What other ways do you know of to make your home look cohesive? Comment below and let me know! 👇 Note by the way that you can repeat things that are similar to each other but not the exact same. Creating a unique space that is still cohesive means bringing in elements that speak to each other, without always being the same colour or the exact same material. I hope this video helps!
Repeating elements of your personality throughout a space. Like a watercolor artist who has a small gallery on one wall and a few others spaced through the house, or someone who loves midcentury as an overall design style but happens to LOVE fabric prints inspired by French styles of the early 19th century. Or a minimalist neutral/Scandi space + super funky light fixtures because those make someone's heart sing.
To design and repetition, I feel you also need to add balance. You need to have a serene of how much of repetition you need of one element and how and what is the most strategic place to have these elements, so they don’t overwhelm or underwhelm their space. While at the same time, tying the place together.
I am slowly starting to practice minimalism and going for a highly edited space. Repeating a minimalist aesthetic across the home (including bathrooms and kitchens), regardless of style, can also help achieve cohesiveness!
One thing I feel you forgot to mention was patience. Don't head out and feel the need to accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. Take time to allow items to fall into place. Feel how the lighting changes over the year. Take time to find hidden treasures that fit in perfectly. Let your space open up to you ♡
@@chandaharkins4418 cheers to that. I think the biggest shift for me was our ability to buy a home. I've had over 20 addresses so I was turning over items I had purchased, never painted anything beyond an accent wall and never was picky about light fixtures and faucets. Now that I get to settle, I'm forcing myself to let things come to me.
The educational is fun too. Even when sassy, you are never bitchy. That's why I subscribed. You give information, advice and opinion and always differentiate between them. Too many content creators basically say "if you have this in your home, you're an idiot" without respect for their viewers varied needs and tastes.
I would enjoy seeing a video on how to incorporate what you have even if it doesn’t match. Also would like to see a video on managing and using many different things in a room. I guess this is maximalism. Yes please. We need help.
This was very useful. Thanks. Maybe in the future you could feature some photos of hodge podge messes and suggest a few changes that would make them less horrible? I feel like that would be useful too.
Oh please Nick, do this. I think it would be even better to present solutions for those of us who can’t realise “I hate it, I’ve goofed”. However we can’t dive in and in a week have new paint, new rugs, new furniture. It would be great to have someone like you detail, (eg) The most urgent thing is…, It will immediately improve the space, until you can…”
Nick PLEASE do more educational videos. You are a gifted teacher. This is the first time I’ve been able to truly understand these concepts. More, please!
This was really helpful. The blue/orange example made me realize that accent colours look good when there's perhaps one large object in the colour (ex. the blue couch), but the other repeating elements of the colour are more subtle and smaller (a bit of blue in the pillows, a bit of blue in the rug etc) so that it doesn't become overly match-y looking. I didn't quite make this connection before.
You can also see that the orange carried over into the wooden furniture! The side chairs have an orange undertone, and they also echo the tree trunks visible through the window. It’s a neat touch!
I could hug you right about now… Feel free to skip the long-read, just know that you are so very appreciated. Your advice has flipped my mood completely and ultimately helped me continue to claw myself out of a dark pit of depression. Anyhow, I work full time as a 911 emergency police dispatcher, and though I love my job I’ve still been coming home from work nearly every day feeling more worn-down than the last. It got really bad and it was no longer in my control after a while. Then about two months ago I found your channel and ever since then I’ve been making changes to my home environment (and even some of my workspace) little by little, I can already feel the difference it’s made just in my mood. I feel genuine gratitude and I’m happy to be alive again, which is something I had not felt in quite some time. I come home to a place that actually makes me feel good now and it really let’s my *mind* rest itself after a stressful workday. It’s not just the place I plop down to sleep and store my junk at anymore, it’s my *home* ! 🏡 It sounds silly and dramatic but I don’t care, because that’s my true experience. Once I found your channel I felt inspired to make changes to my space for the first time since my depression overtook my will to do just about anything for myself years ago. For whatever reason you made it seem like a simple task I could take on but by bit as I watched your content and it’s made all the difference for my mental health. And at just the right time, too. I was hanging by a thread for so long and I’m freaking blown away by how different I feel today just after upgrading my interior design a bit. Honestly blown away. I guess I just never realized how important aesthetics are to us humans. The psyche is a delicate thing - especially when it comes to visual stimuli. The fact that we have the power to manipulate our environment and cater to our minds’ needs is a very beautiful thing 🌱🪞🛋 Thank you for sharing your insights here. You are very good at what you do, Nick.
I love that you say how it is!!! You're honest and I agree with you on almost everything. PS- I had my partner watch your last video and he FINALLY agreed to throw out the ugly toilet seat cover. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! ; )
This makes me feel old, but do any of you remember how you used to be able to buy bathroom "carpet" (rubber-backed) by the square foot from Penney's, Sears, etc? And there were about 10 colors to choose from. Then you could also buy a matching toilet cover--to cover both the seat AND the entire tank, as well as small rugs to put on top of the carpet that was the exact same material...LOL, ugh!!
@@Nick_Lewis I do lol. I do my makeup on the vanity while sitting with the toilet lid down ( thought that needed to be specified lol) I tell myself I need it because it’s softer on my bum. Can you work with that?? Or does it have to go immediately??? 😂
Nick, would you ever consider doing a video on maximalism? Particularly the maximalist, colorful interior design that's popped up on Instagram and a few blogs here and there? I almost never see it here on TH-cam. Plus, it seems to be very concentrated in the UK. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I absolutely love it and draw inspiration from it. I'm very much a maximalist and can't wait to design my future home with some of what I've seen in mind.
I really wanted to get this video out first because I think it will really help with Maximalism. So yes! I have so many of these videos to do... Art deco, post modern, coastal and glam (not cheesy), Industrial...
I am WITH YOU. It’s not clutter…it’s cosy, interesting, warm, enveloping… in my quest to simplify my things to a volume I can manage, I am not willing to give up these feelings. I don’t want airy, open, neutral. I want closeness, reminiscence, humor, but livability and (literal, not figurative) cleanness.
Nick, this was one of the best video I’ve seen on your channel and one of the best on decorating I’ve ever seen. Don’t hold back on the educational videos - this was gold!
