I Couldn't Do It 12.10.2006 | 0 Comment(s)

This morning, I found myself watching one of those real estate shows where they take you around the metro and advertise what's available using pictures and cheesy music. The homes were mostly in the suburbs, mostly really big, mostly over $200K and mostly...well, boring.

I saw one home that was 2.5 million dollars, and it was just hideous. It was basically a two story box with a brick facade. The front of the house was also adorned with ridiculously large white columns that didn't quite fit with the style of the home. Those columns held up a large triangle of shingles that sheltered the small porch 2 floors below. This "detail" was beyond out of proportion to the rest of the house. It seems as if proportion is a concept most architects who design new homes have forgotten about. Inside, you could tell that the purchase price reflected the "amenities" inside and not the workmanship of the home. You could have a home movie theater, 4 car garage, a kitchen the size of my house, but wait...The rooms were void of character. There was no detailing in any of the rooms! For over $2 million I'd expect 6 inch baseboards and elaborate crown molding...but there was none of that. 4 walls with a 2 inch strip of molding at the top and bottom, that's all you got.

Maybe it's just a case of different strokes, but I could never go back to living in a house without stained glass, substantial wood molding and hardwood floors. Homes without these amenities feel sterile to me, void of life. Even if a good decorator has been hired you cannot escape the fact that most new homes just lack a personality.

I can't imagine living in a new home ever again. I don't even want to live in a gutted and rebuilt historic home. Yes, I want the modern conveniences, but I also want the old world charm. I definitely think both can live together quite nicely.