Architect's TOP 10 Living Room Design Mistakes

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

Two complete renovations and both times I have done "Slow Design" and am SOOOO HAPPY that I did. I spent many a night just looking around my almost empty room trying to imagine what would be perfect where. I have masking tape on my walls to mark out kitchen cabinets, side tables etc. And to build bulk I use empty cardboard boxes. (I currently have a mockup of a bookcase / room divider just to see whether it will fit properly and whether I will run into it by accident. Once I make up my mind, I then use my 3D skills to model and render out my room and then I just sit on it and let it seep in. (Despite looking at hundreds of pieces of furniture over the past year, I couldn't find a sideboard that perfectly fitted my awkward space, so I sent my 3-D render to a cabinet maker and he made one for me, and it looks exactly like my render) My friends feel sorry for me that I haven't yet completed everything in a few days like they do on those makeover TV shows. But I am very patient. Thoughtful design will make you incredibly happy with the end result. I highly recommend it.

[@juniper10]

HI, this is very inspirational! My fiance and I are going to start designing our home soon. What software did you use for 3D rendering?

[@FilipZorić-s5h]

Odličan video! Naučiti iz ovih pogrešaka može stvarno pomoći u stvaranju savršenog dnevnog boravka. Hvala na korisnim savjetima! 🛋✨

[@coral_pine]

I don’t know if this is applicable to other countries, but my mother gave me a great tip for buying carpets: go away from the decorating section where finished decorative carpets are displayed and go to rolls of carpeting in building and renovation shop - massive rolls that are cut for your needs and that are usually bought for offices and such. It will be an extremely cheaper option (especially if you need like 3x4 meters or so) and: 1) you can buy several of different dimensions for different zones in the room 2) they are made to be in heavy use so they will serve you for a looooong time 3) if something happens to them or if you are renovating and they don’t go well in the room anymore - you can just replace them on account of how cheap they are!

[@LM-fn6qb]

Yes! You can get a bit of carpet and have it made into a rug. They do the edge binding and it looks very nice. I did this and got a lovely rug that was once the end of a carpet roll and they couldn't sell it otherwise. Thanks Coral for reminding me about this option :)

[@jonathonsayre4879]

2:43 that bong on that persons table next to the tv lmfao

[@cosmosnomad]

Slow design: Literally what I've been planning to do. I feel like my design sense has difficulty putting pieces together that I don't have some familiarity with so I was planning to start with the bare basics where I can and build from there. So, in a living room from a sofa and probably a TV.

[@MaraMara89]

It is great idea if you don't have much stuff and doesn't end up with not enough storage... I was searching for perfect bookcases a long time, until I was too pissed having my books in cardboard boxes :/ So I have bought cheapest ones I could find - I have them for 2 years now and love them. No boxes anymore ;)

[@Giuseppe_est.2008]

I’ve been slow designing our house for 14yrs now and still haven’t achieve what we like in our space… 😂 slow but sure.

[@SusanMoriarity-v2f]

We had a large open plan space in a prior home. We used a large bookshelf as a room divider behind the sofa. Bonus was that the bottom shelf held baskets full of random stuff - minimizing clutter. I thought I’d hate the bookshelf, because it would look too busy, but it really defined the space and gave us a place to display some art pieces - visible from both the living and dining area.

[@tokyodrifttt]

Hey Daniel! Long term fan here. Just a little bit of feedback: a while ago, you started adding different effects and humor and talked more like yourself. It was a really great direction and made the videos more interesting. This type of video is reverting back to your old style and although it’s professional, becomes quite monotonous and sounds like a lecture. Each sentence has the same intonation and sounds like reading off a script. These tips have been done to death and videos focusing on new ideas, styles, critiquing/admiring a room, redesigning other peoples rooms were much more interesting concepts imo. Thank you and looking forward to future uploads!

[@sct4040]

I find myself glazed over.

[@YuProducciones]

couldn't being said better. Its a thing many youtubers battle to find a middle ground because of their community. Some channels fit perfectly on one side and the others... in a totally casual side .. its very hard. When you show your personality, sometimes you risk to show a bit too much about yourself, and being critized about being you. some people like it, some people don't

[@suzannecarter445]

I wanted a midcentury modern vibe but didn't have a ton of money for Design Within Reach. I was super surprised to find that I could get knockoffs of absolutely everything I wanted from Amazon (sure, I would have preferred Herman Miller) with free delivery. The results were stunning and people's jaws drop when they see my living room (in a good way). I like the painter's tape low-tech trick. The hard part is forcing yourself to give away the stuff you already have that doesn't work.

