Former librarian here. Color blocking is so painful for me. Mine are all by subject, of course. It can look nice, yes, but I have a hard time seeing books as decor.
Current librarian here and I - gasp - colorblock! Well, some of my books. Truth be told I have probably 10 different organization systems for the 1000ish books across our house (I'm partnered to a antiquarian book enthusiast) and you know what?: I love and use my books so I know exactly where they are regardless of how they're organized. I don't care much for the books-solely-as-decor thing that's going on a lot right now, but I don't think there's anything wrong with arranging your books so that they have some sort of aesthetic sensibility.
@@AthalieM agreed. I used to be a bookseller, am a lit masters student, books are basically my life and... mine are arranged by color! Reason being: I read a ton. sometimes I cannot, for the life of me, remember the title or author of a book. but, for some reason, I recall the color (since I "see" it so often when reading it, much more so than say the title). so, actually, sorting them by color is a foolproof way for me to always find what I am lloking for - despite the haters ;)
Colour blocking can be fine; it's the buying of books strictly for colour/decor that screams lack of imagination. I personally organize by subject: travel, history, art, Indigenous works etc.
My bathroom has 2 windows and a vent and wallpaper. No problems. They also make it for bathrooms and you can always try temporary wallpaper. Wallpaper can give a bathroom a whole new look.
When my mom was a teenager she made paper covers for all of her hard cover books and water colored them different colors. It might be an idea for someone who is attached to the idea of a color coordinated bookshelf without sacrificing organization.
Finally someone came for pampas grass! Other factors: it is super messy, and flammable. The beige crowd were making pampas grass Christmas trees which are a terrifying fire hazard!
@@jennie9 We get new ones from our garden every year. They don't get very dusty, maybe it just depends on where they sit. I'm not sure about the allergy factor either; I have (mild) hay fever but having pampas grass in the house never bothered me.
Picked my pampas grass from the field next to my house and apart from the day i set it up where it got a little messy, there is no mess if you don't touch it. Aldo it's cute in a vase, free for many of us and last a long time.
What about when they are alive in the garden? I want to plant some for privacy reasons so my neighbors cannot overlook in my yard plus they are very beautiful when pink. Do you know also what climate they like to live in?
Not to mention the ripped clothes with the drawer pulls, but the rage you feel when your sweater catches and you are instantly pulled backwards, you drop your food, and drawer flies open. They’re the worst.
After having made that mistake, on my next kitchen I put in cup pulls on my drawers and I never have to worry about tearing clothes or being lassoed by a drawer pull and dropping whatever I'm carrying.
it is bad for the hinges and edges of the drawers too. Especially if you are just trying to beautify some older or cheaper cabinets instead of buying new ones.
I can't believe pampas grass has made a comeback! We used it in the 70's and it was a pain. You have to spray it with hairspray to stop the flowers from shedding all over the place, and Nick is correct, it collects dust like crazy & you can't shake it off because the thing falls apart. I hate the thought of colour coding my bookshelves - that way lays chaos! My books are arranged by genre and author (not alphabetical) and series are kept together.
My rule of thumb when it comes to books is to group them according to the genre: one shelf for fiction, one for nonfiction, one for poetry etc. If you're a reader, you'll fill all of those. That way, color is irrelelvant because you know why it's on that particular shelf.
Thank you for mentioning the backwards books! That has been driving us crazy, its like putting up a sign that say’s: “Nobody in this house reads’! It’s on so many of the HGTV shows and in magazines-ridiculous!
I was hardcore anti-colorbolock- I am a reader with several hundred books and they were categorized by subject and alphabetical by author. Then my apartment was staged for selling and I had to grit my teeth and reminding myself it was only temporary and that, yes, it made the space look a lot nicer and less cluttered. And then a few months went by and I realized I really love it. Few things I learned: it's really not that hard to find book if you are actually an active reader/ know your collection: just go to the shelf with that 'color'. The reality is you are only ever reading what you are reading and those books aren't on the shelf so any book on the shelf really is just being stored. It never took more more time to find a book colorblocked that when it was in a more systematic order. Second thing: while I love having a nice collection of books, I am also someone who aggressively declutters throughout the year and I realized that there were many books I kept just because I had them for years in their one spot, but when they were all moved around and I could see them outside their normal context, some books would just visually jump put as something I was ready to part with! i am moving soon and I think I will spend a week or two styling them both ways and see what I would rather have going forward, but there is a good possibility that I will stay with colorblocking.
I had the opposite experience. I'm not only a reader, I work with books (and also have a not so small speck of obsesiveness in my personality). One day, I had to choose between practicality and aesthetics, and practicality won. Organizing by subject and by author not only makes my work easier, it prevents my shelfs look like a mess when I'm working on a particular project, and my desk is more tidy in general.
Great point! I've also found that I won't remember the name or even author of a book but might think "but I know it's blue!" then color blocking can make it a bit easier to find.
"Pampas Grass or Pompous Grass..." SOLID joke. 😂 And THANK YOU for the commentary on the drawer pulls! I rented a house with the open-ended ones & I was always wrecking my clothes.
A very important aspect of home decor is ease of maintenance. I so wish we could make practical spaces an "aesthetic" on social media because they can certainly be beautiful too.
Great list. Here are my additions: * the less grout, the better, * skylights are future, drippy, water features, * gaps between the vanity and the wall (or freestanding tub) are a hard-to-reach location for dust and grime (unless you have a big, spacious bathroom), * after installation, carpets will never be clean (they can only be slightly less dirty than before vacuuming or rug doctor-ing)
I have a functional kitchen. I think those T-bar door pulls are dangerous. I could imagine picking up a pot of boiling spaghetti noodles to drain in the sink, catching on a pull & spilling it all over.
We have those drawer pulls! I have had a permanent bruise on my leg for the past three years from it catching on my lower cabinet hardware. So dangerous and sooo painful! Just got some new ones. Such a relief! ~Michelle
Odd, I've had T bars in all of my kitchens, but the possibility of getting snagged on them never entered my mind; it just hasn't happened to me. Ever. And I'm not particularly careful around the kitchen either. But I've always built my kitchens with the countertop having a slight overhang, 4cm or so (more than the ones in this video). As a result, the handles don't stick out so much.
The pampas grass, which in Texas we pronounce the pamp as camp, is a blast from my past. At the risk of dating myself, I will own that we had this in our house in the 70s, as did all the design-conscious families. Or, mothers of those families. I remember my mother, God rest her soul, and one of her girlfriends happily trespassing onto one of the medians in our neighborhood where this grew and helping themselves to stalk after stalk, being careful not to behead any one plant entirely. They were, at least, considerate thieves, the nobly explained, and were giddy with excitement over their theft as they proceeded to arrange it in large urn-shaped baskets. From that point on, it was a dusting and vacuuming nightmare. I don't remember any allergies, even though it is a grass (pampas grass) but the little fluff-covered seeds detach and end up everywhere, because that is what God designed them to do. Detach and land somewhere else and grow into a new plant. Whenever it was my turn to vacuum, I always considered whether it would be worth the punishment to just suck up the whole lot and call it an accident. But, finally the day came when even mom had had enough. This was long after the trend had died and our once glorious stand of pampas grass was looking shaggy and brown. I asked for the umpteenth time whether I could bag that mess up and get it out of the house and Mom said yes. I still wonder how long it would have stayed had I not persisted. And, I certainly never would have believed that I would see it make a comeback. Will we never learn? Thanks for including it in this list, Nick. ~ Lisa
Not to mention the fact that the different pampas grass is causing native plants to disappear in various parts of the country. Most have a 2 layer rooting system and are VERY hard to get rid of in the wild.
@@kathywiseman7944 A year or so ago a young couple bought the house next to ours. The first thing the young man did was dig out the little stand of pampas grass someone had planted in the middle of the front yard. It was only a couple of feet around but it took him days to get it all out. Bless his heart.
I appreciate your perspective on color blocking. I’m a researcher and faculty member as well as an avid reader. Interestingly enough, I tend to remember books by their color - for instance, if I’m trying to recall a specific analytical method, I’ll see the book’s color in my mind without even thinking of the author. I’ve been this way since I was a child. For this reason, I’ve been color-blocking my books for well over 10 years now, because it’s supportive of how my brain works. Yes, it looks aesthetically pleasing, but it’s actually because doing so is quite practical for me.
