# Silly Trends -



## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

RYANINMICHIGAN said:


> Fireplace In Bathroom


LOL, guilty! Just got done doing one. :laughing:


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## firemike (Dec 11, 2005)

Dual dishwashers in the same kitchen, multiple sinks, multiple refrigerators ( main HUGE sub-zero, undercounter wine cooler, undercounter beer fridge, undercounter produce fridge, etc.)


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Re: restaurant type ranges

A while back I read a consumer reports analysis of ranges. The expensive "pro" models had the poorest performance. Ovens would not maintain consistent temp, quality issues, poor variability in gas range controlls, just about every aspect of the expensive restaurant style ranges was beat by the much cheaper home style appliances.



How about Santa Fe Style. They will install a new hardwood floor, sand and prep it until it's perfect, finish it, then beat the hell out of it with chains, hammers and knives to make it look rustic. They will do the same with a $3000 door.

And, how many of you guys will hand rub bees wax on hard plaster walls? another Santa Fe style.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

Hot water frost free faucets in the garage and on the outside of the house.

(on several landscaping jobs a friend of mine was on) ornate heavily decorated stream beds running through the backyard- with no water in them

Two 12/12 roofs draining onto a flat roof in Montana- four miles from a ski resort. gee, I wonder if they get any snow there...

Master bath tub faucet operating instructions are addressed to the housekeeping staff.

Every room has a bathroom ventilation fan

Mechanical/storage room with oak flooring


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

TempestV said:


> Hot water frost free faucets in the garage and on the outside of the house


I have one of those.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

thom said:


> How about Santa Fe Style. They will install a new hardwood floor, sand and prep it until it's perfect, finish it, then beat the hell out of it with chains, hammers and knives to make it look rustic. They will do the same with a $3000 door.
> 
> And, how many of you guys will hand rub bees wax on hard plaster walls? another Santa Fe style.


you get the same thing around here in the "McMansions" as we call them. they're suppose to look rustic, and usually include:
-unfinished steel roofing that has been burned with acid so it rusts quickly, or even a modern shingle roof, then covered with actual rusted tin off some old farm building
-distressed wood surfaces- high end cabinets, floors, doors, trim, siding, T&G, ect. beat with all implements of destruction to make it look antique. Pavers also get the same treatment- when we put in a patio outside my parents house, we bought used pavers, which were already a bit worn down. When our friend (father of the landscape guy from previous post, works for the same company) saw it, he told us that in the high end homes, they buy new pavers, then run them in a cement mixer to make them look like ours did.
-Barn wood siding- tear old rotted barn wood off of some run down farm building and use it as siding on your new 3 million dollar home, so that it looks like it's been there since the 20's.
- I heard about one house where they went to a thrift store and bought all the old beat up cowboy and work boots they could find, in order to screw them down on the porch by the door. to complete the look, boxes of old tools were bought to lay out, covered in grease, like they were just used to service the farm tractor.
- My parents own a small farm, and as such, we go to a lot of farm equipment auctions. If you see someone buying an old broken down piece of equipment thats rusted and rotted, chances are that it's destined to be a lawn ornament.
- Big ranch gate with fancy sounding ranch name and brand, or the brand shingled onto the barn/garage, on their 2 acre ranchet with at most two horses, neither branded. Also, you can tell the ones with a lot of money because they have fancy wrought iron gates instead of normal wood or steel tube gates.


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## Grumpyplumber (May 6, 2007)

*I remember long ago there was a trend where installation/manufacturer manuals where written in English as a primary language...you didn't even have to flip through, or attempt to interpret Spanish to get what you were looking for.*
*There were even utility companies that allowed the assumption that you spoke English, without having to "press 2 for English"...good one for the grandkids some day.*


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

firemike said:


> Dual dishwashers in the same kitchen, multiple sinks


Sometimes done for religious reasons, not necessarily for excess.


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## alwysbencrzy (Nov 3, 2006)

*i once asked a plumber...........*

if he could install a garbage disposal in the bath tub. cheaper than adding a bathroom.