Nick, One of the main reasons I love your channel is there’s always a 50-50 chance I have just purchased something you’re not…fond of? Lol, But that’s OK. I still adore You and your channel. Thanks Nick.
I really, really enjoyed this format with you pointing out specific examples of exactly what you meant while explaining, instead of just ‘blah, blah, blah’ with us only seeing your face and barely any snippets of the actual style like a lot of TH-camrs do. 👍
This video reminds me of the colors videos (e.g., tints/tones/shades) that first made me a fan-useful information, concise explanation, & effective visuals backing it up. Thanks, Nick!
Thanks so much! Yes I love these educational videos. I love the commentary stuff too, but this is more where my channel started and where I love to go back to from time to time. It's such a fun challenge to think of how I can demonstrate and edit a video to help others learn. Class is in session! 🎓
As a musician, I was always SO confused when designers would reference things like flow and rhythm. Both of those things conceptually have an entirely different meaning to me but their explanations of the two were always relatively vague, which only confused me more. I really appreciate how you've taken the time to really break down the components of a room that make up the rhythm and flow. It helps me reframe my perspective on what those words mean through the lens of design.
LOVE your channel Nick. I've been a single mum for 20 years living in crappy rentals and I'm finally building my own home. It started as industrial decor and has morphed into mid century boho eclectic. I've curated the entire house online (it's not even finished yet). People think I'm nuts with all the vintage pieces I'm buying and the colour combos but you've convinced me my instincts are actually on point. I'm not beige and my house won't be either. Making my own design boards for each room as I bought pieces really helped so I could see how the room was starting to look.
Once TH-cam is done, please consider teaching or having an online master class on interior design. I think you’d be a great at it and I would very much enroll and pay for it 💚
I used colors and materials and almost everything in my home is handmade so it really gives it that original artistic boho vibe. There's natural wood colour in each room, metal art pieces, there's something cane and rattan in each room, plants.
uuh, yes, plants are also a great way to tie different rooms together! Plus they will produce offshoots themself, that you can place throughout your home.
Nick, I went through and binge watched all of your videos. I’ve made my fiancé watch because we’re slowly upgrading our new plain builder grade house. You’re great at concisely explaining things. You rock and are my fav TH-camr! ❤️
Love this video, Nick! (Actually, I love them all) This is how I designed all the spaces I have lived in, so I always feel “at home.” I have some objects I have owned up to 50 years, and they still bring me joy and make me feel grounded. Although my style has evolved, I have always liked certain looks…like rattan, brass, and bamboo.
Like a few other commenters I have items that I love and have for 50 years. I love cobalt blue, walnut, glass and copper. I try to create vignettes with a combination of some but not all of the design elements that transition to another vignette with a similar but different combination of the design elements. My kitchen has all four of these elements. I have a collection of blue ceramics made by local artisans, vintage prints with small amounts of blue that also introduce some red which is repeated in other artwork and my red/white Italian splash mixing bowls. I do like a touch of whimsy that is expressed in a custom mug collection made by a local artisan. They are rustic and have either sarcastic messages (“bite me”) or a nod to Dr Who (“spoilers”, “don’t blink”, “timey wimey”. I also have a TARDIS cookie jar that was given to me that holds dog treats). I have walnut countertops, glass storage jars and a few copper containers. I have another vintage print in the transition to the living room that includes the blue but also touches of “walnut” brown, black and a golden tan color. The room contains some walnut furniture, golden woven baskets with plants, various blue ceramic plant containers on the bookshelves and black metal lighting fixtures. design elements. All the rooms in my tiny condo contain some elements of blue color and walnut to tie them together but each room has a different color element introduced to distinguish them from the other rooms and use the various items I’ve accumulated over the decades. (Red in the kitchen, tan in the living room and terracotta in the bedroom). I chosen black metal fixtures that are used in all rooms. My home is never going to be featured in a magazine but it is filled with items that are personal and meaningful to me. I’ve tried to use the design principles I learned in college to organize the spaces and bring a non cluttered, non chaotic ambience.
'The kitchen looking like a farm and the bathroom looking like a beach'... Nick, you seriously crack me up. I love interior design - have a flair for it - and am getting addicted to your channel. My wee place was finished a year ago but it's interesting coming here to see if I do in fact tick those boxes. I have rooms painted in different colours but even these need to flow together. The bits of yellow you refer to at the end of the vid, I call the accent colour. Mine is burnt orange. The thing is not to overdo it.
In my first apartment, I had a counter in my kitchen that doubled as an eating area. My husband decided to split the living room into two separate spaces. We had a big window so that opened up the space. I used natural colors wood, plants, etc. My clients who would come over for massage always complemented our space. We just move across the country starting ALL OVER again. Patience is key happy decorating!
LOVE the educational side of your videos. I also appreciate so much how you include suggestions about trends that you don’t care for personally. That just makes me trust you even more because it’s important to be objective when talking about design and obviously not everyone has the same taste. Unless it’s regarding furry toilet seats.
Loved this nice strategy involving repeating color, texture, shape, and other material around the house. I realized at the seasoned age of 53 that I have liked the same colors, shapes, and textures since I was 4. I have never shaken an image of my grandmother's earthy flowered 1970s cloth napkins (dark brown, tiny pastel flowers). Nor have I shaken this fairy tail image c. 1980 of a women in a light blue green gray cotton/ linen/ or hemp capped sleeve, button down dress that was in Life magazine when I was 10. I have I also have loved copper and brushed nickel since I first saw them in the 1990s on fixtures. I put blue grey on all of my interior doors and orange and linen show up frequently. I was enamored with arts and crafts homes when I moved to a Frank Lloyd Wright area 30 years ago. I feared that my stickly pieces would go out of favor, so I gave them away. I get embarrassed about it, and a bit teased by family for being predictable. I resisted buying more white oak furniture, but gave in recently. Your implicit message, Nick, seems to be to identify your personal motifs and distribute them around your home to connect your style... When they fall in favor, buy. When they fall out of favor, who cares? Ive resisted putting up these little owl pictures, since owls were a thing, but I also have my grandmother's piece of hanging owl ceramic art. I think I'll add all of these when I finish painting.
I always find myself nodding to myself (not nodding off) when watching your videos. You're very common-sense and practical, yet with an artist's eye. Love your channel.
