How to Make Your Living Room Look Expensive

In this video, I go over some of my favourite ways to make your living room look more expensive. I've got some great ways to make your living room feel more customized to you and your own personality and to make it feel more personal to you.
🛍 Shop My Favourite Items On Amazon!
www.amazon.com/shop/nicklewis
📚 My course: www.nicklewis.ca/the-course
🛍 Shop This Video
➤ Amazon - My Favourite Candle
amzn.to/3ODQDGg
➤ Crate and Barrel - Linen Flush Mount Lighting Fixture
bit.ly/43OZmcY
➤ Amazon - My Favourite Diffusor from Vitruvi
amzn.to/3MXAU2l
➤ Amazon - Dusk Essential Oil from Vitruvi
amzn.to/3qylMRs
🎉 Check out my Patreon!
/ creators
⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 - How to Make Your Living Room Look Expensive
00:35 - Paneling and Other Wall Treatments
02:28 - Create Vignettes
04:54 - Keep it Clean and Organized
06:40 - Unique Items
08:37 - Lighting
11:50 - Large Scale Art
14:17 - Incorporate Scents and Flowers
16:07 - Cohesive Color Scheme
🛋 Shop My Living Room Background
➤ West Elm - Bar Cabinet
bit.ly/3cssX6T
➤ West Elm - Media Console
bit.ly/3PMKZOY
➤ Sundays - Dining Room Table
get.aspr.app/SHfiD
➤ Sundays - Sofa
get.aspr.app/SHfiC
➤ Sundays - Amalfi Rug
get.aspr.app/SHZfo
➤ Sundays - Field Stool
get.aspr.app/SHZfp
➤ Eternity Modern - Viola Coffee Table
🇺🇸: shrsl.com/41uw7
🇨🇦: shrsl.com/41wgz
➤ Eternity Modern - Sherpa Clam Chair
🇺🇸: shrsl.com/41uwb
🇨🇦: shrsl.com/41wh1
➤CB2 - Cashmere Pillow (Brown Pillows are Out of Stock)
bit.ly/3NY8LdH
➤ Amazon - Frame Television
amzn.to/3wzEBnk
➤ Amazon - Travertine Coasters
amzn.to/42OJMOx
➤ Amazon - Coffee Table Books
amzn.to/3BDWkfz
➤ Fable - All Dishware and Flatware (code: nicktalksdesign10off gets you 10% off through my link)
get.aspr.app/SHGHC
🛏 Shop My Bedroom
➤ Sundays - Cloud Bed With Storage
get.aspr.app/SHZfm
➤ Sundays - West Coast Rug
get.aspr.app/SHfiE
➤ Sundays - West Coast Stool
get.aspr.app/SHZfn
👉 All My Socials
campsite.to/nicklewis
👋 Heads up!
My videos, descriptions, and comments may contain affiliate links! If you buy something through one of the links, you won't pay a penny more, but I'll get a small commission, which helps me keep the lights on! Thanks!

[@AlexHider]

Best kept design secret? Thrift stores in rich neighborhoods. That’s all.

[@FarmgirlFriday]

This is so true! I don’t have a ‘rich’ neighborhood in my town, but I have started to stop at some when visiting other parts of the state and when I have space in the car. Some really nice clothes too 😊

[@arlenezang3216]

Yes, been outfitting my 6 kids with brand names @ below k mart store prices. Neighbors think we are really rich!

[@cjhoward409]

The night before garbage pick up in rich neighborhoods too. I’ve gotten some nice outdoor furniture and end tables this way 😉

[@robertglover8819]

Consignment stores as well and estate sales.

[@cjhoward409]

@@robertglover8819 We live in rural Kentucky and it’s hard to find good stuff cheap. So, when we visit family in Chicago, we go thrift store shopping and consignment stores up there. Have found some spectacular things thru the years 😊👍🏻

[@SteveL2012]

“Go live in a hospital for a few weeks, and tell me design doesn’t matter.” Such a stark, impactful statement and pithiest argument ever! ❤️

[@gnomealone350]

I’ve had people in my life who’ve rolled their eyes and sort of imply that I’m shallow since the design of my space matters so much to me. And I’ve always let them know that, then, I guess the cave-people who scratched images of woolly mammoths and sabre tooth tigers on the walls of their caves were shallow too. Design does indeed matter!

