A few weeks ago, I went to an open house that was down the street. Mainly because, for the past few months, there had been workers banging away at 6 am five days a week. For all that noise, there had better be some amazing remodel action (and finger foods). But, it was like bad plastic surgery...
The Spanish casa was stripped out of all the elements and quirks that make that style so unique! Case in point: The owners took out the wood beams from the ceiling. Colorful tile had been replaced with a grey slate (sure it was beautiful and cost a fortune, but it felt out of place).
I've seen some great Spanish revivals, especially the one in San Marino pictured here and featured this week in the LA Times and this great remodel from Cottage Living. I'd think that a house remodel would be such an intense project that trying to fit a whole new style or trend would be a huge gamble. Why not take cues from the existing architecture?
Photos by John Coolidge for Cottage Living and Ricardo DeAratanha for the LA Times
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I'm soo with you there. If you are remodeling a MCM place, look at what it had originally and update, but still keep within the peramiters of the house's style, same with Spanish revival, English Tudor etc, etc.
And let's not even get started on Craftsman Bungalows, those should be updated, but keep the original woodwork intact as much as possible thankyouverymuch.
view ciddyguy's profile
Agreed.
And it's so hard to explain to the people who don't GET it!
I work on some of those home remodeling shows... and while on a shoot some of us were talking about the older neighborhoods around where some Richy Rich buys a house just to scrape it and build a hideous McMansion that blocks the sun from the house that was standing there... in the sun for the past 90 years!!!
We were saying that there ought to be ordinances, legislation, preservation laws to prevent people from coming in and mucking up a lovely neighborhood.
The photographer and another ingorant argued that people should be able to build what they want where they want.
Nice idea... but honestly, if you don't know enough to appreciate the neighborhood.... you don't belong in the neighborhood. Ugh.
view clickchick's profile
The purpose of the house was not to make others happy. It was to meet the needs of the current owners. If they are happy, the remodel was a success.
There are no "rules" to decor which is one of the reasons I find it fascinating. It is so much about the individual (or individual plus interior designer).
The world has room for everyone. If they are relatively quiet at night, smile and are gracious during the day etc... they are good neighbors.
It is not our place to judge others so harshly. It is not "ruining" a neighborhood. Good neighbors make a good neighborhood.
In schools of architecture you hear the same moaning about people who do not fit the home to the surrounding landscape. It is not about the house or the interior design. It is about the lives of the people within.
It fascinates me when people go to a new place and create their own fantasies or recreate a previous setting that made them happy in the past.
view Cate's profile
Cate, you are kinder than I.
A friend of mine went with me to look at houses one Sunday afternoon. We walked into this darling bungalow and discovered it had been STERILIZED by the last owner (or flipper)!!! Beautiful lathe and plaster walls were torn out and replaced with drywall, and orange peel texture!!! Wood trim was replaced with the crap one finds in the suburbs!
What a shame, people looking in a neighborhood for exactly what they want and being so diappointed!
you can't recreate that stuff.... not without a lot of freaking money!
view clickchick's profile
Cate your an idiot ... this is about good design ... crap is crap!
view bud smith's profile
don't call someone an idiot. it's rude.
view glh's profile
Um, clickchick, I'm in the suburbs and my 1930's plaster walls and original, unpainted chestnut wood trim are intact. I'm completely on board with remaining true to an architectural style (and even more so to the vibe of an established neighborhood) and so are *lots* of other people in the suburbs.
view robyn's profile