finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896 
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Post by finaledition on Jun 20, 2017 17:47:00 GMT
I'm sure this has been shared here, but new to me and certainly has the feel that it would be pea approved or at least some contributing pea members :-p If you've never seen it before, hope you are not planning anything productive for the next hour. www.mcmansionhell.com |
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Peamac
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea # 418
Posts: 4,240
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Post by Peamac on Jun 20, 2017 18:06:34 GMT
I saw that a while back and just thought of that the other day for some reason. I wish I remembered it while driving through Aspen, though.  |
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tduby1
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,979
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Post by tduby1 on Jun 20, 2017 18:36:29 GMT
The first one reminds me of Joe and Theresa Guidice's house on Real Housewives of NJ. No thank you! And there is more... yup, off to look
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Jun 20, 2017 18:36:30 GMT
oh, I could while away a lot of time here... thanks for posting the link!! eta: the Arizona McMansion entry, for your viewing pleasure. I agree with him on most of what he writes, except for his taking issue with all the wooden shutters on the inside of the windows. I would get sun shades on the outside of the windows instead of shutters on all the fanlight arches in the windows, myself.) But the sun is so bright that it's really not overly dark in houses here, and shutters are an upgrade over blinds. (plus, shutters don't have any strings for the cats to chew on!  ) in looking at just a couple of them so far (I would definitely read more, if I had the time...), it's pretty weird what the builders skimp on or screw up when it comes to design and finishes- or where people spend money on upgrades and where they don't. Like crown molding that only goes partway around a room, or putting crown molding on a wall where there are arched windows, so the molding CAN'T continue around the room, etc. etc. Upgrading the countertop and leaving 1990s tile on the floor, etc. |
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Post by compwalla on Jun 20, 2017 18:49:51 GMT
Warning: judgy editorializing ahead. Exit now to avoid.
The big McMansions are only the vessels built to hold a houseful of tacky and mostly worthless crap. Here in Texas there is a sadly popular decorating style I have dubbed Texas Rococo. Every room must be stuffed chock full of accessories and knick knacks and pillows and signs with droll folksy sayings writ upon them until the room is so full you can barely move or comprehend how long it takes a person to dust all that crap.
To get this look, start with a giant house, a sad imitation of a European manor house, then fill it with emulations of antiquities. Go to every available chain store and buy fake stuff made in China and cram your house full of it. Obligatory Texas requirement: one wall must be covered with every variety of cross available for sale at Hobby Lobby and the trades days craft show that comes through every few months. Bonus points if said cross is painted to resemble the Texas flag and is fashioned from sundry gun parts and/or horseshoes. Also desirable is anything with rhinestones, feathers, and fringe. If it looks like a whorehouse or a funeral parlor from 1867 you've done it right.
If it approaches clean lines and looks uncluttered, the house doesn't belong in Texas.
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tanya2
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1604
Posts: 4,486
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Post by tanya2 on Jun 20, 2017 18:49:58 GMT
and just like that my afternoon chores will not be happening...
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River
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,627
Jun 26, 2014 15:26:04 GMT
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Post by River on Jun 20, 2017 18:55:34 GMT
TFS! I'm sucked in and not sure if I want to laugh or cry.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on Jun 20, 2017 20:10:45 GMT
I didn't realize turrets were so offensive. It's not a style I see a lot where I live, but mental note-do not build a house with one.
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Post by tracyarts on Jun 20, 2017 20:17:10 GMT
Here in Texas there is a sadly popular decorating style I have dubbed Texas Rococo. Every room must be stuffed chock full of accessories and knick knacks and pillows and signs with droll folksy sayings writ upon them until the room is so full you can barely move or comprehend how long it takes a person to dust all that crap. I just snorted loud enough to get some side-eye in a hospital waiting room. |
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Jun 20, 2017 20:27:00 GMT
Love that site!
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Post by pondrunner on Jun 20, 2017 20:28:31 GMT
What's funny is, I looked at this and said, I saw that house on that blog before, this is very 2014.