[@amberbanuelos7053]

Don’t point mirrors at each other to avoid the funhouse look as well as to avoid creating a portal for ghosts and demons. Those things will bring back dead decor, like boob lights and ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ signs.

[@soulsticegirl1969]

'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful' - William Morris I’ve been following this golden rule for the home since I learned it in 1992. Eventually I took it to a new level- make sure your useful things are also beautiful (or at least aesthetically pleasing.) No visible branding allowed and keep useful things stored in beautiful containers. Following these simple rules keeps everything looking considered, intentional & “expensive” in Nick’s terms.

[@653j521]

No kids in those homes?

[@peztopher7297]

Even in my shower, I turn all the bottles backwards. I'd rather see small print than logos and brand names. 😄

[@georgiegirl1602]

Agree with you. Make the "necessary" beautiful.

[@tinamiller9640]

I've been moving towards the philosophy for some years now. If I have to use something everyday then I want it to look beautiful as well.

[@nicolataylor6546]

Same here, I have been gradually switching out my useful items, with good quality & (to me) aesthetically pleasing items for a few years now.

[@saltycrunch]

Sleeping in on a Saturday to wake up to coffee and a new Nick Lewis video = perfection.

[@jennifershevin5588]

Nick, I like the couch but that single brown pillow is just sad 😢. Maybe think about a couple of pillows with texture, pattern, color...

[@crystalmckinney3151]

I use daylight bulbs in my house bc I have seasonal depression. It makes a huge difference, especially if not many windows in the home.

[@izamalczykjewelry]

When it comes to large scale art, you can also make your own out of: 1. wallpaper (find some nice prints or "mural" type wallpapers and glue them to the frame board, then attach the frame), 2. fabric (same as wallpaper - just cut it to size and attach to the frame), 3. small collectibles (arrange and attach multiple items of the same theme / color scheme to a shadow box type picture frame and you'll have a unique, large piece of visual interest on your wall).

[@catherinesmitko]

it makes me so happy that you rip on the tom ford book every chance you get! also love you constantly trying to teach naysayers the concept of "as applicable - common sense" ✨♥️✨

[@victorialove9104]

Oh Nick, I adore you. Not only do you provide us with excellent information but you deliver it with the perfect amount of lighthearted snark. ❤

[@meridabowes3796]

Loved the comment about living in a hospital for a week😂

[@Nick_Lewis]

Awww thanks!

[@susanbutler3102]

You nailed it!

[@cathycorrea541]

Yes love his snark.❤

[@wakingtheworld]

@@meridabowes3796 That made me smile so why don't they design hospitals differently so people can heal in a nurturing space? They could add colour to walls, use artwork with serene nature scenes, hang up bed curtains that aren't white... It's been so many decades since I went inside a hospital that maybe they don't have these any more... Plants are considered 'health and safety' and I believe flowers are no longer allowed for the same reason. As an ex-nurse (from the 70's), we did take time out refreshing the water, removing dead flowers etc but they added colour and scent to the space...

[@jeanvignes]

Oh, Nick. Three years after having my sense of smell nuked by COVID your words about scents and our sense of smell made me cry. Yes! scents do connect directly to our emotions and memories. I remember once walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood and stopping dead in my tracks because a house I was passing was giving off the EXACT scent profile of my grandmother's house: lavender, coffee, bacon, pound cake, Ivory soap, oil paints, and something salty reminiscent of the back bay of Biloxi circa 1966. BOOM I was transported back forty years. It was uncanny. Those of you who can still enjoy the magic of scents, indulge yourselves. It's precious and much missed by those of us who lost it or had it severely damaged during this cursed pandemic.

[@agfhdl239]

I lost a lot of my sense of smell when I got covid too. It’s been rough. I can smell things generally now but that nuance, like the individual notes that make a smell special is gone. I really hope it comes back someday, it’s like a whole layer of life has been dulled.

[@carolinepersons4260]

My mom lost her sense of smell 15 years ago after surviving stage 4 sinus cancer through a combo of good medicine, faith, and extraordinary luck. I feel for anyone who has lost their sense of smell and have seen how isolating it can be. We cherish those rare, bizarre moments where it flickers back (citrus will do this for her, maybe once a year).

