Wanting to fix more interior design mistakes and keep up with today's interior design trends?! Then you're going to love this video, too: th-cam.com/video/PqBZ_DAYx2g/w-d-xo.html Watch it here! I chat all about 2024's hot trends that you don't want to miss!
One thing that looks cheap to me is poorly made homemade crafts. Sorry guys, I’m not a snob but plastic flowers in a basket with glue...is a no for me.
Upcycling can’t be overstated here. If y’all are living paycheck to paycheck like me, spend about $100 on a sander, a respirator & some brushes. Small things like hardware replacements, bondo & wood filler can be bought as you go because not every restoration will require it but I’m telling you it’s the best thing I ever did. I couldn’t afford all new furniture so I decided to work with what I had & all my pieces turned out so beautiful! There’s so many great tutorials & skilled DIY creators on here that I don’t think I’ll ever buy firsthand again.
@@chaitalisbRight now my favorite is Susie Anderson. She has the best design style quiz. She presents the most variety of styles and how to actually achieve each one. Also Julie Ku, Garrett LeChic, and “Dezign”.
I love how you advocate for working within your budget. I have never had a good experience with furniture from Walmart. Decor items, yes. Storage items, yes. Seasonal items, yes. But furniture, no. I recommend looking for used furniture instead. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, garage sales, and thrift stores are great places to find unique pieces. My daughter found a mid-century modern table with tapered brass-tipped legs and a drop-down leaf on each side for $50. The top needed refinished, but it came with 4 additional leaves, so it could go from being a table for two in her current apartment to a table for 10 in the home she and her husband hope to have someday. They sanded it and painted it with black satin enamel paint. It looks beautiful and only cost about $110 in total.
Never buy your furniture where you buy your toilet paper...both will serve a similar same purpose. One for the better good. And one for well, need I say it? Ha ha. But good advice.
I found this amazing dresser for $70 on offer up, its those real wood, really heavy ones. I was soo happy cause furniture now a days is garbage, the materials are so bad. That dresser looks like it could last 500 years lol. Its holding a fish tank currently and has so many drawers, my son was so happy when we bought it for him. I also bought these vintage chairs that are so beautiful and comfy, I love them for $150.
I bought a couch from walmart that lays flat as a twin bed. Its so uncomfortable 😂 but it has serve its purpose when we have sleepovers. But I do plan to have it upholstered. Im buying cots in the future instead cause I feel someone is goinv to break their back one day on that couch 😂
@@oneofakindlifestyle I think I would choose the floor for a sleep over versus something it's so uncomfortable that you admit that it's so uncomfortable. At least with the floor you know you're going to be uncomfortable. Ha ha peace.
Ach, finally! A designer with actual taste AND common sense advice for diy. This is the fourth video of yours that I've watched in a row, and your tips are great.
@@KivaBrent 100% agree. I Love this woman. The ONLY design person who I can even tolerate watching for more than a few moments. SUCH great ideas and yay me for finding out that I am actually ahead of the curve this year ha ha ha. Yay for Mum's antique furniture I just inherited!
Love these tips! I've found myself drawn to creators like KB, Nick Lewis, And Garrett Lechic lately. It's hard to watch traditional youtube designers because of the amount of waste they generate, the unrealistic nature of design challenges, and the repetitive style. These interior design talking heads are just as educational and inspirational without being wasteful, deceptive, or redundant.
Yes we need to support TH-camrs with a conscience and a vision to help people understand that there are alternatives to over consumption and pollution and you can have your own style without spending too much or going solely with trends.
YES! Less is more, but use what you have to your advantage - I love how these are the youtubers out there that talk quality over quantity- sure you may spend a little more, but you are contributing less and you’ll have these classic styles for years. Fads die, and they end up in the trash…
Just want to add my vote for thrifting and secondhand. I’ve been able to have beautiful furniture that I couldn’t afford otherwise by buying used. It mixes nicely with my IKEA pieces. ☺️
Yes, I have mix and match CB2 with homegoods clearance and offer up furniture. Its all about finding pieces you love and blending everything together. You could never tell which is which, they look cohesive.
Finally someone has said it!! Making furniture from Dollar Tree items? TH-camrs thinking they have a clue in interior design?!? Girl you’re a breath of fresh interior design air
It means so much to me that you always focus on living within your means. I spent all of my 20s trying to live beyond my means. It took me years to dig out of the credit card debt.
One I think all designers seem to forget is put your personality in it. The beauty and richness is making it yours....colors you love, objects with meaning, textures that give it life, and function that works for you and your family.
I totally agree. Nice and fancy might look nice to others but if it's not you you're not happy and it's your home not everyone else's. I like old norse viking and dark wood and colors. Nothing that is in a trend I want to like my house not be trendy. Could care less what others think when they come over. I don't judge other people's design choices don't judge mine
I think this is the first time I have heard from any designer or decorator say not to get a rug that is too big. Everyone focuses on not getting one that is too small. Either extreme looks bad.
Hi, another thing I find cheap is mismatching wood furniture feet colors. My living room has a sofa and media console from Article (different lines) with walnut stained feet. The accent chair is from Amazon. The style fits, but the wood legs were shiny mahogany - cheap looking from a mile away. I sanded them down and restrained them in walnut with a satin finish. Now it looks cohesive and like they belong together. Same in the sunroom. Stained the sofa wood legs the color of the hardwood floor - simple, but awesome transformation. I want my eye drawn by the decor I put out, not drawn to the weird looking furniture feet. 🎄
I use BEHRwater based paint and get to it. Either to the floor or upholstery. I have painted every piece of wood except heirloom pieces. Such a clean look
Great tips. Creativity is key. Everything I do is on a budget but that doesn't mean you can't have a nice space. Paint and Creativity are your best friend when you are on a budget. For our night stands I'm my master bedroom we got a cheap laminate countertop from Lowe's and used an epoxy kit called "Stone Coat Countertops". It was easy to do, they even have TH-cam videos on how to use their product and I made floating night stands with the countertop and 2 shelf brackets. Everyone who sees them thinks they are marble but they are light weight and best part is very easy for me to vacuum under. I spent $50 total on both night stands and they look like they are much more expensive. Totally custom and on a budget.
It's really best to wait until you can find and afford what you love. Curate your home. Look at thrift stores for antiques and contemporary furniture All those people tossing furniture are likely tossing things that are prettier and better quality than what they are buying. Learn to wait and take your time to get what you will love for the long haul.
I was all about the matching nightstands, but our last apartment had awkward, uneven spacing around the bed. So our nightstands are mismatched… but they’re similar in height, wood tone, and style, so I don’t think anyone actually notices that they’re different at first glance.
I recently replaced one of my small matching nightstands with the larger nightstand from the same furniture line. Same height and wood tone. It looks much better and I have more storage in it. But I don’t think I would have done it if it wasn’t part of the same set.
I love my pilll shaver. It also works great on sweaters, t-shirt, pillows etc. . There's no limit. If it's made from fabric you can use your pill shaver. Also they come in a small size and an extra large. I've hadboth of mine for years!! Plus they are inexpensive. 😉
I swear, the whole time I thought you were saying you could spot a mom from a mile away, and mom beds, etc. I was thinking, how would she know who has kids and who doesn't? And what's the difference between a mom bed and a dad bed? Finally I figured out that it must be some style of furniture, but it wasn't until I read the comments that I realized it is actually Malm. LOL!
They back furniture with fiberboard, not corkboard. Fiberboard can be painted or even covered with wallpaper. If you want something better, have a piece of thin wood panel cut to fit and paint or stain to match. If you aren’t making a bulletin board, leave the corkboard for drawer lining.
Depending on the piece, the board is the same color on the inside. My drawers don't need to look at the cute color, so I just installed it backwards, with the cork color inwards. That way, I can put my desk in any position I want, no worries!
