Expired Design

On Tuesday, we took a look at the designs in the House Beautiful Details book (published 1996) that had beautifully stood the test of time. 

Today, some of the designs that didn't fare as well.  Apologies for the pictures but my scanner is acting up and I couldn't capture the entire image in some cases.

There are definitely elements of this room that would still be stylish today, but that sofa is seriously ugly and what you can't see (because of my crappy scanner) is the round wicker chair across from the sofa that kind of compounds the ugliness of this room.  I am willing to concede that I just don't like extremes much and the architecture of this room is extremely modern.

My scanner only captured a tiny portion of the room and it actually reads much brighter here than in the book.  Not visible are the very cluttered mantle with a mirror above that seems to reflect nothing but the dark ceiling.  There's also a large animal skin rug with the head attached (how do they avoid tripping over it?).

I do realize this is an old Victorian home and the decor makes sense for a Victorian, but they've just crammed so much stuff into this room.  I feel sorry for the person who has to dust it.

I wish the scanner hadn't cut out the table that is white and very contemporary - a nice contrast to the chairs and the fireplace.  What I don't like about this room and what I think dates it is the overwhelming wallpaper.

The white milk glass as art is very now and beautiful, but you can barely make it out with all the business in that wallpaper.  If you've read this blog before, you already know I'm a wallpaper hater but I can appreciate some papers.

So if I could make over this room, I might paint the walls black or deep blue and allow the fireplace, the milk glass and the table and chairs shine.

This photo also scanned much brighter than it is in the book, but even that doesn't help it.  This room wouldn't be horrible if they could just ditch the wallpaper.  I can't imagine having to look at that every day without wanting to hurt yourself.

Another corner of the same room.  I love that they put a giant pot of flowers completely obscuring the fireplace in front of the fireplace and a bunch of roses on the mantle because having wall to wall flowers and flowers all over the furniture just didn't feel like enough flowers.

That's it for today.  I'm taking today off to bake Christmas cookies for our family get together tomorrow.  Happy Friday!