I'd pretty much rather die. (But then I hate sports in general, so don't go by me.)

NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you're really into sports, and you want sports decor, then sure! I'm a firm believer in the idea that you decorate your home for yourself, and if others think it's tacky or ugly, oh well! Personally, I have a photo of old Tiger Stadium that I took as a child the summer before the Tigers moved out of it, and I love it.

Good comment @sherrybinnh...Personally I think that it is okay in the right setting. I use some sports items in my den where at least 50% of the time there is a game on. Garages and outdoor spaces are also a great place to use sports decor. I personally prefer vintage/unique pieces such as old pennants and rackets etc. As with everything moderation is key.

Most sports decor you can buy at the mall or the gift shop is so, so, so tacky. I enjoy vintage pieces in a den or basement or garage though.

There are several factors. Are you actually a fan of that sport or team or are you just trying to decorate in some kind of sports theme? Cause the former is fine, the latter is just kitschy.

The second factor is to strike a balance. Don't overwhelm your space with every piece of team memorabilia you own but if you have a signed baseball or a rare jersey from your favorite player, by all means, display it. Something that can be appreciated for its value as part of sports history or sports collecting should be shown off.

We have a large vintage poster because it's a subtle way to appreciate the sport you love without it being gaudy. And we have a few signed items here and there from our favorite hockey team.

I hate all things sports, but my husband loves it. We agreed that he could put whatever sports-related stuff he wanted in the office, but that's it. When we moved, we each were able to have our own bathroom. Holy sports explosion. But I know it makes him happy and I get the rest of the apartment to decorate nicely, so I don't mind.

Yes! I'm a motorsports fan so our living room has my Nascar and Indycar stuff everywhere, including my autographed items. We've also got our HD TV and beer fridge in there. My boyfriend could give a toss about racing but he's a gamer so we have the computer in there as well as our game consoles. We've also got his movie posters and his action figures.

What I'm trying to say is...yeah its a man cave. And I love it!

Funnily enough I've kept my sense of decor so there's things like window scarves and matching throw pillows. Its just so....me

So much of sports paraphernalia is tacky that I'm leery of the idea generally, but I think it can be tastefully done. I play roller derby and have some of my league's framed bout posters on display in my home and would not be opposed to incorporating other hints of a roller skate theme, for example (minimally). I've seen some cool uses of vintage tennis rackets and pennants on some of the shelter blogs. With a little cleverness and creativity (and a subtle application), I think it's possible to stay in the realm of good taste while reflecting these interests in your home decor.

Interesting split of comments here.. .sports are a "man cave" or a "yours" thing but I take it there aren't that many female sports fans? On game night, I'm usually running home, chopping vegetables for dinner, and watching the hockey pregame show. I've been known to time dinner to be ready for the beginning of intermission so I don't have to miss the game.

I never got the idea of separating stuff like that...it might not be to your taste, but it doesn't always mean it's terrible...a home is shared, right? I just don't get why sports stuff you might not like should be given one area in which to be ignored by anyone who doesn't "get it." Work on keeping it subtle, but still part of the home.

I am a woman, and I love Basketball (Go Lakers!). But I also love decorating, fashion, and cooking shows. I hate the stigma that is attached to being a Sport's fan. I agree with those that say balance/moderation is the key. Also, why NOT surround yourselves with the things that you love? Because it looks tacky? No thanks, I'll take comfort over current trends any day.

I have two pieces of sports memorabilia. One is a picture of my daughter, 18 mos. old at the time, wearing a baby Broncos cheerleader outfit. That's going on the wall!! The other is an autographed picture of John Elway. I wrote him a fan letter in third grade, asking him for a picture so I could give it to my mom. He sent the picture (thx again!), I gave it to my mom, and it was in her room until she died. Now, unfortunately, it's mine again. So...that's going on the wall too.

The best sports decor I've ever seen was at a bar. It was a great mix of vintage and current, interesting but not overwhelming. I am a huge football fan, and would eventually like to incorporate some more memorabilia into my home. I'd sprinkle it throughout, since I just don't have enough rooms to do a sports-themed room. LOL!

Lafillea I think I'm like you. I'm the female of the couple and I'm the sports fan.but I also love home decorating and cooking. we are who we are and its great to embrace it

Yep, female sports fan here too ...I just don't get why it has to be a matter of contention. Substitute "sports stuff" for "globes," "milk glass vases" and "vintage suitcases" and anyone decorating with a ridiculous abundance of them should be given the same wrinkly nose treatment as sports fans get for suggesting that sports memorabilia could be incorporated well.

