Yo, yo - it's been forEVAH, hasn't it? I think I've mentioned before that Ben travels a lot. In fact, some days I wonder if we should just call him our "house guest." So, when he's finally planted on Terra Firma, we pour a little wine, and I make him look at pictures of rooms and give commentary while I type verbatim into a blog post. This is our idea of Date Night - it's really cool, or really lame, depending on your point of view, but it's how we bond over design. ;)
First out of the gate...

Ben: Well, the first thing that jumps out at me is the Doctor's office carpet - what's up with that? They go for this eclectic look, and then they cheap out on the rug?
Me: The first thing I notice are the lines of the frame holding all those pictures above the mantel. I'd like it much more as a mirror.
Ben: Well, those orchids will die up there above that fire.
Me: It's staged, you know.
Ben: Yeah, but they could make it a tad more realistic. And, I don't know about the skill level of the "stylists." Check out those wires coming down from the lamps. Not good.
Me: And here I thought it was the color scheme that would get you all fired up.

Me: I really kinda like this room - amazing natural light - but the mismatched lamps make me cross-eyed. I need lamps to be in pairs - at least in this room.
Ben: I really don't like the chandelier, I don't think it matches the room at all.
Me: This room is totally NOT about "matching."
Ben: This rug is much better than the one in the first pic, but I wouldn't hang out in this room.
Me: Agreed on the rug, but I could totally hang in this room.

Ben: This is a joke, right?
Me: No, this is someone's very expensive, marble bathroom.
Ben: Well, then I guess it just goes to show money can't buy taste. If there was a party, and you were a little bit buzzed, or even a lot buzzed, and tried to take a leak in this bathroom, you'd probably get vertigo and end up puking. And then crashing into that almost-invisible shower. Oh, and what's that in the tile pattern below the window? You know what I think it looks like?
Me: We keep it pretty clean here at MLHP...
Ben: Well, it rhymes with sha nay nay.

Ben: First Impression: Cardboard Model. You could make a cardboard model of this room. Very easily.
Me: You know, you're messing with the work of Steven Gambrel, no one messes with the work of Steven Gambrel.
Ben: All those patterns make me think I'm supposed to see an image after staring at it for a few minutes. Another vertigo candidate.
Me: I'm not a big fan of the earth tones, but I appreciate that he went beyond the usual white moldings look.

Ben: Kinda dig it.
Me: The high gloss, yellow ceiling just sings it for me. I'm loving all the attention given to ceilings these days.
Ben: Why would you put the back of a chair next to a fireplace? I just think the room should center more around the fireplace.
Me: Point taken, but I think without seeing the rest of the room, I'll assume it all works out.

Ben: Why do you always pick out such oddball rooms to show me?

Me: I don't think they're oddball, I just pick rooms that seem to have a lot to discuss. Why don't you pick out a room?

....24 hours later...

Ben: OK - here's a room I really like. It happens to be in San Miguel.
Me: Aww, sweet - where we were married. What is it you like about this room?
Ben: I like that it doesn't look so "decorated." I like the white walls. A lot.
Me: So, you don't like it when interiors try so hard? You prefer there to be not as much of a "look."
Ben: Right. Interiors don't need to be over-thought. I mean, look, that old sconce thing fell off the wall, and they just said, "Screw it. Put it on the table, then."
Me: You know, some might argue that it actually takes more talent to pull off an "un-look," and still have it be very stylish and appealing. These owners are skilled designers.
Ben: OK, whatever, but that's my two cents.