I can do this too! I have a very good color memory - that being said I like the organization aspect of grouping things together by genre and then alphabetically, partially because it’s easy to find them, but it’s mostly because I don’t want a giant rainbow in my neutral, warm, earthy-toned room 😅
Back in the 1950s, Peg Bracket wrote that one of her friends remembered books by their colour and organized them that way, rather than by author or title. I group by size so the shelf heights are maximized, and SKU them in a database.
Yes! Did you ever get really confused when you had to use a different edition or use it without the dust sleeve? It’s like a completely different book!
I think this reason for colour blocking is the only one that I as a reader will support. Everyone’s brains work a bit different. The majority of people who colour block their books are doing it for the aesthetic and to get likes and approval from social media. I agree with Nick that for me it is impractical.
My boss organized all the books in her office by color because she is able to remember the color of the cover more easily than the author or title, especially since a lot of the reference books have similar names. It's been a great system for us.
I think that turning books backwards is really for people who are into decor, but not reading. I don’t believe those books ever get read again. And the overlapping shower doors are the bane of my existence. We have replaced them in every single home eventually.
Turning books backwards is asinine. Why not just bundle up your recycling (sandwich old cut-up newspaper between book-sized cardboard)? Wait - if that shows up on Netflix, I want credit!
I am a reader. In fact, I have a Ph.D. and study the written word (education policy). I used to feel the same about the color blocked book shelves. Was kinda holier-than-thou about it (in my own head) to be honest. I organize my many many books by genre. About a year ago I was culling out my shelves and started color blocking within each genre. I actually loved it! Was so soothing somehow. It's no more difficult to find what I need - maybe easier since I often can picture the cover on a book I am looking for. AND a few days ago I hosted a Galentines party and loved easily pulling the red & pink spine books to help decorate my living room shelves (not my main book shelves, those are elsewhere). Looks so cute! And it drew my guest to the shelves to browse the titles in a way they never did when I just had my random current reads there. I have to say, I'm a convert.
It's interesting that you said people were drawn to the books more when colour blocked, as I've noticed the same thing at my work! I work in a library and usually am the one making the displays, and I noticed some time ago that when I made colour themed book displays, so many more people would go over to look at them and end up borrowing, more than other types of displays I've made. They're my favourite displays to make now, because they're so impactful.
The one book trend I can’t get with is all of the spines facing in so the pages are exposed. How are you supposed to know which is which?!? That’s a sign that someone doesn’t actually read to me lol 😂 I get turning around the books you’ve read but ALL OF THEM?
The lounge in my apartment building had books in a bookcase and many of them were turned inward. I wanted to strangle the person who put the books in like that! 😂😂😂
As a person with very visual (and generally bad) memory, sorting my books by colour is actually super practical because I'm way more likely to remember what a book looks like than the author's name or the full title 😄
I really don't like the gatekeeping that goes on with disliking color blocked bookshelves. Is someone not a "real reader" because of how they organize their books? It's not a reference library. Let people enjoy their thing in the way that makes them happy.
Pampas grass is also highly invasive and almost impossible to eradicate once established. Not a good idea to bring it into your home or plant anywhere on your property, however cool it looks.
That's something I've been extra careful with as I have a garden. The only plants I'll have inside, are either some kind of cactus or succulent that doesn't spread, or plants for food. The last two things I bought were a Christmas cactus, and some parsley, so those look good, are easy to care for, and won't shed seeds everywhere.
The book thing has bothered me since I started watching interior decor videos. Have you seen Ariel Bissett? She is big in to books and she is also one of the few to not do weird things with books. For us, our books are organized by subject basically. The shelves in my living room where guests see the most, I have old books that I have actually read and books that I find interesting, and read, such as ones about dogs. A small handful of my favorite cookbooks are there. I hate when interior design people cut up books to make in to crafts or pile things on top of books that could damage the books (think candles and things that have liquid in them). And of course, why bother to have or buy books one would never ever read?
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is called out for having a fantastic library full of books that the pages hadn't been cut yet. Your comment about color blocking reminded me of this. Books as decor, not for readers.
I have my fiction books colour blocked. I don’t keep fiction after l read it except for special favourites. I buy tons at garage sales and thrift stores. I really like “ wandering” my fiction shelves to pick my next read. I have a large six section full wall of shelves and cabinets. The two end units are my non fiction…cooking, gardening, art, travel. With such a large wall of books l need to group somehow or it is just cluttered.
one of my least favorite impractical home decor topic is with plants. example: plants on top of the kitchen cabinet that drape in front of the cabinet doors. like Nick said, great idea if you don't actually use your kitchen, but so stupid for everyone else. Also plants in bathrooms. i'm not talking about plants on the windowsill or or on the back of the toilet, i'm talking a damn ficus in the tub or a massive potted plant that 'brightens up' the space of 24sq ft apartment bathroom. its madness. or the quintessential pintrest bathroom that has every surface covered with a potted plant that WILL be knocked over every 10 seconds.
This is so me but in a different way. I got into houseplants through learning interior design and after all that I've learned over collecting plants for the past 5~ months I can never look at plant decor in the home the same again. Like, what the hell is a succulent (that requires full sun) doing tucked away on a bookshelf 10 feet away from a window? And now I take a second glance at every plant in a space and I get to notice clear signs of neglect
The cabinet pull section is something that brought back found memories. In my 50+ years of cooking and watching my mom always getting caught was an experience I will never forget. She was a big user of aprons and cooking coverups where she constantly was either caught or ripped the pockets. Kind of funny now but that was something that always stuck with me. Happy you mentioned that certain pulls and drawer knobs should be avoided at all costs in the kitchen! Love watching you!
My apartment is FULL of them! All over the kitchen and bathroom. They always catch on my phone lanyard, and send my smartphone rocketing toward the ground. 🤬
I colour-blocked my books during a feverish bout of covid (insanity, yes!). And I have a LOT of books! It's really pretty, and funnily enough, I haven't had too hard a time finding books. I guess I remember books more by their cover, than by title or author! I may put them back in order by author/topic one day, but I'm still enjoying the rainbow, for now :)
I think for visual people color-blocking works fine. I am the type of person to remember someone's face but not their name, so color-blocking would probably work in the same way.
I first saw the color blocking for books on "The Home Edit." However, it was children's books, and it makes sense in a space for children. I did color blocking for my closet, and I am really glad that I did it! It makes putting away and finding my clothes easier!
I first saw it on Vlogbrothers with Hank Green's shelf of rainbow books. But I never looked that closely at it, and I'd imagine he'd have books he's actually reading in another spot. He's had that for a while. When I was a kid, if I had books that didn't have an order to be read it (like the same series and characters, but no continuing story, I'd usually put them by colour. Same with CD cases. My dad got a bunch of those colourful jewel cases for the computer games that came in cereal boxes, so I'd have all my games in different coloured cases in order by colour.
I make book review videos, and watch a lot of videos from book reviewers. A ton of them do color blocked books. Me personally, I reorganized my entire home library to be color blocked and then organized it back a week later because I was too frustrated
I recently built a custom home. Our old kitchen had knobs and t-pulls and it was a disaster to cook in. I can’t tell you how many belt loops got ripped off or shirts got caught and ripped. It was a nightmare! I banned t-pulls AND knobs on all of my cabinets and drawers in my new home and installed pulls on everything (even in the bathrooms and custom built-in dressers I put in all the bedroom closets) It is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye and I’m no longer fighting with my cabinets and drawers because they are trying to “grab” me.
With T-bar pulls you not only get your clothing ruined, but you can also get a nice collection of blue-red-violet bruises when moving quickly around. And the pampas grass is one of those first class dust collectors, impossible to really get it free of dust.
Growing up we use packing paper to cover textbooks and all other books to protect the front and back to be pristine and discreet. The creative ones would add sketches, doodles, or calligraphy to decorate. Gift paper works, but not long lasting. It’d be interesting to use white, black, and khaki color packing paper to cover books to reduce bookshelf’s visual clutter.
I thought about doing this at one point to reduce the visual clutter but realized very quickly how impractical it is to do with several hundred books! It would look great with a relatively small number of books in a specific room though.
I fully agree with your comment regarding drawer pulls. Another consideration beyond clothing getting caught in them is electrical cords. Most kitchens have a variety of corded appliances and the last thing anyone needs is a cord getting tangled on those handles as you are working with scalding hot food. i.e. using an immersion blender in a pot of soup.