I’m so glad you did this video. Yes to cohesive. Cohesive is my type of “fengshui”, I personally don’t believe in fenfshui, but I do believe having repetitive colour / theme/ texture can really makes the space harmony and looking peaceful and stylish. It’s the same concept when styling fashion too. I just love when I see colours being cohesive in the space/ painting/fashion, and often admire those designers clever work. Great video as always
I am in love with Japandi, having learned about it here. I'm getting ready to start redoing my entire space (1 room at a time). I've learned so much today and on this channel that I can't wait to get started. ❤
I didn't realize that is what I was doing e.g. my kitchen has stainless appliances, 3 spaced out light fixtures have either a stainless/chrome rod or a line at the top, window pulls same etc. Thank you.
I enjoy watching Nick’s channel along with a few others after a long day...accompanied by wine. And COHESIVE is my sipping word. A bottle later...? Time for bed!! Lol
I am seeing a lot of triangles that connect each piece and color. That concept is used in Japanese gardening. It feels cohesive and that the designer really knows what they are doing.
This is the best interior design video I have ever seen, i finally know what it means when they say this ties with that, or there’s flow and cohesion in this space.
Trim, molding, casements etc are excellent ways to keep cohesive look too. We’re in a Georgian colonial with dentil carried throughout spaces. Our kitchen reno will incorporate it into the range surround and headers over some cabinets while colors used will carry the very BenMoore Williamsburg palette we inherited.if designing just a kitchen, I may not choose these elements, but it’s a part of a home so should flow.
This video reminded me of my art class in the best way! Many of the elements you discussed are also applied to art when you break it down. Design is art, after all🤗
Love how you break down everything into simple terms so us newbies can understand it! Even if I don't like the rooms style, it's easy to appreciate the design of it based on the explanation
I truly wish I could *like* this 5000 times. I'm just about to start a whole house renovation and I woke up this morning feeling so defeated - lost in a myriad of ideas and obligations to existing furniture and objects. But this was JUST what I needed. I'm going to start from scratch, thinking about these principles (I've just written them down) and I'm going to spend my evening going to each room to sketch out and list every element I want to include in my new cohesive living space. No lie - I feel as though you just saved what's left of my sanity! Thank you so much Nick.
When you said "calm down" I laughed out loud! Thank you for the informative and delightful video. Anyone who can make me look around my space, wondering where I can fix problems, has my respect.
Nick . We just moved a few months ago and I just wanted to tell you that your advise has been key in the decoration of our home. Your advise is great for non experts like us. What you do matters and improves the lives of people. Thank you!!
That palm bathroom is from my very fav Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver (Anh and Chi) whose overall design is glorious and food is amazeballs. They have a stained glass motif behind the bar that is to die for
I love learning from you! Lots of designers just put out their personal opinions out there without explaining the principles. I prefer the way you do it.
Brilliant episode! As a photographer, I consider Composition 101 to be the most important class I took as an occasional night student at our museum art school. Rules about rhythm and repetition and encouraging the eye to move around the composition were basics which I’ve long used in my semi-open plan city home. Over time I learned to adapt these “rules” in ways that are not matchy/matchy, but echoing in more subtle ways - that’s when it really gets fun (balancing weights rather than perfect symmetry, referencing hues without using the exact same color, etc. ) My only regret is that I didn’t take the class on 3D composition - would love to hear your ideas on how to use such principles in interior design.
You've provided value to the whole world. You have character, but professional and organized in your delivery. I like your teaching style. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. ❤️
Loved this episode. I decided last week that 2 rooms in my basement need a budget make over. I have been tearing up nasty old carpeting. I am going to live with the concrete floors for a year, but plan to paint over the next few weeks. I cannot change out the faux wood paneling, but I can paint it all the same colour. I can replace the ceiling fixtures and make new window coverings. I had not thought of cohesion between the rooms, as they have very different functions, one wine and TV room, the other a sewing room. One will be a calm space and other a work zone that will get messy. You have given me lots to think about.
My signature style definitely is what I call Modern Craftsman. I'm trying to use straight lines, natural woods, leather, darker metals. It is a lot harder right now because so much farmhouse everywhere with the natural woods, but I'm trying to keep things more Morris Chair and less barndoor...
This is exactly what I needed! An easy way I made my place feel cohesive was matching light bulbs and light fixtures. Simple, cheap update that my guests always compliment and notice.
I love your channel, how you explain in detail in a fun/easy to understand/ learn. I’ve looked on many sights and nothing has helped. I binge watch your channel 🙌
We just bought our first house! It was built in the 70's and it's still in the 70's. I am taking notes every video and they have all been so helpful. I think you should add wood paneling to your list of things that need to go. While house hunting I was surprised by all the wood paneling that's still around.
The quickest, easiest fix for wood paneling is paint. You need to use some sheen in the paint, at least an eggshell or satin - not a flat. If flat is used, it will need a finish of polyurethane or polyacrylic. (Keep in mind polyurethane-which is cheaper- will age over time, developing an amber hue. Polyacrylic does not change color.) Flat paint on paneling will give the walls and the room a "dead" feeling/look. Make sure the paneling is clean and free of grease, a product like "No Sand" can be very helpful. If there is a shiny finish, like a semi-gloss poly, that should be lightly sanded first. Then each groove needs to be trim painted with a brush before using a roller to complete the task. Hanging new drywall is pricey (and messy!) and in an older home, or one that was framed poorly to begin with, hanging drywall is beyond the skill level of many DIYers. This is why there is still paneling on walls! As a house ages, it settles, causing studs and joists to sag and bend almost imperceptibly- until you try to hang drywall on them- and then every minor flaw becomes visible and must be dealt with. Professionals know how to deal with these issues. Before you do anything, figure out a way to loosen and peek behind the paneling. A surprising number of people hung that silly stuff over perfectly good drywall! Holes can be filled and mildew spots cleaned and treated. (Common in a basement) If musty smells are a problem in a basement, paint can have extra protection added to it to stave off mold/mildew. Hope this helps.
Seriously 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 all 👏🏻 your 👏🏻 examples. Your videos are actually helpful and not just a designer talking. They make sense when I’m watching the video, but as soon as I’m trying apply their advice I get lost. I actually remember what you say and show!
