I’m a history professor. Last time I moved I counted the books in my personal library- 400. They represent my intellectual efforts for the last 20 years. I admit, hard as I try, they don’t make for the best visual on my bookshelves. But they are here to stay, regardless
Books are beautiful. I love when people walk into my house and pick an interesting book. So many wonderful conversations/debates have been had over books that my visitors have picked in my library. Similarly, walking into someone's home and seeing what they've read tells me a lot about them. Books are about way more than a certain aesthetic
My Hubby is an history professor as well as a lawyer and we have an extensive collection of books. We do have a library for most - books ( big or small) can be styled as we wish. I don't believe in one way of decorating. I still can display my small books around my home without it looking out of place or cluttered. A colleague of my hubby have a library with books displayed in piles around on the floor, some curated collectibles along side and it's the most satisfying to see. Once you have a sense of what works and not concern with what anyone thinks/says you wont be bothered - you will just offer your insight. Keep reading 😊
She implies that books are just for decorating. If someone has 100+ books, particularly collections or ones they are referencing regularly, that is a library. A neat, organized library can be good design.
@@nylaguinness6857 very well said. I've seen some beautiful cosy reading nooks, corridor / staircase bookshelves, as well as full libraries in my time browsing design content.
@@brewer921 I agree. Her advice was probably meant for the people with the ubiquitous Tom Ford / Chanel / Architectural Digest coffee table books that aren't really meant to be read anyway because they always have a vase stacked on them 😅
Not everyone has extra space to tuck their toaster/mixer/coffeemaker/airfryer away when used every dang day. It’s not decorating. It’s called living. I never forget my house is for living, not for photographing to be in a magazine.
I cook in my kitchen every day. By putting all my appliances away, i can do a quick wipe down after cooking, and that once a week deep clean doesn't take very long. Its just as practical for me to put it away as it is to keep it out.
I can not be comfortable without my books. When I want to look something up, find the cookbook with that recipe, sink into a comfortable chair with a book on philosophy or a good thriller, I do not want to search through a rental storage container, basement boxes or other. A house with no books is an empty place. Your pictures of books with the spines turned to the back in bookcases are a ridiculous decorator affectation. How can you find a book if you can't read the spines? Decorators must not be readers. Who else would do such a foolish thing. It seems your spaces are for impressing others and not for living in. Books are as necessary as the dog bed you have to find room for or the cat box, the toys we all live with (kids and adults) and the coffee pot we leave on the counter that is not a shiny espresso machine, but the standard drip unit most of us use daily.
Best and most realistic comment. It is good to have a nice, clean place but your house is supposed to be for living.....its not supposed to be a showhome. I could not live without my books. Thank you
It's absolutely baffling to me that anyone would put their books spine in on a shelf. Do you have to go to a grid to find out what is actually on your bookshelf?
At my house bookshelves are for books and items that are meaningful to me.. In my living room, the books are the ones related to the life I actually lead there, no matter what their size. And I can't wrap my mind around buying a book just because it looks good on a coffee table or a book shelf. (Tom Ford anyone?) Nor would I banish a book I actually read. In my view decorating and living one's life should be integrated.
I feel like people who "decorate" with books, don't actually read. We have shelves and shelves of books, mostly sci fi and fantasy, and that's what we love and who we are. We donate to charity, friends and family sometimes, but there are so many books that have been re-read and will never be given away. Are they ~aesthetic~? No. Do we care? Absolutely not. My dream home would have a library, and not one of those Pinterest ones, either!
I totally agree with you, I’m an interior designer and love to read books. I would never decorate with a book just because it’s pretty, having books you love and actually read around you at home is the best feeling. And yes, they can look awesome when you arrange them in a bookshelf, where as a bookshelf with those “aesthetic pleasing books” looks like a shop and not a lived in home.
You said it perfectly. Decorating is awful if it doesn’t serve you in some way…function or pleasure. Books just to match or set out…never!!!!! And I’m picky about my house, but I’m not that vane.
Right, I liked Valentina in the past, but I feel like she’s going too far. If this helps her find peace in her home, great, but it really comes off as sterile and a little classist. If my decor can’t stand a little bit of practical “distraction” then I don’t think I did a good job designing for my actual lifestyle.
Not better- it's simply her way of decorating. Some like it, some don't. Take what works for you and disregard the rest. Decorate mindfully with what makes you joyful. For me. having too many dime a dozen knick knacks on my bookshelf is not better than our family's extensive collection of books, that we often grab ( which includes valuable and small ones) no guilt in displaying them over decor pieces that everyone possess.(A messy home or heaped and hoarding is a different issue altogether though.). "Life is too short to live in other people's boxes" - Nyla
@@hsmd4533 I think that the message is that it is tacky if your remotes are not in a beautiful and stylish box or you have magazines on your coffee table or you leave your appliances on the counter. I quit watching at that point because I actually use my kitchen appliances regularly and lifting a stand mixture to the countertop every time I want to use it is honestly the dumbest thing I ever heard. Yes, and it is classist.
You can't live in a museum. We're humans, we use remotes and make coffee and leave books out, it's natural and it makes your house homey and looks like someone actually lives there
My response is an eye roll, with a sarcastic "whatever!". I am a maximalist. I am also a gardener, an artist, a grandmother of 8, and a COLLECTOR OF THINGS! I try to combine function and form. I love nature, water, woods, rocks, and plants. I grow all of my own herbs, which are hanging in small bundles to dry in my kitchen/dining area. All of these things tell a story about my life, the places I've been, and the things that help me live a wholesome, simple life. My house is not picture perfect, hardly ever. But it's cozy and interesting, welcoming, and reflects my personality, which is also not picture perfect. I don't just sit there, looking at my stuff, I use that "stuff " daily.
Rule #1 depends on the style of kitchen. You can have small appliances, visible tea towels, and visible cookware in a busy, humble, vintage, “working” kitchen.
I feel that busy vintage humble are not adjectives used to describe the look that this channel aspires to. Valentina's advice is not "wrong" it's just not in line with my home either.
@@ChristinaMcIvorTina: I never said it was “wrong”. And what this channel aspires to has nothing to do with my opinion or comments. Traditionally, the kitchen was a utilitarian space. Nowadays, people want their kitchens to convey the opposite. I think it’s silly. Function can be fashionable. That’s why espresso machines, tea towels, ranges, cutting boards, cookware, etc. are designed to be aesthetically pleasing. Yet, people want to hide them. Personally, I like a kitchen that looks like fun and creative things can and do happen there.
@@hereforit2347 oh no, I'm totally on board with you, I was speaking of my opinion being similar. Valentina has some wonderful advice, I just find I am often in the "don't do these things" category.😄 My kitchen has to function above aesthetic appeal.
@@ChristinaMcIvorTina: I see. Functionality can be beautiful. I just think many of today’s designers don’t appreciate the beauty in a home looking and feeling lived in. Maybe that’s why I like what I see in set and production design far better than what’s in most magazines or on social media. It’s the storytelling aspect. Some of my favorite kitchens are in old English manor homes. The ones the lady of the house never stepped foot in. I especially loved the kitchen in the 2018 BBC production of Ordeal by Innocence. The kitchen in 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy also comes to mind. Unfortunately, that real-life 1920s Atlanta, GA kitchen has since been completely remodeled.
@@hereforit2347 interesting, I will look up those kitchens. Terence Conran wrote a kitchen book I found very useful. Showed commercial kitchens, manor kitchens and tiny street kitchens that cook daily lunches for workers. As a housekeeper I clean many types and designs and do not want any of the modern artificial surfaces for my own.
I hate the book advice. Like if you don’t read and books are only decor, fine, but I am not going to buy a bookshelf and then find another storage system to hide smaller books away because they aren’t aesthetic. I am not a minimalist, but that is too far a departure from function to me.
I personally don't see what's wrong with the look of a bookshelf full of books. Maybe for people who don't like libraries or book shops? The sight of a bookshelf full of books (especially one that is in author alphabetical order) file me with joy!
@@claremiller9979 Yes, people who don't like "small books" and prefer AD and Tom Ford lol is all good in my book. We do what works for us right? My hubby got me into appreciating old copies of books in my teens, the smell, rifling through the pages ... oh the joy. Sometimes they are not the prettiest books to some though, but I like it. I live the Wabi Sabi way with many things.
I don’t like any books out, even the big fancy ones, except the one i am reading. For me it is extra clutter. But that is me. Yet a bookshelf full of books has such a cozy feel to it. We all should do what makes us comfortable in our own home.
If you have a lot of books, there's no way to "tuck them away." Personally, I find books in a home to be comforting but also indicative of what the person values.
To be fair, I don't think people are intentionally 'decorating' their home with things like laundry and remotes. They are just stuff we all use on a daily basis and are easy to leave lying around. This video should be called something more on the lines of 'how to keep your home looking aesthetically pleasing' instead of 'things you should never decorate with'.
I appreciate your style and decorating advice. I understand and agree with the concept of reducing visual clutter; however, I think there are many ways to decorate. Your home should be a reflection of your personal aesthetic and interest. Some people might prioritize allowing their children to display awards/trophies so they can be proud of their personal accomplishment over aesthetics and decorating. I think their should be a balance. I mean we don’t live in a magazine.
I don’t always agree with everything that you say, but I don’t always share that either. Because I understand what you’re saying can be valid. Maybe not for me, but valid for others. I don’t have children I don’t have trophies, but you talk about getting rid of “clutter“. And therefore, hiding the trophies in something, that’s lovely, and they are unseen. And that brings calm to your life. I disagree strongly. I think that if a child has won a trophy and you hide it, that does something that’s not good for their mind. I think it’s encouraging for them to see it. I don’t think you need to keep it in the living room. However, displaying it in the child’s bedroom or even if there’s more than one, even if they run marathons all the time and they have a hook that has all of their marathon numbers on it. I think that that’s encouraging to them and let them know that you’re proud of them to allow them to hang it on the wall. And I’m not “coming for you” lol I’m just respectfully disagreeing.
I agree on the trophies for children. My son had many, so he had a display cabinet in his room with them. He was proud of them, as they were rewards for all his hard work and accomplishments.
Your home is a reflection of your personal style, what is important to you and it's also a reflection of your state of mind. You can choose to live like Valentina and have an absolutely gorgeous home (even on a budget) or you can live completely opposite. No one is judging. Personally I stand behind all of her decorating principles and let me tell you, it is absolutely a joy to wake up in the morning, look around and be absolutely in love with my environment. There's no stress, no clutter, no chaos in my home but it is warm, welcoming and peaceful. The beautiful thing about life is that you get to choose how you want to live and decorate. It's sad Valentina feels anxiety for sharing her decorating principles with us out of fear of backlash. If you don't like what she has to say then her message isn't for you, just move on. No need to be rude, and no she isn't being rude like some other commenter stated. She's telling you the secrets of having an amazing home. Who doesn't want that??
