Parquet flooring is very cherished in Sweden, if you have an old one your take care of it, and a lot of new installations are being done. I’m fortunate to have the original herringbone oak flooring in my house built in 1909, and after having it restored it’s the main feature of our home. Just gorgeous!
As a Swede I came down to the comment section to write this. Parquet has never been out here. Can’t imagine a Swedish home ad featuring the words “luxury vinyl floors” as a selling point 😅
Hi! I'm from Eastern Europe, and parquet floors never really went out of vogue here. I work as an onsite architect, and i see them being installed all the time.Great video :)
Same in the Nordic countries! It's standard to at least have one room, almost always the living room, in parquet flooring especially in apartments but also some houses.
Such a pleasant shock to see colour spelled with a "u" and panelling spelled with a double "l". Then I checked and thought "ah, Canada". Thanks for making my day from Australia.
A big Yes!! to the saturated colour. After 25 years of home ownership and staying conservative and neutral "for resale value", I have now painted my kitchen bright orange and hung up my gorgeous sunset painting that is all oranges, blues and yellows. If I'm going to be in this room everyday I want it to be bright and cheerful, resale be damned. (keeping my den in muted shades because that's where I go when I want to be calm and unwind).
Life's too short to not paint your house with the colors you want! I'm planning on painting my bedroom a deep emerald green, even the ceiling, and I can't wait!
You can also repaint just for the resale. The effort will pay for itself once the sale happens. Seems worth it to live in a space that makes you happy.
So true!! My dad finally gave up and let us have fun in our rooms. My mom even painted dark purple accent walls in the family room and kitchen! Cause guess why? The walls were already destroyed from kids so he knew if he sold the house he’d have to repaint the whole thing anyways, which is exactly what he did. Whole house was white when they sold it (I still miss my tropical green room covered in inspiration quotes written in sharpie all over the walls like graffiti)
Wife, daughter and sister to electricians here: ceiling medallions can have a practical purpose in more modern homes as well. Sometimes when you change a light fixture there is a hole in the ceiling that the new fixture doesn’t quite cover. A medallion can be an easy and lovely way to solve that problem.
Ceiling medallions are one of my favourites. Anytime I'm in houses that have them, my eyes are drawn there immediately. Love artistry in architecture and interiors
SCARRED FOR LIFE 😂 Here is a throwback and a giggle. In the 70’s, we went on vacation to see my mum’s parents and as a surprise when we got back, my dad had new carpet installed into the the house, wall-to-wall, over the hardwood. And I do mean wall-to-wall! He removed the tile and installed brick coloured short carpet in the kitchen, carpet in the bathroom, and LONG shag carpet in all of the bedrooms along with the living room/dining room, ALL IN PURPLE, because the purple was on sale. He was sooooo proud! My mum smiled, hugged him, and said thank you, secretly thinking of the newly created upkeep….I could read her mind. She loved that man. Our house was the go-to in the neighborhood because my parents were young and cool! (My mum is still cool at 83!). Kids, pets, and shag carpet……My chore was to vacuum…..traumatizing! To this very day I hate vacuuming and despise wall-to-wall carpet 🤢 🤮🤢 (PS. She still has wood paneling in the living room 😂, but absolutely no carpet) Sorry Nick not a chance for me on the carpet, but you are fabulous and I love your style and humour!
My parents house is art deco, built in the 1930s. All the floors throughout the house are Parquet, made from Rhodesian Teak, a beautiful reddish brown. Those floors are worth a pretty penny. I love parquet. Wish i could have real wooden floors in my house.
My house was built in 1930 and has the hardwood flooring in an Art Deco pattern (not parquet) in the living and dining room and have received a lot of compliments on it.
I grew up in an Arts and Crafts home and I appreciate beautiful woodwork and flooring. To me, the first horror in the movie Rosemary’s Baby is when she has the beautiful Old World interior painted over. Excellent points in your video!
Nick, I find it interesting that you see parquet as a 70s thing. The most beautiful parquet I've seen was in homes built from 1870 to 1910 or so, particularly brownstones in NYC. Many of them had gorgeous parquet that was in different patterns in all the rooms---a "rug" in the center of the parlor, a utilitarian pattern in the kitchen, a simple tile pattern in the vestibule. Those floors were intricate and durable, and if you wanted something warmer, you could add an area rug.
In Northern and continental Europe (Germany, France etc.) it still counts as "better type" of flooring. You will still find it in villas and upscale apartments, and it is considered an upgrade deserving a higher price in rentals. It's less so in the south, where a high quality stone is regarded upscale flooring - but that is simply a result of climate. The Mediterranean regions values stone that keeps cooler during hot summers, the north values wood that is much better at keeping warmth in winter.
The seventies and eighties phase that turns people off is the tiles that came out and were an affordable option. Sadly like the cheaper paneling it did not age well and gave bad memories.
I have a 118 yr old house in Chicago with very high ceilings. I painted my small bathroom ceiling black. I love it! It does not make the space seem smaller. I don't thing "luxury" belongs with vinyl flooring! My oak floors are worth keeping up!
Hey Nick, lovely video as usual. As a French national I know that parquet is a French word and this flooring started to be used in our lovely castles, centuries ago. These floors are still very much used today in the everyday French home. I love them and if they’re out of style in North America they should definitely make a come back!😊
I am so glad you mentioned crown moulding and ceiling roses because I live in a period home and those were 2 things I would not compromise on when we renovated. I love my crown mouldings, my cornice and my roses. ❤❤❤
This is one of my favorite channels I watch to unwind. Nick's commentary is always the perfect mix of a little salty but mostly sweet. p.s I hope parquet floors come back too!
Parquet floors will always be a favorite of mine. I grew up in a house with parquet floors and it’s such a great, subtle design or huge impact just by sanding and restaining.
Totally agree!! My apartment is from the '60s and has parquet flooring and I love it. I had it sanded and sealed before moving in after many years they are still great.
Herringbone parquet carpet (this is not a joke) would be ideal :-) I like the look of wood floors but it's chilly here in UK, carpet's so cosy & I can get down on the floor to play with my cat. I wonder if there's such a thing...
In my last home, there was faux wood paneling in the basement and real wood paneling in the storage/utility room. I probably wouldn't have put it in myself, but it was amazing how much better real wood looks on the walls. It made me realize why people started to put wood paneling up in the first place.
Yes! Carpeting can also cushion falls on stairs. I shuddered when my mom wanted to pull hers out leading to her room because the thought of her falling onto solid wood bothered me.
I love carpet and always have. The ivory carpet in my living room with adjoining sitting room is stunning. I purchased the best quality I could and enhanced it with upgraded padding. It's bright, cheerful, adds warmth and sound insulation plus it's a perfect compliment to any color you choose. And carpeting was less expensive than laying wood floors with the added expense of area rugs. Would love to see it become more popular again.
If you would love resale value to fall because carpets are disgusting then yes. Maybe bedrooms… maybe… but before I even move into a house, like many ppl, I rip every bit of carpet out. And as somebody who rips it up, it’s always disgusting under… doesn’t matter how well it’s ‘cleaned’ it’s gross.
@@trevnti I just sold a house with good condition carpet. Didn't impact resale at all. House got full offers and didn't even have to do an open house. Sold faster than another house up the block that didn't have carpet. In some markets it really doesn't matter because it's easy to replace.
@@trevnti As my year old carpet and padding are one year old I doubt it could be classified as "disgusting". I do not like the cavernous sound of wood floors and area rugs don't do it for me, especially in the sub-zero Northeast winters. As a single woman, no kids, the chance it will become "disgusting" is quite slim. And I'm aging in place so resale is not an issue.
I have a bunch in a 1908 Victorian farmhouse that I'm redoing, installed over the wood flooring just after world War 2. I'd offer it to you but they're really worn...
Just thought id mention to watch out for asbestos in those tiles if you are removing them. Not impossible to deal with but you do need to know what to do.
@@leagarner3675 yes, I've had an asbestos inspector out. This product passed his examination, but there is a bit of vinyl flooring here and there that needs the reverse of a Full Monte to remove... The linoleum is not tiles, but long sheets installed very soon after wwii
@@mapratt Oh, that's great! Glad that you don't have to deal with that. I have removed several asbestos tile floors and it is tedious. I could have covered them up but they were chipping and that's not good!
I live in an old 250 year old inn converted into apartments and I have ceiling medallions in the living room and bedrooms. Lots of old crown moulding and original flooring too. It's got so much character! I love it.
Love color!! Always have, always will! I think people think of wood panels as those thin mobile home like stuff, but my parents had a house built in the 50s which had a wall in the dining room that was thick, luxurious panels. Gorgeous.
