Are white shelves universal around the world ?

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Due to the lock down there are lots of interviews on TV with people in their homes.

It is very interesting (ok nosey:)) to see into peoples homes. The vast majority in the UK have white shelves
behind the person, with books and photos of family carefully arranged on display to show they are caring,
family centric people. (I have no problem with that at all)

First question to amuse ourselves; Are white shelves with books and photos universal around the world?

Secondly has anybody seen an Easy Rider poster on the wall behind the person being interviewed? :D

Are white shelves universal around the world ?
 
Ugh, you've just reminded me, I had a large (+/- 6ft x 5ft) b/w Easy Rider poster, my father put it under the lino along with a load of other posters from the 70's when I was living in Amsterdam; when I complained he said 'you weren't using it' which I thought a bit rich considering his shed was full of 'useful' crap!

I've not seen one in an interview yet, I keep trying to read the book titles & evaluate the spines to see if they have been read (difficult without a 4k TV).

PS I also have white bookshelves & a classic IKEA Xpedit stuffed with vinyl; Paul Merton has an enormous DVD collection behind him on HIGNFY
 
We moved into our present home in Aug./02 .... previously we lived in an edge of town house I built in ‘92 all shelving and finish work was done in natural finish pine .... our home now circa 1955, did come with built in white shelving and cupboards around the fireplace ( now propane) in the main living room ... during our complete renovation the unit around FP got a repaint , in white, although my wife insisted I paint the inside wall of the unit a different colour , thought at the time it was a test of my cutting in skills , it was a tedious task .... so from my perspective yes 2 out 3 homes we have lived in had white shelving units somewhere .... have not seen an Easy Rider poster yet as I don’t often expose myself to the ongoing news frenzy , I did watch the film though recently as it was offered free on one of movie stations .... your thread may generate some original responses , good luck !
 
My shelves are natural pine... because I'd guess a lot of 'white' shelving/bookcases will be laminate faced chipboard (maybe MDF), the former of which is ideal for bookcases for people with no books! Totally useless at bearing any weight above paperback size, but didn't stop MFI, Argos et al peddling them to the masses. Photos of children, sisters and pets :)
 
Those backgrounds of the "blathering heads" you see have been meticulously laid out my the networks set decorator and producers.
They know that one of the first messages sent is how their "stars" home is viewed.
If the place is a dump the background is very tight and non descript.
One of the things that is a huge no-no is displaying too much opulence. The networks are very very aware of what you are seeing as well.
 
I did notice on the shelf of an American being interviewed a book in the shelf, to me it seemed rather “placed” the title along the spine was “well weird America”

secondly, I bought a version of the Easy Rider poster 40 or so years ago and kept it rolled in its container in top of a wardrobe in the bedroom for the 25 or so years we’ve been in this house. A couple of years ago we bought new furniture and when I removed the old wardrobes I couldn’t find the poster - “oh I threw that old thing out a few years ago” she said. I still remind her occasionally.
 
I did notice on the shelf of an American being interviewed a book in the shelf, to me it seemed rather “placed” the title along the spine was “well weird America”

secondly, I bought a version of the Easy Rider poster 40 or so years ago and kept it rolled in its container in top of a wardrobe in the bedroom for the 25 or so years we’ve been in this house. A couple of years ago we bought new furniture and when I removed the old wardrobes I couldn’t find the poster - “oh I threw that old thing out a few years ago” she said. I still remind her occasionally.

Grounds for divorce.
 
No, white shelves are not universal. Look at the universal furniture chain IKEA. They sell all kinds of bookshelves they can make a profit on. My guess is that the people interviewed on TV are people with tidy homes. For some obscure reason they prefer white shelves.
People with nothing better to do than keeping their homes tidy, don't have motorcycles. Therefore no Easy Rider posters.
 
25 years ago I realised that I needed to do something about the ugly wiring that came with music center , sterio speakers ,video machine ,TV etc. At that time I was working at a Famous London College where there was a skip load of Brazilian Mahogany Lab Worktops being scrapped. These I turned into bespoke HD shelving and Tudor style wall panels To fill the wall recesses either side of the lounge fireplace incorporating concealed ducts for all the electrics and shaped to support the deeper TY/sterio etc. They also house my collection of bike books etc. Considering I only did carpentry at school I think it came out well. MY pictures on the wall are of me and boys on bikes at the IOM etc. The wifes pictures are of Kids and holliday scenes. Cannot imagine living in the white empty sterile spaces that are popular now.In my humble abode it amuses me to think of the Carved initials of the Famous heroes and leaders of the last 100 or more years that are now waiting to be discovered on the back of my shelves.
 
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Mind you, as Norton owners aren't we 'old school' I buy CDs to the amazement of some: 'Why don't you download?' is the usual question. And for some Kindle rules as well, so shelf space for these people doesn't become the necessity it is for people like me who still trips over the piles on the floor!!
 
I think the idea behind white shelving is better product visibility in retail stores. As far as what people put in their homes, taste is a matter of taste.
 
I just finished my bathroom reno everything is white, white ceiling, white walls, white tiles, white trims, white shelves, white toilet, bath and sink, everything is white except the floor and now when I sit on the toilet I got to wear my sunnies, white, white, white, am I going crazy lol, its so frigging bright.

Ashley
 
Just be glad you don't have hard Thames water ,within a few weeks it would al be yellow ,yellow .
 
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