How about glass tiles in kitchen backsplashes and on bathroom walls?

I like the floating vanities. And I love the bathroom shown in the last photo.

I don't think it is so much the what as it is the how. The materials can be well- or poorly-implemented. A good implementation will always be beautiful. A bad implementation will always be ugly.

i think, even in your examples, that it's more about how the "trendy" elements are used, rather than the trends themselves. i think everything above can stand the test of time if the execution is tasteful and doesn't look like a home depot display.

what you didn't list above, but i think we need to talk about is mosiac glass tile. it will forever look like a middle-market hotel bar to me.

I like that last comment, JMSNYC. However, I'd add iridescent mosaic glass tile.

Yes, granite is everywhere - but it's more affordable and durable and - how shall I say..classier.. than other types of countertops. My apartment has ugly old corian countertops. I can't look at a corian countertop without shuddering. Granite is much more appealing, and isn't always as expensive as quartz or marble and more durable than wood.

Subway tile is really trendy too. But it used to be the norm, so everyone back then had it too. I think it's pretty classic.

I would consider glass tile a trend, especially when entire showers are done with 1" multi-colored tiles. It's hard to look at in mass quantities. We stayed away from it in our kitchen reno but we might use it as an accent in our bathroom.

Overdone and destined to look dated in 10-20 years:
stainless steel appliances
chalkboard painted anything

If one more couple on House Hunters says they *must* have granite countertops and stainless appliances, I'll barf. haha

I predict recycled wood walls will look dated in a very short time. Light fixtures with exposed bulbs will seem harsh. But I hope the trend of ripping out everything in an effort to be up to date will go out of fashion. It's wasteful. I love great design, but I think we need to pull back a bit.

Not a fan of the vessel sinks, in my opinion they're a pain! For anyone who actually uses that bathroom, you'll find that when you turn on the faucet you might be lucky enough to have the water splash up out of the bowl, and sometimes getting your hands IN it is awkward (depends on the type of faucet). I know a gal who got one with a pebble pattern and juxtaposed with the ugly brown colour of the granite, she'll be regretting that very soon. I didn't realise how much I disliked those sinks until now, haha.

Who cares as long as the owners can enjoy it for the long haul? Ultimately, classics and trends are NEVER everyone's cup of tea, so do what makes you happy with your space and try not to be too garish if your care about future resale. Whatever you do, please do not put a mirror opposite the toilet in your guest bath. That's not fun for anyone! :)

I don't think the issue is necessarily the hardware, but the COLORS. Tan, gold, gray and white with dark wood is going to go down in history as the Avocado and Harvest gold of the 10's.

Kenny B.. I tell you, I feel the same way (about House Hunters). Not that I do not like granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances, I do...but it seems like if the houses don't have it, it's a deal breaker...I don't know...I am glad you said it because it needed to be said.

Now, I just, two weeks ago finished, did a remodel in my own kitchen with the granite counter tops..ala laminate- ha! and stainless steel appliances and I love it. It's a white kitchen and I tell you, to me it's timeless...sigh...I sure hope it's still timeless in 5 years..LOL!

vessel sinks and glass tiles are just a trend, stainless appliance are classic and commerical, granite is durable and classic and has been used as a counter for hundreds of years. Subway tile is also classic, if something from 70+ years ago still look cool, its classic. vessel sinks are a pain to clean, and glass tile is ok only is super simple and not "micro" but it still feels a bit cheap to me. But I do kind of like giant glass tile murals, it reminds me of roman mosaics.

Oh and travertine is my number 1 pet peeve....ITS EVERYWHERE, HUGE HUGE TREND! it needs to die a fast painful death. If I see one more tract home with travertine im going to explode. If I found the most beautiful apartment in the world with travertine floors, I would ask the landlord if I could replace them.

and i like floating vanities, they are very clean looking, and I suppose if they are high enough, its easy to clean, but I think they are only appropriate if the floor is so beautiful that you dont mind losing the extra storage space.

