The Hottest Houzz Discussion Topics of 2012
Discussions rocked and rolled this year with advice, support, budding friendships — and oh, yes, a political opinion or two
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
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The Houzz Discussions section took on a big life of its own in 2012. Houzz readers, contributors and professionals chimed in like crazy to help other Houzzers solve their design dilemmas. At the top of the list were conversations about kitchen remodeling, paint, color, staging homes for resale and whether or not to mount a TV over a fireplace. Also, everyone was just having fun chatting about home design, answering polls and making new online friends. Here are the hottest Houzz topics of 2012.
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To paint or not to paint kitchen cabinets? Houzz user smythtracy thought her kitchen was too dark and that painting the cabinets white might help. The consensus:
She should not paint her cabinets but could improve the lighting, wall color and other accessories. This picture was taken and posted middiscussion, after she'd painted the walls a lighter color.
She's still looking for light fixtures, planning to install undercabinet lighting and searching for dishes to put in the glass cabinet, but the kitchen is much lighter, and she was able to keep her lovely wood cabinets. See the discussion
She should not paint her cabinets but could improve the lighting, wall color and other accessories. This picture was taken and posted middiscussion, after she'd painted the walls a lighter color.
She's still looking for light fixtures, planning to install undercabinet lighting and searching for dishes to put in the glass cabinet, but the kitchen is much lighter, and she was able to keep her lovely wood cabinets. See the discussion
| Should I put the TV over the fireplace? Houzzer westave was getting ready to break ground in a new house and wondered if having two focal points in one room would be a problem. Other Houzzers chimed in with comments regarding eye-level height, different wall mounts, TV size, cabinetry, wires, glare, cover-ups and more. See the discussion |
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When to hire a color consultant and, more important, did Houzzers agree with the consultant's choices? Houzz user ninjabetic first wondered why the color consultant she was hiring had such reasonable rates, and the discussion of her paint colors, their sheens, professionals and their credentials took off from there. Lots of you pitched in to help her figure it all out with sketches, swatches, information about changing light, inspiration photos, links to ideabooks and advice.
This is the final paint color choice for her dining room, and she is thrilled with the results. I love it when the original asker follows up with the after shot. It's so satisfying to see how it all works out.
See the discussion
This is the final paint color choice for her dining room, and she is thrilled with the results. I love it when the original asker follows up with the after shot. It's so satisfying to see how it all works out.
See the discussion
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| How to stage a dark living room for resale. After failing to sell her home, sarahcecilia called out to Houzzers to help make her living room more attractive to potential buyers. It was a joy to watch her get so much help from the Houzz community and to watch her take the advice, adding items like table lamps and an area rug, rearranging furniture and sharing her photos as she made progress. This is one of those threads where you feel like you're peeking in at new friendships forming. See the discussion |
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| It all started with the weird fireplace ... lpisg8 needed advice on how to address this stainless steel–flanked fireplace but wound up getting advice regarding all sorts of spaces during the remodel. In particular, Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design got down to business on graph paper. The fireplace is now covered in Metallica Black tile from Eleganza, at Albert-Kincl's suggestion, and the rest of lpisg8's house is coming along nicely. See the discussion |
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| Should she paint the brick fireplace? Houzz user jennlehr asked, "Would you paint this fireplace white? I'm looking for advice before I take the plunge!" Suggestions included glazing the brick with a whitewash; dry brushing it gray; covering it with drywall, stone veneer, tile or slate; simply cleaning and glossing it; adding cabinetry and more. The ayes for painting outnumbered the nays by quite a bit. See the discussion |
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| What are the coolest new must-haves? I liked this question from MelissaL and everyone's clever suggestions so much, I swiped this discussion and turned it into a series of home must-haves. Inevitably, there was much debate about the difference between a must-have and excess. Personally, I am firmly planted in camp pot filler. Who knew an extra faucet could cause such controversy? See the discussion |
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| Show us before and after drama! Houzz community manager Emily Hurley called for dramatic transformations, and plenty of you responded with photos. It's satisfying to see your hard work pay off. Please keep them coming. See the discussion |
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Real versus faux Christmas trees. Houzz staff writer Cathy Lara asked in a poll, "Are you getting a real Christmas tree or artificial tree this year?" More than 1,400 of you have voted already, and it's a tight race so far, with real trees winning out. Lara used the poll as part of her research; learn more about your tree options in this ideabook.
