Wants vs Needs
(159) kommentarer
bubblyjock
10 år sidenBetter late than never with this, a succinctly apt article about the Ultimate Kitchen and what it means to us:
http://www.sfgate.com/magazine/article/ULTIMATE-KITCHEN-Over-the-Top-and-Down-the-2536800.php#photo-2666311User
10 år sidenGood link, Bubblyjock. Baby boomers who are retiring from now on, are urged by me to salt a big amount of money away for health care. Apparently the miraculous leaps and bounds being made will be for those who can afford them.
summilux
10 år sidenbubblyjock. Yep. what I did was put a 3/4" plywood under the granite and used screws and glue to fasten the hardwood edge to the plywood base. The screws are covered c square dowels.
PROCreative Design Group LLC
10 år sidenI agree, a good design, no matter what room or budget, is a good design. We would all like to work on those big budget projects and give those clients the best of everything, however that is not reality. I believe a good design is affordable at any budget.
PRODiamond Custom Finishes
10 år sidenI like your comment Creative Design Group except I have a question for you...What do you call your whole home design when placed with a one room budget? I do think that a build to design to budget is a reality, but some people will want more for less, and whats affordable is a whole different reality.tcufrog
10 år sidenI blame decorating shows for a distorted sense of reality regarding what is achievable within a certain time frame and budget.syncope
10 år sidenOf course I can! ZZZZAP!! My magic want has been waved and POOF! Now you have the home of your dreams!
Brandi Nash Hicks
10 år sidenI work hard I have a beautiful home most all of my furnishings are lucky finds from thrift store. I do not have a credit card and never will,pay as I gocarolkelley
10 år sidenIn my kitchen reno this year, I'd love to have a kitchen that will invite having my daughters and grandchildren over and will last another 40 or so years. (I intend to live to be 100!) Those are really my most important considerations. If I need to use laminate countertops to get other things I want in my reno like a gas fireplace insert, then so be it.
I don't understand all these folks on House Hunters or Property Virgins that insist on three or four bedrooms and they don't have any kids. What do they need three bedrooms for?
bbarick
10 år siden@carolkelley.....they are probably falling prey to the "bigger is better" philosophy so prevalent in society these days. A financial blog I read "The Simple Dollar" had this to say about keeping up with the Joneses. "ask yourself before you purchase that item whatever it is....if no one could know that you had this, your friends/family/colleagues would never see it...only you can see it and enjoy it....would you still buy it???" If the answer is no, then you are buying it to impress other people. Do we really want other people controlling how we spend our money? (the govt does too much of that already)
eightpondfarm
10 år sideninteresting idea. we're kind of like that here. we live so remotely, and rarely rarely have anyone over that anything we acquire is for us and us alone.
PROChoice Granite & Kitchen Cabinets Inc.
10 år sidenluv rubies, you answered your own post. it's wants vs. needs. it's that simple. nothing else to it. dont think. I just laid out the answer.- PRO
Choice Granite & Kitchen Cabinets Inc.
10 år sidenIf you do the research, quartz and granite is only roughly 5%-15% more then corian. Prefab only. Not custom & no custom exotic large slabs. That would be much more in price. So you can have it all, & keep that bank account balance as long as possible. I do agree with you saying everyone wants all the bells and whistles now! But hey that's fine, why not if you got the funds. Everyone has their own goals, I don't think industries or professionals push a certain product. they just push what's more lucrative and their is nothing wrong with that. We run a business that is the goal. Make money. wanderedthere
10 år sidenHaving just bought our first house at 50 years old, we are trying to keep it to "do we want this or do we need this". The house needs extensive rehab but have tried to recycle and keep as much as we can. We've lived abroad for 20 years and have seen first hand what poverty can really look like and it has helped us keep our "wants vs needs" in check.
bigredkate
10 år sidenI agree that spending a fortune on things you can't afford simply because they are the current 'must haves' is foolish. I am an inveterate bargain hunter, for everything from clothes to cars.
Then our bathroom fell apart. OK, I thought, I have simple tastes, $10k to redo the lot. Silly me. I unerringly picked the most expensive thing in every catalog I looked at. Simple is expensive.
