Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think people are born with an interest in design, and whether you are good at it or not, is in the eye of the beholder. Education surly helps. Money can play a roll, although I've seen beautiful rooms decorated on a 2nd hand budget and you would never know it. Some people just know how to put a room together, with or without money, with or without education.
I remember when I was very young (6-7 years old), I would re-arrange my bedroom weekly so that I could get a different look. I changed anything I could. My friends were watching cartoons, and I would watch Bob Villa just so I could see the finished room. I had an instense interest since I was young. Am I good at it? I don't know? Its not my profession, but our home does receive compliments. It's a fun hobby.
I am surprised at the tone of the people that disagree. As an artist, I have to believe in myself over others in order to turn out good work, not that I think I am the best in the whole world and belittle other people. But when critiquing it can be brutal even if polite. The nature of any art centered education is replete with it. If that looks rude to some I think it is just a misunderstanding. Self confidence is innate as well.
Taste can be relative and it can also actually be bad. Does that offend? Only if you let it.
I think having good taste is inherent in some people. Either you have "an eye" for it, or you don't. It is more about some people being born with a need to be surrounded with things that are harmonious, and that make them feel good, while others either don't care in the slightest, or can't recognize it.
The same is true, I think, with people who say they can't cook. If you can read, then of course you can cook, but you just don't want to. It doesn't matter to you.
I think having good taste is inherent in some people. Either you have "an eye" for it, or you don't. It is more about some people being born with a need to be surrounded with things that are harmonious, and that make them feel good, while others either don't care in the slightest, or can't recognize it.
The same is true, I think, with people who say they can't cook. If you can read, then of course you can cook, but you just don't want to. It doesn't matter to you.
I absolutely agree.
My dear SIL, does not have it, at all------------poor thing. She has this beautiful McMansion, and it is decorated just awful.
"Having an eye for good taste" is not the same thing as "HAVING good taste"( a diamond theft has an eye for good taste- but as a theft, not one of having good taste).
Just as "being artistic" doesn't make one of good taste, it only makes one talented in some medium. And "art" is VERY SUBJECTIVE, but not always tasteful.
Money can't buy taste. It can, however, buy classes, travel, and experiences that we learn from.
Most good art (and interior design is art) requires discipline and some education as well - whether that education is formal or self taught.
That being said, there are geniuses out there who need less training and less exposure to experiences than others, because they simply "get it." On the other end of the spectrum are people who have years of training and exposure and never "get it." Both extremes are the exceptions to the rule.
Art is subjective and as soon as one makes a rule, it's made to be broken. That's the difference between art and science! But the two also overlap a bit. For instance, a walkway that is less than 36" wide will ALWAYS feel a bit cramped, I don't care how great the oversized furniture is. The furniture may be so terrific that one decides it's a small price to pay for the overall look, but that's where subjectivity comes into play.
I've been catching hell on another thread because I posted a picture of silver plate platters displayed on a wall - and some were tarnished while others weren't. Some people liked the look, and others thought it was terribly tacky. Personally, it wouldn't look good, in my opinion, in my own house, but I liked the photo and the wall it was displayed on with the other items. I thought it was artistic and very pleasing - others thought it was gauche. And I thought that those who thought it was gauche were rather pretentious!
All I can tell you is that I've made a good living in my lifetime decorating the homes of others, and even though I no longer do interior decorating as a career, my services are in high demand among friends and family. Do they, or I, have good taste? Was I born with it, or have I EVER had it? Who knows? All I can tell you is that I've been redoing and redecorating rooms and furniture since I was seven years old, for myself and others, and I have always received a lot of compliments. I'm sure that some people have kept negative comments to themselves as well.
Next plan - reupholster an antique Biedermeier sofa in a funky fabric! I'm sure that some people will be quite offended. And I don't care.
OP: Some are, but what's even more important largely is how the gene is later nurtured via the influence of OTHER people with good taste. At a certain point it becomes an ongoing skill more than an inherent talent. This can lead to the illusion of "Wow this person has superior taste!!" keyword illusion. Of course there are true taste geniuses out there, however I still think it's by and large a matter of cultivation vs "gene-ius"
I think people are born with an interest in design, and whether you are good at it or not, is in the eye of the beholder. Education surly helps. Money can play a roll, although I've seen beautiful rooms decorated on a 2nd hand budget and you would never know it. Some people just know how to put a room together, with or without money, with or without education.
I remember when I was very young (6-7 years old), I would re-arrange my bedroom weekly so that I could get a different look. I changed anything I could. My friends were watching cartoons, and I would watch Bob Villa just so I could see the finished room. I had an instense interest since I was young. Am I good at it? I don't know? Its not my profession, but our home does receive compliments. It's a fun hobby.
This made me chuckle because I was the same way as a child. My mom thought I was weird ha ha. I think we are all born with a natural skill to do something, then if the interest is there it can be perfected. I am the only creative type in my family. Honestly, my mother and sister cant put anything together. I am often baffled by the choices they make because there is no rhyme or reason for their choices. They really struggle with it. I naturally can put things together but did not know the reason behind it. I started off going to interior design school (later changed my major). As we learned concepts then it made sense why I chose the things I did but in reality, it naturally appealed to my eye. It just worked. I think I do fairly well even though I am not a professional. I get a lot of compliments, most people I know will often call me on design advice and I even get snide comments because certain people think I spend a ton of money on decor when I really don't. So the fact I can pull something off from a second hand store and some think I spent a lot of money in an essence in a compliment.
I remember one time I went to a local salvation army and they had complete dining room set plus china cabinet for a 100 bucks. It was hideous but it had good lines. I took it home, painted it and replaced all the fabric on the chairs. When my MIL came over she flipped out (she thinks Im a spend thrift). She told my husband that I was spending way too much money and that set was clearly expensive. Although she annoys the crap out of me, I had to chuckle because I over all I spent a 125 bucks on the whole thing. She has money and will often go to high end furniture stores and hire the designers there to help furnish her house. I later sold it at a garage sale for 300.
My niece had a baby 5 yrs ago. Her daughter naturally can put things together. I noticed right away. My niece laughed and said that the little girl will naturally pick out her outfits and everything goes together. She also re arranges her toys and room often. Maybe it skips a generation or two.
Thanks to everyone who replied to my thread. Reading through the posts gave me alot to think about. There were too many people who recounted artistic or designs skills at an early age who had no training which made me wonder if this had something to do with the way the brain works. So when I could find the time I found some websites which gave me a little insight on how the brain functions. I tried to find websites the layman could understand. Here is a link on the occipital lobes and how they function in sight and color recognition:
Could people who show early artistic and design skills have more brain neurons in the occipital lobes and the right side of the brain or do these parts of the brain just communicate differently? I don't know even the neuroscientists aren't sure.
Here is a fascinating link that gives a glimpse into one brains of one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived.
I don't think there are right or wrong answers to my original question as to whether "good taste" is inherited. I could not find one scientific study which discusses this and I don't think neuroscientists are delving into it as they are too busy trying to find the causes of serious brain diseases and disorders.
The truth is the scientists are just beginning to learn the complexities of how our brains work.
If you've taken the time to read these links, here is a fun test to find out if you are "right brained or left brained" (in actuality we of course use both sides or hemispheres) but some rely more on one side. I scored 45/55 the higher number being the right side. I'd love to hear your scores if you are willing to share. Thanks for reading this lengthy post and I'm open to ALL opinions. But be nice now!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
