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The thing is, I spend way more time in my “public spaces” than any visitor ever does, and my little gathering of vintage photos of generations of family makes me super happy. Hopefully the discomfort they cause will be offset by the supreme pleasure of my company! 😉
The only people I invite into my home love my favorite tiny human (my daughter) and understand the wonderful relationships I had with my parents (both deceased) so they understand that these people are the greatest influences on who I am as a person. Don’t like my Momma? Gtfo of my house. Thanks 😊 ❤️
I did not agree with this either- nor the TV over the fireplace, if the fireplace is centered, how do you set up the seats to face a corner tv and a fireplace?
@@radhiadeedou8286 seriously. She talks about "save that space for artwork you love"... 1st of all, photography is an ART form and I didn't pay all that money to hide them!!! Also! I don't want to look at someone's family photo when I'm pooping and vulnerable. Keep it in the livingroom!!! 2nd, there might be "artwork" that makes guests feel uncomfortable... I'm there more than them obviously. It's my space so I'm gonna do it how I want! And if you don't like it you don't have to come over!
Oh, Lisa, I love most of your advice but I must say this: My living room is not a public space and if someone is in there and they feel uncomfortable with pictures of my family, then they must have entered my house by mistake and are lost.
totally silly. It is a really huge mistake to put photos up of your family....we get it. The family lives in the space! Maybe one photo of the whole crew together in the den....fine, but there are phones now and photo albums if people want to see all the photos of the people living in the house....or dead relatives. Im glad she said it.
In total agreement. Why put other things on the wall when we can showcase and celebrate our family members by handing their pictures on our walls? Overwhelming 'yes' to family pictures on the walls and throughout the house.
I can't find anyone else to hang my family photos on their walls so I'm it! I also love seeing family photos in other people's homes... It makes a house, a home!
That was such a strange tip 🤔 You are not to have pictures you enjoy and that evoke great memories and moments in the room you spend most of your time in, but put it in the bathroom or a hallway?!?
I guess it can apply to mega mansions where total strangers coming in to do all sorts of chores. This advice doesn’t apply to o95% of the home owners in USA
lol i'm sorry, did i hear correctly, are we now viewing living rooms as ''public spaces''? it's your space, hang whatever you want and feel happy spending your days surrounded by
Željka!! When I say "public spaces," I'm talking about the rooms that the guests will be in your home the most!! 😁 You can totally decorate your room ANY way you want, this is just my thoughts on this topic!!!
S3:E12 "Friends & Family" in Schitt's Creek, in which the plot surrounds the Roses' gigantic family portrait from their old mansion now in a tiny motel, demonstrates Lisa's rule #5 so well.
I can see where she's coming from with the photos. Having like a big main pic of your whole family or a couple of little ones throughout the room is fine, but I work as a nanny for a family that literally has photos of them on every square inch of every wall and it's incredibly overwhelming. I'm talking giant 50-photo collages on every hallway, pics by the kitchen sink, giant canvases, and even a pic in the bathroom. They stare at me while I'm on the toilet and it's super awkward. Keep that shit to a minimum
I laughed when I saw the family picture restriction recommendation. While attending an Open House realty tour, I recognized several people in a photo on a credenza. I thought oh that’s Dr. So and So…then I recognized a famous Director of many adventure films. A very interesting home tour. But like most, I agree with live with what you love comments. Mom, Dad and the gang and other loved faces! Love You Lisa!
I agree! Photos in public spaces are odd. Keep you living room to a minimum with the family photos. This space should be an opportunity to create new memories, not sit and reflect on old ones. If guests are interested in viewing photos from your recent vacation, they will inquire and the moment is sweeter when you share those photos.
I agree about the photos. Put them in a hallway and make a gallery wall. It makes more sense and looks great. My mom taught me this through her decorating and I've just always done it that way. It's pretty cool too because you can give your kids a history lesson about their ancestors too. 😉 Unless you're the queen of England, don't put a huge picture of yourself and your family above the fireplace. Its tacky and uninspired jmo.
Am I the only one who doesn’t want family photos in my bedroom? I have some in other areas of my apartment (and they’re public), but my bedroom is a place to relax and at times, my family stresses me out more than anything else in my life. 🤔🤔
I like my family photos in scrapbooks. I feel like all the pictures are watching me. My first house I bought had owl wallpaper. Solid owls, rust and brown foil. Good thing it was our third bathroom. Didn’t use it til the wallpaper was removed!
I prefer my family photos on my electronic devices rather than on display in my home. There was a fleeting moment when I wondered if the lack of photos appeared odd to visitors, but I decided I really don’t care what they think about that. My apartment is just under 1000 sq.ft. and I think family photos look cluttered in this space.
I don't like staring at photos anywhere in my space. I leave the photos in albums and on my electronic devices to share with people if they are curious. I have the photos in my phone and it makes a great display.
But think about your guests, do you want your family to stress them out too. I say burn it all and just copy a magazine photo so you don’t choose the wrong “personal” style. The best “personal” style is whatever decorators tell you to do. Never think for yourself.
Oooh I can’t go along with personal photos in public spaces. No. Just no. My home is not a gallery, it’s a HOME. I have never felt uncomfortable seeing family photos in someone’s living room. Lisa is a designer…that’s her perspective… that’s what we’re here for, but I will always have select family photos in my living spaces. Only exception would be if I’m staging a home for sale.
I agree. I think personal photos shouldn’t be cluttered or everywhere but I like seeing people family pictures and they certainly have never made me feel uncomfortable. I think some people clutter a bunch of personal photos but if they aren’t cluttered then I think family photos makes a space more personal and makes it feel like a home not a hotel. And it’s not a “public space” a living room is still personal.
I agree with Lisa on this one. My living room is more about displaying cool art. Family photos of people unknown to visitors don't make the room feel inviting to guests the way that art does that they can comment on. If you don't have guests over, family photos are okay, but I like my living room to be about entertaining, and I save family photos for my office space where a glance at a familiar face is more to my liking when I take a work break.
I absolutely disagree with you. You’re home is not a public space, it’s your sanctuary. You don’t have to please anyone but yourself. The people who come to your home are family and friends. If friends feel uncomfortable about your family photos, well that’s their issue; and maybe then they shouldn’t come over.
I am loving everyone's candid thoughts about this!!! Thank you so much for sharing your input on this Chelsea!! 🙌🏼 It seems like we all have a variety of opinions on this tip which is TOTALLY fine!!! 😁🥰
I think this video is for someone wanting to redecorate their home. If you are redecorating or doing a home makeover this is a very good video, you don’t have to watch it if you are ok with whatever.
Love your channel but totally disagree about family photos. I don’t think I want people in my home that feel uncomfortable seeing pictures of my family. Seems like a strange concept that people at your house would be uncomfortable with pictures of your family.
Somewhere in the middle i am . . . Like in the kitchen near the table one large vintage photo like one of my grandparents in their restaurant in b&w but with good composition so it looks like a big piece of “art” ykwim? Same with family photos that look more like a photo shoot than a snapshot. Like that shot of a closeup face bringing out the eyes, or a candid where they are not aware of the camera That is my two cents. I think family photos can work in public spaces. Also helps create conversation I also think on canvas floating no frames closer together so it looks like one big piece of “art”
This is one thing I hate about designers they claim to not make your home look like a showroom but most these examples she shows are literally show rooms lol.
The more I watch your videos and the more it’s evident that you’re not taking smaller spaces into consideration. No couch against a wall? 30-36 inches for traffic patterns? Hahahahaha if I don’t put my couch against the wall my space is going to feel even tighter and I’ve got a love seat and one chair that share an end table. And you can forget a coffee table!
Zaz Dut!!! I do my best to make videos for ALL types of spaces - big and small!! 🤗 These videos are very general tips, but every space is going to have different tips in play.. I do have a few videos about small spaces, I highly recommend checking those videos out for your smaller living space!! 😉👍🏼
@@LisaHoltDesign I have… but even then your reference pictures seem to be for bigger spaces. I’ll continue watching since I find most of your videos are great in general (especially the different style breakdown videos and the ikea videos) but your tip videos just don’t feel applicable to normal people (who actually live in their homes)
“Stop putting your furniture against the wall” and them you show a photo (sectional) that’s all against the wall. Why? Because sometimes against the wall really works best for living.
I noticed this too. I have a long narrow living room with entrances on both ends, and if I put my furniture in the middle, it would completely block the natural traffic pattern. It seems like the "no furniture against the wall" rule would apply more to large rooms.
Hi Lisa, I admit that I felt a little left out in this video as the tips seemed to be for large homes. Such as don't put living room furniture against the walls. I'm sure if someone has a small living room at least one chair or sofa will end up against a wall. The no family photos only makes sense IF you have a separate family room aka the living room is really your parlor which isn't the case for many homes and even then it seems a little exaggerated. I doubt people would mind seeing a small photo or two say 4x5 or smaller in a frame along with other items like on a shelf or side table. I'd just try to avoid making the photos a focal point. As for the fireplace... well my house won't have one. My parents do and it is over their fireplace as there are shelves on both sides. They normally watch tv from the kitchen or dining table which is a little higher up. I am going to instead have counter height storage built into that wall to mirror the height of the kitchen peninsula opposite it so my TV will still be a little higher that sitting eye height. This is important for me since my house will be very small and I don't want to store everything in the kitchen cabinets!