@@kata7628 At least in the cases I've seen, they usually mean the corkboard to be outside, on the back. But I wanted mobility for my piece, and the inside wasn't going to show (it was the back of a drawer set in my desk), so I inverted it. But it's something for you to consider, as "flippable" as long as it works with your aesthetic, I believe!
The thing about throw pillows: if they're big enough to make a big visual statement, they're big enough that they're interfering with the utility of the sofa. I.e., people have to move them before they can sit down. Move them where? The floor? Excuse me?That's a no for me. So I'm minimalist with pillows. They're pops of color, but there's only a few and they're squashy and small enough people can still sit down.
There’s honestly something endearing about a tacky and cheap looking home. My aunt comes in mind. Her home is SO tacky but it matches her personality and I cannot imagine her house NOT looking tacky. It’s honestly comforting and feels like home 😂
I like your tips. The only one I thought could be done correctly is the nightstands. House of Valentina has two different night stands in her master bedroom and I really like it. Totally agree with the pilling. Love your channel ❤️
Regarding the "overstyling" one, I guess it's different with books. A lot of books you buy from the bookstore (to actually read it) are the exact same height and colour (you basically just have the big ones and the pocket ones), but a room where there are 100-200 of these books looks way better than a room with the same amount or even less of "aesthetic" books (those you buy for how they look but never actually read it), because it doesn't look fake. It's just elegant because that's your books, those you actually read and know what's inside, and anyone can make the difference instantly when walking into your room
Kiva is so great. “Scraggle is the adjective of the day”. I have been shaving my textiles (clothing, outerwear, furniture) for years. Thanks to Kiva for all the great tips.
I bought that Conair pile shaver you suggested in your last video and it have changed my life ! I'm a thick girl so my pants all pile when my thighs rub ! KIVA YOU SAVED 4 OF MY PANTS THEY LOOK BRAND NEW ! And i completed cleaned up my couch with it , the best 14$ spent ever :)love from MONTREAL
I’m very lucky, none of my friends would judge my home…and I am not trying to impress anyone. Minimalism is such a winner… a few quality pieces and voila ….👌🏽
Yes please on the rug placement video! I started shopping for some utility (indoor-outdoor) rugs and I noticed that there are some pretty strictly standard sizes. Makes balancing proportion difficult 🤔
I gave away all of my furniture, books, and kitchen stuff to move to Turkey. I have been back for over a year, renting a partial tiny room from a friend, and now need to find a house or apartment, buy furniture, rugs, curtains, and kitchen stuff. It is exciting and overwhelming. Thank you for your videos (and encouragement to stay within my budget). Fortunately, I had my collection of art work in storage! Again, thank you.
Curtains cut out the natural light and the wonderful closeness to trees ,squirrels, birds wind blowing stuff, rain,snow. Things worth looking at I won’t use them. I do use hanging plants to provide some privacy
LOL I'm embarrassed to admit this, but for YEARS I only put up one panel on each side of the window--that's how they are sold! I always wondered why it looked so bad. Then I heard you're supposed to put MORE up!? Why aren't they sold 4 to a pack instead of two??? But I now buy two sets of two and they look so much better.
They will sell them only in pairs or single panels. That is how it is done. You have to do your part by always measuring the width of your windows to determine the amount of panels needed. For a regular sized window like 36 to 52 wide it is usually four panels at least. Google the calculation formula to get the exact amount needed for the width of your windows but as a rule of thumb it is usually four panels for a full look.
Sometimes the solution is so easy.... 🤦🏿♀️ I was absolutely not happy with my curtains in my living room because the panels couldn't be closed... the solution would actually be to put up four panels instead of just two 😄
Just love you and everything you do. I am not one to comment on youtube or social media but i just couldn't resist telling you how wonderful you are today. We are furnishing our new home and yes most stuff we ordered are at least 5 months out. Since you don't take new clients right now, I get all my design tips from you here while i am waiting for an opening. Thanks again, Love. Mina
I Adore you! I have only gotten to pillows that are too small and am about to weep with joy that you have brought solutions to my crappy home decore problems! It would be so cool if you heled other YTers fix their decore and then you could both have videos on both channels to spread viewership. I think my home has unique challenges bec it is 150 years old - hardly any closets whatsoever, so storage is a huge issue, and the ceilings are like 12 feet high, which gives the rooms this cavernous feel that is not homey and cozy and warm. I think carpeting would help - I am kind of over dealing with these hard wood floors - BUT we have a millions cats, 3 huge dirty dogs, and kids, and a dirty husband, so no carpets for us. They would get ruined so quickly. Throw rugs, yes, and we have gone through many - they don't have a long life with us. I think I am going to try to rearrange and fix up my living room and then I will do a video about it and mention that I got my fabulous inspiration from you. I am a frugality dumpster-diving channel, which I am sure sounds gross to you - but we do get free furniture occasionally which can be fun. EG we recently got a brand new desk - in the giant box ready to be assembled - from the Staples dumpster. We don't need it as a desk but will use it out in the "crap room" - back kitchen - shed - mudroom structure - to arrange and film our dumpster hauls. The best for furniture really is curbside shopping in rich towns the night before garbage pickup.
I'm glad you repurpose. We revamp mirrors, side tables, art all of the time from thrift stores etc. It looks beautiful & often is better quality than Ikea, Walmart etc. You can do so much with paint & elbow grease.
College towns or areas at the end of semesters can give you amazing finds, b/c kids don't have the ability to move it (no car or truck), or moving to a tiny place or leaving college altogether, etc.
I am a first time viewer and I really liked your video! Your energy and the way you communicate with us as friends feels good; you share rather than lecture! And thanks for doing 8 points rather than the larger numbers I can never sit through. In my area, we are loosing local retailers due to online shopping, but I like online shopping, too! That being said, why would anyone order building materials from Amazon, when we have local businesses with great selections and services? I need to see the wood or bookcase backing, etc. plus, I learn about new products as I am wandering around the store. And everything is cut to my perfect size for free! Some people are intimidated by going into new places that sell things outside of their comfort zone, but in this economy employees have more time to explain things, and you can do all that easy research on TH-cam, lol. “Shop local” means more than our retail dollars, think of the shipping. How much extra fuel is burned when the item is shipped multiple times before you own it? Thanks for letting me speak! Donna
As a thought, one reason people might order building supplies from online retailers is if they live in a large city or only use public transportation. With so many subs it’s not a big leap there are many from around the world. In the US suburbs I’m blessed to have my choice of retailers within a mile of my home and a vehicle to drive my purchases home; many don’t have that luxury. Amazon has built a delivery system throughout much of the world that can get products to folks who have far fewer options. No this comment is not sponsored. 😂
Love your content and these tips! I do have to admit that I have the Malm nightstands and dressers -- I have a different upholstered bed that is not from Ikea. I added some pulls and knobs (I bought from RH) to the drawers so that they wouldn't look too modern. People think I purchased the pieces from West Elm.
Guilty as charged, I was always over accessorizing, having a group of knick knacks and what not on every surface. I finally got rid of all the crap on a site called let go...Just to start all over again...smh
LOVE THIS VIDEO!! It is not about her. It is really about helping others. I am glad she talks fast but I still can understand her. No boring! Great explanations. Keep up the good work!
Oh my yes! I’m a victim of my own overstyling! I have storage totes full of amazing finds that I have no room for plus hubby has taken up wood turning and I’m the proud owner of many bowls and vessels. We added shelving to display it on & it looks beautiful (and full! 🙀) but I’m definitely losing focus in my decor. Which is why a virtual design sesh with Kiva is on top of my New Year goals list!