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## Gonen Liberman (Jul 3, 2008)

*Just the right answer - Kudos!*



woodmagman said:


> The simple fact that trends are followed by those that have enough income to toss to the wind is why we are in business…
> Hence the term disposable incomes….we market to those people…don’t we?
> The easiest sale is the customer that wants the finial outcome to look like the one in the newest magazine.
> Disposable income is just junk money, why not purchase junk with it...!


We make our living off the clients' "wierd, strange and funny dreams". So I would concentrate on not what's wierd, but how I can get that piece of "wierd" business my way.


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## VitoFromNJ (Jun 25, 2006)

*An exterior door lockset*

A Baldwin(the nice stuff) exterior door hardware alone can run up to an easy grand! Whats priceless, is the carpenter who knows how to install it


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## troubleseeker (Sep 24, 2006)

My current favorite is the showers with double digit numbers of body jets. Why the hell would you want to get sprayed with 10 streams from a garden hose ; in the name of a "shower"? Especially the ones that come out of the side walls and spray directly against a frameless shower door... Daah, Mr Contractor my shower door leaks water.


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## rescraft (Nov 28, 2007)

I remember when bamboo flooring first started coming out, it was still growing after they harvested it. 

Made it kinda tough to install.


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## genecarp (Mar 16, 2008)

yea concrete countertops are a total waste of money, and about as practicle as limestone :whistling


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## genecarp (Mar 16, 2008)

VitoFromNJ said:


> A Baldwin(the nice stuff) exterior door hardware alone can run up to an easy grand! Whats priceless, is the carpenter who knows how to install it


my guys always tell me there where parts missing:no:, i think they lose them


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

What about the new recliners with the built-in beer cooler and toilet?!!?

Ah shiite, you said _silly_ trends...my bad.

J


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## OttawaSens (Jun 12, 2008)

As sombody else said in this thread, who cares how silly they are as long as its get us work, right?


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## OttawaSens (Jun 12, 2008)

Mike Finley said:


> LOL, guilty! Just got done doing one. :laughing:


Hey, it beats staring at a wall or a shower when you're taking a #2! arty:


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## RizzoMaryland (Feb 12, 2007)

Slate tile in a shower.:no:


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## troubleseeker (Sep 24, 2006)

RizzoMaryland said:


> Slate tile in a shower.:no:


Indeed. Just finished a house with slate (black, no less) tiles on walls, floor and ceiling, of master walk in, completely enclosed except for 28" door. Even with the light on, it was like walking into the darkness of Hell. Pity the housekeeper who has to keep the soap scum off that stuff


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

RizzoMaryland said:


> Slate tile in a shower.:no:


Nonsense. I've installed tens of thousands of square feet of slate, including showers, that still look good after years and years of use.


As I see it, a trend is only "silly" if it doesn't accomplish what the client or designer desires for the space and is the best balance of form, function and budget. When working with a client or designer who's taste is different than your own, it can be tough to leave the subjective judgements at home. In the end, your goal should be to help the client achieve the maximum daily experience out of the spaces in which they live--given their architecture, location and budget. 

We certainly have a responsibility to our clients to stear them away from selections that are impractical (marble counters in a kitchen with kids in it for example). But, you'll be most successful when you have the product knowledge and resources to deliver the perfect "experience" to a wide variety of client types, budgets and design styles.

Some of what's been brought up aren't really trends--but poor planning and bad design (ie--picking the wrong cabinet for a drop-in range.) 

To the bamboo: Green products are definitely a hot trend--but many products which tout themselves as such don't really pass muster if you look closely at how they're harvested, manufactured, and brought to market. 

Here's an article on bamboo you might find interesting: http://www.slate.com/id/2193239/


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## RizzoMaryland (Feb 12, 2007)

ChrWright said:


> Nonsense. I've installed tens of thousands of square feet of slate, including showers, that still look good after years and years of use.
> 
> 
> As I see it, a trend is only "silly" if it doesn't accomplish what the client or designer desires for the space and is the best balance of form, function and budget. When working with a client or designer who's taste is different than your own, it can be tough to leave the subjective judgements at home. In the end, your goal should be to help the client achieve the maximum daily experience out of the spaces in which they live--given their architecture, location and budget.
> ...