Color blocking one’s existing books might be fine in terms of practicality but I’ve once seen an interior design “tip” about BUYING (fake) books in specific colors to fit one’s decor 😮 Now that is not practical at all!!!
My mother had one series of old books who were color blocked and were strictly used as decor.( I don't even know what the topic was, a documentation of a group of simposiums or whatever. No one ever read those.) They looked nice, and while I am obsessed with books - if you have enough space on your book shelves - I would recommend just having a series like that. For the nice visual. But that's it for my taste. Even visually, more color blocking than that (just one shelf) I would find too much. And I do arrange my books visually, because I generally don't forget their positions on my bookshelves, so I don't need a a strict f.e. alphabetical organization. I guess I'm just not too much into color blocking. Probably, I automatically think of unread books when I see that. But to each their own.
What’s the purpose of having books if you don’t read them or reference them from time to time or you’ve at least read them before, so you have happy memories of them? If they mean nothing to you beyond decor, they just seem like dust magnets to me. If you enjoy your books, they’re worth keeping, but if you just want something for the aesthetic, I’d say go more minimalist and put a few items on the shelves. Easier to dust than 100 books. As someone with horrendous allergies, I strongly dislike dust magnets. Plus, despite what Danny Tanner tried to convince us, cleaning is not fun.
Yes, some TH-camrs do that. They read cheap crappy paperbacls then buy old books they will never pick up based on the look of their covers. Ultimate Americans
I ALWAYS use exterior paint, particularly in a bathroom. With lower VOC's it's a non issue with smells. It stands up to moisture, cleans really well, doesn't fade if you have skylights. Matte on ceiling, or satin on ceiling and walls also you can add M1 mildewcide to the paint if you have a small bathroom prone to mold or mildew to inhibit growth. I also put in a heat lamp light fixture with an exhaust fan to help quickly dry out my shower after use.😍
The people that had the house before us actually made the shower stall ceiling wood. Since we couldn't afford to tear it out at that point I used marine paint to keep it semi safe. Worked a charm.
I'm in the transition hover prepping my new apartment in an independent living location. You have been very helpful to this 74-year-old. I'd love to hear of vendors who design for the oldies. We have different needs but still like to be styling.
"Oldies" Yes, this would be a great topic to cover. How do you make things accessible for people with different abilities, but not look like an institution? Not just "oldies" as you put it, but many people struggle with too high cupboards, too low seating, getting in and out of the tub without falling etc. Are the robot vacuums worth it for those who cannot do it for themselves? Smaller dishwashers for those living alone, cute dishes/glasses/cups that are easy to handle and unbreakable, there is along list this topic could cover.
As someone with kids I LOVE color blocked books! It decreases the visual stimulation and they easily know where their favorites are. However…once you get into a series/not children’s books that’s where it falls apart. So, having a kids bookshelf that’s color blocked and a non-kid bookshelf that’s by series/type/alphabetical is great.
My Dad worked in an office with the drawer pulls that had the little pieces sticking out, and tore out a pocket out of his suit jacket. He took a hack saw and cut the little extensions off all of them. Maybe it didn't look great, but he didn't really care.
I had a metal desk at work and tore several pairs of pants on the sharp corner. I tried to find something to cover it (kinda like baby proofing) but nothing worked, usually too thick, so I finally ended up using duck tape. My boss didn't like it, my desk was in a classroom, but they weren't paying for my pants.
Omg lol the pulls!!!! I get snagged on them alll the time and it's infuriating! -Just got snagged a few mins ago in my bathroom putting my robe on 😤. They also rip off my headphones all the time too (total scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding 😅) I rent and so it's def on my list of what not to do in my future home.
I have those drawer pulls in my kitchen and yes, they drive me nuts. My clothing gets caught in them all the time. The house came with it, so when i remodel they are definitely going to go.
I am watching normally your videos to have an idea. But this time I watched it with teary eyes to just forget what I am seeing in the news and keep myself busy. I am Turkish and I lost a lot of friends in the earthquake. Thank you.
@message___nick_lewis thank you. If this reply is coming from you it is more important than the gift. I do not need anything. You can give it to some one else ❤️
One artist showed her New York appartment and said that because of her colour coordinated bookshelf she had to buy doubles because it is so difficult to use a bookshelf organised by colour.
OMG you're singing to my heart already. The wallpaper. The colorblocked books! Unless you're using it as a backdrop for BookTube or BookTok... colorblocked books screams "I'm not actually a reader." And UGH the people who buy books simply because they need more purple spines. SO WEIRD! And the T pulls! The vertical ones aren't so bad but the horizontal ones will catch your belt loops! It's also why I hate lever door handles. No one wants to get panted or have their sweater snagged. Preach it about the pampas grass! That crap sheds everywhere and collects cobwebs like a MOFO. My mom lived through it when it was first popular (60s) and just laughs at everyone who puts it in their house. And if you aren't allergic to the grass itself, you or someone you love is likely allergic to the dust that collects in it! SUPER FUN! I HATE glass shower doors in general. And if they're gonna overlap, they need to interchange too. Meaning you can slide each one completely all the way across. That's the only way you can clean all of the glass. Some mechanisms don't allow this.
Understood about wallpaper in full baths. Never had a problem with it. Probably because it was done years ago when materials and workmanship were (mostly lol) quality, esp compared to now. Love your channel. You’re the perfect amount of great discussions and points and comedy. Makes my morning.
Regarding sliding shower doors, be sure to get ones that completely slide to each side without a handle or towel bar to impede them. This way, you can get to that section of overlap to clean it. I don't like pivoting doors. You end up dripping all over the floor when you open them to grab your towel. I recently replaced our pivoting door for sliding doors and took into account the issue with cleaning between the overlap.
I love reading and have 4+ bookcases in my home. I don’t mind color-blocked books as long as it doesn’t split up series. Splitting up series is the only thing that really makes it impractical. And ironically, you can make a series fit your color blocking by turning certain books in the series so the spine is facing in. That said, when it’s done with a series as long as you keep them in order there’s no confusion.
I don’t understand why people assume if you color code your books you don’t read. I read 100+ books every year and the ones I own are color coded on a massive bookshelf. They have been since 2017. My brain just works better with colors being organized, my apps on my phone are in color coded folders as well 😅
I color block my stand alone novels and keep my series together on my bottom shelves. However I love changing and reorganizing my bookshelves a few times a year. I find the process calming 😊
I thought of this too! I guess maybe some only have a single door that slides, but all the ones I have ever used have both sides movable. With that set up it’s easy to swap them around and clean where it overlaps.
As someone who remembers by their cover, colour blocking doesn’t seem like the worst idea. Personally, I keep my books by width and height, which is also not common 😅 Regarding the kitchen, we've had those handles in our tiny European kitchen for 18 years now and never had any issues with them
Growing up, i always had more books than bookcases, so I sorted by similar heights and kept the wider books to the edges of the bookcase and the shallower books toward the center. On each shelf, if i can, I will try to subgroup by subject if possible.
Oh my goodness, the drawers pulls!! I've ripped dresses, they've gotten caught on my robe pockets, my sleeves, etc. One of my biggest design mistakes. As for the shower doors, ugh! I agree with you on EVERYTHING. especially the pampus grass. Do you have a home tour on your channel, Nick? If not, mind doing one? If that's too personal, just the kitchen behind you? Loving it
I have two full Ikea billy bookcases. My books are organized by genre! Oversized books go on the bottom shelf and are mostly technical books, cooking, sewing etc. Whenever family comes for overnight visits they love my little "library" 🙂
Having recently downsized my bookshelf and books all I can say is unless you plan on rereading books other than reference books and cookbooks get rid of any books you have read or no longer want to read. Improves things visually without even trying. Only keep a few books at a time that you are reading.
My showers doors meet in the middle for the reason you mention on the overlap which is why the other shower doors are gone! No leaking. Once again a crummy day becomes a smile when I watch you.
I organize kids books by color and it’s super helpful to find said book. When it’s a series however I do put the series together and have a shelf for all series.
Thank you for the advice about the drawer pulls. I have been thinking about getting some like those, it never occurred to me about getting clothing caught on them. If anyone is going to ruin a favorite sweater it will be me.
