The black and white trend gone rogue.

In terms of trend cycles we are BARELY into the black and white trend when we consider how long the grey trend persisted, especially in some markets. Homes that have no business being black and white, or (cringe) all black are popping up everywhere. Just like we saw homes with five-shades-of-gray in the gray trend. Just like we saw rust brick, stacked stone and busy granite in the Tuscan trend. It’s going to happen!

But it was STILL shocking to me to come upon this BEACHFRONT home!

The next block showcased lovely lavender, aqua, and cream homes. And here’s this guy parked there looking like big you-know-what. There are many settings where an industrial, dark home will look modern and well-situated. The beach is not that place. The greenery in this picture helps tremendously, but there’s no actual greenery, nor will there be, in this home’s landscaping because IT IS ON SAND. This is probably Sealskin, not a true black, but you get the idea. I love black and white and I love dark colors. I’ve even specified Sealskin for a local exterior. The lesson here is know your surroundings and don’t succumb to every trend. It will cost a lot of money to repaint this house in 5 years when we move into the next trend cycle.

This Wallpaper

I love wallpaper and use it plenty. But this wallpaper is another story! Here I am wrestling it in all its peel-and-stick glory for a bathroom package client. The issue stemmed from a wall that had been added at some point in this bathroom’s history and was out of square. With traditional wallpaper this wouldn’t be a problem because you can shimmy it around while it’s wet and then trim it. NOT SO for the peel and stick variety, friends! It turned out great in the end, but I did see it in my dreams!

Can I get an Amen?

Bossy Tile

I have 100 pictures just like this one. This tile was on-trend when it was installed. Look at that texture! The embossing! It was likely displayed in the very front of a box-store’s flooring section at an attractive price! Now we are simply left with a pink floor and very few options for updating this kitchen without removing and replacing the floor at great expense. There are just a few options for flooring that will stand the test of time and the average homeowner needs a designer’s help to choose correctly.

The lawn ornament formerly known as a basketball hoop.

My kids started playing basketball in our cul-de-sac a few weeks ago. This hoop has been there for more than 15 years and it gets occasional use by some college-aged neighbor kids who visit their parents. Apparently this hoop did not belong to those parents in full; it had been a shared installation years ago. The now-owners of the adjacent property decided they didn’t want it being used and dismantled it over the course of several nights (yes, under the cover of darkness)! The moral of this story is: If you ever feel less than perfect, just be glad you aren’t repulsed by the joy of children playing outside!

Tier 1 Granite

Here’s a great way to instantly date your home to 20 years ago: busy, brown, builder-grade granite. There are a lot of attractive countertop options that won’t break the bank. Or perhaps line items in your budget can be reallocated to afford a countertop you really love. This is why you should hire an expert.

The baby of our family! For his sake, I better not see him like this ever again.

Welcome to BarnBurner Design!

Now you know a little bit about me, my big feelings about design and some personal details. If you want to avoid costly design mistakes, fill out the contact form. But if you want a clean dog and an intact basketball hoop, you may want to look elsewhere for advice!