I say if it makes you happy and it fits who you are, then go for it.

My husband and I love all things Yankees baseball. The main wall in our apartment living room is decorated in Yankees memorabilia. We mainly have black and white photos in a variety of sizes. We also have some new paper clippings of "big" moments from the last 5 years. We try to stay away from the tacky souvenior shop type things.

For us, it fits our personalities. We love sports and are constantly talking about different happenings in the sports world. We are also fans. I think that because of who we are, it works. I don't necessarily think that it would fit everyone elses homes.

My husband is allowed sports memorabilia as long as it is confined to "his room." This includes anything sports-related or beer/alcohol related. My father in law is an artist and makes some really cool and funky artwork for the mancave, but it doesn't really have a place in the rest of the home. I'm glad for it to be proudly displayed in the cave, but don't really care for it in other areas of the house. To each his/her own!

Sports decor is the very last thing I would ever put in my house. But I also truly hate sports, so I'm pretty biased.

Ok, so to be completely honest, I was a college cheerleader so I am a bit biased. However, I would never, ever put any of the cheesy signs or blankets up in my home. I prefer vintage items that show my team spirit - my favorite is actually something I saw on Apartment Therapy (a vintage ticket stub blown up and made into a wall stencil - brilliant).

I think people turn their noses up at the thought of sports memorabilia in the home, because they envision cheap polyester jerseys and foam hands that can be gotten anywhere. Perhaps the same nose-turner-uppers would also turn their noses up at cheap polyester curtains and foam cartoon character stickers on the wall. I think mostly it's a matter of uniqueness and importance, and many people appreciate a vintage signed baseball properly framed or an old, weathered oar (evidence: Restoration Hardware).

Personally, I have a bit of trouble with my living room. My husband has a fantastic oil painting by his grandmother of him in his Little League outfit, at bat. I love it, the history and personal nature of it, and it is prominently displayed in a substantial frame. The problem is the other piece - my husband got a "House Divided" 3x5' flag because we went to rival colleges, and I love it. But it is polyester and hanging alone on the facing wall to the front door, it feels a little bit tacky and/or unfinished. Any suggestions?

No, not even a little bit.

In a pinch, you can get away with a sports-themed vintage look, with weathered tennis racquets and old timey photographs of rowing teams, but that only works because the beauty of vintage offsets the hideousness of sports paraphenalia. If you had new tennis racquets or a photo of your current football team, it would look be extremely tacky. There may be an argument for having a truly spectacular art photograph or painting celebrating the grace of an athlete in movement... but there's only one that's good for every ten thousand that aren't.

I can't think of anything about sport that is condusive to good interior design - it is all about function rather than aesthetics. It's also dogmatic (ie you MUST have your team's colours even if they don't suit your colour scheme) and filled with logos and advertising. It's a no-brainer: don't do it.

My husband and I are life long baseball fans, and we have a vintage baseball wall hanging in our home. We also have a few autographed pieces on a book shelf. I don't think I would take it beyond that, but it's a nice nod to our favorite team and adds to the personality of our home.

I'm very choosy about what sports decor goes up - and at the end of the day, I prefer to wear my fandom in the form of clothing and hats rather than a permanent installation in the house. The one exception I currently have is a black & white night image of Wrigley Field (go Cubs!) by Scott Mutter called "Fans Shed Light On The Game" - http://www.photographymuseum.com/mutter/wrigley.html - which hangs above one of the loveseats in my living room.

If it's mass-produced, it's probably tacky. If it's vintage or one-of-a-kind, I can see how it could work. Overall, though, going overboard with sports decor is about as appealing as the classic figurine-of-Venus-with-a-clock-in-her-stomach.

I'm the sports hater who commented first. I have been reading the other comments, and I (of course) think a person's home is their castle -- MY castle will remain sports-free (which severely pains our friends who see our home theater as potential Superbowl Party Central -- we always said they can come watch the game, but when we refuse to participate or provide the refreshments or clean up after them, it goes away!!!) Your castle can be whatever you want.

Someone posited that we "anti-s" think tacky polyester items are the problem. I can only speak for myself, but that isn't it, at least alone. A lot of sports items used in decor are indeed cheaply made. But mainly, they are god-awful bright contrasting colors (useful on a field perhaps, but ugly in a home), and other things, are just non-aesthetic but functional items which aren't meant for display. I don't like sports for personal reasons you don't care about, but that means their symbolism is a negative for me, like trophy heads on the wall. It goes way beyond polyester...

Well, most sport "art" is very kitschy, but I would do a vintage print or something similar. Not that my husband or I care for sports at all though!