Decorations NOT to Feature In Your Model Unit

Look at this thing. Just look at it.

It may remind you of a bunch of shiny hubcaps, hanging on a garage wall. Or perhaps some wet cooking bowls drying by a sink. Maybe a stadium light fixture? It’s not. It’s actually a decoration—something to supposedly make a space more attractive.

I looked at items like this all last week. For the life of me, I don’t understand why most of them saw the light of day—let alone were used to actually sell homes. Besides this terrible mirror, I also spotted a number of egregiously ugly items around town: Painted sticks in a vase, iridescent neon curtains, and the chandeliers—don’t get me started. Oh, also, there was this wavy bed frame thingy:

Developers and real estate agents are always commenting on high-end finishes and how the stainless steel/granite counter look is so over. But if model units are supposed to make the first impression, I think it’s time to focus on interior design.  For a crash course in how to keep it clean and simple, check out Union Row on 14th Street: