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I don't know Ani, I am not sure we are talking about the same brass. Antique Brass reproductions are not nearly the same as "I am a builder and I am putting shiny brass hardware everywhere because it is cheaper than dirt." I just replaced our shiny cheap brass exterior door hardware with stuff that has an antique brass "finish", meaning that it will peel off after 10 years of good weathering, lol. Real brass reproductions and reclaimed antique stuff isn't even in the same ballpark and would be considered a huge value add to anyone that appreciates the style. If you are talking about the stuff I think you are, I would have been surprised to see it in the houses I was looking at (300k-400k, 10yrs old or less) it would have been too nice.
Yes, I'm with you 100%.
Ani, I'm sure your period correct brass is just fine, so don't worry.
I will admit to liking the current "oil rubbed bronze" fixtures that I see in a lot of new builds. However, THAT is one trend that I fear may go out of fashion sooner than the rest...
It would be interesting to read this thread in 10 years and compare what fixtures have gone out of style and what new ones are in
Because fixtures are trendy - they will change.
So, when buying/building a new home today go for what won't change - people will always want large closets, at least 9 foot ceilings, at least 2 bathrooms, a maintenance free exterior (especially brick), rooms with lots of light and well crafted architectural details (built in bookshelves, ect). In addition, I don't think large living spaces and bedrooms will ever go out of style
Last edited by lovesMountains; 05-18-2010 at 07:16 PM..
I don't know Ani, I am not sure we are talking about the same brass. Antique Brass reproductions are not nearly the same as "I am a builder and I am putting shiny brass hardware everywhere because it is cheaper than dirt." I just replaced our shiny cheap brass exterior door hardware with stuff that has an antique brass "finish", meaning that it will peel off after 10 years of good weathering, lol. Real brass reproductions and reclaimed antique stuff isn't even in the same ballpark and would be considered a huge value add to anyone that appreciates the style. If you are talking about the stuff I think you are, I would have been surprised to see it in the houses I was looking at (300k-400k, 10yrs old or less) it would have been too nice.
Yea I agree, the antique brass is different than the builder gold brass that I have in my home. She probably has something more classy.
Anyway, I love those Georgian/Federalist homes. They are beautiful.
I would have loved to bought a home like that, but out of my price range.
Maybe some day!
I don't know Ani, I am not sure we are talking about the same brass. Antique Brass reproductions are not nearly the same as "I am a builder and I am putting shiny brass hardware everywhere because it is cheaper than dirt." I just replaced our shiny cheap brass exterior door hardware with stuff that has an antique brass "finish", meaning that it will peel off after 10 years of good weathering, lol. Real brass reproductions and reclaimed antique stuff isn't even in the same ballpark and would be considered a huge value add to anyone that appreciates the style. If you are talking about the stuff I think you are, I would have been surprised to see it in the houses I was looking at (300k-400k, 10yrs old or less) it would have been too nice.
Thank you for the insight, Chapsme! Yes, I love the "real" brass - as in the (now out of business) Virginia Metalcrafters items and Baldwin Brass.
Luckily, there have always been buyers who loved the 18th C details as much as me. I decorate according to my own taste and so hubby and I enjoy everything while living in a home, but I always am thinking - sure hope someone else loves all this as much as I do, in case I sell this place someday.
another big trend that has been overlooked here in this thread is outdoor spaces. nowadays, people are looking to utilize there yard, anything you can do to create a living space in your yard will stand out among other homes. its gives the impression of more space without adding sf
another big trend that has been overlooked here in this thread is outdoor spaces. nowadays, people are looking to utilize there yard, anything you can do to create a living space in your yard will stand out among other homes. its gives the impression of more space without adding sf
Very much agree. I would like to have a lot more $$$ to create retaining walls, built in stone fireplace and an outdoor kitchen. Instead, I have tried to get the useability of those ideas by adding decking and a fire pit. This way, we have extended the enjoyment of our outdoor space at a fraction of the cost of the "ultimate" design we would prefer.
Also, for those of us thinking about re-sale at some point . . . it is not always wise to "over-build" as the house may never sell at high enough price point to cover the additions. I do think about the flip side of that, however. Sometimes, the upscale additions, especially those that didn't cost an arm and a leg, set a person's home apart from the others on the market . . . and can mean you sell your home when others are NOT selling.