Great video Nick. I think it's really important to decide in a colour palette and then literally carry little painted chips with you when you go shopping to get extra pieces. my colours are tied in a little 2" x 2" fan tied in the corner so no mistakes possible!
OH MY GOD!!! The video I have always wanted!!! I have owned my first home for 6 years and it has such challenging features (no light, built like a “shotgun style” house). I feel like there’s such a good opportunity to create a striking visual image on entry but I don’t have any idea how
I think you are brilliant, Nick-not only as a designer, but also as a teacher. As a teacher educator, I recognize all of your many teacher strengths and am impressed. (As a non-designer, I am also very impressed! ;) Thank you for teaching me!
I love your content, we moved homes recently and I wanted a start over as our old home was just a mish mash of stuff. I went with mid-century and I know that I have absorbed soooo much from your channel it’s feels innate now. I am very considered about the pieces that I acquire, cohesion and flow. So many compliments and I hate leaving my house now😊. Ps Your delivery is perfect, subtle sass 💁♂️ but with a calm energy that’s really enjoyable to watch. (I’ll stop fan-girling now 😂)
Nick - lighting designer here, so I do a little of this. The term I like to use with my clients is dialog. All the table lamps in a suite of rooms may not match, but they should share common elements like material, shape, glow, etc. A viewer may only subconsciously realize the relationship, but that dialog is there. And as an interior designer, you have to balance everything a dozen times over!
Great video. Most people do not understand this. I always had my home flowing and cohesive. I have Stickley walnut wood mid century furniture and 1930's vintage art deco accessories including art. Your space looks very cohesive.
Something I’m doing to sort of nail down my style and taste into something I can better define for myself (instead of just getting what is the best quality item I can find within my budget and making it work) is that I’m making little shopping lists on retail websites of items that I like first, without looking at the price at all. I will just go through and pick out all of the things that I find visually appealing and save them separately and then I can look back later and get a clearer picture of what I like and what I need, and I can specify these in my newer searches that include my budget limitations. I’ve already been working on defining my rules/needs for the item so now I can be sure of the aesthetics as well.
Your videos are so good. No music was the best part. Your knowledge is the next best. I watch decorating videos all the time and I'm stuck on yours now. You did it all the very very best! Thank you
Thank you for these great examples of design principles. We moved into our new home ten months ago. It is flimsy and cheap, but I like to say that at least it’s consistently flimsy and cheap. Pretty much everything we do (on a low budget) only improves our space. In a way, that’s liberating in comparison to the architect-designed house we owned before.
In the past my rooms were defined by what colour I painted the walls. God forbid you toss your sweater on a chair and have it clash! Now my room envelopes are more neutral and I change out slipcovers, accessories and pillows for a new look and it works so much better! Thanks for another master class on design!
I love many different design styles and how I cured that is, I started creating junk journals. I keep our home one style and use junk journals to express my love for other styles.. like, industrial, some mid century modern ect. I know it might sound odd, but decor styled junk journaling has really helped me stay grounded in our home!
I have to tell you I was so inspired because for years I have made so many mistakes. It seems so simple the way you have shown how to coordinate pieces , but I feel I’m stupid as I never got it until now. Im looking around my home and seeing what works. Thank you soo much I love your videos.
Thanks! Yeah I like the fun stuff, but I love the educational stuff too. This type of content is more in line with what I did when my channel started and I like doing these videos.
Really love your videos! We are in the process of building a little house in the mountains and are using black metal throughout - door hardware, faucets, towel hooks, cabinet pulls, the metal parts of light fixtures and black stainless steel appliances. It is nice to hear that there’s a sound reason behind doing that.
Really like your examples. Perhaps you could give some pointers on how to refine your design style...that is, for those of us without unlimited budgets, how to go about switching things out to get an attractive and cohesive space?
What other ways do you know of to make your home look cohesive? Comment below and let me know! 👇 Note by the way that you can repeat things that are similar to each other but not the exact same. Creating a unique space that is still cohesive means bringing in elements that speak to each other, without always being the same colour or the exact same material. I hope this video helps!
Repeating elements of your personality throughout a space.
Like a watercolor artist who has a small gallery on one wall and a few others spaced through the house, or someone who loves midcentury as an overall design style but happens to LOVE fabric prints inspired by French styles of the early 19th century. Or a minimalist neutral/Scandi space + super funky light fixtures because those make someone's heart sing.
To design and repetition, I feel you also need to add balance. You need to have a serene of how much of repetition you need of one element and how and what is the most strategic place to have these elements, so they don’t overwhelm or underwhelm their space. While at the same time, tying the place together.
I think having a fairly consistent ratio of positive and negative space throughout a home makes a home feel so cohesive!
Consistent scale
I am slowly starting to practice minimalism and going for a highly edited space. Repeating a minimalist aesthetic across the home (including bathrooms and kitchens), regardless of style, can also help achieve cohesiveness!
One thing I feel you forgot to mention was patience. Don't head out and feel the need to accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. Take time to allow items to fall into place. Feel how the lighting changes over the year. Take time to find hidden treasures that fit in perfectly. Let your space open up to you ♡
Love this!!!
this is the #1 thing i've learned after moving several times. take a breath and let it flow
I struggle with this. Patience is not my strong point
Such good advice, but I am definitely guilty of wanting everything NOW.
@@chandaharkins4418 cheers to that. I think the biggest shift for me was our ability to buy a home. I've had over 20 addresses so I was turning over items I had purchased, never painted anything beyond an accent wall and never was picky about light fixtures and faucets. Now that I get to settle, I'm forcing myself to let things come to me.
The educational is fun too. Even when sassy, you are never bitchy. That's why I subscribed. You give information, advice and opinion and always differentiate between them. Too many content creators basically say "if you have this in your home, you're an idiot" without respect for their viewers varied needs and tastes.
I appreciate that. To me there always has to be a reason behind why I don’t like something, otherwise it’s just bitchy and that’s no fun.
I would enjoy seeing a video on how to incorporate what you have even if it doesn’t match. Also would like to see a video on managing and using many different things in a room. I guess this is maximalism. Yes please. We need help.
This was very useful. Thanks. Maybe in the future you could feature some photos of hodge podge messes and suggest a few changes that would make them less horrible? I feel like that would be useful too.
love this idea!
