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Wtf Nick!!😂😆🤣 That "rug" picture at 9:52 looks like the playroom for a sad beige child. 🤣 All it needed was a beige wood horse figurine. _"Here you go kid, there's a chair and some driftwood, knock yourself out"_ 🤣😆😂
I hope you see this, even though it's a bit late. The thought occurred that you could do a great service to the people that fell for the all gray, all day trend and help them add color and life to their home after they've already spent a tremendous amount of money on permanent surfaces like floors, cabinets and backsplashes. It would be lovely to experience your creativity and your help for these people. :)
Nick, they pulled out the tracks for the street cars in Los Angeles also. I don't know if they did it here in the 50s or 60s. I also think it was a mistake to take them out of LA.
“That’s ok. No judgement… well… a little bit of judgement.” Nick, the way you deliver your suggestions, opinions and info is just amazing. YOU will never go out of style!
Nick always says something that makes me feel "Nick, Nick, Nick" as he just cannot help himself (as if judgement isn't the whole deal with Nick -- LOL.)...
@@amymac41890 You appear to be a clueless mid century modern fool. Style is subjective and poor Nicks choices are quite pedestrian, boring and on the way out.
When my mom passed away I found my father's Certificate of completion of grade 8 studies from his village in France. It was dated June 5, 1940, which is recognized as the first day of the fall of France. He lived under the German occupation and never returned to school. I framed it and it is one of my treasures. I like to think of these kinds of pieces as an acknowledgement of those who came before us. You were here and I remember you. Loved this video. Well done.
I love this. I have a framed pic of my Dad in WWII kneeling on the tarmac with the pilot, in front of the B29 bomber that he navigated in 1945. The pic is on a shelf in the kitchen, instead of a landscape or fruit pic. It has pride of place where all the family gathers. I call him our patron saint.
My parents education was also interrupted several times during WW2 in Greece. I don't think they ever received a certificate. Finding your father's is very special.
Yep people can have something actually beautifully unique and handmade for same price or less than some overhyped mass produced thing. Made by someone they've met too.
@@alicequayle4625 Please be careful with 'same price or less'. Usually the handcrafter prefers working with material of a higher quality than the mass produced thing. (I know my hands can get itchy.) Thus the materials cost more, sometimes more than the mass produced thing. Materials alone for me (not including tools) usually cost $100 - for a small thing. Then factor in the labour. Many hours of skilled labour, and my projects for me take 100 hours at minimum. I only craft for people who I know will appreciate the materials, tools, skills and labour I put in.
This video is so relevant for me rn. Went furniture shopping for our new home today, scoffed at the price of crappy laminate and cardboard furniture, showed my daughter a stool at target that looks exactly like one my grandmother has had my entire life. Then went to grandmas house and showed her what great shape all of grandmas furniture is in because it’s REAL wood. My daughter is now a quality snob at 10-years-old lol.
We are down sizing and from a house with large rooms going to somewhere with smaller rooms we need to downsize some of our furniture. We went shopping and my heart sank at the laminate furniture that to me doesn’t look real but plasticky. I am buying furniture secondhand now wood, and painting if needed . It looks real to me.
When my Mother and Father were married, my father promised to build my Mother a house and he did. It's the house I grew up in and when Dad passed away, I bought the house. After I bought it, I began framing pictures of me and my siblings as we were growing up and placing them in the rooms they were taken. I love those old pictures and my siblings love looking at them and reminising when they come over. Not many people have a framed picture of their Dad building the firplace displayed on the mantel. : )
@@Nick_Lewisperfect! New merch idea! You need to make a coffee table book of interior design spaces that all include the Tom Ford book somewhere for us to buy. That is a book I would put out. Wait, come to think of it maybe that is just the majority of interior design books. 😂
If someone is looking for a wool rug for sale at low cost, ask the local rug cleaners. I've been told customers will often ask if they know someone who might want their rug - so they keep a list of sellers. Good deals out there.
Kids today don't want our crap. My kids are 40ish, during COVID I cleaned out our attic. We have lived in our house for 43 years. I put everything on the sofa and took pictures and texted my kids. Told them to choose what they wanted. Afterwards I loaded everything up and delivered it to each kid. The rest was donated or trashed. So when we move or die ...my kids don't have to deal with all that. When things wear out, we think long and hard about replacing it. We have a beautiful home... without all the excess ! I like how you always say " You do you !"
This is the best idea. I work for Estate Sales and people leaving behind a house full of items (no matter how valuable) is an absolutely nightmare for the children.
We did the same during covid, I had already started then my hoarder in laws died next door and my husband was executor. I’d come home everyday and get rid of more. Even if it was just who needs 20 coffee mugs, at least something went everyday. I guess it’s how I coped with the nightmare.
As a potter I love that you mentioned ceramics. There are so many amazing potters that sell their works online and at fairs that it is easy to find special pieces that are both useful and beautiful. Thank you for your great videos.
💯 I feel so lucky to have family and friends who are potters. I have a good collection of beautiful items that I’ve both purchased and been gifted from them.
❤ This too Joan! I live in Dublin and every year spend time on the dingle peninsula in the west of ireland. I try to always buy a piece or two locally made ceramics, weave/knits or leather goods for me or as a gift when there. I do this at home too. I don't have a huge budget but, for a higher initial monetary cost, you can really find wonderful pieces that last a much longer time and have more meaning attached to them. It is a lovely in between space of fast and luxury, both in homeware and fashion, that is actually quite affordable if not buying mindlessly!
One category of coffee table books that is overlooked--- historical books pertaining to one's city or region. I live in St. Louis and I have several original picture books from the 1904 World's Fair that took place here. They can be found at estate sales and antique stores if you keep your eyes peeled for them.
Yes, we have a couple of those of Old Toronto, as well as a historical one of our neighbourhood. We have quite a few historical hardcover books actually.
Nick has said multiple times that he understands that not everyone is in the same financial place, and that high quality, natural materials are timeless, but investments. I agree on all points. I think that buying all high end quality items isn't in the cards for many people right away. I recomend starting 1 item for 1 room then move to another room and keep cycling through. That way you don't have a card table and inflatable couch in 1 room and all expensive furniture and finishes in another. If you build slowly throughout the home it feels more organic and subtle. I also agree that your home can be beautiful and elegant and also functional. Your home is your space and tells the story of your household.
Don’t pass up thrifting either, your never know what you find. I’ve found some fabulous handmade pottery and art, and there’s no shortage of baskets either for those on a budget.
An Ethan Allen catalog with advice for young couples inadvertently gave me a timeless tip when I saw a lovely room with only 3 items in it: if the proportions and/or natural light and/or paint & molding of a room have some beauty, then adding furnishings slowly and thoughtfully looks good from the get-go - enjoy the space! No need to hurry to fill it. And yes...thrifting can be brilliant and even profitable. My daughter used that technique to create a series of looks for her spaces with great taste and an eye for color. She has bought and sold many pieces on a very frugal budget!
😂 “water them, feed them maybe… I really don’t know the rules” I absolutely love it! Thank you for this video. I always appreciate your honesty and realism.
@@Nick_Lewis I killed lots of plants before learning that most plants like a little “ benign neglect,” and that droopy leaves means water me and yellow leaves mean they’ve had too much too often.
How come they NEVER had your opinion on baskets in the 70’s and 80’s? 😂 I think if they had described baskets like you did in this video, I’d still have mine. 😂 After all these years, I’ve finally bought one again, thanks to you, Nick! Lol. Keep doing YOU, your channel, personality, taste, all of it. ❤ Z
Finding that perfect vintage piece, there is really nothing that beats that feeling. I found a 100 year old handcrafted, hand painted Chinese butterfly cabinet at an auction over a year ago and I love it so much. The brass handles and corners just shimmers so beautifully when the light hits it. I honestly just hug it sometimes because I love it so much lol and I can’t believe how lucky I am that I found it.
I have a basket I bought when I was 17 and now at almost 70, it is still functional and beautiful in my home. I also have a wicker chair that I’ve had for decades and still I love it. Good artwork stands the test of time for me, as well. Nick, I adore that you framed your grandfather’s trolley roll. It’s beautiful and I’m sure it makes you remember your grandfather with a smile each time you look at it. Thank you for this thoughtful video.
I bought a brass coffee table from France from the 1950s and it adds so much character and personality to the room, so I really recommend buying some vintage pieces
@Steve Walters That's what I started doing too for saving money. I waited and waited on a 1940s coat from an antique shop and not only did I get it but it got marked down!
Actually, I am here for your Urban Design Opinions. Love your honesty, style, refreshing candor and "Who cares?" God bless the hoarders. There were a few in my family. They saved me 1 or 2 Japanese gems.
Growing up, a "Snake Plant" was called a "Mother-In-Law's Tongue" because you couldn't kill it - I never heard the other name until about 10 years ago when they became popular!!