The ideal situation is to be able to upgrade so that your family enjoys those upgrades while living there.
another big trend that has been overlooked here in this thread is outdoor spaces. nowadays, people are looking to utilize there yard, anything you can do to create a living space in your yard will stand out among other homes. its gives the impression of more space without adding sf
I completely agree!! Huge winner here... You look at many of these tract built developments with BARE "inner" facing yards or yards facing a busy road or a corner lot with neigh a tree in sight. You just know you're going to need to sink money if you want to use the backyard to its fullest. Landscapes and Hardscapes get very expensive.
The other option is standing out there as if you're on stage for everyone's viewing pleasure... "Now appearing - MikeyKid wields his Weber flipping burgers and dogs in his shorts and Crocs!!" <scattered applause> "Thanks folks, I'll be here all week!"
Someone had mentioned that it wouldn't be long before granite is passe; and I suspect the same for stainless steel appliances too.
True - but if you're the one living in the house, you should have what you want unless you only plan to be there for a few years. I know people who have bought a house and say, "Well I would like to have [insert whatever here] but it would not be good for re-sale." A few of those people have now been in their house for 7-8 years.
I am sure most people would not want their master bathroom painted black, but that's what we are planning. We'll be here for a while and its what we want. And we can always change it later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by coastalgirl
The built in nook over the fireplace is an automatic no for me. I think that is the most tacky thing.
Agreed. In fact, one of our main requirements in looking for a house was to find a house with a large bonus room (since we couldn't get a basement) that we could use as a media room - mainly because we wanted our living room to NOT have a TV in it at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
I hope you are right!
I would like to add that I think one has to be careful about such things as lighting fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens. I would be careful about pendant lights as I think folks are gonna say in a few years - "that is so turn of the Century" lol. Just a thought! I like them! But if you sell in a few years, you might think about taking them down if folks are not using them as much at that time. I have seen some gorgeous (and expensive) pendant lights over cook centers and bars and I can't help but wonder if they will look dated by 2015.
That may be - but, again, if you decide to sell in 2015, replacing lighting fixtures can be done with a lot less effort than other changes. We went with these fixtures our builder offered (Michael Graves, very modern) as that fit our style. We were the first buyers to even request them, and a few did not get delivered until after we closed on the house. But again, we have to look at them every day, so we got what we wanted.
Other items on our "must lists":
- Not only solid cabinets in the kitchen, but also the taller, 9-ft cabinets (or whatever length they are) that go pretty mcuh up to the celiling.
- Proper, formal dining room, as opposed to dining and kitchen or living space allocated in one larger room.
- Soaker tub and separate shower in the master bath (although I'd love one of those programmable, 12-head showers.
- Ceramic tile in master bath
- real hardwood (although we argued with carpet vs. hardwood in the bedroom - I like something soft and warm under my feet in the morning).
Lever-style doorknobs are also on our list. We actually paid a bit extra to have them put in our house when we bought. It may seem like a minor detail - but my better half has a prosthetic arm. So if she is holding something in her one hand, those types of doorknobs are much easier for her to open with her prosthetic.
The other option is standing out there as if you're on stage for everyone's viewing pleasure... "Now appearing - MikeyKid wields his Weber flipping burgers and dogs in his shorts and Crocs!!" <scattered applause> "Thanks folks, I'll be here all week!"
HA! I can only imagine what my neighbors think when they see me stumble onto the deck on a Saturday morning to have a cigarette - I just got up, my hair is standing straight up and I look like a disheveled war orphan.
We are in a townhouse now, but, when we eventually move, it will be to a proper, single-family home, and we will want the outdoor space that we can utilize fully as outdoor living space - not just a big yard.
Ani, I'm sure your period correct brass is just fine, so don't worry.
I will admit to liking the current "oil rubbed bronze" fixtures that I see in a lot of new builds. However, THAT is one trend that I fear may go out of fashion sooner than the rest...
We went with Venetian bronze when we replaced our knobs and hinges, and it's pretty similar to oil rubbed bronze. I don't think it will go out of style for a couple of reasons. One, if you look at old homes with original doors they usually have this type of dark finish. Another, specifically applying to my taste in decor, is that it fits with a cottage, coastal, or country style, and that type of decor doesn't change much over the years.
At least I hope!
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I just replaced our shiny cheap brass exterior door hardware with stuff that has an antique brass "finish", meaning that it will peel off after 10 years of good weathering, lol. Real brass reproductions and reclaimed antique stuff isn't even in the same ballpark and would be considered a huge value add to anyone that appreciates the style. If you are talking about the stuff I think you are, I would have been surprised to see it in the houses I was looking at (300k-400k, 10yrs old or less) it would have been too nice.