I agree ☝🏻, I love waking up to a lovely home without any stress or clutter around me, how I go to bed at night is how I wake up in the morning, I don’t need to do much in housework anymore, as I do a little each day and my home is Forever Tidy and No Mess lying around, although we don’t have children living at home anymore and that makes a huge difference in the way you live your life.
For the first time in the 9 years I've lived in my house, I walk in and go, "Yes! I love this! I live here.", and it's largely due to you and your channel. Your use of black and attention to detail really caught my eye when I first decided to remodel, and I've created a personal style that I LOVE. And, every day is like a little adventure in my home, finding new favorite "moments" and just in awe of the space I've created. Thanks for all the advice and cute ideas!
I occasionally leave a catalog or magazine out for display if it has a cover that is beautiful and it goes with my decor or the season. I have several seed catalogs out right now because, I am in my gardening season and the catalogs keep me inspired and motivated!
With all due respect… How people want to decorate their homes is a matter of personal preference. Now… with that said… if someone is more interested in impressing people online by following the ever revolving trends then that’s their prerogative. I’ve lived in cringe mode for the past few years with all of the “Modern FarmHouse” aesthetic flooding the videosphere. It’s been like Stepford decorating 101. The best advice I’ve ever heard was from Bunny Williams… “Surround yourself with objects that you love and that bring you joy” “Break the rules and never let anyone tell you you can’t do it your way.”
"Stepford" came to mind for me, as well. Love Bunny Williams, and Quintessence is my favorite channel for decor. For some reason this channel keeps being fed to me by RUclips, so I watch for laughs.
What is the fear of living in your home? When people are coming to my home I pick up. But if I leave the remote on my table it does not bother me. I don’t have have a large kitchen so appliances must be on my counter. If I am reading a book or a magazine its ok to leave it on the table. I also leave the yarn out so I finish my project. I live in my home not in a magazine. Bless you for making this content, but please add some content about living in a home. Thank you
I agree! Making a home look like a show room in a furniture store doesn’t feel comfortable. I feel more relaxed in a home where people aren’t so uptight.
I love having my books out! We have a library - a full floor to ceiling wall of books and everyone in our home loves it!! Each of my kids have books in their rooms too! I also have a small stack of magazines in our interests that sit out in the living room so that my family has something they might be inclined to look at close by. I don’t decorate with chores - that’s for sure!! I love coming home into a clean environment!
I don’t have trophies, but for those who do, and treasure them, what good would they be hidden in a storage box somewhere? I think they would be just fine in a den or bedroom where you can see and enjoy them privately.
Maybe have out a memory that reminds you of it? Do you have a picture of your baby or a picture of the birth certificate? It’s the experience that matters, not the award or “proof”
Haha I have a swimming trophy that I found in a trunk when cleaning up and selling my parents house. I have it at the edge of my tub. It totally makes me smile when I take a bath
Valentina asked us to comment, so i will. This is my take on MY house. I don't like mess,but I'm definitely a maximalist. I'm extremely sentimental and adore being able to view my families objects and some are a hundred years old. I also find that friends are interested in them. I also love old books,no matter how small or worn they are. I generaly display these in little baskets and they look sooo cute. I cook EVERY day and it is one of my great passions ,so i definitely display my kitchen aids. Herbs can look attractive if cleverly displayed but as i have so very many most are in a draw. Valentina is a modern lady but personally her objects say nothing to me. They have no soul and no story behind them. Anyone can buy those and many will have the exact same object in their homes. Families with children cannot possibly follow her advice so just forget about it all ,enjoy your little ones whilst they are small ( they grow up so quickly)and attack the house when they are older😂. She does have some good points though,but always remember this. It's YOUR home and YOU must love it and as it isn't open to a paying public you and your family must find it cosy and welcoming. At the end of the day that's all that counts.
I agree. Not everyone wants their home to look like a boring Restoration Hardware catalog. 🥱 I think those homes majorly lack personality and it looks they're just trying to keep up with the Joneses.
I also agree that it might look neat but to me has no personality and looks very similar to everybody else. Definitely not the same taste for us with alternative styles.
One day I folded my last load of laundry but didn't feel like carrying it upstairs so I put the folded clothes back in the dryer. When my husband came home I showed him that the dryer now has a "fold" cycle! We kept it up the whole week that our grandson was here it was a hoot ' "Grandma's folding dryer!"
Agreed most folks don't even know his journey and couldn't distinguish it from another iconic designer. My coffee table books right now are ones I'm actually interested in/have read!
I think our homes should be a reflection of who we are. If you have certain things you love or things you’ve done in your life that you are proud of, it gives you an opportunity to showcase those things in a way so you can converse with people visiting your home. Valentina is a decorator and so her home is going to reflect that. I am a decorator wanna be so of course I’m going to appreciate the advice she gives in order to reflect who I aspire to be. I don’t like clutter and intentional things left out, I.e., cereal boxes, laundry, magazines, etc. People do have to live in their homes and functionality can be more important than a perfectly tidy home. I’ve seen a lot of interiors and most people live with clutter, but I’ll bet they have cluttered minds as well. Removing the clutter and chaos provides an opportunity to free your mind. I think the main thing is to clean out, clear out and just have a home that reflects you and who you want to be! PS. I put a hinged ottoman with storage in my closet that doubles for dirty laundry and a seat for putting on shoes.
Agree, it's what works individually. I've seen Valentina show her cluttered drawer before- lol, I mean she couldn't find the remote that belonged in the box😆. Even her is not about "perfection", You put it as it is - She's a decorator , take from it what you want
yeah I agreed with a lot on the list, but small vintage books absolutely work for certain aesthetics. I can see why they wouldn’t mesh well with her very modern style, but vintage and traditional interiors don’t look complete without small books.
Books are not decor. They are for reading and for remembering. I have a library. The shelves are jammed with books. Book stacks flank a few armchairs. A book or two on a cushion or two invites lounging. Our library is a comfortable place filled with life.
I really dont like coming home to a messy house. I want to relax after a hectic day and I don't want to see a mess....so to keep it neat, just put your stuff away right after you are done. Clean up after you are done, it really does help. Less stress later.
Most of us aren’t “decorating” with the remote, laundry, or general mess. We just have other people than ourselves in the home and they don’t value cleanliness and aesthetics as much as we do.
We are avid readers in our home....we would be lost without our fantastic book shelves that are filled with literature and books galore. One of us has always got a head in a book in our snug. That is why I guess my kids have such an extensive vocabulary....
I agree with all points bar the small books. I have always been a reader and both my husband and I love books, so we do have them displayed in beautiful bookshelves. I have broken them up with other decor items to keep it interesting. Love your videos Valentina❤
I love a beautiful home but my home isn't a show home. It's a representation of who we are as people and a family. I want to see our memories and the things we have done together displayed so our home tells a story. So if we take a family trip to the mountains there will be pictures,souvenirs,books about where we visited. I couldn't live in a home that feels like a mueseum. Kudos to those who love it but it's not for me.
I think it's funny when you start out with "A little below the belt." lol! I like your designs because you make everything look sophisticated ; having, revealing or proceeding from a great deal of worldly experience and knowledge of fashion and culture, this is why we are all here , we can see your heart&soul in your work and thank you for making a difference in peoples lives Valentina! We don't always have to agree or disagree, that's the beauty of Design.
We are building our forever home, and we love clean, clutter free counters. We've made the pantry rather large as to have our appliances hidden yet still easily accessible. I also drink coffee all day, so it's a perfect solution for us.
Nobody decorates with laundry or remotes or cereal boxes, or even small appliances. Those are not decor; they are necessary clutter because life. Finding a way to get them out of sight is ideal, but that's more of a decluttering strategy rather than decorating advice.
Agree with everything expect the dried/dead flowers. Some of them are quite lovely, but it does land better in the dead (pun intended) of winter in Michigan than other seasons. When no flowers are growing outside it can be strange to see a live/faux floral inside. And their is beauty in the end of a cycle or death, as well.
Dead/dried flowers can be nice in certain aesthetics for sure. I have some pussy willow that has looked amazing for years, and dead grasses in a winter landscape can add great structure.
For years, I have used 2 or 3 long shelves in the pantry for all my appliances. I like that they are all together, not spread out all over the kitchen in different cabinets, high and low. Open the door and get out what cha need, even multiple appliances to get the job done. Then clean up and they all go back into the panrty ☺️ Same here- only my upscale coffee machine is out 24/ 7. Have an area next to it with a beautiful small plate as a spoon rest for my coffee spoon, cream and sugar bowl. That entire coffee area IS part of the decor. I collect small plates to put undar plants, feed the cats, jewelry etc... Shallow bowls as well for keys, change, glasses and remotes. They are pretty and more interesting than a basket. Wooded are nice as well. I do use baskets but don't what them everywhere. Change these ALL out and move them around all the time. (Use the bleander and the toaster daily but prefer them put away) Decanters all glass, ceramic and nice so while they are out they look cohesive with the look. It's a calmer look/ feel and if ya get busy and they stay out... its still great looking.
While i get the concept of uaing larger books rather than smaller books, many of us are avid readers who view books as a necessity not decor. Never been in a position where I was shopping for a book and they gave me the option of buying the small version or the giant coffee table version - not typical aside from paperback or hardback. Buying books based solely on their size and how aesthetic the cover is rather than the topic and your level of interest, is like wearing a band tshirt for a band you dont listen to (thinking back to younger days)....its silly.
Re: Decanting - I think labeling all the decanters would not be attractive. So, I vote to put it all in the cupboard or be OK with being human and some have some packaging showing. Seeing a box of fruit loops brings me joy!☺️
@@NickeliniMy sister uses labels to be amusing. So an opaque container in her fridge might be labeled "Body Parts", or her toilet roll holder inscribed with "Butt Napkins". Kitschy but fun! Fits her personality super well ❤
First time seeing you Valentina, I totally agree on the appliances being put away and laundry but at the same time, I actually live in my home, not a magazine or a staged home, so I just don’t get this kind of decorating for everyday life. While I can appreciate that some people do live this way, I do think it wouldn’t be wrong to assume most people don’t .. your home is beautiful but not realistic in most homes.
I agree with all of V's advice! Dried flowers are such a 90s trend, good riddance. I also think a kitchen should be clutter-free (appliances stored) so that you clear the runway to start a cooking or baking task. Please keep these vids coming, thank you!
