Impractical Furniture and Home Decor | Armless Sofas and Dining Benches

[@Nick_Lewis]

Brooklinen's Black Friday Sale just got better! They are now offering 25% OFF with up to 40% off their bundles. This is the best deal they've ever offered! You can shop it via my link: bit.ly/NickLewis_BrooklinenNov23

[@stefs3460]

Dearest Gwendolyn, It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this correspondence from the desk in the middle of the study so as not to stain the dark countertops in the kitchen with my tears. We are sadly one less on the dining bench after a series of unfortunate events. After falling off the side of our armless sofa my dear papa went to take a warm shower to soothe his aches and pains. Sadly he slipped on the large format tiles due to the lack of foot gripping grout and hit his head and died. I cannot bear to walk past his open nightstand with his dentures in their container sitting on the shelf next to his opened package of foam earplugs.

[@annbrookens945]

Beautifully written!

[@stefs3460]

@@annbrookens945 It certainly helped that I had such great material from Nick to piggyback off of😄 All his videos are funny but this was especially so!

[@cynthiajohnston424]

Brilliant - love your wit ! 😂

[@martha3445]

😂 That was hysterical!!

[@Peachlover345]

LOL

[@aroha9090]

'At worst it's murder, at best it's * rolls eyes * negligence'. We love you Nick.

[@feliciajuliet1913]

@@aroha9090 🤣🤣love it

[@MayaHendsenmayajs19442]

Nick is low-key a comedian. I absolutely love his unintentional witty one-liners ❤😂

[@choryferguson2196]

"Are they writing their correspondence‽" "Get a new family!" "they're just missing half the piece of furniture, and I'm expected to not say anything about it‽" I love when you're causticly funny.

[@debmcgimpy5958]

I love it, too. So funny!😊

[@annbrookens945]

Absolutely funny! Thanks for quoting Nick so I didn't have to try to remember them all!

[@louannhuber2651]

Snort😂

[@JamieM470]

My favorite "...that's what happens when you have an open shelf. You fill the shelf and you fill it with ugly things." 🤣🤣🤣 That's our Nick. Brutally honest 😁

[@suziekew33]

Those were some of my fav moments, too! Great call! ;-)

[@alis49281]

Fun fact: In Germany, a stool without a back is not a Stuhl. It has a different name: Hocker. The name comes from "hocken" which means squat. So, we have "uncomfortable" built into the name of armless chairs. 😂

[@anaiyasgarden]

Came for the interior design content, stayed for the snark. I love this channel more than words can express. ❤

[@TreasureDeal]

Me too. 😂❤

[@kirstenlind-pedersen5184]

“Stayed for the snark.” Bahaha.

[@MHart-xr6qg]

Perfectly said.

[@ginafarley6190]

Absolutely 😂

[@DrTBeez]

Yes! I watch these sometimes as I fall asleep-no offense Nick - and I was just now laughing out loud at so many parts, like “get a new family” 😂 I’m also very particular about function and get very wound up about furniture that doesn’t work.

[@donnadebrodt1778]

Ha…if you find something that works, “you’re going to ride it until the wheels fall off.” Nick, you were in top form on this video!

[@albiesspace]

Armless chairs and sofas have a public place vibe for me. Like a lobby or a cafe bench-sofa. And that's not the coziest vibe for a home.

[@Nick_Lewis]

I can see that. In feels like temporary seating.

[@rockshot100]

So does a desk in the middle of the room, looks more like a conference room or an office.

[@Elle-kr8od]

Yes, the intent is to say "move along now".

[@brettknoss486]

Armless sofas maybe in an entryway or a bedroom work, but they're deffinatly for sitting and not relaxing or lounging.

[@Inlelendri]

Yes, precisely. I was going to say one of those examples looked like seating from an airport, and we all know how super comfortable those are.

[@chocolateghost]

FINALLY!!!! Someone called the faux office, I was beginning to think I was the only one still plugging things in. And backless seating is just a form of torture.

[@kathi3625]

Once again you knocked it out of the park, Nick. “Don’t kill your family.” 😊

[@Beqeeangel]

“This is cheaper than therapy” bro this is like your sassiest video I ages keep it up 😂😂😂

[@melissaweyrick5311]

Decor Trauma is real, I grew up in the 70's - we had four colors. FOUR! 😭. Orange, Avocado, Gold, and Brown.... so much Brown.

[@Geronimo2Fly]

Me too! All of our appliances were that iconic Harvest Gold. In our neighborhood, it was either that or the Avocado Green. (I don't remember any orange appliances, but I do remember the light pink and green bathrooms.) Cabinets, floor and furniture was some shade of brown. That's it. Just wait, in some future generation people will think those things are super cool LOL.