My vintage treasures…dad’s binoculars, mum’s 1962 mother of pearl opera glasses bought in Paris. Grandmother’s walnut tea cart used as my bedside table. Grandmother’s cedar chest that came with her from Scotland in 1913. 2 Watercolours from my great grandmother, brought from England in 1897. My mother’s silver flatware. Westminster chiming mantel click, from England, key wound. Large cheese keeper, exact same one spotted on Downton Abbey!
Instead of using books as Decor, use books you really read and love, not just because they are trendy and stylish..I agree with this100%. I’m tired of people who buy the books just as a prop.
Worst offenders are those who turn them backwards exposing the pages instead of the spine! Absurd. My books reflect the paths I’ve taken over the decades of my life!
Thank you!!! I promise, if you haven't read it or don't intend on reading it please don't use it on your coffee table 😅 I'd be the one to ask questions and if someone said it's just a prop.... I'd definitely look at them like they are crazy. If you aren't a reader just don't use books.....
Yes! My husband and I met in grad school for marine biology and we have some really beautiful marine/ocean photography books and science illustration books as our “coffee table books”. It’s so funny to me to own something that’s just for show and not because you actually like it.
As a history major pretty much all my book decor is my history books from undergrad. I love them and they do spark up some fun conversations. I also use some of my favorite novels I’ve read. But by far the history books are my pride and joy.
Hooray for vintage, thrifted/inherited furniture and decor! And don’t forget old photos too. My favorite photo is of my mom when she was a young woman standing in her dad’s farm field. She’s smiling with the wind blowing her hair. She will be forever young in that old photo (by the way I need to blow it up and get copies to my siblings!)
Since you said you don’t know us, I’m taking that as you want to get to know us 😂 I have a gorgeous side table from the early 1930s I was gifted by my best friend’s parents after I bought my first home. It has an unusual shape, it’s mahogany with a beautiful inlay that’s very art deco, and I love it. I plan to keep it forever and always decorate to it, and one day will be handed down to one of my girls. Thanks for asking, it’s fun to share with you 😊
My coffee table books have been bought while traveling, they are specific to the local. I also buy books from artists that I love. They make me smile when I look at them on display. I love visiting homes where the decor reflects intentional collections built over time.
@JanetR: me, too! 💗My coffee table books are from European travel, museums, art exhibits, etc. Each one has special meaning/connection to me because it was collected to commemorate an experience (touring the Rodin museum, Monet's garden, or Uffizi Gallery). I was tickled pink to hear that you do the same thing!
I lived in the Hudson Valley for 9 years. I bought a gorgeous coffee table book that traces the Hudson River from its source to the City. But…. The end highlights the Twin Towers. 😢I’ll keep it forever but it always makes me misty eyed.
One of my favorite coffee table books are also travel books. I have a book that includes a walking tour of Brussels Art Nouveau buildings, purchased for my 2005 trip to Belgium. Looking at it always brings back happy memories. (The museum of music is in a gorgeous Art Nouveau home that took my breath away.)
I'm 73 and I can confirm that these basics will serve you well. My coffee table books are not on the coffee table and I don't own a wool rug. Other than that...I'm patting my back. ❤ Nick.
Yay ,finally an interior design vid that doesn't make me feel hopelessly outdated .I have a lot of the things you listed ,a large ,vintage red wool Persian rug ( That bad boy has stood up to cat claws ,little kids ,a coal fire and years of general abuse but it's still going strong ) a Welsh dresser + bookshelves from (Probably) the 80s ,a peace lily that has survived for 8 yrs ,wicker baskets and so many throws (cat fur catchers ) I don't think it's possible to own too many ,lol .I'm well aware that my home is slowly developing a granny vibe but thanks to you i'm going to think of it as timeless ;-)
Wendy, by the time we are 50+ I would hope that we had been cured of caring about other’s opinions of us. I don’t know or care if my taste is outdated. I just watch these out of curiosity and to get new ideas. Some ideas I like and others I hate. Hate the beige on beige trend and modern farmhouse but love sconces. Don’t let a video make you feel a certain way.
My kids are always telling me I live in a granny house. I don't care. I surround myself with what I love, in style, on trend or not. Things cost too much these days to worry about a stupid trend, which they almost all are, imho. And each room of my house reflects a different side to my personality. I'm very eclectic, boho and traditional. lol
Nick, I'd love for you to do a video on how you could incorporate pop culture/geek/gaming personality into a space without it looking cheesy! I just thought about it again when you mentioned coffee table books; game art books are just STUNNING for this! Personally, I like going to artists alley at conventions and finding unique prints that maybe don't scream "I'm from this major IP!" :)
Books ✅ (not the coffee table variety though) Wool rug ✅ Plants ✅ Sentimental Vintage Items ✅✅ (my Oma had great taste (basically the same as mine) so some pieces of her furniture were the perfect base for me to take and add to and be reminded of her ❤) All this to say: great video! I completely agree! 😊
I have my Oma's sunburst wall clock! and yes, she had amazing style. I wish I could have inherited some of her furniture but I was in college/moving a lot when it was offered up and I think a lot of it went to donations. Hopefully someone snatched those pieces up and enjoy them!
I love reading books and decorating with books. I wish more people would understand you can actually do both. Books can exist in so many realms in our life. (And if you are an exclusive kindle reader and don’t like having actual books, good for you!)
I am a book ADDICT but, sadly, my eyesight is deteriorating. I have 5 tall Walmart bookshelves in my bedroom, full! but I'm going to get rid of the books that I'm never going to read again (while keeping my favorites) and actually decorate some empty spaces with my other collections. Gee. I began commenting in order to say that my current book purchases are almost exclusively Kindle!
@@Ian.D. In a large enough data set, the impossible is probable. You most likely mean that no one you know reads on a kindle to the exclusion of books. To which, I can say the same thing.
Love the trolley roll and that there's such a great story behind it. To me, that's the secret, that everything has a story and has meaning. Even if the story is just what a great bargain it was at a garage sale. As for rugs, I got tired of one and discovered I LOVED the more subtly colored and patterned flip side! Layered with another coordinating rug, it's unique and gorgeous.
I love the stories behind things. Most of my solid wood furniture survived flood of hurricane Harvey. I wrote the story on the back of each piece, with the water line, signed and dated. Restoring the furniture gave me something to do during the reconstruction. In particular, a lane cedar chest was found to be dry inside when the waters receded. I wrote that on the back of the piece, as well Edited to add: restoring wasn't much more than gluing/clamping Chippendale toes that fell off, and lots of Howard's beeswax.
Warms my heart you mentioned items with special significance to you as a person. Tapestries made by my gran in the 1960s mean the world to me... who cares if the colors aren't exactly on trend. The memories and fuzzy feelings they evoke is what matters most. Same with quilts made by my grans, aunt, and mom. I don't care how my tastes change as I grow older, I will ALWAYS love those quilts and use them on my beds/couch because its like being wrapped up in a big hug from those who've loved me. I also think about art made by myself in my different exploration phases as well as friends/family too. And I absolutely LOVE knowing you do have some level of sentiment. You'll have that sign and your lamp fixture forever. I know it. My parents have a formula for coffee table books that is pretty hard to refute if you're unsure what books to pick because you aren't actually an avid book person. The formula was to reflect where you come from, where you love to go, where you dream to go, and 2 hobbies. Hand-made ceramics are a great way to support local artists or bring back a souvenir from a trip. I love that you mentioned supporting local artists. Quality wool rugs & blankets are another great option for this and I totally didn't know you were going to mention wool rugs! I think a quality wool blanket goes right alongside. If you get bored of it as a couch blanket, it'll look great draped over a side chair or foot of the bed in a guest bedroom. They also last forever with minimal care. That wool blanket might be knitted or crocheted or woven. I promise, you have a local artist you can support! If you're unsure of where to find them, seek out your local weaver's guild. Baskets are THE BEST!!! Shoe basket, throw blanket basket, cat toy basket, project baskets, the more baskets the merrier. The best plant is the plant you can keep alive XD
@@barbarabird3827 not just that. They serve a purpose for you too. A reminder of where you come from so you don’t forget your roots… an aspiration for where you want to go in your life… a reminder to appreciate where you are in life… and then 2 that give you inspiration about something you already love. They’re as much for you as others.
Don't forget about gently used/well loved books that can find a new life in your home. I love me some Amazon, but also, finding those random gems at a used bookstore can be so fun and you'll have a very unique item!
I know you said wool throw blankets but I also think cotton is a great option. If you're on a budget you can get something that soft and classic at a much more reasonable cost and you can also wash it which is great if you have pets and kids.
You can wash wool also you just need be very careful and hand wash only. There's a particular way you need to do it and you should only ever do it if the item gets stained
I found lovely soft 100% wool throws at Home Goods (made in Ireland). I love them. I am another who will only "look" at this store for this type of find! I have cotton as well!
