Late this past summer, while contractors were at my home adding more insulation to my attic, a momentous thunderstorm swept through town. It was so fearsome that everyone stopped whatever they were doing and gathered in the garage to watch. We were there for just three or four minutes when BOOOOOM, right across the street a super-powered thunderbolt pounded into my neighbor’s front yard right. At least, it seemed that close… it was so fast. You could feel the strike deep into your reptilian brain.
Initially, there seemed to be no consequences. But when I drove down the lane on an errand a bit later, I saw that a humongous, old tree had been hit and fallen three houses down, at the intersection leading toward town. The entire DPW and firetrucks and gosh, everyone, was buzzing, it was some excitement.
Moreover, that night, when we went to watch TV: Nothing. No signal on two of the three TV sets in the house. Darnit, another project. Fast forward a couple days and a couple of service guys, and it seems the lightning came right through the (unground) cable and electrocuted the TVs. Today, we are proud owners of a big honkin’ flat screen with surround sound and high def and some variety of better cable service with 600 channels and which will be dissatisfying us by next year, I’m sure.
Our old TV was very old, so my husband likes to say, we have now left the 1990s and entered the 21st century. But not so fast. The first thing I want to look up, once I learn to triangulate the three remotes, is: Portlandia — a brand-new TV show where, yes, they they still dream of the 90s. It looks pretty funny. I like my satire. Note: Comedy/satire can be offensive… no political statement intended, not the purpose of the blog… and actually, in its way, I think this video actually pokes fun at all/both sides… Also, there is one reference to anatomical parts. Be forewarned.
Hey! My first post on the 90s!
I was bigtime decorating obsessed that decade. As I recall, the top trends included, (in no particular order):
- Pine furniture….
- Shabby Chic…
- Oversized slipcovered sofas…
- Corian countertops…
- Apron sinks…
- Arts & Crafts furniture…
- White kitchens with ivy trellis wallpaper…
- Huge prints of a pears…
- “Bringing the outside in” with architectural ornamentaion…..
What else, readers? I bet most of us were there! Note: BE NICE, everyone! This is not a post intended to diss the 90s.
Jen says
How about some sunflowers to go along with the ivy & hunter green kitchens?
mikki says
One word: SUNFLOWERS!
TappanTrailerTami says
Wow, 95 comments so far!
90’s decor….hmmm…..overstuffed shapeless furniture and the invention of HOA’s on every street corner that had “covenant restrictions” resulting in:
Light Beige, Medium Beige, Light Gray, Medium Gray, Light Beige-ish Gray, Medium Beige-ish Gray, Light Grayish-Beige, Medium Grayish-Beige for exterior paint colors, which in turn extended also to carpet, interior paint, furniture upholstery, etc. BLECK!
And maybe my biggest pet peeve of the 90’s: ever more elaborate choppy cut up housing, many square feet in size but individual rooms were no bigger than our MCM and pre-war houses even though they are much smaller in square footage. The advent of having a room for every purpose! The media room, the sun room, the formal living room, the family room, the breakfast nook, the formal dining room, the breakfast bar, the master suite, the master suite sitting room, the office, the library, the den, the children’s playroom, the sewing room, the mudroom, the storage room, the three or four car garage, the outdoor gear storage room, etc, and back to covenants: everyone in an HOA had to do away with their clotheslines – ugh!!!!
Rooney says
The sitcom “Friends” style! That is what I remember… The curly-cue gold empty picture frame around their peephole. The purple and turquiose walls, mismatched painted kitchen chairs, and vintage fridge. I don’t think too many people painted their rooms as brightly as we do now in a post-Friends world. Also, every other TV show started using brighter colors for the apartments on TV, and now HGTV paints every other room for “real” people super-bright.
Margaret says
The sponge painting, The wall borders,The shabby Chic in the 90’s (OUT) but Im still in the arts and craft though!heehee. Now Im retro 50’s look. I also still love a little cottage look Dont like primitive and too much country country decorating. I still like my roosters and sunflowers and cherries though.
Jennifer Greenburg says
Omg! You all forgot neo-swing movement inspired furniture! Like fake oversized cork screw chairs but in Barney purple. Or a couch that looked like it was in a cartoon in mcdonald’s red with yellow trim!! See 1990’s Z Gallery.
MaryE says
Oh, this is so much FUN!! Let’s not ever go there again though…
midmod ms says
Hah! No kidding. Though at some point it’s all sure to become retro and stylish again.
midmod ms says
Shabby Chic. And I agree with Larry about the tv above the fireplace. I don’t like that it’s so prominent, or the crick in my neck I get from looking up to watch it.
karen says
Don’t forget stencilling. I went a little crazy with that trend, including ivy on painted white kitchen cupboards.
Larry says
My brand new TV is in my 80s Chippendale style cabinet because I think TVs are ugly. It was fine in the good old days when a TV was built into a cabinet, but not now. Is there anything worse than a TV installed on the wall above a fireplace?
I remember the English Country House look in the 90s, but then again, that is really just a classic look.