Thanks to all the other RU-vid designers featured in this video - all of their channels are in the description. I know right now everyone is feeling distant from friends and family, so hopefully this made you feel a little more connected to your RU-vid friends! I know this collaboration helped me!
Hi Nick, Greetings from California. Great video! I have a question: can you touch on the subject of multi purpose rooms in the era of lockdown? I had to re configure our living room last year when my husband and daughter needed room for work and school, we live in a small 2/1 no extra room for a separate office here. Thanks in advance.
Great collaborative discussion with some of my favorite designers. Would love to see these same folks quarterly, if possible. 🙏🏽 Thanks for creating this 🌻
A handy test to apply to all of these items is how difficult are they to change? The more difficult or costly something is to change (hardwood floors, wall tile, bath fixtures) the smarter it is to keep them neutral and timeless.
My splurge item was my bed. No matter what the day brings there’s nothing like climbing into a bed that delivers a good nights sleep. Dress it up with beautiful bedding and pillows and create a sleeping sanctuary. Great video 👍🏻.
I say splurge on things you have to touch daily. Johnny I've has a famous quote "we are able to discern much more than we are able to articulate". The feeel of something, the tactility of a product, even when we can't express it with words has a profound affect on how we perceive it. Splurge on things you touch often.
I'm subscribed to 3 of them, I'll be checking out the others. There are a few that are really really good that are missing but I guess we can't expect them all to be here LOL
Valentina captured the essence . There is no decor element or furniture piece that will elevate your home design overall if the floor is not the centerpiece . I consider flooring the anchor of your home .
Yes! And it's really difficult to find tables and chairs that have a design you like, will stand the test of time, and aren't ridiculously expensive. When we moved to our current home about 10 years ago we found a small kitchen table made out of 100% oak, from IKEA (it's now discontinued). I'm still so happy about that oak table, the wear and tear has not made it any less beautiful and it can easily be sand papered as needed. For the living room we got chairs and a table in white veneer, and they have aged terribly.
@@emmamemma4162 ooh what a lucky find! Dining sets make sure an impact but don’t get changed very often. It’s such a hassle. I am grateful my space is too small for one at the moment but I’m always on the lookout just in case!
One thing you forgot to splurge on is an interior designer when building or buying a new home. Get it right the first time with a professional. Oh and definitely watch RU-vid Designers like Nick Lewis to get a feel for your style, trends, likes and dislikes. Love your channel! Building a new house (retirement home) and your videos have been invaluable.
Probably my favorite design video of all time. Not only were all of the tips extremely helpful, but having all of my fav RU-vidrs in one video! Awesome!
All my favorites designers! One more tip that is a must, you space must be clean! Even in my first apartment when I had sparse furnishings, my space was clean. A clean, decluttered space can ignite your creative juices : ).
Can you also do a mini series of some iconic furniture like the barcelona chair by Ludwig Mies van de Rohe and explain why it is iconic, how to style it and maybe affordable dupes ?
Baiyina voiced my go-to. Buy vintage. Vintage from established retailers. Vintage from a garage sale. Vintage off Facebook. The most I've paid for any one vintage case good was 500 dollars. But I ended up with great storage that was super solid, timeless, and sexy...and it came out just as cheap as IKEA.
everyone I just started watching each one of y'all this month. I'm moving into my new apartment. I got a two bedroom two bath me and my husband and my daughter and I am not a decorator. I've never had a home long enough to decorate, but I started to collect certain pieces that I like and the first thing I started with his couch thank you for your videos all of you. I just started watching all of y'all to see this Collab three years later it still working y'all had great tips to help me create the home as an adult
Yesssss KB! You’re such a pro ✅ Love your tips always and as a marketer myself I have to give you a golden star by starting your segment introducing yourself to Nicks audience at the beginning along with your clear brand statement. Yes yes yes. This is why I know you will go so far fast. Keep up all that hard work and congratulations on all the amazing growth. Xoxo 💕💖🏆
My splurges are sofa, mattress, double pane glasses on my windows ( surprisingly expensive as my condo has several ceiling-to-floor windows..great for lighting but bad for wallet ). The other items mostly free, such as rugs, dinnerware, cutleries, silverwares, accessories such as photo frames, mirror frames, candlestick holders, porcelain vases etc. They are all inherited items. A lot of them are over 100 years old yet still very much in good condition and look good too !
Sitting here in my lounge room surrounded by secondhand furniture and furniture rescued from the side of the road. The rather posh looking curtains are remade secondhand curtains. Admittedly, the curtains would have been very expensive originally.
This was so fun!!! Nick, I love that you gave your take on everything mentioned and acknowledged the differences, but explained how they still coincide. I think I needed to hear that because I do follow all of you guys and I’ve heard the various things said and sometimes I am wondering who to actually listen to! So it’s great to get the perspective that they can all be true. I really hope you guys do more collabs soon! Lets make this a series!
The Minimal Mom started a RU-vid collab on decluttering. I love this complement on design! Get rid of clutter and make room for a few items you love that will last.