Nick, plant tip. The larger the leaf, the more shade it can take. Variegated leaves only have about 1/2 the chlorophyll so it needs brighter the location. 🍀❤️
Also some verigations are stable and some are unstable. Monstera albos, unstable, don't buy them because the leaves just go brown and ugly. Pothos marble queens are fine. But look up videos on RUclips about how to prune them
We take part in trends not necessarily because we enjoy them, but because manufactures and retailers often don't leave us (especially on limited budgets) many options.
I have the ranch oak bedroom set my grandparents bought for their rowdy boys in the 1950s. I've got the set spread between several different rooms, but they've gone through 3 generations and are still in amazing shape!
I got very excited when I saw my cousins new space. She had a bunch of books on the coffee table, side table and console table under the TV. Then I found out..... due to being cheap, she bought hard cover BLANK books and printed out covers! I couldn't stop laughing!😂😂😂
Just shy of 50 here~ living in my 3rd home. I am literally taking my time curating my home for the first time ever and I’m loving the process. As empty nesters, changing my style up is so exciting. Your channel and others are so incredibly helpful! I live by the beach and loving a classic comfy coastal ~ light wood, whites, neutral’s. Just getting some excellent advice from you designers makes all the difference on a budget. Thanks a million!!
Exactly. I don't care if I agree with what Nick is saying or not (though I'm often nodding my head) his personality and wit always make him worth watching.
I like using the vintage bookshelf edition of games such as Yahtzee and monopoly. I’m not into having a library but these are great for times when family and friends are over.
Honestly, I'll never understand this coffee table book thing. This seems to be an American/Canadian theme. Here in Germany it is not common. For me books are not decoration undergrounds for vases or candle holders, but made for reading and after that standing in a book shelf.
Haha yes, exactly! I'm German as well and I tried it, it looked wrong and I worried that I would get coffee or food on the book. I also felt.. kind of bad? I was taught to respect books and knowledge, it felt.. disrespectful in a way.
@@nellautumngirlI mean most “coffee table books” are just really nice adult picture books. You’re not going to sit down and read one in the same way you would a novel. It’s like a collection of paintings or prints you would a hang on the wall just in book form.
Growing up in Ukraine we shared the same sentiment, but...my grandpa was a sailor, and a very educated one. He loved art and history, so in his travels he always got books about great artists and beaitiful cities. These would totally qualify as a coffee table books today. When I was 4 or 5, i discovered these books and leafed through them for hours for many years. I couldn't read most of them as they were in different languages, but beauty is a language of its own, one that everyone can understand. And those books were full of beauty ❤ in short...I am also team coffee table books!
I wish more people understood the (priceless) value of something like your roller out. It has a story, it has meaning, it's value is not monetary, and yes, you will have it until you die. That is timeless decor.
Hi Nick, you are my favourite interior designer on RUclips. You are talented and amazing at communicating and connecting with your viewers who are interested in design. 🥰
I think this video is one of my favorite of yours. I have never followed trends (then again, I am 51 so there is that). Thank you for your comment on the Tom Ford book. I love books.. especially coffee table interior design books. I have a ton of them. What I don't have is the Tom Ford book. Every time I see it in a magazine or book, I roll my eyes. I agree with you, if you love his designs, then go for it. But if you just have it because you just think you should...there are so many other things you can buy with that money. I also agree with buying books about topics that interest you. So many times I see RUclipsrs pushing expensive coffee table books simply because they are the right colored cover. My God, just go get a box in the same color. When I see images of rooms with books that clearly have no connection to the people who live there (and yes, I do look what is on the bookshelves lol), all I think is ""Why???" Decent design coffee table books are expensive. Why pay for something that doesn't reflect your tastes? Again, loved the video. Agreed with everything you mentioned.
As a pet & house sitter & avid reader , I enjoy seeing my clients' book collections . Especially nice when they offer to share their books , on loan of course . No Tom Ford book sightings , but in our small midwestern town , the name Tom Ford would probably mean a guy named Tom who owns a local car dealership ( i.e. Ford vehicles ) & the locals would laugh & ask who does he think he is to have a book about it ? ! 🤣🤣
This is the most relatable decor video I've ever watched. While I find some trendy pieces attractive, I'm not one to keep up with the trends. I don't have time or want to invest in that. I've slowly been getting my home together. Books are life and the bathrooms are the only rooms without them (so far). I've thrifted a gorgeous Bloomingdale buffet, and add touches of sentimental pieces. Thanks for this great video!
Wool throws!! My mom got me a super pretty lightweight one years ago that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of, and I still use it all the time. It still goes with everything too, it’s so colorful and moody and cozy and not too warm. Perfection.
The thing about coffee table books is if they’re not genuine it looks so cheesy and just another unnecessary clutter item. Thank you for bringing attention to this!
Something you forgot to mention or maybe didn't know about wool. It also do not get dirty the way other materials do. It repels dirt and dust mites etc, so unless you spill something on it, it will stay clean and fresh for a lot longer than other materials.
@@nailguncrouch1017 They can get months that are either attracted to the wool or some organic material on it that serves a s food for them. Doesn't mean they will get moths automatically and every time you have one at home, just that it should be kept clean and you should have your pest control up to date to avoid an infestation as some regions are more susceptible to have moths naturally in the environment.
Would you like a good suggestion for a video? You should do one where you talk about how your own personal taste in home decor has changed over the years. Maybe you now laugh at some things you used to love. It would be fun to see how your taste in home decor has evolved.
That's a really cool idea, Lise! I agree--if you feel comfortable Nick, seeing what aspects of your style have evolved or even have remained over time and how you've styled various items would be really cool.
Loved this. I especially appreciated the nod to heirloom pieces that have meaning for us. Falling into that category are two pieces which I have mounted as wall art. One is my grandfather's hand made abacus--all the beads turned by him and the wonderful joinery of the frame. I could hear him clacking away when I entered the house--a sound that brings him back to me when once in awhile I rattle the beads. The other is my grandmother's loop weeding hoe which has hung prominently like a vertical sculpture in every home I've owned since I inherited it. It reminds me of everything that was wonderful about her. The other is the wool baby/christening blanket in which I came home from the hospital when I was born. It's draped over the antique office chair in which my father sat his entire teaching career. When he retired they permitted him to take the chair with him. There are more examples, but these will suffice. I love giving them pride of place. One other category I would add to the timeless items you reviewed, is art collected from travels and artists living and working in your community. Especially the young ones starting out.
Get many throws in neutral and non-neutral styles, throws, and throw pillows are a quick way to change the vibe of a room for a season or on a whim. They can tone down, pep up a, add whimsy and so much more to a .room
Suggestion for a video: Safety issues with interiors. Maybe specifically things to change/think about as we get older or need modifications...maybe suggestions in ways to incorporate accommodations that are also beautiful. This could benefit lots of people and those who support them.
My personal item is an old Victrola with all the records that still works from my maternal great grandmother and an old roll down map of new York state from 1935 from the school where my parternal great grandmother was a janitor. Always get questions about them
You are so right. Family heirlooms are so precious and invaluable.i still have a little dolls cradle and a little chair my granddad made for me and painted with flower and butterfly motifs when i was liittle and this is means such a lot to me esp. since my granddad died when i was only three years old. Lately i found some old pictures in a trunk on the attic, one showing my granny's stepmother with her husband on their wedding day and another my granny's suspected birth mother. So precious to have. A window into the past and a means to connect and hold on to the memories of people and family already gone, if you know what i mean... i am currently planning to move into my grandparents' old house, which my granddad bought when my mum and my uncle were small, where we lived till i was19. So it is also part of my history, and and thin threat that still connects me with my grandparents and my mum who are sadly not around anymore. So that is a different type of valuable
Oh yeah, please, do elaborate on your urban design opinion! ^_^ Maybe a video on frontyard, porch and balcony design and how to make it fit in the surrounding?
I love all this advice, and I definitely need to work on some of it. One of my favorites is the sentimental advice, I think it's really what makes a house a home. One of my favorite art pieces is some recipes I found that my Grandmother wrote down before she passed. I have them framed, along with pictures of her in the 1950s, hanging over my kitchen sink. So much better than any "farmhouse" sign! Also, the books...I definitely have those...maybe too many of them. 😅 Another one my favorite piece of timeless decor, is my huge Titanic replica built out of Legos sitting on the table separating my dining/living room space. It really pulls together the whole room and is a great conversation starter. 😆 In all seriousness though, buy what you love, invest in quality things that make you happy, and forget the trends! (P.S. I'm not kidding about the Titanic, it's my pride and joy.)
I love your comment about vintage items. You are so true in saying that if something was beautiful 50 years ago and is still beautiful then it will never go out of style.
Wife and I both received over the years from our parents' formal dinnerware. along with silver serving sets... blah blah blah. What we love the most is evident by what gets used the most, even at family dinners. Going thru different stores or a farmers market here n there. You see a mug that just grabs your attention. Or 3 dinner sized plates and 1 bowl. Even a glass that just looks odd sized. THAT is what we always grab first out of the cabinets on a daily basis.