[@seanmartinez8415]

How do they have the nerve to keep calling it "within reach"?!

[@suzannecarter445]

@@seanmartinez8415 I agree - it's outrageous but slighly below Hermann Miller

[@solidstate9451]

I have put ceiling curtain rails in front of my wall shelves. So I have the advantages of wall shelves (no legs where my long hair gets stuck and create a hassle to clean, any time can be variated in height when other needs occur, cheap to install, easy to adjust to the right dimensions of a wall while still having hidden storage. And since I don't like rugs due to their lack of sanitary, the curtains absorb noises. And when I'm sick of my colour scheme, I can pretty inexpensively replace the curtains. I even have a curtain with one of my favourite pictures printed on making it a focal point without the dusting that is usually involved.

[@tealkerberus748]

Yeah I think the wall mounted television in my current design in progress might be getting a set of pelmeted curtains to cover it when not in use. The main room is pretty comfortable on the plan, but I think it needs more textiles for audio quality. A set of curtains that match the actual window curtains by the dining table will help tie the two sides of the room together better, too.

[@DeadDancers]

I used butchers paper, cut and taped into the shape and size of the furniture so I could move it around and try different configurations. Not perfect (very flat) but good.

[@hephaestion12]

12:00 i think the cooling potential of awnings are considerable in hotter countries. Basically free cooling means a lot in parts of Australia or usa for example

[@ingridbirchellhughes2632]

Love your channel, and you have such an eye for line and space. I'm curious about your relationship with colour as you gravitate to monochrome a lot. Do you think it's possible to preserve a sense of space while playing with deeper colours?

[@carolhathaway5168]

Fabulous video, thank you! Wow, a free temporary dining chair solution -- what a find. More please.

[@lachlantaylor5912]

The bong on the table at 2:42 haha

[@jonathonsayre4879]

I saw it too lmao

[@silverymoon5516]

I love the examples you showed and I will do my best to incorporate the principle when I down size.

[@frozenwintershitty]

Nr 11 Design Mistake for People who like Color: Don't be afraid to add them. If you feel like you're conforming to the beige / gray / wood / white Spa-aesthetic take a step back and let some colors into your home. Daniels Livingroom looks nice, but also interchangeable because (IMO) it lacks color and also personality, it's calming but also boring. N 12 Design Mistake: Hiding everything that makes a living room feel "lived in" and "alive".

[@ApricusInaros]

My thoughts exactly. The neutral, subdued color palette is still the norm though in the minds of most people. Your two points absolutely make a big difference in a living room, providing a much more personal atmosphere. I wish people would be a bit more daring.

[@kristinnelson-patel442]

I used painters’ tape to block out where my new desk would go and whether it would feel too big in our spare bedroom when I converted it into an office a few years ago. It was the first time I had tried that and I’m not looking back. It also let me try different layout options.

[@solidstate9451]

I love my static adhesive frostic glass foil. Maximum light, no views from the outside possible, not even at night.

[@wanaan]

Movable TV stand is underrated. Most people like to wall-mount things because it looks neat. I put everything on wheels so I only need 1 TV and 1 desktop PC for the entire house. It's way cheaper and you have much greater freedom to move things at a later date.

[@fwb777]

True that! Best decision ever was to purchase a Japanese stand. Durable and the flexibility to move around my furniture or watch it anywhere! Yeahhh

[@pearlvongpusanachai5942]

Very useful tips. Thank you so much! Love Bellroy too, thanks for introducing the brand.

[@steelcrown7130]

My take-aways from this are confirming the wabi-sabi idea in my own mind (never had the term explained before; I just always think "what will it look like in three years?), and confirming my utter hatred of sofas with high backs and arms. Seeing you sit with your arm resting on the back of the sofa as you talked to camera reminded me how uncomfortable I get sitting in the middle of a high-backed sofa like a Chesterfield.

[@deebus3471]

Cutting out a cardboard layout of furniture helps with placement and freely moving it around to see how you would like the layout to be

[@terrirau260]

Just moved and definitely mocked up with painters tape, and then boxes, as my boxes arrived before furniture, to get an accurate sense of bulk, not just measurements.

[@debbieedwards635]

Most informative video, full of wonderful suggestions 🎉

[@shanash1]

Design mistake #1: karate-chopping the throw pillows. No pillow deserves that :)

[@NAWEL100]

😂 Hilarious!

[@yrotsih179]

Agree, maybe nice when they're coloured, which makes them look like tulips. I've seen this years back on TV

[@alleyallica]

I luuuv the pillows karate chopped.