I have a pet peeve, or perhaps more accurately, a single design element that I simply dislike. Intensely. They have a trade-specific name I'm sure, but to me their airborne hatboxes - those pendant lights that are no more than a steroidal hatbox hanging from a nondescript cord. Usually they're made of some neutral colored fabric and the bottom circle is translucent. Apparently they serve as much to fill up pointless space as they serve to shed light. If in fact a light fixture is simply a means of holding and controlling [the light from] a light bulb, why is every one smitten by these? They're the illumination equivalent of Uggs.

Personally I think the cheap granite countertops are already outdated and unless I had the $$ for a high end variety I would go with quartz.
I also wonder about the glass mosaic tile, I think it's beautiful but I wonder if it won't be a waste to use it when it looks dated in 5 years.

P.S. that bathroom in the last picture is gorgeous!

Honestday, you may be referring to drum pendants(?).

For me, granite and stainless kitchens went out of date within a year of becoming popular. They got old very fast due to the coldness of them. Stainless appliances can be gorgeous but never the two together.

Really, I can never see those vessel sinks being timeless due to the difficulty of cleaning them. I've heard nothing but complaints from friends who have them or clean houses that have them.

I don't have such an issue witht he glass mosaic tiles. I don't think it's that new of a trend. My condo has 1x1 vintage mosaic tiles (not glass but they look close to glass in colour) in the bathroom and it was built in 1968. Mosaic 1x1 tiles have been around for a long time. I think as long as the colour is subdued then they'll stand the test of time.

I personally have always hated the look of granite. It's like a mountain threw up on the countertop. I saved my money and installed a plain, nice grey coloured quartz.

As much as I like the two toned kitchen look I think that is the trend that will date the most.

Having had granite in our old condo I was so sick of looking at it that by the time we moved I was thrilled not to have it in our new home. BUT, it did hold up better than any countertop I have used. Hot pans right on it and not a scratch. For durability it's great. I just can't stand the patterns.

How did I miss that juicy other Worst Decorating Trends thread? I was walking through HomeSense today and suddenly half the stuff on there is in the store. That's when you know it's officially mainstream when they make stuff for cheaper to buy out of the box vs making your own.

*whispers* I love the pendant lights! Do you mean clear glass with Edison bulbs? Love. I am sure I will hate them in years to come but for right now, I like them.

Why are vessel sinks hard to clean?

@honestday - hahah your comment made me laugh. You are refering to drum pendants, and you'd hate my light over my dining table. It's a square version of what you're talking about. I quite like it honestly, it's nice and clean looking. I live in a small condo and the light for my dining room is way off centred so I needed to find something I could swag over to the correct location.

Because of the small space more elaborate or more taditional or modern dining type lights just didn't suite the space and looked out of place. Surprisingly this one has the right scale to look nice. But I get what you're saying with the hat box hanging in the middle or the room :)

PS - maybe you can add Claw Foot Bathtubs to this list of every popular remodels. My parents got one put in to their old home and I have never heard my mom complain about a tub so much in my life.

Eggshaped/oval bath tubs.

Hmm, using travertino here is pretty much using what's local. I don't see the problem with it. I have rough stuff and it's nice in the south of France.

There is no way 2 people can use bathroom #1 at the same time. Elbow jabs anyone? Why did they put 2 sinks in?

I am SOOOOO sick of watching house hunters and having people say that a newly remodeled kitchen with butcher block and black appliances looks "dated" because it's not granite and stainless steel. Get over it people.

granite countertops are a pet peeve of mine... I think mainly because the most annoying of home shoppers on 'Househunters' DEMAND granite. They turn down the cutest houses with so much charm ('eeeew total regut') and just go on and on about they need the top of line materials.. you know, granite. ugh.

Honestday, I love drum pendants! But your post made me laugh. For me it's vessel sinks (they just seem really dumb) and mixed material cabinets. The latter is just so ugly! Why?? Also, I would add open shelving in a kitchen to the list. I love the look, but I think it is just going to prove to be so impractical.

I hate clear glass shower doors/surrounds. Cold-seeming and hard to clean. Looks like a gas chamber to me. But I can't find a new bathroom without them.

What about the white subway tile/carrara marble look? Yes, it's nice, and classic, but having seen it a thousand times, I'm just so over it!