You’re spot on with the personal things! I got two chairs from my deceased grandma‘s home, and I love them so much. They truly add personality to our otherwise pretty boring renter‘s kitchen lol
We just gave our daughter and son-in-law our old furniture for their new house. It is in excellent shape and looks fabulous and timeless in their space. It is only 37 yea old. If it’s vintage, then so are we. If only we looked so good…
OK that matted frame of the trolley stops with the family history behind it might be the single coolest piece of decor i've encountered in a long time, that's just wonderful also raw brass is naturally germ-killing, making it great for doorknobs and such
I sincerely appreciate the time you take to enhance interior decors. Timeless decor, the practicality and economy of seeking pieces that will last and blend are worth the effort. I will challenge people to focus on the styles they enjoy, such as sleek vs soft, round vs straight, prints vs solids, colors vs neutrals. You can find inexpensive knock offs that will last. We've been married 54+ years. My cream stoneware, stemmed glassware, candlesticks, and even my mother-in-laws crocheted blankets are a case in point. Now the dollies...I framed them years ago and they make a neutral collage on the wall above my desk.The frames are vintage, which I enjoy. But I love thinking about my mother-in-laws creativity and the hours she spent crocheting and kniting for the four years my father-in-law was in Europe in WWII.
I have a craftsman era home, so I’ve invested in decorating it in a Way that is sympathetic to the architecture. However, I also really like the gold glam look. Amazingly, I’ve managed to blend them in a way that looks eclectic and unique. I think it will stand the test of time.
I am an avid hardcover coffee table book collector. Such books, collected in my interests, are truly timeless, cherished items. OMG, I'm so happy to see you call ceramics as a timeless design item. My kitchen has so many handcrafted plates, bowls, vases, vessels that are on display and I've always felt that they are timeless. Feeling validated, thank you! I opt to do colorful rugs, rather than wool neutral rugs, its just an unexpected way to introduce playful color into my space.
Best video ever!! Thanks for mentioning vintage, natural fibers, quality workmanship and handmade ceramics. I’ve been a potter for decades. Collectors tell me how much they enjoy adding unique handmade pieces into their decor. One of a kind comes in all price ranges, it’s rare, special, and yours to enjoy.
Love this! Almost 20 years ago I purchased a Copenhagen travertine dining room table from a consignment store for $500. Totally timeless and one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I’ll never get rid of it!
Great content again! Last Saturday I purchased a beautiful "tribal" wool rug in cranberry Red. It has a minimal pattern and works with traditional (me) and I can imagine a Eames lounge chair on it.
I have a few home decor magazine subscriptions which I always keep a few copies that I like the most on my coffee table. Like you said, better to look at those instead of the screen. 😊
We inherited one of my husband's grandmother's super high-quality wool rug and it has HELD UP. Kids, dogs, you name it, it always comes clean. It's incredible.
Hi Nick, love the video. As I am quite allergic to wool, my equivalent (natural fiber, timeless design) would be silk, but it is so very expensive. I guess you could say I have silk taste on a cotton budget. Other, often less expensive, alternatives are linen, hemp, or the new softened bamboo fibers. There are a ton of really beautiful, timeless, linen throws on Etsy. They're not super cheap (the ones I love are around $140) but the silk one I covet is $100 more than the linen. Just a thought for the other people like me who crave timeless, natural, fibers for the home, but are allergic to wool.
Thanks Nick. I'm 32 and finally bought my first rug using Rug USA. It's wool, it's beige, and I'm excited because my hardwood-floor living room has needed a rug for a long time. I can't wait!
As you said, I agree a great way to go in general is pick natural, mostly unprocessed materials for your home. Solid wood furniture, wool, cotton, linen blankets and curtains, wool rugs, wicker baskets, ceramics and glass, etc. All these things are especially beautiful if they show their natural colors and textures without having been painted over or resurfaced. These things actually do last a LONG time and you can find some great baskets at thrift stores because nobody wants them. Just make sure they aren't moldy 😅
I agree with everything you said. I love brass. I used to collect brass items, and had them everywhere in my house. Sadly, a lot of them got stolen, but I still have my brass candlesticks and antique furniture with brass pulls so old they are black, and I just love them. Neutral rugs -- YES! I love nature colors, so a nice, neutral beige rug goes with all of them. I just got a vintage, solid wood colonial dresser for $95 at Restore. My son wanted to buy me something something Ikea, but ECK! It's timeless and beautiful to me and a piece that will last me all the rest of my life. Love and light to you and yours!
Urban Design Opinions! That could be interesting 😃 Edit: as a fellow Vancouverite, I love that bus sign thing too! I still ride on some of those same routes.
Nick, My dad built an EAA open cockpit biplane when i was a kid. He built it from 1966 to 1971, & flew it all across the country starting in 1971. He made 1 too many wing struts by mistake & you have inspired me to get it framed, so thank you !
By all means, buy a book or two. Be retro. They can be used to prop up vases, artwork, candles. Not everyone knows that books can be used under the leg of a wobbly table. I have seen books used to hold open windows. The other day, one accidentally fell open and who knew? There are highly intentional words in there along with the beautiful photos. When the words go with the photos, it's like a seriously old school RUclips video. Don't be afraid to reveal that you bought a book--it's not as bad a look as you might think. That's all I'm saying. 🙂
Alastair Dallas, I've never commented on any platform as I don't want to be "out there" but I really must state that I love you. You are a Kindred Spirit!
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Wtf Nick!!😂😆🤣 That "rug" picture at 9:52 looks like the playroom for a sad beige child. 🤣 All it needed was a beige wood horse figurine. _"Here you go kid, there's a chair and some driftwood, knock yourself out"_ 🤣😆😂
I hope you see this, even though it's a bit late. The thought occurred that you could do a great service to the people that fell for the all gray, all day trend and help them add color and life to their home after they've already spent a tremendous amount of money on permanent surfaces like floors, cabinets and backsplashes.
It would be lovely to experience your creativity and your help for these people. :)
How do you clean a wicker basket???
Nick, they pulled out the tracks for the street cars in Los Angeles also. I don't know if they did it here in the 50s or 60s. I also think it was a mistake to take them out of LA.
@@mio0101 use a damp cloth, dipped in warm water with a little gentle dish soap in. Will get rid of most dust and stains.
“That’s ok. No judgement… well… a little bit of judgement.” Nick, the way you deliver your suggestions, opinions and info is just amazing. YOU will never go out of style!
I love it when he says "Who know? Who cares?"
Nick always says something that makes me feel "Nick, Nick, Nick" as he just cannot help himself (as if judgement isn't the whole deal with Nick -- LOL.)...
He already has.
@@michaelbradley7595 huh? nick is amazing! YOU have gone out of style! 😜
@@amymac41890 You appear to be a clueless mid century modern fool. Style is subjective and poor Nicks choices are quite pedestrian, boring and on the way out.
When my mom passed away I found my father's Certificate of completion of grade 8 studies from his village in France. It was dated June 5, 1940, which is recognized as the first day of the fall of France. He lived under the German occupation and never returned to school. I framed it and it is one of my treasures. I like to think of these kinds of pieces as an acknowledgement of those who came before us. You were here and I remember you. Loved this video. Well done.
I love this. I have a framed pic of my Dad in WWII kneeling on the tarmac with the pilot, in front of the B29 bomber that he navigated in 1945. The pic is on a shelf in the kitchen, instead of a landscape or fruit pic. It has pride of place where all the family gathers. I call him our patron saint.
That is so cool to frame that and show it . He graduated 8th into a very rough time for France . He probably had great stories !
My parents education was also interrupted several times during WW2 in Greece. I don't think they ever received a certificate. Finding your father's is very special.
@@dianebaum5194 He rarely spoke about the german occupation. They were all traumatized by the experience.
Um... The first day of fall in france is sept 23.!
As a potter, I want to thank you for promoting handmade works purchased from the artist!
Yep people can have something actually beautifully unique and handmade for same price or less than some overhyped mass produced thing. Made by someone they've met too.
@@alicequayle4625 Please be careful with 'same price or less'. Usually the handcrafter prefers working with material of a higher quality than the mass produced thing. (I know my hands can get itchy.) Thus the materials cost more, sometimes more than the mass produced thing. Materials alone for me (not including tools) usually cost $100 - for a small thing.
Then factor in the labour. Many hours of skilled labour, and my projects for me take 100 hours at minimum.
I only craft for people who I know will appreciate the materials, tools, skills and labour I put in.
I wish I could afford you guys!!! I love your works !!!
This video is so relevant for me rn. Went furniture shopping for our new home today, scoffed at the price of crappy laminate and cardboard furniture, showed my daughter a stool at target that looks exactly like one my grandmother has had my entire life. Then went to grandmas house and showed her what great shape all of grandmas furniture is in because it’s REAL wood. My daughter is now a quality snob at 10-years-old lol.
You're teaching your daughter some valuable life lessons. 👍
Good for you, Mom!
THAT is good parenting, right there.
And it's very good! If people would not be buying carton furniture and carton houses nobody would be offering...