I love Japanese and Korean RUclipsrs… they display appliances… it makes the kitchen more utilitarian instead of a room… more functional But I love both looks ❤
Right I love my Zojirushi rice cooker and I don’t have time to hide it away. I feel like a lot of this advice is don’t have a practical home. Hide it away like you’re in a display.
I have a place for all of my appliances that are quick to pull out, use, and put back. I prefer it that way since it makes everything so much easier to clean after cooking.
Wow..I can tell a full moon is right around the corner...some comments sound so childish and jealous. This channel is about guiding us to have a sophisticate and classy home. Altho my style is not the same...I have more of a Pacific/California style, the tips I have gained for free here are long lasting. It actually has been proven that less visual and physical clutter in ones home does wonders for us...better sleep too. Its about putting things away and being clean and tidy. And if being too busy and rich is a crime...lock me up. 🙄
If your not self centered and are proud of your children there is nothing wrong with displaying there trophies. After all it is there home also. Perhaps not display for always but for a time I don’t find anything wrong with that.
To be honest, I prefer dried hydreanges over faux flowers. I did not find flowers that does not look articial. So I'd rather have these. But hydragenas are the only flowers that look ok when dried
I agree with you. And there is definitely a technique to drying flowers properly so that they don’t look “dead” as she described. Obviously, you would not want to leave expired flowers in the original water etc. that is nasty. But if you properly dry your flowers, they are absolutely beautiful and can last for a very long time. And I agree with you about the hydrangeas! They are the best!
Completely agree! Try it before you attack it because now when people walk into my apartment their jaws drop. It looks so high end. If that isn’t the look you’re going for don’t listen. If that’s what you want to achieve listen to every word Valentina says. It works. She’s changed the way I shop and decorate
She forgot about cords. Not that it hasn’t been covered before, but I know how sneaky they can be. I’m looking around right now and I’m like, when did that corner start to resemble spaghetti?
I agree! Everyone comments on how nice my place is, and many people think I have more money than I actually do. I've had the maintenance people come and say "wow this place is so nice!" It doesn't have to cost a lot but it looks like it does!
I had an ambulance and several doctors/ nurses unexpectedly in my home...their jaws dropped , too....They thought I was much more well to do, than I am. Books, pictures, dollhouse, personal favourites ..they said, it was awesome, treated me like royalty....some family pieces, personal pictures, books, trinkets, and thrift-store things........To Each his Own!(Style)!!!
I agree in hiding away what you think should be hidden but her aesthetic, although pleasing, is not appealing to everybody. You can hide things and have your own decorating style as well that I bet is as nice.
Some of us have no choice when it comes to having appliances out on the counter. I am curious to know how you'd go about working with the realities of a tiny english kitchen, as apose to the warehouse kitchens you guys seem to have in the US. My kitchen is so small, there is no island, one counter, and my washing machine is in my kitchen too. my sink pretty much takes up one wall, my fridge is on the other, I have a cooker and hob. 2 useable under the counter cupboards and no overhead cupboards. I have eliminated all the uneccessary appliances i can, such as a standing mixer (i use a little hand held mixer) my bread maker (i make bread by hand) a liquidizer, smoothy maker, (i use a stick blender), toaster (i use the grill setting on the oven) most of those smaller things i can fit under the counter, along with plates, bowls, glasses, mugs etc etc, but kettle, crock pot, Microwave, I have to have out. How do you make those look pretty? curious to know. thank you.
Don’t worry about them looking pretty enjoy your home do what works best for you. I just watched them for fun. I got to decide what to do with my home.
Love you Val and I agree with most everything you recommend but since my kitchen is white with tangerine, lime and turquoise accents, I could never put my tangerine Kitchen Aid mixer away. It's one of my favorite things in our entire house. ❤
I love books too...always have. My large hard cover books are on display with the covers off. I keep the latest copy of my favorite magazine, "Life Beautiful" on display for my guests to flip through. Whenever staying overnight at someones house I always appreciate current issues of their magazines to read while relaxing.
Omgosh, I collect small hard back fiction books pre-1940's. They are wonderful treasures and I do use them as decor and they look wonderful. A chacun ses goûts!
Magazines like National Geographic are wonderful stacks! very educational if you have avid readers, including children as frequent houseguests. Love their bright yellow spine every season, but Christmas. linda from NE
Unpopular opinion: Life over Likes, but then again I'm a maximalist, an artist and a lover of color, memories, history and living. I'm glad people can find joy in her aesthetic, it's comforting to some people, and anxiety inducing to others. But at they end of the day, you do you...because of you, not fear that someone is going to shame your style on RUclips. There's a million different styles, pick someone else's or pick your own, just don't put other people down for their choices...(sees remote sitting on the table...good lord hostess, are you an animal???!!!!😂)
I'm an older person and do not have the strength or 'back' to pull appliances out of cabinets. They are on my counter in a working kitchen and they look just fine. I think we can go overboard with some things.
Unfortunately, my kitchen doesn't have enough cabinets that are large enough to store all the machines. I just make sure I buy matching colours and styles to suit my kitchen. It looks OK and works well for all of us
I despise clutter so I put away blenders, my toaster and other small appliances. However, my espresso machine is too heavy to be moved and the sodastream and kettle are used multiple times a day so all are on the counter. I see all kinds of knickknacks and lamp shades, framed pictures, etc. being styled on kitchen counters these days 🙄 I think *those things* don’t belong in the kitchen.
I like dried flowers. They have an earthy feeling. I will take them over plastic greenery. I would think dried flowers are better for the environment than plastic.
My kitchen cabinets are sea glass green, the backsplash is white, my kitchen aide mixer is the only appliance that’s out and it’s my favorite shade of pale yellow- it literally makes me happy. I do dry all of my roses, lavender, and eucalyptus when I get them fresh, so I have that hanging from spots or tucked away. But that’s part of my spiritual practice and, again, makes me happy. I don’t invite many people over to begin with but when I do I often hear how my home is “peaceful”, “zen”, and “storybook chic” so whatever I’m doing makes me happy and puts people at ease. So it’s a win in my (story)book.
I prefer less visual clutter and just stuff. I however can’t get behind decanting everything.. if it’s out like soap yes but cereal and stuff in cabinets I’m just not wasting my time. If it’s something like spaghetti that once open it’s torn plastic then yes decant. It just adds so much time to a chore I hate. It definitely is nice to look at but I’ll just put things up.
Ive always decant- before it was trendy. I agree it is an extra chore. I do make time for it and it's calming to me. I must say though, it's always what works for you and no one should be thinking their home is not "decorated" if they don't decant
Same here. Food that will attract bugs I store away but say a bag of muesliI will finish in a week, it stays in a bag. I don't want my house to becoming a constant string of chores just to keep it magazine cover worthy.
We don't do pasta much anymore, but I find it a lot easier to ditch the crinkly, unsealable plastic pasta package that require scissors to open as often as not and a clip to seal it again, and just open a simple canister to get the amount I want, and replace the lid.
I would love to see you do a thrifting , antiquing episode!!!! I am trying to only buy used and would love to see how you would shop for second hand items!!!!! please consider this 🙂
I think there is a difference between dead flowers and dried flowers. Dead ones that were once alive are just disgusting (sometimes they even have a rotten smell!), but dried ones are often treated in such a way that they look nice in fall and winter bouquets. My Mom used to collect milkweed pods and teasel from the surrounding countryside and spray them gold or silver and use them at Christmas along with some greens from our hemlock tree, holly bush, or from the lower branches of our live Christmas tree. Faux flowers can be pretty but you have to wash them to rid them of dust because nothing looks worse than a dusty bouquet. I keep some small books in our back bedroom. But books on my interests such as Russian culture and general history are on the den shelves. These often have archival and color photos that I do not want to get on kindle because the whole point of these books are the glorious photos. And I also have many books on my kindle so that keeps me from being overwhelmed with paperbacks. We keep our stand mixer and sugar and flour containers on the kitchen counter because we use them often. We do keep other things stowed and I always wash dishes in the evening and dry them and put them away. I do not need or use a dish drainer because I think they are unsightly. Same with laundry. I wash, dry and fold on the same day. Only one or two items need ironing and I wait til I have several to get out the ironing board. Piles of laundry in the LR just lowers one's mood. I also don't have a lot of knick knacks, just a few family photos, and things from my grandparents and mother. And remember, from age 21-55 you buy and collect stuff but eventually all that stuff has to be given to kids, sold or donated. SO many people in our subdivision have two car garages full of BOXES of stuff. OMG. I don't see how they stand it. I periodically go through stuff and donate. Eventually we will have to downsize and I am already trying to figure out how to get rid of stuff. Sometimes we become slaves to our belongings. No hoarding for me.
Definitely inspired by the idea of hiding the remotes in my bedroom and the living room in a beautiful box. I will be on the hunt for that! 💜 I am guilty of having dried flowers in my home especially the ones in a bowl with essential oils aka potpourri. I’ve learned the dried flower look is only temporary as it does after a while get more dried and decayed and that’s when I will throw them out.
I wouldn’t say that people decorate with the trophies but they want to show off what their children accomplished I don’t seem thing wrong with that really.
I take it this one has been brutal for some. I hope you’ll make a video on stylish bookshelves that actually contain books😅. While you do not have your smaller books on display (And btw, I totally get it. All of my paperbacks are in closed cabinets), I simply love seeing the beautiful sets of hardbacks I’ve collected over the years. They are like art to me and I’m so very happy just looking at them. So, what advice would you give to a book lover about displaying their collection of books in a beautiful way? PLEASE Valentina, I know you can save book lovers from that overplayed rainbow bookshelf trend. Consider this a challenge 😊. Love your work and expertise. ❤️
I like mixing them in groups with cute bookends and other decor objects along with framed photos and art. Some upright, some stacked, maybe a few slanted. I vary the shelves so there is a mix of different objects, colors, and arrangements, and try to have them staggered between the various shelves, so for example, a stack of three books with a candle or object on top on the left of one shelf, a piece of framed art on the right, and then on the shelf above, maybe a couple frames on the left, and some upright books with a pretty book end on the right. I also love the look of shelves full of books or shelves full of decor though. We have a lot of shelves though and I love books 🤷🏻♀️
The books I have kept actually contain information I use. I have collection of cookbooks and gardening and landscape books and health books, travel books, etc. Love Valentina and her home. But, using only tones of black and white decor feels too limiting to me. I have beautiful original artwork that I bought from the artist and use the colors in the art in the rooms they are in. Bet her family room the kids hang out and watch TV in is way more casual and has colors. The only dried flowers I have are hydrangeas that you can cut and arrange in a vase with inch or two of water and just let them dry as the water evaporates. They look great for about a year. I keep them until the hydrangeas bloom the next summer. The greenery and trees I have were quite expensive and have held up really well to annual washing and taking them outside to dry. Dusty greenery or dried flowers are not good.