Another deterrent: the grungy food build up you can't see to clean, from opening and closing drawers with busy, sticky fingers, which you later discover, all dried and crusted up. We have them at work and 🤢
I colour blocked my books after I moved cities and gave away/donated a massive collection. It just looked messy and disjointed with the few dozen I kept on the shelf -- so I decided to do a rainbow and I love it. But also, I don't have enough books to make searching difficult -- as soon as the collection starts growing again I will for sure be abandoning the colour blocking!
It’s funny your comment about the drawer handles - this is one of the first things I considered when redoing my kitchen and bathroom. I have an insulin pump and the tubing between the pump and infusion site is sometimes outside of my clothing - I won’t have handles or knobs at a height that I can catch the tubing on, all my handles are enclosed. I have occasionally caught my tubing on handles/knobs and ripped the cannula out - it is not an experience I care to repeat.
Sorting books by colour comes from the idea of a bookstore that appeared a while ago, it showed a bookcase of red books with "I do not know the name but the cover was red". It was one of the most amazing marketing ideas in years but people started to adopt it for their bookshelves at home.
i've always loved color coding/blocking everything, whether it be my closet or my bookshelves. i remember books by their color so the system works for me. i admit that it might not seem practical since i have to rearrange my whole bookshelf when i buy new books but i would have to do that even if it wasn't color coded, so it's fine. i adore the look of a rainbow bookshelf more than any other configuration i've created. though i must say, i hate splitting up series. i just can't win i guess :p
Nick, I sort lots of my books by color. I am a reader and use many books for my work. While I do often sort by color, I also sort by topic. All my classics are together, all my psych are together, etc. For the most part, I sort by topic for those easily categorized. I sort by color for small vignettes of decor. I usually do know what color my books are - I am a visual processor. If I wonder where a book is, I look either in its “section” or by its color. As far as doing the rainbow and all those color blocks on one shelf - that would be a hard no for me. :)
Exactly!!! Books by series or subject makes sense!!!! We have a library in our home and even my kids know how to find their titles and authors from the spines, not by colors! Your point is valid Nick! I saw Julie's video about the drawer pulls too!
I first time I remember seeing books pages out in a movie was Eternal Sunshine...but there was a reason. It gave you a clue as to what was going on. A really great cinematic choice became a not so great home decor choice.
The first time I saw that movie, I hated it up until the end. Then I was hooked. I don't remember that thing about the books though. Maybe it's time I watch that movie again.
I used to colourblock my books as a child because it was easier for me to remember the colour of a book instead of the title. It can be useful for people who are very visual and can´t remember names for sh*t.
I love pampas grass (not pompous!)….in my back yard. I’d never bring it in the house. The cabinet hardware - my whole family has ruined clothes from them! We call that style “pocket catchers”. I’ve had those shower doors that overlap. I finally gave up and switched to a pretty curtain that could be regularly washed. In my current house, I have a door that swings out. Sounds good, but then I feel I have to leave it open till the shower dries, and it’s in the way. Doors look nice; curtains are cleaner.
Colour-blocked books are not necessarily harder to find. All my trilogy books have similar Colour binding so they naturally group together. But I am a nerd and have themed book sections. Like Harry potter section with some decorations, physics books with some decorations etc
My local library has a book sale section as a fundraiser, and they arrange them by color and it’s ridiculous! There were multiple series all spread throughout because they each book was a different colored spine. It bugs me because a library should be for readers and they should understand that basic book arrangement situation. You also can’t find if they have multiple books by an author you like.
Oh that is infuriating. I mostly browse my local thrift stores keeping certain books in mind and every used book section I go through, every time, I specifically hunt for Louis Lamour and I WILL buy every one I can find if I don't already have it. They aren't commonly found these days and it would be a nightmare having to hunt though a larger selection sorted that way.
My mother’s kitchen has t-bars that are made out of glass and rounded. I have never ripped anything & it is beautiful and quite practical to hang temporary stuff :)
Those kitchen pulls, oh so true. Really annoying. I’m just renovating and putting similar draw handles to yours in every area. So simple and easy to clean as well.
I completely agree with your point about wallpaper in the bathroom!!! My parents’ home had a half bathroom with a standing shower, and beautiful vintage red wallpaper. Overtime, the wallpaper came undone and just looked really gross. It might work if the bathroom is large, and the owner likes cold showers. I like showering in hell water 🥲
My solution to the color-blocked bookshelves is to group by subject (design books, diy, nonfiction, etc), but then arrange each shelf by color following the color wheel. Perhaps starting one shelf with blue, moving to green, to yellow etc.. The next shelf may start with green to yellow to orange and so forth. Within a color, sort from dark to light. It provides some order and looks tidy without the, let’s say it, weirdness of having huge blocks of single colors. As a textile colorist who has developed many a color card, this has always worked well for me, including when I put my apartment on the market.
So agree. Whenever I see colour block books I know that that person isNOT a reader. It’s just for decor. As a reader it doesn’t bother me but we know who we are. Readers do not use our books as solely decor. I need my travel books together my classic novels together and series together etc.
Lol don’t be afraid of the pulls. I cook and wear loose clothes - never had a problem. Maybe her pulls were sharp edged but unless you are doing some very aggressive cooking, you’ll be fine.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 76 | คู่เอก "ผึ้งหลวง vs สมิงดำ"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9SBshmGQOIM/mqdefault.jpg)
Former librarian here. Color blocking is so painful for me. Mine are all by subject, of course. It can look nice, yes, but I have a hard time seeing books as decor.
Word! (see what I did there?)
Current librarian here and I - gasp - colorblock! Well, some of my books. Truth be told I have probably 10 different organization systems for the 1000ish books across our house (I'm partnered to a antiquarian book enthusiast) and you know what?: I love and use my books so I know exactly where they are regardless of how they're organized. I don't care much for the books-solely-as-decor thing that's going on a lot right now, but I don't think there's anything wrong with arranging your books so that they have some sort of aesthetic sensibility.
@@AthalieM agreed. I used to be a bookseller, am a lit masters student, books are basically my life and... mine are arranged by color! Reason being: I read a ton. sometimes I cannot, for the life of me, remember the title or author of a book. but, for some reason, I recall the color (since I "see" it so often when reading it, much more so than say the title). so, actually, sorting them by color is a foolproof way for me to always find what I am lloking for - despite the haters ;)
I agree, even though I'm not a librarian - a library is a favorite place for me and a couple of my offspring. I organize by categories.
Colour blocking can be fine; it's the buying of books strictly for colour/decor that screams lack of imagination. I personally organize by subject: travel, history, art, Indigenous works etc.
Even worse than wallpaper peeling down, the humidity can cause mold to grow under the paper.
My home is in a humid climate so yes to this
It could actually work better in a dry climate.
But without moldy peeling wallpaper how else will you get that haunted mansion of a dissipated aristocrat aesthetic?
Yes! I forgot this!
My bathroom has 2 windows and a vent and wallpaper. No problems. They also make it for bathrooms and you can always try temporary wallpaper. Wallpaper can give a bathroom a whole new look.
When my mom was a teenager she made paper covers for all of her hard cover books and water colored them different colors. It might be an idea for someone who is attached to the idea of a color coordinated bookshelf without sacrificing organization.
Finally someone came for pampas grass! Other factors: it is super messy, and flammable. The beige crowd were making pampas grass Christmas trees which are a terrifying fire hazard!
I wonder how you dust them. Or do people just get new ones when they get dusty?
@@jennie9 We get new ones from our garden every year. They don't get very dusty, maybe it just depends on where they sit.
I'm not sure about the allergy factor either; I have (mild) hay fever but having pampas grass in the house never bothered me.
and it is an INVASIVE species in Hawaii that Home Depot was bringing to the island
Picked my pampas grass from the field next to my house and apart from the day i set it up where it got a little messy, there is no mess if you don't touch it. Aldo it's cute in a vase, free for many of us and last a long time.
What about when they are alive in the garden? I want to plant some for privacy reasons so my neighbors cannot overlook in my yard plus they are very beautiful when pink. Do you know also what climate they like to live in?
Not to mention the ripped clothes with the drawer pulls, but the rage you feel when your sweater catches and you are instantly pulled backwards, you drop your food, and drawer flies open. They’re the worst.
After having made that mistake, on my next kitchen I put in cup pulls on my drawers and I never have to worry about tearing clothes or being lassoed by a drawer pull and dropping whatever I'm carrying.
how do you know this :) lol
it is bad for the hinges and edges of the drawers too. Especially if you are just trying to beautify some older or cheaper cabinets instead of buying new ones.