Arvin, Kiva and Valentina always have the best advice!!! I think mixing high and low is always the best. I like having one stunning piece in each room so I splurge on one high ticket item in each room.
Splurge for everything you like and love. If you can't afford the item, look for the cheapest/ok version of the item, if it is totally necessary. Save your money special for "this" item. If you can afford it, buy it, love it. Example kitchen: You love this oven, this cabinets and they are over the top of your limits. Look for second hand, cheap racks and so on. Save your money on this and shop if you are able for it.
I've seen probably every Valentina video, just like yours, a lot of Julie's content and at least few of every other creator so I'm super exited that those are the people you've chosen for this project 😊
As far as custom furniture goes. If you are looking for wooden furniture I highly recommend finding an Amish retailer. They make relatively affordable wood furniture and can make things completely custom.
@@llamasugar5478 It's a classic leather couch that has gotten a wonderful patina over time. It's the only piece I would let my dog get on. It is from McEwan's Furniture...a family-owned business in my hometown that is (after 100 years) no longer in business...I'm sorry to say. If I were looking for something like it now, I'd try second hand from Thomasville or Ethan Allen or try querying Thomasville @ sofadealers.com. I see one almost identical to mine there. Happy shopping!
agree! I have spent too many years living with crummy uncomfortable sofas that have lost all their springiness. Even new ones will lose their spring ( and their looks) within a year if they are cheaply constructed. When I saw my current high end sofa, it was second-hand at 1/6 of the retail price, only 12 months old, and the owner said it had hardly been sat on because, as I could see, it was placed in the entrance way. I jumped at the chance, and although I had to travel along way to view it, I have never regretted the purchase. 3 years down the track, this sofa feels exactly the same to sit on as the day i got it. It has stood up to some heavy use (my son who is 6'5"), yet it is surprisingly light to move around, thanks to superior craftsmanship and construction techniques that can't been seen from the outside but can certainly be felt! I will never buy a cheap sofa again.
I agree. But don't you think that the light itself is more important than the light fixture? That is, if you get the right intensity, color and placement of the light fixtures, you could get away with an ikea light and get a great result
I’m late in watching and I’m so excited to see that you asked Arvin to do this! The two of you are my favorite designers on RU-vid. Thank you for doing this!
Can’t wait! Glad Julie and Biana are there bc I’d been watching their videos as well ! Julie is very responsive and answers your questions no matter how old the video is and make suggestions , Biana , I just watched her new apartment tour last night (in Dallas) excited to see how she will transform it and make it her own . I’ll go visit the other 3 I’m sure I will like them too. Thanks Nick for doing this.
Solid Sensible Advice. Invest in the major pieces, save on the 'fun' things Invest : couch/sofa , bed, countertops, sink fixtures, rugs Save on : lighting, accessories, trends Luxury : Bed Linens, Bath Sheets, Aromatic Room Mood Setters,(arvin)
Omg! I watch most of these channels regularly! How amazing! I also love Rebecca Robeson and the Thrifted Life gals. Laura Caldwell has an amazing eye for styling thrifted objects in her home. She’s so good, I don’t think she realizes how good she is! Im so glad I ground your channel, Nick!
This was an amazing collab!!!!! I ADORE and watch them ALL!!!!!! Kiva resonates with me the most because I’m all about that luxe look on a budget (and have diy-ed many items in my home). I picked up some good tips from this video! Thank you Nick!
I really like getting different opinions from a wide range of designers. I’m a designer myself trained for the stage and film industry, so I am very familiar with a wide variety of styles and looks. For my own home I splurged on quality sofas rugs and mattresses. I have a unique look going on that combines styles from different eras and would classify my design as vintage eclectic. I have a lot of one of a kind high end pieces that are unusual and unique to my home. If you have a 4’x4.5’ Victorian dollhouse that you invested $50,000 on over the last decade and a half and it’s of museum quality you can’t get more one of a kind than that. And it’s such an attention grabber that sets the tone for my whole house. I got great deals on fine wool handmade large area rugs and found them on offer up. I also buy pieces in antique marts and am more of a restore vs refinish person. I love my wood furniture and I like it looking natural. I’m not a fan of the buy a dresser paint it white then give it a faux finish, although I am a master at paint techniques. I prefer large decorative mirrors with sumptuous gilded frames to add depth and light into my rooms, as well as keeping bad spirits at bay. I have a mid century room that leads into a craftsman room and all my sofas are high end leather. If you have dogs like I do and they share your house with you, leather is the only way to go because of it’s durability and ease in cleaning. A dog can have an accident on your favorite linen sofa and you will be devastated, been there done that. My advice is to create a look that is unique to you and has your flair, start simple with a rock solid foundation and don’t try to create a designer home in one day. Have a plan and buy quality a little at a time in an environment that is able to grow with you. I’m 58 and over the years I have gone from homeless to renter, to a 40 year mortgage to an actual home owner paid in full. I made wise decisions during the right times with my real estate and bought when the market was low and sold when the market was high. I restored my first home and sold it in California for three times what I paid for it, took a leap of faith and moved to Texas where I was able to find a real treasure for my golden years home and paid for it with