Yes, please!
i support this!
Oh please Nick, do this. I think it would be even better to present solutions for those of us who can’t realise “I hate it, I’ve goofed”. However we can’t dive in and in a week have new paint, new rugs, new furniture. It would be great to have someone like you detail, (eg) The most urgent thing is…, It will immediately improve the space, until you can…”
That would be great!
This is a 6-month seminar on design in a 12-minute video. Bravo, mister!
Nick PLEASE do more educational videos. You are a gifted teacher. This is the first time I’ve been able to truly understand these concepts. More, please!
You read my mind lol he’s excellent.
This was really helpful. The blue/orange example made me realize that accent colours look good when there's perhaps one large object in the colour (ex. the blue couch), but the other repeating elements of the colour are more subtle and smaller (a bit of blue in the pillows, a bit of blue in the rug etc) so that it doesn't become overly match-y looking. I didn't quite make this connection before.
You're right, excellent point!
Yes, so important to see the colours replicated in big and small ways!
You can also see that the orange carried over into the wooden furniture! The side chairs have an orange undertone, and they also echo the tree trunks visible through the window. It’s a neat touch!
The more detailed image/room breakdown was really helpful - would love to see even more of those. Thanks for all you do!
Love that you always jump right into it!
I could hug you right about now… Feel free to skip the long-read, just know that you are so very appreciated. Your advice has flipped my mood completely and ultimately helped me continue to claw myself out of a dark pit of depression.
Anyhow, I work full time as a 911 emergency police dispatcher, and though I love my job I’ve still been coming home from work nearly every day feeling more worn-down than the last. It got really bad and it was no longer in my control after a while. Then about two months ago I found your channel and ever since then I’ve been making changes to my home environment (and even some of my workspace) little by little, I can already feel the difference it’s made just in my mood. I feel genuine gratitude and I’m happy to be alive again, which is something I had not felt in quite some time. I come home to a place that actually makes me feel good now and it really let’s my *mind* rest itself after a stressful workday. It’s not just the place I plop down to sleep and store my junk at anymore, it’s my *home* ! 🏡
It sounds silly and dramatic but I don’t care, because that’s my true experience. Once I found your channel I felt inspired to make changes to my space for the first time since my depression overtook my will to do just about anything for myself years ago. For whatever reason you made it seem like a simple task I could take on but by bit as I watched your content and it’s made all the difference for my mental health. And at just the right time, too. I was hanging by a thread for so long and I’m freaking blown away by how different I feel today just after upgrading my interior design a bit. Honestly blown away. I guess I just never realized how important aesthetics are to us humans. The psyche is a delicate thing - especially when it comes to visual stimuli. The fact that we have the power to manipulate our environment and cater to our minds’ needs is a very beautiful thing 🌱🪞🛋
Thank you for sharing your insights here. You are very good at what you do, Nick.
I love how enthusiastic you sound! So true about the importance of having a beautiful nest. I hope you’re still doing well.
911 dispatcher :'0 dude I'm sending hugs and well wishes your way
I love that you say how it is!!! You're honest and I agree with you on almost everything. PS- I had my partner watch your last video and he FINALLY agreed to throw out the ugly toilet seat cover. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! ; )
Oh that is time to go! Y'know I had so many people say that no one has those anymore? Now I can confirm that people do!
@@Nick_Lewis Oh yes you are right! I'm still looking for a house to buy, & the fuzzy bathrooms I keep seeing are killing me!
This makes me feel old, but do any of you remember how you used to be able to buy bathroom "carpet" (rubber-backed) by the square foot from Penney's, Sears, etc? And there were about 10 colors to choose from. Then you could also buy a matching toilet cover--to cover both the seat AND the entire tank, as well as small rugs to put on top of the carpet that was the exact same material...LOL, ugh!!
@@Nick_Lewis I do lol. I do my makeup on the vanity while sitting with the toilet lid down ( thought that needed to be specified lol) I tell myself I need it because it’s softer on my bum. Can you work with that?? Or does it have to go immediately??? 😂
@@susanma4899 Yep, I remember them too. I've also torn out a couple of carpeted bathroom floors. Yuck.
Nick, would you ever consider doing a video on maximalism? Particularly the maximalist, colorful interior design that's popped up on Instagram and a few blogs here and there? I almost never see it here on TH-cam. Plus, it seems to be very concentrated in the UK. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I absolutely love it and draw inspiration from it. I'm very much a maximalist and can't wait to design my future home with some of what I've seen in mind.
I really wanted to get this video out first because I think it will really help with Maximalism. So yes! I have so many of these videos to do... Art deco, post modern, coastal and glam (not cheesy), Industrial...
I am WITH YOU. It’s not clutter…it’s cosy, interesting, warm, enveloping… in my quest to simplify my things to a volume I can manage, I am not willing to give up these feelings. I don’t want airy, open, neutral. I want closeness, reminiscence, humor, but livability and (literal, not figurative) cleanness.
@@Nick_Lewis im looking forward to seeing your take on glam and I personally love industrial. Can't wait.
@@ShortRussianArgument what’s her IG handle? I couldn’t find any account called “A Fabeled Thread"
@@ShortRussianArgument never mind I found it. It was “THE fabeled Thread”
Nick, this was one of the best video I’ve seen on your channel and one of the best on decorating I’ve ever seen. Don’t hold back on the educational videos - this was gold!
Nick, One of the main reasons I love your channel is there’s always a 50-50 chance I have just purchased something you’re not…fond of? Lol, But that’s OK. I still adore You and your channel. Thanks Nick.
I really, really enjoyed this format with you pointing out specific examples of exactly what you meant while explaining, instead of just ‘blah, blah, blah’ with us only seeing your face and barely any snippets of the actual style like a lot of TH-camrs do.
👍
This video reminds me of the colors videos (e.g., tints/tones/shades) that first made me a fan-useful information, concise explanation, & effective visuals backing it up. Thanks, Nick!
Thanks so much! Yes I love these educational videos. I love the commentary stuff too, but this is more where my channel started and where I love to go back to from time to time. It's such a fun challenge to think of how I can demonstrate and edit a video to help others learn. Class is in session! 🎓
As a musician, I was always SO confused when designers would reference things like flow and rhythm. Both of those things conceptually have an entirely different meaning to me but their explanations of the two were always relatively vague, which only confused me more. I really appreciate how you've taken the time to really break down the components of a room that make up the rhythm and flow. It helps me reframe my perspective on what those words mean through the lens of design.