Christopher!!! I am loving everyone's feedback about this topic!! I get that a small space may require a couch to be against a wall and that rule COULD be dismissed depending on the scale of your couch/sofa...
@@LisaHoltDesign Hi Lisa, could you please advise me, is it still ok to take curtains all the way up to the ceiling even if there is a big space (730 meter space) from the windows frame to the crown molding? And what can be done if there is not wood support behind the wall to hold the rod?
Yeah, I have a small house with limited wall space except in my public spaces. It's really the only space to put photos of the family. I agree that it's weird when someone has their walls plastered in family photos but only if they're all professional and from the same day, but that weirdness is the exception not the rule.
Our tv HAS to be above the fireplace. The room is small and weird. It only has 3 sides a fireplace wall, huge slider, open to kitchen and one usable wall. I can’t block the fireplace w a sofa. I’m happy with it up high. It is what it is. Who cares.
I am in my late 60s, and I grew up with the understanding that formal portraits were fine in public spaces, but that photos were better in private spaces. I think we have become more flexible, but I get where Lisa is coming from. Actually, when my parents passed away I discovered a treasure trove of black and white family pictures from the late 1800s and early 1900s. I framed them with black frames and white mats to make a gallery wall in my very modern dining room. People ALWAYS spend time looking at them because they are interesting. If you display pictures intentionally, following good design, it will work.
Lisa, I watch your channel religiously and love your advice. One of the things that stood out in this video was that most of the examples of “do this” rooms had furniture against the walls or windows and that seems contrary to your first “don’t” which was not to put furniture against the walls. What am I missing?
Residential living rooms are for living your life. These are NOT public spaces. Surround yourself with the artifacts of your life and values, including photographs. These objects are far better than mass produced art junk.
My friends parents have a huge gallery wall in their staircase leading from the main living area upstairs to the bedrooms. The gallery wall shows pictures of the whole family at different stages of their life and pictures from when the kids were baby's (now grwon up) to their first grandkids. And I always loved it as a guest. It's not so much in your face on the living room, but when you are close enough to the family that they would let you upstairs you would quickly pass all their pictures. I sometimes walked extra slow to see all of them. I think this is a great idea to handle it!
I love your videos but I disagree with the TV being over the fireplace. It made all the difference in the world for our living room. And the hardware is adjustable so can move it out, left, right, down up and it is been a good move for us. I personally don’t like two focal spots. One the fireplace the other the TV with another piece of furniture since entertainment centers are out…
It is tricky because many houses (even big ones) have no other practical place to _put_ a big TV. It also has to do with: 1) How high your fireplace mantel is, and 2) How far away from the TV you're sitting when you're watching (i.e. the further away you sit, the higher the TV can be without you getting neck strain).
When you have sports fanatics in the house that do not want kids or dogs blocking the screen from their games the high hung TV's with no sports room, well you have to make it work.
Perhaps you don't have guests over much. My living room is all about entertaining, so family photos don't belong. So many people think that a huge focus on family members that visitors don't know is impressive. It's not. It shows lack of etiquette toward guests.
Exactly! Lisa is coming at this from a designers perspective so I can respect that but nobody’s taking my selectively & lovingly chosen family photos out of my living space. The only exception would be if I were staging a home for sale.
@@lucybraun8969 100% agree with this. I also think placement of photos is important. When I started dating my husband he had family photos in almost every room. It felt like his family, people I didn't know at the time, were looking at me everywhere I went. It felt very very uncomfortable. When we moved in together, the family photos (including my own) were relegated to hallways and he was free to hang as many family photos as he wanted in his office.
@@Pamela-B Wondering if you have guests outside your family visit your home, and if so, if you've ever asked them the vibe they get from your home. Do you care about entertaining outsiders, or only family?
Our “public” space isn’t *that* public! Besides, our living room is the only room with enough wall space to display the 24”x19” oval portraits of my husband’s great-grandparents (c.1860) and our Edwardian panorama of Niagara Falls.
I think historical photos like you are describing are an exception to the rule. Beautiful, unique antique frames, lovely septic tones compared to some of the "scary" school photos that my kids had done? Go for it.
Oh Lisa! I love you. But this was not fun realistic for so many of us on a couple points. I'm in a lovely home of 1050 sq ft, family of 6. We don't have public and private space! 😂 1 bathroom too so not even that is private. Well, I mean it has a door and lock... 😂 I even work from home and have clients in all the time. They always compliment and ooh and ah my family photos. I'm also not sure it possible to not have my couch against a wall. 🤔 Maybe..🤷♀️ it's a small living room and we need seating for 6 or more.... You are delightful and helpful and I adore you style.
It’s not a public space. It’s your home. If my friends don’t want to see it, they’re not really my friends. That is a silly rule that pushes the “ homes should be perfect and not looked lived in” myth. Boo.
@@tinydancer7426 I did not say seeing photos "in someone's home" is a problem. Family photos in bedrooms or an office are fine, but in the living room where guests are to be entertained, they are out of place under standard principles of etiquette. The problem is you know nothing about etiquette, and attempt to hide that fact by twisting what others say. This channel is about educating viewers and having fun in the process. You obviously aren't on board with either. I'm done dealing with your sideline issues. Move on.
@@lucybraun8969 Ha ha ha ha. And just what is your source of etiquette rules. I was taught, many, many years ago, that it is rude to tell someone that they are rude. Kinda creates a stalemate for you doesn't it? ha ha ha ha ha
@@tinydancer7426 Your idea of a stalemate is, in reality, your being exposed. You came onto this channel as a delusional Ms. Know It All when Lisa's background obviously far surpasses yours. And then you took it upon yourself to critique her superior knowledge. When she didn't take your simpleton bait, you moved onto me with false accusations and rude comments, instead of learning from your mistakes. It's not my job to educate you on etiquette. If you were to get down off your high horse and actually get some formal education in etiquette, you would learn how foolish you have been here, but it doesn't go unnoticed by those who bother to read your posts. Do go pester someone else. Your delusional estimation of yourself has become just plain boring - sort of like your idea of how to provide a place for entertaining anyone outside your family who has the misfortune of entering your house.
YES!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for family photos... But not in the living room!!! 👏🏼 I don't wanna feel your cousin staring at me through a photo!! No thanks!!! 😆🤣
"Never put your furniture against the walls!" .... *cries in 50 sqm house* Edit: For those dealing in freedom units, this appears to be about 538 sqft. For a family of three and two cats. Yeah, no, I'll keep my sofa right where it is - against the wall.
The smaller spaces definitely make this a struggle G.B!!! My main tip for this is to make sure your furniture is scalable and actually fits in your space!! 👍🏼
@@LisaHoltDesign If I want to make sure the furniture fits the space and can be away from the wall I could literally put a cushioned bench in the middle of the room and that'd be it. I fear this is a case where "sophisticated" design will have to be sacrificed for function... and the function of a living room is to live in it, sit and have conversations, maybe drink a cup of tea. With family, with friends. Not alone on a bench, because nothing else can fulfil the arbitrary rules of design.
I always enjoy your videos. Sometimes I disagree, though. For example, I don't consider my home to be a public space. It is not a dentist's waiting area. I don't see why I can't have my personal pictures displayed throughout. The only visitors I get are friends and family and they DO want to see my kids' pictures displayed.
When I say the living room is a public space, I mean that all your guests are going to be in that space.. They are not going to be in your bedroom!! LOL 🤣🤣 Totally up to you on what photos you want displayed in your living room though!! 👏🏼 But trust me, I have been to some living rooms that I wish the photos were elsewhere!!! 😅
The thing designers seem to forget most times is that outlets are on the walls. If you “float” your furniture most times you are creating tripping hazards with cords.
Generally agree with you, Lisa, but I have to throw the flag on the personal photos in public spaces. They are often conversation starters. And while I don’t do gallery walls, my babies and my bride/daughter in a silver frame shouldn’t make anybody uncomfortable. If it does, I probably don’t need to know them. 😉
I think this advice is maybe for a person who is not a hermit and who has some kind of social life where people visit their home. I am not that person.
I totally disagree when it comes to family photos. My home isn't open to the public it's open to family and friends. I'm not a fan of having family photos hung on the wall, but displayed on bookshelves, piano, sofa table etc. adds a personal touch. My guest have never been uncomfortable looking at my family photos, and if they were they're not the kind of people I want in my home. If the house is for sale then I agree there should be no family photos. Furniture looks better if it's not up against the wall, but not all living rooms have the space or the layout to make it possible. At the end of the day it's all about functionality and what makes you happy. That said, the other tips you gave were great.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about this tip!! 🙌🏼 This is what makes the community so fun, everyone shares their candid thoughts about how they interpret these tips!! 😇 I agree on putting away the photos when having your house on the market, it could definitely be a safety issue... And you're SO right about the end goal: function and doing what makes you happy!!! 🤩💕✨ That's what it's all about! 👏🏼 Thank you so much for leaving this sweet comment and for watching, I love chatting it up with you guys all the time!!! 😘💜
....I don't typically invite people who are uncomfortable with seeing my family? This is so weird. And even if I did, it's my sanctuary from the world, not the public's. I get people want to live in magazine homes the way some people want magazine muscles, but I like walking into my home and being surrounded by things and people I love. I like walking into others and seeing what and who they love.
Mantle mount TV mounts are made specifically for the fireplace so that TVs can be pulled down to eye level and pushed back on top when not in use. I have one and love it, as my family room is very symmetrical and having two off focal points just feels wrong.
