101 Things I Hate About Your House

Have you ever tripped on the sidewalk? You know, caught your toe on a barely visible crack in the concrete then stumbled and fumbled like an errant acrobat? I have. It’s usually accompanied by a roar of laughter from my friends who, for a split second, have to decide if they will admit to knowing the klutz.

The world of design can be just like strolling down a lovely lane or boulevard. You smile at no one in particular while you take in the understated beauty and then, like a smack to the back of the head, you are staring at the sand in the concrete, fearing your face may know the touch of a surgeon’s blade long before it’s demanded by vanity.

Yikes! The things people do to their homes. It’s shocking. Not shocking in the way that genocide or war are shocking, but shocking in the sense that some things can easily be avoided by adults in today’s world. And yet, there you stand shocked.

I know that not everyone will hire an interior designer to help guide them through the maze of tastefully articulated living environments. Nor will everyone pick up one of the dozens of helpful, informative, beautifully-stylized shelter magazines offered for sale at every checkout stand, book store and news kiosk in the country.

So I’ve decided to create some CliffsNotes for the designing and decorating-challenged. Every Tuesday, I will share one or two thoughts about what not to do in your home, and some easy ideas on what you should do. Someday you will thank me for this.