@@nurturetheearth hi! He doesn’t have a site yet. I have taken some pics and he does sell some pieces. Reply here please, if you’d like me to send you pics via messenger or Facebook. Thank you!
Loved the intro speech so much!!! Highly believe everyone is capable of making the most of their home with some strategic choices and budgets. Love your energy and your videos!
I just discovered your channel, and I don’t know what i like the most, your amazing knowledge of design and incredible ability you have to see minimum details or the eloquent ,charming and soothing voice you have, nowadays it is so uncommon to see real ladies like you ❤ keep going girl and here you have a new subscriber from Panama
I just found your channel and I LOVE the way you do it- I love that you talk a million miles a minute and give SO MUCH info and just show pics along side to give us the idea and example. So far you're the best interior design teacher I've found with such a great style. You explain things soo well!
Love these videos because they stress that it’s not about money but about how you style. It’s like with clothes. Your style can look elevated if you know what and how to style with vs buying an expensive ready to wear designer outfit. We just got a new house. It’s much smaller than a traditional house but I believe if it’s presented and styled right/nicely, it will look elevated vs a traditional home that doesn’t.
I love my antique nightstands, they have the same finish but are different pieces, I tried finding a matching nightstand but that’s very hard when a piece of furniture is pre 1950s. If you can get vintage furniture much better for the environment. :)
Spot on about buying all IKEA stuff. I live in IKEA land. Not only do I know how much it cost, but the year it was bought. Buy second hand instead of all IKEA. There are great curtains at thrift stores, there are lots of natural fiber curtains and even hand made stuff second hand. . I got a pair of pure silk curtains for about $12. Much better than consuming "fast furniture" curtains. Please, please don't paint real wood furniture, just a bit of sanding and some boiled linseed oil will take care of 90% of scruffy stuff. That furniture is going to be the only stuff that will last. Those colours you love now, aren't going to be in style in 5-10 years. Use paint for the laminate stuff that will be worn out in 5-10 years.
I have been BINGING your bids lately!! We’re moving to Hawaii this summer (military) and buying our first home there so I need all the help I can get 😂
Re the furniture backs: IF the back is showing, THEN cover the back, as you said. Yes, not having a back is cheap. But just covering the back for the sake of it...if no one is ever going to see that...you know. Maybe that's what you meant all along. I agree about the pillows and I'll add that feather-filled pillows look and feel so much better. You can find down cushions at Homegoods, Tuesday Morning, etc. I upgraded to down for a couple cushions, bit the bullet and ordered inserts from Pottery Barn...but those inserts last forever and are totally worth it. You can also find beautiful cushion covers used on eBay, Etsy, or even at the thrift store sometimes.
Great tips! Thank you for rescuing us! You might also want to mention framed 'art' from the bins at BB&B, or...from anywhere. Especially the ones with single words or phrases printed on them. UGH. It's much better to buy inexpensive frames from Target, etc., of different sizes but the same or complementary colors (or paint them yourself) and then use them to frame unusual posters, greeting cards. even pictures from high-end wall calendars. (Pomegranate has a fabulous selection, and they're all due to go on sale about now.) A small paint brush dipped in Modge Podge and lightly brushed over the surface will make the images look like actual paintings.
I live in a 50s apartment and the windows span the entire length of the approx 25 ft living room and dining room with an annoying convection unit plopped right in the middle. It has forced me to use the previously installed traverse rod up close to the ceiling for the curtains ( windows go all the way up) and it restricts the length of the curtains due to the heating unit in the center. Not ideal, but sometimes you just have to work with what you have.
You are a good adviser for this kind of venue. Sadly most people can’t take these suggestions and adapt them to suit the space without just copying what they see here whether it improves the look or not. Your discussion helps a lot with that tendency.
I purchased a chesterfield for my living room. And I made the mistake of purchasing small pillows and was wondering what was off. Till I went to HD Buttercup and bought size appropriate. Made such a difference.
Just found your channel, and really like it! You give great advice/insight. the only thing I would semi-disagree with here is matching nightstands... to me, that is boring and kind of screams "hotel!" I would say, rather, get two SIMILAR nightstands (same general color and height, but NOT matching). I dislike furniture "sets" for the same reason.. might not make your home look cheap, but looks super boring and like you couldn't be bothered to put any effort into actually designing your space. Thanks, and looking forward to more great vids!
Well I never listen to any TH-camrs to throw away my furnitures cuz the same mouth that tells u this was not good last week telling me otherwise this week.I like watching them for inspiration.
My proudest piece of furniture is my Parson’s coffee table. I bought it on sale at Target for $14.99. I love it. It’s in an espresso finish, so you can’t really tell it’s laminate. I can put hot coffee mugs on it. Can’t do that with my good pieces. It actually looks elegant in my more traditional living room.
I have the opposite problem of small pillows. When I bought my loveseat, it came with two free pillows. That's just how it was that store, if you bought a loveseat or a couch, she got two free pillows. That's cool. Except the pillows, all the pillows in the store, were absolutely huge. So I took away two pillows home and I ended up giving them away. Yes, they were very nice pillows. But they were way too big for my loveseat. And I didn't have anywhere else to put them.
I think we can all look back at our decorating at some point and say to ourselves "Omg, what was I thinking?" I know I can. Over the years, I've found the minimalist approach suits my needs. I think what looks tacky is too much furniture in a room and way too much art on the walls. Basically, clutter as you said in your video looks tacky and we've all done that at some point. Now, I have very few pieces of furniture in my room and since I love art, one oil painting being the focal point of the wall. Contrary to what people think, a million art pieces , improperly placed looks really tacky, as are wall groupings when you don't understand how to group paintings properly. Or art hung way too high on the wall. Art needs to be at eye level, it's not a decoration for your ceiling. I've been much happier with simple and clean lines in a room. It took me many years to settle on minimalist decorating , but I'll never turn back. Decorating is like perfume, it's a very personal thing. I'm sure people think I can't afford furniture because I have very few pieces in a room, because , frankly, I like that look.
I can certainly agree. I look back at some of my curtain choices and say to myself, whyyyy???...but I found a use for them, I use them as painting drop cloths."
Great tips... I'm assuming you know some people who have made bad nightstand decisions. I've never heard of mismatched nightstands not being the same height or not being the same quality level or identical cheap ones being better but great tips.
Great design advice! I'm ordering led light strips ASAP! I don't use curtains at all nor does anyone I know. In the West, most use some form of blinds. Yes, they can be more expensive than curtains, but here curtains are not really the style vibe. This includes even the very wealthy with some exceptions for huge windows. Tour a handful of homes in Pacific Palisades, Laguna Nigel or Sausalito. Those homes are likely to have top-down/bottom-up smart blinds on bluetooth timers. xx
I'm glad there are designers that have a luxury on a budget mentality. there are so many channels that just show you a 500 dollar light fixture, a 3000 dollar couch, and a bunch of artisan pottery to make a room look good. I don't have that money.
You are correct in all these. My floors are pretty awful. The big rugs fix a lot. But - there’s a rug and baseboard gap. Also, the curtains that came with this place at the top of the windows were awful. My new ones are ceiling to floor and tripled and look great!
Hey Kiva - I just love this video! It’s so relatable ☺️ I’m new to your channel and just binge watching all your content! Can you help us with tips for styling kid’s rooms? You’ve talked about carrying out design style across different rooms in other videos but not sure how to do this in a kids room and still make it practical 🥴. Thank in advance!
All great tips!! You are going to have to share the makeover of the Wayfair table! To you and Babe, the merriest of the season and a Happy, Healthy and Wealthy New Year 2022!
