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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-22-2005, 02:29 PM   #21
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

Speaking of pottery and big homes. Here is a 5500 sq ft contract job on 9 acres big bro and I did back in 1988 not too far from NYC. The 1000 sq ft barrel roofed wing (can't even see it from the other side) was the sculpting studio for the owner; obviously not his real job. The RE taxes on this home in 1989 => $21k. Kinda mish-mosh looking but it was his dream. Seems quite modest compared to the monsters out there today.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-27-2005, 06:07 PM   #22
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

60 Minutes had a segment tonight on McMansions. (BTW, there is evidently no truth to the rumor that the program title refers to the average remaining lifespan of the correspondents on the show. )

Morley Safer took the audience on a tour of several huge, austentatious houses and interviewed homeowners, builders, architects and others. There was discussion of how the size of upsale homes beiing built today had grown dramatically over the past few years. One described it as an "arms race" using house size for weaponry. Safer asked one of the architects how he would describe the style of the homes in the neighborhood of 10,000+ Sq Ft homes they were driving through. His answer: "vulgar".

One couple was showing Safer their new 11,000 Sq Ft house and he asked if there was anything they would change if they had to do it all over agan. They both said yes...he would have made the "gathering room" larger and she wanted more space in the breakfast room.



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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-27-2005, 06:16 PM   #23
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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Originally Posted by REWahoo!
60 Minutes had a segment tonight on McMansions.* (BTW, there is evidently no truth to the rumor that the program title refers to the average remaining lifespan of the correspondents on the show. )*

Morley Safer took the audience on a tour of several huge, austentatious houses and interviewed homeowners, builders, architects and others.* There was discussion of how the size of upsale homes beiing built today had grown dramatically over the past few years.* One described it as an "arms race" using house size for weaponry.* Safer asked one of the architects how he would describe the style of the homes in the neighborhood of 10,000+ Sq Ft homes they were driving through.* His answer: "vulgar".

One couple was showing Safer their new 11,000 Sq Ft house and he asked if there was anything they would change if they had to do it all over agan.* They both said yes...he would have made the "gathering room" larger and she wanted more space in the breakfast room.



I watched it. I found the homes/owners pretty nutty, but was not too surprised
by any of it.

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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-27-2005, 06:47 PM   #24
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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Originally Posted by REWahoo!


One couple was showing Safer their new 11,000 Sq Ft house and he asked if there was anything they would change if they had to do it all over agan. They both said yes...he would have made the "gathering room" larger and she wanted more space in the breakfast room.



Okay, I just have to ask: What in the hell is a "gathering room"? It sounds like another name for the viewing room at a funeral home.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-27-2005, 07:08 PM   #25
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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Okay, I just have to ask: What in the hell is a "gathering room"? It sounds like another name for the viewing room at a funeral home.
It appeared to be a large seating area with a grand piano just off the entry hallway. I think us non-McMansioneers would call it a living room.

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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-27-2005, 08:40 PM   #26
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

We saw it. DW turns to me and informs me that she needs more closets and a bigger bathroom. Since my house would fit in the "gathering room", she is correct, of course. I'm going to look more closely at the subject matter of these news programs; they could cost me money.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 01:36 AM   #27
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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I'm going to look more closely at the subject matter of these news programs; they could cost me money.*
You'd better delete HGTV from the channel playlist NOW...
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 04:20 AM   #28
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

I always wanted a red billard room with a stuffed camel. And a lawn with some S shaped hedges.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 05:31 AM   #29
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

Dh and I watched it too, our house could fit in one of the master bedrooms with room to spare. As I was watching it I kept thinking to myself, what the heck can the heating/ac bill be? Or the electric bill? And both Dh and I were surprised to see the town putting a stop to the teardowns, we just wondered how long they would be succesfull in stopping people. We both thought it was an interesting segment and agreed most of the houses were vulgar.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 07:16 AM   #30
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

Just curious - did they use the term "McMansion" on 60 minutes?

