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> Have you never shopped for textiles I mean, this[0] meme pretty much sums it up [0] https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/441/150/c01.jpg https:/

by lhorie 5y ago

> Have you never shopped for textiles I mean, this[0] meme pretty much sums it up [0] https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/441/150/c01.jpg https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/441/150/c01...

brimble 5y ago
From the image: "guys really live in apartments like this and don't see any issue" And we mean it. I see only two problems: 1) no extra seating for pals—c'mon, at least add a couple bean bags and a couple folding trays (in fairness, those may be put away off-frame), if you're not even playing local multiplayer or having friends over to watch TV/movies, why even bother with this much? 2) it'll probably turn off any woman who sees it. So not enough seating and women won't like it, are the only reasons I wouldn't be totally OK living like that if I were single. [EDIT] I spotted a third problem! There's not a Gamecube or N64 or Dreamcast sitting on the floor halfway between the TV and chair.
- ReactiveJelly 5y ago
  The chair-TV axis should run the other way, so you can walk from the door to the kitchenette without bumping into the chair. Other than that yeah... it's fine... I'm not gonna shame people for being minimal.
  - brimble 5y ago
    After thinking about this a bit, I don't think the minimalism is the problem. I think the main problem is that it looks both cheap and "low". TVs are "low" and having one so prominent makes the room look low-class. The room itself looks like a cheap apartment. The fix is to buy more stuff for the room—and especially to put on the walls—to compete with the TV so it's less prominent, or to keep things very minimal but replace the TV (too "low") with something else and re-do the entire room (chair included) to fit some minimalist trendy design. Like if this were an ultra-modern concrete room or something traditional-Japanese themed (walls, windows, flooring and all) it'd be Instagram worthy, even if it were just as minimal—but those are expensive looks to attain. No one would be saying the sleek designer room looked unlivable because it didn't have pictures on the walls or curtains or more furniture. Reminds me of Rusty's apartment in True Detective. His minimalism is (I think it's fair to say) at least in part a philisophical choice, which could look cool or respectable or impressive coupled with surroundings to make it so, but because it's a normal, cheap apartment with normal, cheap stuff (and not much of it), it just looks... well, cheap. That he doesn't care about making it nicer-looking and more in line with impressive takes on minimalism probably says something about his character—a preference for substance over appearance, for one, and maybe some other things. Or how "minimalism" trends in pop culture are often coupled with a consumerist focus on expensive, nice-looking items that'll still impress and signal certain things about the owner, while the same thing on a small budget usually looks far less impressive (because it's mostly cheap stuff). Tiny house vs. trailer home or RV. All that kind of thing. That the good couldn't have been acquired cheaply is about as important is its practical functionality, to certain buyers. Nobody wants to look at Wal-Mart minimalism, which is what this room is.
thaumasiotes 5y ago
I don't see the issue either.
- Rebelgecko 5y ago
  The single chair is a metaphor for loneliness and/or the death of couch co-op
  - thaumasiotes 5y ago
    I don't really have a problem sitting on the floor. It's carpeted.
aidenn0 5y ago
My bachelor pad looked exactly like that except I had a sofabed instead of the recliner; surely everyone has one friend that refuses to sleep on the floor?
gred 5y ago
Before I was married I had a bed... but I slept in a sleeping bag on the bed, to avoid the complication of sheets. I did have a pillow, though. It even had a pillowcase.
- JuanitaYoung 5y ago
  [dead]
- rambojazz 5y ago
  Washing a sleep bag sounds more of a complication than washing a blanket, though.
rambojazz 5y ago
In fact, high maintenance furniture would be even more of an issue than an empty room.
mcv 5y ago
That photo always reminds me of my wife's apartment when we first met. Her living room was almost totally empty. A super narrow bookcase here, two chairs there, a table in a corner, and everything else was just empty. Swathes of unused empty space between a handful of pieces of furniture. My house was the exact opposite: stuff everywhere. Any bit of empty space will immediately be put to use. And that is a thing my wife had a problem with, instead of all the empty.

by lhorie 5y ago

brimble 5y ago

From the image: "guys really live in apartments like this and don't see any issue" And we mean it. I see only two problems: 1) no extra seating for pals—c'mon, at least add a couple bean bags and a couple folding trays (in fairness, those may be put away off-frame), if you're not even playing local multiplayer or having friends over to watch TV/movies, why even bother with this much? 2) it'll probably turn off any woman who sees it. So not enough seating and women won't like it, are the only reasons I wouldn't be totally OK living like that if I were single. [EDIT] I spotted a third problem! There's not a Gamecube or N64 or Dreamcast sitting on the floor halfway between the TV and chair.

ReactiveJelly 5y ago
The chair-TV axis should run the other way, so you can walk from the door to the kitchenette without bumping into the chair. Other than that yeah... it's fine... I'm not gonna shame people for being minimal.
- brimble 5y ago
  After thinking about this a bit, I don't think the minimalism is the problem. I think the main problem is that it looks both cheap and "low". TVs are "low" and having one so prominent makes the room look low-class. The room itself looks like a cheap apartment. The fix is to buy more stuff for the room—and especially to put on the walls—to compete with the TV so it's less prominent, or to keep things very minimal but replace the TV (too "low") with something else and re-do the entire room (chair included) to fit some minimalist trendy design. Like if this were an ultra-modern concrete room or something traditional-Japanese themed (walls, windows, flooring and all) it'd be Instagram worthy, even if it were just as minimal—but those are expensive looks to attain. No one would be saying the sleek designer room looked unlivable because it didn't have pictures on the walls or curtains or more furniture. Reminds me of Rusty's apartment in True Detective. His minimalism is (I think it's fair to say) at least in part a philisophical choice, which could look cool or respectable or impressive coupled with surroundings to make it so, but because it's a normal, cheap apartment with normal, cheap stuff (and not much of it), it just looks... well, cheap. That he doesn't care about making it nicer-looking and more in line with impressive takes on minimalism probably says something about his character—a preference for substance over appearance, for one, and maybe some other things. Or how "minimalism" trends in pop culture are often coupled with a consumerist focus on expensive, nice-looking items that'll still impress and signal certain things about the owner, while the same thing on a small budget usually looks far less impressive (because it's mostly cheap stuff). Tiny house vs. trailer home or RV. All that kind of thing. That the good couldn't have been acquired cheaply is about as important is its practical functionality, to certain buyers. Nobody wants to look at Wal-Mart minimalism, which is what this room is.

thaumasiotes 5y ago

I don't see the issue either.

Rebelgecko 5y ago
The single chair is a metaphor for loneliness and/or the death of couch co-op
- thaumasiotes 5y ago
  I don't really have a problem sitting on the floor. It's carpeted.

aidenn0 5y ago

My bachelor pad looked exactly like that except I had a sofabed instead of the recliner; surely everyone has one friend that refuses to sleep on the floor?

gred 5y ago

Before I was married I had a bed... but I slept in a sleeping bag on the bed, to avoid the complication of sheets. I did have a pillow, though. It even had a pillowcase.

JuanitaYoung 5y ago
[dead]
rambojazz 5y ago
Washing a sleep bag sounds more of a complication than washing a blanket, though.

rambojazz 5y ago

In fact, high maintenance furniture would be even more of an issue than an empty room.

mcv 5y ago

That photo always reminds me of my wife's apartment when we first met. Her living room was almost totally empty. A super narrow bookcase here, two chairs there, a table in a corner, and everything else was just empty. Swathes of unused empty space between a handful of pieces of furniture. My house was the exact opposite: stuff everywhere. Any bit of empty space will immediately be put to use. And that is a thing my wife had a problem with, instead of all the empty.