The whole section on ceiling details...YES!!!!!!! I've been in love with ceiling details like medallions and tin, wallpaper, etc since I was little. 100% agree Nick!
I have a deep forest green living room. I love it. My daughter picked a navy blue for her walls when she was 7 and we both still love it. It works so well with all the “little girl” colors.
As usual, I agree with Nick on so many choices, but don't do them! Ceilings in my homes have always been painted white. Last year, when I had my basement apartment painted, I decided to add color to the ceiling. The painter called me to be sure I wanted to pay him for painting the ceiling in this large space, as the new "color" was barely distinguishable from the current white ceiling which was in great shape! Yup, I'm that bold and daring!
@@Nick_Lewis oh, I am doing it. I’m thinking of painting my ceiling NAVY and even considering high gloss! I already put up navy wallpaper in the great room and love the drama. I honestly just need some video guidance from a designer to tell me I’m not crazy.
Personally in two story houses I'm a big fan of hardwood (or tile or vinyl, etc.) downstairs and carpet upstairs. Then for the actual stairs I really like what my parents did in their house, which is sort of like a built in runner. Both sides of each step are done in the same wood flooring as the downstairs while the center is carpeted to match the upstairs. It works especially well in their home because there is a good color contrast between their very dark hardwood and the meduim-light gold tone of the carpet.
Carpet is definitely interesting. Here in Sweden I have never seen it in a home, but I do see it sometimes in commercial spaces. I can kind of see the appeal... But also, it seems like it would be hell to clean, and with three kids, a dog and a cat, I just can't see my family ever being able to handle it. 😂
We’re going from carpet to lux vinyl flooring. I’m hoping it’ll be easy to clean. We had wood floors in the kitchen and entry but to do the whole house this time was crazy expensive. We don’t have pets or kids so there’s that.
I had carpet in my room growing up, and I tore it out myself when I was 15 or so. xD You just can't get anything out of it. We've always had cats, and you can only get so much cat piss or sick out of it, not to mention calligraphy ink or anything else equally likely to find in a kid's room.
None of the colors in my house could be considered neutral by any means. I love the nice saturated colors. Except I did all my trim in white but every room is a nice bright color. I absolutely love it. And actually most people seem to like it too.
Parquet flooring started as remnants of wood from ship building. Only wealthy people had it back in the day. When I owned a 1959 house in Dallas, I re-finished my parquet floor and extended it into the hallway- loved it. Also vote for saturated colors as I sit in my bedroom with Benjamin Moore’s Ying Yang saturated blue❤
Happy you walked through modern versions of wood paneling because the moment you brought it up, I got flashbacks to the trailers my family sometimes lived in growing up and immediately said "No!", lol! Hated those wooden walls and I remember at 12 wanting to get some wallpaper and cover my bedroom. But so long as the paneling is used minimally, and maybe don't use those wide panels that trailers use, it could be done nicely.
When I updated a 1950s home at the turn of the millennia, I kept the knotty wood pine walls that were in every room but one downstairs in the home. It looked really cosy and I paired colorful furniture with it. Two things I like from the past… the in between sized metal blinds, particularly in the color popular from the 50s and I like the glass dish flush light fixtures in halls and kids bedrooms.
Also… I like picking out carpet and then having it bound as the exact sized rug that I want often with rounded edges as it lies flatter. So you can enjoy your wood floor and enjoy a solid colored warm carpet under the living space.
I refinished my solid wood parquet flooring in my apartment, and so many people thought it was a waste of money and that I should have put in something different. I love it so much, though, it is gorgeous.
I agree with you Nick! I just painted my ceiling a little darker shade than my floors last week. I have a lot of light coming into my home, so I decided to take a risk and it turned out awesome. I hate a boring ceiling! I think that the WHOLE room should be visually pleasing. Love your videos. Please don't stop making them. You give me great ideas!
Another way that ceilings--especially in bedrooms--can be treated is with light-absorbing paint. That cuts down on light bleed and sleep disturbance for those who are sensitive to light.
I have a 70's home. We had dark brown shag carpet and a bamboo type wallpaper in one bedroom lol. Ripped off the wallpaper and replaced the carpet. I grew up in the 70's kinda missed the shag carpet :). Our fireplace is brick and huge, spans an entire wall! Above it is the paneling you spoke of however the high-end paneling. Our house was 70's modernized with built in speakers that had a radio (still worked!), a built-in vacuum system and a blender that popped out of the countertop, underneath was milk glass mixing bowls and utensils. The living room was so dark with the dark brown paneling and brick fireplace I painted the entire wall and fireplace white, it really stands out brightening up the room. We have done a lot of renovating. We had a pink tub with tiny tiles in one bathroom and a blue shower, sinks and toilet and tiny tiles in the other. We haven't renovated the blue bathroom yet. We don't have carpet in the basement due to the hot water heater bursting one year. We left most of the sunrooms crisscross paneling however took out 8 sliding glass doors and replaced them with energy saving windows. Had all the wood floors redone, I love them! The front room is gray with a splash of orange (bright mostly) and a retro vibe with the furniture (orange chair, grey sofas, purple leather chair lol) I love decorating and listening to your thoughts and recommendations. TY Nick 😊
Ugh yes the first pics you showed are all saved for my home inspiration! My house is 60s and mostly untouched but all the rooms were painted a pinky/apricot color in probably the 80s or 90s and carpet was put over the bedroom hardwoods/all carpets were replaced with either white or pink. Bringing some color back and the first thing we did was rip out all the carpet over the hardwoods 😊 I’m also removing the last wallpaper bits, so many wood paneled accent walls were covered by wallpaper. I love our wood paneling. This whole video is speaking my language lol
I love your comments about color... what you're asking for is the kind of space where most of us live. Not the chaotic, cluttery feel of maximalism, not the stark formality of minimalism, but simple ... "malism". Neither maxi nor mini. Where we have nice furniture, photos of our family, and a basket of colorful children's books. These spaces desperately need color because it can really shape our moods. We have a tomato red wall in our kitchen and have received a LOT of compliments on it. It's at the end, a small wall that includes French doors and a transom, but gives us the pop of color everybody needs.
Cork floors are very comfy, but not indestructible! I’ve used every kind of flooring and cork is on the “least durable” end of the spectrum. Moisture and heat will destroy them, along with wear and tear from pets. For additional soundproofing and comfort you can add a cork underpayment, too. Your friend’s kitchen might have been natural linoleum. It has powdered cork in it, but as part of a matrix including ground limestone, resins and linseed oil. Looks and feels like cork, comes in beautiful, subtle colors and wears like iron. An all natural product, very green manufacture, but pricey.
@@psdeas7530 I will ask her. She cooks a lot, has a very lively Doberman. I know the floor has a sealant, that may have protected it. I also worked for a relative of JJ Hill, they had cork flooring in their entryway and had long haired daschunds, the house was from the 1950’s and it was pristine.
Carpet in our bedrooms is a must. Flagstaff, Arizona has cold winters and nothing like hardwood or tile floors in a bedroom says "not cozy" more. Ironically last week my sister was lamenting her 5 bedroom house, inherited from our parents, with wood parquet floors. Thanks to your input they will get refinished and kept.
I have always had wall to wall carpet in my bedrooms. There is something about getting out of bed and stepping down on warm, soft carpet that is comforting. The rest of my home is hard surface flooring ranging from hardwood to tile. I agree about bringing in color. Not overboard color/colors and not barely there color, but pops of saturated color on a wall, furniture piece or tile. Thanks for sharing.😃❤️
My husband has really bad allergies so no carpets in my house! 😄 We do have heated floors throughout the house so getting up in the morning is not that bad!
Great food for thought, Nick. Thank you! I personally don’t care for many of these trends but not because they’re bad or ugly or impractical in and of themselves, so thank you for showing them some love. You hit the nail on the head when you said that when a trend is overdone with cheep materials it becomes ugly and dated because of wear. It also takes a skilled eye to know how to tastefully bring back these ideas, so if more folks like yourself keep showing us gorgeous rooms with color, carpet, wood panels, etc., they can probably come back. But one reason why I believe they haven’t is that to do justice to these trends (with good taste, high quality materials, and proper maintenance), the price, the time, and effort to keep everything looking great makes it more difficult than keeping up simpler things.
Do something with ceilings! Yay. We covered our kitchen ceiling (12 years ago now) with pressed tin tiles. It was the easiest way to hide the horrid ceiling in there. This summer we just put up white, wood patterned planks in our living room and hallway with crown moulding because we were already extending a built-in and renting a scaffold anyway. I did something Nick approved!
