That’s bound to be disorienting.
Also in this listing… creepy lonely lady sculpture:
She even appears to be pose-able.
Found by: Christin C.
About the Author
Marty E.
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Y’know, they’re right. They do make the place look twice as big.
Ohdearohdearohdear, this place…the taste level is…um…well…kinda on the low side. eek
@anodean: Gotta wonder, are they what make the price tag look twice as big, too?
Weeell…. it has nice floors. And golly, that’s gotta count for something… doesn’t it? Ya gocher hardwood planking, yer hardwood parquet, yer stone slabs (indoors at that!), and that funky, funky staircase carpeting. In the right house that might actually be kinda fun. But this isn’t the right house. By a long shot.
The house itself is decent enough. The raised panel doors and built in shelves/cabinets throughout are great, although the kitchen is… dead. It doesn’t even come up to the level of bland. It looks dead. Not helping with making dinner seem appealing. Nor is the appalling wallpaper in the dining room. From dead to frenetic within a few feet of one another. Somebody apparently missed their meds…. for several months.
K, you called it on the decor. A few pieces of furniture are nice – on their own. Others aren’t. The combo of them all… You know something’s weird when what really stands out is the mixture of Louis XV and Empire styles. That *shouldn’t* be too big a deal, so maybe it’s just the paucity of furniture that makes what is there stand out the odd way it does.
So how about that great big reflected elephant in the room? Whatever hope this place used to have fell off the Tacky Pier right into the bay when they put those in. Besides seeming tawdry on a whole new level, I’d be petrified of whatever is holding them up failing. Mirrors are damn heavy! Sure, the increased light levels and seeming increase in volume are kinda nice, but… tacky *and* possibly dangerous? No.Thank.You.EVER.
Nice yard and pool, though. I’ve never seen molded concrete “lounge” chairs like that, probably because who could lounge in a chair made of concrete? Nice view of the pond, too. But my favorite image – no kidding – is the last one… of the house across the street. I have a soft spot for Elizabethan half-timbers. :P
Ah… I forgot… Marty, I believe that is an antique dressmaker’s mannequin that is masquerading as a “creepy lonely lady sculpture.” Or it may be an art class prop.
You are right about the mannequin Emerald, I rather like her. Maybe I have been looking at too many houses lately when my thoughts are that it wouldn’t cost too much to take off the ceiling tiles, clunky track lighting and wallpaper and add a few nice rugs, warm light fixtures, personal art work and some paint. The kitchen is an especially blank slate. Wouldn’t take too much effort to make it more like a home and less like a people museum. I do love the pool and the view too.
@Samme: I agree that relatively simple (for the most part) cosmetic changes are what this place needs. And, as you say, compared to repairs or remodeling, redecorating isn’t that expensive. I am wondering, though, just how they’d go about removing those giant ceiling mirrors or, for that matter, how they got them up there to begin with. They’ll likely need to completely redo the ceiling once they’re down. Checking for structural wear on the ceiling joists wouldn’t hurt either.
Definitely having a “blank slate” to work from is preferable to having to gut something awful before making a place your own. Continued luck, Samme, in finding one for yourself. :)
We are in the process of hiring an architect in the King County area (near Seattle). We already have our location,we just want to put the right house on it.
@Samme: Awesome! What a wonderful endeavor!! Despite my own experiences in college, there are some very decent folks who also happen to be architects. The percentage of architects who are egotistical, imo, is higher than in the general population, but that by no means they’re *all* like that.
By way of a tip… make sure they ask lots and lots of questions about you and your family, what you like, what you don’t like, what sort of lifestyle you live (do you like to entertain, just family, active, relaxed, etc), what styles and materials you like (which should be keyed to the lifestyle you live). In general, if they focus on *their* ideas, without making it clear that those ideas are based on *your* needs and desires…. run away. And don’t be afraid to speak up on your own. Ask him/her directly how what they suggest will address those needs and desires. Don’t be dazzled, or feel inferior, to lots of big words and hazy concepts. You’re not a trained, licensed, Creator of the Built Environment, but you’re not brainless. Don’t let them make you feel that way.
Ahh… but these are just the bad apples. As I said, many are thoughtful, highly creative people who love nothing more than to deliver exactly what their clients want. I wish you all the best in finding the right one for you. :D