ami_gar I wanted to see rooms of people with young children :(

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. I love this Samantha, so funny.

jenx18 This is my favorite Houzz post ever.

boonecreative Hear, hear. I kept looking for the "young family" room.

lizzyhouzz Yes, I scrolled through the entire post, anticipating the "fun young family" photo, but there was none!! :(

kspollock Anyone gonna post their living room with kids, or should I go first?

bubblyjock I spend my spare moments browsing, nay, STUDYING, Houzz.

No, really, I do - it's not just what all those living room photos say!!!

Roots and Rafters I'm not sure how accurate any of these personality profiles are, but I can tell you that I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if anyone was able to divine our political and religious convictions or our common leisure activities from a picture of our living room. If you wish to test your prowess, see below.

bubblyjock @ Roots and Rafters - um - you're a person who likes blue? This is like the new "Sherlock" (Benedict Cumberbatch), lol. Off to edit my cheeky comments!

kspollock Here's mine...profile away.

englandcr2 Um Roots and Rafters your husband is an only child, you grew up in the South with soft spoken conservative parents, but that doens't necessarily mean you are as well. You have 2 cats, no children and you live in a quiet neighborhood with cookie cutter houses in a county, not a city.

Roots and Rafters @kspollock -- Your room is lovely! Can I ask where your couch is from, and whether it is comfortable? We're looking to replace our current sofa, which as you can see from the photo of our living room is a bit beaten up.

Also, I take it your house was built in the 1950s or before? Love the arched doorways.

englandcr2 Kspollock: You have two children ( who have their own playroom somewhere else in the house) you have a girl who is the oldest and a younger son. The husband drives a truck you are the second homeowners for this house, the wife works in healthcare. The spouses don't agree politically however they do follow the same spiritual beliefs. You have two fish and the daughter wants a dog--but she has allergies.

kspollock @Roots and Rafters, the couch is from Crate and Barrel, Petrie Sofa and is comfy...but not as stain resistant as they claim (purchased before we had kids). House was built in 1939.

@englandcr2 - good job on the kids...and my husband "wants" a truck, but doesn't have one yet.

Here's a view from the other side - kids play room is the Family room through the archway.

susanbehrman gonna give it a shot 'roots & rafters'! you're to the left of center in your political leanings, you consider yourself a spiritual person but do not regularly attend church.

Kyla Anderson I thought this would be kind of fun. Here are a couple of photos of my living room. I can see a number of clues that are quite obvious just looking quickly at the photos. I love this post, and really enjoyed looking at the photos - and "Roots & Rafters" and "Kspollock" photos too ;)

janestav very funny!

the_misfit I think this is hilarious. But (being overly serious) I will say that it's harder to guess when everything was OBVIOUSLY placed by a designer ("We vote Republican," one of the early houses - that's not really their stuff, or at least, they didn't pick it out). And - I'm not going to analyze anyone as "attends church every Sunday" unless I see at least one very obviously placed item of religious decor. I see crosses in LOTS of house photos (my living room has, um, more than twenty pieces of religious art? And almost every room has at least one religious image. I may go home and hang a few more up now :). Of course, I'm Catholic, and the only people who like icons more than we do are the Orthodox), so I know that when this is important to people, they usually choose to indicate it visually in some way. Which plays right into your theme - people are expressing themselves with their decor. I certainly do!

trasgorshek Love it! This was a lot of fun! Especially the bachelor one and how he controls everything with his iPad. Boys and their electronics, my husband is drooling...

koolbeanzzzz This is the funniest ideabook EVER on Houzz ... I could not stop laughing reading through it along with the comments. Great fun. Thanks Samantha!

Here's my living room and foyer for a reading. I'm gonna feel sad if someone says "over 50" though :)

LIVING ROOM / DINING ROOM UPDATE 1

LIVING ROOM / DINING ROOM UPDATE 2

ww.houzz.com/photos/2524822/LIVING-ROOM---DINING-ROOM-UPDATE-eclectic-living-room

Curlytop This is a hysterical "column"!

susanintoronto Love it - how fun!

summilux Koolbeanzzzz. You have an interest in art, take decorating seriously, are financially comfortable and live in a warm climate.

cyqi My living room tells you: we have young children. Both me and hubby busy working full time and long hours. My son is attending nursery full time... I think you can get the image without me showing the pictures.

Iyare I Profile away... Im curious to hear lol

koolbeanzzzz Thank you for the reading "summilux" :) You are pretty good. Here's my profile:

I paint as a weekend hobby, I am a Craigslist/thirft store addict, we have three children; one in grad school so I am always on a budget, two cats and a small pony*, I love decorating, and do live in the south!




*Not really, our dog is a huge Standard Poodle that just acts like a horse. We call him the wolf in sheep's clothing!


Cheers everyone!

Molly (scroll down to all white room) "We have no pets or children" Best line in interior design EVER.

summilux Here's our contribution to living rooms and their inferences. We'd probably would have fun with the owners of the living room in the 3rd photo.

candoli The only one I guessed was the no children, no pets one. That was so obvious, and I actually heard myself say it in my mother's voice. Too funny! I love this, it's like people watching but for rooms.

Erica Benson I have a few favorites that I will have to adopt into my home.

mlch Loved this!!!!

robyn72 This is HILARIOUS! And your assessment of each room is so believable. The room that I liked the most, you described the imagined owners as I am! Thanks for posting this and making me laugh out loud! :)

carmelrickard Thanks. That was fun. I'm looking at my own rooms with new eyes this morning - and is that a slight cringe I'm feeling? Here's my heartfelt cry: wanna see pix of rooms where the people have loads of dogs and still manage to have a good looking place!

tcufrog If you saw my living room the bins of toys and kid size chairs would say it all.

summilux Kyla A- here's a stab at being a master of the obvious: your family is young, religious, kid-centric. Problably live in the suburbs. Not terribly into possesions.

Christina Lowe The picture isnt the best, as Im using my cell phone. I am owned by 3 very large Rottweilers, who live inside only!