The good news is that we could afford to pay for it, and only a couple of weeks ago a new friend commented on how much she loved my new bathroom. When did you renovate it, she asked. 9 years ago, I said. Clearly we did something right.ellaskat
9 år sidenI don't think anyone will disagree that paying more than you can afford is always the wing choice, unless it's an emergency (roof caving in, etc). The stress of trying to afford things you can't isn't worth it, but some people have to learn that through experience. I know I did. My first home was way more than I could afford, and it was a bad experience. Never again. That said, everyone has lessons to learn, so why pick on people learning this one?
Additionally, I prefer to buy less, but the highest quality of what I do get. Quality not quantity is my motto. I find high quality items and workmanship last longer, which means they are typically cheaper over time. Right now I'm wearing a cashmere sweater- it was expensive, but I bought it 15 years ago and it still looks new. Totally worth it.
I personally hate laminate. Cringe worthy. I hate all/most faux products. My rugs and sofa are not even scotch guarded. I prefer natural, than to have those chemicals off gassing in my house.
That doesn't mean I like granite. It has radioactivity I'm not interested in bringing into my home, and the look is just not my style. For our Reno, we will be using soapstone for the counters- a look that will not go out of style in our 1870 victorian farmhouse. We also considered butcher block, an inexpensive, natural option.
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}9 år sidenIt is all about price point. At a certain price point you must have surfaces such as granite, etc. and solid wood floors. and double pane windows. etc.
Never do an update that the house, the neighborhood, and the rest of the finishes do not support.
The problem is that a lot of people during the crazy 90's bought FAR more house that they could afford. Now they are struggling to keep up with their price point and their wallets. While there is nothing wrong with a laminate counter, it will be actually a very good idea in a house in the appropriate bracket, as your repairs and updates do not exceed what you will get back when you sell.
For example a house with granite counters, and pricy door hardware on non-solid wood doors, and carpet everywhere. You will never recuperate the cost of the granite, so unless you really enjoy it, do not do that.
or the house with all great finishes that ends up being the highest valued house in a neighborhood (being there, done that, so I know) You will never sell it for what is worth.
It is all about balance. stay within your price point. stay within the neighborhood. keep the finishes even.
eightpondfarm
9 år sideni guess i just don't think about future selling …. it's not even on the radar. but then, this little house, an 1840 stone homestead, and this beautiful land we live upon, will have to sell itself. so… we design to please ourselves. i shake my head in wonder at the House Hunter folks who all want the same thing. And as cute as the Property Brothers are, all their 'modern' (cheap) embellishments don't do anything for me except to be glad that i am adverse to trends. ( i see that trellis print anywhere and i almost want to hold up a cross -as a talisman- against it lol) Maybe i'm antisocial? Maybe just a renegade personality…. but if 'everyone' likes something i'll run the other way.
eightpondfarm
9 år sidenwhat i want to surround myself with is unique, one-of-a-kind things and furniture. if i have to refinish it myself then so-be-it. (i'll get around to those projects 'one of these days') i haunt estate auctions. still many farm auctions around these parts…. but city people are coming in droves….and that's a GOOD THING! for the elderly people who are selling out and for the city people who venture out into the countryside. It's the gray area people….the suburbanites, that i have trouble understanding. i do not 'get' how people think that way. to actually desire to have a similar look (hair/makup/clothing/car/home interior/yard) to those living near. Why?
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sideni don't think granite for example has anything to do with having what other people have. it is about a surface that resist scratches, stains, and cracks. more and more people are refacing cabinets, changing cabinets and not throwing the baby with the bathwater, that it makes sense to invest in something that will withstand the test of time. As someone said, some people like polyester clothing and easy to care synthetic fibers. Others like stone, and granite and cotton and wool. it is all about tastes. And price points.
eightpondfarm
9 år sidenr u kidding? there are tons upon tons of options other than granite countertops. yet every single female walking into a kitchen on House Hunters has granite countertops and stainless appliances as a must-have. zero originality. none.
hayleydaniels
9 år sideneightpondfarm, I agree completely with you.
The main thing I've noticed since being on Houzz is that the people who don't have a clue how to finish their homes, or why they don't like them don't have anything in them that reflects their personality. Most of them look like furniture showrooms, and are set up like waiting rooms with no visible personality. And that's why people are unhappy with them because they don't walk in them and see themselves and their family's likes and interests reflected in the room.