@@sarahtosh8369Thank you for this! I’ve been working on my shelves all afternoon making groupings and adding special pieces. I love the way it’s coming together. I’m in a new house and have built ins to fill up and it starts with my books. It’s coming together beautifully. Thank you so much. I’m sure you have a beautiful home!
@@dianeosgood6594 I too have a lot of books. My 3 sons all have 2-3 full bookshelves in their rooms. Books have been an important part of my sons becoming self learners. They’d rather read a book on a new subject before googling information. Though I’d like my hardbacks to be displayed beautifully, I’ve never thought of books as “decorations”. I don’t want to offend anyone, but that’s the most shallow thing I’ve ever heard. I have a large collection of kids books for whenever I get a foster child who is very young. Reading to them at night (anytime, is great but especially bedtime) brings them comfort. I was so annoyed with the shallow judgement, that I actually came back to unsubscribed from this channel. I don’t decorate with blobs and branches anyway. Glad I saw your comment. And hydrangeas are absolutely stunning. Thank you for the tip on how to dry them properly.
absolutely love watching your videos. My 9 year old daughter loves watching you and now she is a designer and we all want her opinion lol thank you for all the tips and awesome ideas... God bless!
I'm completely with you on decanting, but I would say, make sure you chose a container bigger than what you are going to be refilling it with, as the last thing you need is 2lbs of sugar in a nice container and half a pound in a packet next to it because it doesn't fit!😂
I’ve been decanting since I had a packet with a pest infestation in the pantry. I take off a paper labels too and just write on the container. Never want to go through that again. It’s not a pretty pantry but it works for me.
Everyone is different, but I definitely agree on clutter and being conscious of what you decorate with. A home should reflect who you are, but it can still be neat. I remember a friend remodeling her whole kitchen, brought it into the current century, then she put about five boxes of cereal on top of the refrigerator. She was just so used to having them there that she missed them when she put them in the pantry. My sister has a formal living room with a fireplace, she decorated it like a library with bookcases that she keeps very organized, and it’s so cozy in there, especially on a cold rainy day. I love seeing how people decorate, and enjoy different styles, and there is definitely a difference between storage and display.
Valentina you are soo right...i feel like there always too much stuff and it makes feel depressed and also like it's dirty and the house need to be changed...❤ ur ideas🎉
I agree with everything, except the flowers. I’d rather have dried flowers (even I’m trying to avoid flowers, that are dead 😃), than to have faux flowers. But I agree, some branch is amazing choice 😊
I rolled my eyes and thought “come on, nobody *decorates* with laundry” and then later realised that I’ve been doing exactly that 😅 Using radiators to dry small items, the corner of doors to air dry towels or bedding, hanging clothes from the architrave between the living and dining room… Oops. All clear now so thank you in particular for that one!
Well, that is life though. Most of us do not live in a magazine or the perfect insta life and sometimes the stuff has to go on the radiators. Obviously if you are planning to entertain that day you would not do that.
Awesome! My favourite greenery on Pinterest are the lighter green leafy stems. I find them more calming. Never been into dried flowers. Love the therapy and would love a video on changing up the house after divorce to make it your own focusing on a new mind set. For me your videos are about creating boundaries about what I will and won’t accept in my home both aesthetically and living my best life. Thank you for that as you have totally changed how I want to live a life I enjoy ❤.
The laundry thing is a bit silly because no one is actually deliberately decorating with laundry. That is just life. Personally I am single so this is not an issue for me, but I am not about to judge parents or even single people holding it together.
I think what she is saying is it reads as clutter to our brains, no matter how usual it is. It’s not just visual clutter it’s mental clutter too “Need to put that away” “Need to put that away” Try having it out of sight for a week and I think you will be surprised the peace it brings.
@@LauraT925 I don’t think anyone is surprised that have a clean home is nicer to look at. We clean for company for a reason. There is a balance between reducing clutter for a calming effect and not feeling stressed out that everything has to be in it’s place all the time.
@@JessieBanana Agree! Overly organized is my thing but I’ve decided that the line that I have a problem is if I can’t laugh at myself. It’s just how I’m wired. But disagree that laundry is cleaning. Laundry is laundry. Or is that another sign that I’m nutty about classifying and sorting? 😂
@@LauraT925 Laughing at my self is delightful 🤣. Im obsessed with everything about laundry lol. I get the mind clutter things can create in your environment. Being a practicing buddhist it's a natural way of life for me. As a psychologist though, I also know how some takes this advice. I know the daily struggle for some to get such tasks done and with stuff unravelling in life daily. We have to be mindful when we consume such content and not take anything too personal. Know that some design and decor ideas can be helpful.
I agree with you in many ways. However, you can display memorabilia in attractive ways. In addition to this, please keep in mind that less is more. Clutter is not attractive. I have to say, though, I'm not a fan of books being used as risers for decor items. There are other rises that you can use. You shouldn't have to move objects to read a book.
I am a big fan of the decorative remote box. Not only does it look nice but everyone always knows where to find it rather than having it loose ending up all over or sat on. The only difference is that ours has a hinged top so it isn’t as fussy and cumbersome to use as a fully detached top.
Sorry, disagree about the books. A bookshelf full of knickknacks is just as busy, if not more, as one with small books, and it serves zero function. A library adds warmth to any home. I love seeing the books I’ve read and be able to consult some of them once in a while. We have a floor to ceiling set of bookshelves with a sliding ladder and I think it looks wonderful.
Agree with most of your suggestions! I stopped decorating with small books a long time ago and my shelves feel and look so much better. Ahh, magazines! When visiting my family ( Mom and sister) I noticed all the stacks of outdated magazines and the stuffiness it created. I immediately stopped “saving” mags and it has made a huge difference in my home.
I was doing the same thing and finally threw mine out even though I kept them in a nice basket, they were outdated. Now when I have guests coming, I make sure to only leave three magazines (from the last month or two) that suit their interests. My sister in law loves to cook so I will have Bon Apetit. Plus a Condé Nast and a lifestyle magazine about the local area as they are visually stunning. Some people still love to read real books and mindlessly flip magazines before bed rather than stare at a computer or watch TV. I once had a guest start one of my books and ask to take it with her. I agree about paperback clutter but small hardcovers are just fine imo.
Oh man, I just found my dad's old certificates and award (he's an army officer) and I didn't think twice to put them on my wall. But my dad passed away three years ago so that's probably just me being sentimental
You have great advice and expert advice. I don't know how some people have a need to comment when they don't agree with your advice. It's constructive criticism 😊
I use decorative boxes for my remotes, candle lighters etc. I've noticed the ones that work in my space can be a bit expensive so I DIY. Thanks for sharing Valentina!
I would have to have staff to be able to decant everything, just no time for that! 😂 My biggest issue is that I'm a minimalist and my husband is most certainly not 🙈, all I ever seem to do is clear things up!! x
I’m a history professor. Last time I moved I counted the books in my personal library- 400. They represent my intellectual efforts for the last 20 years. I admit, hard as I try, they don’t make for the best visual on my bookshelves. But they are here to stay, regardless
Books are beautiful. I love when people walk into my house and pick an interesting book. So many wonderful conversations/debates have been had over books that my visitors have picked in my library. Similarly, walking into someone's home and seeing what they've read tells me a lot about them. Books are about way more than a certain aesthetic
My Hubby is an history professor as well as a lawyer and we have an extensive collection of books. We do have a library for most - books ( big or small) can be styled as we wish. I don't believe in one way of decorating. I still can display my small books around my home without it looking out of place or cluttered. A colleague of my hubby have a library with books displayed in piles around on the floor, some curated collectibles along side and it's the most satisfying to see. Once you have a sense of what works and not concern with what anyone thinks/says you wont be bothered - you will just offer your insight.
Keep reading
😊
She implies that books are just for decorating. If someone has 100+ books, particularly collections or ones they are referencing regularly, that is a library. A neat, organized library can be good design.
@@nylaguinness6857 very well said. I've seen some beautiful cosy reading nooks, corridor / staircase bookshelves, as well as full libraries in my time browsing design content.
@@brewer921 I agree. Her advice was probably meant for the people with the ubiquitous Tom Ford / Chanel / Architectural Digest coffee table books that aren't really meant to be read anyway because they always have a vase stacked on them 😅
Not everyone has extra space to tuck their toaster/mixer/coffeemaker/airfryer away when used every dang day. It’s not decorating. It’s called living. I never forget my house is for living, not for photographing to be in a magazine.
I hear you but her advice is not just about “decor” but to calm us down. A cluttered house doesn’t add peace and serenity to our lives.
I cook in my kitchen every day. By putting all my appliances away, i can do a quick wipe down after cooking, and that once a week deep clean doesn't take very long. Its just as practical for me to put it away as it is to keep it out.
Amen 🙏
I learn so much about a person by seeing what kind of books they have. No books are a scary concept.
I can not be comfortable without my books. When I want to look something up, find the cookbook with that recipe, sink into a comfortable chair with a book on philosophy or a good thriller, I do not want to search through a rental storage container, basement boxes or other. A house with no books is an empty place. Your pictures of books with the spines turned to the back in bookcases are a ridiculous decorator affectation. How can you find a book if you can't read the spines? Decorators must not be readers. Who else would do such a foolish thing. It seems your spaces are for impressing others and not for living in. Books are as necessary as the dog bed you have to find room for or the cat box, the toys we all live with (kids and adults) and the coffee pot we leave on the counter that is not a shiny espresso machine, but the standard drip unit most of us use daily.
Best and most realistic comment. It is good to have a nice, clean place but your house is supposed to be for living.....its not supposed to be a showhome. I could not live without my books.
Thank you
A person that barely picks up their books to read them would do that.
It's absolutely baffling to me that anyone would put their books spine in on a shelf. Do you have to go to a grid to find out what is actually on your bookshelf?
At my house bookshelves are for books and items that are meaningful to me.. In my living room, the books are the ones related to the life I actually lead there, no matter what their size. And I can't wrap my mind around buying a book just because it looks good on a coffee table or a book shelf. (Tom Ford anyone?) Nor would I banish a book I actually read. In my view decorating and living one's life should be integrated.