But it's not, it's a post from 2017. I guess the McMansion moniker is appropriate.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:02:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2017 22:42:01 GMT
If we ever win the lottery and get to build our other house....it will have turrets and 7 miles of wood flooring. All as neutral oak as I can get.
We won't have furniture tho, because:
We never agree on anything
We will be broke from building.
Edited to add: we have the plans. My husband did the basic work and the we had a designer finish them. Totally custom and very unique.
Imagine my surprise when we were driving around and found a new built house, that was the exact copy of our plans right down to the front entree, which is a like series of "decks"( raised areas about five feet wide, no steps). to get to the massive front pouch.
The f'ing little bastard sold our design. I am completely pissed about it.
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Post by refugeepea on Jun 20, 2017 23:12:55 GMT
Most of the photos don't bother me.  Sure, not my style, but not exactly hell. Maybe it's because my kitchen resembles one of those on a much smaller scale. I wouldn't mind having a house with more square footage, even if the rooms were seriously out of date but functioned. I also live in the state with the highest level of McMansions because of huge families. Nothing new to see there.  |
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Post by originalvanillabean on Jun 20, 2017 23:20:28 GMT
Oh my. Not my taste.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:02:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2017 23:32:45 GMT
I'm sure this has been shared here, but new to me and certainly has the feel that it would be pea approved or at least some contributing pea members :-p If you've never seen it before, hope you are not planning anything productive for the next hour. www.mcmansionhell.comWell that killed an hour and a half of my day! Thanks! And now I'm looking at all the large houses in my area and noticing all the crappy things on the outside. lol |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Jun 20, 2017 23:44:06 GMT
Imagine my surprise when we were driving around and found a new built house, that was the exact copy of our plans right down to the front entree, which is a like series of "decks"( raised areas about five feet wide, no steps). to get to the massive front pouch. The f'ing little bastard sold our design. I am completely pissed about it. that is awful!!!   |
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tduby1
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,979
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Post by tduby1 on Jun 21, 2017 0:26:32 GMT
If we ever win the lottery and get to build our other house....it will have turrets and 7 miles of wood flooring. All as neutral oak as I can get. We won't have furniture tho, because: We never agree on anything We will be broke from building. Edited to add: we have the plans. My husband did the basic work and the we had a designer finish them. Totally custom and very unique. Imagine my surprise when we were driving around and found a new built house, that was the exact copy of our plans right down to the front entree, which is a like series of "decks"( raised areas about five feet wide, no steps). to get to the massive front pouch. The f'ing little bastard sold our design. I am completely pissed about it. You paid someone to finalize plans for your dream lottery home? I feel like such a slacker with my measly "day dreaming" about how to spend my dream lottery winnings the other night when I couldn't sleep. (In which pretty much everyone I knew ended up getting a house.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:02:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 0:38:12 GMT
tduby1At the time we were going to build it, but my husband ended up traveling for work , we built the little house we are in now and we weren't sure if we were moving. The timing was not right to start another building project.
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Post by melanell on Jun 21, 2017 3:18:43 GMT
Some of it is just a taste thing, and it's not my taste. Some of it is an environmental thing. It does sometimes make me cringe due to the enormous amount of wasted space---simply because of the amount of resources being used to build and maintain these homes. Like that one with the 759 foot high ceiling in the great room. But some of it is just such obviously short-cutted workmanship, despite a home that is trying to look the exact opposite. like why does the trim run out in that one living room? The trim needs to go right around the room---not go around the easy walls and skip the trickier parts. WTHeck? Or the homes where 9 out of 10 windows of the exact same size look exactly the same, but then, oops, we forgot to match that last one. Not a larger focal point window, mind you---just one that should match all of the others. Save |
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Peal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,524
Jun 25, 2014 22:45:40 GMT
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Post by Peal on Jun 21, 2017 3:27:36 GMT
Well. I hope she never sees my house, I don't think there is an architectural rule they didn't break when they "designed" it. In fact, I'm not sure it was designed. More like, build as you go, like we did with Legos in the 80s.
