Non-Negotiable Interior Design Mistakes ❌

This month I received...

In this video I go over some of my non-negotiable design mistakes that I see. I really tried to focus less on opinion in this video and stick to what I consider design mistakes that are never an artistic choice.

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⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 - Non-Negotiable Interior Design Mistakes
00:58 - Scentbird
02:01 - Mismatched Lighting Temperature
03:54 - Improper Clearances Around Furniture
05:49 - Door and Cabinet Clearances
07:30 - Selecting the Wrong Material
09:50 - Too High or Too Low
13:12 - Buying Without Measuring
14:35 - Beware of Hazards

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[MyFocusVaries]

"You hear people say farmhouse is dated..." It was you, Nick. You were the "people" 😂

[vicki]

You need to make sure what you buy will fit through the door to your house, apartment, or room.

[chloew]

whenever i lived in a studio i intentionally mismatched the lighting temperatures to help create different "rooms" within my tiny apartment. the bed had the warmer lights and workspace and kitchen had cooler lights. i think it worked in helping me feel like i wasnt just living in a giant box, even if it didn't exactly look cohesive! LOL

[Scintillate]

it’s so interesting bc as a disabled person who uses a wheelchair and doesn’t have experience in interior design these are all things I think about very frequently. I have to think about clearance in order for me to access spaces and do tasks as efficiently as possible. I HAVE to measure furniture beforehand so I can make sure I can fit underneath, that I can have wide enough spaces for me to pass. I own multiple measuring tapes so even if I lose one I can always access it. Of course I’m ALWAYS thinking about how high and low things are, how reachable, how viewable. How usable things are because due to energy limitations I want as little hassle as possible. And finally, I’m always thinking about safety, both in terms of things I could trip on, etc, but also because I’m far less likely to survive a fire or other disaster so I want to minimize them happening in the first place.

[vannarubi]

you heard it here first, your design choices shouldnt aim to kill your family

[LM-wtui]

"I don't really love children but I don't want them to fall down stairs." Priceless, love your humor Nick!

[rw]

Seeing this a bit late BUT non-negotiables for me include dangerous rug placement. Throw rugs that move, get stuck under doors, runners in a hallway with corners turned up, and on and on. I'm not 'old' but have walking struggles; I have to sight out every rug on the floor when going to someone's house hoping they are safe for me to walk over! You could do an entire video on making sure you home is beautiful AND safe (as you mentioned with your reminder about curtain length). Thanks for being so accessible in your content, delivery and clarity.

[cjmac]

I hated, hated, HATED tile countertops!!! Couldn't be sanitized, grout always looked filthy, dishes rocked on the uneven surfaces, and FORGET rolling out cookie dough!!! I was SO happy to replace them with quartz counters as soon as I could!!! Love you and your videos, Nick! ❤❤❤

[erikaronska]

"It's all fun and games until the toaster falls into the sink" 🤣
"I don't really love children, but I don't want them to fall down stairs"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[chipanndale]

Huge showrooms can give the illusion that the furniture is smaller than it actually is. Always measure.

[jenniferclark]

I feel like such a jerk! My late mother-in-law was an interior designer, so I forget how much my husband knows even though I'm the one on organization & decor now that she passed. I bought some random lighting & he fixated on all the temp having to be the same; whereas, I hadn't even noticed the difference or done it on purpose, but he went out & bought all lightbulbvs to match what I did. Honestly, I didn't even know temp lighting was even a thing, but it made a huge difference! Kudos to u & my late mother-in-law who taught her son better than her daughter-in-law lol.

[sheelfjohnson]

Also, please consider safety in regards to lighting. My parents love very dim "mood lighting". I went to stay with them recently after one parent had a bad fall in the family room. The room had one dim grey 25 watt LED bulb in the ceiling light. If you want dim lights but are at risk for falls, please have dimmers installed so you can enjoy the dim lighting but then raise the lights when you need to walk around the room.

[katebowers]

I have my parents' house to clear out, so I am proposing a rule: Before you are allowed to add storage furniture, you must Marie Kondo the equivalent space. Before you buy a new wardrobe, you must cull your closet. Before you buy a rolling storage cart for the kitchen or add a hutch to the dining room, you have to get rid of kitchen equipment and dishes you don't use. Same goes for books and bookcases. No new shelves until you've gotten rid of 87 cheap paperbacks and 50-year-old science textbooks!

[kra]

"You want to make sure you choose the stuff that is going to not kill your family." Hysterical!!1 Nick!! Thank you so much for your fantastic advice and HUMOR. :)

[Lovesapuzzle]

We recently up dated a bathroom with a "comfort" height toilet and taller sink vanity. These taller fixtures are so much easier to use. As we age, that ease of use will only become more important.

[Ruthbaby]

I'm proud to announce my precious daughter recently told me to keep the stuff I love and not worry about what she may have to dispose of. BEST daughter ever. I was disposing of a lot of belongings when she stopped me. It was a relief because I really hated trying to get rid of things I enjoy.

[vkumra]

“Let’s say you want carpet in the bathroom becaaause, you’re gross”. Seriously, Nick, you are one in a million, and just what I needed this morning. Also, thanks for the tip as I was struggling with curtain options and a baseboard heater. "Yes your place is beautiful, it’s stunning, but when it’s up in flames it’s not as stunning as it used to be”. Phew. Feel like I dodged a bullet there.

[rangebanana]

The assertiveness reminds me of my mom, a home designer. The customer is always right, except for when they’re wrong.

[thejazzpianist]

Your carpet in the bathroom comments took me out 😂😂😂I absolutely never understood the dated carpet in the bathroom trend... my dad told me when he was a kid, his family's KITCHEN WAS COMPLETELY CARPETTED LOL WHO DOES THAT

[colsen]

Spot on as usual. The whole drawer thing reminded me of when my toddler “locked” himself in the bathroom by opening a drawer in the vanity that prevented the door from opening. We had a key outside the bathroom to cover that locked scenario, but a vanity drawer…hadn’t even occurred to us.