And see the results for yourself. If you haven't voted yet, the poll is still open.
And see the results for yourself. If you haven't voted yet, the poll is still open.
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Holy smoke! If you believe this one, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. Aja Mazin pulled a few legs when she posted the following quandry. I'm going to post her words exactly, because it could not be funnier:
NEED HELP WITH CHOOSING NEW CHANDELIER
I just bought a chapel in Italy that I want to convert to a summer villa.
The chandelier does not fit my style.
I will have the ceiling painted in Benjamin Moore holy smoke.
Can anyone suggest something more contemporary.
The funny thing is, the discussion meandered on for more than 100 comments, from the original joke to nursery design to the crib bumper controversy to I don't know what, but it's fun to follow.
See the discussion
NEED HELP WITH CHOOSING NEW CHANDELIER
I just bought a chapel in Italy that I want to convert to a summer villa.
The chandelier does not fit my style.
I will have the ceiling painted in Benjamin Moore holy smoke.
Can anyone suggest something more contemporary.
The funny thing is, the discussion meandered on for more than 100 comments, from the original joke to nursery design to the crib bumper controversy to I don't know what, but it's fun to follow.
See the discussion
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Whether or not to paint a front door. Houzz user foci88 wondered whether or not to paint the front door of this Florida beach house in Benjamin Moore's Terra Cotta Tile, and other Houzzers chimed in. (This is the after picture; foci88 wound up going with Benjamin Moore's Baked Clay.) The consensus was to go for it, with reasons including matching it to the brick in line with the principles of feng shui.
See the discussion
See the discussion
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| How much can I do with $10,000 in the kitchen? Houzz user lyare l blew the budget on a backyard redo and needed to know how far $10,000 would get her in a kitchen remodel. Thanks to some help on the boards, the above picture is an after shot. She replaced the floors, painted, opted for granite tile countertops to save money, and added a chandelier in the breakfast nook and pendant lights over the island. To see the before shots, advice, inspiration images and process, view the entire discussion. |
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| It starts with needing a coffee table ... Tabitha Dyson cried out, "PLEASE HELP! I am a decorating disaster!" After taking these pictures to solicit coffee table advice, she realized she needed some all-over help. One thing evident in this thread is that sometimes the best advice is to stop shopping and get some help from a pro. In the meantime, Houzzers pitched in with plans, Photoshopped suggestions, potential products and plenty of advice. See the discussion |
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| Whether or not the "fiscal cliff" will bring your home improvement plans to a halt. This poll had interesting results. With more than 1,100 of you participating, the "No Impact" and "Big Impact" options were practically tied, while "Some Impact" lagged behind. Yup, this thread got political, went a bit off the rails and came back ... one person even scolded Houzz for "initiating a discussion that would predictably turn political." Look, I could write an ideabook about down pillows, and there are certain types who would make it political. We're not going to avoid home-related issues just because there is a chance they could get political. However, you have every right not to read discussions you predict will get political. I can identify the comments I wish to skip over by spying just one or two keywords when skimming, or seeing how long-winded the post is or whether or not the poster uses all capitals for emphasis. I suggest you all do the same. Skim this discussion |
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I ordered a beautiful pond, and all I got was this lousy mud pit! Houzz user Iyare I (who needed kitchen help above) was so over it that she had to take a deep breath before she even began to deal with her water feature debacle. Then when she was ready to deal, she came over to Houzz. What's so great about this thread is that she posted lots of pictures as progress was made with a new contractor.
Houzzers had lots of great advice about how to deal with the pond as well as about circulation and even West Nile virus. (Houzzers are thorough!) They also had suggestions for finding the best contractor and how to work well with him or her to get the desired results. Thanks so much to lyrae I for sticking with the thread and sharing all the fun after shots of her yard!
See the discussion
Houzzers had lots of great advice about how to deal with the pond as well as about circulation and even West Nile virus. (Houzzers are thorough!) They also had suggestions for finding the best contractor and how to work well with him or her to get the desired results. Thanks so much to lyrae I for sticking with the thread and sharing all the fun after shots of her yard!