Kyla Anderson @ summilux Ha! Yes, you couldn't be more right. I guess our living room does really say a lot about us! I stay home with my 4.5 year old son, we have number 2 on the way in a little over a month. We are young (early 30's) religious, and we try to keep our possessions to a minimum. We live in the suburbs. We would probably prefer to live in the inner city - in fact we did live downtown until July when we bought a house where we could afford one. Anything worth owning in the inner city was half a million or more, so we found a bright, cozy house in our price range about 25 minutes (by car or transit) from the centre. We live in Calgary, Canada. Thanks for speculating! This is a super fun post. I love your house by the way. I especially love the bookshelves built into wall and the ladder. I have often thought what a nice thing that would be to have in our house. It looks like we might have a few things in common. My husband is an avid reader. His books are in downstairs now, but it would be so lovely to have them living with us in the main area, like yours. I dig your aesthetic, and feel that you may share a fondness for minimal possessions in your home. I'm guessing you are likely older, though not that much older than we are, and by the looks of it you don't have kids. Your living room looks like such a sanctuary! I'd like to make a cup of tea, browse your book shelf and record collection and settle in for an afternoon. Is it possible you have a cat who might make it's way over to curl up on my lap? :) Also I just love the stained glass and French doors. Was your house always a residential structure or did it serve another purpose at sometime?

Kate Rakena Funny article, enjoyable! I love the comment on the completely White House - no children or pets :)

summilux @Kyla A- Thanks for the feedback! You're also pretty much on with your guesses. Our house is a 50's ranch house that has undergone a lot of work, mostly DIY. Congratulations on your new home. The Canadian Rockies are just awesome. Bookshlelves would make a great addition to your living room. In time your children will be happy to contribute to your book collection.

fishtaco I saved the third living room photo in my own "favorites" Houzz file a long time ago. We're living in Spain now but plan to return next year and wanted to take elements of this living room and incorporate it into our own. (Your description fits us a to a tee! Bravo! ( I'm not a fan of pigeon-holing people, but these stereotypes were great fun)

Susan Palazzolo These all sound pretty snobbish to me:(

audgerm Oh man! Snobbish? Surely you jest! Just appreciating people's differences...wish I could live in the white house. My eyes say yes to so many of these cool "looks" but sometimes my budget, practicality and those bothersome people and pets I live with say "no way":)

azorin I just loved this article ... makes you think about yourself, your family ... what you've achieved in life, or want to achieve. Makes you wonder if you need to change things of if you've done just the way it was supposed to be. Should do that with our bedroom(s), kitchen, ... too.

Bethp262 Fun post! Here's my living room.

xxed Brilliant and funny. Thanks.

chezshelly All the rooms are lovely , but I find the profile of the owners ridiculous --- people are not that narrow . My living room says I have other rooms for different purposes.

adrianapirlea This is the most amazing article i have ever read on your site! God bless you! P.S. How would you describe rooms of people with children? :)

stlouisgaltoo My living room says that we "live" in our space. Hence, the piles of magazines, projects. 2 Recliners with a laptop by each, We are practical....see the TV with the "fat back" (Thanks Stewie Griffin!) Until it goes, no flat screen for us. Mission furniture. Casual.

mjbevilacqua Oh coolbeanzz your poodle is just gorgeous!! Best pic of the bunch. Most of us with young kids have uncool things like baskets of toys and plastic sippy cups in our living rooms. Not really stylish but wouldn't have it any other way. Ill find more time and energy for neatness and elegance (my personal preferences for my living room..) when more important things like building a couch fort and playing Lego blocks are well...less important :)

JAN MOYER SO. ON. THE. MONEY. !!!!!!!! KUDOS

JAN MOYER LYAREI
No fair hon, we know that room! We also know the rest, the part that Mum helped with...; )

mugsy1703 Will the real owners please step up .....

astraea Curious about how my great room would be profiled! Hmm .. think I need a photography class!

scasavan This was SO fun, thank you!

laloofah Ha! Like Robyn72, the two living rooms that appealed the most to me described us well! (Except we've never hung out with Joni Mitchell. Does listening to her music count?) :-) I know these tongue-in-cheek superficial judgements were all in fun, but based on my own experience with this I say who needs to worry about palms when you can have your living room read? :-)

pschr Funny, there are no living rooms that depict a family with children of any age. Hence the problem with all these kind of sites and magazines. Shame on this author for excluding a huge group of Americans.

astraea @pschr - It's possible that families with children have another space for them to play, and have their toys & games scattered around.

audgerm Pschr, check out the "ethereal" loft space featured on houzz today. The owner has an 8 year old.

pschr @astaea - Yes it is possible, but I am 45 and have 3 boys who no longer have toys and games scattered around. I don't know a single family who has or had another space for them to play. Most kids I have been around want to be were their family is at not in a special room for them to play.

astraea We only had 1 main living room when I was growing up .. and I played there during the daytime, but when I wasn't playing, my stuff wasn't to be left around there, for when the adults were there in the evening.

embracegrace I'll play! Here's our living room.

catclawrose LOVE it ! do more "profiles", please ! Ummm, coolbeanzzzz, I DO have a miniature horse who is housebroken, and he's in and out of the house, all the time ! My kids are grown and gone, so we CAN put our 1800's cowboy and primitive collectibles out,(the kids think we're nuts anyway, liking "that stuff" !), we just put our commercial, in town property on the market a week ago, and I found out Friday that the 11 acres with a little ranch type house loan is approved ! So, I'll be moving from 2,500sf of space, to 1,350sf, until we ge our house barn built, in the next year or so. First thing on the agenda when we get moving to the new place ? A front entry ramp/porch, so the mini, Dandy Whinny-Nicker, can come in !

kgl1234 Best article I've read. Well thought out with great captions. And what great responses it has generated! I think this ideabook should be an ongoing/periodic occurrence. That way everyone gets to play. Thanks!

Lillydale Great fun read. I am Eclectic in taste so many of the pics represent several areas of my home, plus the description is so true. Over the years have changed my political views and religious opinions. My house style has changed with those views. Amazing how good you are at the descriptions for me, making it a no invite to you to my house since I am afraid you might know my skeletons in the closets in each room. :-))

jkozinn hilarious ideabook.

koolbeanzzzz catclawrose, I would love to see a picture of your horse the house. And he's house broken???? That must be a sight to see!