[@Patti-1962]

My husband is an avid reader.... and likes to leave his books everywhere. SO, beside his favorite chair, I put a basket (slightly hidden underneath the side table) where all his reading material goes. Even if I have to put them away! One "rule" I do break is I have a lot of family pictures displayed. Having five grandchildren who I love SO MUCH means I want to have pics of them!!

[@42ayla]

Rogues galleries are the best. I love seeing them at people's homes. Sometimes they can be a bit too curated which is boring but looking at the kids jumping through the sprinkler and then their kids at the playground, that's cool.

[@lora9664]

I have hyperosmia also known as extreme heightened sense of smell. Because of this it can cause migraines for me but even I can find a scent that works. I can do 2 drops of spearmint in a diffuser with a lot of water to make my home smell fresh. The thing with scents is not to overdo especially with essential oils. If you walk out of your home and you smell like your home you are overdoing it.

[@arlenerivera-gw4st]

It has taken me at least 5 years to design my home so that I feel proud and comfortable at the same time. I couldn't have done it without you, Nick. I actually worked at a jail for a short time, and yes, design does matter 😄 You made me laugh out loud with that one.

[@NatalieBennett]

Literally remodeling our living room TODAY. This video is perfect timing! ❤

[@16demolka]

When my favourite youtubers comments on one of my favourite interior design youtubers 💛 i want to be friends with you both 😄

[@polishtheday]

Living rooms should look cosy not expensive. I’m one of those people who would rather entertain in a large kitchen/dining room and keep the living room for reading, knitting and watching KZbin videos with my pets.

[@bheartsbooks]

I did that! When we had an open house, I totally made cookies! I put them on a pretty plate. I hand made a little card. The house smelled like cookies. I was more excited than I should have been, honestly. I was pretty sad that not one cookie was gone from that plate. Not one! I guess people are a lot more health conscious, and a lot more worried about being poisoned by strangers these days lol.

[@MikeDiamondTube]

I wallpaper all of my rooms with $100 bills, every wall, floor to ceiling. Looks expensive, and yet feels cozy somehow.

[@cs4849]

This made me laugh - thanks!

[@annbrookens945]

LOL!!!

[@justinhogan1597]

Everytime that Nick says "uh-gaynst the wall", an angel gets their wings. 🥰

[@cs4849]

I don’t know that I care about my home looking expensive, but I do want it to look intentional and like me. I especially like the idea of putting in unique-to-you decor. We have things from our travels and framed photos I’ve taken. But even things from big box stores can be unique. I was at Target once and on the clearance rack in the kitchen section found two chargers -one made of crushed eggshells and the other strips of bamboo. I have them hanging on the wall in my kitchen and I get compliments on them all the time.

[@loes6839]

May I add wel fitted window treatments. We recently put ceiling to floor curtains and it made a huge difference. It covers ugly heating pipes and wall outlets, which makes the walls look less busy overall.

[@lowcountry0719]

You are a treasure. Always learning and your quite humorous.

[@nanchesca3950]

Thrift stores are full of art at reasonable prices!

[@joylox]

Craft shows too! I'm fortunate to have a few needlepoint pieces my grandmother made for me and framed, and I have one in my living room because it matches my colour scheme, and adds something personal, a way to remember her and visiting the beach together (since it's of a kid picking shells off the beach, and she used to take me to the beach). I've seen some neat custom designs at art shows, some needlepoint, some wall quilts and tapestries, and some cool 3D wooden pieces that can be hung on walls. There's usually something that will remind you of something you like, or a good memory.

[@Qtopian]

I love intentional clutter. My motto is if you love it you can make it work in your space. If you can ask yourself for every piece in your home do you actually love it or are you trying to fit the style of the home/fit someone else’s style.

[@marianav9655]

hi Nick, another topic suggestion: when adding color to walls, how do you figure out what walls to paint? you've mentioned before you don't like accent walls, and neither do i. but then do you paint ALL the walls the same color? what do you do in an open space concept? can you choose 2-3 colors (including ceiling) or just the whole box goes the same color? i have a hard time with this and haven't found anyone talking about it!

[@selmadebeer7272]

I like to use accent corners. To me one wall painted in an accent colour looks like an after thought, so I choose a corner and paint the two walls leading into it. If there is a door in the way, sometimes that gets painted the same colour too.

[@paigeturner1124]

I need this… my furniture is all Wayfair & Target so I could use some ideas to class the place up! (Without going to Homegoods, obbbbviously!😂)

[@paigeturner1124]

I’m dying - I made this comment before watching and the first minute in: “probably from HomeSense” 😂😂😂

[@HR-re6mr]

Those places can have items that are classy. Prolly not everything they sell but they have gems!

