M is for Mama 3: B is for Baby Boy Born

[SassyPants]

I can’t imagine her taste dovetails with all that many other people. Her patterns, colors, mismatched tables, chairs...make me dizzy and nauseous. She is trying way.too.hard with that amalgamation of crap.

[JermajestyDuggar]

20 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

I can’t imagine her taste dovetails with all that many other people. Her patterns, colors, mismatched tables, chairs...make me dizzy and nauseous. She is trying way.too.hard with that amalgamation of crap.

I love certain pieces and wallpapers. Maybe that’s how some of her fans are too. They live certain pieces and can leave the rest. People who like stuff from Anthropologie will probably like her decorating for the most part. 

Here is an example. I circled the things I don’t like. I hate that mirror and that hanging light fixture. But I love that wallpaper and bench so much that I barely notice those two ugly ass things. Maybe that’s how her humpers are too:

[JermajestyDuggar]

I’m bored so I’m going to offer another style critique. First off, I HATE that light fixture over her table. It absolutely clashes in her farmhouse. That light would be better in a mid century modern home. Every time I see it, I hate it even more. But I love that green cabinet. I love the color and the glass panels. However I hate those metal chairs at her dining table. Those chairs must be cold and hard to sit on. I like more comfortable chairs for the dinner table. Those are outdoor chairs in my opinion. Put them outdoors! Next up is that wing back chair. I love wing back chairs and that’s a great color. However I would never put one at a dining room table! It’s too heavy and awkward to move in and out every time you go to sit down or stand up! What a pain! I do like her actual table. It’s rustic farmhouse and I think it makes sense in her home and I love that table cloth. 

So basically that’s my problem when I look at her home pics. I love some pieces and hate others. I feel so conflicted! 

[Hane]

@JermajestyDuggar, you remind me of a weirdly spontaneous but positive thing I once said to a total stranger: I was checking into the hospital and overheard the perfectly nice-looking woman behind the desk telling a colleague, “I hate pictures of myself.” I told her, “But the people who love you don’t feel that way.”

[luv2laugh]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I love certain pieces and wallpapers. Maybe that’s how some of her fans are too. They live certain pieces and can leave the rest. People who like stuff from Anthropologie will probably like her decorating for the most part. 

Here is an example. I circled the things I don’t like. I hate that mirror and that hanging light fixture. But I love that wallpaper and bench so much that I barely notice those two ugly ass things. Maybe that’s how her humpers are too:

In my opinion, the forest green dresser in the middle sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the white dresser in the back. She could paint the ornate designs on the mirror but I think she's going for a "vintage look".

Edited March 6, 2019 by luv2laugh

[ViolaSebastian]

I love, love, love her wallpaper selections and the bold cabinet colors. But her taste is furniture is no bueno.

[SassyPants]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I love certain pieces and wallpapers. Maybe that’s how some of her fans are too. They live certain pieces and can leave the rest. People who like stuff from Anthropologie will probably like her decorating for the most part. 

Here is an example. I circled the things I don’t like. I hate that mirror and that hanging light fixture. But I love that wallpaper and bench so much that I barely notice those two ugly ass things. Maybe that’s how her humpers are too:

I absolutely agree that it’s the combo of things, colors, patterns, unmismatched furniture that drive me crazy. The modern light in a farm house is a good example. Pick a style, pick a period, a color palette and stick with it, at least within a singular room. The kids’ rooms are a little better, but that’s because it’s not all about AH.

[SassyPants]

She’s back on a tour. I was wrong, the washer and dryer were not wall papered, but stenciled. The washer died, so all she has left is a stenciled dryer, which is still in use. Also, there’s a lot of unfinished work in and outside that house. Unfinished would drive me nuts. I’d rather have a smaller place that was fully done and not a major time suck.

[ophelia]

I couldn't manage to go through her bazillion IG stories and I can't stand her voice at all. So I'm relying on you brave Jingerites that watch that dog and pony show and wait for your highlights! Thank you in advance.

 

@JermajestyDuggar I'm totally with you when it comes to her style: some pieces I love and some I hate. And some make my blood boil. As Braggie does in general. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

10 hours ago, SassyPants said:

She’s back on a tour. I was wrong, the washer and dryer were not wall papered, but stenciled. The washer died, so all she has left is a stenciled dryer, which is still in use. Also, there’s a lot of unfinished work in and outside that house. Unfinished would drive me nuts. I’d rather have a smaller place that was fully done and not a major time suck.

