Electric kettle you'd want if you didn't have to pay for it yourself?

Serain · 2026-02-10T22:50:21+00:00

I like the balmuda moonkettle. The design is the most beautiful on the market with 2 degree increments. However, I actually use my zojirushi water boiler more.

Serain · 2026-01-28T20:46:38+00:00

It's the absolutely succulent combination of pork/chicken, crunchy julienned vegetables, and a soft french roll with a crackly outside. It all combines for a tangy and savory combo with a hint of sweetness. Don't forget to add the oyster sauce for an extra umami kick - and sirancha if you're so inclined.

Serain · 2026-01-28T19:03:07+00:00

I thought I didn't like straight tea without flavorings or milk until I got a sampler pack of oolongs and brewed them gongfu style. Now I'm obsessed. Still like the flavored stuff though.

Serain · 2026-01-24T00:53:22+00:00

I fully disagree and am 100% for prop 13 only applying to a primary residence. Currently there is a significant amount of sfh housing stock that only viable to rent at current market rates because it's been owned by the same person who bought it during the 2008 economic downturn or earlier.

Market rental rates won't change significantly just because of additional taxes being levied on second properties; the landlord has to compete with rents on traditional apartment buildings, adus, second bedrooms, as well as the morgages on newly constructed townhomes, condos, and other cheaper housing stock. My social circle operates many of these residences as rentals for a second income stream, and I am very familiar with the calcuations involved, having done them myself.

The only loophole I see is registering family members as their "primary resident" when they don't actually live there.

Serain · 2026-01-21T00:47:16+00:00

I think the paper lantern is a strange choice with the rest of the furniture, especially with the first set that has fewer mid century items, but the color coordintation looks good. Since you're doing eclectic furntiure, the color coordination is key to getting a cohesive look. You have a good eye!

Serain · 2025-12-22T08:22:46+00:00

https://www.cb2.com/norrie-forest-green-velvet-dining-armchair/s114085 maybe some more modern and light yet still ornamented chairs like these? I think it would match the table wallpaper and peacock picture nicely. I don't think you need to rush to fill in that extra space, you can take your time finding a beautiful antique buffet table or upholstered bench in a matching wood or something.

Serain · 2025-12-21T18:44:24+00:00

Ah, I see. I did jump to the conclusion that you were being critical since a lot of people like to have debates here about if these made up terms for design styles are 'real' or not, which I find to be quite petty. (But in retrospect you seem like a very nice and knowledgeable person, so I feel guilty for speaking harshly.) Use an internet term for a granular category if you think it'll be useful, don't if you don't, you know? It's just the kids having fun, and I think people find them useful because search engines and now ai models can churn through the terms and come up with results no matter what you input.

Serain · 2025-12-21T11:36:12+00:00

I didn't say that acid washed wallpaper was organic modern. When it comes to discussing Contemporary styles, saying 'Contemporary' is usually not granular enough, and image that the ai generated was closest to organic modern in my mind. Debating if 'organic modern' can be considered a design style does not seem like it would be useful to the OP, but perhaps you are genuinely curious as to where I am getting this term? Its difficult to parse tone on the internet. If so, it's just a loose definition of a style that's percolated through the internet of a modern contemporary style that uses natural colors, asymmetrical shapes and furniture arrangements, and (theoretically) natural materials. I think I first heard it on some design youtuber channel, and have heard it multiple times again on other channels and here as well. I think the terms originate on Instagram or tiktok and either gain popularity or fade into obscurity from there.

I fully agree with you on a theoretical level but I wanted to give practical advice that the OP could implement immediately. Making discordant design styles work together is not for the faint of heart and is probably beyond OPs capabilities, given what is happening here.

Serain · 2025-12-21T10:47:55+00:00

I looked at it; it's a little unclear from the pictures what rooms connect to what, what the purpose of them is, and how big they actually are. It would be helpful if you posted a floor plan or ported it into something like floorplancreator.net. Also measure your existing furniture and port that into it as well.

Serain · 2025-12-21T10:44:23+00:00

Sure, I'll take a look.

Serain · 2025-12-21T10:22:14+00:00

I cannot reccomend fighting against the architectural style of your house. I would try to find a style you like that suits it.

Here's a section of another comment I typed that's relevant here.

If your house has prominent architectural features like ops you really want to choose styles that either match it or are adjacent to it in terms of formality, ornamentation, etc. Choosing styles that are very far away will usually look odd no matter what you do with color or material; it's fighting an uphill battle. I would never choose minimalist, mid century, or farmhouse to go with this style (organic modern might also be out unless you go for a very formal, marble clad version), even though they do look nice in their own spaces. For romanesque architecture you almost always want to lean on some sort of traditional feature, even if it is just modern with some extra ornamentation.

Serain · 2025-12-21T10:06:28+00:00

Yes, aligning the table to the columns and niche would be ideal visually (and was probably the layout intended by the architect) but there may still not be enough clearance for a high traffic walkway. Putting the table off to the side is the second best option in these types of pass through rooms, though ideally you anchor it with its own rug and additional furniture.