[@mamalovesthebeach437]

People often comment that my house smells like a spa. When people walked into my prior home that I designed and built, they went nuts over all the big windows, tons of wood, and the forest views. The beach house we’re in now is no architects fantasy by any means. We do have harbor and ocean views but what people notice when they walk into this house is that it’s flooded with light. It doesn’t seem to matter what else is going on in my house. All of the natural light elevates this space. Natural light makes people feel uplifted. Even if you don’t have natural light, there are so many ways to incorporate that feeling into your home. I’ve walked into beautiful homes that are dark and that’s what I remember. Another beautiful sweater Nick!

[@cheapcraftygirlsweepstakes2338]

I’m not a fan of dark houses. The more sunlight the better.

[@deemaxwell4172]

The danger with fragrances and flowers: I started with a few oncidium and cattleya type orchids in the living room bay window for the pretty blooms and fragrances - chocolate, vanilla, tangerine and mango/pineapple, oh my!! But then ninety plus orchids in two years later, I've become one of those plant people that you've talked about in earlier vidoes. Sigh, it happens.

[@annbrookens945]

So you went from decor to passion!

[@elizabethkragas3588]

We just inherited some neat vintages objects from my husband’s family. I instinctively grouped them together and created a vignette! Thanks for naming this design technique-so helpful and it really works!

[@lindaartz3297]

I have moved more than 20 times and always had an apple pie baking in the oven. If I had a lot of showings in one day, I pulled it out when no one was there and put it back just before the next showing. No cookie crumbs to clean. My second thing is going to estate auctions. I have a lot of beautiful original art. It takes time and you have to sift through a lot of “stuff” but it is a way to get expensive items for much less. Pay attention to the neighborhood.

[@petrine5]

Museum shops often have awesome prints and posters to frame. I bought a poster at the Vatican museum more than 25 years ago and I still love it. Another favorite is a poster of an ancient Egyptian cat statuette, purchased at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek here in Copenhagen❤

[@emitaylor4094]

I'd love to watch a video about proper scale. Like actual charts and diagrams of how big my art pieces should be and how much space should be between the couch and the coffee table

[@MyFocusVaries]

He has one about scale! It's called Measurement or Measuring Mistakes. About 2 years ago.

[@username00009]

You can look up the measurements online. I believe couch to coffee table is 18 inches so people can comfortably reach the coffee table. 3 feet minimum to walk between furniture pieces and walls.

[@peachfountain]

Hi Nick! Thanks for another awesome video. Can you cover vignettes sometime and just describe where they make sense, how to make them look good, etc? I've seen other channels do critiques of viewers' homes and how to improve them, and no one seems to say "here's where a vignette makes sense," much less how to make it both intentional and fit with the rest of the space

[@vegasrenie]

For a home fragrance, I like using a diffuser (distilled water only!) and a few drops of an essential oil or essential oil blend. The fragrance is very, very light and pretty unassuming, but you get a "feel" more than a big aroma. Even my sensitive friends don't mind and aren't affected by it.

[@lotsapeachtree5513]

Hi Nick. I hear you on the “scent sensitivity” thing. My husband is like that. Me - I need a little something. So I’ve found our solution is + potted herbs in the kitchen - things like basil, thyme, mint. They add a subtle fragrance and soften the kitchen. Also great the grab a handful in cooking. + rosemary stems here and there. I have a couple to dry with my wooden spatulas that stand up on my counter + natural fragranced candles that I don’t burn in the bathroom. Some candles are so strong smelling that they smell delicious even just with the lid removed - so that’s what I do - and I leave them in the bathroom to combat the bathroom smells + bowls of lemons, limes and fruit. When they are in season, they have a slight aroma that’s just enough. And they look good. If they don’t smell, they trick your brain a little I think anyhow. + fragranced oils - a few drops inside the toilet roll in the bathroom. You don’t even know they are there but they make the bathroom smell a hell of a lot better. I like citrus or lemongrass. + greenery in vases. They don’t spread pollen like flowers and they look beautiful and natural. + dried flowers - not like Nanna used to do. We live in Australia so there are some great big natives that dry really well like Waratahs. + coffee. Nothing beats fresh coffee and the coffee grounds left discretely in the kitchen smell great

[@Coromi1]

I seem to be similar to your husband. Natural essential oils of herbs (sage) and citrus fruits are for me. Also arabian incense and tonka. I love grapefruit with sage for energy.