Ahh! It happens to other people! It's not (solely) me being a klutz
@@PaintingandExercise do you mean cup hooks? The white ones about an inch in diameter? They'd be worse for me.
I can't believe pampas grass has made a comeback! We used it in the 70's and it was a pain. You have to spray it with hairspray to stop the flowers from shedding all over the place, and Nick is correct, it collects dust like crazy & you can't shake it off because the thing falls apart. I hate the thought of colour coding my bookshelves - that way lays chaos! My books are arranged by genre and author (not alphabetical) and series are kept together.
My rule of thumb when it comes to books is to group them according to the genre: one shelf for fiction, one for nonfiction, one for poetry etc. If you're a reader, you'll fill all of those. That way, color is irrelelvant because you know why it's on that particular shelf.
I do genre first, then colour block within the section. It's a nice/quick way to see where one genre ends and the next begins.
@@justinedraus2010 that's an interesting approach indeed!
My rule of thumb is to stack them wherever I find space 😅 I read so much my flat looks like the library of a mad hoarder.
@@rrr441 we would probably be friends in real life ;)
@@Mloofylicious 😁
Thank you for mentioning the backwards books! That has been driving us crazy, its like putting up a sign that say’s: “Nobody in this house reads’! It’s on so many of the HGTV shows and in magazines-ridiculous!
I was hardcore anti-colorbolock- I am a reader with several hundred books and they were categorized by subject and alphabetical by author. Then my apartment was staged for selling and I had to grit my teeth and reminding myself it was only temporary and that, yes, it made the space look a lot nicer and less cluttered. And then a few months went by and I realized I really love it. Few things I learned: it's really not that hard to find book if you are actually an active reader/ know your collection: just go to the shelf with that 'color'. The reality is you are only ever reading what you are reading and those books aren't on the shelf so any book on the shelf really is just being stored. It never took more more time to find a book colorblocked that when it was in a more systematic order. Second thing: while I love having a nice collection of books, I am also someone who aggressively declutters throughout the year and I realized that there were many books I kept just because I had them for years in their one spot, but when they were all moved around and I could see them outside their normal context, some books would just visually jump put as something I was ready to part with! i am moving soon and I think I will spend a week or two styling them both ways and see what I would rather have going forward, but there is a good possibility that I will stay with colorblocking.
This is so refreshing! Thanks for sharing 😊 - a reader who appreciates order and aesthetics
I totally agree!
It bothers me when someone else colorblocks the books. They touched everything and know where it is hut I didn't and dont.
I had the opposite experience. I'm not only a reader, I work with books (and also have a not so small speck of obsesiveness in my personality). One day, I had to choose between practicality and aesthetics, and practicality won. Organizing by subject and by author not only makes my work easier, it prevents my shelfs look like a mess when I'm working on a particular project, and my desk is more tidy in general.
Great point! I've also found that I won't remember the name or even author of a book but might think "but I know it's blue!" then color blocking can make it a bit easier to find.
"Pampas Grass or Pompous Grass..." SOLID joke. 😂
And THANK YOU for the commentary on the drawer pulls! I rented a house with the open-ended ones & I was always wrecking my clothes.
A very important aspect of home decor is ease of maintenance. I so wish we could make practical spaces an "aesthetic" on social media because they can certainly be beautiful too.
All it takes is somebody to start it. That's how minimalism became more widely known.
Great list. Here are my additions:
* the less grout, the better,
* skylights are future, drippy, water features,
* gaps between the vanity and the wall (or freestanding tub) are a hard-to-reach location for dust and grime (unless you have a big, spacious bathroom),
* after installation, carpets will never be clean (they can only be slightly less dirty than before vacuuming or rug doctor-ing)
I totally agree but I still want natural light in my windowless bathroom. 😭
@@anxylum go for it, but make sure to do a lot of research on who will be installing it
@@cherrybearylemondrop will do. It will also be in the high desert with very little rainfall, so hopefully that’ll help. 🤞
I have a functional kitchen. I think those T-bar door pulls are dangerous. I could imagine picking up a pot of boiling spaghetti noodles to drain in the sink, catching on a pull & spilling it all over.
This actually happened to me. My right foot got hit with boiling water from my dumb apartment pulls. I’m constantly getting caught on them.
Ditto knobs on lower cabinets. It’s a no no.
I had them in my old kitchen and I ripped multiple pairs of pants from getting caught on them!
We have those drawer pulls! I have had a permanent bruise on my leg for the past three years from it catching on my lower cabinet hardware. So dangerous and sooo painful!
Just got some new ones. Such a relief!
~Michelle
Odd, I've had T bars in all of my kitchens, but the possibility of getting snagged on them never entered my mind; it just hasn't happened to me. Ever. And I'm not particularly careful around the kitchen either. But I've always built my kitchens with the countertop having a slight overhang, 4cm or so (more than the ones in this video). As a result, the handles don't stick out so much.
The pampas grass, which in Texas we pronounce the pamp as camp, is a blast from my past. At the risk of dating myself, I will own that we had this in our house in the 70s, as did all the design-conscious families. Or, mothers of those families. I remember my mother, God rest her soul, and one of her girlfriends happily trespassing onto one of the medians in our neighborhood where this grew and helping themselves to stalk after stalk, being careful not to behead any one plant entirely. They were, at least, considerate thieves, the nobly explained, and were giddy with excitement over their theft as they proceeded to arrange it in large urn-shaped baskets. From that point on, it was a dusting and vacuuming nightmare. I don't remember any allergies, even though it is a grass (pampas grass) but the little fluff-covered seeds detach and end up everywhere, because that is what God designed them to do. Detach and land somewhere else and grow into a new plant. Whenever it was my turn to vacuum, I always considered whether it would be worth the punishment to just suck up the whole lot and call it an accident. But, finally the day came when even mom had had enough. This was long after the trend had died and our once glorious stand of pampas grass was looking shaggy and brown. I asked for the umpteenth time whether I could bag that mess up and get it out of the house and Mom said yes. I still wonder how long it would have stayed had I not persisted. And, I certainly never would have believed that I would see it make a comeback. Will we never learn? Thanks for including it in this list, Nick. ~ Lisa
Wow! Terrible Feng Shui
They used to spray them with hairspray to stop the mess
Not to mention the fact that the different pampas grass is causing native plants to disappear in various parts of the country. Most have a 2 layer rooting system and are VERY hard to get rid of in the wild.
@@kathywiseman7944 A year or so ago a young couple bought the house next to ours. The first thing the young man did was dig out the little stand of pampas grass someone had planted in the middle of the front yard. It was only a couple of feet around but it took him days to get it all out. Bless his heart.
@@alisonrosemorris2524 I remember doing this. Many times.
I appreciate your perspective on color blocking. I’m a researcher and faculty member as well as an avid reader. Interestingly enough, I tend to remember books by their color - for instance, if I’m trying to recall a specific analytical method, I’ll see the book’s color in my mind without even thinking of the author. I’ve been this way since I was a child. For this reason, I’ve been color-blocking my books for well over 10 years now, because it’s supportive of how my brain works. Yes, it looks aesthetically pleasing, but it’s actually because doing so is quite practical for me.
I can do this too! I have a very good color memory - that being said I like the organization aspect of grouping things together by genre and then alphabetically, partially because it’s easy to find them, but it’s mostly because I don’t want a giant rainbow in my neutral, warm, earthy-toned room 😅
All kinds of minds!
Back in the 1950s, Peg Bracket wrote that one of her friends remembered books by their colour and organized them that way, rather than by author or title. I group by size so the shelf heights are maximized, and SKU them in a database.
Yes! Did you ever get really confused when you had to use a different edition or use it without the dust sleeve? It’s like a completely different book!
I think this reason for colour blocking is the only one that I as a reader will support. Everyone’s brains work a bit different.
The majority of people who colour block their books are doing it for the aesthetic and to get likes and approval from social media. I agree with Nick that for me it is impractical.
My boss organized all the books in her office by color because she is able to remember the color of the cover more easily than the author or title, especially since a lot of the reference books have similar names. It's been a great system for us.
I think that turning books backwards is really for people who are into decor, but not reading. I don’t believe those books ever get read again. And the overlapping shower doors are the bane of my existence. We have replaced them in every single home eventually.
Yep, I turned to my OH when that came up and said to him, this is the style that screams 'I don't read' 😆
Turning books backwards is asinine. Why not just bundle up your recycling (sandwich old cut-up newspaper between book-sized cardboard)? Wait - if that shows up on Netflix, I want credit!