You have made our point in your own post. :blink:Slate is *not* functional in a shower and we should "stear" our clients away from using it in this manner. It is shale and tends to flake. In an area where you are walking around barefoot it is not advisable. And forget trying to clean it.

I will be the first to admit that I love the look of it. And I too have installed a fair amount of it in showers, bathrooms, bars, and other areas. I have found it to be, in your words, an impractical application of the material when it is used in the shower. (With the exception of mosaic slate 2 x 2s on the floor. They do not seem to flake the same way as the larger field tiles do).


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

With all due respect, you are mistaken.

There are degrees of quality with any natural material, and slate is no exception. The degree of hardness and stability has a great deal to do with how & where it is quarried. I would agree that the slates you find at most home centers are cheap in price and cheap in quality as they are mostly surface slates which do exhibit much more softness and shaling.

If slate is such poor product in a wet location--why is it considered to be among the most durable, longest lasting, and aesthetically beautiful roofing materials? If it can stand up to sun and wind and rain, and last for decades--it can certainly hold up to interior use, even in a shower.

As to your comment on bare feet: It's "non-slip" texture makes it highly ideal in barefoot locations like bathrooms and kitchens. The degree of flatness on a floor depends a lot on how well it has been guaged and the degree of skill of the installer. 

From where have you formed your negative opinion of the material? As I said, I've installed literally thousands of square feet in houses I continue to go back and do further work in. I have yet to have a single problem or complaint--quite the opposite, those who I've installed it for usually adore it. 

I source my materials direct from an international distributor that provides slate for both roofing, slab and tile applications from quarries throughout the world. Modern acrylic sealers make cleaning as easy, if not easier, than any man-made ceramic or porcelain. Yes, it must be re-sealed on a regular basis (usually once a year in a heavy traffic area) but it's benefits in warmth and beauty are well worth it.


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## RizzoMaryland (Feb 12, 2007)

I am not referring to tile found in home centers. The slate I have installed was quarried in Turkey and supplied through a tile distributor. It is a high quality product.

I never said slate was not recommended for wet locations. You have misunderstood my point. (Besides, no one walks on roofs barefoot. And if they did, they would more than likely slip due to slate roofs slippery surface when wet.)

No installer can eliminate the irregularities of tumbled surface slate. That, has nothing to do with installation and everything to do with the product.

And I don't doubt that a homeowner that has probably spent a pretty penny on a luxury, would ever complain and/or admit that they made an improper product selection.

In reference to your final point, "warmth and beauty", again, are not the debate. I am talking about functionality. Not form.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

It appears we'll just have to agree to disagree. 

If anyone cares to compare your opinion to mine, they need only visit our respective websites. I'll let my portfolio and client references speak for themselves in regards to my expertise on the subject. :thumbsup:


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## Bkessler (Oct 8, 2005)

How about those lighted tubes to bring daylight in, I was never a big fan of those. I prefer a nice light that needs to be installed by an electrician!


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

It's all about "wants" vs "needs" with a lot of "marketing" thrown in for good measure.
How many Hummer owners are there that could actually get by with a Smart car instead?


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## Phenometom (Jun 10, 2008)

How about GUEST laundry room and GUEST sauna. You guys see a lot crazier stuff than I do. I spend most my time inside the bland beige boxes north of indianapolis.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

Around here, all the McMansions are suppose to be "rustic", which apparently means that all the work is intentionally poorly done- the granite counter tops in the house I'm working on now are left with a rough edge so it looks as though it was cut with a hammer and chisel. Never mind the fact that the top of the slab is finely polished. To me, it just looks like they forgot to finish the edges. 

also, why do people put partical board cabnets in a 4 million dollar house?


