Just some observations based on a personal experience.
I had posted the following onto a local forum, asking for opinions.
"Hi, I would really appreciate your opinions.
We have a long, bare and boring wall as shown in the picture here:
We're thinking of adding some interest to it by putting up some pictures in a gallery style. This is the tentative layout we have come up with:
What do you think?
TIA. :)"
The comments I got from the forum based in Singapore tended to be negative and critical:
"HI
i dun think e combination of e paper looks good, think abit messes. furthmore, if u will to put them together, u ve to co-ordinate them well cos if yr backgrounds r too colorful. will not be too pleasant."
"dun think put so many photos there in that many kind of combo will look nice."
"You can get some ideas of how to hang photo frames and combine them from mags - try borrowing books from library to give you ideas. Check out some tips before trying it...otherwise looks messy and not well-put together."
(erm, where did she think I came up with the idea in the first place? Off the top of my head? Unfortunately, I'm not so creative. Or shd I read it as - Err, I consulted design magazines and books, and came up with that idea, and it still stinks? Man, I really stink at this, huh?)
And then I got responses that did not comment on what I asked an opinion of (the tentative layout), but simply suggested I do something else (Does the lack of a positive response imply a negative response? You know, if you can't say anything nice...)
"How abt putting a mirror?"
"How about doing a feature wall using wallpaper? There are so many kinds of wallpaper to choose from. It will make the room look more interesting, yet fit the theme of the house."
"Do not place anything along the path (eg. table) which do not look good."
"how abt put a clock there? buy a nice one.. not too small also.. "
If I had thinner skin and lower self-esteem, I would be so demoralised. Not a single person even remotely liked my idea. Instead, every single one suggested something else I could do. It felt like the general consensus was "Hey, why don't you do xxx? (Because your idea stinks!)
Only two posters were constructive in their criticism, and helped by posting pictures to help me visualise.
Feeling somewhat disgruntled, I decided to get a second opinion and posted the same information on 2 US-based boards, even adding "Or do you think I should forget it and do something else entirely?"
The comments I got were vastly different:
"I think that would look great! Make sure the sizes you have up there match the frames you could find and the pictures you have, obviously!"
"I took a look at your pictures and here is what I think:
Good idea to put up the brown paper before hammering nails in the wall—I have learned the hard way! I like your idea of putting up pictures (I assume of your family and friends). I would suggest spreading it out slightly, because it might look cramped once the frames are all up, but that is just my opinion. Are you planning to use frames in different colors or are they all going to be one color?
Great idea!"
" I like the picture arrangement you have showed us. One thing to think about is how you plan to accesorize the piece of furniture under the pictures. What varying heights of objects you'll put there, etc. will make a difference in how low your pictures are, and also whether you want the pictures straight across the bottom."
"I think that would be a great idea! What type of art are you looking to place on your wall? And are you going to have it framed?"
"I have the same concerns that SSRT has. The piece of furniture below the gallery of pictures is low and long, the grouping you have designed is high and long. There will be a large gap between them that will give you an empty feeling to your arrangement. You normally don't want that much space between the bottom of your lowest picture or art piece and the top of your furniture piece. You are showing enough individual pieces in your arrangement that you could easily solve the problem by allowing more space between pictures from top to bottom. Also I'm wondering what another poster is wondering, that is what type of frames and are they going to be the same finish or color, not matching each other but working together in your gallery. You think you have a great idea going there and I hope you don't give up on it I really like it and think you'll be well pleased when you get it finished."
"I like your arrangement of brown paper..but since you're not intending to place anything under the photos, why not etend them down the wall a bit? Try placing the photos a palmswidth apart and above/below from each other just for fun. I feel that the way it is now asks for something to be placed under it."
I felt that the comments made were more constructive, more "hey, your idea doesn't stink, but here are some things to consider"
Are the difference in opinions and the way they are expressed due to attitude difference? A difference in culture? Like how westerners tend to be brought up in a more encouraging environment and manner, and giving praise is more natural to them, and how asians are supposed to be more conservative and stingy with praise?
Or am I just one of those people who only hears what they want to hear? - "Don't like my idea? Nevermind, I'll find someone who will!"