People are lemmings [sorry if that offends anyone, but it's true] and copy what everyone else is doing so they fit in regardless of their financial situation. People will get rid of perfectly good appliances because they aren't stainless, and pay double for granite what laminate costs just because it's expected of them. And don't give me the 'you can't put a hot pot on laminate' routine. I've never lived in a house that didn't have laminate, and we've never had a pot burn the countertop because we learned early on not to do that.
I refuse to watch the house hunting shows any more as the peoples' greed and snarkiness offend me. When a house that was renovated top to bottom 5 years has to be gutted because it isn't their 'colors,' we reached a point in our society that truly frightens me. It reminds me of the Victor Hugo quote: adversity makes men, prosperity makes monsters.'
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}9 år sidenI think is because the granite is the best know. Recycled quartz, recycled glass, cement, soap stone, are just as good as granite for that. But people are getting much better at working with what they have, improving, not throwing everything out and starting again. the 80's and 90's were terrible in that the houses all had forests of orange oak, and 12x12 tiles, and bathroom in almond and everything looked so drab.
my own kitchen dates from the 60's. it has had at least 2 refacings, and works just fine. I substituted the burned corian counter by quartzite, and removed 4 layers of backsplash ending in a dorian layer that has so near the cooktop the back burners were unusable, and install some USA made glass and stone mosaic. that makes this kitchen going on 55 years, with very little waste contributed. we also removed wall tiles installed over gorgeous 60 year old oak and refinished it. it has worm holes and nails holes and parts were it was patched. It looks just wonderful. I changed the lighting, and appliances as they die. Reworked some cabinets that I did not like by exchanging some of them. changed a horrid island that made no sense. my cost? little but tons of impact.
stainless has for me the appeal of looking a bit industrial. Some is trends , some is actual beauty.... which is in the eye of the beholder.
dbh
9 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}9 år sidenHaven't read all the comments here, but I think a huge part of the 'problem' is that people simply do not trust their own design sense, and as much as I like Houzz, sites like this seem to perpetuate insecurities they may have about home design -- with comments (that I've read here in recent weeks), such as "Fans are so passe now;" and "Your house won't sell unless you have granite in the kitchen; " and "Your bedside lamps must never be higher than the headboard." I mean, from where do these ideas originate? And, yet, there are people on here who read that stuff and believe these are the 'rules' they must follow. I cannot believe the number of people who can't make a design decision to save their lives. There's at least one poster on here who is having everybody who posts here, I think, decorate completely one of her rooms. Was she born in a cave?
hayleydaniels: We put soapstone countertops in our kitchen-- love it. I put WilsonArt laminate (deep charcoal gray) on my countertops in my studio and also love that.
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sidendianahb, there are things that make no sense, but the height of the lamps, has more to do with actually being able to see and not be blinded by the bulb.
dbh
9 år sidensacapuntaslapioz: That probably depends on one's set-up-- the lamp, the type of bed (and whether it even has a headboard)-- and the shade itself. To spout a 'rule' like that is just silly. That can be very individual, dependent on the above factors.
Val: I like this site, too-- why I'm here-- but I also know what I'm doing, and I trust my instincts and design sense. :) A lot of people really don't, and seriously can't even make a decision about a simple lamp or chair. They treat it like it's a life/death situation. They're seemingly paralyzed when it comes to making any design decision, no matter how minor. And while this site might help them, for people who are that insecure about design, reading 'rules' spouted by people who might not be any more qualified than your teenage neighbor-- can really stop them in their tracks. Some people believe everything they read here. :)
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}9 år sidenso dianehb, they are no better or no worse that they were before. It is the way of the world: sharing economy uber, airbnb, houzz. don't like.... don't be here. simple the pros are identified as such, anyone is free to ask, and to give advice. you take the advice for what is worth. Sometimes it is just nice to be able to ask for an opinion that is not related to you. so that people can really tell you what they think of your sofa upholstered in plastic with a purple doily on top of it, right next to yur stuffed cat and dog, on top of your old wily carpet in shades of green, purple and brow;-)).
hayleydaniels
9 år sidendianehb, I totally agree with you.
It amazes me how insecure most people are when it comes to arranging furniture or decorating their bedroom. If these were multi-million dollar homes I could understand it, but so many of them are normal homes seen in subdivisions across the country. There are only so many place you can put a sofa is the average living room, and if it doesn't look right in one place, move to another until you like how it looks. Same with hanging picture and arranging things on buffets and shelves. The homeowner is the one who has to like how it looks, not a commenter here on Houzz.