I think people aren't quite ready to give up on granite yet. The one I wonder about is the glass box style stand up showers. Many people are ditching the tub and installing larger showers lately but I think the tub may come back into fashion. There's really nothing that replaces a good soak.

Personally I don't like the patterns on granite, although I believe there are some versions available that are solid colors.

I haaate the mosaic tiles in the first picture. I thought that was going to be the trend, but I agree that the sinks on top of cabinets it going to look bad too. I visited my sister in a NY hotel with a huge one, and I hated using it, although it looked cool.

I don't think stainless steel appliances will ever go out of fashion, but I hope people stop annoying me on home shows by insisting on them. I saw one House Hunters recently with black appliances, and the husband immediately groaned and totaled up the cost of replacing them. The wife liked them because she would be the one cleaning fingerprints off of them. Go wife.

I agree with BRUCES63 and JMSNYC. It's the way the materials are used that is trendy. I have granite counters that are 25 years old, simple black, 3/4" thin earo style with a sharp square edge. They still look great and are indestructible. Those bull nosed 2" thick counter in patterns like the photos above - yeah, those are gonna come out in 10 years.

earo = Euro :p

The fewer the materials used in building it, the easier a bath or kitchen is to clean. I hate unnecessary housework, so I hope using more different surface materials than necessary will become obsolete.

Floating vanities are far from a "trend" unless you consider it trendy from the mid 1900's.

I actually love my corian countertop in the kitchen and we purposely chose it over granite. I do agree about the people on Househunters who MUST have granite. I am so sick of those people! Also the people who must have 2 sinks in the master bathroom. I don't get it - I don't have any desire to be in the bathroom the same time as my husband. (And since we have only 1 bathroom, we manage our schedule accordingly!)

"Bin" pulls. Enough already.

My nominee for absolute WORST: the above the counter bowl-shaped clear glass sinks. They look okay as long as they never get USED, not to mention ever using them for brushing your teeth. Ick!

Have glass shower door in one bathroom. Nice. But it must be sprayed and squeegeed every single time or it looks dull. Every. Single. Time. In the other bath? A shower curtain with an inexpensive liner which can be tossed when it begins to look tired. I usually wash them in the washer with bleach a couple of time to extend their life until they become brittle.

Isn't the definition of "trend" "something you'll hate before you can afford to replace it?"

i can not stand granite... or at least the speckled kind. its so busy and ugly. i much prefer caesar stone or something similar. one single color, a funky one. I've done some research in the past re: counter tops... i found a company that made them from paper. anti bacterial and all that. simple, recycled and nice looking. I'm not big on the glass mosaic either. i do like old school mosaic tile tables for maybe outdoor dining. vessel sinks i never liked. i have a few friends that have them and they're glass so they're always stained with toothpaste residue or have hard water stains.

a trend i absolutely love... black paint on the exterior of houses.

Trends are fickle. When I feel trendy, it's with something easily (and inexpensively) changed.

Love this post and the comments. We're about to buy all new appliances (moving into a house with none) and are torn about the SS/White choice. I do like the look of stainless, but will I in 3 years? And we're leaving a home with stainless, so I know what an incredible pain it is to clean.

One thing I notice in more and more remodels is the need for EVERYTHING to be 'wow.' When you walk into a room, you really don't want to look at everything. Your eyes want to pick out one or two things to notice. But when a bathroom has floor to ceiling glass tiles and vessel sinks and a floating vanity and candles everywhere and $500 light fixtures, it just feels like a mess to me.

stream13: haaaa 'a mountain threw up' hahah exactly..but yes..the stunning, streamlined thin black granite is timeless and gorgeous always...(so far..ha).stainless seems to be hanging in there, I can't imagine what else could be next for appliances..there's ONLY so much designers can do with them..we've learned that colors are quickly dated..so..stainless/black/white will go on...but who knew we'd put a man on mars either..oh i mean the moon..haha............wooden floors are forever as well as simple functional lines..: ) not the 'modern ultra look'

I hate vessel sinks SO MUCH! Especially the ones that are literally the size of cereal bowls, seriously now?

