In defense of Keep Calm and Carry On

There's an interesting discussion going on over at Little Green Notebook questioning whether or not design bloggers and long-time blog readers are overexposed to design.  One of the examples many of the commenters used is the Keep Calm and Carry On poster.  Almost everyone on the blogosphere will agree that this has been used and over-used and many are tired of seeing it.

As seen in my nursery 

In fact, I was a little self-conscious about posting the photos of my nursery that had the poster in it (I even made a defensive comment about it in the captions).  I was afraid the cool kids might not take me seriously.  So Junior High right?

Grant K. Gibson used it for the teen's bathroom in the Elle Decor showhouse 

Then I remembered, I am neither cool nor a designer, and I like the poster.  When it's 3 a.m. and you're baby has just vomited all over you after you changed three diapers in a row, as your husband snores in the next room, it is perfect advice.  Also, everybody that visits my nursery singles that poster out as something they love in the room.  It still makes a great gift for friends and it's a cute way to add some color to the room. 

As seen in this kitchen in House Beautiful 

I think, perhaps, the reason people bloggers are so sick of it, is because it is everywhere.  It's a curious case of something that is in the public domain because the copyright has expired and thus anyone is free to use it and profit from it.  I will admit, I sometimes groan when I see it on design blogs, but strangely it doesn't seem to bother me when I see it in my own home.  It makes me happy.  

A cute variation for a children's birthday party via Hostess with the Mostess 

So I will unapologetically keep the tired old poster up in the nursery and thirty years from now when the trend has recycled for the third time, I can look back at pictures of my little boy's nursery and remember how cool I was.  I'm going to love it for like ever.