Congrats on your move.

P.S. - You sound like a fun-lovin' family! We are too!

Have a great day!

Iyare I Jan, you were excluded from answering because you already know the answer :D I was hoping to get people who hadnt seen it lol

fuzzynellie This is so funny, I love the NO PETS & NO CHILDREN!!! Ha, there obviously speaks the voice of experience, children and white don't mix!

kariwise LOL! This article is hysterical. Really got me rethinking about how I'm going to design the living room in my new house.

House to Home Interiors Loved this article! Just a lot of fun. Thanks for writing it!

marthaelena Samantha Schoech, you got my full attention with this article. Very well done.

latrenda So true, especially the one about the libs with their books and wine. Minnesota for sure!

All Property Solutions I was 18th Century traditional, my husband was very contemporary. I used Asian to tie them together.

williamsonid That article was hilarious. Love it. More please

peggo More More -that was fun- I really do wonder what my living room says!

retromomma Houzz hittin' the nail on the head!

cgbtoo This was so much fun, I loved seeing all the posts and reading all the comments. It would be fun to do this with kitchens and Bathrooms sometime.

lorirobinson And no grandkids! Gotta tell you I have let my grandkids do stuff in my house my boys Never would have gotten away with! Wouldn't have it any other way. Have learned to keep breakable stuff up high or boxed till they get a bit bigger. Have given them my table linen cupboard for toys, and did I mention the house looks a lot like it did when I had kids at home? In my heart I'm photo three, but in reality there's a baby crib in my home office! Absolutely love, love, love this. A tongue in cheek look at what our possessions say about us! Well done Samantha, now for that lovely glass of wine..... ; )

devon999 Clever!

JEANIE This was hilarious and sort of freaked me out when the room I immediately resonated with, the look I work toward in my home - well the description may or may not have (including our ages) sort of described us perfectly. Scary. Haha.

my nest interiors This was so fun to read! I love that some of my guesses were the same. Sharing this on my fb page.

beesknees2260 Ha ha. Profiling by what your rooms look like. How superficial. Sometimes my house looks like a hysterical mad woman with a several personalities lives there. Next morning it looks like a page from a decorating magazine. I like to change and move furniture especially late at night. No one would ever guess at what we(?) do or how we(?) spend our free time, how much money we have, how old we are, how many children we have, what schools they went to or go to, if we went to school or college. This was not one of my favorite.

fishingheart @KSPollock, I love your room! I am going to say that you are 40 something, watch a lot of HGTV and Houzz of course and truly think about what your going to do before you waste time or $ on decor. Your significant other let's you make the decorating decisions. No little ones at home and not the first time you gave this room a makeover. Work full time. Lovely just so inviting!

tcufrog Beesknees2260...

Lighten up. This was all done tongue in cheek.

patovo Samantha....I think you had a lot of fun with this. And so did I!

4stephie What a fun post!

Solace Design What great fun! Thanks

Zingnnnn'with Sandilee Where are the real rooms? The rooms where real people live, laugh and love. People without maid service?

JAN MOYER I count at least ten REAL ROOMS in the photos!!( above post).. When you say" real"...you mean messed up? Everyone cleans and tidies for a photo, so the Coke cans went in the recycle, and the magazines went in a basket, and the laptop went back to the kitchen, office, and the toys went to a basket or the play room...... and so on. They are real. You wouldn't photo your bath with the towel on the floor, and the toothpaste uncapped on the counter, right?: )

Nellie I consider this blog as comments on a person's posted pictures and critics of the room. Why are some bloggers so mean....like englandcr2. Can't we just post opinions and not judge the person....whom you will never meet? Roots and Rafters...if you like your room good for you.

moneequa This is my favorite Houzz post ever.

riconsd I have a cat and dog that shed too much and am a ocd slob.

Roots and Rafters Not sure why I was included in your exhortation, Barbara. Perhaps I'm just being insensitive, but I fail to see how I was mean or insulted anyone? Or perhaps you meant someone else besides me. Either way, if you're going to play the mediator, you could avoid comments like "good for you" -- which kind of smacks of paternalism. Cheers! :)

ashindler Hysterically funny, Samantha!! great job.

kathcush This is hysterical !! Loved it.

bearskuse Best post ever! I am still laughing....

igal Love it, before reading each comment , I tried to guess it myself, so accurate and funny!!! Please more... Thanks !!!

woofwoof Well.....now I know that my rather formal living room and my much more rustic casual den are clear evidence of my split personality!

tcufrog All that I've learned about fellow Houzzers' photos is that they have great taste and they know how to clean up before taking photos. My husband was nice enough to watch the kids this morning while I slept in. The living room now looks like a pint sized heavy metal band trashed the place. I don't feel like cleaning up the resulting mess without help so no Houzz living room photos for me. I am envious of all of the dog owners though. I am allergic to dogs but have always wanted one.

Nellie Roots and Rafters...I never insulted you. I was responding to englandcr2. My comments were quite the opposite of how you interpreted it. I actually was expressing a compliment to you. Read my blog!

JAN MOYER @ BARBARA DUSKA
Well thanks for helping me out Hon, as I couldn't find the "insult " to save my life, and got tired of scrolling back and forth, and thought I must be losing it! Now someone will post that "HON is patronizing.... Ladies... really, It's supposed to be a fun site, a helpful site, an amusing site, and informative or inspiring, or just plain fun and a break from what we all could be doing. I have been taken "to the mat" a thousand times. It's a lot like e-mail, in that one can only add so many smileys, lol's or whatever. There's no soothing voice inflection available. I would say some comments( mine for instance!) get taken as mean when they are simply truthful, people get beat up for honesty, all have opinion and are just hanging it out there. It isn't perfect, but the world and the posts, and the houses and the inhabitants are not either. And when people post a dilemma, and someone says DITCH THE FURNITURE! They ARE helping. A love fest of "oh it's so wonderful" when it isn't, won't really get a poster where they want to go. Or maybe it will. In any case it's a super fun site for so many...and differing opinions and chat among users is half the fun. Right? It should be. But it will never be perfect, or suit 100 percent of the users, 100 percent of the time. Nor should it try.

littlemissk What fun!

theresadan I think you're spot on with every room. Very amusing!

ljohnsonatty What a hoot...I read every one. Laughed and laughed...

patscats2 Lyare, you are afraid of color, that's obvious. LOL I love your room.