[@susanma4899]

I was looking for a hall entry light for my house and got something I liked, on sale, at Lowe's (yes, Lowe's). It has a big drum shade that's painted gold inside and is like a dark bronze on the outside. But I decided to zhuzh it up so I bought some modpodge and a little package of gold leaf at a hobby store. I brushed the inside of the shade and added the gold leaf and voila, now it's a unique fixture that no one else has.

[@suesteudle7705]

I had to laugh when I clicked on your link for the candle and the first picture that popped up showed the candle displayed on the Tom Ford book. 🤣🤣🤣

[@michellemoskalenko9098]

I looooove a good vignette! The little moments as you walk through your home are SO pleasant! I have a few of them in my house. They are so much fun to put together too!

[@kalmakoff99]

All so doable. Neat and tidy rings most true to me. My place looks great on its own, but there's nothing like crap everywhere to make a nice room look cheap and uncomfortable.

[@leahweinberger583]

White space is a real thing g. The eye must rest.

[@sarah-phillips]

Totally agree! Things in my house probably don't look like they would work but they DO work because they're all offshoots of what I love. And really, it's taking time (or making it LOOK like you took the time!) to be thoughtful about your home and what you're putting in it. You're absolutely right - it looks currated or custom made for you. And those tricks of using lighting to feel warm and welcoming just add the perfect layer.

[@yessismiles]

DESIGN MATTERS 👏🏻

[@erintannehill]

I feel validated about my unique end tables! My uncle made them for my grandfather many years ago, and I inherited them. They are truly one of a kind, and I love getting to share their story when people come to visit.

[@essencer.9494]

You're the 1st designer I've heard say you can have more than 3 colors. Most say 2, and a primary neutral. And I want color (and a lot of black) in my life. It made me so happy😂

[@missg.5940]

LR/DR apple green, pale yellow, coral plus cream and white, dark hardwood. Kitchen lilac, green, white, some pale yellow. Family room - pale turquoise, deep teal, pale apple green and yellow plus white…l live colour..l screw rules

[@Just-me160]

Design absolutely does matter! Truth matters too…so I must disclose, Nick, that you are positively adorable!

[@douglasbrandt4068]

When your mentioned scents, you immediately reminded me of something i always tried to incorporate in my restaurant: any space needs to appeal to all five senses.... Sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. Applying this to interior design, you should have interesting visual arrangement and views, pleasing auditory or background sounds (music or, say, a breeze or a brook or even the "sounds of the city"), taste? Obviously in a restaurant or home this refers to quality food, touch refers to enticing and pleasurable textures, and smell brings us to pleasurable and not off-putting aromas in the immediate vicinity. Feel free to do a video on applying the five senses to spacial design!

[@dianedelandro5027]

I love the room by room treatment and advice. Obviously, we agree on 98% because, why would I follow you otherwise. Focal points. Glad to validation that the tv is NOT a focal point. Scent is really important. Scent can have a great impact on your mood. I plan scents around my house to the seasons and my husband and son’s sensitivity to florals. In the UK estate agents as they are called here suggest fresh coffee, baked bread and fresh cut tomatoes and basil to sell a home. I love all those scents but they would not make me buy a house I have to say.

[@janetd4862]

We remodeled a 50s ranch a few years ago (BEFORE we moved in!). One thing I noticed is the living room had NO lighting. I’d forgotten that houses used to be built that way. We had to bring in construction lights while we worked because it was so dark. We had to add wiring to put in some lighting (and yes, everything has dimmers). I personalized the room by putting out things from around the world - coasters that my sister brought back from Paris 40 years ago, singing bowls that my daughter brought back from Nepal, a three panel wood carving from Indonesia, beaded art from Ukraine, Kilim pillows from Turkey. My coffee table books are: one about an artist/sculptor who is a relative of my husband, and our daughter’s three novels and one book of short stories. Definitely personal!

[@annbrookens945]

This sound GORGEOUS! I love the personal international accents! And those houses built with outlets but no installed lighting are ghastly.

[@DBanksofKC]

I grew up in houses like that. Ceilings were only 8 ft throughout the house. Our living room had a floor lamp in one corner and tables with table lamps as needed provided plenty of light for reading, etc.