@@llamasugar5478 yes, real tin with a white enamel. We used small hex screws. I honestly don't remember if we put plywood up first. My dad did it while I was on my honeymoon.
I recently redid my home office, and painted the walls a dark peacock teal color, put in white crown molding, and the ceiling isn’t white-it’s a dark ivory color. For the floor I did a very fluffy carpet with a thick pad that is right in the middle of beige and gray with dark speckles. It’s very cozy! I’m also going to replace the carpet in my living room with…. new carpet! It isn’t a high traffic area and just feels so much more cozy and comfortable with carpet.
Dark peacock teal is actually a very classic color for walls. If you look at historic homes in Europe you will often find this color used in the interior design😊
Excellent and thoughtful comments as always! My problem with parquet flooring is that it reminds me of all the ratty NYC apartments I was in during the 1980's when I lived there. Many were installed in the 1960's in the white brick buildings. They just didn't seem to hold up or age well, and little pieces were always coming loose. And there is a characteristic annoying tapping sound when walking on them because of loose pieces. Combined with the flat arctic white paint NY landlords were so fond of (which gathered dust, looked dirty very quickly and didn't clean easily) it was just incredibly depressing. The parquet in Parisian apartments installed way back in the early 1900's seems to hold up better, must be a difference in quality of wood and craftsmanship. I know they are hand finished in wax when you renovate Paris apartments.
@@vaderladyl Exactly! A lot of the NYC parquet post WW2 wasn't quality materials and installation. When you walk on an old Parisian parquet floor you immediately feel the difference. They are coveted and carefully repaired/refinished when buying an old apartment.
SO HERE for your hot takes, and THANK YOU for expressing them with the world! As a gal always into design, parquet flooring, wood paneling, and carpet (we've kept ours in our home and I love it) all make my heart sing. Thank you for sharing these thoughts x
I love saturated color thru out the house. I've used a beautiful yellow for the main walls in my house with a rusty orange for the inset areas leading to other rooms. I always get compliments. I also paint my ceilings. Especially in the bedrooms and bathrooms. It give a more cozy feeling.
If you live in Italy, parquet flooring is still going strong ! I also have, I think you called it “crown moulding” with hidden lighting. 30 years later I still love it ! I do like your videos, thank you
I'm fully on board for saturated colors. One of my goals since I bought my mid-century modern house has been to add a few pops of color to some of the walls in the house. The previous owners did a really great job with a more neutral palette (truly--the parts they remodeled were very tastefully done), but the house feels like it wants just a little bit of oomph. (I also have a little bit of a dream of putting a ceiling mural in my library room, so I'm with you there as well.)
Ceiling treatments I absolutely love; totally agree with you! I'm kind of traumatized from growing up in the 80's in a small house that was 100% cheap 1970's wood paneling, lol! But I have to admit the images you included were really pretty. I could do an accent wall or nook with something like that. Carpet was an absolute no. I've lived my whole adult life with carpeting in various apartments, and for me, at least, they're horrible allergy triggers that will never grace my floors again when I'm finally able to get into my first house, hopefully in the next 6-8 months!
Hi Nick, I so agree with you on color! My kitchen is white and brick red, Dark blue dining room, and my living room is a gorgeous yellow. All three rooms flow so well and guests love our palette.
Haha and we have carpet throughout the upper two floors! Carpets are more cosy than rugs as you have lovely soft underlay underneath as well. We have white walls but some very brightly coloured furniture and art. Pleased to think you might like my house 🤣
We kept the crown moulding in our remodel and added ceiling medallions around our hanging fixtures. It’s something small but really adds a nice touch! I actually added it because there was a gap because of how the old boxes were set, I could NOT live with the top plate of the fixture not being flush with the ceiling, so this was a super easy fix that looks amazing!
Kitchen ceiling is tongue and groove, it’s beautiful! Love carpet in my bedroom and living room! Stone in the rest, not a fan of the hardwood on floors! Yes to the beautiful woods on walls, not box store paneling. Keep your designs classic and they will withstand all the fads! Your so right on! Love your ideas🎉
I agreed with most of these! Literally the only room we have carpet in is our baby room because I think it totally makes sense for there! Also we put crown molding in recently and I was amazed at how it transformed our bedroom
Great video Nick! As usual, you have some good info. What I hated about wood panelling, is that in my area of BC, the most popular wood "panelling" was a fake veneer on hardboard. It never did look good, not even in the showroom, but a LOT of houses I went to had it. My parents hated wood panelling, so it was never in my house growing up.
Nick, I absolutely love your personality!! Don't ever change! I also love your knowledge in design. I watch your videos all the time. I am currently renovating my kitchen, well...the entire house really... So, I've been watching your channel to see what you have in store for problematic spaces, colors, design trends, etc. You're helping me make better choices and think outside the box. I am so glad that I watched todays video, because I have paneling in my house. I just painted it. The paneling made the room very dark and heavy so Paint I did. Looks great and I love it. Thanks for your videos.... keep 'em coming!
I like parquet flooring, enough that I would consider adding it to the right kind of house (especially if I were trying to preserve the original feel of a home while still modernizing it). My husband comes from a region where these are still in style and has laid herringbone flooring more than once, so that’s even something we could do ourselves.
Carpet - I don’t care, carpets are GREAT in bedrooms. Not bathrooms or kitchens (ew) but bedrooms - it’s comfy & warm on your feet. Wood paneling will always feel 70s/80s to me. Except for a really beautiful wood wainscoting. That is classic. And YES to ceilings! They can be really beautiful, especially in a bedroom where you’ll notice it more (due to laying down on your bed) And (not mentioned but my own “wish list”) is wallpaper - some of that was overdone (ie matching balloon valance on the windows & yucky matching borders) but a wallpapered nook (especially the inside of a dormer window area) has always been so beautiful to me.
My house was built in 1961 and the room that is now my office has beautiful red oak paneling. It's easily my favorite room in the house because it's so warm and inviting (it faces south too, so it's often flooded with sunshine too). I have a great piece of art with bright oranges and blues in there as well, with lots of color repetition throughout. It makes me smile every time I go in there.
I have knotty pine paneling in my family room and kitchen (rooms are connected, 1956 build). I will remove it from the kitchen but I've learned to appreciate it in the living room. It just feels good/correct.
I think the gray rooms and the beige rooms remind me of the movie Office Space and the main character’s apartment. I agree- the material and how the material is styled makes all the difference in how the look turns out. Paneling from the 80s remind me of cabin horror films. I love ceiling work. I think it adds a lot if done right for the space.
I'm glad you mentioned ceilings. I have to use it as ammo to get my husband on board. I love an interesting ceiling. I find every holiday at some spectacular place, my eyes instantly go upwards.
Nick, can you do a video on what light to dark saturated colours vs light to dark muted colours are, with lots of examples and how to use them? Maybe include how to mix them as well like the muted (?) dark blue and saturated yellow example at 3:16? I've always thought I loved deep and muted colours and disliked the bright saturated ones, but if the green tile and wallpaper also at 3:16 count as saturated maybe I've just been confused 😅
Carpet ( especially the white that was in those pictures at the end) is always dirty! The reason I like hard surfaces is because it’s easier to keep clean. I guess if you take your shoes off in the house… yeah, like my husband would remember to do that! 😂 I really enjoy your videos every week, Nick!
I love natural wood paneling when it’s good quality. Remember Mad Men? Those set designers made wood paneling look hip and sexy. I live in a house that was built in 1970 that STILL has wood panel veneer on the walls of the family room! It is a large and very dark room. The former owners loved that paneling enough that they renovated the entire house but kept the paneling. Now it’s ours and I plan on painting it.
I think resale value has played a huge part in getting away from color and ornate detail. Its so personal and there is a concern that if they invest in bold color or details it can be a deterrent. After years of watching house flipping shows people expect to walk into a blank slate.
I have a feeling that the blank slate trend will die off. Nevertheless, I have never let a house reselling dictate my colour choices. I am never going to sell the house I am in (as it is beyond the beyond for me)- so certainly I am doing beautiful deep colours (including having fun with ceilings) and making it as exceptional in colour use as it is in structure ;).
Hi! Artist over here. Appreciate your videos and your lack of aversion to colour. Yes! Bring back saturated colours! Just wanted to specify what “adding gray” is.. it’s not the colour gray in itself. It’s adding a bit of its complimentary colour. Green and red. Blue and orange. Purple and yellow. You probably know that.. but shoot me… I’m a “well, Actually..” kinda person.