"This looks like I'm going to sneeze just looking at the photos" 😂🤣 You are right!!!! Hugs from Northern California!!!
I’m glad that I decorate for myself and not for instagram. I love my under the radar life. 😊
That frustration face-sweep over the book swap....SOOOOOO EVERYTHING 😂😂😂
I am a reader. In fact, I have a Ph.D. and study the written word (education policy). I used to feel the same about the color blocked book shelves. Was kinda holier-than-thou about it (in my own head) to be honest. I organize my many many books by genre. About a year ago I was culling out my shelves and started color blocking within each genre. I actually loved it! Was so soothing somehow. It's no more difficult to find what I need - maybe easier since I often can picture the cover on a book I am looking for.
AND a few days ago I hosted a Galentines party and loved easily pulling the red & pink spine books to help decorate my living room shelves (not my main book shelves, those are elsewhere). Looks so cute! And it drew my guest to the shelves to browse the titles in a way they never did when I just had my random current reads there. I have to say, I'm a convert.
One of my professors always remembered books by color, was always interesting looking for the green one on this or that topic :D
It's interesting that you said people were drawn to the books more when colour blocked, as I've noticed the same thing at my work! I work in a library and usually am the one making the displays, and I noticed some time ago that when I made colour themed book displays, so many more people would go over to look at them and end up borrowing, more than other types of displays I've made. They're my favourite displays to make now, because they're so impactful.
The one book trend I can’t get with is all of the spines facing in so the pages are exposed. How are you supposed to know which is which?!? That’s a sign that someone doesn’t actually read to me lol 😂 I get turning around the books you’ve read but ALL OF THEM?
It just looks weird too.
I would bet that nobody that is doing this is actually a reader.
The lounge in my apartment building had books in a bookcase and many of them were turned inward. I wanted to strangle the person who put the books in like that! 😂😂😂
@@nharber9837 wait that’s the funniest reason I’ve ever heard, you’ve given me a new idea!
As a person with very visual (and generally bad) memory, sorting my books by colour is actually super practical because I'm way more likely to remember what a book looks like than the author's name or the full title 😄
Also it is soooooo much easier to put them back at the same spot
YES
You’re basic but you’re trying to look intelligent
I really don't like the gatekeeping that goes on with disliking color blocked bookshelves. Is someone not a "real reader" because of how they organize their books? It's not a reference library. Let people enjoy their thing in the way that makes them happy.
@@waxenapple1195 you’re a basic B 😂 😂 😂
I love the look of mixed up books. It's like a little library in my home.
Pampas grass is also highly invasive and almost impossible to eradicate once established. Not a good idea to bring it into your home or plant anywhere on your property, however cool it looks.
Yup. It’s awful stuff.
That's something I've been extra careful with as I have a garden. The only plants I'll have inside, are either some kind of cactus or succulent that doesn't spread, or plants for food. The last two things I bought were a Christmas cactus, and some parsley, so those look good, are easy to care for, and won't shed seeds everywhere.
I'm a reader and love certain authors, color blocking books would be a nightmare! Keep your authors together...
Oh geez, as if separating authors will really make a big difference. People can do as they choose in their own home.
@@hshawn00 exactly so why comment....
As a disabled reader and a writer it makes my eyes bleed 😬 I don't think it's fun at all. How can you touch it without it getting all messed up 😂
The book thing has bothered me since I started watching interior decor videos. Have you seen Ariel Bissett? She is big in to books and she is also one of the few to not do weird things with books. For us, our books are organized by subject basically. The shelves in my living room where guests see the most, I have old books that I have actually read and books that I find interesting, and read, such as ones about dogs. A small handful of my favorite cookbooks are there. I hate when interior design people cut up books to make in to crafts or pile things on top of books that could damage the books (think candles and things that have liquid in them). And of course, why bother to have or buy books one would never ever read?
I sometimes buy used books that are terrible to protect people from buying them and being harmed. I'm gonna make a lamp out of them.
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is called out for having a fantastic library full of books that the pages hadn't been cut yet. Your comment about color blocking reminded me of this. Books as decor, not for readers.
I have my fiction books colour blocked. I don’t keep fiction after l read it except for special favourites. I buy tons at garage sales and thrift stores. I really like “ wandering” my fiction shelves to pick my next read. I have a large six section full wall of shelves and cabinets. The two end units are my non fiction…cooking, gardening, art, travel. With such a large wall of books l need to group somehow or it is just cluttered.
one of my least favorite impractical home decor topic is with plants. example: plants on top of the kitchen cabinet that drape in front of the cabinet doors. like Nick said, great idea if you don't actually use your kitchen, but so stupid for everyone else. Also plants in bathrooms. i'm not talking about plants on the windowsill or or on the back of the toilet, i'm talking a damn ficus in the tub or a massive potted plant that 'brightens up' the space of 24sq ft apartment bathroom. its madness. or the quintessential pintrest bathroom that has every surface covered with a potted plant that WILL be knocked over every 10 seconds.
This is so me but in a different way. I got into houseplants through learning interior design and after all that I've learned over collecting plants for the past 5~ months I can never look at plant decor in the home the same again. Like, what the hell is a succulent (that requires full sun) doing tucked away on a bookshelf 10 feet away from a window? And now I take a second glance at every plant in a space and I get to notice clear signs of neglect
@@you_gullible_fuccI have this with Sims 4 building videos. Don't get me started on how they do the gardens... It would never work!!
Especially if you have cats or young kids.
I like the multicolor look of books the way I love oriental rugs with their multicolors!
The cabinet pull section is something that brought back found memories. In my 50+ years of cooking and watching my mom always getting caught was an experience I will never forget. She was a big user of aprons and cooking coverups where she constantly was either caught or ripped the pockets. Kind of funny now but that was something that always stuck with me. Happy you mentioned that certain pulls and drawer knobs should be avoided at all costs in the kitchen! Love watching you!
We just finished our kitchen and our mantra when looking for cabinet hardware was: "Just say NO to Pocket Rippers!"
Same!!!
My apartment is FULL of them! All over the kitchen and bathroom. They always catch on my phone lanyard, and send my smartphone rocketing toward the ground. 🤬
I colour-blocked my books during a feverish bout of covid (insanity, yes!). And I have a LOT of books! It's really pretty, and funnily enough, I haven't had too hard a time finding books. I guess I remember books more by their cover, than by title or author! I may put them back in order by author/topic one day, but I'm still enjoying the rainbow, for now :)
I think for visual people color-blocking works fine. I am the type of person to remember someone's face but not their name, so color-blocking would probably work in the same way.
6:38 You are so right. My apartment has these kinds of drawer pulls and my dresses (with pockets) get snagged on them all the time. It's annoying.
Oh, man... your monologue about the color blocked books... I feel so SEEN!! Soooooooooo impractical if you actually read.
Preach it, Nick! Preach!!
I first saw the color blocking for books on "The Home Edit." However, it was children's books, and it makes sense in a space for children.
I did color blocking for my closet, and I am really glad that I did it! It makes putting away and finding my clothes easier!
I first saw it on Vlogbrothers with Hank Green's shelf of rainbow books. But I never looked that closely at it, and I'd imagine he'd have books he's actually reading in another spot. He's had that for a while. When I was a kid, if I had books that didn't have an order to be read it (like the same series and characters, but no continuing story, I'd usually put them by colour. Same with CD cases. My dad got a bunch of those colourful jewel cases for the computer games that came in cereal boxes, so I'd have all my games in different coloured cases in order by colour.
I make book review videos, and watch a lot of videos from book reviewers. A ton of them do color blocked books. Me personally, I reorganized my entire home library to be color blocked and then organized it back a week later because I was too frustrated
I recently built a custom home. Our old kitchen had knobs and t-pulls and it was a disaster to cook in. I can’t tell you how many belt loops got ripped off or shirts got caught and ripped. It was a nightmare! I banned t-pulls AND knobs on all of my cabinets and drawers in my new home and installed pulls on everything (even in the bathrooms and custom built-in dressers I put in all the bedroom closets) It is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye and I’m no longer fighting with my cabinets and drawers because they are trying to “grab” me.
With T-bar pulls you not only get your clothing ruined, but you can also get a nice collection of blue-red-violet bruises when moving quickly around. And the pampas grass is one of those first class dust collectors, impossible to really get it free of dust.