I feel like people who "decorate" with books, don't actually read. We have shelves and shelves of books, mostly sci fi and fantasy, and that's what we love and who we are. We donate to charity, friends and family sometimes, but there are so many books that have been re-read and will never be given away. Are they ~aesthetic~? No. Do we care? Absolutely not.
My dream home would have a library, and not one of those Pinterest ones, either!
Totally agree!!
I totally agree with you, I’m an interior designer and love to read books. I would never decorate with a book just because it’s pretty, having books you love and actually read around you at home is the best feeling. And yes, they can look awesome when you arrange them in a bookshelf, where as a bookshelf with those “aesthetic pleasing books” looks like a shop and not a lived in home.
You said it perfectly. Decorating is awful if it doesn’t serve you in some way…function or pleasure. Books just to match or set out…never!!!!! And I’m picky about my house, but I’m not that vane.
If I see another TOM FORD book! Is there no individuality anymore!! Books are beautiful no matter what size!!
Why is it "better" that your home looks like no one actually lives in it?
I don’t think that’s what she’s saying. Your space will look better if it’s neat and stylish, and it can still look like you live there.
Right, I liked Valentina in the past, but I feel like she’s going too far. If this helps her find peace in her home, great, but it really comes off as sterile and a little classist. If my decor can’t stand a little bit of practical “distraction” then I don’t think I did a good job designing for my actual lifestyle.
Not better- it's simply her way of decorating. Some like it, some don't. Take what works for you and disregard the rest. Decorate mindfully with what makes you joyful. For me. having too many dime a dozen knick knacks on my bookshelf is not better than our family's extensive collection of books, that we often grab ( which includes valuable and small ones) no guilt in displaying them over decor pieces that everyone possess.(A messy home or heaped and hoarding is a different issue altogether though.). "Life is too short to live in other people's boxes" - Nyla
@@hsmd4533 I think that the message is that it is tacky if your remotes are not in a beautiful and stylish box or you have magazines on your coffee table or you leave your appliances on the counter. I quit watching at that point because I actually use my kitchen appliances regularly and lifting a stand mixture to the countertop every time I want to use it is honestly the dumbest thing I ever heard. Yes, and it is classist.
Perhaps she cleans it and tidies it before she starts filming? I know I clean when I expect people over
You can't live in a museum. We're humans, we use remotes and make coffee and leave books out, it's natural and it makes your house homey and looks like someone actually lives there
Well stated. But some people it seems would rather live in a place that looks like a museum. I prefer cozy, lived in but still not cluttered.
My response is an eye roll, with a sarcastic "whatever!". I am a maximalist. I am also a gardener, an artist, a grandmother of 8, and a COLLECTOR OF THINGS! I try to combine function and form. I love nature, water, woods, rocks, and plants. I grow all of my own herbs, which are hanging in small bundles to dry in my kitchen/dining area. All of these things tell a story about my life, the places I've been, and the things that help me live a wholesome, simple life. My house is not picture perfect, hardly ever. But it's cozy and interesting, welcoming, and reflects my personality, which is also not picture perfect. I don't just sit there, looking at my stuff, I use that "stuff " daily.
I feel sad for her evident lack of interest in anything....
Rule #1 depends on the style of kitchen. You can have small appliances, visible tea towels, and visible cookware in a busy, humble, vintage, “working” kitchen.
I feel that busy vintage humble are not adjectives used to describe the look that this channel aspires to. Valentina's advice is not "wrong" it's just not in line with my home either.
@@ChristinaMcIvorTina: I never said it was “wrong”. And what this channel aspires to has nothing to do with my opinion or comments.
Traditionally, the kitchen was a utilitarian space. Nowadays, people want their kitchens to convey the opposite. I think it’s silly. Function can be fashionable. That’s why espresso machines, tea towels, ranges, cutting boards, cookware, etc. are designed to be aesthetically pleasing. Yet, people want to hide them. Personally, I like a kitchen that looks like fun and creative things can and do happen there.
@@hereforit2347 oh no, I'm totally on board with you, I was speaking of my opinion being similar. Valentina has some wonderful advice, I just find I am often in the "don't do these things" category.😄 My kitchen has to function above aesthetic appeal.
@@ChristinaMcIvorTina: I see. Functionality can be beautiful. I just think many of today’s designers don’t appreciate the beauty in a home looking and feeling lived in. Maybe that’s why I like what I see in set and production design far better than what’s in most magazines or on social media. It’s the storytelling aspect.
Some of my favorite kitchens are in old English manor homes. The ones the lady of the house never stepped foot in. I especially loved the kitchen in the 2018 BBC production of Ordeal by Innocence. The kitchen in 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy also comes to mind. Unfortunately, that real-life 1920s Atlanta, GA kitchen has since been completely remodeled.
@@hereforit2347 interesting, I will look up those kitchens. Terence Conran wrote a kitchen book I found very useful. Showed commercial kitchens, manor kitchens and tiny street kitchens that cook daily lunches for workers. As a housekeeper I clean many types and designs and do not want any of the modern artificial surfaces for my own.
I hate the book advice. Like if you don’t read and books are only decor, fine, but I am not going to buy a bookshelf and then find another storage system to hide smaller books away because they aren’t aesthetic. I am not a minimalist, but that is too far a departure from function to me.
Agree! Bookshelves are for books and yes you can add decor.
I personally don't see what's wrong with the look of a bookshelf full of books. Maybe for people who don't like libraries or book shops? The sight of a bookshelf full of books (especially one that is in author alphabetical order) file me with joy!
@@claremiller9979 Yes, people who don't like "small books" and prefer AD and Tom Ford lol is all good in my book. We do what works for us right? My hubby got me into appreciating old copies of books in my teens, the smell, rifling through the pages ... oh the joy. Sometimes they are not the prettiest books to some though, but I like it. I live the Wabi Sabi way with many things.
I don’t like any books out, even the big fancy ones, except the one i am reading. For me it is extra clutter. But that is me. Yet a bookshelf full of books has such a cozy feel to it. We all should do what makes us comfortable in our own home.
Agree 100 love you still Valentina!
If you have a lot of books, there's no way to "tuck them away." Personally, I find books in a home to be comforting but also indicative of what the person values.
I agree. It shows you have a personality and curious mind.
To be fair, I don't think people are intentionally 'decorating' their home with things like laundry and remotes. They are just stuff we all use on a daily basis and are easy to leave lying around.
This video should be called something more on the lines of 'how to keep your home looking aesthetically pleasing' instead of 'things you should never decorate with'.
Right....some people actually live in their homes
I appreciate your style and decorating advice. I understand and agree with the concept of reducing visual clutter; however, I think there are many ways to decorate. Your home should be a reflection of your personal aesthetic and interest. Some people might prioritize allowing their children to display awards/trophies so they can be proud of their personal accomplishment over aesthetics and decorating. I think their should be a balance. I mean we don’t live in a magazine.
Thank you! :)
Absolutely! I have pops of colour all over my home. Not I say home…most I see are houses and not lived in homes
I don’t always agree with everything that you say, but I don’t always share that either. Because I understand what you’re saying can be valid. Maybe not for me, but valid for others. I don’t have children I don’t have trophies, but you talk about getting rid of “clutter“. And therefore, hiding the trophies in something, that’s lovely, and they are unseen. And that brings calm to your life. I disagree strongly. I think that if a child has won a trophy and you hide it, that does something that’s not good for their mind. I think it’s encouraging for them to see it. I don’t think you need to keep it in the living room. However, displaying it in the child’s bedroom or even if there’s more than one, even if they run marathons all the time and they have a hook that has all of their marathon numbers on it. I think that that’s encouraging to them and let them know that you’re proud of them to allow them to hang it on the wall. And I’m not “coming for you” lol I’m just respectfully disagreeing.
I agree on the trophies for children. My son had many, so he had a display cabinet in his room with them. He was proud of them, as they were rewards for all his hard work and accomplishments.
In his room is the perfect place to display them.
Your home is a reflection of your personal style, what is important to you and it's also a reflection of your state of mind. You can choose to live like Valentina and have an absolutely gorgeous home (even on a budget) or you can live completely opposite. No one is judging. Personally I stand behind all of her decorating principles and let me tell you, it is absolutely a joy to wake up in the morning, look around and be absolutely in love with my environment. There's no stress, no clutter, no chaos in my home but it is warm, welcoming and peaceful. The beautiful thing about life is that you get to choose how you want to live and decorate. It's sad Valentina feels anxiety for sharing her decorating principles with us out of fear of backlash. If you don't like what she has to say then her message isn't for you, just move on. No need to be rude, and no she isn't being rude like some other commenter stated. She's telling you the secrets of having an amazing home. Who doesn't want that??
I agree.
Me too
Thank you !! Well said !!! I couldn’t agree more.
I agree ☝🏻, I love waking up to a lovely home without any stress or clutter around me, how I go to bed at night is how I wake up in the morning, I don’t need to do much in housework anymore, as I do a little each day and my home is Forever Tidy and No Mess lying around, although we don’t have children living at home anymore and that makes a huge difference in the way you live your life.
All true.
For the first time in the 9 years I've lived in my house, I walk in and go, "Yes! I love this! I live here.", and it's largely due to you and your channel. Your use of black and attention to detail really caught my eye when I first decided to remodel, and I've created a personal style that I LOVE. And, every day is like a little adventure in my home, finding new favorite "moments" and just in awe of the space I've created. Thanks for all the advice and cute ideas!
I occasionally leave a catalog or magazine out for display if it has a cover that is beautiful and it goes with my decor or the season. I have several seed catalogs out right now because, I am in my gardening season and the catalogs keep me inspired and motivated!
With all due respect… How people want to decorate their homes is a matter of personal preference.
Now… with that said… if someone is more interested in impressing people online by following the ever revolving trends then that’s their prerogative.
I’ve lived in cringe mode for the past few years with all of the “Modern FarmHouse” aesthetic flooding the videosphere. It’s been like Stepford decorating 101.
The best advice I’ve ever heard was from Bunny Williams…
“Surround yourself with objects that you love and that bring you joy”
“Break the rules and never let anyone tell you you can’t do it your way.”
I have only been viewing youtube decor stuff in the last 2 yrs, occasionally. I'm near done, back to my lair 🤣
"Stepford" came to mind for me, as well. Love Bunny Williams, and Quintessence is my favorite channel for decor. For some reason this channel keeps being fed to me by RUclips, so I watch for laughs.
But the whole point of these videos is to help people. Isn’t that why we watch? For tips and ideas? It’s not like she’s forcing herself on any of us.
I appreciate that she doesn’t want to offend, yet she’s so passionate about helping others love and feel good in their space.