I value this channel so much. I love learning the name of things rather than describing it with 4-7 "things" and "you knows." Nick has great insight and offers valuable info to all demographics and opinions. Farmhouse chic may not be his thing, but there's no judgement here if it is yours. Also, "I'm not going to say it (carpet) is cool. I'm not going to go that far." 🤣 I also liked how at 4:45 ish the camera "scooched" in as an extra umph to his warmth. Doubt it was intentional, but I love it. Love it all.
I’m with you on creating a colourful space. I just recently painted my living room walls a rich shade of blue and the floor orange. I bought a 10x14 area rug kinda boho from Wayfair with blue and orange and a million other colours. I actually pulled the wall and floor colours from rug. The room is actually quite beautiful. Even my friends who decorate in nothing but white and grey and beige just love it. Colour is totally doable as long as the clutter is kept down to a dull roar. Great video, Nick. I may get a medallion for my bedroom ceiling. That room is next.
Hi Nick! Glad that you think carpet should make a comeback. I am one of those weird individuals that isn't crazy about wood flooring. I like the look of really good carpeting in a home. That's the key I think. Like everything else, carpet needs to be quality for it to look good. Love your videos!
I love waking up to the soft feel of cushy carpet in a bedroom when you get out of bed in the morning. Plus, I personally find it much easier to vacuum carpet than to sweep or mop hard surface floors. Ugh. And who wants to lay down on a hardwood floor to watch a movie?
I’m right there with you. Not for the whole house, not for hallways, but I miss the softness in the cozy parts of the home. I’m convinced that carpet is how we all survived the much smaller homes of the 70s and 80s because you didn’t have every little sound echoing everywhere, lol. And I agree-just run the vacuum! Not difficult.
Agree ! In the midwest ( US ) , we have some very cold months & carpet is a must for warmth & comfort . Also, even w/ dogs in the house , I'd rather vacuum often than hear the constant click of dog toenails on wood flooring ( kitchen & bathroom tile exceptions , of course ) . 🐾🐾💟
Agreed about carpet for bedrooms but only if everyone goes into the room shoeless and the carpet is professionally cleaned regularly. When you look at what's in your vacuum cleaner bag or canister and think that's what is down inside most people's carpets, YUCK!
@@653j521 This is actually pretty standard advice for people who are allergic to dust, pollen, and pets. I was at an allergist last month (testing in order to get allergy shots) and the pamphlet they gave me about minimizing allergy symptoms recommended against carpeting (among other things).
I love all of these suggestions. I think if they are done with imagination and a sense of balance, they can humanise a space. I got lucky when I removed some “soundproofing” false ceilings in my kitchen and living room I found some ancient Baltic pine bead board ceilings. I stripped them back, oiled and stained them and now both those rooms are very warm and textural😁😎.
I love this episode! Yes Nick these are great comebacks!!💞. Upstairs should carpeted, kids rooms, hell the house is fine.. And houses should have molding! My family had a plastering company, they did St. Patricks, TWA at Kennedy, The Pierre, Plaza etc. They closed the company and didn't hand it down because they felt the corruption especially in NYC, having to pay everyone off to get into buildings etc. was a too scary proposition to hand down to grandchildren. Still love to look up in those buildings and know your family had a part in it though.
Nick I love your unapologetical way of expressing your opinions! Just a consideration regarding wood floors, panelling or furniture. You are right, quality lasts longer looking right, and is soooo beautiful! On the other hand, "quality wood" unfortunately mostly equals deforestation... So if "quality wood" is used for anything PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check that it was conciously grown and harvested!!!!!
I have learned to not have carpet in kids room. Kids are sloppy and spill things. Especially teenagers. I ripped out their carpets and put in a high end wood laminate. I then put in an area rug. That way when/if the area rug gets stained, etc. you roll it up and take it to the Eco centre. Then simply buy a new one.
I painted my bedroom ceiling dark grey, and left the ceiling beams white. It turned out great! Not only did the dark grey hide all the cracks between the wood planks, but the ceiling looks brand new!
In France in the 1780s there was a minor trend - placing a window directly above a fireplace mantel - it looked spectacular! I've seen several examples in photos from a 1920s book - how the smoke was routed, dunno. Why this never seems to have been revived is a mystery to me.
I toured a historic mansion in the US that had those, it was flaunting a new innovation that allowed double chimneys running up either side of the window. They went for it because it was hip and showing off wealth, but those fireplaces with the window above also looked really cool!
I was traumatized when I lived in an apartment covered with carpet and infested with mice. A hard floor is just easier to clean, which is important especially when you have a baby/toddler crawling on the floor… needless to say, we left that place and don’t have rodents as roommates anymore, but I will never be fond of carpet! At least not as long as I live in a city renowned for its mice community! 😂🤦♀️😭 I agree with everything else! I especially love marqueterie and detailing on the ceiling: it adds interest and texture without adding actual stuff and making the space so busy.
I love parquet flooring! It speaks to a craftsmanship that few bother with or have skill for in this century. My college bachelor suite had parquet flooring that was probably already decades old at that point. It was actually super-practical for a rental suit because it was clean and when it got worn-out or marked, it just added character. Chevron is my favourite, but i'm with you on this one!
My husband and his dad and tons of their family friends are in the flooring business and they’ve been doing Parquet flooring in nice Chicago condos for a long time, it’s so beautiful
I agree on most points, but I’m especially happy you brought up carpet. My husband is from Italy and had a major carpet aversion but is understanding now how practical it is, especially with little kids. I saw a really upscale modern home recently done in all carpet. It was gorgeous.
My 1954 house had wood paneling in one bedroom and wallpaper in the other two. My husband removed the paneling and there was very old Chipmunds wallpaper behind it. We would have kept it but it had mold on it! After that was removed, we put knotty pine tongue and groove paneling and I painted with amber shellac. It looks so warm and inviting.
Love parquet! Love paneling! “Carpet in a basement”, however, is a phrase only spoken by someone who’s never had a basement flood
Parquet flooring is very cherished in Sweden, if you have an old one your take care of it, and a lot of new installations are being done. I’m fortunate to have the original herringbone oak flooring in my house built in 1909, and after having it restored it’s the main feature of our home. Just gorgeous!
Also in Spain. 😊
Original herringbone is the best!
Herringbone and Chevron is classic, squared parquet, typically, not so much.
The place I stayed in Luxembourg had it and it had aged well. It looked great imo.
As a Swede I came down to the comment section to write this. Parquet has never been out here. Can’t imagine a Swedish home ad featuring the words “luxury vinyl floors” as a selling point 😅
Hi! I'm from Eastern Europe, and parquet floors never really went out of vogue here. I work as an onsite architect, and i see them being installed all the time.Great video :)
Same here in Germany. Many higher-priced new apartments in particular have oak parquet floors.
Same in the Nordic countries! It's standard to at least have one room, almost always the living room, in parquet flooring especially in apartments but also some houses.
The same in Greece!
Yep. In Switzerland too. It's a sign of a higher quality apartment?especially the classic versions such as the fishbone pattern.
Same in Italy, it seems in Europe this is still in vogue
Such a pleasant shock to see colour spelled with a "u" and panelling spelled with a double "l". Then I checked and thought "ah, Canada". Thanks for making my day from Australia.
Yes, he has strong Canadian accent.
Can I cut you a cheque?
A big Yes!! to the saturated colour. After 25 years of home ownership and staying conservative and neutral "for resale value", I have now painted my kitchen bright orange and hung up my gorgeous sunset painting that is all oranges, blues and yellows. If I'm going to be in this room everyday I want it to be bright and cheerful, resale be damned. (keeping my den in muted shades because that's where I go when I want to be calm and unwind).
Life's too short to not paint your house with the colors you want! I'm planning on painting my bedroom a deep emerald green, even the ceiling, and I can't wait!
@@jujubees Love it!
You can also repaint just for the resale. The effort will pay for itself once the sale happens. Seems worth it to live in a space that makes you happy.
So true!! My dad finally gave up and let us have fun in our rooms. My mom even painted dark purple accent walls in the family room and kitchen! Cause guess why? The walls were already destroyed from kids so he knew if he sold the house he’d have to repaint the whole thing anyways, which is exactly what he did. Whole house was white when they sold it (I still miss my tropical green room covered in inspiration quotes written in sharpie all over the walls like graffiti)
@@jujubees Love the commitment to colour! No more “accent walls”.
Wife, daughter and sister to electricians here: ceiling medallions can have a practical purpose in more modern homes as well. Sometimes when you change a light fixture there is a hole in the ceiling that the new fixture doesn’t quite cover. A medallion can be an easy and lovely way to solve that problem.
Ceiling medallions are one of my favourites. Anytime I'm in houses that have them, my eyes are drawn there immediately. Love artistry in architecture and interiors
Are they out of style?