The trend that I'm SO sick of is crystal chandeliers all over the place. It was kind of cute/fun at first (in a little girl's pink bedroom! in a kitchen!) but now the whole thing seems out of control and they are everywhere.

I agree with so many you of you in this thread (drum pendants, vessel sinks, House Hunters, etc.)! I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that I think that extremely dark (brown through black), or reddish stained cabinets look extremely dated to me. I often see them paired with cheap granite, and I think it dates kitchens and bathrooms to the late 90s, meaning they're at the dying end of the 20 year design lifecycle.

I'm sick of stainless steel - it's so ubiquitous, plus it reminds me of a morgue. I don't understand how it's an 'upgrade' from non-stainless anything; I think people are just brainwashed into thinking 'industrial look = industrial quality'.

I got a new fridge a few years ago and went for white. I don't think anything can be more classic than plain white (they're called 'whitegoods' for a reason), although I would have a coloured retro-looking one in a flash, if I could afford it.

Those teeny-tiny mosaic tiles covering entire bathroom walls? Will be dated in about 10 more seconds. As will those big chunky rectangular vessel sinks.

Granite, I don't love, but it's okay *as long as it's in a plain-ish pattern*. The highly-patterned stuff is hideous.

I HATE stainless steel appliances. Why do you want huge parts of your kitchen to look like the inside of a drain pipe? The color makes them stick out in a room design so much! Appliances are the ugliest thing in a kitchen; why would you want everyone's eye to go to them instead of your beautiful paint choice, cabinets, or backsplash? I like appliances that are the color of the cabinets and just blend in. The really ritzy kitchens that have the custom-built cabinetry facades for appliances are a part of my dream world.

The appliances in my kitchen are smooth white, and so are my cabinets... beautiful, classy, timeless.

Love the post and all of the comments !

A trend I'm tired of: all-white kitchen or bathroom. I know it's supposed to feel cleaner, but why is cleaner also colder ? Clean can be colorful and/or warn. So, those lacquered white cabinets, with white granite countertops and subway tiles that are everywhere are my personal pet peeves, even though I have nothing against each element taken separately. In the same line, all-mineral bathroom are coooooold.

I still think that books used as props are the worst trend ever.

I have had all kinds of countertops (tile, granite, wood, quartz, etc) and will never again have anything other than granite...it's beautiful and practical. Travertine is local here in AZ and although everyone has it, I still love it as well. Another thing I will never have again: carpeting! Too hard to clean and once you do it never really looks good again.
Different strokes for different folks...

I don't mind a lot of these trends- the granite counter tops (when they're not an obnoxiously flashy pattern) can be pretty tasteful. The double colored cabinet setup is horrible though. I hope that trend burns and dies...

McMansions... enough said.

People need to think of a kitchen and bathroom design more like clothing. If you had to wear the same outfit for 20 years would you pick a hot-off-the-runway color block neon maxi dress with platform shoes, chunky bracelet, giant sunglasses and chandelier earrings? Or would you go for a little black dress, nude pumps and maybe a thin red belt? Assuming you are a woman ;)

I also think stainless is a total classic, however, it is obnoxious how it's become the ONLY acceptable choice.

Professional appliances for people who barely cook is idiotic. Not only are they ridiculously expensive (at least $5k for a range, $7k for a fridge, etc) but they also need a huge exhaust system, more gas/electrical which usually means hiring someone to upgrade your house.. They often take up more space and they are much harder to clean. Worth it if you are obsessed with cooking, but for the everyday person, a ridiculous waste of money and effort.

parnassus - well said on both comments!

did you know that tile does follow fashion? a friend was a fashion/merchandising major in college and now works at a tile/stone to-the-trade business... they are totally related.

B.L.G. yes. I work in retail product design and at work we look at fashion trends to inspire new ideas for everything. There are also a few companies like Pantone that send out color palettes. Everyone uses them, that is how the same intense cobalt blue is in every single store in the mall from T shirts to towels.