Stevie Your comments made me laugh! Esp. the bachelor one and the white on white rooms with no pets an no kids!!!! What does light colored furniture with discretely placed throws on all the furniture say????

JAN MOYER I want the DOG!!!!!

Nancy Bekofske LOL, so funny! Our living room would say, "We live in temporary housing and move a"lot. We have old, garage sale furniture that we don't worry about getting damaged by movers, and can be tossed if it does not fit the new place. The books show we read A LOT, and we have real art on the wall because where ever we are, we have walls. " At retirement, I plan to get ALL NEW furnishings that actually fit our space and lives!

Thera I agree, this is hilarious! Profile me pleaseeeeeeeeeee!

hammerhugger I am with everyone else.......really enjoyed this post and laughed out loud!

JAN MOYER Thera,
Young, thirtyish, possibly married with sofa from the bachelor pad, and chair from Mom, or thrift store. Work a lot, not home a lot..... and new house with work in progress. May or may not love blue, could be waiting for time and money to paint. No kids... want to know if I am close : )

Thera rotflmao!!!
Okay, chair is from a thrift store. Couch is less than a year old as it is pet proof, we have 3 cats, a dog, a hamster and a turtle. I am an artist and work from home and a bit of a hermit, we have lived here almost 2 years. I am 41, hubby 43, 5 kids - 24, 21, 14, 13 and 11. The blue was to offset the heavy brown couch and woods (like in the chair).

JAN MOYER Thera,

LOL, ONE FOR ME!!! ???

xxed i am loving this post and all the comments SO much. would love some profiling on ours. thanks!

gwen47 Me, too! At risk of exposing my messy self, I just have to get in on this!

Olga@Stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com Such an interesting and fun post! Why don't you guys in Houzz consider this as a series? I mean showing off our living rooms and you guessing what they say about us? It should be so interesting!

redhotang hilarious. I love the one that says," We have no pets and no children."

Olga@Stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com xxed
I'll dare to guess:
You must be a person of science, love reading at his mid 30s. No children at home, not staying at home much, probably obsessed with your work meaning many hours outdoors.

catclawrose Oh my, I am enjoying this ! I look around my living area, and realize that, except for the TV, computer, computer desk, and recliners, everything else in the area is from resale shops, estate sales, or the side of the road !!! Literally !

sweetsy @Olga I don't think xxed is a male that isn't home because there are too many pretty live flowers sitting around:) so I would guess a female does live there, no children, mid 30's and works from home.

megogo88 Yes!! Favorite Houzz post. Ever.

Thera for xxed...I think a mid-thirties professional couple with one kid and possibly a dog. The wife hates the tv and loves books, but her hubby is a sports fan, also for the kid, which is why the tv is so subtle.

sweetsy I love this article. I felt mostly in agreement with her assessments. I love some of the comments and laughed so hard at koolbeanzzz comment followed by the photo of her "pony"! OMG your dog is adorable!! Hilarious:b. I don't get the comments about seeing rooms from homes with kids. That would be zero fun..we all know what those look like and represent. They aren't typically obvious on Houzz.in fact, she probably couldn't locate one-LOL!

CARL In my 74th year I've downsized but kept those things that comfort me. I've alway believed a home should be a retreat from the outside. A place of memories and relaxing peace.

summilux xxed- my guess is married, young, urban, advanced degree, no kids. Don't use your TV much. Really nice space BTW.

my nest interiors ok xxed I'm going to give this a shot... I'm guessing a couple, mid 30's, living in an urban-ish area, with somewhat clashing tastes. I'd say the male likes things modern, uncluttered, and watches some tv, the female favors more organic lines, likes living in the city, but misses the outdoor flora and fauna of her childhood, and would prefer to read rather than watch tv. I'd say no kids, and you guys like to be outdoors when you aren't at your "corporate" jobs, hiking, cycling, etc...

blairbec May I please come over and play? My husband and I had fun with your deductions; we didn't agree with all of them, and discussed our own opinions, but enjoyed them, nonetheless! Would love to find out what our living area conveys to you about us!

Olga@Stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com @ sweetsy
I was referring to the couple, but i used "his" because this is how we say it in my country. She clearly mentions "profile our home", so there is no doubt it's a couple.

my nest interiors Blairbec... clearly you have a penchant for Asian design, and when you find a piece and fall in love, you make it yours. I'm guessing you like to travel, hit thrift stores and antique stores, and try to support the local art scene. You fill your home with pieces that tell a story and mean something to you, rather than worry if it all "'goes" together. At least one of the furniture items in your home is an heirloom.

Olga@Stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com @blairbec
You're a couple between 40-50 who like to travel a lot to countries with different cultures, you're into deep discussions with friends about the meaning of life, eat healthy and organic food, and you're meditating a lot! :)

pamc321 What does my living room say about me? Well what does it say about the life I used to have or the life I have now as a widow. None of your comments addressed that situation. There are 11.4 million of us in the USA, countless others around the world. My living room sofa has a tear in the arm where Grandpa read stories to now growing grandchildren. I can't emotionaly replace that, but to others it would look tacky. My carpet has puppy dog nail tracks where kiddos and puppies played fetch! My 2 wing back chairs by the fireplace now only seat me. . I am downsizing, how does one choose and move furniture of a lifetime to a "new" smaller space. I never see the " decorating dilemma" of where to put the Flag Memorial Keepsake Box. This would be the Flag of the draped casket of a Veteran. As much as I appreciate your site, I kinda think this story left a bad impression. There are so many others who have suffered loss, truly great loss, and there is never any advice on how how to deal with the items of a " former" life.