SCARRED FOR LIFE 😂 Here is a throwback and a giggle. In the 70’s, we went on vacation to see my mum’s parents and as a surprise when we got back, my dad had new carpet installed into the the house, wall-to-wall, over the hardwood. And I do mean wall-to-wall! He removed the tile and installed brick coloured short carpet in the kitchen, carpet in the bathroom, and LONG shag carpet in all of the bedrooms along with the living room/dining room, ALL IN PURPLE, because the purple was on sale. He was sooooo proud! My mum smiled, hugged him, and said thank you, secretly thinking of the newly created upkeep….I could read her mind. She loved that man. Our house was the go-to in the neighborhood because my parents were young and cool! (My mum is still cool at 83!). Kids, pets, and shag carpet……My chore was to vacuum…..traumatizing! To this very day I hate vacuuming and despise wall-to-wall carpet 🤢 🤮🤢 (PS. She still has wood paneling in the living room 😂, but absolutely no carpet) Sorry Nick not a chance for me on the carpet, but you are fabulous and I love your style and humour!
My parents house is art deco, built in the 1930s. All the floors throughout the house are Parquet, made from Rhodesian Teak, a beautiful reddish brown. Those floors are worth a pretty penny. I love parquet. Wish i could have real wooden floors in my house.
Wow! Sounds beautiful.
Sounds beautiful!
My house was built in 1930 and has the hardwood flooring in an Art Deco pattern (not parquet) in the living and dining room and have received a lot of compliments on it.
I grew up in an Arts and Crafts home and I appreciate beautiful woodwork and flooring. To me, the first horror in the movie Rosemary’s Baby is when she has the beautiful Old World interior painted over. Excellent points in your video!
Yes!! I noticed the same thing when I first saw the film decades ago. I found it depressing!!
Nick, I find it interesting that you see parquet as a 70s thing. The most beautiful parquet I've seen was in homes built from 1870 to 1910 or so, particularly brownstones in NYC. Many of them had gorgeous parquet that was in different patterns in all the rooms---a "rug" in the center of the parlor, a utilitarian pattern in the kitchen, a simple tile pattern in the vestibule. Those floors were intricate and durable, and if you wanted something warmer, you could add an area rug.
I mean 1870 is a 70s lol
It was really big in the 1970s, along with Perrier. And cocaine!
In Northern and continental Europe (Germany, France etc.) it still counts as "better type" of flooring. You will still find it in villas and upscale apartments, and it is considered an upgrade deserving a higher price in rentals. It's less so in the south, where a high quality stone is regarded upscale flooring - but that is simply a result of climate. The Mediterranean regions values stone that keeps cooler during hot summers, the north values wood that is much better at keeping warmth in winter.
Oh totally! Yes for me I just get those 70's 80's vibes!
The seventies and eighties phase that turns people off is the tiles that came out and were an affordable option. Sadly like the cheaper paneling it did not age well and gave bad memories.
I have a 118 yr old house in Chicago with very high ceilings. I painted my small bathroom ceiling black. I love it! It does not make the space seem smaller. I don't thing "luxury" belongs with vinyl flooring! My oak floors are worth keeping up!
Hey Nick, lovely video as usual. As a French national I know that parquet is a French word and this flooring started to be used in our lovely castles, centuries ago. These floors are still very much used today in the everyday French home. I love them and if they’re out of style in North America they should definitely make a come back!😊
They have always been fashionable. Nick is wrong on this.
It’s the square 70s style floors which really fell out of favor.
@@nineteenfortyeight he is speaking of the square 70s style floors. The others have largely been classic for centuries.
@@robinbirdj743 is that a particular pattern?
I love parquet floors, it always reminds me of my childhood home in Eastern Europe ❤
I am SO with you! Parquet -- yes! Ceiling medallions -- yes! Carpet in the right rooms -- YES!
I am so glad you mentioned crown moulding and ceiling roses because I live in a period home and those were 2 things I would not compromise on when we renovated. I love my crown mouldings, my cornice and my roses. ❤❤❤
This is one of my favorite channels I watch to unwind. Nick's commentary is always the perfect mix of a little salty but mostly sweet. p.s I hope parquet floors come back too!
Well put: sweet and salty. He's frank and sticks up for himself.
Parquet floors will always be a favorite of mine. I grew up in a house with parquet floors and it’s such a great, subtle design or huge impact just by sanding and restaining.
Totally agree!! My apartment is from the '60s and has parquet flooring and I love it. I had it sanded and sealed before moving in after many years they are still great.
Herringbone parquet carpet (this is not a joke) would be ideal :-) I like the look of wood floors but it's chilly here in UK, carpet's so cosy & I can get down on the floor to play with my cat. I wonder if there's such a thing...
In my last home, there was faux wood paneling in the basement and real wood paneling in the storage/utility room. I probably wouldn't have put it in myself, but it was amazing how much better real wood looks on the walls. It made me realize why people started to put wood paneling up in the first place.
I agree with you regarding carpet especially in the bedrooms. Also on the stairs as they absorbs noise when walking up and down the stairs.
Yes! Carpeting can also cushion falls on stairs. I shuddered when my mom wanted to pull hers out leading to her room because the thought of her falling onto solid wood bothered me.
We had multiple falls from all age groups on our hardwood stairs. They now have carpet runners and I couldn’t be happier.
I love parquet floors! I think there are ways to make it look so timeless and it adds so much elegant texture to a room ❤
I love deep mustard, olive green, maroon and deep blue colors. I'm trying to incorporate these colors in my neutral space now.
I love carpet and always have. The ivory carpet in my living room with adjoining sitting room is stunning. I purchased the best quality I could and enhanced it with upgraded padding. It's bright, cheerful, adds warmth and sound insulation plus it's a perfect compliment to any color you choose. And carpeting was less expensive than laying wood floors with the added expense of area rugs. Would love to see it become more popular again.
If you would love resale value to fall because carpets are disgusting then yes. Maybe bedrooms… maybe… but before I even move into a house, like many ppl, I rip every bit of carpet out. And as somebody who rips it up, it’s always disgusting under… doesn’t matter how well it’s ‘cleaned’ it’s gross.
@@trevnti I just sold a house with good condition carpet. Didn't impact resale at all. House got full offers and didn't even have to do an open house. Sold faster than another house up the block that didn't have carpet. In some markets it really doesn't matter because it's easy to replace.
@@trevnti As my year old carpet and padding are one year old I doubt it could be classified as "disgusting". I do not like the cavernous sound of wood floors and area rugs don't do it for me, especially in the sub-zero Northeast winters. As a single woman, no kids, the chance it will become "disgusting" is quite slim. And I'm aging in place so resale is not an issue.
Enjoy your asthma.
I love the patterned linoleum floors from the 1940s/50s era. They were saturated in colour and had geometrics, florals, fish etc. They were fun.
I have a bunch in a 1908 Victorian farmhouse that I'm redoing, installed over the wood flooring just after world War 2. I'd offer it to you but they're really worn...
Just thought id mention to watch out for asbestos in those tiles if you are removing them. Not impossible to deal with but you do need to know what to do.
@@leagarner3675 yes, I've had an asbestos inspector out. This product passed his examination, but there is a bit of vinyl flooring here and there that needs the reverse of a Full Monte to remove... The linoleum is not tiles, but long sheets installed very soon after wwii
@@mapratt Oh, that's great! Glad that you don't have to deal with that. I have removed several asbestos tile floors and it is tedious. I could have covered them up but they were chipping and that's not good!
hot pink popcorn ceilings with glow in the dark stars will never go out of style - you should totally do that!
I live in an old 250 year old inn converted into apartments and I have ceiling medallions in the living room and bedrooms. Lots of old crown moulding and original flooring too. It's got so much character! I love it.
I totally agree about color, ceilings and parquet floors. All things that I see in beautifully restored Victorian homes!
Love color!! Always have, always will! I think people think of wood panels as those thin mobile home like stuff, but my parents had a house built in the 50s which had a wall in the dining room that was thick, luxurious panels. Gorgeous.
The whole section on ceiling details...YES!!!!!!! I've been in love with ceiling details like medallions and tin, wallpaper, etc since I was little. 100% agree Nick!
I have a deep forest green living room. I love it. My daughter picked a navy blue for her walls when she was 7 and we both still love it. It works so well with all the “little girl” colors.
As usual, I agree with Nick on so many choices, but don't do them! Ceilings in my homes have always been painted white. Last year, when I had my basement apartment painted, I decided to add color to the ceiling. The painter called me to be sure I wanted to pay him for painting the ceiling in this large space, as the new "color" was barely distinguishable from the current white ceiling which was in great shape! Yup, I'm that bold and daring!