[@cynthiajohnston424]

@@Geronimo2Fly Agree ! Just like trends in clothing - " everything old is new again " !

[@annetteredelico2413]

Burnt orange, avocado green, harvest gold, and was it nutmeg brown for the brown? I’m having a senior moment! 😂

[@cynthiajohnston424]

@@annetteredelico2413" Dog poop brown " ? ! 😂 When I was in interior design , we just referred to the colors as a group , calling it " Autumn Colors " . All things considered , in some ways , I prefer those colors to the more recent trend of the color group " gray & grey " ! 🤔

[@cmonyoureds]

May I add brick red? Specifically, linoleum tile printed to look like bricks, brick red? This fits all Nick's rants: wash and wax it, it will kill your family; don't and it will be a germ farm and kill your family as they skid trying to exit the dining bench...

[@susanbaker2796]

".....give me an arm, give me a back!" This video is hilarious, top to bottom. You were on it today, Nick!!!! Some of your one-liners were so quick I had to hit pause and go back to really catch what you said. Really good!

[@catherinepalmer4596]

My mom put me on a piano bench for a meal with guests when I was 16. Someone said something funny, I started laughing and fell right off the back of the bench. I was never so embarrassed in all my life - especially because everyone thought it was hysterical.

[@Elle-kr8od]

I'm so sorry but this got me laughing out loud. But then I once slid off the end of a restaurant bench, trying to make a graceful exit.

[@emiliebova]

A Victor Borge move!😂

[@teresaday-fickel5876]

@@Elle-kr8odI did that, too, in front of a client and cracked several ribs!

[@serenityjoy1872]

What I learned- if you have a family that never cleans up after themselves, you should get large format tile so that in time the problem just fixes itself 😂

[@Nick_Lewis]

Your family should probably save this comment for the police investigation.

[@tinaprice6090]

Lol

[@TerriLRL]

That’s funny! I meant to say; shame on you.

[@jennifergraham3752]

I’m really jazzed about this suggestion.

[@lulupomegranate]

LOLOLOLOL I came in the comments to write that XD

[@canuckviolet3322]

Nick, when do you do your stand-up tour? You're better than half the 'pros' out there. All you need is that honesty and your dry observations of life and your a hit!! 😅

[@jennifergraham3752]

It really grinds my gears that this video was not longer because I love Nick’s videos and I hate when they end. @nicklewis I also love that you used the saying “grinds my gears”. It is a family favourite. If you could incorporate the phrase “I’m really jazzed about it” in an upcoming video that would be appreciated.

[@SuperDrLisa]

Yes!

[@chynna12100]

I’m co-opting that saying!!!

[@jennifergraham3752]

@@chynna12100 which one? Gears or jazzed? My daughter tried to bring back “I’m really jazzed about it” because we think it’s funny but I can tell you that it turns out that a teenager can’t pull it off without coming across as sarcastic 🤪🤣

[@chynna12100]

@@jennifergraham3752 gears. The “sweet little southern lady” comment I usually use is “that frosts my cupcakes.” I need some variety.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

I used to work with the nicest girl who rarely expressed any negativity, but when she did get really mad or frustrated, she'd say, "that makes me want to grind my teeth off!" 🤣

[@divineohnine]

I redid my kitchen at the end of 2020 and got cabinets that are the same color as the ones at 10:14. I wanted matte black countertops like in the picture but due to limited stock and the fact that they were so pricy, I went with white quartz and felt like a basic b. Thank you for this video because now I can tell myself I made the wise, Nick Lewis-approved choice!

[@yourconnection9303]

Re: Flooring...Once upon a time I had large floor tiling. My dog got up quickly to run to the window, slipped - actually did the splits, cried and howled in pain, and we had to make an emergency trip to the veterinarian. Flooring must be safe for both humans and pets. Great 💯 content as usual Nick!👍👌

[@Motherhubbard170]

wow; that's actually awful as well as expensive

[@yourconnection9303]

@@Motherhubbard170 We felt so bad for our dog. She had very bad muscle strain and was in a lot of pain for awhile, and medication too.😥

[@cynthiajohnston424]

@@yourconnection9303 So sorry but relieved it was muscle strain & not worse . 🥰 As a horse, dog , cat parent & pet-sitter , I understand your experience . Even area rugs can be dangerous for pets , just like humans . It would be interesting if Nick did a few segments on design for pet parents .

[@yourconnection9303]

@@cynthiajohnston424 Thank you! My dog had that injury at 7 years old. She wasn't quite the same physically after that until she passed away at 13 yrs. old. And I too would like to see Nick do a video on how to pet safe your home. That's a great suggestion! Enjoy and cherish your pets while you have them, because you'll miss them when they're gone.