Sheila Schmitz Pamc321, thank you for sharing your story. I am so sorry for your great loss. Without even seeing a photo, I am sure your home carries the mark of a true love and rich life that no single picture could ever capture. Some months ago Houzz published an article that touched on some of the themes you mention (click the link under this photo):


But it's just the start of what can be said and written about such an important topic. Thank you for the reminder.

koolbeanzzzz Thank you sweetsy :) We think Cesar is adorable too. Just not so adorable when he's up to his bad habits like stealing food from the kitchen counter or eating the top off of the beautiful Thanksgiving pie that my daughter worked so hard to make (I know I've told that story a lot but it was classic). And, then he looks all innocent like he didn't do a thing! Even in the pic I posted here, he did something bad right before I took the shot. He tossed all of the pillows off the sofa with his nose so he could make himself comfortable. That's why his poodle-doo is a mess! And, that's also why we call him the "wolf in sheep's clothing"!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

~koolbeanzzzz

P.S. .. I also wanted to comment to pamc321 that I am very sorry for your loss. There are really no words, but I hope in time your pain will be eased. G-d bless.

makaelajo I am so sorry pamc321. Search the article "When you're suddenly solo at home" on Houzz by Cathy Lara. I hope it helps.

rkq903 I can tell you what mine says: "this is our college furniture that we are making do with until the kid is older" :) I have a lot of plans but will be a few years yet...

Zingnnnn'with Sandilee Sorry pamc, I also am widowed after 31 years of close togetherness ,I also went through the decision making processes feeling like I was only half present, and down sizing. there is no easy way to do it, just give yourself time.I turned to God and His Grace for comfort. The memories of your life and spouse are in you not your things, they will always be with you. It in time helped me to move to new surroundings and let go of the past. Not the person just the surroundings. Then the healing could take root.

blairbec pamc321, Everyone is different, but i can tell you how I have dealt with items of a former life. I have let them go... more than once or twice. Letting go and starting over can be very cleansing and uplifting; and once you start the painful process, it gets easier and easier. In my mid 40s I reluctantly sold my car, my home,,, and most everything in it; left a new job (the job I had waited 25 years for), and moved to China with my new husband. I did it again a few months ago; sold a single family home and moved into a condo. Before this move, I gave away 25 years of made-from-scratch teaching materials when I heard about a new art teacher starting with nothing. None of this was easy, by the way; but things are just things. My grandmother's china is now packed up in a donation box. I have suffered losses, but am far better off than many. I hope you will be able to discover that you are worth celebrating, and that you do not need all your present belongings to do that. Godspeed!

blairbec @ Olga... close; 50-55. Not traveling so much anymore, but lived in China for 5 years. We do try to eat healthy, but I am way too ADD and OCD for deep discussions on life OR meditation ;-)!

blairbec @my nest interiors... well done! Most everything was purchased as we fell in love with it while living & traveling in Asia for 5 years. There are pieces in my studio that are thift/antique store treasure finds, from years ago, though. I/we only purchase things that hold a story for me/us. No heirloom furniture, though; I think one heirloom family vase. And yes, I could care less if things "go together" or "match" by someone else's standards!

Alexis DiLullo Fun! I want to play!

trasgorshek Pamc321, you are in my thoughts and prayers! From one military wife to another, thank you so much for your great service to our country along side your husband. I am so deeply sorry for your loss and pray for comfort and grace during this time! There are no words we can type to make things easier for you but know we heard yours! As for the Memorial Flag Keepsake Box, front and center is what I say. God Bless!

Kim Uccellini Hysterical! When I was in college, my sister and I would go to the mall and say what we thought people were thinking as we sat on a bench and people watched. Love this and you are right on the money i think with all of these

my nest interiors @ Alexis DiLullo, You are a mid to late 20's couple with 2 small kids, that are allowed in this room, only with supervision, and they have toys stored in the ottoman. You are very interested in design and fashion, but also need to be comfortable and able to "use" each space in your home. You're looking for a high end look, without spending a huge amount of money to get it, you like to mix traditional elements with graphic, more modern prints to keep things fresh and consistant with your demographic. I think you like color, but are maybe afraid to use it... you have a definate design sensibility, but maybe need help with finishing touches.

catniptardis @summilux

I LOVE the shelf over the front door! You must be a doctor!

I might guess you also have one cat, are in your 40s-50s, and like the Craftsman style?

xxed thanks everyone, pretty spot on, which shows for the strength of samantha's points in the article. we are in fact a high income no kids household, both east coast grad school grads, one phd scientist one political consultant, early 30s, living abroad in Berlin, Germany, travel a lot and love film and cable-tv shows (that's why the tv is there!). We don't have a dog but are looking into it! We do stay home a lot, and are practicing Zen, so try to bring in the balance in all ways, this includes having a feminine and masculine presence in the house and trying to manage the spiritual need to be neutral/minimalist with the worldly love of travel artifacts (rugs, figures, pottery), mid century modern furniture and lots of books... As for our styles - I don't think of it as clashing, but more "compromised complimenting" (I am northern Calfornian, he is Bavarian)...:) We love being outdoors and the bit about living in a great city, but missing my redwood trees from childhood is so spot on that it is eery! Thanks! I look forward to more features and love the idea of making a series out of readers' photos!

xxed also feel compelled to chime in on pamc321's open comment. i can only echo blairbec's words: belongings and space isn't what enables celebrating our lives. We are young, but already I have tried to work on being comfortable with this by opening ourselves through practice and community, and getting comfortable with letting go of our belongings by inviting others/ including strangers via airbnb to come and stay in our house while we travel, giving belongings away regularly and trying to let go. Keeps the chi flowing. Sorry for your profoundly sad loss and hope you find a strong community near you to help you on.

audgerm Xxed, I have a house in Nor Cal and live in Germany now. I posted a pic of a lamp that I bought here in Kaiserslautern last week. Thought you may know where it is from or when it was made. Any help would be appreciated!

grizzly Roots & Rafters, You are a young couple with no children. One or both of you are physicaly and emotionaly close to your parents. You live in the northeast. I have no idea of your political or religious affiliations. Activities- one or both of you are still working towards a Masters degree.

sclawson My living room says, We're technically retired but I'm writing a book while hubby is starting a tech consulting firm. Our kitten rules the roost, so things are either scratch-tolerant or out of reach.

summilux catniptardis- right on almost all counts! We have 2 indoor cats (one of which adopted us) and an outdoor cat who also adopted us; she stays in the shop as the oldest cat is very territiorial.

xxed @audgerm - totally jealous about the no ca house (!) still working on that one... the lamp looks groovey. never seen anything like it. is it made of amber? the germans do love their mushrooms!

audgerm Xxed- it's a fun lamp! Not amber, blown glass. I sent pictures to christies.com because someone on another houzz discussion suggested it. They will probably tell me that I would have to pay to get rid of it.JJ My NorCal house is for sale:)

rdmommycc What no actual FAMILY rooms?!?!? Sad, Sad!