I am just fascinated by the people who think they need a house that big.* I honestly don't get it!!* In the late 80's we bought a 2500 sf house that we thought was enormous.* We had rooms we never used.* The heating bill was high (to us) even then.* After about 8 years, we thought, this is ridiculous, and we now live in an 1800 sf house, which is plenty for the 2 of us.* So when we see the 5000-10000+ homes, we just don't get it!!!* And we just ask each other, who ARE these people?* And how can they even afford the mortgage?* (OK, maybe they can't afford the mortgage...)

Give me smaller & simpler any day.

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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 07:41 AM   #31
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

It's another dimension of conspicuous consumption. These houses look ridiculous too. Like a bad case of architectural acne. I was appauled when I saw what happened to El Dorado Hills (outside of Sacramento). What a hideous sight! Sprawl! sprawl! sprawl! Bloated houses with faux castle like torrets on teeny lots.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 07:43 AM   #32
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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Originally Posted by Outtahere
Dh and I watched it too, our house could fit in one of the master bedrooms with room to spare.* *As I was watching it I kept thinking to myself, what the heck can the heating/ac bill be? Or the electric bill?* And both Dh and I were surprised to see the town putting a stop to the teardowns, we just wondered how long they would be succesfull in stopping people.* We both thought it was an interesting segment and agreed most of the houses were vulgar.*
I agree with the "vulgar" comment. *But, I think putting a "stop to the teardowns" is going too far. *If someone can buy the property and the new house meets local rules, then let 'em build it. *Of course, I believe the government
should mostly stay out of the way generally and let the "market" handle this stuff. *Big and vulgar should be okay. *There is no accounting for taste.

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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 07:57 AM   #33
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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I agree with the "vulgar" comment. *But, I think putting a "stop to the teardowns" is going too far. *If someone can buy the property and the new house meets local rules, then let 'em build it. *Of course, I believe the government
should mostly stay out of the way generally and let the "market" handle this stuff. *Big and vulgar should be okay. *There is no accounting for taste.

JG
Letting the "market" handle it...take a drive down US192 in Kissimmee Florida someday and look how "letting the market handle it" did to that town...what a god awful cesspool that place is...I am sure there are 100's if not thousands of other examples of towns that decided they really didn't need any proactive zoning regulations or land use laws...and see what they got.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 07:58 AM   #34
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

Check out this site as an alternative to McMansions: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm

Might actually be a nice alternative for some. I would love to have a cabon in the woods at some point, and something like this might do nicely.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 08:08 AM   #35
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

Reiterating my puke emoticon in my previous post...

El Dorado Hills -- Oh but these houses are ONLY 5000 sq ft :

http://www.tollbrothers.com/homesear...&comm_num=5326
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 08:53 AM   #36
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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Check out this site as an alternative to McMansions: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm

Might actually be a nice alternative for some.* I would love to have a cabon in the woods at some point, and something like this might do nicely.
Agreed. Or perhaps a mother-in-law house for the backyard?
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 08:54 AM   #37
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

Cube-rat.....are you near EDH? *I'm in Folsom....just on the backside of EDH. *

My neighborhood has houses from 3000 sq feet, down to 1670 which is my house. *I wouldn't want to clean anything larger than that. *My largest house was 1980 sq feet with a pool which was more than large enough for the 3 of us since I did all the cleaning my self. *Not my favorite pass time.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 08:57 AM   #38
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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Cube-rat.....are you near EDH? *I'm in Folsom....just on the backside of EDH. *

I'm actually on the coast, 15 minutes south of SF. I visited my new MIL last Christmas when she lived in a Mc Mansion in El Dorado Hills. :P
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 09:44 AM   #39
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

I watched 60 Minutes also. I second the request for a puke emoticon.

OTOH we hoped that by building pouring money into these outrageous edifices the owners are at least supplying decent construction wages to an army of laborers and craftspeople.

As to the no-teardown rule, I think its up to the individual community to legislate what it wants and believes is best for it's own wellbeing.
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions
Old 11-28-2005, 10:00 AM   #40
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Re: Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

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As to the no-teardown rule, I think its up to the individual community to legislate what it wants and believes is best for it's own wellbeing.
Agreed. If you want to build a large home, build it near other like-minded people or as far away from people as possible.

I believe the saying is: "A man's home is his castle." It is most assuredly not: "A man's castle is his home".
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