Recently an architect friend of mine directed me and some other design-conscious friends to a humorous website called Design Police. Created for the amusement of those who work in the graphic design field 
(or just appreciate the graphic arts), the concept got me thinking of pet peeves as they relate to the building arts. We all have them, and a few of mine include:
Grout Gripes: Using super white grout with anything but super white tile and using brightly colored grout with anything but a tile with a coordinating color. Either case is just harsh on the eyes. Unless your intention is for the grout pattern to stand out more than the tile itself, it’s rarely a good option. Plus, it tends to make even the most expensive tile and stone look cheap.
On Edge: Changing painted finishes and/or surfacing materials on an outside wall edge when there is no concealment trim or reveal into which you can stop the materials to ensure a clean, finished edge. Not only does this condition look sloppy and thoughtless, it can also compromise the integrity of the installation of the surface material at that edge.
Out of Tone: Mixing materials that have different undertones. Beige is not just beige – it can have an undertone of green, yellow, or peach, etc. Though the general public, when waiting in a lobby or shopping in a store, might not be able to identify that the gray vinyl floor, gray reception desk laminate, and gray chair fabric have undertones of blue, orange, and black, respectively, they will probably sense that something is amiss, which can subconsciously affect if their comfort level about that business.
If you want to share some of your irks and irritations, shoot us an email – with Pet Peeves in the subject line – to contact@plinthandchintz.com, and we’ll publish them in a future issue. Because sometimes you just have to let it out.
Laura McDonald Stewart, ASID / IIDA
Interior Designer / Founder