I love looking at the homes on here, but they're as unobtainable for me [unless I win the Power Ball lottery, but you can't win if you don't play -:)))] as looking like the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models.
dbh
9 år sidensacap . . . (too much to type)-- Yes-- it's not as though I don't understand the concept of this site; I do. If you go back and read the original post (dated over a year ago), I was-- in part-- answering that question.. I think some people seriously don't know how to make a decision, no matter how minor-- design or otherwise-- so, for those people, it's much easier to follow the herd and follow someone else's advice, than trust their own judgment. I mean, that's what marketing and advertising is all about, right? Convince enough people that granite (as an example) is the ONLY smart choice, put it in million dollar + homes (even if it's the cheapest granite out there), and people think that it must be good if 'they' have it. So without ever looking or considering anything else, they march-- zombie-like-- to the 'Granite is Us' store.
It also seems crazy that someone will ask about a chair-- for instance-- and so multitudes of people post chair possibilities. Competing chair possibilities subsequently arise, so then a separate poll is created to decide on the multiple chair possibilities offered by these dozens of (qualified?) people. It goes on and on, when the real problem is, you know, the table or the lamp (just as an example). So that's why (in my opinion) people keep flocking to granite, etc. :)
And, really, they could "be worse than they were before," in that they've been encouraged not to think for themselves. Just sayin' . . .
dbh
9 år sidenhayleydaniels: I'm consistently amazed, too. Sometimes I feel like I can't stop being on here, reading some of the posts, because so many are akin to a train wreck. At once-- awful, sad, amazing, astonishing-- but I just can't look away. :)
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sidendiana, I get you. but truly people have never been different. they just followed other things. TV shows, the pastor at their church, the neighbors, their mothers. same thing. some people have not ever had an original thought. others get too confused by too many choices. other may not have a lot of imagination.
dbh
9 år sidensac . . . Totally agree. I consistently find myself saying, at least once a day, "People never change" - well, you know-- that and "What in the hell is wrong with people?"
I'm not saying Houzz is the devil or anything-- I'm a fan-- only giving my 2 cents on the topic at hand here. :)
User
9 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}9 år sidenI echo love2browse, above. I'm building a house in an Austin TX downtown neighborhood. Finished product in our part of the'hood sells- quickly-for $385-$450 a square foot. At those prices, a certain quality is expected.
And you need to know your market. Going too cheaply on finishes, today, would put us at a competitive disadvantage should we decide to sell in the future. We'd either be stuck putting a house with cheaper/lower grade finishes against those with quality OR upgrading for somebody else. Heck no. We'll enjoy it today!
That said, we're still doing this project on a budget that will allow us to move in with a good deal of equity, even after lot price and construction costs.
But you don't have to sacrifice quality for a smart investment, as long as you're able to prioritize. Ours is a modern home, and we've done things like keep our floors downstairs concrete. A beautifully laid foundation and a gorgeous polish allows us to keep it natural. If we ever decide, we could always put in different flooring. But for now? This is very normative in modern design. And it saved us nearly $12K on wood/tile or whatever.
Ditto with the bathrooms. Not all are equal, in terms of materials, but all flow really well with each other. Thus, the master bath has bells and whistles not present in the downstairs guest bath, the guest bath is a bit nicer than the upstairs jack-and-jill. The tile/plumbing fixture budget didn't change, I just put the $$ in the areas that we both will use/enjoy more and that buyers like.
Anna
9 år sidenIt may be whether you are looking at the house as your home or an investment.... My earlier remodels where totally what I wanted (everything was not top of the line) as opposed to what would sell. Now with the prospect of selling in the next 5 years, I did have to find a balance between what I want to live in and what wouldn't lower my selling price
sacapuntaslapioz
9 år sidentrue anna992. some younger and older people find they must move and the choice made in their homes will have a significant impact in their financial life. some people who are lucky enough who will not move in their lifetime, or so well off it does not matter to them, or simple have not contemplated the consequences can get a bit carried aways critizing lack of self assurance. Some of the young people, the millenials have seen their parents lose a significant portion of their homes values and with it their well being. So now they look at houses as something much different. they look at expeditures and resale values should they have to move. It is fine to not understand the need for granite, until your realtor tells you, your offer is 4000 below asking because the new owners will have to put granite. the granite would cost 2000 but they have other houses to chose from with granite. older people see the price of their homes go down because the houses look old. And it is expensive to update things, especially if the entire place is outdated. So yes, it is funny some people cannot make decisions, but is is a reality and I have seen SOOOO many of them, the choices people make can have lots of $$$ attached when you have to sell.
