John DeVore reflects on minimalist vs maximalist, Marie Kondo vs Adam Savage, and tours Monkeyhaus. 

Being surrounded by the objects you love, that spark joy and memories, is the essence of Kondo’s aesthetic. You, like me, have lots of stuff that that brings you pleasure, and that’s cool by her. It’s the keeping/hoarding of stuff, stuff you keep for various & less conscious reasons, none of which bring joy, that goes against the grain of her philosophy. Believe me, I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain this to my wife… I love living spaces that are like entering the inhabitant’s brain.

I’m more interested in Hiroyasu Kondo than Marie Kondo

I don't see any clutter. Clutter is stuff you don't really care about haphazardly strewn about. What you're showing is beloved items - things with a story - that you value and cherish, and which are displayed like the prizes they are. Which is great; speaks to a rich, well-rounded life. Love all the cool-looking amps!

Kondo never worked for me either, although when moving to Europe the first two months were very sparse as we waited for our container from the US to arrive, and both of us kind of liked having a completely empty space to live in, where we could focus on essentials only, like cooking and eating well, exercise, each other, and so on. When the container arrived it was shock, like "What have we done?", but once everything was in place it felt good again, and we both love the cozy feeling of having objects around us that remind us of trips, loved ones, experiences, and just things we love. Heaven forbid we have to move soon again.

what a great space. reminds me alot of Michael Lavogna's Barn. looks like a great place to kick back and let the music flow

I just discovered your channel! You and I love all of the same stuff. Mechanical watches, bicycles, audio amd eclectic clutter! And Adam Savage is the closest thing to deity I have encountered 😀.

Great post John, thanks. Getting really excited, as just heard my O96's are heading my way this week. They could not be further away from where they were made. Perth, Western Australia - check it out on a map 🙂

Thanks for that very interesting Tour through monkey House. I too love being surrounded by interesting Things, some collected from vacations or from fleemarkets, some being Gifts from my children or Friends. Everything tells a Story.

Loved the tour, John! I hope I can visit one of these days.🙂

Hi John I enjoyed Mounkyhaus tour, can you maybe do a factory tour would like to see your speakers being produced.

As always an immensely enjoyable video John! “More is More” - Rem Koolhaus If you haven’t already, you might enjoy cracking open a copy of his seminal work Delirious New York. I think of it as his love letter to one of the greatest cities in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Every home poker game I have attended looks like your room....be proud.

Very interesting! I always feel I aspire to minimalism but find myself more comfortable with an orderly maximal aesthetic like yours. And those Ivar shelves are great!

heart swells, tears well, love this, be happy.

I can totally relate to this

Hey 👋 John; what’s your take on Dieter Rams? I watched a documentary titled RAMS by Gary Hustwit and it was great.

Cool video! If you do another one, you might want to name some of the artists. You once did a video where you talked about Bill McMullen and I wound up getting one of his prints. Thanks!

Lovely video. Thank you.

look at what's supposed to be mine. yes I got it, I'll save it myself, and that's the mission. Have a nice day, happy, with you.

Very interesting video, thank you.

I've always wondered what the color coded sticky notes on many of your LPs denote! My first guess is suitability in testing different speakers or specific performance aspects of them?

John's rents going up.

Most women are happy living in bare rooms, with a bed, a table, a plate, a fork, a spoon, a knife, a kettle, a mug and 500 pairs of shoes

Is that stormtrooper helmet a bong?

The man cave to end all man caves. Go in there and never leave…

Never heard of either of em really---then I haven't even watched tv outside of an odd sports event here or there and some "wheel" in 25 or more years.

I aspire to minimalism but I do the opposite 😂

John DeVore is up there with Tom Waits and Brian Eno as people I'd love to have over to my place for dinner, and vice-versa. Our global society has become perversely consumerist, and not comparatively creativist. When makers of lovingly created products do so by hand, they should cost something respective. I'd love to own a pair of John's Gibbon X's, but I'm not there yet. John being a creator himself, I'd expect him to have a home full of storied objects and fascinations. Convesely, Minimalism fully embraced (I feel) may be the symptom of one who wishes to forget history, or wipe it clean...