LOVE your channel Nick. I've been a single mum for 20 years living in crappy rentals and I'm finally building my own home. It started as industrial decor and has morphed into mid century boho eclectic. I've curated the entire house online (it's not even finished yet). People think I'm nuts with all the vintage pieces I'm buying and the colour combos but you've convinced me my instincts are actually on point. I'm not beige and my house won't be either. Making my own design boards for each room as I bought pieces really helped so I could see how the room was starting to look.
“this room is really getting too yellow…” 😂😂🤣 you’re more hilarious all the time haha! And of course Top notch content is always a given. WIN-win!!!
Once TH-cam is done, please consider teaching or having an online master class on interior design. I think you’d be a great at it and I would very much enroll and pay for it 💚
It’s something I’ve been thinking A LOT about lately
Would you consider virtual interior design consults too?
Agree. Please do a master class on design, etc.
Putting myself on the waitlist for the design masterclass, as well!! 🙏
I used colors and materials and almost everything in my home is handmade so it really gives it that original artistic boho vibe. There's natural wood colour in each room, metal art pieces, there's something cane and rattan in each room, plants.
That sounds beautiful! Wish I could see it 😊
uuh, yes, plants are also a great way to tie different rooms together! Plus they will produce offshoots themself, that you can place throughout your home.
Yes, I adore my boho & elegant home!
💙😁✌🏽
The "bloop" and "fwwpp" transitions between your visuals really spark joy.
Nick, I went through and binge watched all of your videos. I’ve made my fiancé watch because we’re slowly upgrading our new plain builder grade house. You’re great at concisely explaining things. You rock and are my fav TH-camr! ❤️
The silver fox hair, grey shirt, and metallic clock.... Not a coincidence :) great video, learned a few things very quickly, well done
I love it here!😂😂 This is where I come to get the "subtlety of shadiness" that I need.😂😂
your hones commentary!!!! No gimmicks or music needed
Love this video, Nick! (Actually, I love them all) This is how I designed all the spaces I have lived in, so I always feel “at home.” I have some objects I have owned up to 50 years, and they still bring me joy and make me feel grounded. Although my style has evolved, I have always liked certain looks…like rattan, brass, and bamboo.
Like a few other commenters I have items that I love and have for 50 years. I love cobalt blue, walnut, glass and copper. I try to create vignettes with a combination of some but not all of the design elements that transition to another vignette with a similar but different combination of the design elements.
My kitchen has all four of these elements. I have a collection of blue ceramics made by local artisans, vintage prints with small amounts of blue that also introduce some red which is repeated in other artwork and my red/white Italian splash mixing bowls. I do like a touch of whimsy that is expressed in a custom mug collection made by a local artisan. They are rustic and have either sarcastic messages (“bite me”) or a nod to Dr Who (“spoilers”, “don’t blink”, “timey wimey”. I also have a TARDIS cookie jar that was given to me that holds dog treats). I have walnut countertops, glass storage jars and a few copper containers.
I have another vintage print in the transition to the living room that includes the blue but also touches of “walnut” brown, black and a golden tan color. The room contains some walnut furniture, golden woven baskets with plants, various blue ceramic plant containers on the bookshelves and black metal lighting fixtures. design elements.
All the rooms in my tiny condo contain some elements of blue color and walnut to tie them together but each room has a different color element introduced to distinguish them from the other rooms and use the various items I’ve accumulated over the decades. (Red in the kitchen, tan in the living room and terracotta in the bedroom). I chosen black metal fixtures that are used in all rooms.
My home is never going to be featured in a magazine but it is filled with items that are personal and meaningful to me. I’ve tried to use the design principles I learned in college to organize the spaces and bring a non cluttered, non chaotic ambience.
'The kitchen looking like a farm and the bathroom looking like a beach'... Nick, you seriously crack me up. I love interior design - have a flair for it - and am getting addicted to your channel. My wee place was finished a year ago but it's interesting coming here to see if I do in fact tick those boxes. I have rooms painted in different colours but even these need to flow together.
The bits of yellow you refer to at the end of the vid, I call the accent colour. Mine is burnt orange. The thing is not to overdo it.
In my first apartment, I had a counter in my kitchen that doubled as an eating area. My husband decided to split the living room into two separate spaces. We had a big window so that opened up the space. I used natural colors wood, plants, etc. My clients who would come over for massage always complemented our space. We just move across the country starting ALL OVER again. Patience is key happy decorating!
Watching October 2021 in Washington State. This is the best of his videos, so far, in a nutshell. In my opinion.
I really like how you express your dislike for something without sounding pompous and superior. I am the opposite but I am learning from you.
LOVE the educational side of your videos. I also appreciate so much how you include suggestions about trends that you don’t care for personally. That just makes me trust you even more because it’s important to be objective when talking about design and obviously not everyone has the same taste. Unless it’s regarding furry toilet seats.
You Bring Peace and Beauty to an Unstable World !🙂🙂🙂
Interior design school right here!!! Thanks Nick
Loved this nice strategy involving repeating color, texture, shape, and other material around the house. I realized at the seasoned age of 53 that I have liked the same colors, shapes, and textures since I was 4. I have never shaken an image of my grandmother's earthy flowered 1970s cloth napkins (dark brown, tiny pastel flowers). Nor have I shaken this fairy tail image c. 1980 of a women in a light blue green gray cotton/ linen/ or hemp capped sleeve, button down dress that was in Life magazine when I was 10. I have I also have loved copper and brushed nickel since I first saw them in the 1990s on fixtures. I put blue grey on all of my interior doors and orange and linen show up frequently. I was enamored with arts and crafts homes when I moved to a Frank Lloyd Wright area 30 years ago. I feared that my stickly pieces would go out of favor, so I gave them away. I get embarrassed about it, and a bit teased by family for being predictable. I resisted buying more white oak furniture, but gave in recently.
Your implicit message, Nick, seems to be to identify your personal motifs and distribute them around your home to connect your style... When they fall in favor, buy. When they fall out of favor, who cares? Ive resisted putting up these little owl pictures, since owls were a thing, but I also have my grandmother's piece of hanging owl ceramic art. I think I'll add all of these when I finish painting.