[@shaunphan9039]

Just subscribed. Can't wait to see what you do with your new space.

[@bill14]

Daniel hit it out of the park with this one 👏

[@drlessismore]

He’s so handsome.

[@gloglos100]

The awnings protect the timber surrounds of windows from rotting. Modern structures have cut eaves out as cost saving which means the exterior moulding break down quickly.

[@Jules_Pew]

Ha! I'm moving into a new (old) house soon and am taking all my furniture from my old place with me. I wish I had measured all the items before, but I'm using a programme to sort of figure out where everything goes. Have more square footage, but a couple of rooms are smaller and doors in the wrong place. The doors can be sorted. Making the place cohesive is a bigger challenge with fitting my antique stuff along side more modern stuff and not looking like a second hand furniture shop.

[@DeadDancers]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention IKEA billy oxberg glass door bookshelves. You can get them with glass, half glass half wood or all wood doors, for dust-free display with ‘cram the stuff in out of sight’ sections as needed.

[@MaraMara89]

IKEA broke my heart (and destroyed my plan for perfect bookcase) when they discontinued Billies in gray-blue ... I ordered 3 of them with glass doors, they came without doors and IKEA couldn't find them in their warehouse. And then they informed me they wont be having them in the future... so I returned those 3 as they were too expensive to use as normal bookcase and I have bought different ones - 4 bookcases with half of it hidden behind sliding door. I bought them from outlet place (that sells the ends of the series of different manufacturers) and payed for 4 of them as much as 1 Billy with glass door costed o.O

[@gloglos100]

Nice finishing for keys phone etc. Thank you. Will check belroy.

[@Skadivore]

I love your condensed thoughts on all this

[@Griseldak3k8]

Just a thought for those who like recliners - an ottoman will never be as good and you will regret going in this direction - just note they are now making amazing and stylish recliners that do not look bulky - and you can have a recliner chair or two without committing to the entire set

[@garyyau_xd]

Curious to learn what those wall lights that you have in the living room are. Thanks!

[@ItsDadoza]

Have you ever thought about using LGs foldable TV? Looks like a sideboard and can roll out / fold out a 88 inch OLED TV.

[@РайанКупер-э4о]

Awnings make A LOT of sense and could save you a lot of money in summer.

[@suedyer1428]

Another great video as always great advice .

[@kzhemh]

Beautiful sideboard! Do you have a link?

[@marcguirguis]

Does it matter window size in Vancouver ?!! It's always dark and rainy!!

[@Quackamoley8]

Which smart switch did you use in the living room to get them to turn on all at once?

[@mariastathopoulos744]

Your living room furniture and rug were gifted by Article. I remember the video. I criticised how you relied on one retailer to furnish the space. However, the principles presented are a solid foundation for interior design - function and form.

[@moetube1337]

Such a soothing and high-quality video! Anybody know the chair at 8:17? The shots are amazing!

[@Giuseppe_est.2008]

Hi @DanielTitchener what are those 2x scone lights on living room walls? where did you buy them online (link pls) or store in Vancouver? Is it DIY, if so you have a video of doing it? Thanks!

[@elenavasilieva1400]

That was very useful. Thank you.

[@LesGaminuscules]

I live by only one design principle for living rooms... no wagon wheel coffee tables

[@OnlyTheGuiltyRun]

What are those white wall sconces on the walls? I can’t find anything like them on Amazon or anywhere? Thanks

[@jojohan9049]

Hi Daniel, i really love this new space you filmed in. Is it your own place? If it's possible, are you going to do a home tour for this space?

[@pl1228]

Is this Philips Hue gradient. Next to the Kitchen?

[@SoulfulVeg]

I'm donating my furniture and moving to another state. It's so tempting to buy furniture to go into the space as soon as I get there. In all honestly, I viewed the place over a month ago. So, I'm going to take the recommendation for patience and wait. It always stinks when I buy the wrong furniture.

[@liakaterova]

Great video. The link for the denman chair is not working ;(

[@kzhemh]

The wall across from your couch needs some art on it that would be covered up when you pull down the movie screen. The wall looks too bare when the movie screen is up

[@laurentlegrigeois7959]

Hi Daniel, do you remember where these wall lights are from ?

[@MissBlaubaer]

Hey, pretty sure they are from the Nymane-series from IKEA

[@gloglos100]

I like timber floors rather than cloying germ breeding rugs. I go barefoot indoors and don’t want to put my foot on a germ fest. However I understand the connective efffvt of rigging a sitting area.