The first bathroom is mine, AT didn't credit it properly: http://jennasuedesign.blogspot.com/2012/02/master-bathroom-reveal.html

To give my 2 cents, we are very happy with our choices and that's really all that matters—but even if it ends up being outdated in 10 years or so, it's still a vast improvement over the original look. It was also a relatively inexpensive makeover, so well worth it to us. I don't think the sinks are any more difficult to maintain than standard undermount sinks, either.

Decades ago I took a college interior design course and was told over and over again "good design will always be good design". We were given many examples from past and the current era of good design and I've found through the years that it's so true. Any current trend can be done badly, and usually is when it get to be over done. It's the bad stuff that we will regret. I hate almost all the vessel sinks I see at our local blue or orange big box stores and many are pricy. Yet, there are beautiful ones available, at least in literature. I think the tacky vessel sinks will be the most ripped out in about a decade.

I agree with so many of the posts here especially about claw foot tubs they fell out of favor because they were so hard to clean underneath and around the sides, difficult to get out of without falling and hard to give pets and children baths. I would like to add the following to the list of things I think are trends:wood counters in the kitchen or bathroom, espresso/ black colored wood floors, all white rooms, rooms where all distinguishing architectural elements have been painted one color, poufs, chaise loungers, sun mirrors, animal heads with antlers or just plain antlers whether real, fake, cardboard, ceramic, glass or metal, that stupid Keep Calm Carry On saying, fabrics with birds on them, shag rugs (especially white ones) rugs with different sculptural heights and texture ( a major trip hazard with high heels or for the elderly) stair cases with no railings, raw wood cabinets with no finish to protect the wood, open cabinets, those highly complex cleaning nightmares of mid-century modern "cool" lighting, those vertical book holders that just look like a stack of books, new mid-century modern furniture lines.

tenantproof-very funnay and very true post!

Why the raggin' on stainless steel? I have white appliances, and I can tell you, it is impossible to keep them all white forever. Not because they are not clean, or have grease splatters, but the color will stain, and you can never get it back to that white! Can't wait to get something stainless.

Being a GC only working with existing aged structures for the past 12 plus years, I can share the following of what I have seen and learned: 1. Trend or classic has everything to do with geography (part of the country), the lifestyle, and culture of the area. 2. Colored appliances, overly shiny anything, and an inability to stand up to use, are trendy. 3. If one's home resembles the cleanliness of a 12-person party frat/sorority house, no matter how current, outdated, or high-end the decor, it will never look or feel like a home, let alone a home that is classic or trendy. 4. One can have the most outdated decor, but if it's clean (not sterile), well-maintained and feels like a home, it will always stand the test of time.

The only trend in the pics above that I hate is the crazy looking granite. Some plain granite is nice. The bold patterns are just tacky.

Sick of polished granite. Granite with a honed finish has the industrial look of concrete with a smoother and more consistent texture.

I love good quality stainless refrigerators and ovens, but hate the cheap stuff that is only stainless on the front. Lower end GE, LG and Samsung are the worst offenders. I prefer dishwashers to have the same finish as the cabinets so they're not seen.

As for mid century modern, it's my favorite style. But it's best when mixed with other elements. Even adding industrial, tikki or beach elements outside or some classic, more traditional pieces inside makes a huge difference. Just copying the DWR catalog will make your home look like the UN building or a scandinavian airport.

The comments on clear glass shower screens are funny.

Here in Oz they are the norm - have been since my grandparents' day - to have a shower curtain is almost slummy - when we lived in the US & had to have them, it was really hard coping with something that dripped, wrapped itself around us & everything, and couldnt be scrubbed down each week. Yes, you can throw out old shower curtains, but it's not that green to do so.

I'd like to say adios to the mountains of useless pillows on couches and beds.

Wow, a lot of hate for granite. (Granite rock outcroppings sometimes can emit radon. I have never heard of a counter top doing it. And I live in NH, "The Granite State", where granite ledge is under most of our houses.)

There are probably thousands of varieties of granite, something for everyone. The reason it is NOT a trend and is often in demand is that the stone is one of the highest quality materials you can get -- it is durable, beautiful, and practical. (My kitchen counters are Verde Butterfly, a dark green and black base with a glassy crystal "chips" effect and random amber and very dark red touches. Might sound awful, but it's really gorgeous, especially in sunlight, and I love the contrast with my blonde maple cabinets.) The most highly patterned granites aren't for everyone, but I see them as natural art -- you would need to keep the rest of the space very minimalist for them to work, but they are also gorgeous.