I always find myself nodding to myself (not nodding off) when watching your videos. You're very common-sense and practical, yet with an artist's eye. Love your channel.
I’m so glad you did this video. Yes to cohesive. Cohesive is my type of “fengshui”, I personally don’t believe in fenfshui, but I do believe having repetitive colour / theme/ texture can really makes the space harmony and looking peaceful and stylish. It’s the same concept when styling fashion too. I just love when I see colours being cohesive in the space/ painting/fashion, and often admire those designers clever work. Great video as always
I am in love with Japandi, having learned about it here. I'm getting ready to start redoing my entire space (1 room at a time). I've learned so much today and on this channel that I can't wait to get started. ❤
I love the look of it! But couldn’t do it in my house because I love knickknacks too much 😆
I didn't realize that is what I was doing e.g. my kitchen has stainless appliances, 3 spaced out light fixtures have either a stainless/chrome rod or a line at the top, window pulls same etc. Thank you.
I enjoy watching Nick’s channel along with a few others after a long day...accompanied by wine. And COHESIVE is my sipping word. A bottle later...? Time for bed!! Lol
My youngest daughter just bought her first home. I've been sending her your videos. I'm so excited to see how she puts together her new place. 😊
I am seeing a lot of triangles that connect each piece and color. That concept is used in
Japanese gardening. It feels cohesive and that the designer really knows what they are doing.
This is the best interior design video I have ever seen, i finally know what it means when they say this ties with that, or there’s flow and cohesion in this space.
Trim, molding, casements etc are excellent ways to keep cohesive look too. We’re in a Georgian colonial with dentil carried throughout spaces. Our kitchen reno will incorporate it into the range surround and headers over some cabinets while colors used will carry the very BenMoore Williamsburg palette we inherited.if designing just a kitchen, I may not choose these elements, but it’s a part of a home so should flow.
This video reminded me of my art class in the best way! Many of the elements you discussed are also applied to art when you break it down. Design is art, after all🤗
Love how you break down everything into simple terms so us newbies can understand it! Even if I don't like the rooms style, it's easy to appreciate the design of it based on the explanation
I truly wish I could *like* this 5000 times. I'm just about to start a whole house renovation and I woke up this morning feeling so defeated - lost in a myriad of ideas and obligations to existing furniture and objects. But this was JUST what I needed. I'm going to start from scratch, thinking about these principles (I've just written them down) and I'm going to spend my evening going to each room to sketch out and list every element I want to include in my new cohesive living space.
No lie - I feel as though you just saved what's left of my sanity! Thank you so much Nick.
Goodness Nick your channel has exploded. I love that even here in Australia I can adapt what you are saying to fit with our lifestyle and stores.
Great video! I would love to see a follow up to this where you show rooms that aren't cohesive and tell/show us what you would do to make them better.
When you said "calm down" I laughed out loud! Thank you for the informative and delightful video. Anyone who can make me look around my space, wondering where I can fix problems, has my respect.
I really like how you repeated the color and shape of the circle of the clock behind you in your sweatshirt :)) How cohesive!
Nick . We just moved a few months ago and I just wanted to tell you that your advise has been key in the decoration of our home. Your advise is great for non experts like us. What you do matters and improves the lives of people. Thank you!!
Blue and Orange with a touch of cream are my favourite combinations.
I love your cadence. I'm learning a lot from you, and your humor is on point.
I rewatch this wayy too often. Thank you Nick
That palm bathroom is from my very fav Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver (Anh and Chi) whose overall design is glorious and food is amazeballs. They have a stained glass motif behind the bar that is to die for
I love learning from you! Lots of designers just put out their personal opinions out there without explaining the principles. I prefer the way you do it.
I am taking notes, this video is the one everyone should start with. 😊👍✍
I love the way you explain these design concepts
Brilliant episode! As a photographer, I consider Composition 101 to be the most important class I took as an occasional night student at our museum art school. Rules about rhythm and repetition and encouraging the eye to move around the composition were basics which I’ve long used in my semi-open plan city home. Over time I learned to adapt these “rules” in ways that are not matchy/matchy, but echoing in more subtle ways - that’s when it really gets fun (balancing weights rather than perfect symmetry, referencing hues without using the exact same color, etc. ) My only regret is that I didn’t take the class on 3D composition - would love to hear your ideas on how to use such principles in interior design.
You've provided value to the whole world. You have character, but professional and organized in your delivery. I like your teaching style. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. ❤️
Loved this episode. I decided last week that 2 rooms in my basement need a budget make over. I have been tearing up nasty old carpeting. I am going to live with the concrete floors for a year, but plan to paint over the next few weeks. I cannot change out the faux wood paneling, but I can paint it all the same colour. I can replace the ceiling fixtures and make new window coverings.
I had not thought of cohesion between the rooms, as they have very different functions, one wine and TV room, the other a sewing room. One will be a calm space and other a work zone that will get messy.
You have given me lots to think about.
This is very educational and fun.Reason why I always comeback to your channel Nick.
My signature style definitely is what I call Modern Craftsman. I'm trying to use straight lines, natural woods, leather, darker metals. It is a lot harder right now because so much farmhouse everywhere with the natural woods, but I'm trying to keep things more Morris Chair and less barndoor...
This is exactly what I needed! An easy way I made my place feel cohesive was matching light bulbs and light fixtures. Simple, cheap update that my guests always compliment and notice.
Thank you for being so clear & concise about the this topic.
Very enlightening & useful.
Please do a video on mixing metals!!! Always thought I have to pick one and stick with it! I'm intrigued!
I love your channel, how you explain in detail in a fun/easy to understand/ learn. I’ve looked on many sights and nothing has helped. I binge watch your channel 🙌
Very helpful, especially for design challenged persons such as myself.
I absolutely LOVE your channel! You truly are an amazing teacher and I have learned so much from you. ❤
We just bought our first house! It was built in the 70's and it's still in the 70's. I am taking notes every video and they have all been so helpful. I think you should add wood paneling to your list of things that need to go. While house hunting I was surprised by all the wood paneling that's still around.
