts...While I haven't spent much time at AT over the holidays, I will definitely check them out over the next few weeks when I'm feeling bored. I work from home, on my computer, and have discovered to my chagrin that I spend way too much time perusing others' homes and reading far too many angry comments at AT so, with that in mind:
In: Cut waaaaay back on this time wasting activity.
Out: Nothing. Keep/buy/make/barter what you like, get rid of what you hate (in an ecologically-minded, non-insulting way, of course).

Yay muirwoods! I do love this site so much and all the pretty pictures... but I have to not look at the comments, I am a comment whore.

-Jane the Queen-

i'm sure for most people it IS kinda nuts. it works for me though b/c i'm one of those visual people who remembers the color of books before their exact name or author. i've found it's much easier for me to find what i'm looking for that way. :)

The obvious MCM is retarted..then you say Saarinen tulip table is in????What???