It's all good - I sometimes don't take my own advice. 😂
@@Nick_Lewis oh, I am doing it. I’m thinking of painting my ceiling NAVY and even considering high gloss! I already put up navy wallpaper in the great room and love the drama. I honestly just need some video guidance from a designer to tell me I’m not crazy.
I painted my ceilings the same as walls. They are higher. I’ve seen dark colored ceilings & it made it look higher.
Personally in two story houses I'm a big fan of hardwood (or tile or vinyl, etc.) downstairs and carpet upstairs. Then for the actual stairs I really like what my parents did in their house, which is sort of like a built in runner. Both sides of each step are done in the same wood flooring as the downstairs while the center is carpeted to match the upstairs. It works especially well in their home because there is a good color contrast between their very dark hardwood and the meduim-light gold tone of the carpet.
What a great way to tie in two spaces.
Carpet is definitely interesting. Here in Sweden I have never seen it in a home, but I do see it sometimes in commercial spaces. I can kind of see the appeal... But also, it seems like it would be hell to clean, and with three kids, a dog and a cat, I just can't see my family ever being able to handle it. 😂
We’re going from carpet to lux vinyl flooring. I’m hoping it’ll be easy to clean. We had wood floors in the kitchen and entry but to do the whole house this time was crazy expensive. We don’t have pets or kids so there’s that.
I had carpet in my room growing up, and I tore it out myself when I was 15 or so. xD You just can't get anything out of it. We've always had cats, and you can only get so much cat piss or sick out of it, not to mention calligraphy ink or anything else equally likely to find in a kid's room.
Its one of the biggest mistakes you can add to a home. Dust and mites. America has so many allergies because of it.
None of the colors in my house could be considered neutral by any means. I love the nice saturated colors. Except I did all my trim in white but every room is a nice bright color. I absolutely love it. And actually most people seem to like it too.
Parquet flooring started as remnants of wood from ship building. Only wealthy people had it back in the day. When I owned a 1959 house in Dallas, I re-finished my parquet floor and extended it into the hallway- loved it. Also vote for saturated colors as I sit in my bedroom with Benjamin Moore’s Ying Yang saturated blue❤
Happy you walked through modern versions of wood paneling because the moment you brought it up, I got flashbacks to the trailers my family sometimes lived in growing up and immediately said "No!", lol! Hated those wooden walls and I remember at 12 wanting to get some wallpaper and cover my bedroom. But so long as the paneling is used minimally, and maybe don't use those wide panels that trailers use, it could be done nicely.
When I updated a 1950s home at the turn of the millennia, I kept the knotty wood pine walls that were in every room but one downstairs in the home. It looked really cosy and I paired colorful furniture with it. Two things I like from the past… the in between sized metal blinds, particularly in the color popular from the 50s and I like the glass dish flush light fixtures in halls and kids bedrooms.
Also… I like picking out carpet and then having it bound as the exact sized rug that I want often with rounded edges as it lies flatter. So you can enjoy your wood floor and enjoy a solid colored warm carpet under the living space.
I kept those light fixtures in my home when we updated all else :)
I refinished my solid wood parquet flooring in my apartment, and so many people thought it was a waste of money and that I should have put in something different. I love it so much, though, it is gorgeous.
Refinishing solid wood flooring is never a waste. ❤
I agree with you Nick! I just painted my ceiling a little darker shade than my floors last week. I have a lot of light coming into my home, so I decided to take a risk and it turned out awesome. I hate a boring ceiling! I think that the WHOLE room should be visually pleasing. Love your videos. Please don't stop making them. You give me great ideas!
Another way that ceilings--especially in bedrooms--can be treated is with light-absorbing paint. That cuts down on light bleed and sleep disturbance for those who are sensitive to light.
I have a 70's home. We had dark brown shag carpet and a bamboo type wallpaper in one bedroom lol. Ripped off the wallpaper and replaced the carpet. I grew up in the 70's kinda missed the shag carpet :). Our fireplace is brick and huge, spans an entire wall! Above it is the paneling you spoke of however the high-end paneling. Our house was 70's modernized with built in speakers that had a radio (still worked!), a built-in vacuum system and a blender that popped out of the countertop, underneath was milk glass mixing bowls and utensils. The living room was so dark with the dark brown paneling and brick fireplace I painted the entire wall and fireplace white, it really stands out brightening up the room. We have done a lot of renovating. We had a pink tub with tiny tiles in one bathroom and a blue shower, sinks and toilet and tiny tiles in the other. We haven't renovated the blue bathroom yet. We don't have carpet in the basement due to the hot water heater bursting one year. We left most of the sunrooms crisscross paneling however took out 8 sliding glass doors and replaced them with energy saving windows. Had all the wood floors redone, I love them! The front room is gray with a splash of orange (bright mostly) and a retro vibe with the furniture (orange chair, grey sofas, purple leather chair lol) I love decorating and listening to your thoughts and recommendations. TY Nick 😊
Ugh yes the first pics you showed are all saved for my home inspiration! My house is 60s and mostly untouched but all the rooms were painted a pinky/apricot color in probably the 80s or 90s and carpet was put over the bedroom hardwoods/all carpets were replaced with either white or pink. Bringing some color back and the first thing we did was rip out all the carpet over the hardwoods 😊 I’m also removing the last wallpaper bits, so many wood paneled accent walls were covered by wallpaper. I love our wood paneling.
This whole video is speaking my language lol
I love your comments about color... what you're asking for is the kind of space where most of us live. Not the chaotic, cluttery feel of maximalism, not the stark formality of minimalism, but simple ... "malism". Neither maxi nor mini. Where we have nice furniture, photos of our family, and a basket of colorful children's books. These spaces desperately need color because it can really shape our moods. We have a tomato red wall in our kitchen and have received a LOT of compliments on it. It's at the end, a small wall that includes French doors and a transom, but gives us the pop of color everybody needs.
I like cork flooring, easy on the feet, very long lasting, soundproofs and is pretty indestructible
You must drink a _lot_ of wine ;-)
@@xyzct lol, not really. You can get in tiles or rolls I have friends who have had it in their kitchen for 30 years and it still looks new!
@@patriciafuchs5970, yeah I've heard very good things about it. And I'm going to be installing floors soon, so I'll have to investagoogle more.
Cork floors are very comfy, but not indestructible! I’ve used every kind of flooring and cork is on the “least durable” end of the spectrum. Moisture and heat will destroy them, along with wear and tear from pets. For additional soundproofing and comfort you can add a cork underpayment, too. Your friend’s kitchen might have been natural linoleum. It has powdered cork in it, but as part of a matrix including ground limestone, resins and linseed oil. Looks and feels like cork, comes in beautiful, subtle colors and wears like iron. An all natural product, very green manufacture, but pricey.
@@psdeas7530 I will ask her. She cooks a lot, has a very lively Doberman. I know the floor has a sealant, that may have protected it. I also worked for a relative of JJ Hill, they had cork flooring in their entryway and had long haired daschunds, the house was from the 1950’s and it was pristine.
Carpet in our bedrooms is a must. Flagstaff, Arizona has cold winters and nothing like hardwood or tile floors in a bedroom says "not cozy" more.
Ironically last week my sister was lamenting her 5 bedroom house, inherited from our parents, with wood parquet floors. Thanks to your input they will get refinished and kept.
I don't know how people can complain about having natural wood floors. I wish I could afford it in my own home.
Would it not be very dusty?
I have always had wall to wall carpet in my bedrooms. There is something about getting out of bed and stepping down on warm, soft carpet that is comforting. The rest of my home is hard surface flooring ranging from hardwood to tile. I agree about bringing in color. Not overboard color/colors and not barely there color, but pops of saturated color on a wall, furniture piece or tile. Thanks for sharing.😃❤️
My husband has really bad allergies so no carpets in my house! 😄 We do have heated floors throughout the house so getting up in the morning is not that bad!
I absolutely LOVE the checkerboard parquet flooring. I’ve spent the last decade listening to people trashing it. It is beautiful!
I don't care for it at all -- sorry, I think it looks cheap, but I do love the chevron design type.
Great food for thought, Nick. Thank you! I personally don’t care for many of these trends but not because they’re bad or ugly or impractical in and of themselves, so thank you for showing them some love. You hit the nail on the head when you said that when a trend is overdone with cheep materials it becomes ugly and dated because of wear. It also takes a skilled eye to know how to tastefully bring back these ideas, so if more folks like yourself keep showing us gorgeous rooms with color, carpet, wood panels, etc., they can probably come back. But one reason why I believe they haven’t is that to do justice to these trends (with good taste, high quality materials, and proper maintenance), the price, the time, and effort to keep everything looking great makes it more difficult than keeping up simpler things.
