Re-Decorators

The one thing I've not done with my apartment is decorate it well. Oh no, I don't live in a pit, but since I have had roommates for many years I decided not to try to make this place into a photo shoot for New York Magazine because I have people moving in for a few months to a year and don't want them to (a) take something as a souvenir or (b) destroy the place.

The apartment is comfy in look and feel, but that's about it. I can't see myself spending time and money on making it look like a showplace when I've got strangers trooping about.

Here are two experiences I've had with people and decor.

The phone call.

I get a call from a young gent who's doing an internship at the UN. Chatting with him on the phone, it becomes obvious that he has no clue about housing in the city, the city or reality itself. Oh to be a clueless naive college student again!

He asks me about the neighborhood, commuting and the usual things one asks. Then, for the first time I get this question

Guy: So what's the decor like?
Me (completely clueless): decor? What decor?
Guy: The decor of the apartment? How did you do it? Does the place look nice
Most renters are more concerned about location, location, location and budget, budget, budget than anything else.
Me: It's fine. Why?
Guy: Well, I want to live in a beautiful home.
Me; Look, I have people living here for anywhere from three months to two years; I don't know these people when they move in. This place is comfortably but not expensively done.
Guy: Why not? You live there?
Me: You want to pay for something you destroy? Would you like to spend time and energy on making a lovely home only to have someone either take pieces or wreck it?
Guy: Oh.

He saw it anyway but opted not to take it. Which is fine, if someone is more concerned with how something looks.....

Re-decorator number 2

A college student comes over to take a look at the apartment. As I'm showing him around, I'm giving him the spiel (I have it memorized), "So if you want to re-arrange the furniture in the bedroom you can. If you'd like to hang something up in the bedroom walls, you can. You'd live here, so I'd want you to feel that this is your home."

He looks around and walks through the kitchen.

"What about your stuff?" He looks at me expectantly.
"My stuff?
"Well I don't like anything of yours, where would you put your stuff?"
I take him gently by the arm and walk him to the front door.
"You know," I say, "I think you need to find your own place."
I open the door and shoo him out.