What is the fear of living in your home? When people are coming to my home I pick up. But if I leave the remote on my table it does not bother me. I don’t have have a large kitchen so appliances must be on my counter. If I am reading a book or a magazine its ok to leave it on the table. I also leave the yarn out so I finish my project. I live in my home not in a magazine. Bless you for making this content, but please add some content about living in a home. Thank you
I do too. Like where are the appliances going to go . I cook everyday. Maybe use covered boxes so they are still around but look nice
Great advice love your home.
I agree! Making a home look like a show room in a furniture store doesn’t feel comfortable. I feel more relaxed in a home where people aren’t so uptight.
Agree, I wish inwas more tidy. But in clear counter tops and hide appliances when I have parties, otherwise I live in function.
Why are you watching this show if you don't agree with any thing she says? I'm confused!
I love having my books out! We have a library - a full floor to ceiling wall of books and everyone in our home loves it!! Each of my kids have books in their rooms too! I also have a small stack of magazines in our interests that sit out in the living room so that my family has something they might be inclined to look at close by. I don’t decorate with chores - that’s for sure!! I love coming home into a clean environment!
I love dried, framed flowers. To each their own😊😊
I don’t have trophies, but for those who do, and treasure them, what good would they be hidden in a storage box somewhere? I think they would be just fine in a den or bedroom where you can see and enjoy them privately.
Maybe have out a memory that reminds you of it? Do you have a picture of your baby or a picture of the birth certificate? It’s the experience that matters, not the award or “proof”
Yes I think they can be displayed neatly, in display box etc espec for kids
I think if you have a home office or den, that's a great place to display trophies.
Haha I have a swimming trophy that I found in a trunk when cleaning up and selling my parents house. I have it at the edge of my tub. It totally makes me smile when I take a bath
Mine are in my home office. They’re accomplishments I’m proud of and I happen to like them. Do what makes you happy. Life isn’t black and white!
Valentina asked us to comment, so i will. This is my take on MY house. I don't like mess,but I'm definitely a maximalist. I'm extremely sentimental and adore being able to view my families objects and some are a hundred years old. I also find that friends are interested in them. I also love old books,no matter how small or worn they are. I generaly display these in little baskets and they look sooo cute. I cook EVERY day and it is one of my great passions ,so i definitely display my kitchen aids. Herbs can look attractive if cleverly displayed but as i have so very many most are in a draw. Valentina is a modern lady but personally her objects say nothing to me. They have no soul and no story behind them. Anyone can buy those and many will have the exact same object in their homes. Families with children cannot possibly follow her advice so just forget about it all ,enjoy your little ones whilst they are small ( they grow up so quickly)and attack the house when they are older😂. She does have some good points though,but always remember this. It's YOUR home and YOU must love it and as it isn't open to a paying public you and your family must find it cosy and welcoming. At the end of the day that's all that counts.
I agree. Not everyone wants their home to look like a boring Restoration Hardware catalog. 🥱 I think those homes majorly lack personality and it looks they're just trying to keep up with the Joneses.
I also agree that it might look neat but to me has no personality and looks very similar to everybody else. Definitely not the same taste for us with alternative styles.
One day I folded my last load of laundry but didn't feel like carrying it upstairs so I put the folded clothes back in the dryer. When my husband came home I showed him that the dryer now has a "fold" cycle! We kept it up the whole week that our grandson was here it was a hoot ' "Grandma's folding dryer!"
Decorating is like art. It’s subjections. While I love her ideas and home is lovely but there are things I would never do as well. Do what you love!!!
I'd like to add animal trophies. They are creepy!
Amen sister! And sad too.😢
Indeed
Yes, why would you want to display a dead body! Too sad 😢
Taxidermy - 😱 Awful!!!
I grew in a hunting family, and still agree. I recently saw a house for sale with a big animal trophy over the bed.😮
I don't think anyone is using laundry or cereal as decor. lol People just get busy and don't put it away.
NOBODY looks at a remote as a decorating item. However, the box idea is AMAZING!!
Ordinary items left out become decor whether you want them to or not will be a game changer. Thank you, Valentina!
Oh come on, it’s common sense. Great, if you have tonnes of space and storage to hide stuff. Most of us don’t.
I love the line “ you don’t want your chores in your face” that is so true. Thanks Valentina.
The Tom Ford book is so over done...I can't stand seeing it anymore.
Agreed most folks don't even know his journey and couldn't distinguish it from another iconic designer. My coffee table books right now are ones I'm actually interested in/have read!
Yes, I think is so tacky!!!
Tom Ford's book for most people is just a kitschy cliche.
I think our homes should be a reflection of who we are. If you have certain things you love or things you’ve done in your life that you are proud of, it gives you an opportunity to showcase those things in a way so you can converse with people visiting your home. Valentina is a decorator and so her home is going to reflect that. I am a decorator wanna be so of course I’m going to appreciate the advice she gives in order to reflect who I aspire to be. I don’t like clutter and intentional things left out, I.e., cereal boxes, laundry, magazines, etc. People do have to live in their homes and functionality can be more important than a perfectly tidy home. I’ve seen a lot of interiors and most people live with clutter, but I’ll bet they have cluttered minds as well. Removing the clutter and chaos provides an opportunity to free your mind. I think the main thing is to clean out, clear out and just have a home that reflects you and who you want to be! PS. I put a hinged ottoman with storage in my closet that doubles for dirty laundry and a seat for putting on shoes.
Agree, it's what works individually. I've seen Valentina show her cluttered drawer before- lol, I mean she couldn't find the remote that belonged in the box😆. Even her is not about "perfection", You put it as it is - She's a decorator , take from it what you want
Sorry Valentina I don’t agree about the books, especially old ones or leather bound ones. Library rooms look fabulous!
But no dust jackets right!
yeah I agreed with a lot on the list, but small vintage books absolutely work for certain aesthetics. I can see why they wouldn’t mesh well with her very modern style, but vintage and traditional interiors don’t look complete without small books.
Books are not decor. They are for reading and for remembering. I have a library. The shelves are jammed with books. Book stacks flank a few armchairs. A book or two on a cushion or two invites lounging. Our library is a comfortable place filled with life.
I really dont like coming home to a messy house. I want to relax after a hectic day and I don't want to see a mess....so to keep it neat, just put your stuff away right after you are done. Clean up after you are done, it really does help. Less stress later.
Most of us aren’t “decorating” with the remote, laundry, or general mess. We just have other people than ourselves in the home and they don’t value cleanliness and aesthetics as much as we do.
Love the idea of a remote box. Dried flowers are a mood though. So beautiful. I also love dried chilis, garlic, herbs, eucalyptus.
We are avid readers in our home....we would be lost without our fantastic book shelves that are filled with literature and books galore. One of us has always got a head in a book in our snug. That is why I guess my kids have such an extensive vocabulary....
I I love browsing through magazines. They make me happy. They look great in my bathroom next to the potty 😂.
I'm doing dark academia. Dried roses for me are a must.
I agree with all points bar the small books. I have always been a reader and both my husband and I love books, so we do have them displayed in beautiful bookshelves. I have broken them up with other decor items to keep it interesting. Love your videos Valentina❤
I love a beautiful home but my home isn't a show home. It's a representation of who we are as people and a family. I want to see our memories and the things we have done together displayed so our home tells a story. So if we take a family trip to the mountains there will be pictures,souvenirs,books about where we visited. I couldn't live in a home that feels like a mueseum. Kudos to those who love it but it's not for me.
I think it's funny when you start out with "A little below the belt." lol! I like your designs because you make everything look sophisticated ; having, revealing or proceeding from a great deal of worldly experience and knowledge of fashion and culture, this is why we are all here , we can see your heart&soul in your work and thank you for making a difference in peoples lives Valentina! We don't always have to agree or disagree, that's the beauty of Design.
We are building our forever home, and we love clean, clutter free counters. We've made the pantry rather large as to have our appliances hidden yet still easily accessible. I also drink coffee all day, so it's a perfect solution for us.
I am doing the same thing. My new floor plan has a butlers pantry so just about everything will be in it. The less I have to clean the better.
Nobody decorates with laundry or remotes or cereal boxes, or even small appliances. Those are not decor; they are necessary clutter because life. Finding a way to get them out of sight is ideal, but that's more of a decluttering strategy rather than decorating advice.
Agree with everything expect the dried/dead flowers. Some of them are quite lovely, but it does land better in the dead (pun intended) of winter in Michigan than other seasons. When no flowers are growing outside it can be strange to see a live/faux floral inside. And their is beauty in the end of a cycle or death, as well.
Wabi Sabi
Dead/dried flowers can be nice in certain aesthetics for sure. I have some pussy willow that has looked amazing for years, and dead grasses in a winter landscape can add great structure.
For years, I have used 2 or 3 long shelves in the pantry for all my appliances.
I like that they are all together, not spread out all over the kitchen in different cabinets, high and low.
Open the door and get out what cha need, even multiple appliances to get the job done.
Then clean up and they all go back into the panrty ☺️
Same here- only my upscale coffee machine is out 24/ 7.
Have an area next to it with a beautiful small plate as a spoon rest for my coffee spoon, cream and sugar bowl.
That entire coffee area IS part of the decor.
I collect small plates to put undar plants, feed the cats, jewelry etc... Shallow bowls as well for keys, change, glasses and remotes.
They are pretty and more interesting than a basket. Wooded are nice as well.
I do use baskets but don't what them everywhere.
Change these ALL out and move them around all the time.
(Use the bleander and the toaster daily but prefer them put away)
Decanters all glass, ceramic and nice so while they are out they look cohesive with the look.
It's a calmer look/ feel and if ya get busy and they stay out... its still great looking.
While i get the concept of uaing larger books rather than smaller books, many of us are avid readers who view books as a necessity not decor. Never been in a position where I was shopping for a book and they gave me the option of buying the small version or the giant coffee table version - not typical aside from paperback or hardback.
Buying books based solely on their size and how aesthetic the cover is rather than the topic and your level of interest, is like wearing a band tshirt for a band you dont listen to (thinking back to younger days)....its silly.
Yes!!!
Re: Decanting - I think labeling all the decanters would not be attractive. So, I vote to put it all in the cupboard or be OK with being human and some have some packaging showing. Seeing a box of fruit loops brings me joy!☺️
A few things we decant like olive oil. Most stuff we leave in their boxes in the pantry. Who cares but us??
