I think there’s a clear reason why the author’s kitchen has a lived-in, personalized feel while the real estate listing does not, and it’s not particularly phil

I think there’s a clear reason why the author’s kitchen has a lived-in, personalized feel while the real estate listing does not, and it’s not particularly philosophical. The author’s kitchen was designed by the author, who knows exactly what he likes, exactly what would make his kitchen reflect his authentic, messy self. The same is true of the pastoral kitchen scene, regardless of what one thinks of it aesthetically—it was designed by and for its own inhabitants and their unique quirks. The real-estate property was designed without knowing who would inhabit it, or what their tastes and preferences would be. There are thousands of potential owners, and the important thing if you want to sell a property is to alienate as few of them as possible. Thus, homes that are designed without one buyer in mind tend to feature middle-of-the-road aesthetics that as many people as possible will find acceptable, even if none of them feel like it’s their perfect kitchen with all the little touches that make them their own unique selves. The majority of people can tolerate a clean space, but we are each messy in our own unique way. Someone else’s messiness might be intolerable to me, and mine to them. I’m not sure how to scale the kind of design that feels messy and human, since most people have neither the time to build their own living space from scratch nor the resources to hire someone to create a bespoke space just for them.