LOVE listening to you! ❤ I have a small sofa. Got it deliberately to fit a small home. Then, I found the most beautiful pillows: sleek, faux raw silk, in the deepest, richest blue I've ever seen, which tied in with other bits of decor. They were very large, though. I know they're not to right scale, but they were also really expensive and on an extraordinarily on sale! I know that's no reason to buy them if they don't fit...but I HAD to have them. They're square. I've thought about taking ribbon or cording of some sort and tying it around the pillows like one wraps a gift, to pull the size in a bit. What would you do to correct this scale problem? I have a couple of pillows that are the correct size in front of them...but the sofa is small. If I add any more, the sofa "vanishes." I know I should probably get a new sofa...I had this one custom made, exactly how I wanted it to be. It's hard to give it up. It's also hard to give up those gorgeous pillows. Please, any ideas?
I think curtains should hit the floor, period !!! Going back to your comment about people not having curtains touching the floor because of a radiator, etc., then roman shades are a great alternative to curtains in that case. There are always work-arounds in design that make sense in certain spaces.
I've been planning out a sort of miss matched bed side tables look. By thay I mean, both of them will be mid-century modern with those amazing legs and the same finish, but one will have two drawers and one will have one drawer and a shelf.
As a designer, I've had mismatched nightstands my entire life. Need to replace one soon. The tricks are these: they need to be tall enough for your mattress, they need to be the same height and they need to compliment each other, especially in scale. I do like to use matching lamps for balance. I've used the same hand turned and carved cherry wood lamps for over 35 years. Still love them. Purchased at a yard sale for $7 for the pair. She was asking $70 (they were easily worth that much). When she saw I was interested, she demanded to know what I had in my pocket and she said, "Sold!" Her husband had made them for her - and he'd just ran off with his secretary!
What about windows that are short and high? I live in an in-law unit with only one window in the living/bedroom, and it's higher on the wall, but short and long. Right now I have short curtains with the rod set up close to the ceiling, and the curtains hit just below the windowsill. Is that long enough? Can you expand on the "rules" for window treatments based on different types of windows? Thank you! I love your videos!
Mismatched nightstands can work BUT the proportions and colors should be similar. If both compliment each other some times can work!!! Best when nightstand is duel function so side of bed, and other side a dressing chair!!!
We just got IKEA Malm white bed frame and I loooove it. We are aiming for Scandinavian style, because we got used to live in Scandinavia and we love the style. But thank you for advise, we will look for nightstand and bench at the end of the bed from different places ☺️
KB, I am adding some curtains to my son's rooms and I need to block the light high up what are your thoughts on the ikea ceiling track? Another great video thank you so much!
So this friend bought a bunch of MCM vintage furniture, the very long sofa caught my eye because it had a curved back, with classic styling, very simple. I pointed out that it would be beautiful reupholstered in a navy velvet, but as you said, not too dark as it will show everything. He loves the idea, but how does he know he is buying a high quality velvet? You had mentioned a rating of a rub test? And where would he go to buy the proper upholstery velvet that will still look good in 20 years? Sorry way off todays topics, but could you explain the wearability of fabric again? BTW, those fabric shavers look hoaxy but they do work very well.
Kiva, also I wonder if you could explain how to judge the quality of leather. I cannot tell, other than the price and manufacturer which is not always the best indicator.
Upholstery fabric is classified in martindale. Or rub count. This means the amount of times you can rub aka sit/stand up on a fabric. A sofa with 10k martindale might be cheap to buy, but if you calculate 365 days and getting up and sitting down 10 times a day (snack break, toilet...) you don't even have 3 years worth. Higher quality is 50k or 100k. Yes, it's not cheap to buy, but it will last way longer. Every professional fabric dealer will give you the rub count so you can decide. In addition you can calculate if you need a 100k martindale on a wild colour. Bc it WILL stand the test of time, but will you still like the colour in 20 years?
@@tiffytattoo2450 Thank you. That is a good question about the color. Since navy or the color of denim hasn't gone out of style in 50 years, my thought is that it won't go out anytime soon. Since it is almost like a neutral to me now, I doubt that I would get tired of it.
@@rockshot100 yeah totally subjective! If you enjoy it, go for quality! :) I don't know a lot about leather, but thickness is a quality measure. In general, leather wears naturally with time. A look, you have to like bc every leather gets a used look over time. Wrinkles, sagging/expanding, shine. Maybe look online for photos of older, used leather furniture and see if you like the look. Even with good care it ages very differently to fabric.
@@tiffytattoo2450 Thanks again. HUM... Most of what I have heard is that the designers say the broke in leather is timeless. Used shoes look much better to me than new ones. Some men's belts hold up forever and others don't. I bought a leather jacket and new my neighbor said it was pigskin.
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Wanting to fix more interior design mistakes and keep up with today's interior design trends?! Then you're going to love this video, too: th-cam.com/video/PqBZ_DAYx2g/w-d-xo.html Watch it here! I chat all about 2024's hot trends that you don't want to miss!
One thing that looks cheap to me is poorly made homemade crafts. Sorry guys, I’m not a snob but plastic flowers in a basket with glue...is a no for me.
I agree.
lol I made a dollar tree craft and my brother told me it looked like a tweaker project. He wasn’t telling a lie 😂
True it looks horrible 😂
DEFINITELY 😖
@peanutnetwork 💀😂😂😂gotcha
Upcycling can’t be overstated here. If y’all are living paycheck to paycheck like me, spend about $100 on a sander, a respirator & some brushes. Small things like hardware replacements, bondo & wood filler can be bought as you go because not every restoration will require it but I’m telling you it’s the best thing I ever did. I couldn’t afford all new furniture so I decided to work with what I had & all my pieces turned out so beautiful! There’s so many great tutorials & skilled DIY creators on here that I don’t think I’ll ever buy firsthand again.
Can you please tell me some of the youtubers you follow for DYI? I desperately need advice and am pretty tight on budget!! Thanks!!
@@chaitalisbRight now my favorite is Susie Anderson. She has the best design style quiz. She presents the most variety of styles and how to actually achieve each one. Also Julie Ku, Garrett LeChic, and “Dezign”.
I love how you advocate for working within your budget. I have never had a good experience with furniture from Walmart. Decor items, yes. Storage items, yes. Seasonal items, yes. But furniture, no. I recommend looking for used furniture instead. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, garage sales, and thrift stores are great places to find unique pieces. My daughter found a mid-century modern table with tapered brass-tipped legs and a drop-down leaf on each side for $50. The top needed refinished, but it came with 4 additional leaves, so it could go from being a table for two in her current apartment to a table for 10 in the home she and her husband hope to have someday. They sanded it and painted it with black satin enamel paint. It looks beautiful and only cost about $110 in total.
This 100%.
Local auctions are a good place too.
Never buy your furniture where you buy your toilet paper...both will serve a similar same purpose. One for the better good. And one for well, need I say it? Ha ha. But good advice.
I found this amazing dresser for $70 on offer up, its those real wood, really heavy ones. I was soo happy cause furniture now a days is garbage, the materials are so bad. That dresser looks like it could last 500 years lol. Its holding a fish tank currently and has so many drawers, my son was so happy when we bought it for him. I also bought these vintage chairs that are so beautiful and comfy, I love them for $150.
I bought a couch from walmart that lays flat as a twin bed. Its so uncomfortable 😂 but it has serve its purpose when we have sleepovers. But I do plan to have it upholstered. Im buying cots in the future instead cause I feel someone is goinv to break their back one day on that couch 😂
@@oneofakindlifestyle I think I would choose the floor for a sleep over versus something it's so uncomfortable that you admit that it's so uncomfortable. At least with the floor you know you're going to be uncomfortable. Ha ha peace.
Ach, finally! A designer with actual taste AND common sense advice for diy. This is the fourth video of yours that I've watched in a row, and your tips are great.
