Interior Design ICKS that NEED to be AVOIDED (This will hurt some feelings...) 

But if my laundry room doesn't have a sign that says "laundry " how will I know where to wash my clothes?

If I see a “Let’s Eat” sign… I’m leaving.

In my world, it is a flex getting quality stuff for pocket change, not how expensive stuff is!

I hope you include a section in your next design ick video about ugly, oversized chairs in your room.

My toxic trait is that I walk through my house excitedly pointing out which items were $3 at a thrift store.

A lot of the time, I agree with Design Daddy but, when it comes to that chair sitting to his right, the one that looks like the love child of a Dr. Suess character & Beetlejuice that was conceived on the set of Sesame Street, I have to question his taste. It dominates the room & screams hysterically for attention.

For those of us with grey floors we're stuck with, would love a video on how to work with/around/downplay/compliment/make due. Same for honey oak/orange.

OMG I thought I was the only one who hated the geometric wall crap lol

Please do a video on design fatique. It is something I am afraid of, I'd like to know more.

A funny one with Word Art : for several years in my toilets, as a joke, I had a Frozen poster nailed on the door with only the letter LET IT GO written on it. 🤣

You are 100% correct for every trend you mentioned. I am literally triggered when I enter a home with word signs.

Whew escaped this list…. I do brag about all my thrift store & FB Marketplace items!! Proud of these 😊

For many “plant people” the plants are our hobby and passion; we collect certain plant species and varieties and grow them from tiny cuttings. We buy and sell cuttings and also whole plants according to our interest towards certain specific plants. We have specific care plans for every plant and we study the needs (light, moisture, growing patterns) and we get so happy with every new leaf and so on. We curate our collection and sometimes go overboard on spending in tiny one leaf cutting. But it’s our very interesting hobby and we love our plants. So the jungle vibe is not a design thing but a hobby that takes quite a bit room in our homes. I would love some pro designers to do content about how to fit hobbies in design and also pets; not just cats and dogs but others too.

Plants aren't about decor though. It's a hobby, oftentimes a major one. Plant lovers try to make plants fit into our decor because where else are we supposed to put them? Growing and caring for plants is one of my favourite activities. I've probably spent thousands on gorgeous planters over the years, just to make my hobby work in my space. Not all of us have garden spaces or greenhouses we can play around in. Not all of us can do a deck garden all year round because of the weather where we live. And who doesn't have hobbies? Musicians display their instruments. Quilters display their quilts. Chefs display their kitchenware. Collectors display their collections. Those people are encouraged to show off their creations or collections. It would be wonderful to have information and inspiration on how to design and style with plants, because there isn't much out there beyond the very basics of "group them together and display them at different heights." Also I've been growing plants in the same home for almost 28 years and I don't have any mold issues! Maybe if your climate is already super humid or you're watering your houseplants with a hose or something, I dunno.

In TOTAL agreement here! I HATE it when someone even asks "OMG, how much was that?" I think we should just answer, "crap, I can't remember!"

My Grandmother had a plaque in her guest bath saying "If you tinkle while you sprinkle-be a sweetie and wipe the seatie"

😂😂😂😂😂 watched this out on my patio and was laughing so hard that my neighbor came over to ask what I was watching. I could barely answer I was cry-laughing so hard... 😂😂😂😂😂 Love this! ❤

I giggled when you talked about too many plants…guilty🤣 I have over thirty in my 2,500 square foot house. I love plants;) I love hearing your opinions and advice🩵

Agree with you. I live in Australia and only have two maybe three cold months out of twelve. Most people dont need rugs for warmth and our lifestyle is inside/outside living . .. often pools and patios. Grey floors are not as cringe worthy here. We often have temps of 40 degrees Celsius/104 Farhenheit so grey floors do work. Time and place. 😊

How do you feel about the "stickers" in children's rooms? I feel like I can give that a pass because it's temporary and can easily be changed or removed as the child grows.

💯 on the word art EXCEPT my house motto. On an antiquing trip to visit my friend in the Midwest, I found a gorgeous cast iron salvage piece that I dragged home to the east coast. I commissioned an artist to make a bespoke wood burned plaque with a Latin phrase that is my house motto (per aspera ad astra) to fit in the center of my iron piece and it's mounted on the wall of my house in my garden. And it's amazing. I will die on this hill.