I completely agree. Since becoming a homeowner and having children, I’ve realized that bigger is not always better. I definitely appreciate living in a small home. But I also only have two kids. If I had 8, I would want a large home. But not enormous like Braggie’s. Her enormous house just means more money and more work. I like to keep my life as simple as I can. That’s obviously not Braggie’s mentality.

[SuperNova]

21 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Here is an example. I circled the things I don’t like. I hate that mirror and that hanging light fixture. But I love that wallpaper and bench so much that I barely notice those two ugly ass things. Maybe that’s how her humpers are too:



I absolutely despise that mirror with a passion. It's that god awful blow mold plastic from the 70's done up in Hollywood Regency style. Abbie, get a spray can and paint that shit white to tone down the ugly.

Overall I would call her aesthetic "flea market jumble". There's nowhere to rest your eyes and nothing is cohesive. It looks exactly like what it is. A piecmealed mess. 

I'm not knocking anybody that doesn't live in a magazine setting except Abbie. She spends an amazing amount of time talking about her possessions, their place of purchase, how much they cost, how much she saved by buying on sale. With that level of fixation it really should look nicer.

Edited March 7, 2019 by SuperNova

[JermajestyDuggar]

Her upstairs living room is not too bad. Because she hasn’t cluttered it up yet. I bet she will eventually clutter it up and ruin it:

[zee_four]

After reading everyones comments and looking at Braggie's "style" I'm curious if there's a pattern in the difference of decorating tastes here. For example how my grandmother on my dass side (before she passed, born in 1927) would never let any underwear show, always believed in stockings and pantyhouse  my mom (born in 1954) is more if you're wearing a tank top wear a white or nude colored bra so the straps aren't obvious, no pantyhose (once the 80s ended) unless its fancy dress but natch your shoes to your tights myself (born in 1988), Im cool with a red bra hanging out of my white tank top, clashing patterns and colors with shoes, socks, tights. However the difference Ive seen in taste/opinions about this aren't solely generational, my ex MIL who maybe was a couple years older than my mom, was far more conservative believing in wearing slips under all dresses never having bare legs when dressed up, etc. She grew up in Beaumont, TX and is a conservative southern baptist who's oldest child is about 15 years older than myself, my mom's oldest. My mom also grew up a tomboy with all brothers on a farm in southern Ontario and became a graphic artist on her own after leaving high school early by driving semi trucks, and also backpacked around Europe on her own and lived in pretty much an artist commune in Vancouver in the early 80s. My first feminist role model although she was never political until the last few years and despite having an awful relationship with my dad which gave me mixed signals about abusive men.

 

Point is, i wonder if there's a similar pattern with opinions and tastes on home decor. The super pintresty mix match shabby chic thing is pretty popular with people around my age, milennials essentially (Abby at 37ish would be on the older end of that while my middle brother who is 2 years younger than me and born in 1990 is closer to the youngest) I want to hate what she has going on but I do more or less like the eclectic colors and lack of consistency. What bothers me the most is that it still seems so forced and contrived and fake, it's no less planned out than a 1989 Martha Steward spread, just in a different way. She clearly spends so much damn time cultivating this image of her, her house and her family, it's painfully obvious to me. But a lot of my friends my age who are more settled down with homes and families of their own have a similar style, just on a way more toned down level. They definitely all did similar weddings too, with the whole shabby chic.

 

I hate it but not because I don't like the mish mash but again because I dont like how standardized its become.  I've had two failed engagements and my 5 year old son lives with my ex in laws at the moment. I live in a resort area with skyrocketing costs of living, so I rent a room in a house with three other rooms occupied by a couple, another woman around my age and downstairs in the master is my middle aged divorcee landlady. 4+ adults living with roommates is the norm in mountain towns around here. Point is I don't have my own house or even apartment to decorate to my own tastes. Im not a professional artist but I do a lot of art projects and crafts. My room represents that and is a total mish mash, a bedside dresser I got for free off the street and painted turquoise, wooden artwork on one wall my acrylic paintings on the other, tons of scarfs, wigs, hats, postcards and maps (surfing, topographic, ski trails and regular road ones). I collect things on the side of the road, build and make things. In the overflowing pile of art supplies I have I recently added a stop sign and faded 4th of july bunting that I saved from the trash. 