Thank you so so much!! 💕
@@KivaBrent 100% agree. I Love this woman. The ONLY design person who I can even tolerate watching for more than a few moments. SUCH great ideas and yay me for finding out that I am actually ahead of the curve this year ha ha ha. Yay for Mum's antique furniture I just inherited!
Love these tips! I've found myself drawn to creators like KB, Nick Lewis, And Garrett Lechic lately. It's hard to watch traditional youtube designers because of the amount of waste they generate, the unrealistic nature of design challenges, and the repetitive style. These interior design talking heads are just as educational and inspirational without being wasteful, deceptive, or redundant.
Yes we need to support TH-camrs with a conscience and a vision to help people understand that there are alternatives to over consumption and pollution and you can have your own style without spending too much or going solely with trends.
Yes, i couldn't agree more. I also watch KB, Garrett Lechic and Nick Lewis for their sensible comments and helpful information
YES! Less is more, but use what you have to your advantage - I love how these are the youtubers out there that talk quality over quantity- sure you may spend a little more, but you are contributing less and you’ll have these classic styles for years. Fads die, and they end up in the trash…
Completely agree with you!
I watch all three of them as well 👍🏼☺️
Just want to add my vote for thrifting and secondhand. I’ve been able to have beautiful furniture that I couldn’t afford otherwise by buying used. It mixes nicely with my IKEA pieces. ☺️
Yes, I have mix and match CB2 with homegoods clearance and offer up furniture. Its all about finding pieces you love and blending everything together. You could never tell which is which, they look cohesive.
Added bonus: money is going to your community and not to the pockets of the extremely wealthy, and a reduced carbon footprint
With you. My biggest pieces are all thrifted or second or third hand. I want pieces that stand the test of time.
I agree . I love thrifted furniture. I can get more solid, details and better made pieces when I buy second hand. Love it.
Finally someone has said it!! Making furniture from Dollar Tree items? TH-camrs thinking they have a clue in interior design?!? Girl you’re a breath of fresh interior design air
It means so much to me that you always focus on living within your means. I spent all of my 20s trying to live beyond my means. It took me years to dig out of the credit card debt.
I was the same way in my 20s 😫
I wasn’t 😜
One I think all designers seem to forget is put your personality in it. The beauty and richness is making it yours....colors you love, objects with meaning, textures that give it life, and function that works for you and your family.
That goes without saying..
I totally agree. Nice and fancy might look nice to others but if it's not you you're not happy and it's your home not everyone else's. I like old norse viking and dark wood and colors. Nothing that is in a trend I want to like my house not be trendy. Could care less what others think when they come over. I don't judge other people's design choices don't judge mine
I think this is the first time I have heard from any designer or decorator say not to get a rug that is too big. Everyone focuses on not getting one that is too small. Either extreme looks bad.
Hi, another thing I find cheap is mismatching wood furniture feet colors. My living room has a sofa and media console from Article (different lines) with walnut stained feet. The accent chair is from Amazon. The style fits, but the wood legs were shiny mahogany - cheap looking from a mile away. I sanded them down and restrained them in walnut with a satin finish. Now it looks cohesive and like they belong together. Same in the sunroom. Stained the sofa wood legs the color of the hardwood floor - simple, but awesome transformation. I want my eye drawn by the decor I put out, not drawn to the weird looking furniture feet. 🎄
It is nice to have the same colour wood furniture, but I thrift as much as I can. I would rather have a piece I love and functions like it should.
@@lindatisue733 you can always sand and stain your mismatched furniture like she did, it's an easy and relatively cost-effective fix
I use BEHRwater based paint and get to it. Either to the floor or upholstery. I have painted every piece of wood except heirloom pieces. Such a clean look
Great tip & idea to stain the feet the same color as the floor so it blends.
I definitely need the video on rug spacing and size 🙋🏽♀️
Finally! An influencer with sophisticated yet real language and formal grammar. Love your genuine passion for and confidence in your craft.
Great tips. Creativity is key. Everything I do is on a budget but that doesn't mean you can't have a nice space. Paint and Creativity are your best friend when you are on a budget. For our night stands I'm my master bedroom we got a cheap laminate countertop from Lowe's and used an epoxy kit called "Stone Coat Countertops". It was easy to do, they even have TH-cam videos on how to use their product and I made floating night stands with the countertop and 2 shelf brackets. Everyone who sees them thinks they are marble but they are light weight and best part is very easy for me to vacuum under.
I spent $50 total on both night stands and they look like they are much more expensive. Totally custom and on a budget.
It's really best to wait until you can find and afford what you love. Curate your home. Look at thrift stores for antiques and contemporary furniture
All those people tossing furniture are likely tossing things that are prettier and better quality than what they are buying. Learn to wait and take your time to get what you will love for the long haul.
Fabric and sweater shavers have saved so much of both my clothing and furniture!! Love them!!
I was all about the matching nightstands, but our last apartment had awkward, uneven spacing around the bed. So our nightstands are mismatched… but they’re similar in height, wood tone, and style, so I don’t think anyone actually notices that they’re different at first glance.
I recently replaced one of my small matching nightstands with the larger nightstand from the same furniture line. Same height and wood tone. It looks much better and I have more storage in it. But I don’t think I would have done it if it wasn’t part of the same set.
I love my pilll shaver. It also works great on sweaters, t-shirt, pillows etc. . There's no limit. If it's made from fabric you can use your pill shaver. Also they come in a small size and an extra large. I've hadboth of mine for years!! Plus they are inexpensive. 😉
wonder if would work on my cat
Style does not equal expensive! Great tips! You are going strong on Christmas week!!!
Yes!! 👏🏽👏🏽 Merry Christmas to you! 🎄
I swear, the whole time I thought you were saying you could spot a mom from a mile away, and mom beds, etc. I was thinking, how would she know who has kids and who doesn't? And what's the difference between a mom bed and a dad bed? Finally I figured out that it must be some style of furniture, but it wasn't until I read the comments that I realized it is actually Malm. LOL!
They back furniture with fiberboard, not corkboard. Fiberboard can be painted or even covered with wallpaper. If you want something better, have a piece of thin wood panel cut to fit and paint or stain to match. If you aren’t making a bulletin board, leave the corkboard for drawer lining.
Depending on the piece, the board is the same color on the inside. My drawers don't need to look at the cute color, so I just installed it backwards, with the cork color inwards. That way, I can put my desk in any position I want, no worries!
@@koalaeucalyptus Oh, so the corkboard is for the inside? I was unclear on that too, and was thinking that corkboard is not going to look good.
Also if you need backing you don’t have to order it off Amazon you can go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and they’ll cut it to size
I like the idea of adding wallpaper to unfinished furniture backing
@@kata7628 At least in the cases I've seen, they usually mean the corkboard to be outside, on the back. But I wanted mobility for my piece, and the inside wasn't going to show (it was the back of a drawer set in my desk), so I inverted it. But it's something for you to consider, as "flippable" as long as it works with your aesthetic, I believe!
The thing about throw pillows: if they're big enough to make a big visual statement, they're big enough that they're interfering with the utility of the sofa.
I.e., people have to move them before they can sit down. Move them where? The floor? Excuse me?That's a no for me.
So I'm minimalist with pillows. They're pops of color, but there's only a few and they're squashy and small enough people can still sit down.
I agree with you. I use rectangular pillows 20L x 10H approx. thats big enough
There’s honestly something endearing about a tacky and cheap looking home. My aunt comes in mind. Her home is SO tacky but it matches her personality and I cannot imagine her house NOT looking tacky. It’s honestly comforting and feels like home 😂
I like your tips. The only one I thought could be done correctly is the nightstands. House of Valentina has two different night stands in her master bedroom and I really like it. Totally agree with the pilling. Love your channel ❤️
Regarding the "overstyling" one, I guess it's different with books. A lot of books you buy from the bookstore (to actually read it) are the exact same height and colour (you basically just have the big ones and the pocket ones), but a room where there are 100-200 of these books looks way better than a room with the same amount or even less of "aesthetic" books (those you buy for how they look but never actually read it), because it doesn't look fake. It's just elegant because that's your books, those you actually read and know what's inside, and anyone can make the difference instantly when walking into your room
Kiva is so great. “Scraggle is the adjective of the day”. I have been shaving my textiles (clothing, outerwear, furniture) for years. Thanks to Kiva for all the great tips.