I find the labels can be hilarious. Does a clear container of pasta or rice need a label? No
@@NickeliniMy sister uses labels to be amusing. So an opaque container in her fridge might be labeled "Body Parts", or her toilet roll holder inscribed with "Butt Napkins". Kitschy but fun! Fits her personality super well ❤
First time seeing you Valentina, I totally agree on the appliances being put away and laundry but at the same time, I actually live in my home, not a magazine or a staged home, so I just don’t get this kind of decorating for everyday life. While I can appreciate that some people do live this way, I do think it wouldn’t be wrong to assume most people don’t .. your home is beautiful but not realistic in most homes.
The remote box sounds great but also a lot of bother over nothing
I agree with all of V's advice! Dried flowers are such a 90s trend, good riddance. I also think a kitchen should be clutter-free (appliances stored) so that you clear the runway to start a cooking or baking task. Please keep these vids coming, thank you!
I love Japanese and Korean RUclipsrs… they display appliances… it makes the kitchen more utilitarian instead of a room… more functional
But I love both looks ❤
Right I love my Zojirushi rice cooker and I don’t have time to hide it away. I feel like a lot of this advice is don’t have a practical home. Hide it away like you’re in a display.
I have a place for all of my appliances that are quick to pull out, use, and put back. I prefer it that way since it makes everything so much easier to clean after cooking.
Wow..I can tell a full moon is right around the corner...some comments sound so childish and jealous. This channel is about guiding us to have a sophisticate and classy home. Altho my style is not the same...I have more of a Pacific/California style, the tips I have gained for free here are long lasting. It actually has been proven that less visual and physical clutter in ones home does wonders for us...better sleep too. Its about putting things away and being clean and tidy.
And if being too busy and rich is a crime...lock me up. 🙄
I think people are reacting to the delivery. Your explanation of the benefits of less clutter would have landed better.
@@username00009 Lol..huh? your comment to my comment makes no sense...
If your not self centered and are proud of your children there is nothing wrong with displaying there trophies. After all it is there home also. Perhaps not display for always but for a time I don’t find anything wrong with that.
To be honest, I prefer dried hydreanges over faux flowers. I did not find flowers that does not look articial. So I'd rather have these. But hydragenas are the only flowers that look ok when dried
I agree with you.
And there is definitely a technique to drying flowers properly so that they don’t look “dead” as she described.
Obviously, you would not want to leave expired flowers in the original water etc.
that is nasty. But if you properly dry your flowers, they are absolutely beautiful and can last for a very long time.
And I agree with you about the hydrangeas! They are the best!
Faux flowers create stagnant energy in a space and are poor Feng Shui
I feel the same way regarding dried eucalyptus. I love the way it looks.
@@lesw3803 there's no such thing as "stagnant energy". That's all in your head.
Status flowers keep color also, and require no water from the start.
Completely agree! Try it before you attack it because now when people walk into my apartment their jaws drop. It looks so high end. If that isn’t the look you’re going for don’t listen. If that’s what you want to achieve listen to every word Valentina says. It works. She’s changed the way I shop and decorate
She forgot about cords. Not that it hasn’t been covered before, but I know how sneaky they can be. I’m looking around right now and I’m like, when did that corner start to resemble spaghetti?
I agree! Everyone comments on how nice my place is, and many people think I have more money than I actually do. I've had the maintenance people come and say "wow this place is so nice!" It doesn't have to cost a lot but it looks like it does!
I had an ambulance and several doctors/ nurses unexpectedly in my home...their jaws dropped , too....They thought I was much more well to do, than I am. Books, pictures, dollhouse, personal favourites ..they said, it was awesome, treated me like royalty....some family pieces, personal pictures, books, trinkets, and thrift-store things........To Each his Own!(Style)!!!
I agree in hiding away what you think should be hidden but her aesthetic, although pleasing, is not appealing to everybody. You can hide things and have your own decorating style as well that I bet is as nice.
You can tell a non reader when they turn the spines of books to the wall. Not smart,
Some of us have no choice when it comes to having appliances out on the counter. I am curious to know how you'd go about working with the realities of a tiny english kitchen, as apose to the warehouse kitchens you guys seem to have in the US. My kitchen is so small, there is no island, one counter, and my washing machine is in my kitchen too. my sink pretty much takes up one wall, my fridge is on the other, I have a cooker and hob. 2 useable under the counter cupboards and no overhead cupboards. I have eliminated all the uneccessary appliances i can, such as a standing mixer (i use a little hand held mixer) my bread maker (i make bread by hand) a liquidizer, smoothy maker, (i use a stick blender), toaster (i use the grill setting on the oven) most of those smaller things i can fit under the counter, along with plates, bowls, glasses, mugs etc etc, but kettle, crock pot, Microwave, I have to have out. How do you make those look pretty? curious to know. thank you.
Don’t worry about them looking pretty enjoy your home do what works best for you. I just watched them for fun. I got to decide what to do with my home.
Love you Val and I agree with most everything you recommend but since my kitchen is white with tangerine, lime and turquoise accents, I could never put my tangerine Kitchen Aid mixer away. It's one of my favorite things in our entire house. ❤
Finally a kitchen that’s not white and grey 🎉🎉🎉🎉👏🏻
I love books too...always have. My large hard cover books are on display with the covers off. I keep the latest copy of my favorite magazine, "Life Beautiful" on display for my guests to flip through. Whenever staying overnight at someones house I always appreciate current issues of their magazines to read while relaxing.
Omgosh, I collect small hard back fiction books pre-1940's. They are wonderful treasures and I do use them as decor and they look wonderful. A chacun ses goûts!
It’s perfectly okay to do this kind of video and to be comfortable saying it. In the end people can do what they want
I miss seeing Louie-where is he? He needs to fill the room with life! Bring him back to the scene!
Yes ❤ look forward to seeing your videos. HOV . Raining today. Sitting on my porch with my beverage.
Magazines like National Geographic are wonderful stacks! very educational if you have avid readers, including children as frequent houseguests. Love their bright yellow spine every season, but Christmas. linda from NE
Unpopular opinion: Life over Likes, but then again I'm a maximalist, an artist and a lover of color, memories, history and living. I'm glad people can find joy in her aesthetic, it's comforting to some people, and anxiety inducing to others. But at they end of the day, you do you...because of you, not fear that someone is going to shame your style on RUclips. There's a million different styles, pick someone else's or pick your own, just don't put other people down for their choices...(sees remote sitting on the table...good lord hostess, are you an animal???!!!!😂)
I agree with appliances tucked away. It only takes seconds to get it out. We have time for that!😊
I'm an older person and do not have the strength or 'back' to pull appliances out of cabinets. They are on my counter in a working kitchen and they look just fine. I think we can go overboard with some things.
@@JLC48100% agree.
Unfortunately, my kitchen doesn't have enough cabinets that are large enough to store all the machines. I just make sure I buy matching colours and styles to suit my kitchen. It looks OK and works well for all of us
I despise clutter so I put away blenders, my toaster and other small appliances. However, my espresso machine is too heavy to be moved and the sodastream and kettle are used multiple times a day so all are on the counter. I see all kinds of knickknacks and lamp shades, framed pictures, etc. being styled on kitchen counters these days 🙄 I think *those things* don’t belong in the kitchen.
@@valerina01 If you cook daily grimy build up is a monster on decorative stuff in kitchen. Lol.
I like dried flowers. They have an earthy feeling. I will take them over plastic greenery. I would think dried flowers are better for the environment than plastic.
My kitchen cabinets are sea glass green, the backsplash is white, my kitchen aide mixer is the only appliance that’s out and it’s my favorite shade of pale yellow- it literally makes me happy. I do dry all of my roses, lavender, and eucalyptus when I get them fresh, so I have that hanging from spots or tucked away. But that’s part of my spiritual practice and, again, makes me happy. I don’t invite many people over to begin with but when I do I often hear how my home is “peaceful”, “zen”, and “storybook chic” so whatever I’m doing makes me happy and puts people at ease. So it’s a win in my (story)book.
I prefer less visual clutter and just stuff. I however can’t get behind decanting everything.. if it’s out like soap yes but cereal and stuff in cabinets I’m just not wasting my time. If it’s something like spaghetti that once open it’s torn plastic then yes decant. It just adds so much time to a chore I hate. It definitely is nice to look at but I’ll just put things up.
Ive always decant- before it was trendy. I agree it is an extra chore. I do make time for it and it's calming to me. I must say though, it's always what works for you and no one should be thinking their home is not "decorated" if they don't decant
Same here. Food that will attract bugs I store away but say a bag of muesliI will finish in a week, it stays in a bag. I don't want my house to becoming a constant string of chores just to keep it magazine cover worthy.
We don't do pasta much anymore, but I find it a lot easier to ditch the crinkly, unsealable plastic pasta package that require scissors to open as often as not and a clip to seal it again, and just open a simple canister to get the amount I want, and replace the lid.
Large books can be found at your local thrift shops. And when you tire of them, return them and find other books.
Library books also can count for temporary decor
I would love to see you do a thrifting , antiquing episode!!!! I am trying to only buy used and would love to see how you would shop for second hand items!!!!! please consider this 🙂
I’m with you Valentina when it comes to dead flowers. They do look sad and washed out to me.
I think there is a difference between dead flowers and dried flowers. Dead ones that were once alive are just disgusting (sometimes they even have a rotten smell!), but dried ones are often treated in such a way that they look nice in fall and winter bouquets. My Mom used to collect milkweed pods and teasel from the surrounding countryside and spray them gold or silver and use them at Christmas along with some greens from our hemlock tree, holly bush, or from the lower branches of our live Christmas tree. Faux flowers can be pretty but you have to wash them to rid them of dust because nothing looks worse than a dusty bouquet. I keep some small books in our back bedroom. But books on my interests such as Russian culture and general history are on the den shelves. These often have archival and color photos that I do not want to get on kindle because the whole point of these books are the glorious photos. And I also have many books on my kindle so that keeps me from being overwhelmed with paperbacks. We keep our stand mixer and sugar and flour containers on the kitchen counter because we use them often. We do keep other things stowed and I always wash dishes in the evening and dry them and put them away. I do not need or use a dish drainer because I think they are unsightly. Same with laundry. I wash, dry and fold on the same day. Only one or two items need ironing and I wait til I have several to get out the ironing board. Piles of laundry in the LR just lowers one's mood. I also don't have a lot of knick knacks, just a few family photos, and things from my grandparents and mother. And remember, from age 21-55 you buy and collect stuff but eventually all that stuff has to be given to kids, sold or donated. SO many people in our subdivision have two car garages full of BOXES of stuff. OMG. I don't see how they stand it. I periodically go through stuff and donate. Eventually we will have to downsize and I am already trying to figure out how to get rid of stuff. Sometimes we become slaves to our belongings. No hoarding for me.