That is a great way to solve this S A!!!! 👍🏼 Thank you so much for sharing this, I love that we can all share ideas in the comments for everyone to learn from each other!!!🥰 Ahh I Love my community fam!!! 💕❤️✨
We have a big framed caricature of the proposal we brought from abroad (where it happened), framed on a wall in our living room, always makes our guests laugh. 😅 Also if we move the furniture from the walls it will all get in our way, it only works for huge rooms not a humble condo 😆
I agree family if you can’t have family pics in your home where can you have them, not everywhere in your home ,but I hate houses that are too staged they never feel homy. Matter of personal taste I suppose !!😀at the end of the day I don’t like people that just call to see your house and not to see you .❤️
Great tips as always Lisa!!!!! I agree with family photos in more private spaces. I read this many years ago, considered the pros and cons and decided it was the way to go. We have black and white professional photos of our sons-I believe the style was called baby body parts, and they are in our bedroom hung in a gallery wall style. Absolutely love it and so timeless too. We have our extended family photos and our sons senior and personality graduation photos in black frames with white mat boards hung in the main hallway. The colorful photos are made cohesive by the unifying matboards and frames. I also have a few favorites pictures of our parents and grandparents wedding days framed in my home office. - This is a funny little thing I've noticed about having photos in the hallway...Many times someone has gone to use the guest bathroom in the hallway and emerged with a comment to the rest of the group about how great the photos are in the hall etc. Having the family photos to peruse in the hall is nice for people. So if they happened to go MIA in the bathroom for a bit, they were simply held up enjoying all the photos down the hall! Or just have some fantastical art !!! smiley face
Great tips. I hate the way people put their TV above their fireplace. When I had a fireplace I never did that. Did not want to have a conflict. I want to only be looking at my fireplace. These were all great comments today. Excellent.
I'm glad you could agree with me on this Darlene!! 👏🏼 Weirdly enough, this layout is pretty common which I'll never get why... 😝 Thank you so much for watching, happy you enjoyed all these tips!!! 💙😘😘
I’ve also found taking a video of a space and looking at it on screen can help identify any areas that could be better styled or designed. Thanks for all the tips, I managed to check all off the list as already something I already do, but it did help validate my design logic 😆 I can understand that some people will not appreciate the point about personal photos. I think that they could be displayed as works of art or in beautiful frames as a design statement, but too many in a prominent place might be a bit overwhelming. I personally have all mine in our hallway as a gallery wall and in bedrooms, but wouldn’t be at all offended to walk into a home with personal photos in a living space.
Debbie!!! SO happy you enjoyed this video and could relate to some of these tips!! 🙌🏼💕 Everyone is going to display their family photos differently, keeping them out of the common areas is just a design preference!! Trust me, you don't want to know how many terrible photos I have encountered in different homes and projects... You'd probably agree with me too!!! 😬🙈😅
It was never ever the idea of builders, electrians, and cable guys to put the TV above the fireplace. No one wants to wire the most awkward outlets in the house. The honour of that idea is for designers and the homeowners who follow them. Someday the reality that people watch TV and the design for that must be dealt with, will finally sink in.
I have a cathedral ceiling and a window on the wall with a peak. We've been told that drapes should be up at ceiling height. What is the proper height for drapes on this window?
I love seeing people’s pictures on walls. I don’t put them up, but appreciate them. U are obviously not from the Midwest. Who the heck is visiting that is so picky weird?
Lovely lisa loved the lighting tip and the family photo tip. I agree i did this amazing family gallery wall in our upstairs hallway. I always treasure them at nite before bed. I love the look of a nicely decorated house. My husband has his family and dog pictures on his dresser. It looks great!!!
Lisa, your advice is always right on. But just one observation: When I look through my AD magazine, at all those super-expensive interiors, I often see tables (or desks, or a wall or bookcase) in their living space featuring framed photographs of family/friends/celebrities (since a lot of these homes are owned by celebrities). Is that OK, or not? A few framed favorite photos here and there?
Are you sure it's not in their den/home office? I have pictures of family in my den which I consider my private space. I'm with Lisa on this one...not in the living room and even the den, I have to admit, I was hesitant to do it, but my husband convinced me to, so against my better judgement, I have a few family photos on a small wall. I If I ever put this place on the market, I will remove them and put up a piece of art in their place.
Oh Boy... Respectfully, if you walked into my 1300 sq foot house as a hired interior designer and told me not to use my walls to maximize walking/living space, and then told me I should hide my family photos in a "personal" space.. I would kindly show you the door.. But I do LOVE your ideas about plants.. I love live plants.. not fake plastic ones..
Dija!! These are very general tips, obviously, these rules aren't going to work in EVERY single home!! 🙌🏼 Some small spaces can be pretty tricky, but I have other videos on the channel talking about tips SPECIFICALLY for smaller spaces!! Thank you so much for your candid thoughts on this video!! 😘💖💖
Love the video as always! And I agree re the living room is a public space… I think people can apply a little balance and add some personal pics but should think about which ones…. I’ve seen plenty of…. Interesting shots in people’s living rooms that I’m sure have special meaning to them but they don’t always ‘deliver’ the intended sentiment to a visitor!!!!
I totally agree with you Amanda!! 👏🏼 Balance is super important, and IF you display a few photos, at least make it wholesome and NOT creepy!! That's all I ask!!! 😆😅💚💚
I appreciate design advice, but the pictures stay! My living room is not a lobby and since I pay the mortgage, folks are going to see a beautiful gallery wall with pictures of my ancestors, current family, friends AND pets. Sorry, not sorry 🙃
Anika!!! That is totally fine, I am just here to share my design tips with you guys!!! 😊 You can do anything you want in your space, that's what makes design unique!!! 💙😇
Great and useful tips here but, we need to remember our homes were built and designed for our comfort and our family's confort, it should be welcoming for guests ... sure...but that should never be the primary focus. So , if a guest is uncomfortable with pictures of MY family in MY house, then that's their problem not mine 🙃
Me, too. Not in the space meant for entertaining. For me, if family photos are all a homeowner has to entertain guests, the guests won't be staying long! Display a cool art piece you found on some exotic adventure, and you've got me wanting to hear the tales of your adventures.
@@sharonannelarkin9534 Because guests typically have little connection to your family members. They are visiting YOU. Have something more interesting to talk about than just how you raised your kids.
Omg! I love this video! I keep on ticking the boxes haha! Must have watched all your videos when we were building the new house. Three layers of lighting make a huge difference esp in the evening. Visitors said it makes the house really cosy ☺️. And yes, no personal photos in the living room, just big wall arts
Lighting makes a WORLD of a difference, amiright Hayley?!?!! 🤩💡 I'm OBSESSED!!! 🙌🏼 Thank you soo much for sharing your thoughts and the cozy vibes over!!! 🥰💕
Mocha!! LOVE your candid thoughts on this tip, thank you so much for sharing this!! 👏🏼 The cool thing about design is everyone can have different thoughts and opinions on what to do in their home!! 😊🧡
Rules are always flexible depending on your needs and tastes. I don't follow any rules strictly as not all are practical to me but it is a good starting point for the clueless.
Our living space is open concept, it came with built-ins on both sides of the fireplace, so we had no choice but to put theTV right above it. We just had it installed as close to the mantle as possible, it is not too high, not too bad.
I just don't get why builders force this type of layout!! 😅 At least the TV isn't too high and you could find a way to make it work!! 👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you so much for watching and sharing this Victoria!! 😘💗🥰🥰
I do like my tv above my mantle, but we do watch while laying back. Sitting up straight watching eye level would feel like I'm at work watching a training video.
I think shoving furniture to the wall is probably the worst mistake you can make. It’s also the gateway to other related errors. Shoving a sofa next to a wall looks awful. Cheap. I always place a brick behind the back feet so that there’s at least an inch or two between the wall and sofa, or ANY, piece of furniture or decor.❣️❤️
So what is the answer when your living room is super narrow and doesn't accommodate seating pulled away from the walls? Child-sized furniture? Lol And, while it may not be stylish to put a TV above the fireplace, I actually enjoyed that in our last house. Spending most of the time with my head down (cooking, reading, gardeing, playing with the little ones and watching Lisa's videos on my phone), it was good for my neck muscles to have to lift my head just a little to watch TV. Not uncomfortable at all. 💜
Thank you for the comment on the tv above the fireplace. Worst idea ever. But your rule about furniture placement? Have you noticed how many of your examples of beautiful rooms show furniture placed against the walls? Case in point, the example picture for rug size. Its a beautiful room. But where is the furniture? Against the walls. Because in this case that’s where it belongs. There’s an exception to every rule…
When we were thinking of buying our current house, it looked like the previous owners were giants. All their big bulky sofas, beds and tables were way out of scale in a 1970s ranch house 😂
Demeter!!! AMAZING question - do you mind submitting this in my Q&A submission box??? I would LOVE to answer this in a live stream or future Q&A video!!! 👏🏼 You can submit it here www.lisaholt.com/q-a-submission !!! YAYYY thank you so much for watching!!!
Yes, centre the grouping in the middle of the room. It will look bigger and also more cozy. The funeral parlour look of furniture against the walls is unfriendly.
Nope to the painting switch covers. It only minimizes the size a tiny amount and becomes a magnet for nastiness and grime. Everyone knows switches exist. To me, painting them would be like putting a fuzzy cover on a toilet lid.