The knobs/pulls/hardware on the furniture is an easy way to have different things match.
I bought that Conair pile shaver you suggested in your last video and it have changed my life ! I'm a thick girl so my pants all pile when my thighs rub ! KIVA YOU SAVED 4 OF MY PANTS THEY LOOK BRAND NEW ! And i completed cleaned up my couch with it , the best 14$ spent ever :)love from MONTREAL
Omg amazing!! I LOVE that you can use it on clothes AND furniture! Happy Holidays! 💕
Ideed indeed! I didn't know such a thing existed! I'm gonna buy one for my bra and my bedding
Hi from afar in Val-d'Or
@@monnomneteregardepas5272 hey. I didn't know where your city even was. I googled it. Sounds great. We get many Canadians down here in Florida.
@@pm9163 say hi to them for me 😋
I’m very lucky, none of my friends would judge my home…and I am not trying to impress anyone. Minimalism is such a winner… a few quality pieces and voila ….👌🏽
Yes please on the rug placement video! I started shopping for some utility (indoor-outdoor) rugs and I noticed that there are some pretty strictly standard sizes. Makes balancing proportion difficult 🤔
I gave away all of my furniture, books, and kitchen stuff to move to Turkey. I have been back for over a year, renting a partial tiny room from a friend, and now need to find a house or apartment, buy furniture, rugs, curtains, and kitchen stuff. It is exciting and overwhelming. Thank you for your videos (and encouragement to stay within my budget). Fortunately, I had my collection of art work in storage! Again, thank you.
"One expensive nightstand doesn't cancel out the cheap one" 🤣 I love this channel.
ROFL
Your channel is great, but you are loud
Curtains cut out the natural light and the wonderful closeness to trees ,squirrels, birds wind blowing stuff, rain,snow. Things worth looking at I won’t use them. I do use hanging plants to provide some privacy
For some reason I can’t stand the idea of matching nightstands? I got two very mismatched ones but I love it and honestly wouldn’t change it.
LOL I'm embarrassed to admit this, but for YEARS I only put up one panel on each side of the window--that's how they are sold! I always wondered why it looked so bad. Then I heard you're supposed to put MORE up!? Why aren't they sold 4 to a pack instead of two??? But I now buy two sets of two and they look so much better.
I just realized this today as well.
They will sell them only in pairs or single panels. That is how it is done. You have to do your part by always measuring the width of your windows to determine the amount of panels needed. For a regular sized window like 36 to 52 wide it is usually four panels at least. Google the calculation formula to get the exact amount needed for the width of your windows but as a rule of thumb it is usually four panels for a full look.
Sometimes the solution is so easy.... 🤦🏿♀️ I was absolutely not happy with my curtains in my living room because the panels couldn't be closed... the solution would actually be to put up four panels instead of just two 😄
Just love you and everything you do. I am not one to comment on youtube or social media but i just couldn't resist telling you how wonderful you are today. We are furnishing our new home and yes most stuff we ordered are at least 5 months out. Since you don't take new clients right now, I get all my design tips from you here while i am waiting for an opening. Thanks again, Love.
Mina
I Adore you! I have only gotten to pillows that are too small and am about to weep with joy that you have brought solutions to my crappy home decore problems! It would be so cool if you heled other YTers fix their decore and then you could both have videos on both channels to spread viewership. I think my home has unique challenges bec it is 150 years old - hardly any closets whatsoever, so storage is a huge issue, and the ceilings are like 12 feet high, which gives the rooms this cavernous feel that is not homey and cozy and warm. I think carpeting would help - I am kind of over dealing with these hard wood floors - BUT we have a millions cats, 3 huge dirty dogs, and kids, and a dirty husband, so no carpets for us. They would get ruined so quickly. Throw rugs, yes, and we have gone through many - they don't have a long life with us. I think I am going to try to rearrange and fix up my living room and then I will do a video about it and mention that I got my fabulous inspiration from you. I am a frugality dumpster-diving channel, which I am sure sounds gross to you - but we do get free furniture occasionally which can be fun. EG we recently got a brand new desk - in the giant box ready to be assembled - from the Staples dumpster. We don't need it as a desk but will use it out in the "crap room" - back kitchen - shed - mudroom structure - to arrange and film our dumpster hauls. The best for furniture really is curbside shopping in rich towns the night before garbage pickup.
I'm glad you repurpose. We revamp mirrors, side tables, art all of the time from thrift stores etc. It looks beautiful & often is better quality than Ikea, Walmart etc. You can do so much with paint & elbow grease.
College towns or areas at the end of semesters can give you amazing finds, b/c kids don't have the ability to move it (no car or truck), or moving to a tiny place or leaving college altogether, etc.
Kiva
I have actually attached a towel bar to the ceiling and hung the sheers from there. Really, it looked good.
genius
@@mabelmavelia4562 Thanks but not really. I had crazy low ceilings and knew back then that the higher the better.
I am a first time viewer and I really liked your video! Your energy and the way you communicate with us as friends feels good; you share rather than lecture!
And thanks for doing 8 points rather than the larger numbers I can never sit through.
In my area, we are loosing local retailers due to online shopping, but I like online shopping, too! That being said, why would anyone order building materials from Amazon, when we have local businesses with great selections and services?
I need to see the wood or bookcase backing, etc. plus, I learn about new products as I am wandering around the store. And everything is cut to my perfect size for free!
Some people are intimidated by going into new places that sell things outside of their comfort zone, but in this economy employees have more time to explain things, and you can do all that easy research on TH-cam, lol.
“Shop local” means more than our retail dollars, think of the shipping. How much extra fuel is burned when the item is shipped multiple times before you own it?
Thanks for letting me speak!
Donna
As a thought, one reason people might order building supplies from online retailers is if they live in a large city or only use public transportation. With so many subs it’s not a big leap there are many from around the world. In the US suburbs I’m blessed to have my choice of retailers within a mile of my home and a vehicle to drive my purchases home; many don’t have that luxury. Amazon has built a delivery system throughout much of the world that can get products to folks who have far fewer options. No this comment is not sponsored. 😂
Love your content and these tips! I do have to admit that I have the Malm nightstands and dressers -- I have a different upholstered bed that is not from Ikea. I added some pulls and knobs (I bought from RH) to the drawers so that they wouldn't look too modern. People think I purchased the pieces from West Elm.
Guilty as charged, I was always over accessorizing, having a group of knick knacks and what not on every surface. I finally got rid of all the crap on a site called let go...Just to start all over again...smh
LOVE THIS VIDEO!! It is not about her. It is really about helping others. I am glad she talks fast but I still can understand her. No boring! Great explanations. Keep up the good work!
Oh my yes! I’m a victim of my own overstyling! I have storage totes full of amazing finds that I have no room for plus hubby has taken up wood turning and I’m the proud owner of many bowls and vessels. We added shelving to display it on & it looks beautiful (and full! 🙀) but I’m definitely losing focus in my decor. Which is why a virtual design sesh with Kiva is on top of my New Year goals list!
Please share a link to your husband's art.
@@nurturetheearth hi! He doesn’t have a site yet. I have taken some pics and he does sell some pieces. Reply here please, if you’d like me to send you pics via messenger or Facebook. Thank you!
@@sheilasoule2774 does he have a sellers link on eBay?