But I think older generations have a different idea of what good home decor schemes are. Even my artist mom does consistent themes for her rooms.

Don't feel obligated to share or reply if you don't want but if you've weighed in on Braggie's anthrovomit style, how old are you? Where are you from? Do you notice a difference in styles in different ages or regions?

Just curious!

[Ozlsn]

2 minutes ago, zee_four said:

Don't feel obligated to share or reply if you don't want but if you've weighed in on Braggie's anthrovomit style, how old are you? Where are you from? Do you notice a difference in styles in different ages or regions?

Interesting thoughts. I'm on the other side of the planet and I don't like any of her wallpaper, or her colour schemes to be honest. But I tend to put it all in the "differences in culture" basket - having said that I haven't looked in an interior decorating magazine here for a while either, so maybe it's trendy here too. I'm gen X, and my house is on the one hand more minimalist (more shades of white rather than very bright colours) and on the other cluttered because we hang on to too much stuff. Trying to declutter, sigh.

[JermajestyDuggar]

It might be regional too. I’m Braggie’s age and many of my friends seem to love gray, light colors, and neutral colors. My more artistic friends might have something closer to Braggie’s style. 

[nastyhobbitses]

Decor thoughts: I like the colors she goes for (I like very rich, punchy colors, though my own stuff tends to veer more bright than the jewel-y tones she tends to go for), but good looooooord her style is sensory overlord. I think her style is very trendy and it won't age too well, though at least most of what she has up is easy to alter or take down if/when it's time to sell the house (her almost deliberate noncompliance with basic fire safety principles in home layout will probably be a bigger detriment to getting a good sale). I think that among my generation, her aesthetic is popular, but most of us just don't have the space or income to buy all that shit. I love me some knickknacks, but I'm very, very judicious with them and I make sure that they have a practical use (can hold/hide clutter, are plants/plant receptacles, or have very deep sentimental value for me), mostly because I've moved internationally 5 times in the past 6 years and just can't accumulate too much shit. And minimalism is becoming more popular thanks to Marie Kondo and Scandinavian aesthetics coming into vogue in home design. 

[SassyPants]

I am 60 and live on the central coast of CA, and have a second home on the Pacific Ocean in So America. Both of my homes are light and bright with warm, soft dark wood toned furniture, brown leather and buttery cream walls. Think beach... my kitchen has blue quartz tops, neutral maple cabinets, basket weave backsplash, white with cobalt blue accents,and light wood floors ( throughout the house) The bathrooms in my main home have marbled white/ gray quartz, gray/ blue quartz and and white cabinets. In my second home, again, light and bright, blue themed kitchen ( came with house) and brown limestone baths and flooring. I do have cheap Oriental throw rugs in my living and dining rooms in my main home. They do not match, even though the rooms blend together. I have silhouette shades on all the windows that are covered and many of our windows, especially those with views are not covered. 90% of one of my homes is that creamy color, while 100% of my other home is a soft white. My daughter is 32. She has a lot of soft browns, tans and grays in her home. She also has a lot of stone, as she lives in So America where the paint is lousy ( not washable) and everything is concrete. I’d call Abbie’s style “phrenic”. I prefer my home to have a calming  and peaceful atmosphere. Personally, I do not see that in AH’s style or in her home.

[luv2laugh]

1 hour ago, zee_four said:

After reading everyones comments and looking at Braggie's "style" I'm curious if there's a pattern in the difference of decorating tastes here. For example how my grandmother on my dass side (before she passed, born in 1927) would never let any underwear show, always believed in stockings and pantyhouse  my mom (born in 1954) is more if you're wearing a tank top wear a white or nude colored bra so the straps aren't obvious, no pantyhose (once the 80s ended) unless its fancy dress but natch your shoes to your tights myself (born in 1988), Im cool with a red bra hanging out of my white tank top, clashing patterns and colors with shoes, socks, tights. However the difference Ive seen in taste/opinions about this aren't solely generational, my ex MIL who maybe was a couple years older than my mom, was far more conservative believing in wearing slips under all dresses never having bare legs when dressed up, etc. She grew up in Beaumont, TX and is a conservative southern baptist who's oldest child is about 15 years older than myself, my mom's oldest. My mom also grew up a tomboy with all brothers on a farm in southern Ontario and became a graphic artist on her own after leaving high school early by driving semi trucks, and also backpacked around Europe on her own and lived in pretty much an artist commune in Vancouver in the early 80s. My first feminist role model although she was never political until the last few years and despite having an awful relationship with my dad which gave me mixed signals about abusive men.