Do something with ceilings! Yay. We covered our kitchen ceiling (12 years ago now) with pressed tin tiles. It was the easiest way to hide the horrid ceiling in there. This summer we just put up white, wood patterned planks in our living room and hallway with crown moulding because we were already extending a built-in and renting a scaffold anyway.
I did something Nick approved!
How did you install the tin tiles? We have those horrible white Swiss cheese tiles, and I want to cover them. Were yours really tin?
@@llamasugar5478 yes, real tin with a white enamel. We used small hex screws. I honestly don't remember if we put plywood up first. My dad did it while I was on my honeymoon.
I recently redid my home office, and painted the walls a dark peacock teal color, put in white crown molding, and the ceiling isn’t white-it’s a dark ivory color. For the floor I did a very fluffy carpet with a thick pad that is right in the middle of beige and gray with dark speckles. It’s very cozy!
I’m also going to replace the carpet in my living room with…. new carpet! It isn’t a high traffic area and just feels so much more cozy and comfortable with carpet.
Dark peacock teal is actually a very classic color for walls. If you look at historic homes in Europe you will often find this color used in the interior design😊
Super pleased hearing talk of colour and extra flair again - Especially those ceilings! I know what I'm doing if I ever own my own home.
Excellent and thoughtful comments as always! My problem with parquet flooring is that it reminds me of all the ratty NYC apartments I was in during the 1980's when I lived there. Many were installed in the 1960's in the white brick buildings. They just didn't seem to hold up or age well, and little pieces were always coming loose. And there is a characteristic annoying tapping sound when walking on them because of loose pieces. Combined with the flat arctic white paint NY landlords were so fond of (which gathered dust, looked dirty very quickly and didn't clean easily) it was just incredibly depressing. The parquet in Parisian apartments installed way back in the early 1900's seems to hold up better, must be a difference in quality of wood and craftsmanship. I know they are hand finished in wax when you renovate Paris apartments.
They were probably never maintained well.
@@vaderladyl Exactly! A lot of the NYC parquet post WW2 wasn't quality materials and installation. When you walk on an old Parisian parquet floor you immediately feel the difference. They are coveted and carefully repaired/refinished when buying an old apartment.
SO HERE for your hot takes, and THANK YOU for expressing them with the world! As a gal always into design, parquet flooring, wood paneling, and carpet (we've kept ours in our home and I love it) all make my heart sing. Thank you for sharing these thoughts x
I love saturated color thru out the house. I've used a beautiful yellow for the main walls in my house with a rusty orange for the inset areas leading to other rooms. I always get compliments. I also paint my ceilings. Especially in the bedrooms and bathrooms. It give a more cozy feeling.
If you live in Italy, parquet flooring is still going strong ! I also have, I think you called it “crown moulding” with hidden lighting. 30 years later I still love it ! I do like your videos, thank you
I'm fully on board for saturated colors. One of my goals since I bought my mid-century modern house has been to add a few pops of color to some of the walls in the house. The previous owners did a really great job with a more neutral palette (truly--the parts they remodeled were very tastefully done), but the house feels like it wants just a little bit of oomph. (I also have a little bit of a dream of putting a ceiling mural in my library room, so I'm with you there as well.)
Ceiling treatments I absolutely love; totally agree with you! I'm kind of traumatized from growing up in the 80's in a small house that was 100% cheap 1970's wood paneling, lol! But I have to admit the images you included were really pretty. I could do an accent wall or nook with something like that. Carpet was an absolute no. I've lived my whole adult life with carpeting in various apartments, and for me, at least, they're horrible allergy triggers that will never grace my floors again when I'm finally able to get into my first house, hopefully in the next 6-8 months!
Hi Nick, I so agree with you on color! My kitchen is white and brick red, Dark blue dining room, and my living room is a gorgeous yellow. All three rooms flow so well and guests love our palette.
I live in a 70s townhouse in the UK and I adore the finger parquet flooring! Lots of people compliment it when they come round.
Haha and we have carpet throughout the upper two floors! Carpets are more cosy than rugs as you have lovely soft underlay underneath as well. We have white walls but some very brightly coloured furniture and art. Pleased to think you might like my house 🤣
We kept the crown moulding in our remodel and added ceiling medallions around our hanging fixtures. It’s something small but really adds a nice touch! I actually added it because there was a gap because of how the old boxes were set, I could NOT live with the top plate of the fixture not being flush with the ceiling, so this was a super easy fix that looks amazing!
Kitchen ceiling is tongue and groove, it’s beautiful!
Love carpet in my bedroom and living room! Stone in the rest, not a fan of the hardwood on floors!
Yes to the beautiful woods on walls, not box store paneling.
Keep your designs classic and they will withstand all the fads!
Your so right on! Love your ideas🎉
I LOVE Herringbone Parquet flooring.❤So glad it is making a comeback!
I agreed with most of these! Literally the only room we have carpet in is our baby room because I think it totally makes sense for there! Also we put crown molding in recently and I was amazed at how it transformed our bedroom
But how do you clean it? Babies puke and pee like everywhere.
Great video Nick! As usual, you have some good info. What I hated about wood panelling, is that in my area of BC, the most popular wood "panelling" was a fake veneer on hardboard. It never did look good, not even in the showroom, but a LOT of houses I went to had it. My parents hated wood panelling, so it was never in my house growing up.
Nick, I absolutely love your personality!! Don't ever change! I also love your knowledge in design. I watch your videos all the time. I am currently renovating my kitchen, well...the entire house really... So, I've been watching your channel to see what you have in store for problematic spaces, colors, design trends, etc. You're helping me make better choices and think outside the box. I am so glad that I watched todays video, because I have paneling in my house. I just painted it. The paneling made the room very dark and heavy so Paint I did. Looks great and I love it. Thanks for your videos.... keep 'em coming!
I like parquet flooring, enough that I would consider adding it to the right kind of house (especially if I were trying to preserve the original feel of a home while still modernizing it).
My husband comes from a region where these are still in style and has laid herringbone flooring more than once, so that’s even something we could do ourselves.
Carpet - I don’t care, carpets are GREAT in bedrooms. Not bathrooms or kitchens (ew) but bedrooms - it’s comfy & warm on your feet.
Wood paneling will always feel 70s/80s to me. Except for a really beautiful wood wainscoting. That is classic.
And YES to ceilings! They can be really beautiful, especially in a bedroom where you’ll notice it more (due to laying down on your bed)
And (not mentioned but my own “wish list”) is wallpaper - some of that was overdone (ie matching balloon valance on the windows & yucky matching borders) but a wallpapered nook (especially the inside of a dormer window area) has always been so beautiful to me.
My house was built in 1961 and the room that is now my office has beautiful red oak paneling. It's easily my favorite room in the house because it's so warm and inviting (it faces south too, so it's often flooded with sunshine too). I have a great piece of art with bright oranges and blues in there as well, with lots of color repetition throughout. It makes me smile every time I go in there.
Love the ceiling ideas! I loved the old tin ceilings! I bought a 50s house and I love the crown moldings that came with!
I have knotty pine paneling in my family room and kitchen (rooms are connected, 1956 build). I will remove it from the kitchen but I've learned to appreciate it in the living room. It just feels good/correct.
I think the gray rooms and the beige rooms remind me of the movie Office Space and the main character’s apartment.
I agree- the material and how the material is styled makes all the difference in how the look turns out. Paneling from the 80s remind me of cabin horror films.
I love ceiling work. I think it adds a lot if done right for the space.
I'm glad you mentioned ceilings. I have to use it as ammo to get my husband on board. I love an interesting ceiling. I find every holiday at some spectacular place, my eyes instantly go upwards.
Nick, can you do a video on what light to dark saturated colours vs light to dark muted colours are, with lots of examples and how to use them? Maybe include how to mix them as well like the muted (?) dark blue and saturated yellow example at 3:16? I've always thought I loved deep and muted colours and disliked the bright saturated ones, but if the green tile and wallpaper also at 3:16 count as saturated maybe I've just been confused 😅
Carpet ( especially the white that was in those pictures at the end) is always dirty! The reason I like hard surfaces is because it’s easier to keep clean. I guess if you take your shoes off in the house… yeah, like my husband would remember to do that! 😂 I really enjoy your videos every week, Nick!
I love natural wood paneling when it’s good quality. Remember Mad Men? Those set designers made wood paneling look hip and sexy. I live in a house that was built in 1970 that STILL has wood panel veneer on the walls of the family room! It is a large and very dark room. The former owners loved that paneling enough that they renovated the entire house but kept the paneling. Now it’s ours and I plan on painting it.