Stainless steel is STAINLESS. It doesn't rust or discolor. It is also among the highest quality appliance finish you can get. It may be prone to showing fingerprints and therefore not the best choice for some homes, but it too is durable, beautiful and pragmatic. Plus it works with any color scheme. (And if you use the handles, you might not have many fingerprints either...)

These things have been popular since just after avocado and harvest gold left the scene (thank goodness) -- not "new" trends as some of you seem to think. Maybe now they are just more affordable to more people than they used to be.

Ask any real estate agent what to add to make a home more salable and you will almost certainly find both things on the list. You aren't required to like them or have them, but you should respect them as value added. (I think the real TREND here is dissing them!)

ESK, I completely agree with you. Glass showers are awful. Why would one need to see the rest of the bathroom while showering? And heaven knows NO ONE needs to see what I look like while I'm shaving my legs.

For me, it comes down to function. If it works well and is easy to clean, then it is a "timeless classic." If it sucks to clean and isn't easy to use, then it is a "dated trend." Vessel sinks would definitely fall under the second category for me.

The home we just bought has a kitchen with granite or dark gray quartz counters, stainless appliances, dark cherry stained cabinets, a brick-colored subway-ish glass tile backsplash, and a cork floor. Yes, they're dark and trendy-seeming materials that may become dated, but no way are we going to remodel. The materials are high quality and well implemented and everything functions well. Done and done. At least there are no vessel sinks or reclaimed wood slat walls to deal with, or dusty pink bath fixtures like in our apartment!

When I lived in Spain, nearly every kitchen has granite/grandiorite/quartz counters and brightly colored-and-white Moroccan-style tile walls, and I'm told the kitchens have been like that for decades -- it's just the Spanish standard aesthetic. So maybe some of these trends aren't so fleeting after all. There's definitely a "Northwest Aesthetic" that favors natural materials more than other regions and always has, so perhaps what seems dated in a broad context will age differently in a microcosm. Either way, updates to incredibly well-functioning items seems kinda crazy to me. I'd rather learn to work with what I've got.

First of all...TOTALLY onboard with wanting to strangle the people on "Househunters" who absolutely HAVE to have granite and stainless steel everything. I notice that most of those people are people from my generation in their twenties and early 30s...buying their first homes. Everything has to be "upgraded." (And yet, they can't really AFFORD the upgrades, so they're paying half a million dollars for a little crackerbox house--but oh! it's upgraded!!! RIDICULOUS!) I was raised to focus on the things you can't change, work hard, save up your money, and THEN splurge for the "upgrades." I do NOT expect the "upgrades" to land on my door.

Secondly...I can't stand the trend of taking a beautiful antique piece of furniture and turning it into a bathroom vanity. WTH??? As if cutting a hole for a sink in that piece of furniture isn't bad enough--the humidity, water splashing, and toothpaste base are going to eat away at the finish on that piece of furniture...and pretty soon all you're going to have is a wrecked piece of crap.

But my biggest pet-peeve is area rugs. People spend thousands and thousands of dollars refinishing wood floors (or ripping out original wood floors to put in brand new ones (I won't think about that or I'll go crazy...)), and then they cover them up with a stupid huge area rug (REALLY can't stand the designers that cover almost an entire ROOM with an area rug...so you can see just a hint of wood peeping out at the edges....). REALLY? If you like carpet that much, put carpet in your house. If you want hardwood, then embrace the hardwood and DISPLAY it. I think the biggest culprit here is "designers" who convince their clients that they need stupid huge area rugs to "anchor" the space. Why? Is it going to "float away" without an area rug??? Sensible furniture placement does the exact same thing without covering up gorgeous wood floors.

The trend I'll gladly see gone is the concept of a group of people deciding what is trendy and what has hit it's trend expiration date and thus, outdated, tired, etc etc.

If you like it and can afford it, get it. When you stop liking it, change it if you can or move on to something else if that's a better option. But please stop deeming things 'must haves' because everyone has them or 'must get rid-of' because they're an outdated trend.