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## Cdat (Apr 18, 2007)

Hot water in the garage? Got it. Concrete cabinet tops? Got 'em. Concrete etched and stained to look like marble? Yeap, that too. Keep talking about all this 'foolish' stuff I have installed and sell.


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## Cdat (Apr 18, 2007)

TempestV said:


> also, why do people put partical board cabnets in a 4 million dollar house?


I've argued this for years. With veneer, they don't really care. Also, a lot easier to run a CNC router (read mass produced) on partical board, MDF then doing a real wood, anything.

I've built some pretty big pieces of furniture for clients using 'real' wood and you would not believe the weight difference.


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## Cdat (Apr 18, 2007)

Things that annoy me and the reasons why....
*synthetic decks,* plastic looks cheap. Yeah, I know, they look so different now. No they don't. Still look like cheap arsed plastic to me.
*synthetic fences,* same as above.
*infinity pools,* live on the water if you want your friggin' pool to look like it goes on and on and on. 
*earth houses,* it's all hype. It's a trend that will soon go away and you'll be stuck with this expensive piece of crap that no one will buy.
*prefabricated,* mobile home, walmart special furniture with a nicer brand name attached to it. Assembly lined built usually means CHEAP.
*excessive storage,* that's what a garage and basement are for, silly.
*entertainment systems in the bathroom,* I still haven't figured out this one. How much time do you want to spend in the bathroom?
*Towel warmers,* How many towels do you use in a day? After I use it and hang it up, it usually dries by itself with no needed assistance.
*chroma and aromatherapy,* lights and smells to sooth the soul? If you need these, you have bigger issues to deal with.
*yoga/meditation rooms,* someone has way too much time on their hands.
*indoor lap pools,* get a friggin' full size pool so others can use it, you selfish bastid!
*White cabinetry and white marble countertops,* in kitchen, pretty but silly. Have fun cleaning, you ninney!
*glass tiles,* they reflect stuff which I catch out of the corner of my eye and I'm always trying to see what the heck is going on. Maybe you have to be slightly paranoid to be bothered by these.


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## RizzoMaryland (Feb 12, 2007)

ChrWright said:


> It appears we'll just have to agree to disagree.
> 
> If anyone cares to compare your opinion to mine, they need only visit our respective websites. I'll let my portfolio and client references speak for themselves in regards to my expertise on the subject. :thumbsup:



Or they could review your previous posts and take into account that you have an argumentative personality and rarely agree with anything.:thumbsup:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Spandex Cycle Pants.

What??? They WERE silly and a trend!


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

I wish one of you guys would have let me know a little sooner, now I gotta go change...damn.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

RizzoMaryland said:


> Or they could review your previous posts and take into account that you have an argumentative personality and rarely agree with anything.:thumbsup:


Thanks Rizz...That's awful nice of you to say I've got personality... :jester:

I totally agree! :whistling


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## wireless (Nov 2, 2006)

Cdat said:


> *Towel warmers,* How many towels do you use in a day? After I use it and hang it up, it usually dries by itself with no needed assistance.


It is called a towel *warmer *not dryer.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Worst silly trend of the last 10 years--


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Mike Finley said:


> Worst silly trend of the last 10 years--



Oh GOD yes!!!!!!

I can not STAND those damn things.


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## LaurieC (Mar 18, 2008)

Slit faced travertine behind a stove...




















Infinity pools- Looks great when there is an ocean at the end. The water looks like it goes on forever. STUPID- when they make it look like you're falling out of the water into the trees.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

LaurieC said:


> Slit faced travertine behind a stove...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I take it this is the house where you found a pool under the pool or something like that when you did the demo?


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

One little, two little, three little indian? boys. Four little, .........


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

How about this one:
A private ski lift to take you from your front door directly to the ski hill. It sounds cool, but the owners are from Florida, hate winter, and only intend to set foot in Montana during summer.


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## LaurieC (Mar 18, 2008)

MALCO.New.York said:


> I take it this is the house where you found a pool under the pool or something like that when you did the demo?


No, same hill...different project.


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