Interior Design Mistakes Making You Depressed or Anxious

In this video, I go over some of the interior design mistakes you might be making in your home that are making you depressed or anxious. I also provide some of my favourite ways to alleviate some of that stress through some interior design tips. Please remember this is not mental health advice - please contact a mental health professional if you need advice or support.

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⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 - Interior Design Mistakes Making You Depressed or Anxious
00:52 - Fable Sponsorship
01:53 - Clutter
04:31 - Lighting
07:23 - Redecorate
08:41 - Greenery
10:44 - Natural Materials
11:50 - Ugly Furniture
13:27 - Color
15:06 - Get Personal

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[chloebennett]

I left an abusive relationship a few months ago and when I set up my new house I brought in only the pieces of furniture which predated him. I found the weight left my shoulders immediately by having space which was entirely mine to look at. It was expensive to have to rebut so much, but the mental freedom it gave me was worth every penny, and more!

[patriciakelly]

I thought I’d tell you this. About 30yrs after my mother died, I inherited a china cabinet. I didn’t want it, but it had sentimental value to me. I have carted it around on each house move. I even took it to Spain when we left England. Every time I thought I could let it go, I changed my mind. I decided a week ago that it had to go. I asked around to see if anyone wanted it, but no.
In Spain people put unwanted items by the bin so we decided we would do the same. I was cringing at the thought that it would go as rubbish, but hay ho! ten minutes after dropping it off it had gone. I know now it’s with someone who liked it. I feel so much lighter and know that it was the right thing to do. My mother and the memories are in my heart.

[rerunrescue]

I switched my bedroom with my living room. I know it sounds like a strange thing to do but there was a lot more light in my bedroom (which was also a larger room) so I turned it into my living room. No regrets.

[GothicMaximalist]

There are actual scientific studies done that prove faux plants have the same positive impact on our mental health and mood, as real plants do. So faux plant police can mind their own homes and let people do what they can to improve their mental health. As for paint, everyone keeps saying to stay away from dark colors, but when I paint something black or paint a room black, it makes my heart happy. Not everyone gets depressed in dark “dungeon” like rooms. It’s so important to know yourself and what you like, don’t pick paint just because it’s trendy. Pick colors that when you look at them, they truly make you feel good.

[Beqeeangel]

As someone who’s struggled with anxiety and depression for years, I can tell u reorganizing your room HELPS. Everytime i get overwhelmed emotionally I reorganize and it calms me down enough to deal with whatever is stressing me out

[killitwithfire]

dude, I‘m struggling with severe depression and anxiety and while these tips might not be super implementable for me, it‘s amazing how much compassion you show. So many videos like these feel like someone is pressuring me into doing more than I‘m capable of and while the tips might be great, I‘ll just be more anxious afterwards. This video just sounds like gentle suggestions and gives me hope that there‘s still stuff left to try. Maybe I will go buy some plants.

[lauriebak]

No matter the design style, clutter is the one thing that brings me down faster than anything else in a room. I cannot stand a cluttered, overly stuffed or disheveled area. It’s so depressing. I can be happy with darker colors or lighter colors, depending upon the room and its use.

[cgooch]

Regarding hospitals vs spas: I work in a children's hospital. Specifically, one that wins awards every year for being one of the prettiest children's hospitals in the country. Decent color theory definitely makes a difference. Nothing too distracting/overwhelming, but this hallway has yellow walls, the carpet in this waiting room has a fun pattern, the lobby has this colorful sculpture thing hanging from the ceiling that looks cool with the patterns on the floor.... etc.

Every time I go to a regular hospital or doctor's office that isn't focused on kids, I wonder why we hate adults. There's not really a good reason for a hospital to be visually depressing, and it's honestly better for patients' wellbeing for the space to be more pleasant.

[JessieBanana]

This is why I like your channel. You can funny and snarky and honest about what you don’t like, without being completely oblivious of what is personal preference, life circumstances, and financial situation. I am all for judging trends and decor, but not for the implication of judging people behind them or snobbery disguising itself behind “art”.