  

Point is, i wonder if there's a similar pattern with opinions and tastes on home decor. The super pintresty mix match shabby chic thing is pretty popular with people around my age, milennials essentially (Abby at 37ish would be on the older end of that while my middle brother who is 2 years younger than me and born in 1990 is closer to the youngest) I want to hate what she has going on but I do more or less like the eclectic colors and lack of consistency. What bothers me the most is that it still seems so forced and contrived and fake, it's no less planned out than a 1989 Martha Steward spread, just in a different way. She clearly spends so much damn time cultivating this image of her, her house and her family, it's painfully obvious to me. But a lot of my friends my age who are more settled down with homes and families of their own have a similar style, just on a way more toned down level. They definitely all did similar weddings too, with the whole shabby chic.

 

I hate it but not because I don't like the mish mash but again because I dont like how standardized its become.  I've had two failed engagements and my 5 year old son lives with my ex in laws at the moment. I live in a resort area with skyrocketing costs of living, so I rent a room in a house with three other rooms occupied by a couple, another woman around my age and downstairs in the master is my middle aged divorcee landlady. 4+ adults living with roommates is the norm in mountain towns around here. Point is I don't have my own house or even apartment to decorate to my own tastes. Im not a professional artist but I do a lot of art projects and crafts. My room represents that and is a total mish mash, a bedside dresser I got for free off the street and painted turquoise, wooden artwork on one wall my acrylic paintings on the other, tons of scarfs, wigs, hats, postcards and maps (surfing, topographic, ski trails and regular road ones). I collect things on the side of the road, build and make things. In the overflowing pile of art supplies I have I recently added a stop sign and faded 4th of july bunting that I saved from the trash. 

But I think older generations have a different idea of what good home decor schemes are. Even my artist mom does consistent themes for her rooms.

Don't feel obligated to share or reply if you don't want but if you've weighed in on Braggie's anthrovomit style, how old are you? Where are you from? Do you notice a difference in styles in different ages or regions?

Just curious!

I'm a millennial and in my 20s. Braggie's decor style, and I hate to say it, but it looks tacky. If you walk into an Anthropologie store, the style is actually vastly different than how Braggie decorates her home... My friends and I wouldn't be interested in Braggie's style of decorating. It looks too cluttered and gives me a headache. She's less about quality and more about quantity.

Most of my friends and I are into achieving a "luxe, high-end look" without spending a fortune. Think modern-day Victorian or Rococo styles except with more clean lines. Many mix cheap pieces with quality, traditional "investment pieces" as some people do with their wardrobe.

There are women that are around Braggie's age that decorate elegantly "on a dime" and they're quite popular on Instagram. I also am into traditional coastal styles (think Nantucket beach house) which incorporate white airy spaces, traditional furniture, and touches of blue. 

I'm also not a fan of Joanna Gaines. It's not personal but I'm not into the "shabby chic farmhouse style". 

Right now, I'm drooling over these home decor instagrams and they are the opposite of Braggie's style:

Preppy East Coast inspired style featuring clean lines, and hues of white and blue:  https://www.instagram.com/lilypadcottage/

Elegant style decor featuring hues of white, pink, and gold: https://www.instagram.com/randigarrettdesign/

For the PLANT OBSESSED: https://www.instagram.com/thejungalow/?hl=en

Edited March 7, 2019 by luv2laugh

[zee_four]

7 minutes ago, luv2laugh said:

I'm a millennial and in my 20s. Braggie's decor style, and I hate to say it, but it looks tacky. If you walk into an Anthropologie store, the style is actually vastly different than how Braggie decorates her home... My friends and I wouldn't be interested in Braggie's style of decorating. It looks too cluttered and gives me a headache. She's less about quality and more about quantity.

