# What to decorate my house with that will upset the neighbors just a little? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 9, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222 "2012-09-09T19:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/41 "2012-09-10T03:55:28Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > I’m a big fan of [Dazzle camouflage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazzle_camouflage). You can always claim to be hiding from the Germans if anyone mentions the war. [_ **DON’T mention the WAR!** _](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xnNhzgcWTk) ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/42 "2012-09-10T04:10:33Z")
It would be a pretty major undertaking, but how about a picture of the room on the other side of the wall? ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/43 "2012-09-10T04:13:14Z")
I vote for a truly random religious-themed message. Look at the [Black Bodybuilding Jesus on a Rainbow in Charleston](http://charlestondailyphoto.blogspot.com/2009/01/church-photo-in-lieu-of-attendance_18.html) for inspiration. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/44 "2012-09-10T04:44:21Z")
[El Barto](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1315/699838670_58becfc80f.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/45 "2012-09-10T05:02:00Z")
“Rejoice! Reverend Moon has risen!!!” ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/46 "2012-09-10T05:04:47Z")
“NAMBLA Headquarters” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/47 "2012-09-10T11:00:25Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Just to throw cold water on a great idea… I checked your location, and you’re in Door County. One of the most peaceful, zen places I’ve ever visited. Full of boats and homemade pies. I mean, it’s a peninsula, man. How about having a “peninsula” burst out of a man’s pants? > [@davidm](#): > > How about some words in giant letters. > > “I LIVE NEXT TO _neighbor’s name_!” > > or > > “I LOVE _neighbor’s name_” > > or > > “_neighbor’s name_ DOES NOT LIVE HERE!” > > Any of those would probably be quite perplexing and annoying. Especially if I changed those daily. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/48 "2012-09-10T14:03:02Z")
Get one fairly dark saturated color and some white. Start painting at the bottom with the dark color and every board or two add some white, so by the time you reach the top you have a nice gradient paint job. Unusual, fun, and requires no skill whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/49 "2012-09-10T14:17:56Z")
A mural of 3 guys peacefully fishing on the lake in a boat; one in a Bears jersey, one in a Vikings jersey & one in a Green Bay jersey. Bonus points if underneath it, in quotes, was “I’d like to teach the World to Sing…in Perfect Harmony…!” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/50 "2012-09-10T14:21:01Z")
Paint job like [this](http://thehumanhabitat.tumblr.com/post/18326587960/art-arch). Or, just put some big bugs on it. Hit a junkyard, get some mufflers, exhaust pipes, and antennas, and build yourself some giant cockroaches. Arrange them scampering playfully over your house. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/51 "2012-09-10T14:46:29Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Paint job like [this](http://thehumanhabitat.tumblr.com/post/18326587960/art-arch). WOW! How the heck did they DO that? ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/52 "2012-09-10T16:14:28Z")
If you want easy you can paint the house Jackson Pollock style. Just a throw, flick, and splash a bunch of paint on there! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/53 "2012-09-10T16:37:56Z")
The last time I lived in an apartment, I mentioned to the landlord that the place _really_ could use a paint job. He told me he had no problem with me buying paint and doing the job myself, but he wasn’t gonna do or pay for it. I bought a dozen jars of hobby paint and some brushes. One Sunday I had my kids (they were 6 and 9) over and we painted. Suns, animals, flowers, words, etc. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/54 "2012-09-10T17:19:57Z")
You can get chalk board paint, white board paint and magnetic paint. All are expensive, but you could change the message/drawing whenever you get the urge. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/55 "2012-09-10T17:30:12Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > There are some good but complex ideas posted. I vote for going simple: polkadots… > > Multicolored polkadots. If you have never seen [the Heidelberg Project,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Project) it’s worth stumbling across like we did while driving through Detroit one time. My suggestion: Che Guevara portrait. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/56 "2012-09-10T18:06:31Z")
What fun! There’s an old derelict apartment building in San Francisco at the corner of 6th and Howard Sts. that has various items of old furniture stuck to the side of the building (you can see it on Google Street View). It makes a nice conversation piece. My other suggestion is [this](http://media.photobucket.com/image/rocky%20horror%20picture%20show%20lips/Dani-Death/Myspace/RockyHorrorPictureShow_Logo05.jpg?o=20), the lips from Rocky Horror Picture Show. You would probably want to get a huge photo enlargement on canvas (probably only a few hundred dollars!) in order to get the detail. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/57 "2012-09-10T18:31:09Z")
Giant eye, staring back at them. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/58 "2012-09-10T18:34:43Z")
I had a friend that painted the cover of the Clash’s **London Calling** across his tiny cottage. He left it a couple of years and then painted over it. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/59 "2012-09-10T20:37:15Z")
> [@Ludy](#): > > Get one fairly dark saturated color and some white. Start painting at the bottom with the dark color and every board or two add some white, so by the time you reach the top you have a nice gradient paint job. Unusual, fun, and requires no skill whatsoever. Neat idea, but in my case it would have to be left-to-right or right-to-left, as my siding is more vertical than horizontal. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222/60 "2012-09-10T20:54:28Z")
[Hand turkeys!](http://www.google.com/search?q=hand+turkey&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Bar&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VlNOUPO6AcfJyAHLy4GwDQ&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1261&bih=865) Lots and lots of hand turkeys!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-decorate-my-house-with-that-will-upset-the-neighbors-just-a-little/634222.md?page=4)