Interior design experts on television not in touch with real people

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Not everyone can afford decor suggestions
offered by designers on television

Interior decorating and design is no simple field of just theme rooms and stainless steel appliance upgrades. Interior designers on television often in their infinite wisdom forget they are speaking to the general masses, and that means, the every day home owner, not their colleagues or wealthy peers.

I watched a well known popular decorating show that often is helpful and informative the other day, only to be dismayed when the "host" stated to the masses, "not to match furniture pieces, because it looks cheap." He then went on to say "you know those groups you find on sale that end in 99 something." I have to take issue with this. Who does he think he's talking to? Many people have to buy those "sets that end in 99" in the furniture store.  ie: Living room 6 piece set for $1299.99. If you do this, according to this host, its just "being lazy."

Shame on him. Most average people have to decorate within their means, and additionally, unless you are a professional and know how to group pieces that don't come in matching sets, you could end up with a mish mash of furnishings that look like an indoor antique mall.

It is extremely doubtful that anyone coming into a neat and clean home with furniture that came in a group will ever offend any onlooker, or potential buyer. What bothers most people when entering a home is when a homeowner decides to go with too many conflicting ideas from designers on television only to end up with an indoor yard sale aesthetic going on.

Image via Wikipedia

I would suggest in the future, that all of these interior decorating shows get in touch with their viewer demographic. Realize that they are not speaking to a small select group in New York City, or in Pacific Heights. Chances are, your viewer is an everyday home owner living in a typical suburban setting, middle class America if  you will.

These are the hard working, blue collar, do it yourself homeowners, they can't have their home professionally decorated, so offer good advice that can help them out. Not that shallow insensitive hogwash interior designers suggest on television.  For those wanting real suggestions meant for the real world, a few shows worthy of mention would be Designed to Sell, Real Estate Intervention etc. They seem to have the right idea,  and focus on practical solutions.

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