Justine Larbalestier

Comments

1. Sherwood Smith Says:

   Interior decorating hates? Carpet in bathrooms. Euw. Euw. The only reason we got this splendid place is because the lady who lived before us had done every single room in pink, including the bathrooms–the entire house had Pepto Bismol pink carpet, including the bathrooms.

   October 4th, 2006 at 10:48 AM

2. Josh Says:

   Wait..carpet on the walls? Does that actually happen? Who does that?

   Justine, I’ve only been reading your blog for a few weeks, but I enjoy the lack of politics here. It’s sort of like a refuge from the rest of the blogosphere, a place where you can go and read about writing and all sorts of other interesting things without the constant intrusion of politics.

   October 4th, 2006 at 11:19 AM

3. veejane Says:

   There used to be (may still be) a room in the Boston Children’s Museum with all the walls done in green Lego pieces, the wide flat kind that stand in for grass. I think the ceiling too, but when I was 8, I couldn’t reach that high.

   My interior decorating hate is reserved for “textured” walls — anything where you painted the pattern on, or the wallpaper is not flat, needs to be burned toot sweet. I do not want to lean against a wall and get weird pattern-y imprints on my shoulder, thanks.

   October 4th, 2006 at 11:22 AM

4. Josh Says:

   Veejane, I must confess I did that to my home office. I used a paint on the walls that’s supposed to dry looking like natural stone. In practice it was like rolling wet mud onto the walls. The end result looks great, but the texture can never be undone. It would take either an insane amount of sanding or just ripping out and replacing the drywall. Never again.

   October 4th, 2006 at 11:25 AM

5. Alexandra Says:

   Agree with you on the politics thing, a big no-no. As for pet hates? Linoleum, scary stuff…and yeah, wall-to-wall carpets, so unhealthy!

   October 4th, 2006 at 11:30 AM

6. Gwenda Says:

   Yep. I feel exactly the same.

   Instead, I’m writing a really ranty political book.

   October 4th, 2006 at 12:03 PM

7. marrije Says:

   josh, i’ve seen interiors in belgium where they put carpet on the ceilings. amazing.

   the absolutely most awful thing that you get rather a lot of here in seventies-redone houses is spachtelputz: thick swirls of plaster on the walls that all sorts of dust & dirt & spiderwebs accumulate on. particularly lovely textures & colours in the houses of heavy smokers. and you will cut your hands/head/other skin on it when you accidentally, um, fall against it, because it’s hard as nails, too.

   and can i ask what it is with the american people and really large la-z-boy style chairs? those are hideous!

   October 4th, 2006 at 12:30 PM

8. Josh Says:

   Wow, and I thought France was strange. The stuff I put on my walls is pretty sharp, too. I actively avoid touching the walls in there now.

   And you just hit on something that annoys me to no end – any item that’s been in the home of a heavy smoker. I work in the computer industry and there’s nothing worse than getting a system from a customer who smokes heavily. You can smell it before you even open the shipping box. Gross.

   Hmm…how do I explain La-Z-Boys without sounding like a complete snob? I’m not sure I can. Okay, the things are comfy, I’ll give them that. But I’m with you on their decorative value. I wouldn’t have one if it was given to me. It’s not impossible to find extremely comfortable chairs that are less tacky, but they’re not cheap either. And I suppose that’s the reason they’re so popular…especially in trailer parks.

   October 4th, 2006 at 12:50 PM

9. Robin L Says:

   I take great exception to your comments on wall to wall carpeting. Furthermore, I think there should be legislation passed insistingthat every house have at least one room fully carpeted. Anything else is simply un-American. (And don’t give me that old Aussie excuse. That won’t get you off the hook!)

   October 4th, 2006 at 12:51 PM

10. veejane Says:

    marrije, the spackle-yuck stuff you are talking about occurs often on ceilings in US rental aparments. (My current domicile? Glitter mixed into the spackley ceiling!! I mean, at least it’s… distinctive?) I don’t know if it has a specific name in the US.

    Americans like La-z-boy chairs because they are butt ugly and comfortable. Every household I know that has one hides it in a back room, under several throw-rugs, and uses it for the idle watching of television.

    John, I feel your pain. The not-undoable-ness of it is the real trouble. (Even ugly wallpaper comes off with some good ammonia and elbow grease!)

    October 4th, 2006 at 12:54 PM

11. onyx Says:

    Rooms painted the same color completely; as in the walls AND the ceiling. It’s like being inside a box at a luny-bin.

    October 4th, 2006 at 8:03 PM

12. shelly rae Says:

    Cheap plastic or metal blinds. We hates them we do. These blinds are fine for the office decor but at home? bleh! Plus they capture and retain dust better than most any substance known to man, they are nearly impossible to clean and eventually several of those long pieces will bend and never go back to their original position giving the room the air of a sleazy detective’s office. And cheap blinds in bright colors? argh!
    Anon

    October 4th, 2006 at 8:12 PM

13. Sherwood Smith Says:

    Shag carpet on walls and ceiling was a decorating touch from the seventies. It was usually nuclear-squashed-pea green, or else stomach-acid-burnt-orange, what-were-you-Drinking-pee-yellow, or, um, sludge brown.

    October 4th, 2006 at 8:53 PM

14. Robin L Says:

    Wow, I’d forgotten all about shag carpet.

    And lets not forget flocked wall paper and those gold-veined mirrors.