Laurel Ennis You tell me.

Mackin Drafting & Design Funny article! The one that struck me as a little odd was #10, the batchelor. I noticed he had a dining table that seats 14 people, unusual for a batchelor.

hoping41 hilarious... of course there are are no typical young families-- most of us can't afford to do the remodeling we want!

Juliet Potter Let it be assumed that no other posting has generated so much conversation and fun! This was hilarious and quite true to some extent, that you can see glimpses of people in the way that they decorate. Mine sure does!

tcufrog blairbec...
I am very envious of your Asian daybed. I so want one but don't have a space for it and don't know where I'd put it. I'd also love an Indian living room couch swing but my husband nixed that since he doesn't think our ceiling could support one. I also don't trust our boys with one. Someday.

Alexis DiLullo @ my nest interiors. Very good! You really can tell a lot about a person by their living room, or in this case our "family room." Except we are in our 30's..but we still act like we're in our 20's so I'll take it! And the toys are stored in baskets on the bottom shelf of that black bookcase...blankets and pillows are stored in the ottomon. I do shy away from color. I tend to like a lot of neutrals. I would love to have all white furniture, but with two small kids it just doesn't make sense. Maybe when they go to college!

Leigh Howe That was awesome!

Molly I just wanted to stop back in and point out that the white room I originally commented on, well I found the original article it's featured in. A woman lives there with her young daughter. I truly love how ironic that is!! Just another reason why this article is great.

216_teach OMG!!!! this was truly fun & funny. I know for a fact that most of your observations were correct. This is the best article i've read so far on this site.

Olga@Stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com @Molly:
I could live in an all white space with my daughter, no harm. But with my little boy...that's another story! :)

Molly @Olga@Stardust-decostyle.blogspot.com:
Never mind kids, I can't handle white. I'd spill my coffee, or track dirt every where. Plus I have a pile pets that I like to spoil horribly and they hang out on the furniture with me. :)

tanyaky ha-ha! Where the rooms with a family and pets?

lroe Perfect!!!!

jeanmarie37 Loved this segment!

sjmom Interesting post. The one closest to my taste also fit my lifestyle.

K. S. So funny! Please post the correct answers!

angela_flute52689 haha. I like the Democrat fundraiser room, compromise room, and Republican room

mmaddox2701 Very witty! Would love to see more posts like this! Good job! :-)

rsyee1 Haha, very fun game. The all white decore with the comment, no kids, made me chuckle

peonys Okay, where's the one that says "My two golden retrievers love to lounge on the couch while we're out earning a living." Loved the piece though.

Norma Sassone Tthe one about the liberal, over 50, traveling red wine drinker could be me! AND I love love love that room.I could curl right up on that couch with one of the books on the shelf, sipping my Cabernet. hahaha

eturel hilarious!

burns_la Iyare I- you are addicted to pillows, just like me. There is no easier and fun way to add color to a room and change it up a bit in one split second. Love your room. Love the idea of telling things about a person by their rooms - why not? A cliché become one for a reason! I too, rearrange furniture in the middle of the night sometimes! This article was fabulous! Is it too late to be "judged?" I would love to see my room done, as I am changing it up totally this weekend...

Lauren Elyse this, is, AWESOME! hahahahahahaaa

audgerm Burns_la- love your sofa...elegant and comfortable looking...
I'm stopping back in to give an update on a lamp that I posted in a couple of discussions.
I sent a pic to christes.com in an effort to find out more about it. Unforrtunately it doesn't meet their "value criteria". So, I am just going to have to enjoy it without knowing too much about it. Thanks for the comments!

bigplanet747 My living room is a family room. Where are the houses with kids and maybe not so much money?

flgrandma This is so much fun. I love seeing all of the real rooms and the many comments. I wonder what my living room says about me. Age, income, political party, eating, drinking.

flgrandma I'm back again with a photo of the real room that I live in, not the guest living room.

pipeman1 Loved this! How refreshing to see a bit of humor on Houzz! We can't afford to take ourselves too seriously when it come to decorating our nests.

Betsy Doucette flgrandma: Your room is gorgeous! Obviously you are older and live in the south, based on your handle. I would hazard to say you are republican, as the hutch and coffee table are very traditional. You prefer white wine over red, love the scent of jasmine and sandlewood, and you eat healthy most of the time, but love ice cream. You've always wanted to go on an African safari. You have a little bichon frise named Maxine. You have a zest for life!
How did I do?

flgrandma dfjj29, very funny. This is a great game. Well, you're right about the older and southern part. Not a republican, but that's a good guess since I life in Florida. I love heavy dark wines, used to live near Napa. I do eat healthy and practice yoga. I'd rather have another glass of wine and skip the ice cream. I travel lots, but an African safari isn't on my list. No pets, I travel too much. And, yes, I do love life. Have you posted your living room? I haven't checked all of them. This is my real living room. The other is for company.

summilux I was waiting for the "real living room" photo. I can add you value experiences over possessions. Adjusting for age, your spaces are spare- a peripatetic past?

flgrandma Well, I have moved a few times. I think this is my 28th home.

Betsy Doucette flgrandma: That's great. I did as well as I expected; ) I think my love of ice cream clouded my judgement. At least we can agree on how awesome wine is, though!

Your home is so homey. I love it. (I guess you've gotten a lot of practice setting up house!)

If I were to post a picture of my living room I think they would revoke my membership on this website. That being said, I would like to play the game, so I'll try to remember to take a pic tonight. Perhaps I should buy a coffee table on the way home...

Angela Pascoe How about this while I declutter. Notice the dogs seem to have control of the house. What else does this say. Just flipped the sofa from the other way and placed it on the wall.

