Crimes Against Interior Design

I realize that the following rant is going to pretty much cement my reputation as a design snob and I'm not so sure that's a bad thing. Because, if labeling this room a "Crime Against Interior Design" is wrong, well you know the rest.

Without naming names, I saw this room featured today on a decorating show on a popular cable network and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to speak out. The show is known for promising to transform a room in just a day and on a shoestring budget. This room got transformed alright.




I could be satisfied by simply saying that I think this room is ugly and leave it at that but I think that it would be a great disservice to not take it a step further and break down what exactly makes this room look more like a "before" than an "after".

Exhibit A: Exactly what purpose is served by putting the furniture at an angle like that? I will never understand why decorators think they're being extra clever by doing this sort of thing. Aside from just looking plain weird, this "technique" has the unfortunate effect of making one think that the room isn't big enough to accomodate the furniture so it had to be wedged into position. Seriously, stop trying to reinvent the wheel and group the furniture in a way that makes sense. And if you have the sofa and and chair at that angle, why is that poor bench left hanging out all by himself under the window?



Exhibit B: One word: Leopard. Why decorator, why??? What did this poor homeowner do to deserve an ottoman covered in that hideous, leopard fabric? Oh. Wait. I think I get it now. Let's talk it out - we've got a giant, palm tree overtaking one corner and ethnic-mask art on the wall. I'm seeing a theme developing here and it's.......Jungle! Ohhhhhhh, now I get it! So the real question should be: "How could you NOT add a little leopard??". I mean, you've got a palm tree for Pete's sake! A palm tree!!!



Exhibit C: The truly heinous and outdated color scheme. An all-neutrals color scheme can be fabulous. When done well it is soothing, sophisticated and timeless. In the wrong hands it is muddy, dated and bo-ring. The key is to gain the knowledge and ability to build a cohesive color scheme or hire someone who can do it for you.

Exhibit D: Pick a style and stick with it already! We have a very contemporary sofa and chair arranged around a very detailed cocktail ottoman (I guess the leopard cushion is supposed to make it feel more modern?) and window treatments that couldn't be more formal or traditional. It's all tied together with that rug. Mixing traditional elements with contemporary ones for a more eclectic look is done all the time and with great success but this room just can't decide what it wants to be. As a result it is just a confused mess of a room.

I know this all sounds really mean-spirited and while I don't want to hurt this decorator's feelings, they need a serious wakeup call. If someone is trusting you to come into their home and improve upon it then you have a responsibility to understand color, fabric and basic spaceplanning concepts. You have a responsibility to take their project seriously and to spend their money wisely. Simply staying under budget and meeting a TV show deadline is not good enough.

I am a big believer that good taste can be learned. I think back now on the decorating I did before I went to design school and hoo-boy, there were some really ugly rooms! It's a little embarrassing to think back on some of them but I just didn't know any better!

At the same time, I wasn't calling myself a designer and making money off of clients who trusted that I knew what I was doing. I also wasn't running a cable network and giving TV shows to people without holding them to a certain standard or failing to ensure that what my employees were doing in other people's homes was done in good taste and with professional integrity. That's the big problem that I have with some (not all!) of these decorating/interior design shows and why, when I see rooms like this one, I get really angry.