The opposite side of the color chart oranges etc also go with grey and or blue which can look like grey. Grey everything is not my choice but I do appreciate the versatility of grey. You just have to work with it.

I never did, (not having a place for it) but once upon a time I was considering making a word art that went, "Die, Cry, Despise" . . .

That grey everything also reminds me of the beige homes.

A skilled interior designer should prioritize the homeowners' tastes and habits, integrating them into the design. While some elements may universally be considered unappealing, designers can sometimes overstep by imposing their own preferences rather than considering they are creating a space for someone else. If a client prefers gray, the designer should embrace it rather than imposing personal tastes. Similarly, if someone enjoys having numerous plants, that preference should be accommodated. Personally, I appreciate spaces with abundant greenery, as they create a vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere. There are effective ways to incorporate many plants into design that enhance aesthetic appeal. I occasionally watch your videos, but it appears you often emphasize your personal design preferences excessively. It seems as though you categorically dislike or favor certain things; for instance, if you dislike gray, it must be eradicated from every space according to your tastes. However, I believe that different spaces demand diverse design approaches. Even elements you may dislike can contribute positively to a well-designed and beautiful space if incorporated thoughtfully.

Agree on everything and thanks for talking about the gray. p.s. And now, they even name their children *Grey* . I mean, if you hate your child, just give him/her to adoption!

I always liked Mary Tyler Moore's "M" on her wall. She was a single woman, claiming her space as her own (plus I loved her first apartment!). I left an abusive marriage after 20+ years. I have my initial on the wall, just like Mary. It reminds me this is my home and no one will bully me out of it.

I just thought of a hilarious surprise birthday party for you. Your design friends arrange for the party venue to have every one of these icks including "the bragger". Then they'll start a drinking game for every time you say "No, just no!". Then while everyone is scrounging through purses and backpacks for a spare Xanex as you lie down with a cool damp cloth on your forehead, they quickly tear it all down and put up something simple and marvelous and you wake up like Dorothy ... home again where those awful things can't happen. As you say, sadly, the grey floor can only be covered up - such a crime.

The one time I saw a decal that really worked was a friend of mine with a very tiny flat. She wanted an antique hat stand for her coats, but didn’t have the space. So she got a decal of one, and screwed a trio of hangers in and made a shadow hat stand. But it was very subtle, like a couple of shades darker than her wall colour, and was in a deliberately kitsch, maximalist space. I’m not sure it would have worked anywhere else.

Disagree about grey, I still love it but I agree with everything else. Grey does take some careful planning though.

Oh dear, I got to the end of your ick list and realized something amazing. Your perspective is humorous, honest on every level, and brave. Too many designers and owners buying into trends and boasting about the cost. Bravo!

Agree 99.9%. I still need drapes to block out the light at night but I can not STAND a valance or excessive amounts of fabric because I need Light! Excessive plants is a hoarding problem, like having too many cats!

😂😂❤❤ can you make a video on design fatigue? And when and how to have an accent wall?

The thing is that paint can fix a lot of grey but….the grey floors!! Unless you illegally procured some petrified wood, how in the name of all that is holy, do you see that looking like ‘real’ wood!?

I don't even like for mail boxes to say "MAIL". Well, duh. If the "mail" man is confused about what that box beside the door is for ? ? ? ? don't tell him.

Oh, the signs even outside I’ve seen 5’ tall welcome signs beside the front doors. Tacky!

My bathroom is grey. In my defence I rent so didn’t choose it. The North of the UK has endless grey weather too . Why bring the outside in, when the outside is mainly awful.

No hate here. I agree with almost every one of your icks. But I have an excessive amount of plants in my bay window. Actually I have at least one plant in every room. I don't have guests very often and I do get nice comments. My plants are other people's accent wall in my living room. I totally agree with you on everything else. If I had better sun exposure in this old house they would be spread out better. One preference to another.

OMG! The first one you mentioned, is the first one on my list too! You are hysterical and completely entertaining! I look forward to watching more videos! Preach, please!!

You forgot barn doors. 🤢

Design Fatigue video please. I appreciate your perspective and vision.

Seasonal decoration is another most annoying thing to me.. It’s ok to have little bit of accents but changing everything every season gives me anxiety!