I don't like backless benches that make one ache and slouth, and coffee tables that are so far away from the seat that one hurts the spine each time to get to them. Also, most of the "good" examples you gave comprised furniture placed right along the walls, but that's contrary to the first point you made. And speaking of the first point in conjuction with the third one, suppose one moved the furniture from the wall and brought it to a more central part of the room, would one should also leave enough space behind it to allow for traffic? Because that's what the third point meant. But in that case, I guess one would need a really large room for the ideas to work altogether. And even then, the problem of backless benches and distant coffee tables would remain.
As many others have mentioned, I just am not understanding why pictures of my family or wedding, etc. are cause for discomfort. Seems super bizarre to me.
I disagree with the family photos in the living room. Young House Love did a podcast on this a while back, about it and I recall seeing big photos of a landscape with their children in the center. From afar the landscape is the focal point but when you actually look at the photo you'll see the kids are center stage, that's ideal to me.
Yes, and that's a totally lovely solution! I"m talking about the wall covered in kids pics from 20 years ago, they're fading, slipping in the frames. etc. Also, I did have one client ask me to place a LIFE SIZED portrait of his 3rd wife, a naked showgirl, in the main entry.....this we could skip! ;);)
OMG Lisa. I must be a designer and not know it LOL. I don't like furniture against the wall, TV above the fireplace is a no no for me, I don't like personal pictures in the public spaces and everyone thinks I am weird because of that AND I always use the leave the room idea. I love you videos...keep them coming girl!
Sounds like you have a GREAT eye for a design, maybe you're a designer at heart B!!! 💖💖 Thank you SO much for all the support and for tuning in this weekend, I always love hearing what you guys think about these tips!!! 🥰😘💓💞
No pictures of family in public spaces?? But homes “are our” very private spaces. I like the other pieces of advice but not this one at all. I have never encountered someone that I invited into my home who seemed uneasy because they saw my family’s smiling faces and memories. In fact they usually ask more about who is who and where was the pic taken. I think the interior design world has to be careful about taking the natural, normal, family-friendly elements out of home suggestions and advice. Some pieces of advice are more suited for a hotel than a home. Other than that, I still love watching and hearing from Lisa Holt 🙌
I have a gallery wall of family photos going up my open staircase and into the upstairs hallway. I also have two living rooms on the 1st floor. The family room where we have the television has no family photos. However the sitting room has no TV......a piano instead. Above the piano is a gallery wall of more family photos. People rave about our family photos. Taken professionally in a less posey way... put in black and white.... framed with matting looks like art. I saved the wedding photos for our bedroom and instead opted to keep our wedding album in the sitting room in case folks ask about our wedding photos. I also keep a pretty box of family pictures from years ago for visiting family to delve into when we're chatting about the old days.
I knew it! I knew I would have a slap on my wrist for my TV being on a wall and my sofas being against the walls. I know it is wrong, but I have an excuse. English houses are so small and my large second half requires a large sitting space. And if I move it all to the middle of the room another rule would get broken. No passage. I have tried, I have cried, I demanded the smaller sofa but I've lost that battle just as I've lost the battle with the TV above the fireplace. Suppose that's what we call "a compromise" within the family. And Oh! My little grandson calls out family room "the cinema room". At least my boys are happy. I have to comfort myself on a point not having any family photos on display. And there is nothing wrong with my lighting or so I hope. Forgive me, Lisa, for I have sinned...
Makes you wonder how much cozying up in front of the fireplace with you that larger second half gets. Men these days seem to know so little about romance, and even less about home decor.
@@lucybraun8969 How right you are Lucy! Forget romance and even that fireplace. Home décor? What nonsense. Big sofa, big screen, football, politics, news. Life's great. What more do you want for happiness, silly woman? But there is a positive site to it all. We can get even more creative in the rest of the house 'cause the rest of the house is of no interest to a man.
@@ludmilabevan3283 Oh, the men care about the bedroom ALOT! Little do they know, they aren't going to make it there without a hell of a lot more effort.
I was dying of laughter the other day about another video I saw about a small rug under a small coffee table which looked like a POSTAGE stamp! I think it was Lisa Holt who said it. I laughed so hard.
@@vaderladyl I was on one of those rug sites where you can see it in a room. I went to the page and a small square rug was under a small square table. I immediately thought of it looks like a postage stamp and laughed a lot. To see it is just so amusing. 😆
My husband went to pick up the keys for our new apartment downtown and came home saying “ we can put the tv above the fireplace” and I’m like OMG! NO!PLEASE NO! PLEASE! NOOOO! I would rather use a smaller tv than have a giant one above the fireplace. I can’t. I know he’s bummed because he’s losing a great movie theater in our house we have now and he’s a director so he likes big screening rooms but this is temporary. He can deal with it.
I’m with you. I have always disliked TV screen placements over the fireplace and been surprised that so many designers do it: it’s just so wrong, the juxtaposition of the warm fireplace hearth of home topped by the cold void of a black hole. My youngest son is a writer and director too (small, indie films). Congratulations on your new space!
Glad you stuck to your guns. You made the right choice. Sometimes, you just have to think outside the box to come up with compromise solutions, rather than making a choice you'll be stuck with and not liking.
I’ve got a similar problem: glass walls and a huge non-negotiable bookshelf. I’m thinking getting a teve-projector and a roll-down screen so it’s out of the way whenever not in use
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nulvWqYUM8k/mqdefault.jpg)
⭐⭐Want Help With Your Home? Check Out My GAME-Changing Course here: www.thedezignermethod.com/. or say 'HELP" at: hello@lisaholt.com and I'll send you more info!
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Dear Lisa,
You always brighten my day when I watch your tutorials. Thank you and congratulations! -Sabrina
This link does not seem to be working.🤷🏼♀️
Hi Lisa! Awesome video. The link does not work yet. Just so you know. ❤️
You forgot to link planter suggestions.
The thing is, I spend way more time in my “public spaces” than any visitor ever does, and my little gathering of vintage photos of generations of family makes me super happy. Hopefully the discomfort they cause will be offset by the supreme pleasure of my company! 😉
I can't imagine anyone being uncomfortable with photos of happy humans. And if they are, I probably wouldn't want them in my house.
I agree. It might be something you’d want to remove if the house is up for sale but I think this was the stupidest advice ever.
@@tabathaogost4982 😂
The only people I invite into my home love my favorite tiny human (my daughter) and understand the wonderful relationships I had with my parents (both deceased) so they understand that these people are the greatest influences on who I am as a person.
Don’t like my Momma? Gtfo of my house. Thanks 😊 ❤️
I did not agree with this either- nor the TV over the fireplace, if the fireplace is centered, how do you set up the seats to face a corner tv and a fireplace?
The only thing about restraining family photos in “public spaces” is when you are staging to sell. Otherwise, surround yourself with things you love.
I agree, it's our home after all!
Absolutely
Agreed.
That one low key offended me lol, I didn't think a picture of my daughter as a baby made my family and friends uncomfortable
@@radhiadeedou8286 seriously. She talks about "save that space for artwork you love"... 1st of all, photography is an ART form and I didn't pay all that money to hide them!!! Also! I don't want to look at someone's family photo when I'm pooping and vulnerable. Keep it in the livingroom!!! 2nd, there might be "artwork" that makes guests feel uncomfortable... I'm there more than them obviously. It's my space so I'm gonna do it how I want! And if you don't like it you don't have to come over!
Oh, Lisa, I love most of your advice but I must say this: My living room is not a public space and if someone is in there and they feel uncomfortable with pictures of my family, then they must have entered my house by mistake and are lost.
AGREE!!
100
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
100%
totally silly. It is a really huge mistake to put photos up of your family....we get it. The family lives in the space! Maybe one photo of the whole crew together in the den....fine, but there are phones now and photo albums if people want to see all the photos of the people living in the house....or dead relatives. Im glad she said it.
I have never felt uncomfortable in somebody's house because they have family pictures. I enjoy looking at others family pictures hanging on the wall
I agree. I wouldn’t enter into a stranger’s house. If I go into someone’s house I also like to see their old pictures
In total agreement.
Why put other things on the wall when we can showcase and celebrate our family members by handing their pictures on our walls?
Overwhelming 'yes' to family pictures on the walls and throughout the house.
I can't find anyone else to hang my family photos on their walls so I'm it! I also love seeing family photos in other people's homes... It makes a house, a home!
That was such a strange tip 🤔 You are not to have pictures you enjoy and that evoke great memories and moments in the room you spend most of your time in, but put it in the bathroom or a hallway?!?
I guess it can apply to mega mansions where total strangers coming in to do all sorts of chores. This advice doesn’t apply to o95% of the home owners in USA
lol i'm sorry, did i hear correctly, are we now viewing living rooms as ''public spaces''?
it's your space, hang whatever you want and feel happy spending your days surrounded by
Željka!! When I say "public spaces," I'm talking about the rooms that the guests will be in your home the most!! 😁 You can totally decorate your room ANY way you want, this is just my thoughts on this topic!!!
S3:E12 "Friends & Family" in Schitt's Creek, in which the plot surrounds the Roses' gigantic family portrait from their old mansion now in a tiny motel, demonstrates Lisa's rule #5 so well.
I can see where she's coming from with the photos. Having like a big main pic of your whole family or a couple of little ones throughout the room is fine, but I work as a nanny for a family that literally has photos of them on every square inch of every wall and it's incredibly overwhelming. I'm talking giant 50-photo collages on every hallway, pics by the kitchen sink, giant canvases, and even a pic in the bathroom. They stare at me while I'm on the toilet and it's super awkward. Keep that shit to a minimum
Yes, that would be overwhelming. I have two small ones, something like 6 by 10, in the living room. They're not moving.
