The Death of Flair: As Friday's Goes Minimalist, What Happens to the Antiques?

Collectors Weekly ^ | 11AUG16 | Lisa Hix

[niteowl77]

As Friday's Goes Minimalist, What Happens to the Antiques?

Well, if they have a nice, big old Chicago & North Western depot/bridge sign, I have a home for it (at least until I, like "flair," pass on).

Mr. niteowl77

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Ha! I remember that scene.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

I was thinking Ikea as well.

[GnuThere]

That is really hideous.
It could not be more vanilla and nondescript if they tried.
Wow.

[Yardstick]

Great post. Fascinating back story that I was almost totally unaware of. The writer’s angle is interesting in that it’s from the antique collector perspective and written for that world.

[Yardstick]

“It doesn’t matter if you have a big or small menu, as long as you have quality food and clean acoustics."

I'd like to hear his thinking on this.

[philled]

Thanks—a fascinating read.

[Albion Wilde]

Love this article. Thank you for posting it! Sending it to a local auctioneer friend.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Maybe they could do something radical like... improve the food?

Maybe hire a cook that knows how to produce something besides nearly raw and burnt to a crisp?

I know it is not nearly as interesting as putting fake "antiques" in your restaurants but you might get people to eat there more then once.

Just a thought.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

Bkmk

[Rome2000]

BTT

[TianaHighrider]

Sort of same of what I was thinking. It looks to me like they went from while and crazy (circus?) straight into the sterile institution. No stimulation at all. Maybe because all the snowflakes are used to the 'safe rooms' that are popping up everywhere now. The new sterile settings have Nothing to 'trigger them' or spur any emotions. Nothing to think about, inspire, or heavens forbid, upset them.

[TianaHighrider]

Opps on my typo~ "while and crazy " ... = should be 'wild and crazy'. Silly me, not even 10pm on a Saturday night and getting tired. I have to get out more. Good thing Spring is upon us.

[lee martell]

I would go to the theater to watch a full length documentary film on this topic, especially if it had the right music as background.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Office Space Flair......

[Tax-chick]

Maybe there’s no point in having decor, because the customers are all staring at their phones.

[Yardstick]

To me this is the “flat versus skeuomorphism” UI debate playing out in restaurant design, with flat apparently winning. That is, restaurants are being restyled to look like the minimalist user interface you get on a modern mobile device. Or at least they’re being influenced by the flat aesthetic.

https://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/56153/is-skeumorphism-dead

https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/skeuomorphism-is-dead-long-live-skeuomorphism

[TianaHighrider]

Thank you. Again I am educated don FR.
The “flat versus skeuomorphism”.
It seems to me, the ‘skeuomorphism’ takes more inspiration, thought, and work.

I can understand how the flat can be nice in ways of yes, this was done faster, cheaper, and serves it purpose.
It is like the economy model idea. Or, less skilled designers. Maybe all those economy foreign programmers and workers they are bringing in after getting rid of their more mature and experienced workforce?

[TianaHighrider]

That was one of my thoughts too. Everyone is looking at their phones so why should they spend much money on their décor.

I went out to dinner with my father last night. I noticed a few families where one or more of the adults had their head stuck in their phones for a great deal of the time. Very sad.

But you know, that is all the more reason to make the place more interesting or engaging. Something to encourage conversations - or at least thought.

[Tax-chick]

Many places have televisions in every direction. I guess it’s a financial call: cost of decor, tv screens or whatever vs. customers’ spending more.