test your taste

Test your taste. In the new year people often want to start fresh, or at least re-freshed.
If you’re tempted to do it yourself, great! But take this little tongue-in-cheek
New York Times Design magazine quiz to see if this is a good idea.

FOR EACH STATEMENT that rings true, give yourself the indicated number of points.

I know a “pop of color” is not a fruit-flavored soda. (0.5)

I like the symmetry of two Barcaloungers. (0.5)

I favor an eclectic approach to design, which has nothing to do with my mild hoarding problem. (0.5)

My toaster matches my fridge and oven. (1)

I regularly fantasize about home spas. (1)

I’ve spent at least 30 minutes of quality time with the Design Within Reach catalog. (1)

I believe if you buy what you truly love, it will all somehow harmoniously coexist. (1)

Every room has a mood or personality such as “playful,” “soothing” or “Middle-Eastern potentate.” (1)

I can’t help judging other people’s taste in décor, and I usually think my own is better. (1)

I think of my tabletop arrangements as little still-life compositions. (1)

I have Instagrammed at least one of these compositions. (1.5)

I can use the phrase “matchy-matchy” in a censorious remark softened by a touch of compassion. (1.5)

There should be a law against overhead lighting. (2)

An interior should have a collected, well-traveled look even if everything was acquired in the last five years in the same city. (2)

When it comes to choosing paint colors, I can agonize for weeks before narrowing it down to 11 shades of white. (2)

I have considered tossing all my books’ dust jackets and arranging their spines by color. (2)

When I’m a guest, I can’t control my impulse to surreptitiously dim the lamps. (2)

I always like to have at least one unexpected element in my rooms. (2)

I call that element a “moment.” (2.5)

I know the difference between a warm gray, a cool gray, a true gray and a “gray that doesn’t exactly sit up and bark.” (3)

My favorite cardio exercise is poofing all my pillows. (3)

Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams would make great names for a pair of dogs. (3)

Crystal chandeliers look totally appropriate in kitchens, bathrooms and four-car garages. (3)

I have strong opinions when it comes to the question “Is teal blue-green or green-blue?” (3)

When I travel, I bring my own accessories—photos in silver frames, imported textiles—to personalize my hotel room. (3)

I call everything from bud vases to drawer pulls the “jewelry” in a room. (3)

Flat-screen TVs just seem to belong over fireplaces, neck strain be damned. (3)

I’m fascinated by the stimulating dialogue between my sofa, chairs and coffee table. (4)

I worry that by 2018 the width and stain color of my hardwood flooring planks will look hopelessly 2016. (4)

I admit it: I once said chaise “lounge” instead of chaise “longue.” Of course, I was only 7 years old at the time. (4)

If there are too many skinny furniture legs in a room, I get anxious. It’s like being on a subway platform at rush hour. (5)

I mourn the scarcity of witty vanity stools. (5)

Instead of counting sheep at night, I name the 1,867 shades in the Pantone color chart. (5)
Now, add up your score…

0-25 points: You care about the way things look, but don’t quit your day job.

26-50 points: You are qualified to write the world’s 17,865th design blog, but don’t quit your day job.

Over 50 points: Quit your day job and hang out your shingle. Be sure the shingle is crafted of cerused oak.

***I understand only too well that this is the era of DIY. And whether you turned out to be a pro or not, you might be ready to refresh your rooms, I love collaboration, and ask you to consider partnering with me to bring your rooms new life in the best possible way. Check out the questionnaire on my website ABOUT YOU page. If you are interested, click here to tell me a little bit about yourself, or just use it to start your own thought process, especially if you are launching a major remodel.

Here’s to a wonderful year for you and your home!!!