[anotherfoolishmortal]

Not just removing clutter, but actual cleaning helps. I recently went through a stretch where money was really tight and the vacuum cleaner broke. It was quite depressing not being able to walk around barefoot without stuff sticking to the feet. Once I figured out how to fix it (thank you YouTube diy videos, ) I had the satisfaction of having fixed it (yay dopamine, ) and having clean floors again. That felt more amazing than you think it would. Cleaning makes you feel better. Or the result does for sure.
And little things that are inexpensive but not hard, like moving the lamps around and hemming curtains so they are even (old house, nothing is straight) made things feel better.

[rna]

the last tip is my favorite. as much as I love interior design, your home isn’t a restaurant, hotel lobby, or a show room. I dislike that all the interior design people on YouTube (telling ppl how to decorate their homes) don’t talk about putting up photos of real people or objects from the person’s real life (travels, job, etc.) and instead put up random prints mass produced online. aNother simple example - my husband is a physician and always leaves his stethoscope or hospital badge laying around. I’ve put out a nice decorative bowl by our entry way where he can put those things. The objects themselves may not be “aesthetic” but having them displayed in an intentional way is just being authentic to who we are “in real life” and our home feels like OUR home. and it’s not just clutter laying around.

[minimalist]

This is one of the reasons I went with a more minimal aesthetic. Excess electronics, cords, clutter, decor, bedding, clothing, etc. make me anxious. I like quiet, open, light spaces with natural fabrics and sunshine.

Just give me big windows so I can view nature and turn on some music

[charlottemajewski]

Nick you are so right about the escape zone. My late husband was a hoarder and he had massive piles all over the house. My sewing room was my sanctuary and in.v strictly enforced a rule that he was not allowed to place anything in there. Helped me to keep my sanity.

[shaunahavey]

Nick, one thing I heard from you recently was to pay attention to the things guests interact with in your home, like flatware, hand towels, etc. I realize after 24 years of marriage, my stuff is really shabby and mismatched. I’m working on treating myself to some new things…and of course not keeping the old things around. Thanks for the idea!

[cooperwesley]

I have two very messy hoarders in my family (my brother and my aunt), and dealing with it has been a decades-long ordeal for everyone. The most important lesson I've learned is that the chaos in their homes is a symptom/sign of their depression... not the cause of it. With respect to my aunt, three of us spent almost two weeks helping to empty, clean, and restore her home about ten years ago. Within two months, it was as if we'd never been there at all.

[pamw]

May I add to open a window and let some fresh air into your home! Also, photos of passed loved ones depress me. I keep them in books as I can’t constantly remember their loss when I see their photo. And I tend to look past some of my décor disasters so I take a photo and I can really see what needs some improvement! Love you Nick, love your channel! 🥰

[emmariem]

The mention of LRV made me think of old European castles (stay with me). Mostly we think of castles as grey and moody. But that’s because we mostly see their ruins. When in use, inside walls were whitewashed/lime-washed to reflect light and were bright and colorful. They also whitewashed the outside of castles like the White Tower (in 1240) at the Tower of London.

[kathiemihindukulasuriya]

I really like the way Nick puts realistic goals for people who may be at a point in their life that the ideal is not approachable.

[diannnoeora]

Regarding reupholstering a piece you already have: If you have good quality pieces, that’s definitely a good idea. If you have inexpensive items, it’s fairly expensive and may not be the best choice. You can buy an inexpensive piece for the same cost or less than reupholstering. If you like the shape or whatever about it, it may be worth the expense. (My husband and I had a upholstery shop. We frequently heard, “I can buy a new chair/sofa/whatever for less than what you’re going to charge me.” That’s true. You’re paying for high quality fabric, all the interior products and the expertise of a talented professional artisan.)

[amcdonald]

"Bonus Tip - get a dog" - Loved that little insertion! :-)