I’m so glad I found this video. I wish I could send to my landlord. Red, grey, black and white kitchen and dining room. One bedroom with a pink, green , brown and white striped wall. And a lounge room with a dark grey wall. And people wonder why I prefer being outside 😂

Also those geometric walls are total dust collectors. You'd need to take a leaf blower to one of those to adequately clean it.

I feel like I could have recorded this same video! You hit almost all of my "icks", especially the geometric walls and prison gray. However, I do need to add those half circles that are painted above beds and furniture; seriously, just ick and ugh. While I'm at it, I like mushrooms on my pizza and salad, but definitely spare me all those cheap mushroom lamps.

Last year we bought a new home, and I've spent countless hours looking at interior design stuff online since then. The ONE thing I came away with saying "absolutely not" to was grey furniture. I don't know why. I never felt any particular way about it before. Now? It's an absolute deal breaker. It manages to look bland, boring, and washed out, while also being obtrusively cold. The weird thing is, I don't mind black & white photography, and even have a soft spot for Brutalist architecture. I also don't seem to mind things that are naturally grey, like some stones or concrete. It's specifically things that are painted grey, or grey upholstery, that I just can't have in my home. Also, people who think talking about spending money on stuff as a brag is okay are just pathetic. Thankfully, I'm surrounded by people who would never do that.

And the damn barn doors! Where we bought our home every home for sale had those damn doors. 😩

👏👏👏👏Someone needs to call out these 'influencers' that gloat about the cost of their home or items they purchased for the home. Just because something cost $20,000 doesn't automatically make it beautiful, practical or necessary.

That is one of the trends I didn’t drink the cool-aide-gray. Always thought it was gloomy. It’s the new neutral, blah, blah. It had its moment for 10 years.

I'd much rather see an item that was made with love by a child or someone's great-aunt than a $10,000 rug. That is a most cherished item that I will gush over.

NOW...I really want a "Live, Laugh, Love" banner in my living room. OMG, it will drive people nuts!😂😂

IDK, man. My son has ADHD. At one point, I saw a framed list of numbered morning tasks and I thought, "Normally, I would think this was stupid. But, in his case, it might not be such a bad idea to have this on the wall. It would save me asking, 'Have you done X?' and him running back to do it." For whatever reason, printing them out or writing them on a whiteboard just isn't working. Alas, one of the tasks didn't apply and there was no matching bedtime task list. If it had worked for us, $20 for sanity in the morning and evening would have been well worth it. But I wouldn't have considered it art-- just another experiment to try to help him manage mornings and evenings.

Sorry I just got to Your Show this week a few days late. My father just passed and this has taken up my world and now I can appreciate what I love which is to see You. 😊

I work for Very wealthy people in SW Florida. They Never brag or tell you what something costs. Only New $ and I will no longer work for Those people. Sucks to have people constantly telling you how Rich they are and reminding me constantly how much less I have

I happen to agree with every point you made today. Hey, people need guidance in what is genuinely tasteful, timeless and classy in order to be able to cultivate their own style and learn how to feather their nest in a beautiful way. I appreciated your words about how basically vile it is to go about blathering on about the beaucoup dollars one spends on their decor. I would love to see a revival on etiquette and social graces. That is something I am working on personally. Would you consider doing an episode on helping guide people with decorating their porches and lawns? There seems to be a growing problem of bad "art and furniture" spilling out into people's yards making them look sad and unwelcoming. Would love to have you share your thoughts on that topic.

I have one piece of word art in my bathroom it says "be an adult not a kid hit the toilet not the lid" I'm never getting rid of it

Love that you unapologetically speak your truth. Plant person here. I have over 200. My space could be included in your examples of what not to do 😂 Because there are so many examples of overwhelmingly planty spaces, I think people assume we all have the same approach to incorporating plants into our homes. My plants have designated spaces where they grow well. There are nearby empty spaces and surfaces in every room with plants so it doesn’t feel overwhelming (and it’s helpful when I’m going around maintaining my plants to have places to place my watering cans, paper towels, etc.). I have grow lights hidden just about everywhere there are plants and they lean warm (so not cold and not purple). Cords are hidden. The warm light brightens up what would be a very dark home. My pots blend into the background and in many cases, we installed cabinets that fit the spaces they’re in so each plant grouping is framed out like art). Gnats can absolutely be eradicated and I wish my plants raised the humidity because mine is too low and its leads to issues. I bet you could make an amazing video about how people style spaces nicely with plants. There are some pretty great examples out there if you know where to look.