Betsy Doucette Angela: I'll take a stab at it! Here goes... You live in the south, but you don't like hot weather. You are an active member of your church. Your grown kids live within driving distance and visit often. You love to have company over regularly and on Sundays you enjoy cooking a big meal for your family, but you never drink too much.
You are an avid Nathan Fillion fan, and your favorite TV show is Castle, but you'll watch 'Law and Order' or 'CSI:Miami' in a pinch.
How did I do?

Angela Pascoe Hmmm, live in the south and love hot weather. Not member of church right now, trying to find a new one. Love company, family and yes on drinking. Castle no, Law and Order and CsI yes. Close and good, What made you think I dont like hot weather.

Betsy Doucette Nice! I think I'm getting a bit better at this! The south--because there is tile in the living room; you never find that up north. You had the blinds drawn, so that's why I thought you might not like it too hot. I thought you were religious because you have the 'pieta' sculpture in your hutch. Anyway, I think I've been watching that sherlock holmes show 'Elementary' too much ; ) It's a good show, though, if you like whodunnits.
I'll post mine tomorrow!-Betsy

Angela Pascoe Oh yeah, that was from a trip to Rome. Yeah, love the tiles down here. Love that show too, any of those types. Watch as much as I can.

summilux I'd bet you wish you had more space for your family photos as you have even more that are not displayed; also this is a relatively new home for you. BTW your living rm is not cluttered.

Angela Pascoe @summilix, yes on the pictures, in trying to declutter, that is going to be the hardest part for me, and trust me I actually cleaned it this weekend. Was in the military and just moved back in after retiring.

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Angela welcome home and thank you for your service.

Angela Pascoe Thank you Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC.

pauli12 This is a great piece.. so much fun, very creative.

Betsy Doucette I know this article has been around a week, but here is my living room, for all you personality guessers out there...

Angela Pascoe Hi Betsy right back at you. Let me see very conservative, I am thinking NorthEast or even a GA girl. You are a sweetheart to your friends telling from your smile. No kids or they just know their place as everyghing has to be in order maybe a bit OCD which can sometimes cause conflict or turmoil. You also look like an antiquer or collector.

Angela Pascoe How did I do Betsy

Betsy Doucette Great job, Angela! You are spot on about the northeast. I live in Massachusetts. Politically, I am a liberal, but my husband is a republican, which is rare around here. Our decorating style is a mishmash of traditional/cottage/craftsman/craigslist. I try to be sweet to my friends, and even to my husband! I do like antiques; I inherited some nice old chairs from my grandmother. And you were spot on about us having no children! There is no OCD here, though. We don't like too much clutter, it's true, but neither of us gets crazy about it. If you were to pan the view to the right, you'd see a bunch of random stuff piled on our dining room table, which only gets cleaned up on the weekend. There is a very practical reason why we don't have lots of knickknacks around. We have a very small house with a very large dog, as you can see...

Angela Pascoe @Betsy, Yes, should have known Massachusetts as my love for that place is deep. I lived there for the last five years before I retired in 09 and back in 94-97. Beautiful home though and love your dog. I think the conflict comes from politics. Awesome though..

flgrandma Betsy, yes for sure your house looks northern. I grew up in Ohio and the style is very similar. I think because of the cold winters folks up there go for warm colors. Only makes sense. I like your style, your doggie and probably would even like your husband. Looks like a very happy home.

Betsy Doucette Thanks flgrandma! Good point about the warm colors. It's definitely cold up here at the moment! I'd love to have white couches like yours, but if you've ever seen a Newfoundland shed, you'll know why we went with leather.

Luann Watson What fun! Any guesses?

Betsy Doucette Hmm.. that's a tuffy, Luann. The decor says graduate student, but the poodle says woman in her 60's. (cute dog BTW) So I'll split the difference and say you are a woman in your 40's who was born outside the US and you are pursuing a higher education somewhere in the northeast. That "shalom" sign is a red herring. You are a free spirit!

flgrandma How about a professor in her sixties?

Luann Watson Betsy and figrandma - nicely done. We'll split the age and say 50's. Teacher/professor/nature lover. Betsy, why born outside of the US?

Betsy Doucette That's neat you're really a teacher! This is dumb, but I thought you might be foreign-born because of the way you group your plants all together. It reminded me of how my chinese language tutor had her plants. Americans tend to treat their plants as decorations, one here, one over there. But you may have practical considerations for not having your plants strewn about the room. And I probably don't know what I'm talking about ; )

Luann Watson The grouping is space-saver...our livingroom is 12x12. My plants are grouped and scattered throughout our tiny bungalow. I'm an avid gardener whose greenhouse blew away in one of last summer's storms. I was born in England to service parents but moved here as a toddler. The "art" on the west wall reflects my love of the Navajo reservation (taught there for a short while) and for Israel. The Shalom plaque was my Grandmother's. We have a variety of Judaica throughout our home and other family treasures as well. Finally, we have been fortunate to collect a few pieces of local art (oils, watercolors, carvings, pottery, etc).

Dawn W love the modern bachelor pad w iphone!

Misty Hatten Yeah, my living room says I have an IT professional for a husband with our television, stereo and monster speakers being the centerpiece of the room, also says a lack of money or new furniture is simply not a big priority unless we are falling through the sofa cushions! *sigh* The hubs is just not that into interior design... :(

summilux @Misty- I hear my wife's voice in your comment, especially when describing the speakers. Luckily for me, the cats are my allies. Our oldest cat is an audiophile; he'll sit centered and about 6 feet from the speakers. Any and all audio purchases were OK with my wife as soon as she noticed this. Our sofa and rug are used by the cats as scratch utensils (believe me-it shows!) which precludes spending money on their replacements.

Kristen Heimstra I am a newlywed. My living room is a combination of masculine meets feminine. In a few years I hope it says feminine with a hint of masculine :)

aiga Comments are more fun than article itself. Thanks for that.

That's our living room, just before we moved out this summer.
Curious if anybody is up for a guessing game :)

Angela Pascoe Love to read, love your kids and maybe a stay at home. Thinking married because you said before we moved. Maybe a student or teacher or something like that.

summilux Ditto on Angela's comments. Definitely a young family. This was a rental; you now own, but don't want to show your new place because you're working on it. You also listen to music more than watch TV.

aiga Pretty close. Married with a small child and a cat. Myself working full time, husband doing some work from home. This was our first apartment. Owned and perfect at the time and too small for now. Current house not fully ready yet. Located in Riga, Latvia - that's in Europe.