[@cynthiajohnston424]

@@yourconnection9303 So true ! I've been w/ so many as they cross over the Rainbow Bridge ... The oldest was a pony that we knew to be at least 40 yrs. old - in fat , spunky form up to his last couple days . The pony owners also had long-lived dogs in the late teens , a cat at twenty & their Arabian horses at 30+ ! All much loved & great care , most simply just " wearing out " . 💟

[@debbyalder4089]

Can I possibly give you two thumbs up today Nick?? One for the good content and one for the laughs!! And thanks for looking out for us … and our dead families!! Cheers from Deb x

[@Mitch-Alex]

Desks in the middle, absolutely!! They ALWAYSS do this in HGTV homes, I'm like that is so impractical! They will change that after the cameras leave

[@jennbidwelledwardson2885]

As a mom of 6 kids who are all adults now, and while I'm sure I traumatized them in all sorts of ways, the dining bench has never come up. I needed a way to squeeze a lot of butts around the table for dinner every day, and that's how it worked. As soon as we had the space, the bench was replaced by chairs. With backs. 😂 It's just for a season...😂 Thanks for another snarky, fun video.

[@andreakyleozzy4739]

Same for us. We have lots of little butts around here and the dining bench was really the only practical option. I will say though, that as soon as its practical to get rid of them, we definietly will be. They are not my style at all.

[@mpi5850]

I agree, dining bench is awesome.

[@joycey4754]

My husband made benches for our 4 kids to sit on. They has to learn to sit up straight and not wiggle all over at the dinner table.

[@marianavazquez6152]

I was a nanny for a family that has a bench and the amount of times that the toddlers fell off the back was inmense! It was good to keep the 3 kids there but at the same time all the times they hit their head because of it convinced me not to have a bench

[@rutontuton]

For those of us with bad backs benches and backless stools are torture!

[@ApparentlyGoogledislikesmyname]

About the large tiles. I once slept at a hotel in London, whose shower cabin blew me away. The floor was one big tile with a bit of incline. Nothing weird so far. It felt ok dry, not too slippery. But when wet, it actually turns rugged with *more* grip than before! I would love to have that in my home, but I bet it costs a fortune.

[@tomwinston6758]

“In which case, get a new family!!” Always enjoyable on top of informative

[@marianavazquez6152]

I guess I need a new husband! 😢

[@danielled1720]

I love when you make videos about impractical designs and decor. Thank you for saving us from wasting our time by pointing out problems we might have missed.

[@DeniseMarieplaylearnteach]

I had more laugh out loud moments from this video than anything I’ve watched lately! Totally in agreement with all your critiques of impractical furniture and decor. “Don’t kill your family.”

[@NOGlameows]

I have almost black stone countertops, and I LOVE them. Yes, you will have to clean them daily, but they are very easy to clean and so beautiful. I actually would recommend!

[@patriciafletcher4965]

I love mine too! But love Nick even more 😂

[@Stealthymoon]

I think Nicks advice is for the everyday person who happens to love home decor. A lot of the things we see on the apps and magazines are beautiful and aspirational but truly not how us mere mortals live

[@PolarBearChicky]

This is why I love his channel. I have an interior engineer / designer friend who is always suggesting I make huge and expensive changes like knocking down walls and who sells her furniture and buys new stuff far too often and pushes me to do the same. I just can't afford that. I need my stuff to be practical and nice looking.

[@lindawynn9042]

I agree strongly with every single one of those. Thanks for pointing out that all of those are sometimes trendy, but never functional. And sometimes unsafe!

[@RitaVernoy]

I always come back for the information you share, but honestly, a big part of the attraction is your sarcasm!!😊

[@duckpond7856]

All of these items deserved your rants! Super enjoyed this one.

[@wandabower2162]

I love your advice to get a new family if they don't clean up. I must say it's very tempting.... But the old boy's been around for 46 years, so I think I'll keep him.

[@sherrirush1567]

My husband did this 😂 There MAY have been other reasons he moved along and we found each other, but their lack of cleanliness and order was part of it.

[@Katiedora122]

My roommates and I got a little one-seat backless bench for our "dining room" because we really only had a small alcove to fit our table, and was actually perfect! We put it against the wall so if anyone did sit there, support was available and it was the first time I didn't hate bench seating. And then we moved, and now I'm back to hating benches because it's inconvenient, lol. It's 2023, and I did not live through a global pandemic to not give myself the support I deserve.

[@Artemisgrier]

An unwanted bench? It’s great at the foot of the bed!