I never really did understand the geometric walls. I don’t understand the appeal.

Always hated grey for the same reasons you provided in the video and then I visited Mediterranean and it was so full of color, bright and vibrant and not even warm, scorching hot, just the nature I'm talking about, that once we stayed in all grey and white home I suddenly actually started liking it. For the first time grey was soothing and not depressing. This grey apartment, spacious, full of sunshine, huge windows, minimalistic design made the all grey everything design that I always hated feel good somehow.

You are so amazing Phoenix. 😂😂😂. I wish I could afford you as an interior designer. Definitely would support your business. Always, look forward to seeing your content / videos. Stay beautiful. ❤

I’ve just found you. Thank goodness. I’m British and we just don’t like bragging about the cost of things . I’m just loving your honest approach, and fortunately, I’m agreeing with everything you say so far.

I love your rant on bragging & gloating! Yes!!

I hate the geometric wall 😂 I prefer the old crown molding

I love your honesty, humour and design style 🩷

Yeah, do another one of these and also the hard passes. This was great!

Finally someone spilling the tea about excessive window treatments! I’m seeing a lot of “old world interiors” style influencers on IG sharing about valences and I hate to think that that style could be making a come back. 😅 I saw an influencer draping sheer fabric above his curtains to make his bedroom look like he was living in a palazzo in Italy… lol

The bathroom word art sends me into a rage that I cannot control

I so agree. When I see 'word art' in a home, I cringe. And when I encounter a green plant overload, I usually think...1970 fern bar vibe.All that is missing are lots of macrame and a plastic Tiffany chandelier or two. But I must confess, when selling my parents' home a few years back, I did grey it up for re-sell. And it did sell.

Me with both word art & those wall stickers & still aggressively agreeing with everything you said😂 I’ve been wanting to redecorate & reorganize for a while now but I’d have to do a full overhaul at this point to make it really look the way I want.

Honestly, you are THE best interior designer! I thank you when you remind me of the dust collector decor. You always make perfect sense.

Daddy, here is my design philosophy in three words..."simpler is better". I like a relaxing atmosphere in my home and I can't feel relaxed with a lot of "stuff" going on. And you are so right about grey! Sometimes I see interior photos and I can't tell if I'm looking at a black and white photo or not. That's just depressing.

How very refreshing.. I am in complete agreement with everything stated. Thank you for this video.

Thought piece~ Switch all the signs around in all the rooms. Kitchen in the Garage, Bathroom in the Bedroom. Mess with People’s Tiny Miiiiiiiinnds!

I think the pictures of houses that are practically jungles on the inside look cool because I love nature and plants and would live in a greenhouse if I could but in reality unless you hire someone dedicated to caring for them and cleaning around them it does turn into a big mess and the plants are not going to stay looking that good. That being said I don’t think people with excessive amounts of houseplants are doing it as a design trend but because they actually just love plants in which case who cares, it’s a hobby not just an aesthetic.

You are spot-on! Thank you for covering all these topics! 🙌🙌

I’m a 75 year young lady!! I agree with everything you said? What color would you replace gray with?

I’m an appraiser. I’ve been to over 1500 homes; I’ve seen every fad style there is. I agree with 100% of your comments. Subbed, just so I can vent with you my friend. 👍🏾

Design fatigue, that's something I ve never heard of, please do a video about it!! Thank you for another interesting and useful video!

Loved the video!

Hello! Would love to know what paint color is on the wall behind you?

Excellent video, I subscribed!

Lol, unfortunately, the curtains in my dining room have valances. But my place is decorated to look like a manor 😅 its very victorian, rococo, styled~ even seeing the photo examples you gave, i loved them ❤️ ☺️🤣

Whats your opinion on doing the geometric trim thing on a door? I recently upcycled the door leading to our garage using that technique. Just wondering what u think about it… love ur channel! ❤️

I lived in a house where the bathroom was halfway down the hall and also where all the bedrooms are located. It makes sense to put a sign on the bathroom door that said, 'Bathroom.' Because people visiting my home, when asking to use the bathroom, are distracted and can easily get confused, when I say, 'it's halfway down the hallway and the second door on the left' because there's four doors on both sides, down that hallway and a door at the end of the hallway. It wasn't 'word wall art' it was a practical and sensible sign. Because all I had to say was: 'Look for the door with the 'bathroom' sign.' And many commented that they were relieved to quickly find the bathroom.