[@RebeccaTreeseed]

I just replaced 3 small pieces (original and beautiful) with two larger pieces (original oil). I have a small space, but these are tall thin paintings in solid frames. Man, they improved my room! $3 each at a garage sale. They are abstracted trees, perfect for me. I live in a forest and it brings that indoors. It adds up to 4'x4' of design wall. I agree with you about moldings, so I just decided to add simple molding in my living room, then keep going. I enlarged my entry hall but left a wall cabinet up... looks horrible, but the simple style would be lovely as a thin cabinet with mid-century modern legs. I am gonna rip that off the wall and hang art there above that cabinet. Instead of a 12 foot hallway, functional spaces! Creating a square entry hall upgraded my bitty home more than the square footage would suggest, the hall closet is not missed.

[@xKalisto]

Cheers, this video finally reminded me and the husband to switch the color temp on our living room LED strips. They weren't intensive but they were cold. I mostly use them during the evening and it's finally warm.

[@kathrynp7595]

I just had a electrician in yesterday to replace all my boob lights, what a difference and I didn’t spend a fortune on them 😁

[@BarbaraThorndyke]

Most of my unique pieces are really just family heirlooms. It's sentimental, free, and automatically feels like home (i.e. grandma's perfume bottles, the decorative plates from aunt, or grandpa's poker game). Creates new memories with them ❤

[@tiffystrangebirdbrown6844]

Same, how have you displayed your Grandma's perfume bottles? Looking for ideas for mine. I am a family treasure keeper too and I like to live among them.

[@marylhere]

I have the trunk my mother’s family brought all their worldly goods over from Europe in the 1750s. My mother ripped the moldy horsehair off of it, painted it black and 😊stenciled Dutch girls and tulips. The inside is bright yellow. She did this in 1942. She always stored her out of season clothes in it. It’s not big enough for my shoes and boots. But it is my favorite piece in my living room. That and my great grandmother’s wicker rocker (which my grandmother told me she’d haunt me if I ever painted it) which I was sitting in when I heard The Beatles new single: A Hard Days Night. So there are memories.

[@BarbaraThorndyke]

​@TiffyStrangeBird Brown Sorry to disappoint, those were random examples. But I could imagine perfume bottles as decor in the main bath or bedroom, on the counter or possibly using picture wall shelves! ❤

[@eileennoel5672]

Our town home was built with coffered ceilings. That was the selling point for me. Gorgeous and expensive looking. We love them. Love your style and gentle snark, Nick. ❤

[@seaside2001]

I love my walls. They hold up the roof very nicely and I totally agree they can be so much more. Books perched on the coffee table and not beside the reading light open with your glasses on top instantly tells me these people never read and when they do crack open a book it is large, heavy and has mostly pictures in it. I love scents, but not usually ones I buy in a store. I have a garden with lots of scented roses, flowers, herbs, flowering shrubs etc. and I do snip and use those when in season, especially a bundle of herbs cut and placed in the kitchen or bathrooms. Lots of great ideas today Nick.

[@erikaronska1096]

Haphazard. That's how I feel about my living room. Thank you for this video! I'm already getting some ideas and I'm only 5 minutes in! Can you please do a video about ceilings?

[@Lolalogo]

I love using same-day blueprint printing, you can get a 36x48" paper print for like $12. There are limitations with how colorful or how much ink the print can be though. I love how huge it is and how often I change it up if I want.

[@CaylasCapsule]

While I love the look of a good vignette, I think a lot of people tend to go overboard with how many of them imo. A few is fine, but a lot is just not practical for cleaning. Plus my cats like to knock things over; I imagine people with kids have to deal with that too.

[@PriHL]

This is exactly what I've been doing throughout the years to achieve a cohesive look that I love. It's especially hard as in my country there is very little choice of nice, high quality and good looking things, so some things have been bought abroad but I'm absolutely pleased with the result. In these circumstances it's also important to have a good eye to fish out the really great things from the loads of rubbish that's being sold. Also, things don't have to be expensive to look expensive.