Ohhh pampas grass. Fashionable in the 70’s and should stay there never to be seen again! 😊
Growing up we use packing paper to cover textbooks and all other books to protect the front and back to be pristine and discreet. The creative ones would add sketches, doodles, or calligraphy to decorate. Gift paper works, but not long lasting. It’d be interesting to use white, black, and khaki color packing paper to cover books to reduce bookshelf’s visual clutter.
One of my daughters covered all her books in white craft paper once and hand lettered the spines. It honestly looked great.
I thought about doing this at one point to reduce the visual clutter but realized very quickly how impractical it is to do with several hundred books! It would look great with a relatively small number of books in a specific room though.
I fully agree with your comment regarding drawer pulls. Another consideration beyond clothing getting caught in them is electrical cords. Most kitchens have a variety of corded appliances and the last thing anyone needs is a cord getting tangled on those handles as you are working with scalding hot food. i.e. using an immersion blender in a pot of soup.
I'm a librarian and the colour blocking fractures my brain.
Color blocking one’s existing books might be fine in terms of practicality but I’ve once seen an interior design “tip” about BUYING (fake) books in specific colors to fit one’s decor 😮 Now that is not practical at all!!!
My mother had one series of old books who were color blocked and were strictly used as decor.( I don't even know what the topic was, a documentation of a group of simposiums or whatever. No one ever read those.) They looked nice, and while I am obsessed with books - if you have enough space on your book shelves - I would recommend just having a series like that. For the nice visual. But that's it for my taste. Even visually, more color blocking than that (just one shelf) I would find too much. And I do arrange my books visually, because I generally don't forget their positions on my bookshelves, so I don't need a a strict f.e. alphabetical organization. I guess I'm just not too much into color blocking. Probably, I automatically think of unread books when I see that. But to each their own.
What’s the purpose of having books if you don’t read them or reference them from time to time or you’ve at least read them before, so you have happy memories of them? If they mean nothing to you beyond decor, they just seem like dust magnets to me. If you enjoy your books, they’re worth keeping, but if you just want something for the aesthetic, I’d say go more minimalist and put a few items on the shelves. Easier to dust than 100 books. As someone with horrendous allergies, I strongly dislike dust magnets. Plus, despite what Danny Tanner tried to convince us, cleaning is not fun.
Yes, some TH-camrs do that. They read cheap crappy paperbacls then buy old books they will never pick up based on the look of their covers. Ultimate Americans
I ALWAYS use exterior paint, particularly in a bathroom. With lower VOC's it's a non issue with smells. It stands up to moisture, cleans really well, doesn't fade if you have skylights. Matte on ceiling, or satin on ceiling and walls also you can add M1 mildewcide to the paint if you have a small bathroom prone to mold or mildew to inhibit growth. I also put in a heat lamp light fixture with an exhaust fan to help quickly dry out my shower after use.😍
The people that had the house before us actually made the shower stall ceiling wood. Since we couldn't afford to tear it out at that point I used marine paint to keep it semi safe. Worked a charm.
@@42ayla great idea!! 👍 with all the wood coming back marine varnish is a great option kudus!!! 😃
I'm in the transition hover prepping my new apartment in an independent living location. You have been very helpful to this 74-year-old. I'd love to hear of vendors who design for the oldies. We have different needs but still like to be styling.
"Oldies" Yes, this would be a great topic to cover. How do you make things accessible for people with different abilities, but not look like an institution? Not just "oldies" as you put it, but many people struggle with too high cupboards, too low seating, getting in and out of the tub without falling etc. Are the robot vacuums worth it for those who cannot do it for themselves? Smaller dishwashers for those living alone, cute dishes/glasses/cups that are easy to handle and unbreakable, there is along list this topic could cover.
As someone with kids I LOVE color blocked books! It decreases the visual stimulation and they easily know where their favorites are. However…once you get into a series/not children’s books that’s where it falls apart. So, having a kids bookshelf that’s color blocked and a non-kid bookshelf that’s by series/type/alphabetical is great.
My Dad worked in an office with the drawer pulls that had the little pieces sticking out, and tore out a pocket out of his suit jacket. He took a hack saw and cut the little extensions off all of them. Maybe it didn't look great, but he didn't really care.
I had a metal desk at work and tore several pairs of pants on the sharp corner. I tried to find something to cover it (kinda like baby proofing) but nothing worked, usually too thick, so I finally ended up using duck tape. My boss didn't like it, my desk was in a classroom, but they weren't paying for my pants.
Omg lol the pulls!!!! I get snagged on them alll the time and it's infuriating! -Just got snagged a few mins ago in my bathroom putting my robe on 😤. They also rip off my headphones all the time too (total scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding 😅) I rent and so it's def on my list of what not to do in my future home.
I have those drawer pulls in my kitchen and yes, they drive me nuts. My clothing gets caught in them all the time. The house came with it, so when i remodel they are definitely going to go.
I am watching normally your videos to have an idea. But
this time I watched it with teary eyes to just forget what I am seeing in the news and keep myself busy.
I am Turkish and I lost a lot of friends in the earthquake. Thank you.
@message___nick_lewis thank you. If this reply is coming from you it is more important than the gift. I do not need anything. You can give it to some one else ❤️
Totally agree, nature and books, don't get out of fashion, don't need an update.
One artist showed her New York appartment and said that because of her colour coordinated bookshelf she had to buy doubles because it is so difficult to use a bookshelf organised by colour.
OMG you're singing to my heart already. The wallpaper. The colorblocked books! Unless you're using it as a backdrop for BookTube or BookTok... colorblocked books screams "I'm not actually a reader." And UGH the people who buy books simply because they need more purple spines. SO WEIRD! And the T pulls! The vertical ones aren't so bad but the horizontal ones will catch your belt loops! It's also why I hate lever door handles. No one wants to get panted or have their sweater snagged. Preach it about the pampas grass! That crap sheds everywhere and collects cobwebs like a MOFO. My mom lived through it when it was first popular (60s) and just laughs at everyone who puts it in their house. And if you aren't allergic to the grass itself, you or someone you love is likely allergic to the dust that collects in it! SUPER FUN!
I HATE glass shower doors in general. And if they're gonna overlap, they need to interchange too. Meaning you can slide each one completely all the way across. That's the only way you can clean all of the glass. Some mechanisms don't allow this.
Omg I think about that Carrie Bradshaw quote all the time with my own oven as storage!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Understood about wallpaper in full baths. Never had a problem with it. Probably because it was done years ago when materials and workmanship were (mostly lol) quality, esp compared to now. Love your channel. You’re the perfect amount of great discussions and points and comedy. Makes my morning.
Regarding sliding shower doors, be sure to get ones that completely slide to each side without a handle or towel bar to impede them. This way, you can get to that section of overlap to clean it. I don't like pivoting doors. You end up dripping all over the floor when you open them to grab your towel. I recently replaced our pivoting door for sliding doors and took into account the issue with cleaning between the overlap.
I love reading and have 4+ bookcases in my home. I don’t mind color-blocked books as long as it doesn’t split up series. Splitting up series is the only thing that really makes it impractical. And ironically, you can make a series fit your color blocking by turning certain books in the series so the spine is facing in. That said, when it’s done with a series as long as you keep them in order there’s no confusion.
I don’t understand why people assume if you color code your books you don’t read. I read 100+ books every year and the ones I own are color coded on a massive bookshelf. They have been since 2017. My brain just works better with colors being organized, my apps on my phone are in color coded folders as well 😅
I mean, how often does one read the same book again? So I see no problem in color coding :)
You read 8+ books a month!?
I don't see the problem either, I always know what the cover looks like anyway; when I think of the book, the image just pops into my mind.
You’re a basic b. 😂😂😂😂
because people are constantly looking for objectively meaningless things to feel morally superior over lol
Absolutely no issues with the door pulls - love them
I color block my stand alone novels and keep my series together on my bottom shelves. However I love changing and reorganizing my bookshelves a few times a year. I find the process calming 😊
I have the glass shower doors, they overlap by about 4" but both doors slide so it's still easy to clean the overlap
I thought of this too! I guess maybe some only have a single door that slides, but all the ones I have ever used have both sides movable. With that set up it’s easy to swap them around and clean where it overlaps.
Thanks, Nick! “Form follows function” is my mantra.