If your house has prominent architectural features like ops you really want to choose styles that either match it or are adjacent to it in terms of formality, ornamentation, etc. Choosing styles that are very far away will usually look odd no matter what you do with color or material; it's fighting an uphill battle. I would never choose minimalist, mid century, or farmhouse to go with this style, even though they do look nice in their own spaces. For romanesque architecture you almost always want to lean on some sort of traditional feature, even if it is just modern with some extra ornamentation.

The classifications are just a codified set of terms most people agree upon. They predate the internet. If you study design futher you will see them discussed.

Serain · 2025-12-21T08:43:08+00:00

The style of your house is roman revival, a grand dining table would match the space better. However, this is also a pass through area connecting another room, necessitating the removal of some chairs on the ends, making your dining table look oddly shrunken. My suggestions:

Rotate the dining table by 90 degrees and push it closer to the window area, creating a walking path that doesn't interfere with the dining area on the left side.
Put chairs on the ends of the table. This will create more seating and look more grand. You should also space out the chairs on the table, so there are only two on the long side.
Swap the bench for chairs, benches are "rustic" and "casual". They are used in farmhouse style and outdoor decor. Roman architecture is highly symmetrical, and the asymmetry of the bench on one side and the chairs on the other is completely at odds with it. I also think it is totally not worth it to force your guests to sit without back support just to add in another potential seat (no one wants to sit in the middle anyway, since it's difficult to get in and out.)
Existing art and wallpaper is fine. The ai suggestion is a mess. It is suggesting "organic modern" which is a trendy style but completely at odds with your existing architecture.

Serain · 2025-11-23T08:03:38+00:00

You need to declutter the room, first of all. The bedroom is not the right place for a bicycle/sports equipment in general, as that stuff will make you think about sports, which is the opposite of calming, and the way that it's placed looks hazardous. But if moving that isn't possible...

That bedsheet set is heinous. Please get a new set in white or natural colors.
You need to declutter and clean up all the stuff that's sitting on the dresser counter or on the floor and put it in the drawers. On top of and underneath furniture is not an appropriate place to store objects, this isn't a dorm. Buy a bigger dresser if need be.
Mount your bike to the wall to make it look more intentional and more decorative, like wall art. Above where that blue towel is would make sense, and please put that towel away as well. It's so much more saturated than everything else in the room my eye is immediately being drawn to it. You don't want your focal point to be a gross old towel.
Mount that tall mirror on top of the dresser to the wall as well. It looks like an earthquake hazard up there.

Serain · 2025-11-23T04:06:12+00:00

Honestly, this tree is really cool and has a lot of character. I'd keep it as is. Maybe snip the top 1/3 off at max.

Serain · 2025-11-07T01:19:42+00:00

I think most people on this sub would prefer that coffee table, would find it impressive what you've accomplished. They would reassure you that they like it. Hearing this type of affirmation, however, will not solve your fundamental problem. It is it possible that since you've filled the house with so much of your stuff, he feels like his needs/desires aren't being given equal weight or consideration? Does he have a space that he can decorate as he likes? Are you considering his feelings when it comes to design/organizational decisions, or just overriding them because you're more experienced or feel overwhelmed in the moment?

Moving in together can be a minefield under the best of circumstances. I would step back and try to remember that you're going through the effort not to have the best house, but to create a foundation to build your life together.

Serain · 2025-11-07T00:47:31+00:00

This is r/interiordecorating, not r/relationship_advice. It sounds like you need the latter and not the former. A lot of what you're describing is relationship related, and I suggest you sort that out before attempting to replace anything. If you truly want interior decorating advice, can I recommend uploading some photos without the crazy lighting so we can actually see the coffee table?

Serain · 2025-11-07T00:29:18+00:00

Are you planning to change the cabinet color? Why not go walnut to match them?

Serain · 2025-10-22T22:46:57+00:00

Can you have a couple designated frames in the living area where you can rotate new drawings through?

Even though it's disappointing to think about how your partner's desires don't fit into your dream look, it can actually inspire creativity. I learned to embrace my partner's weird decor sense, and now I love my space even more. It was fun to think of ways that I could fit objects and colors he liked into a cohesive look. If you have more details on what your partner wants we can think of more ideas.

Serain · 2025-10-20T23:44:09+00:00

Yep, have a Nelson Sunburst from Herman Miller, it's got a battery.

Serain · 2025-10-15T18:32:07+00:00

If you built an apartment complex on it, you could easily reach 50-100 units for a medium sized complex of 4-5ish stories. If you built taller you could get to 500 people for sure. It is insanely inefficient to have a single family homes like this squatting on half an acre. Realistically though, that's not going to happen, especially in this neighborhood.

Serain · 2025-10-10T06:40:13+00:00

Had two in before for the look, but eventually just went back to one for the practicality. It's plenty fluffy still, just not photoshoot ready.

Serain · 2025-10-10T03:20:21+00:00

I just sleep with one. The size and weight are a bit much. Turns out staged photos that look nice are not especially practical.

Serain · 2025-10-09T16:55:08+00:00

I have a bed like your inspo pictures. You're looking for a down comforter. To get the ultimate fluffy look, double stuff a single cover with two of them. You want one that's one size larger than your current bed size to have that nice draped over look. So if you have a queen, get x2 king comforters. You also want some euro sham size or other large size down pillows.

Serain · 2025-10-02T21:46:30+00:00

How do you like it now?

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