I’m putting carpet throughout our home. Love it!! ❤. Great way to keep rooms looking and feeling warmer in our Minnesota homes and during winter.
I think resale value has played a huge part in getting away from color and ornate detail. Its so personal and there is a concern that if they invest in bold color or details it can be a deterrent. After years of watching house flipping shows people expect to walk into a blank slate.
I have a feeling that the blank slate trend will die off. Nevertheless, I have never let a house reselling dictate my colour choices. I am never going to sell the house I am in (as it is beyond the beyond for me)- so certainly I am doing beautiful deep colours (including having fun with ceilings) and making it as exceptional in colour use as it is in structure ;).
I painted my bedroom ceiling a wonderful blue. When the sun comes in and hits the blue it is very beautiful. I'm so happy that I did it
Hi! Artist over here. Appreciate your videos and your lack of aversion to colour. Yes! Bring back saturated colours! Just wanted to specify what “adding gray” is.. it’s not the colour gray in itself. It’s adding a bit of its complimentary colour. Green and red. Blue and orange. Purple and yellow. You probably know that.. but shoot me… I’m a “well, Actually..” kinda person.
I value this channel so much. I love learning the name of things rather than describing it with 4-7 "things" and "you knows." Nick has great insight and offers valuable info to all demographics and opinions. Farmhouse chic may not be his thing, but there's no judgement here if it is yours. Also, "I'm not going to say it (carpet) is cool. I'm not going to go that far." 🤣 I also liked how at 4:45 ish the camera "scooched" in as an extra umph to his warmth. Doubt it was intentional, but I love it. Love it all.
I love having a mostly neutral space with pops of color via art or ceramics, especially a punchy orange-red or primary yellow.
I’m with you on creating a colourful space. I just recently painted my living room walls a rich shade of blue and the floor orange. I bought a 10x14 area rug kinda boho from Wayfair with blue and orange and a million other colours. I actually pulled the wall and floor colours from rug. The room is actually quite beautiful. Even my friends who decorate in nothing but white and grey and beige just love it. Colour is totally doable as long as the clutter is kept down to a dull roar. Great video, Nick. I may get a medallion for my bedroom ceiling. That room is next.
Hi Nick! Glad that you think carpet should make a comeback. I am one of those weird individuals that isn't crazy about wood flooring. I like the look of really good carpeting in a home. That's the key I think. Like everything else, carpet needs to be quality for it to look good. Love your videos!
I love waking up to the soft feel of cushy carpet in a bedroom when you get out of bed in the morning. Plus, I personally find it much easier to vacuum carpet than to sweep or mop hard surface floors. Ugh. And who wants to lay down on a hardwood floor to watch a movie?
I’m right there with you. Not for the whole house, not for hallways, but I miss the softness in the cozy parts of the home. I’m convinced that carpet is how we all survived the much smaller homes of the 70s and 80s because you didn’t have every little sound echoing everywhere, lol. And I agree-just run the vacuum! Not difficult.
Agree ! In the midwest ( US ) , we have some very cold months & carpet is a must for warmth & comfort . Also, even w/ dogs in the house , I'd rather vacuum often than hear the constant click of dog toenails on wood flooring ( kitchen & bathroom tile exceptions , of course ) . 🐾🐾💟
@@cynthiajohnston424 where in the Midwest? I'm from Iowa!
Agreed about carpet for bedrooms but only if everyone goes into the room shoeless and the carpet is professionally cleaned regularly. When you look at what's in your vacuum cleaner bag or canister and think that's what is down inside most people's carpets, YUCK!
Basket weave flooring is like life goals to me
As someone allergic to dust and pollen, carpet, for me, is a gigantic HELL FUDGING NOPE !!!
Every tile and wood floor needs an area rug. Dust falls on it all.
@@emiliebova I have bought easily washed area rugs for that reason! Key is being able to easily clean.
Did you know about the technological advances with carpet or are you stuck with a prejudice that will never change no matter what?
@@653j521 I also find it just plain ugly. I also hate rugs for the same reasons. For my floors : stone or wood, nothing else.
@@653j521 This is actually pretty standard advice for people who are allergic to dust, pollen, and pets. I was at an allergist last month (testing in order to get allergy shots) and the pamphlet they gave me about minimizing allergy symptoms recommended against carpeting (among other things).
I love all of these suggestions. I think if they are done with imagination and a sense of balance, they can humanise a space. I got lucky when I removed some “soundproofing” false ceilings in my kitchen and living room I found some ancient Baltic pine bead board ceilings. I stripped them back, oiled and stained them and now both those rooms are very warm and textural😁😎.
I love this episode! Yes Nick these are great comebacks!!💞. Upstairs should carpeted, kids rooms, hell the house is fine.. And houses should have molding! My family had a plastering company, they did St. Patricks, TWA at Kennedy, The Pierre, Plaza etc. They closed the company and didn't hand it down because they felt the corruption especially in NYC, having to pay everyone off to get into buildings etc. was a too scary proposition to hand down to grandchildren. Still love to look up in those buildings and know your family had a part in it though.
Nick I love your unapologetical way of expressing your opinions! Just a consideration regarding wood floors, panelling or furniture. You are right, quality lasts longer looking right, and is soooo beautiful! On the other hand, "quality wood" unfortunately mostly equals deforestation... So if "quality wood" is used for anything PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check that it was conciously grown and harvested!!!!!
I have learned to not have carpet in kids room. Kids are sloppy and spill things. Especially teenagers. I ripped out their carpets and put in a high end wood laminate. I then put in an area rug. That way when/if the area rug gets stained, etc. you roll it up and take it to the Eco centre. Then simply buy a new one.
Check out Ruggable. All their rugs are machine washable! 😄
I never allowed food or drink other than water in my kid’s rooms. That solved most of the problems of staining.
I painted my bedroom ceiling dark grey, and left the ceiling beams white. It turned out great! Not only did the dark grey hide all the cracks between the wood planks, but the ceiling looks brand new!
In France in the 1780s there was a minor trend - placing a window directly above a fireplace mantel - it looked spectacular! I've seen several examples in photos from a 1920s book - how the smoke was routed, dunno. Why this never seems to have been revived is a mystery to me.
I imagine the flue went straight out an exterior wall.
I toured a historic mansion in the US that had those, it was flaunting a new innovation that allowed double chimneys running up either side of the window. They went for it because it was hip and showing off wealth, but those fireplaces with the window above also looked really cool!
Amen on saturated color!!! My art is all about the healing properties of color and this is music to my ears💙💖💃🏼🎉
I was traumatized when I lived in an apartment covered with carpet and infested with mice. A hard floor is just easier to clean, which is important especially when you have a baby/toddler crawling on the floor… needless to say, we left that place and don’t have rodents as roommates anymore, but I will never be fond of carpet! At least not as long as I live in a city renowned for its mice community! 😂🤦♀️😭
I agree with everything else! I especially love marqueterie and detailing on the ceiling: it adds interest and texture without adding actual stuff and making the space so busy.
Nick, you make me want to redo my whole home with all of these trends now haha! Another fantastic video as always! Thank you for making them! :)
I love parquet flooring! It speaks to a craftsmanship that few bother with or have skill for in this century. My college bachelor suite had parquet flooring that was probably already decades old at that point. It was actually super-practical for a rental suit because it was clean and when it got worn-out or marked, it just added character. Chevron is my favourite, but i'm with you on this one!
My husband and his dad and tons of their family friends are in the flooring business and they’ve been doing Parquet flooring in nice Chicago condos for a long time, it’s so beautiful
Never had carpet in the bathroom, but the house I grew up in had kitchen carpet. That's also a huge mistake! Do not ever, ever carpet your kitchen.
I agree on most points, but I’m especially happy you brought up carpet. My husband is from Italy and had a major carpet aversion but is understanding now how practical it is, especially with little kids. I saw a really upscale modern home recently done in all carpet. It was gorgeous.
Natural wood will always be in style.
Amen!
Yes preach 🤣🔥👏🏾
But it doesn't have to be on all surfaces. That isn't always in style.
💯
As an interior designer, I agree with all of this! Used appropriately, all of these materials can be amazing.
As a kid who grew up playing on a COLD copper-tinted concrete floor...
I love carpet and I'm not ashamed to say it.
My 1954 house had wood paneling in one bedroom and wallpaper in the other two. My husband removed the paneling and there was very old Chipmunds wallpaper behind it. We would have kept it but it had mold on it! After that was removed, we put knotty pine tongue and groove paneling and I painted with amber shellac. It looks so warm and inviting.