"I've got a bunch of long skinny bricks"
"Use those to make the roof"
"There aren't enough for the other side"
"That's ok, You'll only see the slope from the front anyway"
"I ran out of bricks for the top of the room"
"Put in a window"
"It's 20 feet up"
"It's on the back, no one will see it."
Seriously, so weird.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:02:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 3:33:07 GMT
To me, they look dead, sterile, and vapid.
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Post by kernriver on Jun 21, 2017 4:34:14 GMT
I gotta say, the entire blog sounds like sour grapes to me. Cant afford a million dollar home? Then rag like hell on everything single freakin thing until you feel better.
the house that I looked at was OK. There were some things I didnt like but there are quirky weird things in every house.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Jun 21, 2017 5:54:04 GMT
I had to close it. I looked at about 100 houses today in different countries and now I am bug eyed. They really are something! What I don't know!
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Post by melanell on Jun 21, 2017 11:52:35 GMT
I gotta say, the entire blog sounds like sour grapes to me. Cant afford a million dollar home? Then rag like hell on everything single freakin thing until you feel better. I don't think it has anything to do with the price of the house, though. In many parts of the US you can spend a million dollars on a much smaller home---some just around 1000 sq. ft. Location, location, location, right?  If I had a million to spend, I'd absolutely rather invest it in one of those much smaller homes than in one of the types shown on that blog. It's just down to my personal taste. But I do agree that even if we're just talking about taste, there are ways of discussing differences that sound much "judgier" than others and the blog is seemingly not looking to avoid the judgemental tone at all. But, anyway, I definitely see the blog as ranting against 2 major components---to a certain degree size, but perhaps even more so, the combo of style/design & workmanship. If you look at the McMansion 101 page, you see very specific architectural elements that the blog feels are problematic in the homes deemed "McMansions". I really think that size wouldn't even be such an issue if the style/design/architecture was different. After all, I didn't notice any 1910 mansions on the site. |
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Post by tracyarts on Jun 21, 2017 12:25:46 GMT
But some of it is just such obviously short-cutted workmanship, despite a home that is trying to look the exact opposite. That, that right there. They are purchasing the *illusion* of a stately large home. A mass market imitation. Like a knockoff handbag, the details aren't right and the workmanship isn't up to standard. |
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Gravity
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,244
Jun 27, 2014 0:29:55 GMT
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Post by Gravity on Jun 21, 2017 14:09:15 GMT
Warning: judgy editorializing ahead. Exit now to avoid. The big McMansions are only the vessels built to hold a houseful of tacky and mostly worthless crap. Here in Texas there is a sadly popular decorating style I have dubbed Texas Rococo. Every room must be stuffed chock full of accessories and knick knacks and pillows and signs with droll folksy sayings writ upon them until the room is so full you can barely move or comprehend how long it takes a person to dust all that crap. To get this look, start with a giant house, a sad imitation of a European manor house, then fill it with emulations of antiquities. Go to every available chain store and buy fake stuff made in China and cram your house full of it. Obligatory Texas requirement: one wall must be covered with every variety of cross available for sale at Hobby Lobby and the trades days craft show that comes through every few months. Bonus points if said cross is painted to resemble the Texas flag and is fashioned from sundry gun parts and/or horseshoes. Also desirable is anything with rhinestones, feathers, and fringe. If it looks like a whorehouse or a funeral parlor from 1867 you've done it right. If it approaches clean lines and looks uncluttered, the house doesn't belong in Texas. You just described my sister's house. She lives in the Panhandle. My house is the complete opposite and it drives her crazy. She's always saying I need to decorate more. No thanks. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Jun 21, 2017 14:10:34 GMT
This is such an amazing and necessary site. Thank you for sharing it. Seriously. I can't stop laughing!