Decorate however you want. It’s your house, your convenience, your choice. Who cares what anybody else thinks.
Then why watch a channel that gives decorating advice?? Of course you should do what you want but professionals are professionals for a reason.
Definitely inspired by the idea of hiding the remotes in my bedroom and the living room in a beautiful box. I will be on the hunt for that! 💜
I am guilty of having dried flowers in my home especially the ones in a bowl with essential oils aka potpourri. I’ve learned the dried flower look is only temporary as it does after a while get more dried and decayed and that’s when I will throw them out.
I wouldn’t say that people decorate with the trophies but they want to show off what their children accomplished I don’t seem thing wrong with that really.
I take it this one has been brutal for some. I hope you’ll make a video on stylish bookshelves that actually contain books😅. While you do not have your smaller books on display (And btw, I totally get it. All of my paperbacks are in closed cabinets), I simply love seeing the beautiful sets of hardbacks I’ve collected over the years. They are like art to me and I’m so very happy just looking at them. So, what advice would you give to a book lover about displaying their collection of books in a beautiful way? PLEASE Valentina, I know you can save book lovers from that overplayed rainbow bookshelf trend. Consider this a challenge 😊. Love your work and expertise. ❤️
I like mixing them in groups with cute bookends and other decor objects along with framed photos and art. Some upright, some stacked, maybe a few slanted. I vary the shelves so there is a mix of different objects, colors, and arrangements, and try to have them staggered between the various shelves, so for example, a stack of three books with a candle or object on top on the left of one shelf, a piece of framed art on the right, and then on the shelf above, maybe a couple frames on the left, and some upright books with a pretty book end on the right. I also love the look of shelves full of books or shelves full of decor though. We have a lot of shelves though and I love books 🤷🏻♀️
The books I have kept actually contain information I use. I have collection of cookbooks and gardening and landscape books and health books, travel books, etc. Love Valentina and her home. But, using only tones of black and white decor feels too limiting to me. I have beautiful original artwork that I bought from the artist and use the colors in the art in the rooms they are in. Bet her family room the kids hang out and watch TV in is way more casual and has colors. The only dried flowers I have are hydrangeas that you can cut and arrange in a vase with inch or two of water and just let them dry as the water evaporates. They look great for about a year. I keep them until the hydrangeas bloom the next summer. The greenery and trees I have were quite expensive and have held up really well to annual washing and taking them outside to dry. Dusty greenery or dried flowers are not good.
@@sarahtosh8369Thank you for this! I’ve been working on my shelves all afternoon making groupings and adding special pieces. I love the way it’s coming together. I’m in a new house and have built ins to fill up and it starts with my books. It’s coming together beautifully. Thank you so much. I’m sure you have a beautiful home!
@@dianeosgood6594 I too have a lot of books. My 3 sons all have 2-3 full bookshelves in their rooms. Books have been an important part of my sons becoming self learners. They’d rather read a book on a new subject before googling information. Though I’d like my hardbacks to be displayed beautifully, I’ve never thought of books as “decorations”. I don’t want to offend anyone, but that’s the most shallow thing I’ve ever heard. I have a large collection of kids books for whenever I get a foster child who is very young. Reading to them at night (anytime, is great but especially bedtime) brings them comfort. I was so annoyed with the shallow judgement, that I actually came back to unsubscribed from this channel. I don’t decorate with blobs and branches anyway. Glad I saw your comment.
And hydrangeas are absolutely stunning. Thank you for the tip on how to dry them properly.
@@sonjaortiz6857 aww thank you for your sweet comment! I’m so happy it made sense and was helpful!
I totally agree about the dried flowers and that greenery makes a huge positive impact.
absolutely love watching your videos. My 9 year old daughter loves watching you and now she is a designer and we all want her opinion lol thank you for all the tips and awesome ideas... God bless!
That’s awesome! Here’s to kids with taste!
I'm completely with you on decanting, but I would say, make sure you chose a container bigger than what you are going to be refilling it with, as the last thing you need is 2lbs of sugar in a nice container and half a pound in a packet next to it because it doesn't fit!😂
I’ve been decanting since I had a packet with a pest infestation in the pantry. I take off a paper labels too and just write on the container. Never want to go through that again. It’s not a pretty pantry but it works for me.
😂
Been there and done that!
And that ALWAYS happens, so why bother putting stuff in other boxes and jars?
Everyone is different, but I definitely agree on clutter and being conscious of what you decorate with. A home should reflect who you are, but it can still be neat. I remember a friend remodeling her whole kitchen, brought it into the current century, then she put about five boxes of cereal on top of the refrigerator. She was just so used to having them there that she missed them when she put them in the pantry. My sister has a formal living room with a fireplace, she decorated it like a library with bookcases that she keeps very organized, and it’s so cozy in there, especially on a cold rainy day. I love seeing how people decorate, and enjoy different styles, and there is definitely a difference between storage and display.
Valentina you are soo right...i feel like there always too much stuff and it makes feel depressed and also like it's dirty and the house need to be changed...❤ ur ideas🎉
I agree with everything, except the flowers. I’d rather have dried flowers (even I’m trying to avoid flowers, that are dead 😃), than to have faux flowers. But I agree, some branch is amazing choice 😊
Love this video!!!! I agree with everything!
I rolled my eyes and thought “come on, nobody *decorates* with laundry” and then later realised that I’ve been doing exactly that 😅 Using radiators to dry small items, the corner of doors to air dry towels or bedding, hanging clothes from the architrave between the living and dining room… Oops.
All clear now so thank you in particular for that one!
Well, that is life though. Most of us do not live in a magazine or the perfect insta life and sometimes the stuff has to go on the radiators. Obviously if you are planning to entertain that day you would not do that.
Isn’t your home full of damp😮😮
Awesome! My favourite greenery on Pinterest are the lighter green leafy stems. I find them more calming. Never been into dried flowers. Love the therapy and would love a video on changing up the house after divorce to make it your own focusing on a new mind set. For me your videos are about creating boundaries about what I will and won’t accept in my home both aesthetically and living my best life. Thank you for that as you have totally changed how I want to live a life I enjoy ❤.
I totally agree about the post-divorce decorating video.
@@maryelizabeth2751 Take care of your heart if you’re going through it. I wish you all the best for your future and that you’ll flourish and shine.
The laundry thing is a bit silly because no one is actually deliberately decorating with laundry. That is just life. Personally I am single so this is not an issue for me, but I am not about to judge parents or even single people holding it together.
I think what she is saying is it reads as clutter to our brains, no matter how usual it is. It’s not just visual clutter it’s mental clutter too “Need to put that away” “Need to put that away” Try having it out of sight for a week and I think you will be surprised the peace it brings.
@@LauraT925 I don’t think anyone is surprised that have a clean home is nicer to look at. We clean for company for a reason. There is a balance between reducing clutter for a calming effect and not feeling stressed out that everything has to be in it’s place all the time.
@@JessieBanana Agree! Overly organized is my thing but I’ve decided that the line that I have a problem is if I can’t laugh at myself. It’s just how I’m wired.
But disagree that laundry is cleaning. Laundry is laundry. Or is that another sign that I’m nutty about classifying and sorting? 😂
@@LauraT925 Laughing at my self is delightful 🤣. Im obsessed with everything about laundry lol. I get the mind clutter things can create in your environment. Being a practicing buddhist it's a natural way of life for me. As a psychologist though, I also know how some takes this advice. I know the daily struggle for some to get such tasks done and with stuff unravelling in life daily. We have to be mindful when we consume such content and not take anything too personal. Know that some design and decor ideas can be helpful.
@@LauraT925 You’re quite literally cleaning your clothes when you do laundry. The verb launder means to wash. 😑
I agree with you in many ways. However, you can display memorabilia in attractive ways.
In addition to this, please keep in mind that less is more. Clutter is not attractive.
I have to say, though, I'm not a fan of books being used as risers for decor items. There are other rises that you can use.
You shouldn't have to move objects to read a book.
I have a feeling that people who use books as risers never actually intend to read the books. They're just decor.
I am a big fan of the decorative remote box. Not only does it look nice but everyone always knows where to find it rather than having it loose ending up all over or sat on. The only difference is that ours has a hinged top so it isn’t as fussy and cumbersome to use as a fully detached top.
I agree with this but hubs puts them on top of the box.
I have a box shaped like a house. The steep roof is the lid. You can’t set anything on it. Anything with a steeply domed or pointy lid would work.
Thank you for giving solutions. Many of us KNOW what the issues are but we can’t figure out how to fix them.
Sorry, disagree about the books. A bookshelf full of knickknacks is just as busy, if not more, as one with small books, and it serves zero function. A library adds warmth to any home. I love seeing the books I’ve read and be able to consult some of them once in a while. We have a floor to ceiling set of bookshelves with a sliding ladder and I think it looks wonderful.
Agree with most of your suggestions! I stopped decorating with small books a long time ago and my shelves feel and look so much better. Ahh, magazines! When visiting my family ( Mom and sister) I noticed all the stacks of outdated magazines and the stuffiness it created. I immediately stopped “saving” mags and it has made a huge difference in my home.
I only get National Geographic and after a few months they go in the Little Free Library that I steward.
I was doing the same thing and finally threw mine out even though I kept them in a nice basket, they were outdated. Now when I have guests coming, I make sure to only leave three magazines (from the last month or two) that suit their interests. My sister in law loves to cook so I will have Bon Apetit. Plus a Condé Nast and a lifestyle magazine about the local area as they are visually stunning. Some people still love to read real books and mindlessly flip magazines before bed rather than stare at a computer or watch TV. I once had a guest start one of my books and ask to take it with her. I agree about paperback clutter but small hardcovers are just fine imo.
Oh man, I just found my dad's old certificates and award (he's an army officer) and I didn't think twice to put them on my wall. But my dad passed away three years ago so that's probably just me being sentimental
If it's meaningful it stays. 💓
I do have my father's things as well and I enjoy seeing them on display as a way to make him part of my home, now that he is gone.
You have great advice and expert advice. I don't know how some people have a need to comment when they don't agree with your advice. It's constructive criticism 😊
I use decorative boxes for my remotes, candle lighters etc. I've noticed the ones that work in my space can be a bit expensive so I DIY. Thanks for sharing Valentina!
Valentina is just so adorable! 🥰
I would have to have staff to be able to decant everything, just no time for that! 😂 My biggest issue is that I'm a minimalist and my husband is most certainly not 🙈, all I ever seem to do is clear things up!! x
what a gorgeous house you have 😍😍😍