Design icks: "I do not want them in my space! I do not like them any place! I won't support your lack of style, it will not make me want to smile!"

Dear Design Daddy - You are not wrong for anything stated in this video. I support and co-sign all things stated as icks. 😊

My comment is that I have my favorite word "Inspire" (also have the word tattooed on my forearm, that is how much I love this word) as a coper metal piece in my gallery wall. And the first verse of the Serenity Prayer framed on my wall, that was inherited from my late parents, and that I grew up with. I love both these pieces. They mean a lot to me and I don't care what anyone thinks about them. But the generic "word art" ick. I have gray counter tops in the kitchen & bathroom and very pale gray walls. I rent and I am not willing to mess with them. But thankfully I don't have gray floors or kitchen cabinets. We definitely do not agree about houseplants, but that's okay, I enjoy my plant collection. Additionally you don't have to choose plants that need high humidity ie.cactus. No hate for your icks, you probably don't want to visit me, because of my pet trantulas anyway, lol.

If a piece of furniture costs 5 figures, wouldn't you be scared to touch it? I mean, you regularly walk on rugs, unless you're hanging them on the wall as art. You're sitting in chairs, your pets are going to be getting onto chairs, shedding on them, why would you want to spend that much money on one thing? That would only make sense for things like your roof that protects your home or an updated efficient furnace or HVAC system, something designed to be used and last a long time (hopefully).

Gray sage and ivory, sage being the dominant color is a pretty combination. Very relaxing and peaceful

I'd agree with most of those for sure. Drapes have their place and can make an enormous difference (and also are amazing about cutting down on outside noise), but what you said was excess drapery, and that's true, it can be overdone. But my favourite one you dislike is going on about the cost of everything. You're so right, NO ONE wants to hear that, and it's rude. I hate being asked how much something costs myself, I sure don't want to hear from someone how much they're paying for stuff. Living by novelty is one I'd add to your list: always having to have something just because it's a novelty, to me that means they have no taste of their own, don't know what looks good, have no sense of proportion, or anything. It's like not having a personality, just a personality display.

I'm very proud to say that my mum wanted to get grey floors while renovating her house, but I talked her out of it! really dodged a bullet there because I agree with every (hateful) thing you say about grey floors 🤣.

I think you made some good observations in this video. I appreciate you for pointing this out.

Who cares if anyone has these things in their home? I personally will have things I like, have a sentimental attachment with or I can afford it. I live in my space with my family. If someone doesn’t like my home, stay away. I can say with absolute certainty, you are not welcome in my home if you feel the need to pass judgement. No one has to like my home but me and my family.

From one Canuck to another.. totally agree on the grey.. our livingroom was grey when we moved in..on the north side of the house..it was terrible

I am with you on all!! Do you do critique vids? I am trying to resurrect my old ranch, emptied the house save a few dressers for clothing, and 4 black vintage Herman Miller wire chairs I inherited from mom that I adore. I am fully stuck on paint, hubs wants SW Eider white I want slightly darker less gray. lol, most indecisive person probably ever on paint :D Don't get me started on nonsense stuff, just keep it simple and pretty.

I completely agree with you about "word art." My grandfather was a painter/cartoonist/. He created amazing pen and inks, too, that I offered to my son and his wife for their home. Sge didn't want them! Instead her walls have "family" themed word art! Everyone that lives there already knows they are family, no? I cannot stand her decor but this is the only time I have expressed this! Thank God for you!

love the straight up calling out on all levels~!

As always you are absolutely correct. Thank you Daddy 💕

100% agree. Two years ago I was picking out mid tone beige/cream with a bit of grey luxury vinyl plank floor and saw two other women looking at different grey flooring. I was close to going over to try and convince them to look at other more natural tones but chickened out. They needed a huge amount but it wasn’t my house nor my business.

Yikes. I was actually thinking of you when I sent my, Thou Shalt Not Whine, sign to the Goodwill in just the last six months.