[@16demolka]

Thanks for the definition of the rug 😂

[@macm3924]

I'm surprised he didn't go into the history of rugs

[@steffi28x]

Also the way he’s literally like “when the sun goes down we can’t get light from our windows”. Was bro fully scripted by AI? This is such nonsense lmao

[@16demolka]

@@steffi28x yes, I commented before the 30 second explanation of what lamps are for...

[@Dinki-Di]

Daniel was not “defining” a rug, he was explaining the design role that a rug can play in a layout. The purpose of the video is to explain how various designs elements contribute to and interact with a space. Maybe tune your listening and comprehension skills.

[@16demolka]

I like Daniel’a videos but this one in particular felt like he tried to sound very intelligent or sophisticated. And yes, maybe I was harsh when it come to the lights but with the rug I can’t see how it being not fixed is then explained as a specific role in space. Maybe if he talked about trip hazard.

[@dkirk5814]

Great ideas, thanks.

[@jeankumik2435]

Anyone know what the sconces in his living room are? I can't seem to find them anywhere!

[@seanmartinez8415]

Can we all agree never to add superfluous suffixes to words like function and comfort? Just like we shouldn't add items or features to spaces or architecture etc. that don't have a modicum of purpose. Functionality doesn't mean anything that "function" didn't already mean. Same thing with comfortability and the like. You can just say, "It's important to consider function and or comfort when purchasing items to furnish a home." Or, "We've packed a lot of function into this previously unused space". etc. etc. Thanks everyone!

[@margheritap.1187]

How do you keep your living room toy-free in a small apartment? In my kid's bedroom I can only fit an ikea kura bed.

[@jjempire6556]

Would love to know from where he bought the day blind

[@ifer1280]

My apartment has 1,5m concrete awnings. The only time of year when I get any natural light is an hour before sunset and in the winter when the sun doesn't rise high enough. Guess why it's for sale

[@tez124]

hey daniel! love the videos. Really like your couch. just wondering where you got it from?

[@sarahrosen4985]

An earlier commenter said it is from Article. Good luck.

[@rw-xf4cb]

Wont do venetian blinds again small amount of wind and they slap about and the privacy and light exposure is also a problem when there's a bit of wind.

[@rw-xf4cb]

Solved the rug problem with wood floors - dont have them - the washing aspect just kills it for me - I like real wood floors!

[@KevLaswiss-ek6zt]

You can us AR to see everything in your rooms how it look as its make it look real full size too you can place out everything in a emty room

[@juniorsantiago2814]

Where did you get your tv stand?

[@TM-100]

7:40 Allergy agent as well 🙄

[@7yrbs4pm3fsD6Nseoqe_Dw]

Hi Daniel, where would you recommend shopping for furniture in Vancouver for a small apartment? I like Article, but not everything they sell on the US site is available on their Canadian site... Also it's impossible to find a similar to Article's Solna Atelier Ivory Sofa Bed anywhere (most sofabeds are pull our spring beds...), but i like the design and simplicity of this kind of sofa bed. Thank you!

[@thevahandbook]

A rug really ties the room together. 😉

[@terrirau260]

Also I think he really misses something on the form/function question. I don’t disagree with what he said necessarily, but I think the more important point about why form should follow function when designing a space is because if a space and the items in it aren’t functional, because one chose form before function, it might look good only if it’s never used. But the minute the space/item comes into use the lack of functionality reveals itself, and workarounds are needed . The workarounds usually undermine the “form” or the appearance that was chosen in the beginning.

[@exp2745]

Just noticed that your videos aren't on Nebula anymore, so I missed a tonne... Will have to catch up on those, but have to say, I prefer the Nebula experience (your videos fit well with the other content on the platform, plus it just feels better knowing the compensation per view is higher) but can understand that there are likely reasons for leaving.

[@EndeavorabIe]

ngl 13:44 and 13:47 gave me childhood nostalgia

[@hephaestion12]

7:40 did this man just explain what a rug is to me? 😅 Who doesnt know what a rug is lol

[@charlottewhitby3443]

What a coincidence. I also picked up 4 dining chairs on the side of the road, and they look identical to yours.

[@ilikeboringthings9]

Are you sitting comfortably?

[@heorhiiyehiazarian1336]

I have to disagree on awnings here. I just started to love them :)

[@oliverallen1098]

Form follows Function… not saying it’s wrong but that’s a touchy subject in the architecture world as I’m sure you know Daniel. 😂

[@kzhemh]

I would take a house over an apartment any day! I miss having a yard

[@ifell3]

What colour are your walls? Slight off grey?