I had to eliminate the second ceiling in 3/4 inch cedar. the house was not built for the weight of it. bad design decision. costly.
i had to eliminate the Corian counter. it was burned. unsafe. too close to burner, used a backsplash.
I had to eliminate wall tile and uncovered and refinish oak floor. the tiles were dangerously slippery. unsafe again.
I adjusted my offering price accordingly. for the seller it meant that having a house with poor decisions, outdated items and lack of maintenance meant half the price she originally wanted. So it does matter
Yes people sometimes cannot make their own decisions, but sometimes they are scared of making the wrong ones and a consensus may be safer.ellaskat
9 år sidenLuciana - love what you wrote. totally agree with everything you've stated. i also thought op and some follow ups seemed like a rant.- PRO
River Valley Cabinet Works
9 år sidenIt's interesting that someone dug this post back up. I haven't read the whole tennis match here, but I think the OP is asking why people live beyond their means. I see people from other countries posted here, but to my fellow Americans, may I offer the following: we want it and so we feel entitled to it (although there are some who posted here who appear to have the quid to afford it). We are also unfortunately comfortable with large debt (to the tune of trillions....anybody got a handle on that number?) The last point is that the proverbial chickens haven't come home to roost...yet. When they do, we'll be glad for a mud hut with an outdoor toilet.
ellaskat
9 år siden@carolkelley. I have no children, yet I insisted on a 4 bedroom house. Why? Because 1) I can afford it. 2) I hope to have kids one day. 3) I never want to move. This is my 'forever home.' The market moves very slowly in my rural community, so buying something I would want to trade up from in a few years doesn't make sense.
Maureen
9 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}9 år sidenI'm a very careful spender, but have learned over the years you get what you pay for in many instances. Our granite will last my lifetime (we also went to the importer so there was a large cost saving just an fyi - lol), while during the same timeframe laminate may have to be replaced a number of times over 30+years, plus cost of labour - and in the end add up to the same. There shouldn't be a judgement call on either end of the spending spectrum and why people select/do what they do. Much of our debt I think is coming from having to borrow/living on credit just to keep up with the cost of living, raising children, sending them to university, etc. A 240sq ft condo in Vancouver is renting for over $1,000 month and selling close to $200,000, so life is expensive and debt is up.
bigredkate
9 år sidenWhy would laminate have to be replaced multiple times over 30 years? The laminate in my kitchen is in perfect condition after 30 years (unfortunately).hayleydaniels
9 år sidenbigredkate, I agree. My laminate I replaced had been cut to remove the lower cabinets to pull up old flooring. If not for that, it would still be here as there was nothing wrong with it after 17 years. My next door neighbors have what I suspect is the original laminate, and while it's out of style, it's held up well for the homes being 45 years old.
eightpondfarm
9 år sideni wonder though…. about the longevity of granite. What happens in 15 - 20 years when the buyer walks through and says: oh no…granite! that looks so dated! and it's so expensive to remove
eightpondfarm
9 år siden^ because, you know, to have something perfectly functional, but dated, is the kiss of death.
intown123
9 år sidenPeople already think that. Look at the granite vs. quartz discussions.
I think we can all agree that living beyond your means especially if it's to keep up with the Joneses or because you think HGTV told you to doesn't make a ton of sense. But at the end of the day this is a design and renovation website - part of the point is to remove and/or change things that might be perfectly good and functional for a million different reasons and if you can afford it, go for it.
makaloco
9 år sidenI use Houzz and similar websites like I've always used Vogue … to find cool little ideas I like and reinvent them for under $50. I don't expect my rooms to look like the ones in design photos any more than I expect myself to look like Gisele Bündchen. There is a certain amount of snobbish disdain on these sites for those of us whose budgets aren't "up to" the trends, but not nearly as much as for those of us who treat the trends with irreverence. To some folks, this is Serious Stuff involving Serious Cash. Fine if they love the item and can afford it, but pretty sad if they don't and can't.
Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore
bungalowmo