Thanks Kiva for teaching me all those tipps before I move into my new home, so I arrange it right away 😁
Omg congratulations on your new home!! Thank so much for watching! 💕
@@KivaBrent I'm still searching for it, but thank you! 😍
I have serious scale problems. This video really resonated with me. Thanks for the tips.
Scale is so hard! Thanks so much for watching! 💕
Loved the intro speech so much!!! Highly believe everyone is capable of making the most of their home with some strategic choices and budgets. Love your energy and your videos!
I just discovered your channel, and I don’t know what i like the most, your amazing knowledge of design and incredible ability you have to see minimum details or the eloquent ,charming and soothing voice you have, nowadays it is so uncommon to see real ladies like you ❤ keep going girl and here you have a new subscriber from Panama
I just found your channel and I LOVE the way you do it- I love that you talk a million miles a minute and give SO MUCH info and just show pics along side to give us the idea and example. So far you're the best interior design teacher I've found with such a great style. You explain things soo well!
Nick Lewis is great too. Talks fast, practical information.
Love these videos because they stress that it’s not about money but about how you style. It’s like with clothes. Your style can look elevated if you know what and how to style with vs buying an expensive ready to wear designer outfit. We just got a new house. It’s much smaller than a traditional house but I believe if it’s presented and styled right/nicely, it will look elevated vs a traditional home that doesn’t.
I love my antique nightstands, they have the same finish but are different pieces, I tried finding a matching nightstand but that’s very hard when a piece of furniture is pre 1950s. If you can get vintage furniture much better for the environment. :)
All the examples of how "bad" mixmatched nightstands look actually looked great!
Spot on about buying all IKEA stuff. I live in IKEA land. Not only do I know how much it cost, but the year it was bought. Buy second hand instead of all IKEA.
There are great curtains at thrift stores, there are lots of natural fiber curtains and even hand made stuff second hand. . I got a pair of pure silk curtains for about $12. Much better than consuming "fast furniture" curtains.
Please, please don't paint real wood furniture, just a bit of sanding and some boiled linseed oil will take care of 90% of scruffy stuff. That furniture is going to be the only stuff that will last. Those colours you love now, aren't going to be in style in 5-10 years. Use paint for the laminate stuff that will be worn out in 5-10 years.
I have been BINGING your bids lately!! We’re moving to Hawaii this summer (military) and buying our first home there so I need all the help I can get 😂
Congratulations!
Re the furniture backs: IF the back is showing, THEN cover the back, as you said. Yes, not having a back is cheap. But just covering the back for the sake of it...if no one is ever going to see that...you know. Maybe that's what you meant all along. I agree about the pillows and I'll add that feather-filled pillows look and feel so much better. You can find down cushions at Homegoods, Tuesday Morning, etc. I upgraded to down for a couple cushions, bit the bullet and ordered inserts from Pottery Barn...but those inserts last forever and are totally worth it. You can also find beautiful cushion covers used on eBay, Etsy, or even at the thrift store sometimes.
Great tips! Thank you for rescuing us! You might also want to mention framed 'art' from the bins at BB&B, or...from anywhere. Especially the ones with single words or phrases printed on them. UGH. It's much better to buy inexpensive frames from Target, etc., of different sizes but the same or complementary colors (or paint them yourself) and then use them to frame unusual posters, greeting cards. even pictures from high-end wall calendars. (Pomegranate has a fabulous selection, and they're all due to go on sale about now.) A small paint brush dipped in Modge Podge and lightly brushed over the surface will make the images look like actual paintings.
I live in a 50s apartment and the windows span the entire length of the approx 25 ft living room and dining room with an annoying convection unit plopped right in the middle. It has forced me to use the previously installed traverse rod up close to the ceiling for the curtains ( windows go all the way up) and it restricts the length of the curtains due to the heating unit in the center. Not ideal, but sometimes you just have to work with what you have.
You are a good adviser for this kind of venue. Sadly most people can’t take these suggestions and adapt them to suit the space without just copying what they see here whether it improves the look or not. Your discussion helps a lot with that tendency.
I purchased a chesterfield for my living room. And I made the mistake of purchasing small pillows and was wondering what was off. Till I went to HD Buttercup and bought size appropriate. Made such a difference.
Just found your channel, and really like it! You give great advice/insight. the only thing I would semi-disagree with here is matching nightstands... to me, that is boring and kind of screams "hotel!" I would say, rather, get two SIMILAR nightstands (same general color and height, but NOT matching). I dislike furniture "sets" for the same reason.. might not make your home look cheap, but looks super boring and like you couldn't be bothered to put any effort into actually designing your space. Thanks, and looking forward to more great vids!
Well I never listen to any TH-camrs to throw away my furnitures cuz the same mouth that tells u this was not good last week telling me otherwise this week.I like watching them for inspiration.
My proudest piece of furniture is my Parson’s coffee table. I bought it on sale at Target for $14.99. I love it. It’s in an espresso finish, so you can’t really tell it’s laminate. I can put hot coffee mugs on it. Can’t do that with my good pieces. It actually looks elegant in my more traditional living room.
The Ikea cork board desk is where you hide your red string web of conspiracy 😂
Kiva, as usual, great video explaining the problems with ones decor and how to correct them!
Thank you so so much Carolyn! Happy Holidays! 💕
🤔 Well I just came here to see if I still want an Ikea bedframe but you radiate good, positive energy.
I'm gonna put doll house pillows on my couch just to spite and confuse any guests who judge me based on the size of my pillows.
I have the opposite problem of small pillows. When I bought my loveseat, it came with two free pillows. That's just how it was that store, if you bought a loveseat or a couch, she got two free pillows. That's cool. Except the pillows, all the pillows in the store, were absolutely huge. So I took away two pillows home and I ended up giving them away. Yes, they were very nice pillows. But they were way too big for my loveseat. And I didn't have anywhere else to put them.
Lesson learned. I am renovating and interior placement is my favorite project to tackle. You did that and I love it. Thanks.
I watch a lot of interior design videos but everything you talked about was completely new to me and I needed to hear it ! Thank you !
My design peeve is when people block windows with furniture, it looks atrocious!
You never cease delivering value 😊😊
I’m so happy that you find value in my videos! 💕
I think we can all look back at our decorating at some point and say to ourselves "Omg, what was I thinking?" I know I can. Over the years, I've found the minimalist approach suits my needs. I think what looks tacky is too much furniture in a room and way too much art on the walls. Basically, clutter as you said in your video looks tacky and we've all done that at some point. Now, I have very few pieces of furniture in my room and since I love art, one oil painting being the focal point of the wall. Contrary to what people think, a million art pieces , improperly placed looks really tacky, as are wall groupings when you don't understand how to group paintings properly. Or art hung way too high on the wall. Art needs to be at eye level, it's not a decoration for your ceiling. I've been much happier with simple and clean lines in a room. It took me many years to settle on minimalist decorating , but I'll never turn back. Decorating is like perfume, it's a very personal thing. I'm sure people think I can't afford furniture because I have very few pieces in a room, because , frankly, I like that look.
I can certainly agree. I look back at some of my curtain choices and say to myself, whyyyy???...but I found a use for them, I use them as painting drop cloths."
Great tips... I'm assuming you know some people who have made bad nightstand decisions. I've never heard of mismatched nightstands not being the same height or not being the same quality level or identical cheap ones being better but great tips.
Great design advice! I'm ordering led light strips ASAP! I don't use curtains at all nor does anyone I know. In the West, most use some form of blinds. Yes, they can be more expensive than curtains, but here curtains are not really the style vibe. This includes even the very wealthy with some exceptions for huge windows. Tour a handful of homes in Pacific Palisades, Laguna Nigel or Sausalito. Those homes are likely to have top-down/bottom-up smart blinds on bluetooth timers. xx
I'm glad there are designers that have a luxury on a budget mentality. there are so many channels that just show you a 500 dollar light fixture, a 3000 dollar couch, and a bunch of artisan pottery to make a room look good. I don't have that money.