Angela Pascoe Love the cat, knew there was not a dog.

Janet Broaddus LOL....I immediately looked at our space. . and had to imagine my husbands big screen tv gone. Ahh. There we go.

voyagergirl Well, here's my living room. Any guesses about my political leanings, etc?

flgrandma Voyagergirl, I'd say that you're never home, you're always traveling. Also, you don't collect "things" as you travel. You love the outdoors, hence no covers on your windows.

Norma Sassone Voyage girl: I'd say you have not lived in your place too long and you are still deciding about art and accessories and window coverings. You love gardens and flowers, obviously, because it's the one adornment in the room. You seem pretty traditional - so I'd say middle of the road politically. I don't see a TV ( could be on the other wall)- perhaps more of a reader or knitter. You have lots of friends and have lived in your town for a long time - you have plenty of seating for gatherings. Because of living in the same town for so long, you love to get away and "voyage!"

Norma Sassone Iyare I - You are exuberant and outgoing. You hate pretentiousness, even though you live in a big house. You live somewhere warm where you dont want the sun to fade all your colorful pillows! You spend a lot of time telling the three kids not to throw them all over the family room. For a living, you own a successful hair salon and your husband is an insurance broker. How'd I do?

tanyaky You like minimalism, stuff not important to you, or maybe it is a rent property?

Luciana I'll play, but change the rules: what does our mugs cupboard say about us?!

flgrandma Luciana, there are two of you in charge of mugs; the neat tidy top shelf person and the lets get our mugs at Goodwill, bottom shelf person. Or it could be that the top shelf is for dinner settings and the bottom shelf is a collection of mugs that each belongs to a different friend who stops by for coffee or tea.

noodle23 Your interpretation and judgment says more about your perspective than anything else :-)

gwen47 Luciana, schizophrenic, just like myself. Too many great and conflicting styles to choose from. And all the lower shelf mugs have memories attached so you can't get rid of them even though you don't ever need that many.

slowhdrider I love the article and have to agree you can tell a lot about a person IF they are the one that decorated vs. professional decorating. Analyze away would love comments.

rachie35 I would have switched the political rooms...I think rich democrat in the one listed as republican, and vice versa.

crissyd33 "we have no pets or children" - that cracked me up! And also they never eat or drink anything in that house. :D

Cindy Schneider Fire is always burning in our Wisconsin home. My husband and I built this house in the woods. I love having a home where I don't mind my husbands wildlife mounts hanging around.

hammerhugger That is beautiful!

mosotho Ok; I really loved this article, and a lot of your profiling is spot on. Now lets see how good you can be with this one. My husband and I decorated the place ourselves.......I am wainting

flgrandma mosotho I went to your profile page and this is nothing like your idea book. Is this a room that your husband designed and chose the colors?

Lee Smith loving these posts...also love it when people include their politics

mosotho Funny you should say that. I love colour and interior décor – being African I love light and space. I have influenced my husband as he used to love beige and greys! Looks like you mis-profiled me completely. My profile on house is limited. I loved the game all the same. Oh and the ideabook is just for ideas to be developed in the future and give them some colour of course.

flgrandma mosotho Well I do love your colors. The room looks so bright and happy.

merrellcy very funny ! Love this site !

litehearted I was supposed to organize the den today, but instead I've spent all morning reading this article {and the one about what our bedrooms say about us} and the comments. lol I agree this is fun and and shouldn't be taken too seriously and no one should take offence. :)

litehearted For once I'm not going to worry about the mess and just post "as is" {naturally I tidy for company}.

Charmaine Miles I hesitate to believe that our homes are 100% accurate in defining who we are - we are not all financially able or savvy with creativity in creating what we LOVE. I find I can look at a finished room and see immediately if I like it or not, but am not very good with creating it from scratch. I also see my own lounge reflecting a style that says ' work with what you can afford". It also had developed by trial and error and is still a work in progress. The colour of the leather couches was supposed to be white, but is in fact an ivory colour. They were very comfortable and so did not want to let them go. We in turn had to choose the dining furniture to co-ordinate with the lounge ivory couches. I love a resort style look with crisp whites, lots of light, clean but stylish with touches/contrasts of deeper colour, but have found I have had to work with what I have and the existing drapes and carpets cannot be changed at this time, so another compromise. This is why I say it is not easy to look at someones home and immediately say it tells them a heap of facts about their personality or the sum of their situation. Not my way to treat my friends or to analyse them. BUT yes if I sat and talked to them and learned more through their talking to them, I would gain more from that and love them dearly for their openess and warmth and honesty. I have loved this exercise to do with the bedrooms and also the lounges and hope to see more of it. It is fun and allows each of us to grow in understanding of the world we live in. Thank you for these articles and the wonderful site Houzz is!!!

lipstickmailbox Loved this post!!!

melinda1977 Great post. I had to grin when I read "no pets or children." And my mind went to, "and no husband, either..."

Charmaine Miles To melinda1977 - Yes would definitely say she or he is solo and probably a professional who is hardly home. Definitely a perfectionist. Down side - looks a bit cold. I would venture to say this person spends a lot of time in another area of their home that's a bit more comfort and relaxed than this area. Perhaps this is for guests only and there is a second TV room or family room. Probably does not entertain much at home though.

voyagergirl flgrandma, you are right, I am out of town frequently, and this post of my living room does not show a large print that is now placed over the couch. I do love the view from the sliding glass doors, hence, no window coverings! I am middle of the road politically, too, so good call!

michaeldalley "In 2005, Michael styled his bachelor pad like an operating theatre. By 2013, he was hungry for chintz."

panzarx I'm in! Family room and living room may tell two different stories. Any guesses?

suziemoosh Disappointing! Nothing about real middle class people. What would a nurses living room look like

Jean Worthy @ suziemoosh, why don't you post a pic of a nurses living room? Why don't you start a discussion and post "real" middle class rooms? I myself come to this site to see what disigners are doing but a discussion on finished "real" rooms would be interesting too.