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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Jul 14, 2014 19:28:36 GMT
I was reading the other thread asking how often you redecorate your home and it got me thinking......
How often did your grandparents redecorate their home? Your parents?
I'm thinking that this trend of always needing to have something fresh and new is a newer concept brought about from marketing and magazines trying to sell consumers things.
My parents and grandparents (especially grandparents) decorated piece by piece (or sometimes set by set, if it was well crafted furniture for an entire room), and then kept it for their whole lives. They bought it once, bought quality, and that's it.
My grandmother's house was kept in the same style from my earliest memories of her to the time she passed away.
So, do you think the "redecorate bug" is an idea planted in our minds as what we are supposed to do by marketing people to sell their products? Or do you think that most people redecorate often?
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Deleted
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May 10, 2024 13:31:27 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 19:35:06 GMT
Redecorating is a recent trend. Even then I don't think it is embraced by most people. My grandparent's and parent's houses are the same as they have been for decades. Things that are given as gifts get added. Furniture that is worn gets replaced (often with something very similar to what was there!) but there isn't a "clear the room and go for a new look" ever.
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Post by creativegirl on Jul 14, 2014 19:40:47 GMT
My one set of grandparents (in their 80's) is the same as yours. They grew up poor and the idea of getting rid of something perfectly good was totally unheard of to them. You take care of your stuff, replace it when it doesn't function anymore and that's it (same goes for clothes, cars, etc).
I do think this constant refreshing is relatively new. It's easier to do it inexpensively now and we're definitely influenced by HGTV, blogs, etc.
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Post by KikiPea on Jul 14, 2014 19:42:45 GMT
Not often. We lived in our last house for 10 years and the only thing I did was paint walls over the years. Once a room was finished, it stayed that way.
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by lindas on Jul 14, 2014 19:44:42 GMT
My grandmother always decorated for the season. The furniture remained the same but she had her spring/summer and her fall/winter drapes, bedspreads, bathroom rugs, towels, etc. My mom very rarely redecorated unless it was necessary.
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Post by donna on Jul 14, 2014 19:47:31 GMT
My brother and I talked about this recently when our last grandparent passed away. They still had the same furniture that had been in their house our entire lives. It wasn't great furniture, but it was sturdy and held up well.
I tend to keep furniture for a long time, but not that long!
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Post by AN on Jul 14, 2014 19:50:44 GMT
I haven't lived anywhere long enough to need to redecorate, but I imagine I'd probably start getting the itch around the 4 - 5 year mark.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 19:56:04 GMT
We don't decide "Hey, let's redecorate!" and then replace everything. Our budget just doesn't allow for that. I would say, though, that our home's "look" is always evolving. We may switch out accessories and/or art, change furniture arrangements, and so on at any time. And in the last year, we replaced several pieces of furniture that were aging and we went with a different look, which freshened the rooms and made it feel like we'd redecorated even though we'd really only changed a couple pieces. We try to keep the big things fairly neutral so we can switch up accessories a number of ways and keep things interesting without spending a lot.
Also, when I say we switch out accessories, I don't mean we get rid of them. They often migrate to a different part of the house. We have a general color palette we use throughout the house so things can mix and match in different rooms to give new looks without buying new stuff, if that makes sense.
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Post by Merge on Jul 14, 2014 20:00:07 GMT
We don't decide "Hey, let's redecorate!" and then replace everything. Our budget just doesn't allow for that. I would say, though, that our home's "look" is always evolving. We may switch out accessories and/or art, change furniture arrangements, and so on at any time. And in the last year, we replaced several pieces of furniture that were aging and we went with a different look, which freshened the rooms and gave a new look. We try to keep the big things fairly neutral so we can switch up accessories a number of ways and keep things interesting without spending a lot. Also, when I say we switch out accessories, I don't mean we get rid of them. They often migrate to a different part of the house. We have a general color palette we use throughout the house so things can mix and match in different rooms to give new looks without buying new stuff, if that makes sense. This is us, too. Gradual evolution rather than a complete do-over. And things often migrate for us, too. When we moved into this house six years ago we did buy some new living room furniture for the downstairs, but the upstairs den still has our major living room pieces from the old house. |
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Post by carolynhasacat on Jul 14, 2014 20:01:38 GMT
Yes, I agree, even in small decorating touches.
When I was growing up holidays were special partly because that was the time of year Grandma got out the fancy table cloth and towels. That was all - a couple of touches around the house to change it up for the holiday or special occasion. Other than that, furniture and decor pretty much stayed the same.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jul 14, 2014 20:09:53 GMT
Well my grandmother kept the same stuff until she died, but she lived very very poor in the country and redecorating just wasn't something you did. She did however have a very nice dining room set (not even sure why/how.. something to ask my mom now), otherwise couch and two chairs and one newer recliner that her kids bought her was all she ever had.
My mom however probably decorated her home very nicely when my sister and I were very small, you know, the very upscale thing to do in your formal living room. It was ALL gold stuff and gwady.. lol and we only used that room on Christmas. And it was all expensive. Now a days, you can buy those big pieces at Hobby Lobby or furniture store much much less so it is easier to redecorate. She has probably redecorated though only 4 major times in her 75 years. Maybe five.
Edited to add.. that old gwady gold living room stuff though.. she repurposed it FOREVER (my sister and I HATED EVERYTHING in that room..lol) even to this day she has two pictures that were in that room somewhere in her house now. (Picture this.. maybe 5x7 black background, gold trim and a gold form (like 3-D) of a bee in the middle.. UGGG)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 20:14:14 GMT
It's funny that you ask this question. We just moved and I am decorating the new house for the first time as it's much larger than our previous house. I'm decorating but not with new things--new to me things purchased at antique stores, flea markets, thrift stores and consignment places.
My grandmother is 89 and extremely curmudgeonly. She never leaves the house unless she has to go to the doctor and she is so depressed. She hasn't been fun and loving life for probably 40 years. Whatever she's done, I'm trying to do the exact opposite. I think at least part of her depression stems from her house. It's dark and depressing and she never changes a single thing. My parents live in a separate part of her house that they have remodeled and lightened up considerably and when she "visits" them she acts better and says she feels better but she won't let them do a thing to change her part out of 1978. She has money to do whatever but she won't let anyone do anything. I don't want to live like that.
I don't feel guilty for wanting to jazz things up with some found treasures. I enjoy shopping and adding to the warmth and charm of my home...especially this new place.
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Post by epeanymous on Jul 14, 2014 20:47:35 GMT
My parents never redecorated when I was growing up, but did a major overhaul maybe twenty years ago and now fairly regularly update here and there. I don't remember my grandmother's house who lived independently (she went into care when I was very young); the other one lived either with a roommate or with us.
I never redecorate unless you count having to buy new stuff for the kids when they move from cribs to beds. I would like to say I have some sort of grand philosophy about not being consumeristic, but that doesn't explain my yarn stash or the fact that I buy a gazillion books. Mostly I am just not someone who cares that much about home decor.
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