Oh lord hun! My house too! I have wood paneling covering old wood paneling. 🙄
The quickest, easiest fix for wood paneling is paint. You need to use some sheen in the paint, at least an eggshell or satin - not a flat. If flat is used, it will need a finish of polyurethane or polyacrylic. (Keep in mind polyurethane-which is cheaper- will age over time, developing an amber hue. Polyacrylic does not change color.) Flat paint on paneling will give the walls and the room a "dead" feeling/look.
Make sure the paneling is clean and free of grease, a product like "No Sand" can be very helpful. If there is a shiny finish, like a semi-gloss poly, that should be lightly sanded first. Then each groove needs to be trim painted with a brush before using a roller to complete the task.
Hanging new drywall is pricey (and messy!) and in an older home, or one that was framed poorly to begin with, hanging drywall is beyond the skill level of many DIYers. This is why there is still paneling on walls! As a house ages, it settles, causing studs and joists to sag and bend almost imperceptibly- until you try to hang drywall on them- and then every minor flaw becomes visible and must be dealt with. Professionals know how to deal with these issues.
Before you do anything, figure out a way to loosen and peek behind the paneling. A surprising number of people hung that silly stuff over perfectly good drywall! Holes can be filled and mildew spots cleaned and treated. (Common in a basement) If musty smells are a problem in a basement, paint can have extra protection added to it to stave off mold/mildew.
Hope this helps.
@@tinamcnalley2575 Great tips and insights when faced with paneling.
Brilliant on explaining cohesive
Seriously 👏🏻 love 👏🏻 all 👏🏻 your 👏🏻 examples. Your videos are actually helpful and not just a designer talking. They make sense when I’m watching the video, but as soon as I’m trying apply their advice I get lost. I actually remember what you say and show!
Great video Nick. I think it's really important to decide in a colour palette and then literally carry little painted chips with you when you go shopping to get extra pieces. my colours are tied in a little 2" x 2" fan tied in the corner so no mistakes possible!
Extraordinarily enlightening and useful! This was just the information I need right now.
OH MY GOD!!! The video I have always wanted!!! I have owned my first home for 6 years and it has such challenging features (no light, built like a “shotgun style” house). I feel like there’s such a good opportunity to create a striking visual image on entry but I don’t have any idea how
I think you are brilliant, Nick-not only as a designer, but also as a teacher. As a teacher educator, I recognize all of your many teacher strengths and am impressed. (As a non-designer, I am also very impressed! ;) Thank you for teaching me!
I just want to say that I appreciate the fact that you spelled colour the British way.
He is Canadian, not American
Color lol
I love repetition! You’re awesome Nick!!!
Thank you Nick! Got some great ideas on how to change the house up so things flow a bit better. You can never have enough education.
That clock!!! 😍
I love your content, we moved homes recently and I wanted a start over as our old home was just a mish mash of stuff. I went with mid-century and I know that I have absorbed soooo much from your channel it’s feels innate now. I am very considered about the pieces that I acquire, cohesion and flow. So many compliments and I hate leaving my house now😊.
Ps
Your delivery is perfect, subtle sass 💁♂️ but with a calm energy that’s really enjoyable to watch. (I’ll stop fan-girling now 😂)
Nick - lighting designer here, so I do a little of this. The term I like to use with my clients is dialog. All the table lamps in a suite of rooms may not match, but they should share common elements like material, shape, glow, etc. A viewer may only subconsciously realize the relationship, but that dialog is there. And as an interior designer, you have to balance everything a dozen times over!
Great video. Most people do not understand this. I always had my home flowing and cohesive. I have Stickley walnut wood mid century furniture and 1930's vintage art deco accessories including art. Your space looks very cohesive.
Something I’m doing to sort of nail down my style and taste into something I can better define for myself (instead of just getting what is the best quality item I can find within my budget and making it work) is that I’m making little shopping lists on retail websites of items that I like first, without looking at the price at all. I will just go through and pick out all of the things that I find visually appealing and save them separately and then I can look back later and get a clearer picture of what I like and what I need, and I can specify these in my newer searches that include my budget limitations. I’ve already been working on defining my rules/needs for the item so now I can be sure of the aesthetics as well.
Lol love the you don't want a farm in the kitchen and a beach in the bathroom. Agreeeed
Your videos are so good. No music was the best part. Your knowledge is the next best. I watch decorating videos all the time and I'm stuck on yours now.
You did it all the very very best! Thank you
I love that stand under the tv
2:42 ...and in the drinks on either side of the couch! LOL
Thank you for these great examples of design principles. We moved into our new home ten months ago. It is flimsy and cheap, but I like to say that at least it’s consistently flimsy and cheap. Pretty much everything we do (on a low budget) only improves our space. In a way, that’s liberating in comparison to the architect-designed house we owned before.
I think it's almost liberating. :) Enjoy your new place!
In the past my rooms were defined by what colour I painted the walls. God forbid you toss your sweater on a chair and have it clash! Now my room envelopes are more neutral and I change out slipcovers, accessories and pillows for a new look and it works so much better! Thanks for another master class on design!
All your info is so spot on and down to earth.
I love many different design styles and how I cured that is, I started creating junk journals. I keep our home one style and use junk journals to express my love for other styles.. like, industrial, some mid century modern ect. I know it might sound odd, but decor styled junk journaling has really helped me stay grounded in our home!
I have to tell you I was so inspired because for years I have made so many mistakes. It seems so simple the way you have shown how to coordinate pieces , but I feel I’m stupid as I never got it until now. Im looking around my home and seeing what works. Thank you soo much I love your videos.
Great video! I enjoy the educational videos. You are a good teacher.
Thanks! Yeah I like the fun stuff, but I love the educational stuff too. This type of content is more in line with what I did when my channel started and I like doing these videos.
Really love your videos! We are in the process of building a little house in the mountains and are using black metal throughout - door hardware, faucets, towel hooks, cabinet pulls, the metal parts of light fixtures and black stainless steel appliances. It is nice to hear that there’s a sound reason behind doing that.
Really like your examples. Perhaps you could give some pointers on how to refine your design style...that is, for those of us without unlimited budgets, how to go about switching things out to get an attractive and cohesive space?
Thank you. I have a hard time with this skill & i really appreciate this.
I really love your videos, no background music, no trying to be cute and funny, just clarity. Appreciate these very much. Thank you.