You are correct in all these. My floors are pretty awful. The big rugs fix a lot. But - there’s a rug and baseboard gap. Also, the curtains that came with this place at the top of the windows were awful. My new ones are ceiling to floor and tripled and look great!
Lq
Hey Kiva - I just love this video! It’s so relatable ☺️ I’m new to your channel and just binge watching all your content! Can you help us with tips for styling kid’s rooms? You’ve talked about carrying out design style across different rooms in other videos but not sure how to do this in a kids room and still make it practical 🥴. Thank in advance!
All great tips!! You are going to have to share the makeover of the Wayfair table!
To you and Babe, the merriest of the season and a Happy, Healthy and Wealthy New Year 2022!
excellent. especially, over styling. patience provides results. thanks for the encouragement.
LOVE listening to you! ❤
I have a small sofa. Got it deliberately to fit a small home. Then, I found the most beautiful pillows: sleek, faux raw silk, in the deepest, richest blue I've ever seen, which tied in with other bits of decor. They were very large, though. I know they're not to right scale, but they were also really expensive and on an extraordinarily on sale! I know that's no reason to buy them if they don't fit...but I HAD to have them. They're square. I've thought about taking ribbon or cording of some sort and tying it around the pillows like one wraps a gift, to pull the size in a bit. What would you do to correct this scale problem? I have a couple of pillows that are the correct size in front of them...but the sofa is small. If I add any more, the sofa "vanishes." I know I should probably get a new sofa...I had this one custom made, exactly how I wanted it to be. It's hard to give it up. It's also hard to give up those gorgeous pillows. Please, any ideas?
Get them tailored down! Super easy to DIY if you sew at all, too.
Try the ribbon idea! Otherwise, it's easy to see them smaller. There is seamtape that you iron on.
Love all your ideas. I am guilty of no backing on our desk. Thanks to you I can fix it.
I think curtains should hit the floor, period !!! Going back to your comment about people not having curtains touching the floor because of a radiator, etc., then roman shades are a great alternative to curtains in that case. There are always work-arounds in design that make sense in certain spaces.
Agreed!!
So sensible and sensitive. Thank you. Stay healthy and happy for the holidays.
I've been planning out a sort of miss matched bed side tables look. By thay I mean, both of them will be mid-century modern with those amazing legs and the same finish, but one will have two drawers and one will have one drawer and a shelf.
As a designer, I've had mismatched nightstands my entire life. Need to replace one soon. The tricks are these: they need to be tall enough for your mattress, they need to be the same height and they need to compliment each other, especially in scale. I do like to use matching lamps for balance. I've used the same hand turned and carved cherry wood lamps for over 35 years. Still love them. Purchased at a yard sale for $7 for the pair. She was asking $70 (they were easily worth that much). When she saw I was interested, she demanded to know what I had in my pocket and she said, "Sold!" Her husband had made them for her - and he'd just ran off with his secretary!
I'm more of a veggie garden TH-cam channel watcher, but I'm only on the curtain section and already you've got me thinking and can't wait to see more!
Agree about the curtains!!! I always Double the curtains!
You can enhance the inside back of a Billy bookcase by painting or covering with fabric or wallpaper the area behind the shelves.
At this point, I'm convinced you're a spy😆 I'm actually shopping for window treatments and this answered my questions. Great video 👏👏
"another layer of scraggle..." Love your videos, your humor, and I always come away with a fresh look at my own space. Happy holidays!
What about windows that are short and high? I live in an in-law unit with only one window in the living/bedroom, and it's higher on the wall, but short and long. Right now I have short curtains with the rod set up close to the ceiling, and the curtains hit just below the windowsill. Is that long enough? Can you expand on the "rules" for window treatments based on different types of windows? Thank you! I love your videos!
Great tips, Kiva! 👍🏾 Would love a "DITL" series, as you transform your client's spaces! ✨✨✨
Ooo I can definitely do that!!
Mismatched nightstands can work BUT the proportions and colors should be similar. If both compliment each other some times can work!!! Best when nightstand is duel function so side of bed, and other side a dressing chair!!!
You are SUCH a good speaker! Love your execution….and your kindness by deferring to the smaller budget folks!
Love your videos. They’re so precise and to the point! No nonsense with you girl! Love
Thank you so much!! 💕
A DIY With KB moment with my decorating bestie KIVA? Yes, please!
Loving your realistic approach!
This is the first video, of yours, that I’ve watched. You are so on point with each and every element. I am now a new subscriber.
We just got IKEA Malm white bed frame and I loooove it. We are aiming for Scandinavian style, because we got used to live in Scandinavia and we love the style.
But thank you for advise, we will look for nightstand and bench at the end of the bed from different places ☺️
Helpful and valuable advice, enjoy your explanations and clarity
KB, I am adding some curtains to my son's rooms and I need to block the light high up what are your thoughts on the ikea ceiling track? Another great video thank you so much!
I think that’s a phenomenal idea! It works beautifully and looks very high end! 💕
Thank you 😊 I'm also adding a blackout back as well. I need to make sure they sleep in 🤣😅 Happy holidays!🌲❄
I’ve only been watching your channel for a few months, but I’m loving your new editing style, transitions and music! Keep it coming!
Thank you so so much! 💕
@@KivaBrent yes great job! I am loving the new style too. Thanks for the great content.
So this friend bought a bunch of MCM vintage furniture, the very long sofa caught my eye because it had a curved back, with classic styling, very simple. I pointed out that it would be beautiful reupholstered in a navy velvet, but as you said, not too dark as it will show everything. He loves the idea, but how does he know he is buying a high quality velvet? You had mentioned a rating of a rub test? And where would he go to buy the proper upholstery velvet that will still look good in 20 years? Sorry way off todays topics, but could you explain the wearability of fabric again? BTW, those fabric shavers look hoaxy but they do work very well.
Kiva, also I wonder if you could explain how to judge the quality of leather. I cannot tell, other than the price and manufacturer which is not always the best indicator.
Upholstery fabric is classified in martindale. Or rub count. This means the amount of times you can rub aka sit/stand up on a fabric. A sofa with 10k martindale might be cheap to buy, but if you calculate 365 days and getting up and sitting down 10 times a day (snack break, toilet...) you don't even have 3 years worth.
Higher quality is 50k or 100k. Yes, it's not cheap to buy, but it will last way longer.
Every professional fabric dealer will give you the rub count so you can decide.
In addition you can calculate if you need a 100k martindale on a wild colour. Bc it WILL stand the test of time, but will you still like the colour in 20 years?
@@tiffytattoo2450 Thank you. That is a good question about the color. Since navy or the color of denim hasn't gone out of style in 50 years, my thought is that it won't go out anytime soon. Since it is almost like a neutral to me now, I doubt that I would get tired of it.
@@rockshot100 yeah totally subjective! If you enjoy it, go for quality! :)
I don't know a lot about leather, but thickness is a quality measure. In general, leather wears naturally with time. A look, you have to like bc every leather gets a used look over time. Wrinkles, sagging/expanding, shine. Maybe look online for photos of older, used leather furniture and see if you like the look. Even with good care it ages very differently to fabric.
@@tiffytattoo2450 Thanks again. HUM... Most of what I have heard is that the designers say the broke in leather is timeless. Used shoes look much better to me than new ones. Some men's belts hold up forever and others don't. I bought a leather jacket and new my neighbor said it was pigskin.
You are my favorite decorator, you are real and your advices are great, you have no idea how much I follow what you said. I just trust you.