[@hereforit2347]

Unfortunately, ceiling lights in sitting rooms are trending. ☹️ I too prefer table and floor lamps and sconces.

[@AmericanDrainWorks]

the drawer concept is an absolute nightmare for plumbers when clearing drain stoppages, installing faucets, hot & cold supply lines and the hot and cold shut off valves. please avoid drawer style caninets for under any sink? Unless,you want to pay for cabinet rsmoval again and again. Designers may come up with cute,flashy design options, but can also be a nightmare andend up being very expensive for servicing.

[@amychen2504]

YES on the couch color. I kinda forgot that I have a small boy...

[@moniquesilverans3842]

Les fauteuils les seuls valables sont les fauteuils de style de la marque Stressless (il y a d'autres marques), ce sont des fauteuils hauts en cuir avec repose pieds (non inclus); je n'aime pas du tout les fauteuils ou les canapés qui n'ont pas de hauts repose-têtes et avoir ces fauteuils en cuir très clair c'est magnifique mais malheureusement c'est cher.

[@qboo87]

There’s a little bit of manipulation in this video 😉 Choosing pictures of spaces with outdated design (mostly not professional pictures with bad angles) vs newest instagram ready interiors (with professional pictures from AD) to proof a point. As an example, showing a small rug in outdated interior vs. large rug in new interior, small rugs can look really good in nicely designed interior as well. Yes it is more tricky and it requires a good eye. This way you can proof any point 😉

[@cabaretampere]

The microphone's denting your top mate

[@kzhemh]

I wish we could have rugs but we have cats and i would have to vacuum them every day or they look terrible.

[@jmi5969]

Ah, sofas, designer's darling and my worst nemesis. I don't watch TV, for almost 30 years. And I can't and won't sit on sofas (OAP health issues). And I could not explain it to the interior designer. That Great Artiste always shoved in a huge corner sofa and an even larger TV (not the good old tube TV, but this novelty flat-screen nonsense) and always forgot to place my ancient Tannoys (each about the size of a refrigerator), anywhere... It was all specced in writing from day one, and he had forgot it all, in each iteration of his masterpiece. There were three or four...

[@gbizzotto]

the dude from technology connection would like to talk to you about window awnings...

[@aleksandarbrzic8351]

Daniel, you really need to remove yourself from that space, you are cluttering it 😂

[@drlessismore]

But he’s so handsome.

[@aleksandarbrzic8351]

@@drlessismore I agree, so we will have to allow for this one exception 😇

[@CryoCare]

We did this with toilet paper: laid out the sofa area to check we liked it.

[@kzhemh]

There are awnings that contract when you don't want them

[@brentm7278]

This guy is so handsome I find it hard to concentrate. :-)

[@steelcrown7130]

He is indeed very handsome but not enough to break my concentration! I find the fun parts are comparing his general rules with my situation and my geography. The comments about sheer curtains and awnings are very amusing in the context of Australia, where (not all in the one house of course) we need deep eaves, awnings, sheers, blockout curtains or plantation shutters to keep the incredibly bright daylight OUT 🙂

[@marylut6077]

@brentm7278 I believe he is married and has a toddler

[@manug1442]

@@marylut6077 Oh dang, guess he can't be handsome anymore 😔

[@adriaba790]

😂😂😂

[@agatajabonska8560]

​@@manug1442😂😂😂

[@qwaqwa1960]

You need to pay Ikea royalties ;-) Or...vice versa?!

[@nicolascolque5947]

the world has sunk and now we swimming in Drake tears

[@BRAINROTcomps]

5:14 a wut now?

[@deersakamoto2167]

Look into "furniture free living" - just like other modern "comfort maximizers" like fast food and shoes with heavily cushioned soles, our furniture often makes us stay in one place, without any movements, for a prolonged period of time and it may be harming our health

[@kjcalosa]

did you move again?

[@Jennifer-nz2ss]

How come there's no artwork anywhere!?😊 ok paint something and put it up!

[@jackiedelvalle]

Bc it's AI

[@AnitRadiatorUK]

👍👍

[@hereforit2347]

It’s not a “mistake” per se, but I’m sick of seeing twin (matching) chairs in living and sitting rooms. I don’t know why it’s essentially become de rigueur. Maybe if people broke them up instead of putting them side-by-side. I don’t like them with a table between them even. There’s something about it that’s just too symmetrical; it makes me think of an office. Even professional designers do it. All the time. It doesn’t feel relaxed or homey and even the most formal living room should be.