10 Comments

1. 

   Rob on December 3, 2011 at 9:07 pm

   I don’t care if the fixtures are “dated”. I care if they work.

   If they are dated, wait 20 years and they’ll be popular again as retro style.

2. 

   Housewife on cell phone passing you on December 4, 2011 at 8:47 am

   Better than most of the shows on HGTV. Was watching your hardwood videos with Oceanside Abbey last night to get some flooring ideas/costs. You really need to have a local TV show where you can do real estate/home decor tips weekly and become “Jim the TV star”

3. 

   Mariesa on December 4, 2011 at 9:17 am

   Just because you’re a designer, does not mean you are a good designer. How would the folks at Elle Decor respond to these models? NOt favorably, I suspect. Three words for the “updated” racing stripe action: hid, ee, us. Three more words for the rest of it: beige, beige, beige.

4. 

   Thaylor Harmor on December 4, 2011 at 10:08 am

   Agree with the thin grout and thin trims.

5. 

   YetAnotherMike on December 4, 2011 at 3:11 pm

   Style is a matter of taste. Design is more a matter of function. Tastes change, so what was stylish a short time ago looks dated now. Maybe it’s best to go for good functional design with timeless style on the finishes and ornamentation.

   Attention to detail is important to a good outcome. One example pointed out in the video: the choice of a disproportionately heavy trim around the backspash on some of the vanities spoils the overall look.

6. 

   Amy P on December 4, 2011 at 4:41 pm

   “If they are dated, wait 20 years and they’ll be popular again as retro style.”

   More like 50 or 60.

   “Three words for the “updated” racing stripe action: hid, ee, us.”

   Yeah, I’m afraid those stripes are going to date faster than anything.

   “Agree with the thin grout and thin trims.”

   Yes on the thin grout.

   I don’t dislike the look of the travertine or the limestone (although there is such a thing as too much beige), but I question the practicality of it (unless you are an empty nester or have a live-in toilet attendant who is wiping things down all the time). I occasionally still find “puddles of mystery” in my kids’ bathroom and I’m really glad that that’s not happening over porous natural stone.

   The house we rent has some sort of synthetic marble-look bathroom vanities and I love them so much. They have shown absolutely no wear or staining over our four years in the house and there aren’t any seams that would be vulnerable to moisture.

7. 

   Tom Tarrant on December 5, 2011 at 8:37 am

   I’m really partial to the clean lines look of timeless white ceramic with maybe an accent liner (racing stripe) but not with too much colored glass. That guest bath IMO has cleaner style than the master. The colored glass liner/backsplash thing though is really going to look dated in another 10 years. Generally, the whole travertine/limestone thing to me, just screams 2005, I see things leaning more modern and getting away from the whole Tuscan, old world, beige look. Agreed on small grout joints though and cesarstone will be the next big counter top granite alternative.

8. 

   Peter on December 5, 2011 at 12:11 pm

   Jim, Thanks for following-through on tips and comparisons re: limestones and ceramics. I never thought about the porosity and, as a red wine drinker (and occasional spiller) porosity is a concern along with accidental acid etching. I’ve seen what just a soda can to to marble.

9. 

   Lou on December 5, 2011 at 1:45 pm

   Good one Jim! Enjoyed it.

   FYI, I thought Caesarstone took over granite’s popularity years ago.

10. 

    Jeeman on December 6, 2011 at 5:06 pm

    Any thoughts on Caesarstone/quartz vs. granite? Is granite on its way out? It’s hard to pull off an antique look with Caesarstone thought.