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The term is new, but what it describes is not. I don't realy know what LI looks like, but my impression is that it's got quite a few pre-McMansion McMansions. What I mean by that is Sac's Fab '40s is pre-McMansion McMansion. Term didn't exist yet, but what it described did. If you look around, you'll see many examples of "tacky" architecture that blends different styles together. You won't find many turrets. Turrets weren't fashionable then, but you'll find many pillars. Pillars look just as stupid to me. Pillars work on some buildings and turrets work on others. Turret on QA victorian? Fine. Turret on neoeclectic? Out of place.
The exception is if it's a historic area/themed area, that I consider a bad thing.
I think it's so cool when you're driving around a plain jane area and then this gigantic flashy fancy suburban house pops out of knowhere and makes you look at it. I think it's amazing when you as one homeowner can add so much niceness to a block.
If I become rich one day then I want to one day live in a McMansion in an average area. Most wealthy [suburban] areas have huge lots with very little tight-knitness&interaction; those type of areas are not my cup of tea.
[Don't know if this is the right forum but whatever..]
You've got company... otherwise there wouldn't be so many mcmansions blighting the landscape.
Personally I would prefer a REAL mansion over a poorly designed, over-lnflated, poorly functioning, shoddily built piece of faux architectural turd that is only pretending to be fancy and makes someone else rich because of the ignorance of it's buyers... but that's just me.
McMansion is a pejorative term. I don't know why anyone would aspire to own something that has a negative connotation. Aspiring to own a McMansion is like aspiring to be fat and obnoxious. It is possible to find, or build, an equally large home that isn't a tasteless mess of eight different architectural themes (and cheap materials), but such a house wouldn't qualify for "McMansion" status.
I guess if the aim is to get noticed, then putting up a big "Greek wedding" of a home, in a middle of the road community, would probably do it. But why not just buy a big house in a city neighborhood with other big houses? A lot of people like exclusive areas in cities or older, inner-ring suburbs, most with small lot sizes, because they offer a less "distant" living experience, while still offering massive square footage.
I would much prefer a well-built, high end home at a reasonable size (2000 sq ft or less) over a McMansion tract home. I would also pick an older, remodeled home in an established neighborhood over a McMansion, as well. I don't want to clean 3500 square feet of space or heat/cool it. Also, I don't know what some of the architects were thinking when they designed some of these horribly gaudy homes. I mean seriously, what IS this?
Many of the older homes with similar square footage to McMansions are beautiful. I don't know what this new obsession is with wanting your home to look like a mansion...You are not rich and can't afford a mansion, trying to make your house look like one is not going to impress anyone!
This house is 3500 square feet, and looks like a normal home. It is at least 10x better than that first picture
That first house looks amazing! Looks like....dare I say....fun!
I'm a young dude and an artist.....I've always found the generic suburban "american" home style to be boring as dirt designed around looking as bland as possible to offend no one( because of resell value ). These Gaudy McMansion might be well...gaudy but they have 10x the character of the boring suburb home built to be an investment instead of a piece of functional architecture.
At least give some houses with more modern or avant garde designs....then I suspect the McMansion trend will give way to artistically designed homes.
As for those big homes....some ethnic families stuff multiple generations in to one home plus a revolving door of long staying overseas relatives. Hence there is a need for that much space.
My idea of a mansion is a modest size Southwest Territorial style house with Adobe walls, big tile over solar heated dirt with a sloped roof covered with metal roofing. Nearby would be a really long set of garages for my two and four wheeled toys.
Some of these already exist in the southwest. No way would I like a skitzoid multi roofed with too many rooms Mcmansion. I'll leave those for the strivers and social climbers.
Home design has been gaudy ever since people started building homes. We just aren't in context to recognize the remarkable gaudiness. So for me exterior design isn't the big issue when I think of the pejorative "McMansion" term. It's what people have convinced themselves to expect of the interior space planning that's imbalanced.
Why do you need several massive walk-in closets? I mean, nice to have, sure, but to make one a requirement should get the average breadwinner reflecting on priorities. All this closet space for what?
Why do you need a 400sf spa-like bedroom suite to escape from your family--in your own home? Good grief, it's your home and family. High ceilings are great. Vaulted ceilings are a waste of real estate.
Home design has been gaudy ever since people started building homes. We just aren't in context to recognize the remarkable gaudiness. So for me exterior design isn't the big issue when I think of the pejorative "McMansion" term. It's what people have convinced themselves to expect of the interior space planning that's imbalanced.
Why do you need several massive walk-in closets? I mean, nice to have, sure, but to make one a requirement should get the average breadwinner reflecting on priorities. All this closet space for what?
Why do you need a 400sf spa-like bedroom suite to escape from your family--in your own home? Good grief, it's your home and family. High ceilings are great. Vaulted ceilings are a waste of real estate.
You should stop making sense. Most people don't evaluate priorities, they quick-draw their credit card for valuted ceilings so people will be impressed when they visit.
I would much prefer a well-built, high end home at a reasonable size (2000 sq ft or less) over a McMansion tract home. I would also pick an older, remodeled home in an established neighborhood over a McMansion, as well. I don't want to clean 3500 square feet of space or heat/cool it. Also, I don't know what some of the architects were thinking when they designed some of these horribly gaudy homes. I mean seriously, what IS this?
Many of the older homes with similar square footage to McMansions are beautiful. I don't know what this new obsession is with wanting your home to look like a mansion...You are not rich and can't afford a mansion, trying to make your house look like one is not going to impress anyone!
This house is 3500 square feet, and looks like a normal home. It is at least 10x better than that first picture
Your gaudy is my idea of having character. You seriously want to live in a 'normal home'? How soul crushingly normal of you. As soon as 3d concrete printing becomes more affordable the 'normal home' will no longer exist. I can not wait.
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