I had posted the following onto a local forum, asking for opinions.
"Hi, I would really appreciate your opinions.
We have a long, bare and boring wall as shown in the picture here:
We're thinking of adding some interest to it by putting up some pictures in a gallery style. This is the tentative layout we have come up with:
What do you think?
TIA. :)"
The comments I got from the forum based in Singapore tended to be negative and critical:
"HI
i dun think e combination of e paper looks good, think abit messes. furthmore, if u will to put them together, u ve to co-ordinate them well cos if yr backgrounds r too colorful. will not be too pleasant."
"dun think put so many photos there in that many kind of combo will look nice."
"You can get some ideas of how to hang photo frames and combine them from mags - try borrowing books from library to give you ideas. Check out some tips before trying it...otherwise looks messy and not well-put together."
(erm, where did she think I came up with the idea in the first place? Off the top of my head? Unfortunately, I'm not so creative. Or shd I read it as - Err, I consulted design magazines and books, and came up with that idea, and it still stinks? Man, I really stink at this, huh?)
And then I got responses that did not comment on what I asked an opinion of (the tentative layout), but simply suggested I do something else (Does the lack of a positive response imply a negative response? You know, if you can't say anything nice...)
"How abt putting a mirror?"
"How about doing a feature wall using wallpaper? There are so many kinds of wallpaper to choose from. It will make the room look more interesting, yet fit the theme of the house."
"Do not place anything along the path (eg. table) which do not look good."
"how abt put a clock there? buy a nice one.. not too small also.. "
If I had thinner skin and lower self-esteem, I would be so demoralised. Not a single person even remotely liked my idea. Instead, every single one suggested something else I could do. It felt like the general consensus was "Hey, why don't you do xxx? (Because your idea stinks!)
Only two posters were constructive in their criticism, and helped by posting pictures to help me visualise.
Feeling somewhat disgruntled, I decided to get a second opinion and posted the same information on 2 US-based boards, even adding "Or do you think I should forget it and do something else entirely?"
The comments I got were vastly different:
"I think that would look great! Make sure the sizes you have up there match the frames you could find and the pictures you have, obviously!"
"I took a look at your pictures and here is what I think:
Good idea to put up the brown paper before hammering nails in the wall—I have learned the hard way! I like your idea of putting up pictures (I assume of your family and friends). I would suggest spreading it out slightly, because it might look cramped once the frames are all up, but that is just my opinion. Are you planning to use frames in different colors or are they all going to be one color?
Great idea!"
" I like the picture arrangement you have showed us. One thing to think about is how you plan to accesorize the piece of furniture under the pictures. What varying heights of objects you'll put there, etc. will make a difference in how low your pictures are, and also whether you want the pictures straight across the bottom."
"I think that would be a great idea! What type of art are you looking to place on your wall? And are you going to have it framed?"
"I have the same concerns that SSRT has. The piece of furniture below the gallery of pictures is low and long, the grouping you have designed is high and long. There will be a large gap between them that will give you an empty feeling to your arrangement. You normally don't want that much space between the bottom of your lowest picture or art piece and the top of your furniture piece. You are showing enough individual pieces in your arrangement that you could easily solve the problem by allowing more space between pictures from top to bottom. Also I'm wondering what another poster is wondering, that is what type of frames and are they going to be the same finish or color, not matching each other but working together in your gallery. You think you have a great idea going there and I hope you don't give up on it I really like it and think you'll be well pleased when you get it finished."
"I like your arrangement of brown paper..but since you're not intending to place anything under the photos, why not etend them down the wall a bit? Try placing the photos a palmswidth apart and above/below from each other just for fun. I feel that the way it is now asks for something to be placed under it."
I felt that the comments made were more constructive, more "hey, your idea doesn't stink, but here are some things to consider"
Are the difference in opinions and the way they are expressed due to attitude difference? A difference in culture? Like how westerners tend to be brought up in a more encouraging environment and manner, and giving praise is more natural to them, and how asians are supposed to be more conservative and stingy with praise?
Or am I just one of those people who only hears what they want to hear? - "Don't like my idea? Nevermind, I'll find someone who will!"
Comments
Post a Comment