Agreed. No pics of anyone in the bathroom...but my living room is not a public space.
I laughed when I saw the family picture restriction recommendation. While attending an Open House realty tour, I recognized several people in a photo on a credenza. I thought oh that’s Dr. So and So…then I recognized a famous Director of many adventure films. A very interesting home tour. But like most, I agree with live with what you love comments. Mom, Dad and the gang and other loved faces! Love You Lisa!
WHY though? Unless someone is selling their house, their choice.
I agree! Photos in public spaces are odd. Keep you living room to a minimum with the family photos. This space should be an opportunity to create new memories, not sit and reflect on old ones. If guests are interested in viewing photos from your recent vacation, they will inquire and the moment is sweeter when you share those photos.
I agree about the photos. Put them in a hallway and make a gallery wall. It makes more sense and looks great. My mom taught me this through her decorating and I've just always done it that way. It's pretty cool too because you can give your kids a history lesson about their ancestors too. 😉 Unless you're the queen of England, don't put a huge picture of yourself and your family above the fireplace. Its tacky and uninspired jmo.
Am I the only one who doesn’t want family photos in my bedroom? I have some in other areas of my apartment (and they’re public), but my bedroom is a place to relax and at times, my family stresses me out more than anything else in my life. 🤔🤔
I like my family photos in scrapbooks. I feel like all the pictures are watching me. My first house I bought had owl wallpaper. Solid owls, rust and brown foil. Good thing it was our third bathroom. Didn’t use it til the wallpaper was removed!
I prefer my family photos on my electronic devices rather than on display in my home. There was a fleeting moment when I wondered if the lack of photos appeared odd to visitors, but I decided I really don’t care what they think about that. My apartment is just under 1000 sq.ft. and I think family photos look cluttered in this space.
I don't like staring at photos anywhere in my space. I leave the photos in albums and on my electronic devices to share with people if they are curious. I have the photos in my phone and it makes a great display.
But think about your guests, do you want your family to stress them out too. I say burn it all and just copy a magazine photo so you don’t choose the wrong “personal” style. The best “personal” style is whatever decorators tell you to do. Never think for yourself.
And I’m not putting family pics in the bathroom !
Oooh I can’t go along with personal photos in public spaces. No. Just no. My home is not a gallery, it’s a HOME. I have never felt uncomfortable seeing family photos in someone’s living room. Lisa is a designer…that’s her perspective… that’s what we’re here for, but I will always have select family photos in my living spaces. Only exception would be if I’m staging a home for sale.
As long as everyone's wearing clothes!
Totally agree. This is design for designers, not for people living in their homes.
I agree. I think personal photos shouldn’t be cluttered or everywhere but I like seeing people family pictures and they certainly have never made me feel uncomfortable. I think some people clutter a bunch of personal photos but if they aren’t cluttered then I think family photos makes a space more personal and makes it feel like a home not a hotel. And it’s not a “public space” a living room is still personal.
I agree with Lisa on this one. My living room is more about displaying cool art. Family photos of people unknown to visitors don't make the room feel inviting to guests the way that art does that they can comment on. If you don't have guests over, family photos are okay, but I like my living room to be about entertaining, and I save family photos for my office space where a glance at a familiar face is more to my liking when I take a work break.
@@MyFocusVaries haha! Yes!
I absolutely disagree with you. You’re home is not a public space, it’s your sanctuary. You don’t have to please anyone but yourself. The people who come to your home are family and friends. If friends feel uncomfortable about your family photos, well that’s their issue; and maybe then they shouldn’t come over.
I am loving everyone's candid thoughts about this!!! Thank you so much for sharing your input on this Chelsea!! 🙌🏼 It seems like we all have a variety of opinions on this tip which is TOTALLY fine!!! 😁🥰
@@LisaHoltDesign Exactly!
I think I would rather watch Chelsea's tips. Don't do this...don't do that...getting tired of Lisa's preaching.
@@babypackrat9118 What the HELL did you click on the video for if you didn’t want her advice? Bozo alert.
I think this video is for someone wanting to redecorate their home. If you are redecorating or doing a home makeover this is a very good video, you don’t have to watch it if you are ok with whatever.
Love your channel but totally disagree about family photos. I don’t think I want people in my home that feel uncomfortable seeing pictures of my family. Seems like a strange concept that people at your house would be uncomfortable with pictures of your family.
Agreed. If you’re staging it for a sale..then I get it…pack the pics. However, otherwise, it’s your family home…hence family pics. 😀
Somewhere in the middle i am . . .
Like in the kitchen near the table one large vintage photo like one of my grandparents in their restaurant in b&w but with good composition so it looks like a big piece of “art” ykwim?
Same with family photos that look more like a photo shoot than a snapshot. Like that shot of a closeup face bringing out the eyes, or a candid where they are not aware of the camera
That is my two cents. I think family photos can work in public spaces. Also helps create conversation
I also think on canvas floating no frames closer together so it looks like one big piece of “art”
Since when is your “home” a PUBLIC space.? Anyone who comes to my home is invited and not “ the public”.
This is one thing I hate about designers they claim to not make your home look like a showroom but most these examples she shows are literally show rooms lol.
I totally agree....feel uncomfortable seeing pictures of my family..don't let the door slam you in the ass on the way out!
The more I watch your videos and the more it’s evident that you’re not taking smaller spaces into consideration. No couch against a wall? 30-36 inches for traffic patterns? Hahahahaha if I don’t put my couch against the wall my space is going to feel even tighter and I’ve got a love seat and one chair that share an end table. And you can forget a coffee table!
Zaz Dut!!! I do my best to make videos for ALL types of spaces - big and small!! 🤗 These videos are very general tips, but every space is going to have different tips in play.. I do have a few videos about small spaces, I highly recommend checking those videos out for your smaller living space!! 😉👍🏼
@@LisaHoltDesign I have… but even then your reference pictures seem to be for bigger spaces. I’ll continue watching since I find most of your videos are great in general (especially the different style breakdown videos and the ikea videos) but your tip videos just don’t feel applicable to normal people (who actually live in their homes)
“Stop putting your furniture against the wall” and them you show a photo (sectional) that’s all against the wall. Why? Because sometimes against the wall really works best for living.
I noticed this too. I have a long narrow living room with entrances on both ends, and if I put my furniture in the middle, it would completely block the natural traffic pattern. It seems like the "no furniture against the wall" rule would apply more to large rooms.
My living room is long and narrow so I have no choice - but I did have a space to float an accent chair. I love the look of "floating" furniture.
Hi Lisa, I admit that I felt a little left out in this video as the tips seemed to be for large homes. Such as don't put living room furniture against the walls. I'm sure if someone has a small living room at least one chair or sofa will end up against a wall. The no family photos only makes sense IF you have a separate family room aka the living room is really your parlor which isn't the case for many homes and even then it seems a little exaggerated. I doubt people would mind seeing a small photo or two say 4x5 or smaller in a frame along with other items like on a shelf or side table. I'd just try to avoid making the photos a focal point. As for the fireplace... well my house won't have one. My parents do and it is over their fireplace as there are shelves on both sides. They normally watch tv from the kitchen or dining table which is a little higher up. I am going to instead have counter height storage built into that wall to mirror the height of the kitchen peninsula opposite it so my TV will still be a little higher that sitting eye height. This is important for me since my house will be very small and I don't want to store everything in the kitchen cabinets!
Christopher!!! I am loving everyone's feedback about this topic!! I get that a small space may require a couch to be against a wall and that rule COULD be dismissed depending on the scale of your couch/sofa...
@@LisaHoltDesign Hi Lisa, could you please advise me, is it still ok to take curtains all the way up to the ceiling even if there is a big space (730 meter space) from the windows frame to the crown molding? And what can be done if there is not wood support behind the wall to hold the rod?
@@rosem4119 im sure it's almost impossible to find curtains that are 7,3 m long 😳
@@Kath-Erina I agree but if it's ok to leave that space, I could check if someone can make them for me.
Yeah, I have a small house with limited wall space except in my public spaces. It's really the only space to put photos of the family.
I agree that it's weird when someone has their walls plastered in family photos but only if they're all professional and from the same day, but that weirdness is the exception not the rule.
Our tv HAS to be above the fireplace. The room is small and weird. It only has 3 sides a fireplace wall, huge slider, open to kitchen and one usable wall. I can’t block the fireplace w a sofa. I’m happy with it up high. It is what it is. Who cares.
There are tv hangers with a mechanism that lets you pull the TV out and down to a lower level while you're watching
I am in my late 60s, and I grew up with the understanding that formal portraits were fine in public spaces, but that photos were better in private spaces. I think we have become more flexible, but I get where Lisa is coming from. Actually, when my parents passed away I discovered a treasure trove of black and white family pictures from the late 1800s and early 1900s. I framed them with black frames and white mats to make a gallery wall in my very modern dining room. People ALWAYS spend time looking at them because they are interesting. If you display pictures intentionally, following good design, it will work.
Nancy, couldn't agree more! ESP when you have some vintage imagery of family, that's always an interesting thing to share!
My home IS my private space! Covid Era, apart from loved ones, made pictures all the more important. But, enjoyed this video...
