lindi, I love Dwell Magazine! California used to be innovative with the mid-century modern house, the open floor plan and the sliding patio door. Then we gave up the innovation to go retro with Spanish/Mexican revival and Italianate architecture. Our furniture became some strange eccletic style (see Jerome’s furniture). I call that the “Dynasty” effect. Remember the Carringtons?
I’m hoping for simplicity and beauty to prevail over bling.
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studenteconomist, i agree with you. Goods that were previously luxuries are now commodities. Often times the only thing that differentiates a commodity from a luxe item is marketing. We owe this to the manufacturing revolution. I can observe that when I travel to poor countries. They too have their houses filled with junk. It will take another century more (if ever) for people’s desires to acquire stuff to subside.
We are now entering a service revolution, with nails, spa, car washers, cable television, internet, cell phones, etc…
A whole lot of people have $250/month cable/internet/phone bills. I have no cable and my Internet is the basic DSL at $12.99. I wouldn’t even have a cell phone if it weren’t work related. Between HOA and other service junk, our generations today pay at least $500/mo more than our parents.