We are down sizing and from a house with large rooms going to somewhere with smaller rooms we need to downsize some of our furniture. We went shopping and my heart sank at the laminate furniture that to me doesn’t look real but plasticky.
I am buying furniture secondhand now wood, and painting if needed . It looks real to me.
When my Mother and Father were married, my father promised to build my Mother a house and he did. It's the house I grew up in and when Dad passed away, I bought the house. After I bought it, I began framing pictures of me and my siblings as we were growing up and placing them in the rooms they were taken. I love those old pictures and my siblings love looking at them and reminising when they come over. Not many people have a framed picture of their Dad building the firplace displayed on the mantel. : )
I live in the home my parents built too. I have a pic of my dad in his one and only ever pair of jeans and a singlet building the garage 😊
Lovely ❤
What a clever and wonderful way to honor your dad and whole family and the home he built for you all! ❤
My wife and I like to watch high-end real estate tour videos as a vicarious thing. Every single one is a race to spot that pokey Tom Ford book.
It's like a Where's Waldo. It's gotta be here somewhere....
This is hilarious 😂
@@Nick_Lewisperfect! New merch idea! You need to make a coffee table book of interior design spaces that all include the Tom Ford book somewhere for us to buy. That is a book I would put out.
Wait, come to think of it maybe that is just the majority of interior design books. 😂
I always look for the orange Louis Vuitton carry bag or box displayed as decor.
@@TheEmzies or the Hermes blanquet! 🙄
If someone is looking for a wool rug for sale at low cost, ask the local rug cleaners. I've been told customers will often ask if they know someone who might want their rug - so they keep a list of sellers. Good deals out there.
Kids today don't want our crap.
My kids are 40ish, during COVID I cleaned out our attic.
We have lived in our house for 43 years.
I put everything on the sofa and took pictures and texted my kids. Told them to choose what they wanted. Afterwards I loaded everything up and delivered it to each kid. The rest was donated or trashed.
So when we move or die ...my kids don't have to deal with all that. When things wear out, we think long and hard about replacing it.
We have a beautiful home... without all the excess !
I like how you always say " You do you !"
This is such a kindness to your kids!
This is the best idea. I work for Estate Sales and people leaving behind a house full of items (no matter how valuable) is an absolutely nightmare for the children.
It is good to have treasures after one passes. I mean emotional part, not price. But it often happens people keep stinky trash for years
We did the same during covid, I had already started then my hoarder in laws died next door and my husband was executor. I’d come home everyday and get rid of more. Even if it was just who needs 20 coffee mugs, at least something went everyday. I guess it’s how I coped with the nightmare.
Sounds like Swedish Death Cleaning
As a potter I love that you mentioned ceramics. There are so many amazing potters that sell their works online and at fairs that it is easy to find special pieces that are both useful and beautiful. Thank you for your great videos.
Totally agree! I've found so many from Etsy and Instagram alone.
Ooh link your faves!!!
💯 I feel so lucky to have family and friends who are potters. I have a good collection of beautiful items that I’ve both purchased and been gifted from them.
I love picking up random handmade pottery at art shows, gift shops, etc. Unique and beautiful; what more could you ask?
❤ This too Joan! I live in Dublin and every year spend time on the dingle peninsula in the west of ireland. I try to always buy a piece or two locally made ceramics, weave/knits or leather goods for me or as a gift when there. I do this at home too. I don't have a huge budget but, for a higher initial monetary cost, you can really find wonderful pieces that last a much longer time and have more meaning attached to them. It is a lovely in between space of fast and luxury, both in homeware and fashion, that is actually quite affordable if not buying mindlessly!
One category of coffee table books that is overlooked--- historical books pertaining to one's city or region. I live in St. Louis and I have several original picture books from the 1904 World's Fair that took place here. They can be found at estate sales and antique stores if you keep your eyes peeled for them.
Yes, we have a couple of those of Old Toronto, as well as a historical one of our neighbourhood. We have quite a few historical hardcover books actually.
My husband’s family is Irish - and a friend gave us a beautiful coffee table book on the history of Irish families
My favourite are the books on Evolution. Great pics
To me these books are WISH BOOKS, the things you will never afford to buy !!! Maybe ....
Nick has said multiple times that he understands that not everyone is in the same financial place, and that high quality, natural materials are timeless, but investments. I agree on all points. I think that buying all high end quality items isn't in the cards for many people right away. I recomend starting 1 item for 1 room then move to another room and keep cycling through. That way you don't have a card table and inflatable couch in 1 room and all expensive furniture and finishes in another. If you build slowly throughout the home it feels more organic and subtle. I also agree that your home can be beautiful and elegant and also functional. Your home is your space and tells the story of your household.
Great advice
Don’t pass up thrifting either, your never know what you find. I’ve found some fabulous handmade pottery and art, and there’s no shortage of baskets either for those on a budget.
An Ethan Allen catalog with advice for young couples inadvertently gave me a timeless tip when I saw a lovely room with only 3 items in it: if the proportions and/or natural light and/or paint & molding of a room have some beauty, then adding furnishings slowly and thoughtfully looks good from the get-go - enjoy the space! No need to hurry to fill it. And yes...thrifting can be brilliant and even profitable. My daughter used that technique to create a series of looks for her spaces with great taste and an eye for color. She has bought and sold many pieces on a very frugal budget!
It does take time to build a home. I won't buy just anything to fill the space, it has to be the right piece.
The salvation army specializes in vintage furniture
😂 “water them, feed them maybe… I really don’t know the rules” I absolutely love it! Thank you for this video. I always appreciate your honesty and realism.
I mean, I don't know what I'm doing in the plant department so better to own that!
@@Nick_Lewis I killed lots of plants before learning that most plants like a little “ benign neglect,” and that droopy leaves means water me and yellow leaves mean they’ve had too much too often.
@@Nick_Lewis No worries, we all have our talents and our challenges😊
How come they NEVER had your opinion on baskets in the 70’s and 80’s? 😂 I think if they had described baskets like you did in this video, I’d still have mine. 😂 After all these years, I’ve finally bought one again, thanks to you, Nick! Lol. Keep doing YOU, your channel, personality, taste, all of it. ❤ Z
As a horticulturist, this made me cringe just a little, but you're right. Nothing can kill a snake plant.
Finding that perfect vintage piece, there is really nothing that beats that feeling.
I found a 100 year old handcrafted, hand painted Chinese butterfly cabinet at an auction over a year ago and I love it so much. The brass handles and corners just shimmers so beautifully when the light hits it. I honestly just hug it sometimes because I love it so much lol and I can’t believe how lucky I am that I found it.
Where does one find things like this? I don't even know where there are any thrift or antique stores in my area. How do I find them?
I have a basket I bought when I was 17 and now at almost 70, it is still functional and beautiful in my home. I also have a wicker chair that I’ve had for decades and still I love it. Good artwork stands the test of time for me, as well. Nick, I adore that you framed your grandfather’s trolley roll. It’s beautiful and I’m sure it makes you remember your grandfather with a smile each time you look at it. Thank you for this thoughtful video.
For me it’s primrose yellow colour painted walls. I love the colour, and it reminds me of the house of a friend I had
I bought a brass coffee table from France from the 1950s and it adds so much character and personality to the room, so I really recommend buying some vintage pieces
AMEN…! So agree. Just left an antique shop. Kept my wallet at home. BUT…..they are open tomorrow! 😂🤣😂. 🙋🏼♀️👏🏻
@@maureenmaureen713 I agree with that😅😅 if it's there the next day it's meant to be!
@Steve Walters That's what I started doing too for saving money. I waited and waited on a 1940s coat from an antique shop and not only did I get it but it got marked down!
@@stefs3460 a coat?
Actually, I am here for your Urban Design Opinions. Love your honesty, style, refreshing candor and "Who cares?"
God bless the hoarders. There were a few in my family. They saved me 1 or 2 Japanese gems.
I think we've said it before... Nick needs a second channel! 😃
Growing up, a "Snake Plant" was called a "Mother-In-Law's Tongue" because you couldn't kill it - I never heard the other name until about 10 years ago when they became popular!!
It’s nickname is because of the sharp leaves representing a sharp tongue
Svigermorstunge😂
My vintage treasures…dad’s binoculars, mum’s 1962 mother of pearl opera glasses bought in Paris. Grandmother’s walnut tea cart used as my bedside table. Grandmother’s cedar chest that came with her from Scotland in 1913. 2 Watercolours from my great grandmother, brought from England in 1897. My mother’s silver flatware. Westminster chiming mantel click, from England, key wound. Large cheese keeper, exact same one spotted on Downton Abbey!
Instead of using books as Decor, use books you really read and love, not just because they are trendy and stylish..I agree with this100%. I’m tired of people who buy the books just as a prop.
Worst offenders are those who turn them backwards exposing the pages instead of the spine! Absurd. My books reflect the paths I’ve taken over the decades of my life!