Lisa, I watch your channel religiously and love your advice. One of the things that stood out in this video was that most of the examples of “do this” rooms had furniture against the walls or windows and that seems contrary to your first “don’t” which was not to put furniture against the walls. What am I missing?
I was hoping she actually answered your question lol.
Residential living rooms are for living your life. These are NOT public spaces. Surround yourself with the artifacts of your life and values, including photographs. These objects are far better than mass produced art junk.
JNG!!! I am a BIG fan of getting pieces for your space that will last and mean a lot to you!!! 🙌🏼
My friends parents have a huge gallery wall in their staircase leading from the main living area upstairs to the bedrooms. The gallery wall shows pictures of the whole family at different stages of their life and pictures from when the kids were baby's (now grwon up) to their first grandkids. And I always loved it as a guest. It's not so much in your face on the living room, but when you are close enough to the family that they would let you upstairs you would quickly pass all their pictures. I sometimes walked extra slow to see all of them. I think this is a great idea to handle it!
I love your videos but I disagree with the TV being over the fireplace. It made all the difference in the world for our living room. And the hardware is adjustable so can move it out, left, right, down up and it is been a good move for us. I personally don’t like two focal spots. One the fireplace the other the TV with another piece of furniture since entertainment centers are out…
It is tricky because many houses (even big ones) have no other practical place to _put_ a big TV. It also has to do with:
1) How high your fireplace mantel is, and
2) How far away from the TV you're sitting when you're watching (i.e. the further away you sit, the higher the TV can be without you getting neck strain).
When you have sports fanatics in the house that do not want kids or dogs blocking the screen from their games the high hung TV's with no sports room, well you have to make it work.
I dont like the tv too low for same reason you say. People and low lying activity blocks the view
Your house is not a public space, it's your space so ignore #5. Put up all your photos to enjoy!
Perhaps you don't have guests over much. My living room is all about entertaining, so family photos don't belong. So many people think that a huge focus on family members that visitors don't know is impressive. It's not. It shows lack of etiquette toward guests.
Exactly! Lisa is coming at this from a designers perspective so I can respect that but nobody’s taking my selectively & lovingly chosen family photos out of my living space. The only exception would be if I were staging a home for sale.
@@lucybraun8969 100% agree with this. I also think placement of photos is important. When I started dating my husband he had family photos in almost every room. It felt like his family, people I didn't know at the time, were looking at me everywhere I went. It felt very very uncomfortable. When we moved in together, the family photos (including my own) were relegated to hallways and he was free to hang as many family photos as he wanted in his office.
@@Pamela-B Wondering if you have guests outside your family visit your home, and if so, if you've ever asked them the vibe they get from your home. Do you care about entertaining outsiders, or only family?
@@Pamela-B I feel that Lisa is not only coming at this from a designer's perspective, but also from an etiquette perspective.
Our “public” space isn’t *that* public!
Besides, our living room is the only room with enough wall space to display the 24”x19” oval portraits of my husband’s great-grandparents (c.1860) and our Edwardian panorama of Niagara Falls.
I think historical photos like you are describing are an exception to the rule. Beautiful, unique antique frames, lovely septic tones compared to some of the "scary" school photos that my kids had done? Go for it.
1860 portraits of great-grandparents are antiques and don’t count
Oh Lisa! I love you. But this was not fun realistic for so many of us on a couple points. I'm in a lovely home of 1050 sq ft, family of 6. We don't have public and private space! 😂 1 bathroom too so not even that is private. Well, I mean it has a door and lock... 😂 I even work from home and have clients in all the time. They always compliment and ooh and ah my family photos. I'm also not sure it possible to not have my couch against a wall. 🤔 Maybe..🤷♀️ it's a small living room and we need seating for 6 or more....
You are delightful and helpful and I adore you style.
It’s not a public space. It’s your home. If my friends don’t want to see it, they’re not really my friends. That is a silly rule that pushes the “ homes should be perfect and not looked lived in” myth. Boo.
Do you give much thought to what makes your friends feel welcome?
@@lucybraun8969 If seeing family photos in someone's home makes another feel unwelcome, that person has some problems.
@@tinydancer7426 I did not say seeing photos "in someone's home" is a problem. Family photos in bedrooms or an office are fine, but in the living room where guests are to be entertained, they are out of place under standard principles of etiquette. The problem is you know nothing about etiquette, and attempt to hide that fact by twisting what others say. This channel is about educating viewers and having fun in the process. You obviously aren't on board with either. I'm done dealing with your sideline issues. Move on.
@@lucybraun8969 Ha ha ha ha. And just what is your source of etiquette rules. I was taught, many, many years ago, that it is rude to tell someone that they are rude. Kinda creates a stalemate for you doesn't it? ha ha ha ha ha
@@tinydancer7426 Your idea of a stalemate is, in reality, your being exposed. You came onto this channel as a delusional Ms. Know It All when Lisa's background obviously far surpasses yours. And then you took it upon yourself to critique her superior knowledge. When she didn't take your simpleton bait, you moved onto me with false accusations and rude comments, instead of learning from your mistakes. It's not my job to educate you on etiquette. If you were to get down off your high horse and actually get some formal education in etiquette, you would learn how foolish you have been here, but it doesn't go unnoticed by those who bother to read your posts. Do go pester someone else. Your delusional estimation of yourself has become just plain boring - sort of like your idea of how to provide a place for entertaining anyone outside your family who has the misfortune of entering your house.
Agree....I dislike family photos all over the walls. I keep my special photos in my office. XOXO Doreen
YES!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for family photos... But not in the living room!!! 👏🏼 I don't wanna feel your cousin staring at me through a photo!! No thanks!!! 😆🤣
"Never put your furniture against the walls!" .... *cries in 50 sqm house*
Edit: For those dealing in freedom units, this appears to be about 538 sqft. For a family of three and two cats. Yeah, no, I'll keep my sofa right where it is - against the wall.
The smaller spaces definitely make this a struggle G.B!!! My main tip for this is to make sure your furniture is scalable and actually fits in your space!! 👍🏼
@@LisaHoltDesign If I want to make sure the furniture fits the space and can be away from the wall I could literally put a cushioned bench in the middle of the room and that'd be it. I fear this is a case where "sophisticated" design will have to be sacrificed for function... and the function of a living room is to live in it, sit and have conversations, maybe drink a cup of tea. With family, with friends. Not alone on a bench, because nothing else can fulfil the arbitrary rules of design.
I like to have a few family photos in my living room and my bedroom. Those are precious memories.
Lisa, I love that “ star” shirt with Jacket and your new frames. Always looking chic! ⭐️
Thank you Annette!!! Had to dress up a bit to celebrate the Dezign Club launch!!!! 🌟🤩🙌🏼💛💛💛
I always enjoy your videos. Sometimes I disagree, though. For example, I don't consider my home to be a public space. It is not a dentist's waiting area. I don't see why I can't have my personal pictures displayed throughout. The only visitors I get are friends and family and they DO want to see my kids' pictures displayed.
When I say the living room is a public space, I mean that all your guests are going to be in that space.. They are not going to be in your bedroom!! LOL 🤣🤣 Totally up to you on what photos you want displayed in your living room though!! 👏🏼 But trust me, I have been to some living rooms that I wish the photos were elsewhere!!! 😅
@@LisaHoltDesign Well Lisa, you don't have to look at them!
My mom had photos of ME in our living room that I wish she had put somewhere else!!!!!! 😏😏😏
@@LisaHoltDesign why would I want to look at my own family photos? That's why I am displaying with my guests.
@@DDspaperworks there are photos and then there are embarrassing photos
The thing designers seem to forget most times is that outlets are on the walls. If you “float” your furniture most times you are creating tripping hazards with cords.
Generally agree with you, Lisa, but I have to throw the flag on the personal photos in public spaces. They are often conversation starters. And while I don’t do gallery walls, my babies and my bride/daughter in a silver frame shouldn’t make anybody uncomfortable. If it does, I probably don’t need to know them. 😉
I have the entire no no list... thanks to Texas ranch style
I think this advice is maybe for a person who is not a hermit and who has some kind of social life where people visit their home. I am not that person.
I totally disagree when it comes to family photos. My home isn't open to the public it's open to family and friends. I'm not a fan of having family photos hung on the wall, but displayed on bookshelves, piano, sofa table etc. adds a personal touch. My guest have never been uncomfortable looking at my family photos, and if they were they're not the kind of people I want in my home. If the house is for sale then I agree there should be no family photos. Furniture looks better if it's not up against the wall, but not all living rooms have the space or the layout to make it possible. At the end of the day it's all about functionality and what makes you happy. That said, the other tips you gave were great.
I absolutely love looking at family photos … It tells your story …
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about this tip!! 🙌🏼 This is what makes the community so fun, everyone shares their candid thoughts about how they interpret these tips!! 😇 I agree on putting away the photos when having your house on the market, it could definitely be a safety issue... And you're SO right about the end goal: function and doing what makes you happy!!! 🤩💕✨ That's what it's all about! 👏🏼 Thank you so much for leaving this sweet comment and for watching, I love chatting it up with you guys all the time!!! 😘💜
Great constructive feedback! I love it and agree
....I don't typically invite people who are uncomfortable with seeing my family? This is so weird. And even if I did, it's my sanctuary from the world, not the public's. I get people want to live in magazine homes the way some people want magazine muscles, but I like walking into my home and being surrounded by things and people I love. I like walking into others and seeing what and who they love.