[@kansasgirl8371]

Regarding scents...there are so many options for creating lovely scents with herbs, fruits, etc. I love to dry orange slices in the over, slice lemons and put them in a bowl or create the traditional holiday spice simmer on the stove. Clean also smells really lovely! 😸

[@42ayla]

I think the #1 problem in my house is functionality. I agree with hiding the unsightly things you're stuck with but aside from the everyday flotsam and jetsam I have things like that oversized AC that can only be put in a specific spot which means it not only looks ugly but limits where I can put other things to make the room work better. Very frustrating. It was bad enough arranging things for my kids when they were little and then my dog when she needed accommodating but being dictated to by a machine is really past insulting.

[@happy_bubble7]

Just a suggestion, but could you put a table around it, so that the vents are open flow, but there's something ontop where you could place some decorative things?

[@dianeguy7452]

I can relate. We are in a rental home where in the living room there is a mantle with no fireplace underneath it. Lol but a huge wall air conditioner above it. It is such an eyesore so in the months we don’t need air conditioning I bought a beautiful large canvas painted with beautiful plants on it from big lots to sit on the mantle and cover that air conditioner I styled on either side of the painting, some little baskets and plants and I hung beads and tassels from the mantle, and it actually looks like it was meant to be

[@lyannastark628]

Nick, these photos you've chosen are absolutely wonderful. That's something consistently love about your channel, you pick excellent photographic examples.

[@dorothysmith7289]

Nick, thanks again for a great video. I'm decluttering my LR this weekend. Cleared my calendar next week so I can deep clean, get the decisions made and put out my nice pieces. Looking forward to the next one in the series which is a fantastic idea. 😊

[@evastrassburger122]

This was such a good video :) I also liked that the examples you’ve shown are a great mixture between real grand spaces and more lived in looking ones. Appreciated ♥️

[@gabrielaribeiro6155]

I liked that too. Even spotted that some of the pictures are from actual lived-in homes - for example, at 8:02, the picture on the right was the paris apartment of Damon Dominique, I recognized it from the video kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqLQfIWdjqZlY9E

[@ronniebutler3635]

I really am becoming a fan of your channel. You have really given me some good advice. I love that you are honest and kind but also that you promote us to showing pieces that reflect us, but be modest with them. I have learnt alot. Thanks.

[@georgiegirl1602]

I consider myself a minimalist, yet enjoy so much of what you do, and I find ways of incorporating your suggestions and bringing in warmth and personality. Thanks, Nick.

[@kaylakinker7823]

Not only does my husband not understand/appreciate lighting options, he puts different types of bulbs in the same overhead feature. Not just two, three completely different lighting intensity/temperatures in the same feature 😳

[@HeronCoyote1234]

Why? Why why why??? He doesn’t care? He doesn’t know? Passive aggressive, maybe?

[@gnomealone350]

I’d walk around in the dark before I’d turn those lights on.

[@sarahMuahahaha]

Ughh, mine too

[@sfuterfas]

I would die! Thank the lord my husband is a cinematographer who rose up through the lighting dept ranks and gets lighting.

[@lynnbfoster]

Grounds for divorce 😆

[@mandypdx]

Philips Hue and Lutron switches are a game changer. My sister is an interior designer and professional decorator and for once, she thanked me 😂👯‍♀️

[@patriciakelly2714]

Your videos are soo uplifting and fun. I always enjoy your sense of humour along with good tips. Love xx 😘

[@kaitlincrane_]

I LOVE this series, please please please more rooms!! I am excited for the bedroom and kitchen specifically (maybe kids room if you can!)

[@Katuchis]

Thank you, Nick! I have learned and keep learning so much thanks to you! I am renting but I have tried my best to follow your tips to make my apartment homier and cohesive 🙏🏻🙌🏻❤

[@Nick_Lewis]

I'm so glad!

[@silviojr2424]

You’re so good! I love how you’re thoughtful on respecting people’s preferences and constraints! Just found your videos and they’re very inspiring

[@patriciafuchs5970]

Greatly enjoy getting ideas from you!

[@eileenrichards1236]

Nick, your advice is spot on and your delivery is hilarious! Happy I found you.

[@murasaki9]

I just love this video! So many great ideas. I can't wait to hang my pictures but need to get some framed. That's going to be a huge deal for me to get right in the house. Keep these videos coming!

[@ladyramen7655]

We just finished our house renovation, this video is perfect timing!

[@tammysims8716]

I am so excited to have discovered your channel. Let the learning begin! Thank you in advance.

[@mattrandall1808]

I'm working on decluttering my house and making things custom right now. Good ideas here.