See the discussion
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Which layout do you like better? Fabiola has a living room that works two ways but wanted to gauge which way people preferred. The replies reveal that "couch facing fireplace" is the preferred look, and of course readers could not help but add other unsolicited tips, which is always part of the fun.
Here's my unsolicited tip, because I can't help myself either: Arrange the room with the fireplace in mind during months when it will be lit (for either the view or proximity to its warmth), then switch things up during warmer months. Both layouts work really well, a problem lots of Houzzers wish they had!
See the discussion
Here's my unsolicited tip, because I can't help myself either: Arrange the room with the fireplace in mind during months when it will be lit (for either the view or proximity to its warmth), then switch things up during warmer months. Both layouts work really well, a problem lots of Houzzers wish they had!
See the discussion
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To paint or preserve? One can very accurately predict the range of answers to a question about painting old timber beams in a church-turned-apartment building in London. While a rough estimate has the "No! Don't paint them" answers winning out, the soundest answer is to move in, live with it for a few months and then decide what to do.
See the discussion
See the discussion
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| What to do about dining room chairs that disappoint? Houzz user carlyabbey had already received a lot of help from the Discussions board for her dining room redecorating, but was very unhappy with the way her chairs turned out. She started a new discussion to get some help. What is so much fun about this thread is the friendship and camaraderie. People pitched in with Photoshopped options on request, as well as other suggestions. Everything worked out well: A change in the wall color helped carlyabbey love the way the whole room worked, she hosted a fabulously successful Thanksgiving dinner, and the discussion still goes on. See the entire thread |
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I need help tying my home's exterior together. Houzz user lindamarie1 had turned to the Discussions board for help with her 1910 home's facade before. She came back for some help with improving the color flow, including the color of the foundation and front door. As the discussion progressed, Houzzers chimed in not only with specific paint colors but with suggestions on exactly where to use them, Photoshopped mock-ups, ideas for shutters, historic precedents, lighting advice, landscape options, thoughts on awnings and more. The discussion is full of great ideas for curb appeal.
See the discussion
See the discussion
| What you thought of the color predictions for 2013. More than 1,100 of you voted, and Sherwin-Williams' Aloe squeaked ahead of "whatever" as the favorite prediction for 2013. With comments on whether or not Pantone's Emerald looked like a true emerald, the predicting methods themselves and what the predictions will mean for products in 2013, the poll was tons of fun for me to follow — and it was the first poll I'd ever put together. Thanks so much to everyone who participated! See the entire discussion |
Ideabook updated on Jan. 8, 2013.
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Aja has definitely stamped her place in history on this site with that hilarious post and we all now sit and wait and hope that her precious baby will arrive safely and healthy.
Iyare1 won't be forgotten for her brave decorating in a hurry either - I have a feeling she will have a lot more to offer in 2013.
I look forward to more discussions in 2013. I wish I had not missed the italian chapel blog but I will keep my eyes open to Aja's news of her newborn. By the way, Aja, I love the nursery you selected, very elegant.....any child would love to reside in.
Becky, thank you for the rehashing of the blogs.
Happy New Year everyone.
So I'd like to give a BIG thank you to Houzz moderators, commentors, and even the lurkers for making this a great forum for newbies like me to come for advice, inspiration, and entertainment.
Final project will be this year, my master bath. Stayed tuned... because you know ill have lots of questions......
Oh, and thank goodness smythtracy didn't paint those gorgeous cabinets!
Just look at House Hunters on HGTV, some buyers will walk away from a fantastic house just because they dont like the colour of the walls.
Everyone has talents in some areas and thank goodness they are not all the same.
It is not always easy to envision rooms that are filled with someone else furniture. It is often easier with an empty room.
Keep the ?s coming, some of us are more than happy to help.
Yes those who post pictures of their home are potentially opening themselves up to criticism but since when does that excuse bad manners? Let's celebrate the differences in people's taste - after all it would be a pretty boring world if we all had the same taste would it not?
I'm looking forward to the new year and the vast array of ideas - fabulous, interesting, weird and wacky - it will bring!
There have been many friendships made right around the World from here and the benefits and enjoyment from that far outweight the few narky remarks from people who can't appreciate how much they can gain by enjoying this site for what it is.