Mantle mount TV mounts are made specifically for the fireplace so that TVs can be pulled down to eye level and pushed back on top when not in use. I have one and love it, as my family room is very symmetrical and having two off focal points just feels wrong.
That is a great way to solve this S A!!!! 👍🏼 Thank you so much for sharing this, I love that we can all share ideas in the comments for everyone to learn from each other!!!🥰 Ahh I Love my community fam!!! 💕❤️✨
We have a big framed caricature of the proposal we brought from abroad (where it happened), framed on a wall in our living room, always makes our guests laugh. 😅
Also if we move the furniture from the walls it will all get in our way, it only works for huge rooms not a humble condo 😆
Love your advice on personal photos and TVs. Drives me bananas.
I am so glad we can bond over this Sallie!!! 🥰 Thank you so much for watching!! 🙌🏼💖💖
I agree family if you can’t have family pics in your home where can you have them, not everywhere in your home ,but I hate houses that are too staged they never feel homy. Matter of personal taste I suppose !!😀at the end of the day I don’t like people that just call to see your house and not to see you .❤️
Aren't we done yet with hides and horns? So SICK of that!!!
Probably won't go anytime soon in Texas and other states. That is a lifestyle over there. Lol.
Everything in this video needed to be said! And another for me are words on walls....eeesh.
Oh yes Phyllis, I covered this in trends that need to GO!!! 🙌🏼 Word art is a NO for me!!! 😬
I can't stand photos in living rooms and other public areas because it says, "Hi, this is the me house! Do you like me?"
Great tips as always Lisa!!!!! I agree with family photos in more private spaces. I read this many years ago, considered the pros and cons and decided it was the way to go. We have black and white professional photos of our sons-I believe the style was called baby body parts, and they are in our bedroom hung in a gallery wall style. Absolutely love it and so timeless too. We have our extended family photos and our sons senior and personality graduation photos in black frames with white mat boards hung in the main hallway. The colorful photos are made cohesive by the unifying matboards and frames. I also have a few favorites pictures of our parents and grandparents wedding days framed in my home office. - This is a funny little thing I've noticed about having photos in the hallway...Many times someone has gone to use the guest bathroom in the hallway and emerged with a comment to the rest of the group about how great the photos are in the hall etc. Having the family photos to peruse in the hall is nice for people. So if they happened to go MIA in the bathroom for a bit, they were simply held up enjoying all the photos down the hall! Or just have some fantastical art !!! smiley face
Great tips. I hate the way people put their TV above their fireplace. When I had a fireplace I never did that. Did not want to have a conflict. I want to only be looking at my fireplace. These were all great comments today. Excellent.
I'm glad you could agree with me on this Darlene!! 👏🏼 Weirdly enough, this layout is pretty common which I'll never get why... 😝 Thank you so much for watching, happy you enjoyed all these tips!!! 💙😘😘
I don't get it. You say not to place sofas up against walls. Then you post pictures in your video of sofas up against walls. What gives?
I’ve also found taking a video of a space and looking at it on screen can help identify any areas that could be better styled or designed. Thanks for all the tips, I managed to check all off the list as already something I already do, but it did help validate my design logic 😆 I can understand that some people will not appreciate the point about personal photos. I think that they could be displayed as works of art or in beautiful frames as a design statement, but too many in a prominent place might be a bit overwhelming. I personally have all mine in our hallway as a gallery wall and in bedrooms, but wouldn’t be at all offended to walk into a home with personal photos in a living space.
Debbie!!! SO happy you enjoyed this video and could relate to some of these tips!! 🙌🏼💕 Everyone is going to display their family photos differently, keeping them out of the common areas is just a design preference!! Trust me, you don't want to know how many terrible photos I have encountered in different homes and projects... You'd probably agree with me too!!! 😬🙈😅
I decorate for my pleasure and nobody else. If someone is uncomfortable with my family they can leave.
Most of the photos used as examples break the first rule, ie. furniture away from the walls?
one of the most positive people on the internet! just watching you makes my day Lisa!
Sometimes the fireplace is the focal point of the room and it would look odd to put the tv anywhere else. How would you get around that?
It was never ever the idea of builders, electrians, and cable guys to put the TV above the fireplace.
No one wants to wire the most awkward outlets in the house.
The honour of that idea is for designers and the homeowners who follow them.
Someday the reality that people watch TV and the design for that must be dealt with, will finally sink in.
I have a cathedral ceiling and a window on the wall with a peak. We've been told that drapes should be up at ceiling height. What is the proper height for drapes on this window?
I love seeing people’s pictures on walls. I don’t put them up, but appreciate them. U are obviously not from the Midwest. Who the heck is visiting that is so picky weird?
Lovely lisa loved the lighting tip and the family photo tip. I agree i did this amazing family gallery wall in our upstairs hallway. I always treasure them at nite before bed. I love the look of a nicely decorated house. My husband has his family and dog pictures on his dresser. It looks great!!!
Well you had me until you spoke on personal photos in your home. It’s your home!
Lisa, your advice is always right on. But just one observation: When I look through my AD magazine, at all those super-expensive interiors, I often see tables (or desks, or a wall or bookcase) in their living space featuring framed photographs of family/friends/celebrities (since a lot of these homes are owned by celebrities). Is that OK, or not? A few framed favorite photos here and there?
Amazing question!!! I am assuming that the celebrities that showcase personal photos are accomplishments of themselves or their friends/family!
Are you sure it's not in their den/home office? I have pictures of family in my den which I consider my private space. I'm with Lisa on this one...not in the living room and even the den, I have to admit, I was hesitant to do it, but my husband convinced me to, so against my better judgement, I have a few family photos on a small wall. I If I ever put this place on the market, I will remove them and put up a piece of art in their place.
Oh Boy... Respectfully, if you walked into my 1300 sq foot house as a hired interior designer and told me not to use my walls to maximize walking/living space, and then told me I should hide my family photos in a "personal" space.. I would kindly show you the door.. But I do LOVE your ideas about plants.. I love live plants.. not fake plastic ones..
Dija!! These are very general tips, obviously, these rules aren't going to work in EVERY single home!! 🙌🏼 Some small spaces can be pretty tricky, but I have other videos on the channel talking about tips SPECIFICALLY for smaller spaces!! Thank you so much for your candid thoughts on this video!! 😘💖💖
Love the video as always! And I agree re the living room is a public space… I think people can apply a little balance and add some personal pics but should think about which ones…. I’ve seen plenty of…. Interesting shots in people’s living rooms that I’m sure have special meaning to them but they don’t always ‘deliver’ the intended sentiment to a visitor!!!!
I totally agree with you Amanda!! 👏🏼 Balance is super important, and IF you display a few photos, at least make it wholesome and NOT creepy!! That's all I ask!!! 😆😅💚💚
I appreciate design advice, but the pictures stay! My living room is not a lobby and since I pay the mortgage, folks are going to see a beautiful gallery wall with pictures of my ancestors, current family, friends AND pets. Sorry, not sorry 🙃
Anika!!! That is totally fine, I am just here to share my design tips with you guys!!! 😊 You can do anything you want in your space, that's what makes design unique!!! 💙😇
Great and useful tips here but, we need to remember our homes were built and designed for our comfort and our family's confort, it should be welcoming for guests ... sure...but that should never be the primary focus. So , if a guest is uncomfortable with pictures of MY family in MY house, then that's their problem not mine 🙃
Thank you so much for leaving this feedback Droid An!!! 😇 I totally agree, design your home for the comfort of you and your family!! 🙌🏼💕
So true about the personal photos! They weird me out.
Same here Carina!!! 😅 Some photos can be QUITE the conversation starter!!! 🤣
Why is that? You're in a HOME, not an office, store, hospital, or government center. Why would personal photos in someone's home "weird you out"?
Me, too. Not in the space meant for entertaining. For me, if family photos are all a homeowner has to entertain guests, the guests won't be staying long! Display a cool art piece you found on some exotic adventure, and you've got me wanting to hear the tales of your adventures.
@@sharonannelarkin9534 Because guests typically have little connection to your family members. They are visiting YOU. Have something more interesting to talk about than just how you raised your kids.
@@sharonannelarkin9534 Maybe because some are super cringey?
I enjoy looking at family pics when I go to someone's home.
To each their own Ms Knucb!! Everyone's opinions bout this is all across the board!
Retired Interior Designer is laughing and nodding and totally agreeing with EVERY point that you made!
Omg! I love this video! I keep on ticking the boxes haha! Must have watched all your videos when we were building the new house. Three layers of lighting make a huge difference esp in the evening. Visitors said it makes the house really cosy ☺️. And yes, no personal photos in the living room, just big wall arts
Lighting makes a WORLD of a difference, amiright Hayley?!?!! 🤩💡 I'm OBSESSED!!! 🙌🏼 Thank you soo much for sharing your thoughts and the cozy vibes over!!! 🥰💕
One thing I disagree: if you don’t want to see my kids pictures DONT COME TO MY HOUSE!!
Mocha!! LOVE your candid thoughts on this tip, thank you so much for sharing this!! 👏🏼 The cool thing about design is everyone can have different thoughts and opinions on what to do in their home!! 😊🧡
Tips are good but not a one size fits all kind of thing
Rules are always flexible depending on your needs and tastes. I don't follow any rules strictly as not all are practical to me but it is a good starting point for the clueless.