As someone who remembers by their cover, colour blocking doesn’t seem like the worst idea. Personally, I keep my books by width and height, which is also not common 😅
Regarding the kitchen, we've had those handles in our tiny European kitchen for 18 years now and never had any issues with them
Growing up, i always had more books than bookcases, so I sorted by similar heights and kept the wider books to the edges of the bookcase and the shallower books toward the center. On each shelf, if i can, I will try to subgroup by subject if possible.
Oh my goodness, the drawers pulls!! I've ripped dresses, they've gotten caught on my robe pockets, my sleeves, etc. One of my biggest design mistakes. As for the shower doors, ugh! I agree with you on EVERYTHING. especially the pampus grass. Do you have a home tour on your channel, Nick? If not, mind doing one? If that's too personal, just the kitchen behind you? Loving it
we've been asking for kitchen tour at least for ages 😅
I have two full Ikea billy bookcases. My books are organized by genre! Oversized books go on the bottom shelf and are mostly technical books, cooking, sewing etc. Whenever family comes for overnight visits they love my little "library" 🙂
Having recently downsized my bookshelf and books all I can say is unless you plan on rereading books other than reference books and cookbooks get rid of any books you have read or no longer want to read. Improves things visually without even trying. Only keep a few books at a time that you are reading.
My showers doors meet in the middle for the reason you mention on the overlap which is why the other shower doors are gone! No leaking. Once again a crummy day becomes a smile when I watch you.
I organize kids books by color and it’s super helpful to find said book. When it’s a series however I do put the series together and have a shelf for all series.
Thank you for the advice about the drawer pulls. I have been thinking about getting some like those, it never occurred to me about getting clothing caught on them. If anyone is going to ruin a favorite sweater it will be me.
The danger is wildly exaggerated.
Another deterrent: the grungy food build up you can't see to clean, from opening and closing drawers with busy, sticky fingers, which you later discover, all dried and crusted up. We have them at work and 🤢
I colour blocked my books after I moved cities and gave away/donated a massive collection. It just looked messy and disjointed with the few dozen I kept on the shelf -- so I decided to do a rainbow and I love it. But also, I don't have enough books to make searching difficult -- as soon as the collection starts growing again I will for sure be abandoning the colour blocking!
Yes to the drawer pulls!!! I nixed my kitchen designers plan to put knobs on lower cabinets and never regretted it!
I start watching your videos by clicking the like button. I am sure your videos are amazing, as always.
I love books and have tons of them! I order mine by subject on my bookshelf.
THE GLASS SLIDING DOORS THANK YOU I FEEL SO SEEN 😭😭😭
It’s funny your comment about the drawer handles - this is one of the first things I considered when redoing my kitchen and bathroom. I have an insulin pump and the tubing between the pump and infusion site is sometimes outside of my clothing - I won’t have handles or knobs at a height that I can catch the tubing on, all my handles are enclosed. I have occasionally caught my tubing on handles/knobs and ripped the cannula out - it is not an experience I care to repeat.
Finally…someone said something about those T bar drawer pulls… they really do cause snags
Sorting books by colour comes from the idea of a bookstore that appeared a while ago, it showed a bookcase of red books with "I do not know the name but the cover was red". It was one of the most amazing marketing ideas in years but people started to adopt it for their bookshelves at home.
i've always loved color coding/blocking everything, whether it be my closet or my bookshelves. i remember books by their color so the system works for me. i admit that it might not seem practical since i have to rearrange my whole bookshelf when i buy new books but i would have to do that even if it wasn't color coded, so it's fine. i adore the look of a rainbow bookshelf more than any other configuration i've created. though i must say, i hate splitting up series. i just can't win i guess :p
I organize my books by genre/series, but my stand-alone fiction I put in a rainbow. Best of both worlds! :)
Nick, I sort lots of my books by color. I am a reader and use many books for my work. While I do often sort by color, I also sort by topic. All my classics are together, all my psych are together, etc. For the most part, I sort by topic for those easily categorized. I sort by color for small vignettes of decor. I usually do know what color my books are - I am a visual processor. If I wonder where a book is, I look either in its “section” or by its color. As far as doing the rainbow and all those color blocks on one shelf - that would be a hard no for me. :)
As someone who lives with cats, the idea of Pompas Grass in my house would be a never ending cycle of clean up. Maybe outdoors on your patio.
I mean, my cat is the reason why I don’t have any houseplants. She likes to murder them.
Exactly!!! Books by series or subject makes sense!!!! We have a library in our home and even my kids know how to find their titles and authors from the spines, not by colors! Your point is valid Nick!
I saw Julie's video about the drawer pulls too!
THANK YOU for mentioning the t-bars. They are so incredibly frustrating!! I get kitchen towels caught on them all the time when I turn around, etc.
I first time I remember seeing books pages out in a movie was Eternal Sunshine...but there was a reason. It gave you a clue as to what was going on. A really great cinematic choice became a not so great home decor choice.
The first time I saw that movie, I hated it up until the end. Then I was hooked. I don't remember that thing about the books though. Maybe it's time I watch that movie again.
I used to colourblock my books as a child because it was easier for me to remember the colour of a book instead of the title. It can be useful for people who are very visual and can´t remember names for sh*t.
Totally agree with T pulls. Have been ruing knobs for years because I also catch my clothes on these too
I love pampas grass (not pompous!)….in my back yard. I’d never bring it in the house. The cabinet hardware - my whole family has ruined clothes from them! We call that style “pocket catchers”. I’ve had those shower doors that overlap. I finally gave up and switched to a pretty curtain that could be regularly washed. In my current house, I have a door that swings out. Sounds good, but then I feel I have to leave it open till the shower dries, and it’s in the way. Doors look nice; curtains are cleaner.
Colour-blocked books are not necessarily harder to find. All my trilogy books have similar Colour binding so they naturally group together.
But I am a nerd and have themed book sections. Like Harry potter section with some decorations, physics books with some decorations etc
My local library has a book sale section as a fundraiser, and they arrange them by color and it’s ridiculous! There were multiple series all spread throughout because they each book was a different colored spine. It bugs me because a library should be for readers and they should understand that basic book arrangement situation. You also can’t find if they have multiple books by an author you like.
Oh that is infuriating. I mostly browse my local thrift stores keeping certain books in mind and every used book section I go through, every time, I specifically hunt for Louis Lamour and I WILL buy every one I can find if I don't already have it. They aren't commonly found these days and it would be a nightmare having to hunt though a larger selection sorted that way.
My mother’s kitchen has t-bars that are made out of glass and rounded. I have never ripped anything & it is beautiful and quite practical to hang temporary stuff :)
Those kitchen pulls, oh so true. Really annoying. I’m just renovating and putting similar draw handles to yours in every area. So simple and easy to clean as well.
I completely agree with your point about wallpaper in the bathroom!!! My parents’ home had a half bathroom with a standing shower, and beautiful vintage red wallpaper. Overtime, the wallpaper came undone and just looked really gross. It might work if the bathroom is large, and the owner likes cold showers. I like showering in hell water 🥲
Hell water! Me too.
My solution to the color-blocked bookshelves is to group by subject (design books, diy, nonfiction, etc), but then arrange each shelf by color following the color wheel. Perhaps starting one shelf with blue, moving to green, to yellow etc.. The next shelf may start with green to yellow to orange and so forth. Within a color, sort from dark to light. It provides some order and looks tidy without the, let’s say it, weirdness of having huge blocks of single colors. As a textile colorist who has developed many a color card, this has always worked well for me, including when I put my apartment on the market.
So agree. Whenever I see colour block books I know that that person isNOT a reader. It’s just for decor. As a reader it doesn’t bother me but we know who we are. Readers do not use our books as solely decor. I need my travel books together my classic novels together and series together etc.
How elitist of you to assume. I mean, the books are already on a shelf for practical reasons why no make them part of the decor?
I agree with the T Bars in the kitchen!! Can’t wait to change mine out for something round and more traditional.
Lol don’t be afraid of the pulls. I cook and wear loose clothes - never had a problem. Maybe her pulls were sharp edged but unless you are doing some very aggressive cooking, you’ll be fine.
I’ve had my pocket get caught. Only takes one time when you’re carrying something…
honestly I recognize my books by color so colorblocking or stacking by size helps me find them faster than standard organization methods XD
I love both easy maintenance and giving eye a break. So I have the books arranged by the subject but within a shelf I put similar colour together.
As someone who was about to wallpaper a full bath, I thank you