Conservative Home Furnishing Decisions: Still the Safe Choice?

The majority of Oklahoma City homeowners make most home furnishing decisions piecemeal rather than in a single remodeling blitz. Even when you move to a new home, for practical reasons most of your household furnishings come with. Favorite pieces of furniture, art objects, and décor items accompany you from place to place even if they aren’t than perfect matches with the new digs.

The topic arose last Friday in a light-hearted commentary on realtor.com’s “Home Improvement” pages. Author Jennifer Geddes identified pieces of furniture that today’s designers wish people “would never buy again— ever.” Her research could serve as cautionary guidance for modern householders attracted to less-than-classical innovations. Especially for Oklahoma City homeowners planning to sell anytime soon, there is value in noting how some of yesterday’s home furnishing styles and materials are now best retired.

Examples:

Appliances in wild colors. Pictured was a fire-engine red refrigerator in a gray and white kitchen. Although there was a matching fire engine red coffee maker on a nearby sink, it really does point out how distracting those once-popular items can be. At the opposite end of the spectrum but also seriously passé: avocado green and harvest gold.

Paper lamps (ones with light bulbs all in a row). They looked modern enough in their day, but by now that day is done—especially since most grow dingy with the passage of time.

Laminate shelf units. Those are the boxy ones made of plastic. The author suggests sending them off to the garage or workroom—or beyond.

Animal skin rugs. Popular 15 years ago, the general feeling is that no one wants to step on them anymore (cited is a “creepiness” factor).

Plastic Outdoor Furniture. May cheapen backyards now that so many brands are offering waterproof fabric alternatives.

More design features were frowned upon, including Ubatuba granite countertops (that’s the dark green stone with flecks of gold, black, brown and white). They’ve been out of style for at least five years according to design consultants. Practically speaking, if it has stood up to the intervening wear and tear and still looks presentable, perhaps the Ubatuba might stay a while longer.

The takeaway is less debatable. If you plan to sell your Oklahoma City house any time soon, to play it safe, keep any design additions on the conservative side. It’s the home rather than the furnishings that needs to be the star of the show—a point reinforced by the primacy of clutter removal. But by all means if the urge to personalize is calling your name than be free! After all it is your home:)

For more on what is currently attracting this spring’s Oklahoma City house hunters, I hope you’ll call!