Our living space is open concept, it came with built-ins on both sides of the fireplace, so we had no choice but to put theTV right above it. We just had it installed as close to the mantle as possible, it is not too high, not too bad.
I just don't get why builders force this type of layout!! 😅 At least the TV isn't too high and you could find a way to make it work!! 👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you so much for watching and sharing this Victoria!! 😘💗🥰🥰
This advice is obviously aimed at middle class Americans. Here in the UK, few people have rooms as big as those in your video.
It's crazy how the definition of a "small" room or a "big" room changes all over the world!! 😆
I do like my tv above my mantle, but we do watch while laying back. Sitting up straight watching eye level would feel like I'm at work watching a training video.
I think shoving furniture to the wall is probably the worst mistake you can make. It’s also the gateway to other related errors. Shoving a sofa next to a wall looks awful. Cheap. I always place a brick behind the back feet so that there’s at least an inch or two between the wall and sofa, or ANY, piece of furniture or decor.❣️❤️
So what is the answer when your living room is super narrow and doesn't accommodate seating pulled away from the walls? Child-sized furniture? Lol
And, while it may not be stylish to put a TV above the fireplace, I actually enjoyed that in our last house. Spending most of the time with my head down (cooking, reading, gardeing, playing with the little ones and watching Lisa's videos on my phone), it was good for my neck muscles to have to lift my head just a little to watch TV. Not uncomfortable at all. 💜
Thank you for the comment on the tv above the fireplace. Worst idea ever.
But your rule about furniture placement? Have you noticed how many of your examples of beautiful rooms show furniture placed against the walls? Case in point, the example picture for rug size. Its a beautiful room. But where is the furniture? Against the walls. Because in this case that’s where it belongs.
There’s an exception to every rule…
When we were thinking of buying our current house, it looked like the previous owners were giants. All their big bulky sofas, beds and tables were way out of scale in a 1970s ranch house 😂
What to do with long narrow rooms? Hard not to put the main pieces against the wall but still meet the 3 foot rule between pieces...
Demeter!!! AMAZING question - do you mind submitting this in my Q&A submission box??? I would LOVE to answer this in a live stream or future Q&A video!!! 👏🏼 You can submit it here www.lisaholt.com/q-a-submission !!! YAYYY thank you so much for watching!!!
Yes, centre the grouping in the middle of the room. It will look bigger and also more cozy. The funeral parlour look of furniture against the walls is unfriendly.
Nope to the painting switch covers. It only minimizes the size a tiny amount and becomes a magnet for nastiness and grime. Everyone knows switches exist. To me, painting them would be like putting a fuzzy cover on a toilet lid.
I don't like backless benches that make one ache and slouth, and coffee tables that are so far away from the seat that one hurts the spine each time to get to them. Also, most of the "good" examples you gave comprised furniture placed right along the walls, but that's contrary to the first point you made. And speaking of the first point in conjuction with the third one, suppose one moved the furniture from the wall and brought it to a more central part of the room, would one should also leave enough space behind it to allow for traffic? Because that's what the third point meant. But in that case, I guess one would need a really large room for the ideas to work altogether. And even then, the problem of backless benches and distant coffee tables would remain.
It works-the example was poorly mounted. Also, frame the tv like you would a canvas and run art slides. Don’t hate on the TV above the fireplace.
Lmao, not everyone has a huge living room!
Looking with new eyes at a room, use a mirrow,
As many others have mentioned, I just am not understanding why pictures of my family or wedding, etc. are cause for discomfort. Seems super bizarre to me.
Cozy lighting can help your mood. It’s really important especially if you live alone.
I disagree with the family photos in the living room. Young House Love did a podcast on this a while back, about it and I recall seeing big photos of a landscape with their children in the center. From afar the landscape is the focal point but when you actually look at the photo you'll see the kids are center stage, that's ideal to me.
Yes, and that's a totally lovely solution! I"m talking about the wall covered in kids pics from 20 years ago, they're fading, slipping in the frames. etc. Also, I did have one client ask me to place a LIFE SIZED portrait of his 3rd wife, a naked showgirl, in the main entry.....this we could skip! ;);)
@@LisaHoltDesign oh wow that is something 😆
@@LisaHoltDesign I can agree with that. We can have balance. And I get it, you’re talking from a designer perspective.
OMG Lisa. I must be a designer and not know it LOL. I don't like furniture against the wall, TV above the fireplace is a no no for me, I don't like personal pictures in the public spaces and everyone thinks I am weird because of that AND I always use the leave the room idea. I love you videos...keep them coming girl!
Sounds like you have a GREAT eye for a design, maybe you're a designer at heart B!!! 💖💖 Thank you SO much for all the support and for tuning in this weekend, I always love hearing what you guys think about these tips!!! 🥰😘💓💞
I agree with the tv and fireplace ! It's so frustrating trying to lay by the fire and straining to watch a movie with the family 😭
I can't stand TV shrines. Why bake your TV? I'm definitely in camp 'outta sight, outta mind'.
Love your videos - great tips and advice. Super helpful and Wow do I need help!!!
No pictures of family in public spaces?? But homes “are our” very private spaces. I like the other pieces of advice but not this one at all.
I have never encountered someone that I invited into my home who seemed uneasy because they saw my family’s smiling faces and memories. In fact they usually ask more about who is who and where was the pic taken.
I think the interior design world has to be careful about taking the natural, normal, family-friendly elements out of home suggestions and advice. Some pieces of advice are more suited for a hotel than a home.
Other than that, I still love watching and hearing from Lisa Holt 🙌
Totally agree with not putting the TV over the fireplace. Craning my neck to watch is really uncomfortable.
I have a gallery wall of family photos going up my open staircase and into the upstairs hallway. I also have two living rooms on the 1st floor. The family room where we have the television has no family photos. However the sitting room has no TV......a piano instead. Above the piano is a gallery wall of more family photos. People rave about our family photos. Taken professionally in a less posey way... put in black and white.... framed with matting looks like art. I saved the wedding photos for our bedroom and instead opted to keep our wedding album in the sitting room in case folks ask about our wedding photos. I also keep a pretty box of family pictures from years ago for visiting family to delve into when we're chatting about the old days.
People aren't getting sore necks because they are LYING DOWN watching tv.
I knew it! I knew I would have a slap on my wrist for my TV being on a wall and my sofas being against the walls. I know it is wrong, but I have an excuse. English houses are so small and my large second half requires a large sitting space. And if I move it all to the middle of the room another rule would get broken. No passage. I have tried, I have cried, I demanded the smaller sofa but I've lost that battle just as I've lost the battle with the TV above the fireplace. Suppose that's what we call "a compromise" within the family. And Oh! My little grandson calls out family room "the cinema room". At least my boys are happy. I have to comfort myself on a point not having any family photos on display. And there is nothing wrong with my lighting or so I hope. Forgive me, Lisa, for I have sinned...
hahaha! Ludmila, at least you've tried to rectify, but sometimes, the'e forces of nature that prevent us from getting everything we want! xoxoxo L
Makes you wonder how much cozying up in front of the fireplace with you that larger second half gets. Men these days seem to know so little about romance, and even less about home decor.
@@lucybraun8969 How right you are Lucy! Forget romance and even that fireplace. Home décor? What nonsense. Big sofa, big screen, football, politics, news. Life's great. What more do you want for happiness, silly woman? But there is a positive site to it all. We can get even more creative in the rest of the house 'cause the rest of the house is of no interest to a man.
@@ludmilabevan3283 Oh, the men care about the bedroom ALOT! Little do they know, they aren't going to make it there without a hell of a lot more effort.
@@lucybraun8969 Hahaha!
You are absolutely right about family photos ~~
Very professional advice ~~👍👍
Glad you could agree with me on this Myoung!!! Thank you so much for watching!!! 🥰
I was dying of laughter the other day about another video I saw about a small rug under a small coffee table which looked like a POSTAGE stamp! I think it was Lisa Holt who said it. I laughed so hard.
OMG FM!!! 🤣🤣 Definitely sounds like something I would say!!!
Or you accidentally dropped a napkin
Yes she did say that. I remember!
@@vaderladyl I was on one of those rug sites where you can see it in a room. I went to the page and a small square rug was under a small square table. I immediately thought of it looks like a postage stamp and laughed a lot. To see it is just so amusing. 😆
@@cathylehman7538 😆 😆
Lisa, I thought you said you were going to link plant pots (like the one you featured that you thought was from West Elm.
My husband went to pick up the keys for our new apartment downtown and came home saying “ we can put the tv above the fireplace” and I’m like OMG! NO!PLEASE NO! PLEASE! NOOOO! I would rather use a smaller tv than have a giant one above the fireplace. I can’t. I know he’s bummed because he’s losing a great movie theater in our house we have now and he’s a director so he likes big screening rooms but this is temporary. He can deal with it.
JULIE, YOU GOT THAT right!!!!! xoxoxoL
I’m with you. I have always disliked TV screen placements over the fireplace and been surprised that so many designers do it: it’s just so wrong, the juxtaposition of the warm fireplace hearth of home topped by the cold void of a black hole. My youngest son is a writer and director too (small, indie films). Congratulations on your new space!
Glad you stuck to your guns. You made the right choice. Sometimes, you just have to think outside the box to come up with compromise solutions, rather than making a choice you'll be stuck with and not liking.
I’ve got a similar problem: glass walls and a huge non-negotiable bookshelf. I’m thinking getting a teve-projector and a roll-down screen so it’s out of the way whenever not in use