a cashiers check after paying off my two mortgages on my first home. Your home is where your heart is and where your spirit shines and putting all your trust in your higher power, I call mine God, can really be rewarding. If you have a lifetimes worth of treasures you want them to be a testimony of your faith and devotion, your hard work and creativity, as opposed to being a room filled with material idols that will all fade away over the years. Invest in what makes you happy, and yes, yes, yes, be the artist who created your wall art. Stay away from trends and stick with something that is timeless. I picked greens and blues in soft and vibrant shades and things just start gravitating toward you. When you have a color palette your friends know what to gift you with and as you grow older you find that you get a lot of things handed down to you that just can’t be given away. So keep an open mind and stay away from the trend of the day. Living in a farmhouse is really wonderful and has a great look, living in a condo that you decorated to look like a farmhouse will get old real fast. Don’t be afraid of color, take risks and paint your walls as the dramatic background of your furnishing collection, you can keep it simple or go over the top, and you will always be growing and adding to your home, if you keep yourself focused on nice classic vintage pieces you can easily find new pieces that have a vintage look or carry a vintage line. Unless of course you are super rich and can go out and decorate and redecorate as often as you want and the sky is the limit. You will find that a good designer creates the look everyone wants to copy, be a trend setter not a follower, your home is your reflection and should be unique, just as you are unique. And if you are patient and consistent with your design theme you will find yourself on the cover of your magazine and everyone will want to know where you got all your style from. They will want you to decorate their homes and help them create their unique look. You just might find yourself having a skill that will pay your bills and last you a lifetime.
I agree with you and Arvin on the splurge! My big splurge was my couch when I moved and it hurt to spend as much as I did but I know it'll last me for years
Anything that can’t be easily replaced, like floors, window design (not the treatments, the actual windows), kitchen cabinetry are top of the sensible splurge list. Quality and a style that can be adapted, bc this is the foundation. Then daily heavy use items like couches, beds, rugs, dining table. I’d save on things like cushion covers, decor, lighting - things that go in and out of style. Also, If you are a DIY person or have family, you can save on vintage finds or making things from scratch. (I’m making a throw in the right nuance to go w a reading nook chair atm)
Loved the video. And Yes, I splurged on my bed,matress, and my dining room chairs. They are so comfy, timeless pieces. Other things I got as gifts but omg I love them. Theyre very beautiful. I thrifted my living room chairs and theyre so comfy and mid century pieces, unique.
This was an awesome episode, it was so great to hear so many great perspectives and advice! Thank you for putting in the effort of putting this collab together ❤️
Splurging on a custom frame can elevate an $18 poster into something that would feel at home in an art museum. I took a 16x24” poster of John Singer Sargent’s “Lady Agnew of Lochnaw”, worked with my local frame shop (shop local, not big box), and, for $300, I have a stunning piece of art on my wall.
The group thing was a nice idea. I actually to 2 those guests but very familiar with them all. I honestly put them on different levels. A few Of the guests I just don’t like at all but of course won’t mention and only see them because they guest pushed to my feed based on algorithms. You are honestly my favorite of them all. Even though I am pretty set and feel like I have done a very good job with my home I still like actively searching out your new posts. Love your format and don’t feel like I’m watching someone putting on airs and trying to be a RU-vid personality. Great job Nick.
OK, started watching you first, then found Kiva, and Valentina, and Arvin on my own. Now I'm going to check the rest out! Thanks so much for doing this collab.
Thank you everyone I follow all of you and tremendously enjoy your take on decor. I will add that my next couch will be either purple or deep blue velvet. (yup I'm over 55) and like that bohemian style. Cheers
We are getting a new home and investing in hardwood floors throughout the home and fresh quality paint. For me, I like to invest in the big pieces like a solid wood-framed couch, solid wood dining table, etc. But pillows, blankets, maybe even the rug, I save more because I have 2 VERY sheddy and fluffy dogs. So those pieces need to be a bit more disposable once they've become - for lack of a better word - too doggy.
Valentina made a great point Nick. One could say we gravitate to a style that suits us, but is there some kind of Rorschach design test⁉️ I follow KB, Arvin & you. Thanks for more great designers
Each time I login, I check to see if you have a new video. RU-vid needed this channel! Thank you so much for helping me identify how to better decorate my living space. The tips you provide are helping me figure out which changes I'd want to make to homes I'm looking at buying (too many houses trying to blend a bunch of styles!).
Julie Khuu and Arvin's suggestion on splurge resonated with me. Spending more on the most used and 'viewed' aspect of your house is the furniture that we use. Spending on light fixtures beyond a limit seems pointless, because eventually when switched on all light fixtures look good.
It took some time for the sofa to be entioned! That was the first thing on my mind :) I guess most of the tips really depend on people's priorities/taste, but the sofa and the mattress are honestly things most people should consider splurge items
What a Fantastic Collab!!! Each Contributor's suggestions were spot on, and so useful to us Design Lovers. 👏 It just shows how cooperation can enhance our Design Development and be fun too. Great idea Nick! Awesome job everyone!❤