[@goatmealcookies7421]

I put gorgeous moldings and baseboards throughout my moms house. We found that the end to dust them outweighed our enjoyment of how gorgeous they looked,

[@mdannyg]

I do agree about color temperatures, buuuut i do like having a bright white light over my kitchen with another warm white light over the breakfast nook, just to balance it out a little. I do wonder if it looks like i was just being lazy even though it was very intentional. Now I feel like I should get over it and just change one of them :/

[@reneeturner7137]

Nick, your tips are so practical and so entertaining. Thank you!

[@mktruett]

So Nick is saying my unique Disney collectibles will make my place look more expensive. Got it 😉

[@grissellolmeda4312]

You’re the coolest 😎👏🏼 thank you!! Love your honesty!!!

[@GilliMarieMoody]

Again, your examples show exceptional taste. Thanks.

[@kateder5966]

Nick, I love your content!! I’ve been in the process of designing my home office and your videos have been so helpful! Hope you can make home office content as well.😊 Love your humor.😂 Keep it up!

[@ChristieZachary]

Excellent video! Thanks, Nick!

[@DNAConsultingDetectives]

SO much great stuff in this video, Nick! Design Matters!!!! 2700k lighting all over my home (except for the light in the hood-vent). Large art 100%!!! Even the right rug/tapestry hung as art, behind a sofa, can be stunning! I also try to keep fresh flowers around. I absolutely depend on Pinterest for design. A board for each room. I start populating it with everything I like, then go back in every week or so to edit out the stuff I don't like so much or what isn't cohesive to the room (or home). I keep adding more and editing out what doesn't work. I put in images of rooms with color palettes and styles I like. I add in furniture options, lighting, wall treatments (or not), art, rugs, lighting, window treatments, what wood & metal finishes I want in the room, fabric options, did I mention lighting? I take my time with this. It's much cheaper to do this exercise in a Pinterest board than buying stuff that just doesn't work together. It's the modern day mood board, right?

[@v.ra.]

This is absolutely what I believe in. Every single point is straight out of my mind. Now I can send to my flatmate my thoughts in an eloquent form. Thanks much

[@suzanneakerley1354]

Love your work, thank you. New dining table!

[@Bonafidevixen10032]

Most timely video ever. I finally repainted and fixed up my living room and need to make it feel better. Great tips. Lighting will be one I'm going to really concentrate on. I hate bright harsh lighting. 😅

[@vkat4167]

I always wanted to have a big monstera, and I bought one 😊 This plant takes the whole corner but it changed the room so nicely!

[@CuteKemonomimi]

For my decoration and throw pillows I chose some colors which can be differently combined. I love to change my decor items every season. for spring I use mint green and yellow, summer is dark teal, mint and yellow, fall is a rusty orange and yellow and winter is dark teal and rusty orange. I also want to include my rugs into it, but didn’t find yet what I’m looking for. I love to change the atmosphere of my home according to the seasons

[@barbr100]

As always, great advice from Nick.

[@emmax0000]

Love it!❤ Thanks! 🙏🏼

[@purpleflower121]

Loved this style of video! I am most excited by the book recommendations, I didn't even wait until the end of the video to buy The Creative Act. It sounds similar to The Artist's Way which is another incredible book on creativity.

[@cassieslemmer8573]

Loving the channel- would love to see you take pictures of peoples real life homes and dissect the specific things you would do differently!

[@amg1love]

This one is perfect. You’re giving serious substance, and I’m chuckling the whole way there. Idk if it’s my ADD or you’re just on one and matching my energy tonight, but I’m here for it. The vignette is the moment; therefore I am the moment. It’s expensive to be me.

[@robinsmith4499]

Home automation!! Alexa dims our lights to any percentage we desire. 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@TheDisneylover23]

Great video Nick! Thanks😘

[@br4653]

You always make me smile! I always look forward to your videos ❤️

[@wakingtheworld]

I love your channel, Nick - the only one I can't watch @ 1.25 speed! Took me nearly 6 years to get my (small) flat painted, decorated and furnished and it's great being reassured that I did it right... for the most part. You give excellent advice and tips and I'm still watching cos it's an endlessly fascinating subject for me and your delivery and humour is so engaging.... Greets from the UK

[@maryam6458]

Hi Nick! I just noticed you swapped the previous gray couch for this cream looking one! Looks great!