    October 4th, 2006 at 8:59 PM

15. Megan Says:

    Ugh, I remember seeing some episodes of “Trading Spaces” where I just shook my head at the interior designing! All white or black rooms, feathers on the wall (how do you get that down?), along with other things on walls that are seemingly permament because of massive amounts of staples! At least I know how NOT to design my house one day…

    October 4th, 2006 at 11:53 PM

16. SH Says:

    carpet harbours fleas and dander and dust mites. i am allergic to all three. carpet is evil.

    October 5th, 2006 at 1:34 AM

17. 17. Justine Says:

    Tee hee, I knew I was not alone in my carpet hatred! Carpet haters of the world unite.

    Be careful, Robin L, one more outburst like that and it’s strikeout time. The blog overlord has spoken.

    October 5th, 2006 at 10:16 AM

18. Diana Says:

    I hate carpet. But not as much as I loathe wallpaper. However, that’s why I got my apartment largely–not only had the previous owners put down aqua wall-to-wall in one room, but they’d also put a fake brick fireplace and fake brick wallpaper in the living room. Next to oak paneling. And pre-war parquet floors. Among other dubious decorating choices.

    It was exactly as hideous as you can imagine.

    Needless to say, I spent the first weekend scraping wallpaper and pulling up carpet… There’s still some in the bedroom as well, alas.

    October 5th, 2006 at 2:38 PM

19. Josh Says:

    Diana, how do people get away with doing things like that in an apartment? None of the apartments in which I’ve lived have allowed renters to do anything more than hang pictures on the wall. One would allow you to paint but only if you painted the walls white again before you moved out. I can’t imagine getting away with wallpaper and a fake brick fireplace. Or wanting one…

    Before I was born my parents decorated my bedroom with wallpaper covered in small flowers, not knowing whether I would be a boy or a girl. Unfortunately that wallpaper stayed on my walls until I changed bedrooms at 17. Wallpaper. Is. Evil. So are parents too lazy to remove it.

    October 5th, 2006 at 2:59 PM

20. AndrewN Says:

    Carpet on the ceiling — shag carpet. Last time we were looking to buy a house we ran across one with a basement bar area, the ceiling covered in shag carpet; filthy, dirty, smoke reaking burnt orange shag.

    We ended up with a popcorn textured ceiling instead, almost as bad for cleaning, plus it contains asbestos. The 70′s were an interior decorating nightmare. What were they thinking?

    October 5th, 2006 at 5:16 PM

21. AndrewN Says:

    PS. What happened to all the capital letters?

    October 5th, 2006 at 5:18 PM

22. Michelle Says:

    Wow….you’re the author of Magic or Madness. I’ve never quite known any author that blog and lets all readers comment. If only J.K Rowling would do that, but….lol. Just fantasys.

    I hate the 70′s, and carpet. I don’t know why so many people put carpets in! Also, ugly pictures. That seem stupid but i know loads of people who put in pic that you literally barf whenever you see it.

    I’m a first-timer at this blog so…anyway, I saw the rules and it said you can’t bad mouth bring it on!…what is that? Is it a book? I’ve read a book with the same title. A manga, actually, no-refrase that, manhwa. i don’t like people who don’t know the difference between the two and use them incorrectly. Anyway, is it that book? because then, I love it! lol

    October 5th, 2006 at 5:35 PM

23. Diana Says:

    check it out — another diana!

    Bring it on is a movie starring kirsten dunst and eliza dushku and gabrielle union and jesse bradford. it’s about cheerleading. it’s amazing.

    my rental apartment has testured ceilings, wall to wall carpeting, metal blinds and lineoleum. it also has gold-flecked cabinetry. it’s ridiculous.

    I love carpets, though. we can’t all have hardwood floors.

    October 5th, 2006 at 6:01 PM

24. jackie m. Says:

    My dog loves wall-to-wall carpet; he actually gets traction. He scratches hardwood, slides wildly on tile, and is deadly terrified of linoleum.

    Which is all lovely fun for the rest of us, let me tell you.

    October 5th, 2006 at 6:07 PM

25. 25. Justine Says:

    Michelle: Yes, I am, indeed the author of Magic or Madness! I’m glad you liked it. Thanks to Diana for explaining the glories of Bring it on. You should totally watch it Michelle.

    Andrewn: You need to check out the blog rules.

    Jackie M: So let me get this straight. You’re decorating your home to suit your dog?

    October 5th, 2006 at 10:42 PM

26. Harriet Jordan Says:

    Speaking as one who spends as much time sitting on the floor as on the furniture, polished floorboards look lovely, but carpet is a lot more comfortable. And yes, I know you can put rugs on the polished floorboards, but they may not be exactly where you want to sit. Especially in winter, when I want to be as close to the heater as is physically possible. (For non-Sydneysiders: central heating is something that doesn’t really happen here. And even if it did, I’d probably still want a bar heater or something to sit next to.)

    October 5th, 2006 at 11:31 PM

27. Diana G. Says:

    The first Diana, here, now as Diana G.

    Josh, it wasn’t a rental, but a coop, or they wouldn’t have been able to. (or to do the dodgy plumbing, heating, and electrical things they did either, alas).

    Flowers, huh? That was nice of your parents…

    Ooh–Bring It On! Such a great movie. I need to rent it again.

    October 6th, 2006 at 1:48 PM

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