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casii
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,588
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Post by casii on Jun 21, 2017 14:13:23 GMT
Warning: judgy editorializing ahead. Exit now to avoid. The big McMansions are only the vessels built to hold a houseful of tacky and mostly worthless crap. Here in Texas there is a sadly popular decorating style I have dubbed Texas Rococo. Every room must be stuffed chock full of accessories and knick knacks and pillows and signs with droll folksy sayings writ upon them until the room is so full you can barely move or comprehend how long it takes a person to dust all that crap. To get this look, start with a giant house, a sad imitation of a European manor house, then fill it with emulations of antiquities. Go to every available chain store and buy fake stuff made in China and cram your house full of it. Obligatory Texas requirement: one wall must be covered with every variety of cross available for sale at Hobby Lobby and the trades days craft show that comes through every few months. Bonus points if said cross is painted to resemble the Texas flag and is fashioned from sundry gun parts and/or horseshoes. Also desirable is anything with rhinestones, feathers, and fringe. If it looks like a whorehouse or a funeral parlor from 1867 you've done it right. If it approaches clean lines and looks uncluttered, the house doesn't belong in Texas. I love my TX family, but you just described a vast majority of them! LOL And no one understands my modest, old home. My sister who is really one of my BFFs has built 2 major McMansions, but her problem is she doesn't have enough to furnish them. There are empty rooms they rarely use. Now if I could have one of those rooms to expand my kitchen, my house would be just about perfect. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Jun 21, 2017 14:13:34 GMT
Warning: judgy editorializing ahead. Exit now to avoid. The big McMansions are only the vessels built to hold a houseful of tacky and mostly worthless crap. Here in Texas there is a sadly popular decorating style I have dubbed Texas Rococo. Every room must be stuffed chock full of accessories and knick knacks and pillows and signs with droll folksy sayings writ upon them until the room is so full you can barely move or comprehend how long it takes a person to dust all that crap. To get this look, start with a giant house, a sad imitation of a European manor house, then fill it with emulations of antiquities. Go to every available chain store and buy fake stuff made in China and cram your house full of it. Obligatory Texas requirement: one wall must be covered with every variety of cross available for sale at Hobby Lobby and the trades days craft show that comes through every few months. Bonus points if said cross is painted to resemble the Texas flag and is fashioned from sundry gun parts and/or horseshoes. Also desirable is anything with rhinestones, feathers, and fringe. If it looks like a whorehouse or a funeral parlor from 1867 you've done it right. If it approaches clean lines and looks uncluttered, the house doesn't belong in Texas. The HOBBY LOBBY CROSS WALL!!!! For those who assemble a Hobby Lobby Cross Wall without at least three different wrought iron crosses, we pray.  |
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Post by compwalla on Jun 21, 2017 14:17:13 GMT
Warning: judgy editorializing ahead. Exit now to avoid. The big McMansions are only the vessels built to hold a houseful of tacky and mostly worthless crap. Here in Texas there is a sadly popular decorating style I have dubbed Texas Rococo. Every room must be stuffed chock full of accessories and knick knacks and pillows and signs with droll folksy sayings writ upon them until the room is so full you can barely move or comprehend how long it takes a person to dust all that crap. To get this look, start with a giant house, a sad imitation of a European manor house, then fill it with emulations of antiquities. Go to every available chain store and buy fake stuff made in China and cram your house full of it. Obligatory Texas requirement: one wall must be covered with every variety of cross available for sale at Hobby Lobby and the trades days craft show that comes through every few months. Bonus points if said cross is painted to resemble the Texas flag and is fashioned from sundry gun parts and/or horseshoes. Also desirable is anything with rhinestones, feathers, and fringe. If it looks like a whorehouse or a funeral parlor from 1867 you've done it right. If it approaches clean lines and looks uncluttered, the house doesn't belong in Texas. The HOBBY LOBBY CROSS WALL!!!! For those who assemble a Hobby Lobby Cross Wall without at least three different wrought iron crosses, we pray. You know I have a version of a cross wall at my house. Everyone who comes to visit me gets their picture taken with my favorite hen, Godzilla. Then I frame the pic and hang it on my Glory to Godzilla wall. It's my most favorite inside joke ever. |
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) 
Sure, not my style, but not exactly hell. Maybe it's because my kitchen resembles one of those on a much smaller scale. I wouldn't mind having a house with more square footage, even if the rooms were seriously out of date but functioned. I also live in the state with the highest level of McMansions because of huge families. Nothing new to see there. 