Thank you!!! I promise, if you haven't read it or don't intend on reading it please don't use it on your coffee table 😅 I'd be the one to ask questions and if someone said it's just a prop.... I'd definitely look at them like they are crazy. If you aren't a reader just don't use books.....
Yes! My husband and I met in grad school for marine biology and we have some really beautiful marine/ocean photography books and science illustration books as our “coffee table books”. It’s so funny to me to own something that’s just for show and not because you actually like it.
Lol why tired tho
As a history major pretty much all my book decor is my history books from undergrad. I love them and they do spark up some fun conversations. I also use some of my favorite novels I’ve read. But by far the history books are my pride and joy.
Hooray for vintage, thrifted/inherited furniture and decor! And don’t forget old photos too. My favorite photo is of my mom when she was a young woman standing in her dad’s farm field. She’s smiling with the wind blowing her hair. She will be forever young in that old photo (by the way I need to blow it up and get copies to my siblings!)
Check ours
I use my mother’s tea cart as one of my bedside tables.
I seriously almost had my tea shooting out my nose when you mentioned strange Disney people.....guilty! I laughed out loud at this one 😂
So many posters on yt have trouble keeping their fluids inside.
Not alone! Child-free, pretzel stealing Disney millennial here! I love bringing Disney colors and designs into my space. I Disneybound my home. 😂❤
Since you said you don’t know us, I’m taking that as you want to get to know us 😂 I have a gorgeous side table from the early 1930s I was gifted by my best friend’s parents after I bought my first home. It has an unusual shape, it’s mahogany with a beautiful inlay that’s very art deco, and I love it. I plan to keep it forever and always decorate to it, and one day will be handed down to one of my girls. Thanks for asking, it’s fun to share with you 😊
What a fantastic, generous gift!
My coffee table books have been bought while traveling, they are specific to the local. I also buy books from artists that I love. They make me smile when I look at them on display. I love visiting homes where the decor reflects intentional collections built over time.
Love that!
@JanetR: me, too! 💗My coffee table books are from European travel, museums, art exhibits, etc. Each one has special meaning/connection to me because it was collected to commemorate an experience (touring the Rodin museum, Monet's garden, or Uffizi Gallery). I was tickled pink to hear that you do the same thing!
I lived in the Hudson Valley for 9 years. I bought a gorgeous coffee table book that traces the Hudson River from its source to the City. But…. The end highlights the Twin Towers. 😢I’ll keep it forever but it always makes me misty eyed.
One of my favorite coffee table books are also travel books. I have a book that includes a walking tour of Brussels Art Nouveau buildings, purchased for my 2005 trip to Belgium. Looking at it always brings back happy memories. (The museum of music is in a gorgeous Art Nouveau home that took my breath away.)
I'm 73 and I can confirm that these basics will serve you well. My coffee table books are not on the coffee table and I don't own a wool rug. Other than that...I'm patting my back. ❤ Nick.
Yay ,finally an interior design vid that doesn't make me feel hopelessly outdated .I have a lot of the things you listed ,a large ,vintage red wool Persian rug ( That bad boy has stood up to cat claws ,little kids ,a coal fire and years of general abuse but it's still going strong ) a Welsh dresser + bookshelves from (Probably) the 80s ,a peace lily that has survived for 8 yrs ,wicker baskets and so many throws (cat fur catchers ) I don't think it's possible to own too many ,lol .I'm well aware that my home is slowly developing a granny vibe but thanks to you i'm going to think of it as timeless ;-)
Wendy, by the time we are 50+ I would hope that we had been cured of caring about other’s opinions of us. I don’t know or care if my taste is outdated. I just watch these out of curiosity and to get new ideas. Some ideas I like and others I hate. Hate the beige on beige trend and modern farmhouse but love sconces. Don’t let a video make you feel a certain way.
My kids are always telling me I live in a granny house. I don't care. I surround myself with what I love, in style, on trend or not. Things cost too much these days to worry about a stupid trend, which they almost all are, imho. And each room of my house reflects a different side to my personality. I'm very eclectic, boho and traditional. lol
Nick, I'd love for you to do a video on how you could incorporate pop culture/geek/gaming personality into a space without it looking cheesy! I just thought about it again when you mentioned coffee table books; game art books are just STUNNING for this! Personally, I like going to artists alley at conventions and finding unique prints that maybe don't scream "I'm from this major IP!" :)
Books ✅ (not the coffee table variety though)
Wool rug ✅
Plants ✅
Sentimental Vintage Items ✅✅ (my Oma had great taste (basically the same as mine) so some pieces of her furniture were the perfect base for me to take and add to and be reminded of her ❤)
All this to say: great video! I completely agree! 😊
I have my Oma's sunburst wall clock! and yes, she had amazing style. I wish I could have inherited some of her furniture but I was in college/moving a lot when it was offered up and I think a lot of it went to donations. Hopefully someone snatched those pieces up and enjoy them!
Nick I have a thing for vintage glass. One of my favorite pieces is a red murano glass bowl. Glass is a great way to add pops of color.
Yes I love glass. I have many pieces of vintage glass in all colors around the house.
... and play with light!
Put it somewhere where the sun will hit it during the day.
Cobalt blue
Love glass. Especially blue and green glass by a window to catch the light.
I love reading books and decorating with books. I wish more people would understand you can actually do both. Books can exist in so many realms in our life. (And if you are an exclusive kindle reader and don’t like having actual books, good for you!)
You are not alone. I have a kindle and I prefer the books as well. for the very reasons that Nick mentioned here.
No one is an exclusive Kindle reader unless they move every month. Kindle readers read more physical books than strictly paper book readers.
I am a book ADDICT but, sadly, my eyesight is deteriorating. I have 5 tall Walmart bookshelves in my bedroom, full! but I'm going to get rid of the books that I'm never going to read again (while keeping my favorites) and actually decorate some empty spaces with my other collections.
Gee. I began commenting in order to say that my current book purchases are almost exclusively Kindle!
@@Ian.D. In a large enough data set, the impossible is probable. You most likely mean that no one you know reads on a kindle to the exclusion of books. To which, I can say the same thing.
Love the trolley roll and that there's such a great story behind it. To me, that's the secret, that everything has a story and has meaning. Even if the story is just what a great bargain it was at a garage sale. As for rugs, I got tired of one and discovered I LOVED the more subtly colored and patterned flip side! Layered with another coordinating rug, it's unique and gorgeous.
I love the stories behind things. Most of my solid wood furniture survived flood of hurricane Harvey. I wrote the story on the back of each piece, with the water line, signed and dated. Restoring the furniture gave me something to do during the reconstruction. In particular, a lane cedar chest was found to be dry inside when the waters receded. I wrote that on the back of the piece, as well
Edited to add: restoring wasn't much more than gluing/clamping Chippendale toes that fell off, and lots of Howard's beeswax.
Warms my heart you mentioned items with special significance to you as a person. Tapestries made by my gran in the 1960s mean the world to me... who cares if the colors aren't exactly on trend. The memories and fuzzy feelings they evoke is what matters most. Same with quilts made by my grans, aunt, and mom. I don't care how my tastes change as I grow older, I will ALWAYS love those quilts and use them on my beds/couch because its like being wrapped up in a big hug from those who've loved me. I also think about art made by myself in my different exploration phases as well as friends/family too. And I absolutely LOVE knowing you do have some level of sentiment. You'll have that sign and your lamp fixture forever. I know it.
My parents have a formula for coffee table books that is pretty hard to refute if you're unsure what books to pick because you aren't actually an avid book person. The formula was to reflect where you come from, where you love to go, where you dream to go, and 2 hobbies. Hand-made ceramics are a great way to support local artists or bring back a souvenir from a trip. I love that you mentioned supporting local artists. Quality wool rugs & blankets are another great option for this and I totally didn't know you were going to mention wool rugs! I think a quality wool blanket goes right alongside. If you get bored of it as a couch blanket, it'll look great draped over a side chair or foot of the bed in a guest bedroom. They also last forever with minimal care. That wool blanket might be knitted or crocheted or woven. I promise, you have a local artist you can support! If you're unsure of where to find them, seek out your local weaver's guild.
Baskets are THE BEST!!! Shoe basket, throw blanket basket, cat toy basket, project baskets, the more baskets the merrier.
The best plant is the plant you can keep alive XD
In short- books that tell who you are.
@@barbarabird3827 not just that. They serve a purpose for you too. A reminder of where you come from so you don’t forget your roots… an aspiration for where you want to go in your life… a reminder to appreciate where you are in life… and then 2 that give you inspiration about something you already love.
They’re as much for you as others.
What a thoughtful reply! I love your parents’ sage advice on selecting books for the coffee table.
Don't forget about gently used/well loved books that can find a new life in your home. I love me some Amazon, but also, finding those random gems at a used bookstore can be so fun and you'll have a very unique item!
Half Price Books!
Love some worthy out of print finds 📚
Trends you "wave to as they pass you by" - I love your turn of phrase, so very apropos!