Most of my friends and I are into achieving a "luxe, high-end look" without spending a fortune. Think modern-day Victorian or Rococo styles except with more clean lines. Many mix cheap pieces with quality, traditional "investment pieces" as some people do with their wardrobe.

There are women that are around Braggie's age that decorate elegantly "on a dime" and they're quite popular on Instagram. I also am into traditional coastal styles (think Nantucket beach house) which incorporate white airy spaces, traditional furniture, and touches of blue. 

I'm also not a fan of Joanna Gaines. It's not personal but I'm not into the "shabby chic farmhouse style". 

Oh definitely! Braggie is in a league of her own in awfulness.  I was just thinking more along the lines of pops of different colors, different metals, things that don't match, finding kitsche vintage pieces that may not match, etc. I think people our age would oppose Braggie's style not because things don't match or there's no consistency like I have seen a couple posters express but because she's tacky and tries way way too hard and just over does and over clutters it if that makea sense.

 

The trend is probably changing too like you mentioned. Ive been in my mountain bubble and havent been to my frienda houses down in the city much recently. Their weddings and first digs were very Pinterest/shabby chic trendy but they could be moving in the direction you and some others have mentioned with the minimalism. Do you live on one of the coasts by chance?

[danvillebelle]

I'll be 50 at the end of this month.  

I like *looking at* a LOT of different styles of decor.  I adore 70's interiors that pretty much everyone else thinks are horrid, because that's what I grew up with and it looks and feels homey and comfortable to me.  I love mid-century modern; I will never part with my 20 or so copies of Atomic Ranch magazine.  I love traditional upscale style also, a la Alexandra Stoddard.  I like decorator Toby Fairley's use of color.  

I have seen interiors similar to Braggie's that I liked...as stated above, hers is just too much and SO CONTRIVED.  It looks like she is angling for a magazine spread 24/7, not creating a home.  Home to me is family heirlooms and comfortable worn-out furniture and books.  Her things all seem special to her solely because she picked them up cheap...not because someone she loved used and lived with them.  

If I had to pick a style to live with for the rest of my life - Primitive Country, without a doubt.  I love history and antiques and old chippy things.  I love wood grain, navy blue and colonial red.  This is the current pic on my computer desktop:

 

[SuperNova]

My husband and I are Gen X'ers and fairly serious collectors of MCM. We live in an untouched house of the era and use the true mid century guidelines of 1946-76. But beyond that it's anything goes. We have an electic color palette and like a mix of decades, tones, and textures. Overall we have light, bright, open spaces.

While my personal taste is specific, I love home decor in general and can appreciate all styles. Abbie's eclectic "style" is poorly done. I know what look she's going for but it isn't executed well at all. As long as you don't look to closely, it's fine because she compensates quite a bit with lighting, good angles, and filters. It also appears that many of her pieces would probably retail for quite a bit and I think that that's what saves it from being a total nightmare. But money doesn't buy good taste and her version of eclectic is a hot mess. At the end of the day, I don't have to live there and I don't really care what she has. As my daughter would say, you do you boo-boo.

[Shiny]

I like the colors she uses. But that's pretty much it. There is WAY too much stuff on every surface. It looks like a thrift store that just has too much inventory. In general, I like styles that don't fit one kind of category, but my god. Girl needs to chill. 

[danvillebelle]

Her upstairs living room is by FAR the most attractive room I've seen in her home.  It's so much calmer than the downstairs.

In my mind, when I see her crazy downstairs I think of a term the great James Lileks used in his book Interior Desecrations, to describe a bad 70's look - Captain Frabdabulous and his Crandicular Autogyro.  

[SassyPants]

42 minutes ago, danvillebelle said:

Her upstairs living room is by FAR the most attractive room I've seen in her home.  It's so much calmer than the downstairs.

In my mind, when I see her crazy downstairs I think of a term the great James Lileks used in his book Interior Desecrations, to describe a bad 70's look - Captain Frabdabulous and his Crandicular Autogyro.  

We all like that upstairs room best because (in Abbie’s words), it’s not completed. She’ll likely end up mucking up that space too,

[TuringMachine]

What is happening with the ceiling over here?