What Might Our Living Rooms Say About Us?
Like fashion, people's home design and decor choices say a lot about
them. We don't want to jump to conclusions or judge a book by its
cover, but often it's not too hard to understand some basics of a
person's lifestyle by looking at a room.
And that's because most of us want our houses to say something about us. We want them to be comfortable and functional, yes. But when it comes to aesthetics, those of us who care at all generally do so because decorating is a form of self-expression. It projects our moods and values and interests. It even expresses our most basic temperaments.
Any stranger walking into my living room can immediately tell a few things about my family: We have kids, we read a lot, we travel, we're busy and not overly concerned with neatness. It wouldn't be hard to also guess our political affiliations, our income level, our religious leanings and how we like to spend our leisure time.
Here are my guesses at the lives behind these 13 living rooms. I haven't clicked on the photos to learn anything about them (including their location). So I could be very wrong on all accounts, but it's a fun game.
What are your guesses? And what does your living room actually say about you?
And that's because most of us want our houses to say something about us. We want them to be comfortable and functional, yes. But when it comes to aesthetics, those of us who care at all generally do so because decorating is a form of self-expression. It projects our moods and values and interests. It even expresses our most basic temperaments.
Any stranger walking into my living room can immediately tell a few things about my family: We have kids, we read a lot, we travel, we're busy and not overly concerned with neatness. It wouldn't be hard to also guess our political affiliations, our income level, our religious leanings and how we like to spend our leisure time.
Here are my guesses at the lives behind these 13 living rooms. I haven't clicked on the photos to learn anything about them (including their location). So I could be very wrong on all accounts, but it's a fun game.
What are your guesses? And what does your living room actually say about you?
by sherry hart
»
I am a successful, urban woman with no children, and I can mix a martini. Once a month I host a women's book group at my house.
We live east of the Mississippi, and I vote Republican. My grown children all attended college. We enjoy traveling to England.
|
We spend most of our time reading and traveling. Our politics are liberal, and we are over 50. We like good red wine.
|
|
by Jamison Howard
»
|
|
We have no pets or children.
|
|
We are a young, college-educated
couple in the suburban South. We love cooking shows and attend church
every Sunday. Next year we are going to either get a puppy or start a
family.
|
by Dreamy Whites
»
I am a young woman who writes a
lifestyle blog. I like to cook and entertain. I go to France whenever I
can. I have a cute little white dog.
We are two successful
professionals under 50. We live in an urban area, like to see live music
and alternative theater, and eat out on the weekends.
|
I live in California, and back in
the day I used to hang out with Joni Mitchell in Topanga Canyon. I buy
organic food, like to travel to exotic locations and practice
meditation.
|
|
by Niche Interiors
»
|
|
We rent this place. One of us is
very traditional — beige and burgundy, please — and one of us is a
little more adventuresome. This room is our compromise.
|
|
I'm a bachelor who made a lot of
money in technology. I let my designer pick out everything, and I can
control it all from my iPad.
|
I grew up bicoastal and then lived
in Morocco, where I still have a second home. I am a painter, and my
father is a huge donor to major art museums. My children attend a very
highly rated private school.
|
We own a gallery in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood and hold fundraisers for Democrats.
|
I'm an architect, and my wife is a
poet. Last year we traveled to Denmark during the summer. We enjoy
classical music. Both of us are originally from the East Coast but live
in the West now.
Tell us: What does your living room say about you?
Tell us: What does your living room say about you?