housing got decoration hooks :((

I think this hook system is extremely flexibe.
It's about the closest thing we are going to get to a completely free system without actually making it so you can place tables in the ceiling or chairs on walls (ps. you should try that at home... it's harder than you'd think).

What I'd really like to know, though, is if my stronghold will look the same for all my characters in that legacy. In other words, if my sith warrior decorates his Nar Shaddaa stronghold with a ton of skulls and blood fountains, is my jedi consular going to faint when she enters her Nar Shaddaa stronghold and discovers it's been filled with skulls and blood fountains?

its ok with hooks for some ppl but why not let us turn is of? so we can place items where ever we want!

Agreed, it looks like a good compromise. Honestly, do you really need to place couches on the ceiling, or floating in the middle of the room?

Seems ok to me, but it will limit a lot of creativity. For instance, in WildStar one user created an entire Skate Park out of components. That kind of thing won't be possible in SWTOR. The complicated layouts you see in RIFT won't be possible either, but SWTOR's implementation is at least as good as most MMO's.

Agreed, it looks like a good compromise. Honestly, do you really need to place couches on the ceiling, or floating in the middle of the room?

I've seen that (or something like it) and personally I thought it looked awful and completely broke immersion. It didn't look like a house with decorations, it looked like the result of giving a mad man access to a level editor.

Well the point is that they can do that. It's not in the open world so you don't have to see it and you can make your house more traditional looking. But if that person wants to make a house like that then why stop them?

Because you can't design a system to please everyone. Just the majority.