“Metals are metals, & we need to just calm down with those.” 😂😂😂. Love you, Nick! 💖
I know you said wool throw blankets but I also think cotton is a great option. If you're on a budget you can get something that soft and classic at a much more reasonable cost and you can also wash it which is great if you have pets and kids.
You can wash wool also you just need be very careful and hand wash only. There's a particular way you need to do it and you should only ever do it if the item gets stained
I found lovely soft 100% wool throws at Home Goods (made in Ireland). I love them. I am another who will only "look" at this store for this type of find! I have cotton as well!
Nick, plant tip. The larger the leaf, the more shade it can take. Variegated leaves only have about 1/2 the chlorophyll so it needs brighter the location. 🍀❤️
Also some verigations are stable and some are unstable. Monstera albos, unstable, don't buy them because the leaves just go brown and ugly. Pothos marble queens are fine. But look up videos on RUclips about how to prune them
We take part in trends not necessarily because we enjoy them, but because manufactures and retailers often don't leave us (especially on limited budgets) many options.
Yes! With clothing also.
I have the ranch oak bedroom set my grandparents bought for their rowdy boys in the 1950s. I've got the set spread between several different rooms, but they've gone through 3 generations and are still in amazing shape!
I got very excited when I saw my cousins new space. She had a bunch of books on the coffee table, side table and console table under the TV. Then I found out..... due to being cheap, she bought hard cover BLANK books and printed out covers! I couldn't stop laughing!😂😂😂
I don't understand this lol. Cheaper to buy books in the charity shop
FINALLY!!!! A intelligent person who knows what matters. BRAVO!! I just love your common sense and just your smart ways of looking at smart decor!!!!
Just shy of 50 here~ living in my 3rd home. I am literally taking my time curating my home for the first time ever and I’m loving the process. As empty nesters, changing my style up is so exciting. Your channel and others are so incredibly helpful! I live by the beach and loving a classic comfy coastal ~ light wood, whites, neutral’s. Just getting some excellent advice from you designers makes all the difference on a budget. Thanks a million!!
Nick, I will always be here for your urban design opinions.
gosh, I just love your content, Nick.
no other design channel measures up to you.
Aww thanks, I appreciate that! There are so many fab ones out there though!
Exactly. I don't care if I agree with what Nick is saying or not (though I'm often nodding my head) his personality and wit always make him worth watching.
He is th best . He just gets real life and what is important . Love ya Nick!!! Keep up the great content !
I like using the vintage bookshelf edition of games such as Yahtzee and monopoly. I’m not into having a library but these are great for times when family and friends are over.
Honestly, I'll never understand this coffee table book thing. This seems to be an American/Canadian theme. Here in Germany it is not common. For me books are not decoration undergrounds for vases or candle holders, but made for reading and after that standing in a book shelf.
Haha yes, exactly! I'm German as well and I tried it, it looked wrong and I worried that I would get coffee or food on the book. I also felt.. kind of bad? I was taught to respect books and knowledge, it felt.. disrespectful in a way.
@@nellautumngirlI mean most “coffee table books” are just really nice adult picture books. You’re not going to sit down and read one in the same way you would a novel. It’s like a collection of paintings or prints you would a hang on the wall just in book form.
Growing up in Ukraine we shared the same sentiment, but...my grandpa was a sailor, and a very educated one. He loved art and history, so in his travels he always got books about great artists and beaitiful cities. These would totally qualify as a coffee table books today. When I was 4 or 5, i discovered these books and leafed through them for hours for many years. I couldn't read most of them as they were in different languages, but beauty is a language of its own, one that everyone can understand. And those books were full of beauty ❤ in short...I am also team coffee table books!
I wish more people understood the (priceless) value of something like your roller out. It has a story, it has meaning, it's value is not monetary, and yes, you will have it until you die. That is timeless decor.
I love spending my Saturdays with Nick 😊☕️❤️
Thanks Tiffany! I know you've been with my for many Saturday so I appreciate that!
@@Nick_Lewis awww 🫶🏽 and I will continue to be love your channel 🥰
Hi Nick, you are my favourite interior designer on RUclips. You are talented and amazing at communicating and connecting with your viewers who are interested in design. 🥰
I think this video is one of my favorite of yours. I have never followed trends (then again, I am 51 so there is that).
Thank you for your comment on the Tom Ford book. I love books.. especially coffee table interior design books. I have a ton of them. What I don't have is the Tom Ford book. Every time I see it in a magazine or book, I roll my eyes. I agree with you, if you love his designs, then go for it. But if you just have it because you just think you should...there are so many other things you can buy with that money. I also agree with buying books about topics that interest you. So many times I see RUclipsrs pushing expensive coffee table books simply because they are the right colored cover. My God, just go get a box in the same color. When I see images of rooms with books that clearly have no connection to the people who live there (and yes, I do look what is on the bookshelves lol), all I think is ""Why???" Decent design coffee table books are expensive. Why pay for something that doesn't reflect your tastes?
Again, loved the video. Agreed with everything you mentioned.
As a pet & house sitter & avid reader , I enjoy seeing my clients' book collections . Especially nice when they offer to share their books , on loan of course . No Tom Ford book sightings , but in our small midwestern town , the name Tom Ford would probably mean a guy named Tom who owns a local car dealership ( i.e. Ford vehicles ) & the locals would laugh & ask who does he think he is to have a book about it ? ! 🤣🤣
@@cynthiajohnston424 😂🤣 That's great 🤣😂
This is the most relatable decor video I've ever watched. While I find some trendy pieces attractive, I'm not one to keep up with the trends. I don't have time or want to invest in that. I've slowly been getting my home together. Books are life and the bathrooms are the only rooms without them (so far). I've thrifted a gorgeous Bloomingdale buffet, and add touches of sentimental pieces. Thanks for this great video!
Yes! “A home without books is like a body without a soul.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
verticality, is a new word for me and I love it!
Wool throws!! My mom got me a super pretty lightweight one years ago that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of, and I still use it all the time. It still goes with everything too, it’s so colorful and moody and cozy and not too warm. Perfection.
The thing about coffee table books is if they’re not genuine it looks so cheesy and just another unnecessary clutter item. Thank you for bringing attention to this!
“Looking at you, Wordsigns” 👀 lol!
I love baskets. Unfortunately so do my cats. They are like "thanks mom, how long will it take me to shred it?"
The best thing about this list is that it's really a list of items where you can show your own personality 🥰
Something you forgot to mention or maybe didn't know about wool. It also do not get dirty the way other materials do. It repels dirt and dust mites etc, so unless you spill something on it, it will stay clean and fresh for a lot longer than other materials.
Serious question, don't wool rugs get moth holes?
@@nailguncrouch1017 They can get months that are either attracted to the wool or some organic material on it that serves a s food for them. Doesn't mean they will get moths automatically and every time you have one at home, just that it should be kept clean and you should have your pest control up to date to avoid an infestation as some regions are more susceptible to have moths naturally in the environment.
Can we add - doesn't burn? ( Frizzle,singe - but relatively safe in front of a fireplace)
If you have moths in your rug, you have moths in your wool clothes!
@@RagingCanuck eek
Would you like a good suggestion for a video? You should do one where you talk about how your own personal taste in home decor has changed over the years. Maybe you now laugh at some things you used to love. It would be fun to see how your taste in home decor has evolved.
That's a really cool idea, Lise! I agree--if you feel comfortable Nick, seeing what aspects of your style have evolved or even have remained over time and how you've styled various items would be really cool.
He has done one about his decorating mistakes, (or buying regrets?). Not sure of the title.
Loved this. I especially appreciated the nod to heirloom pieces that have meaning for us. Falling into that category are two pieces which I have mounted as wall art. One is my grandfather's hand made abacus--all the beads turned by him and the wonderful joinery of the frame. I could hear him clacking away when I entered the house--a sound that brings him back to me when once in awhile I rattle the beads.
The other is my grandmother's loop weeding hoe which has hung prominently like a vertical sculpture in every home I've owned since I inherited it. It reminds me of everything that was wonderful about her.
The other is the wool baby/christening blanket in which I came home from the hospital when I was born. It's draped over the antique office chair in which my father sat his entire teaching career. When he retired they permitted him to take the chair with him.
There are more examples, but these will suffice. I love giving them pride of place.
One other category I would add to the timeless items you reviewed, is art collected from travels and artists living and working in your community. Especially the young ones starting out.
I am here for your urban design opinions. I love trains and public transit.
Get many throws in neutral and non-neutral styles, throws, and throw pillows are a quick way to change the vibe of a room for a season or on a whim. They can tone down, pep up a, add whimsy and so much more to a .room
Suggestion for a video:
Safety issues with interiors. Maybe specifically things to change/think about as we get older or need modifications...maybe suggestions in ways to incorporate accommodations that are also beautiful. This could benefit lots of people and those who support them.