What works for you works. I spent more than a decade renovating old houses for a living. and flipped on my own also so i've done +/- 200 kitchens, plus I am a landlord. here is my $.02 everyone needs some butcher block, even if it is a small amount. it will keep the rest of your counters from getting trashed. corian sucks. granite, concrete, silestone, whatever, holds up well. honed doesnt show dust. stainless appliances scratch and are a bitch to maintain. white is great. if it gets messed up, paint white with appliance paint. if you reallly love to cook, get a real commercial stove not a fake stainless one. [dont forget the fireproofing around it]. no, not all your appliances need to match. do not install open shelving in the kitchen, your stuff gets covered with sticky mixture of dust and grease . dont put hardwood in the kitchen, please do yourself this favor. cork either. water and traffic pattern will destroy the finish and then the product gets damaged. I'm not a fan of laminate floors either. if it cant be re-finished you arent saving yourself any money. speaking of $ fixed glass in the bathroom is thousands of dollars and if you dont have live in maid service ou cant keep it clean. in our area the water is so hard it will actually etch the glass. i'm a big fan of shower curtains/liners because they are disposable. i agree with all the criticisms of vessel sinks.

pocket doors rock. you dont lose any space to the door swing,great for small or oddly configured spaces. if infrastructure in the wall does not allow for a pocket, dont forget barn door mounting.

if you rent, you can cover ugly flooring with large rugs. cover the whole bathroom floor with a cut down indoor outdoor rug. or pile river stones around a bamboo rug or whatever floats your boat. it's portable.

I think the absolute worst part about any trend is the complete lack of originality, imagination and creativity. Do people even consider the alternatives? Nooooo. They just jump on the bandwagon and turn something like granite, which can be very pretty, into the next beige. After seeing it 10 million + times it no longer holds any appeal for me. And as for HGTV, I personally hate that channel (with the exception of maybe one show...which I will not name). It has turned the art of design into some suburban, comercially-driven wasteland where every do-it-yourselfer thinks they can design because they slapped together some generic kitchen/bath composed of cheap cabinetry with spruced up handles, granite and stainless steel. Not impressed.

Trends that seem old to me - anything without originality and personality. The cookie cutter looks, as if the designer just stole the entire look from a magazine. Buy A, B and C, and you will have the room of your dreams. And don't forget you need a high end mixer on the counter, even if you do not bake.

The spaces end up looking like a house that has been re-staged to sell.

Vessel sinks - no; hatbox lights a/k/a drum pendants - yes, they are classic. Look at the lampshades in old movies, a lot are drum-shaped.

So many excellent comments! I am not alone in my HGTV house hunters beef..."I MUST have granite and SS appliances or I won't even consider this place!" It is fine to like these things, but to not even consider other options and insist on being like everyone else is annoying.

I have noticed that when people go all out trendy when redoing an older home, those trends look dated and sometimes silly very quickly.

Is "putting birds on things" 2011 or 2012? Either way it's something that already looks dated.

Loved this comment stream - very entertaining.

I have white appliances because I prefer them and because they go with the white cupboards, but we are planning to sell the house in a year or so. Should we replace the white with stainless before we put it on the market? Inquiring minds want to know.

Granite counters are great because they have subtle flecks that look like coffee grounds, wine spills and bread crumbs. And wood counters are beautiful and practical, except around the sink. I have both and love them.

For House Hunter Haters, how about the House Hunters Drinking Game: http://realtybites.estately.com/house-hunters-drinking-game/

I also can't stand it when people in House Hunters International insist on houses that are 'great for entertaining. I want to scream - you don't know anyone and you don't speak the language, who are you going to entertain?

Also, the American insistance on bathtubs, even in the tropics. Do they really want to soak in a hot bath in Antigua or Belize? Or is not having a bathtub in a charming apartment in Paris or Rome really a deal-breaker?

I'm over granite. It's everywhere, and it seems like everyone wants it just because it's a trend. Give me butcher block or corian any day!

Cherry cabinets and dark appliances feel cold and dark to me as well, over that one!