My personal item is an old Victrola with all the records that still works from my maternal great grandmother and an old roll down map of new York state from 1935 from the school where my parternal great grandmother was a janitor. Always get questions about them
You are so right. Family heirlooms are so precious and invaluable.i still have a little dolls cradle and a little chair my granddad made for me and painted with flower and butterfly motifs when i was liittle and this is means such a lot to me esp. since my granddad died when i was only three years old. Lately i found some old pictures in a trunk on the attic, one showing my granny's stepmother with her husband on their wedding day and another my granny's suspected birth mother. So precious to have. A window into the past and a means to connect and hold on to the memories of people and family already gone, if you know what i mean... i am currently planning to move into my grandparents' old house, which my granddad bought when my mum and my uncle were small, where we lived till i was19. So it is also part of my history, and and thin threat that still connects me with my grandparents and my mum who are sadly not around anymore. So that is a different type of valuable
Oh yeah, please, do elaborate on your urban design opinion! ^_^
Maybe a video on frontyard, porch and balcony design and how to make it fit in the surrounding?
Love antiques! Addicted to blue and white dishes,50s handmade cobalt blue glasses,local handmade ceramics.They make me happy😊
I love all this advice, and I definitely need to work on some of it. One of my favorites is the sentimental advice, I think it's really what makes a house a home. One of my favorite art pieces is some recipes I found that my Grandmother wrote down before she passed. I have them framed, along with pictures of her in the 1950s, hanging over my kitchen sink. So much better than any "farmhouse" sign! Also, the books...I definitely have those...maybe too many of them. 😅 Another one my favorite piece of timeless decor, is my huge Titanic replica built out of Legos sitting on the table separating my dining/living room space. It really pulls together the whole room and is a great conversation starter. 😆 In all seriousness though, buy what you love, invest in quality things that make you happy, and forget the trends!
(P.S. I'm not kidding about the Titanic, it's my pride and joy.)
I love your comment about vintage items. You are so true in saying that if something was beautiful 50 years ago and is still beautiful then it will never go out of style.
Wife and I both received over the years from our parents' formal dinnerware. along with silver serving sets... blah blah blah. What we love the most is evident by what gets used the most, even at family dinners. Going thru different stores or a farmers market here n there. You see a mug that just grabs your attention. Or 3 dinner sized plates and 1 bowl. Even a glass that just looks odd sized. THAT is what we always grab first out of the cabinets on a daily basis.
I love mixed dish ware.
Thank you for confirming it doesn’t matter the type of plant, but is more important to get the type you can keep alive and that they all work! ❤
You’re spot on with the personal things! I got two chairs from my deceased grandma‘s home, and I love them so much. They truly add personality to our otherwise pretty boring renter‘s kitchen lol
ohmygosh: i TOTALLY want your video on urban design!!!
yes, please
We just gave our daughter and son-in-law our old furniture for their new house. It is in excellent shape and looks fabulous and timeless in their space. It is only 37 yea old. If it’s vintage, then so are we. If only we looked so good…
OK that matted frame of the trolley stops with the family history behind it might be the single coolest piece of decor i've encountered in a long time, that's just wonderful
also raw brass is naturally germ-killing, making it great for doorknobs and such
So pleased to see your channel growing ❤ well deserved, Nick!
I sincerely appreciate the time you take to enhance interior decors. Timeless decor, the practicality and economy of seeking pieces that will last and blend are worth the effort. I will challenge people to focus on the styles they enjoy, such as sleek vs soft, round vs straight, prints vs solids, colors vs neutrals. You can find inexpensive knock offs that will last. We've been married 54+ years. My cream stoneware, stemmed glassware, candlesticks, and even my mother-in-laws crocheted blankets are a case in point. Now the dollies...I framed them years ago and they make a neutral collage on the wall above my desk.The frames are vintage, which I enjoy. But I love thinking about my mother-in-laws creativity and the hours she spent crocheting and kniting for the four years my father-in-law was in Europe in WWII.
I have a craftsman era home, so I’ve invested in decorating it in a Way that is sympathetic to the architecture. However, I also really like the gold glam look. Amazingly, I’ve managed to blend them in a way that looks eclectic and unique. I think it will stand the test of time.
I am an avid hardcover coffee table book collector. Such books, collected in my interests, are truly timeless, cherished items. OMG, I'm so happy to see you call ceramics as a timeless design item. My kitchen has so many handcrafted plates, bowls, vases, vessels that are on display and I've always felt that they are timeless. Feeling validated, thank you! I opt to do colorful rugs, rather than wool neutral rugs, its just an unexpected way to introduce playful color into my space.
I’ve got a vintage parson bamboo coffee table that I bought from Bloomingdale’s in the 70s. Still going strong.
Best video ever!! Thanks for mentioning vintage, natural fibers, quality workmanship and handmade ceramics. I’ve been a potter for decades. Collectors tell me how much they enjoy adding unique handmade pieces into their decor. One of a kind comes in all price ranges, it’s rare, special, and yours to enjoy.
Trends are for disposable income.. literally. I'm so traditional. 😅 The book currently handy is herbs and Pacific NW birds
And, keep my binoculars on top of the bird book, because if im looking at one, im looking through the other!
Love this! Almost 20 years ago I purchased a Copenhagen travertine dining room table from a consignment store for $500. Totally timeless and one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I’ll never get rid of it!
Great content again! Last Saturday I purchased a beautiful "tribal" wool rug in cranberry Red. It has a minimal pattern and works with traditional (me) and I can imagine a Eames lounge chair on it.
DNA Consulting Detectives! I’ll bet you have some fascinating books on your shelves, and some even better stories to tell.
I am new to your channel and your videos are amazing! Your advice and kindness are next level.
I have a few home decor magazine subscriptions which I always keep a few copies that I like the most on my coffee table. Like you said, better to look at those instead of the screen. 😊
I have slowly been replacing all the store bought throws in my house with throws I have crocheted myself. I made them so I KNOW they’re quality!
I’m here for your urban design opinions!!!!
We inherited one of my husband's grandmother's super high-quality wool rug and it has HELD UP. Kids, dogs, you name it, it always comes clean. It's incredible.
Hi Nick, love the video. As I am quite allergic to wool, my equivalent (natural fiber, timeless design) would be silk, but it is so very expensive. I guess you could say I have silk taste on a cotton budget. Other, often less expensive, alternatives are linen, hemp, or the new softened bamboo fibers. There are a ton of really beautiful, timeless, linen throws on Etsy. They're not super cheap (the ones I love are around $140) but the silk one I covet is $100 more than the linen. Just a thought for the other people like me who crave timeless, natural, fibers for the home, but are allergic to wool.
Thanks Nick. I'm 32 and finally bought my first rug using Rug USA. It's wool, it's beige, and I'm excited because my hardwood-floor living room has needed a rug for a long time. I can't wait!
As you said, I agree a great way to go in general is pick natural, mostly unprocessed materials for your home. Solid wood furniture, wool, cotton, linen blankets and curtains, wool rugs, wicker baskets, ceramics and glass, etc. All these things are especially beautiful if they show their natural colors and textures without having been painted over or resurfaced. These things actually do last a LONG time and you can find some great baskets at thrift stores because nobody wants them. Just make sure they aren't moldy 😅
I agree with everything you said. I love brass. I used to collect brass items, and had them everywhere in my house. Sadly, a lot of them got stolen, but I still have my brass candlesticks and antique furniture with brass pulls so old they are black, and I just love them. Neutral rugs -- YES! I love nature colors, so a nice, neutral beige rug goes with all of them. I just got a vintage, solid wood colonial dresser for $95 at Restore. My son wanted to buy me something something Ikea, but ECK! It's timeless and beautiful to me and a piece that will last me all the rest of my life. Love and light to you and yours!
Urban Design Opinions! That could be interesting 😃 Edit: as a fellow Vancouverite, I love that bus sign thing too! I still ride on some of those same routes.
Yes! Thank you! Absolutely have books as decor, but they should reflect your interests!
You literally described my entire home 🫣😂
Nick, My dad built an EAA open cockpit biplane when i was a kid. He built it from 1966 to 1971, & flew it all across the country starting in 1971. He made 1 too many wing struts by mistake & you have inspired me to get it framed, so thank you !
By all means, buy a book or two. Be retro. They can be used to prop up vases, artwork, candles. Not everyone knows that books can be used under the leg of a wobbly table. I have seen books used to hold open windows. The other day, one accidentally fell open and who knew? There are highly intentional words in there along with the beautiful photos. When the words go with the photos, it's like a seriously old school RUclips video. Don't be afraid to reveal that you bought a book--it's not as bad a look as you might think. That's all I'm saying. 🙂
Alastair Dallas, I've never commented on any platform as I don't want to be "out there" but I really must state that I love you. You are a Kindred Spirit!
Wordzzzzz❤
You can never really go wrong with a quality oriental rug in a classic color and design. They will never go out of style and wear very well.
I enjoy your honesty and sense of humor, Nick. 🎉 I love fur throws...fake, of course.