[@CBBC435]

Benches are a hard sell made trendy, imho. My cynical mind tells me that it is far cheaper, by cost of equipment, to just add a bench instead of the chairs required by the table. I see a lot of that approach in products these days, trending up an otherwise cheaply made product. Take, for instance, the so-called "caged" lighting fixtures that appear to be nothing more than wire frames around bare bulbs. It looks incomplete and certainly cheaply made, but they have been trended-up in all the published interiors.

[@CBBC435]

​@@Artemisgrier Good point.

[@andrewmichels7804]

Your channel is so much cheaper than therapy😂y Thankyou Nick!

[@katharinewowk9519]

AGREE WITH ARMS ON SOFAS AND CLOSED STORAGE IN BEDROOM. SO NICE.

[@natassazacharia3090]

Nick has the best one-liners in the whole KZbin community...😆😆😆 Amazing video as always!

[@donnagreen5707]

He is truly gifted with the way he combines excellent design advice with sarcasm and wit. He’s the ultimate smart ass; aka the Bill Murray of designers. Love you, Nick!

[@laurawood4476]

Love this man ! I enjoy the fact he's not afraid to question things . His delivery is hysterical without just being ugly .

[@juliesimansky2495]

I swear even if I didn't like interior design, I would still watch Nick's channel because his one liners are top tier. Love love love this channel!

[@shelly410]

I agree about the backless benches and stools. The benches give a picnic table vibe. And who wants that indoors in their home? Not to mention how uncomfortable they are after just a few minutes. And yes, the middle seat is the pits!

[@reesepei420]

"Don't kill your family" absolutely took me out Thanks for sharing these videos Nick, they've been a godsend while I've been furnishing my new apartment

[@chouliha1]

Writing their correspondence made me laugh out loud

[@SuperDrLisa]

I pictured Jane Austen writing Pride and Prejudice or writing to her sister Cassandra

[@LaurelSeeksLovelyThings]

I had to go back and watch that 4 times. 😂

[@chouliha1]

@@SuperDrLisa It reminded me of the friends episode where Ross yells at rachel for being late to some award banquet for him and she changes into sweats and sits at the table and says she’s staying home to catch up on her correspondence. Yours is much better haha

[@Maki-00]

I pictured someone in the 17th century writing a letter and using wax to seal it then sending it off by their servant who would deliver the letter by horseback. 😂

[@tiffanyb6420]

Once again, you delivered practicality with spunk. I died at the correspondence bit 😂😂😂. Most of what you listed today are almost universally “gear grinding.”

[@rocklobstah1876]

If you knew Spunk means something else elsewhere in the world you wouldn't use the word😂

[@MoonthistleHouse]

My last house had in-floor outlets in multiple rooms, and it was really a game-changer. Being able to plug lamps and things in the floor with a small channel cut into the rug pad really makes for an elegant room with "floating" lamps and not a cord in sight. If I build a place in the future, I'm definitely putting some in.

[@kaasmeester5903]

Be careful about hiding mains wires under a rug, if they are going to get walked on. Over time the cable may get damaged and short out. Use floor cord covers to protect them. Also be aware that extension cords produce heat, which is now trapped under the carpet. With a single lamp you should be fine, but if you have a desk with lights and computers hooked up to it, maybe not so much.

[@gibbersking6575]

When Hubby & I designed our home, I knew sofa and accent chairs would be floating away from walls in Great Room. So, we had to have a few in-floor outlets installed. There we were, at the plywood and stud stage with our four camping chairs and cardboard boxes, figuring out our furniture layout and therefore outlet locations. Success!

[@MoonthistleHouse]

@@kaasmeester5903 - this is definitely a good word of caution, and one I should have put in my reply. When I do run cords under rugs, I will only do it if the entire run is also under a piece of furniture (like a coffee table or sofa) - and even then, I'll get a bit of conduit or cord protector the same thickness as the rug pad and run it through that. Walking over cords beneath rugs is just asking for wear, shorts, and fire risk!

[@alittax]

Great tips! One thing I see differently is that a desk in the middle of the room can work if you have every electronic device plugged into an extension cord and all the cables are tied and organized nicely (unlike the cables at 5:58). That's how I have it in my room. If you're worried about the cable from the extension cord along the floor to the socket, you can put a carpet over it. The main benefit of this setup is that you can have an extra bookshelf. In my room, the alternative is for the desk to be directly in front of the window, but with the desk in the middle of the room, I can have a bookshelf instead of the desk in front of the window.

[@kathiburdette4279]

Oh!! You are SO SO RIGHT about the dark countertops!! I have black quartz and it is so hard to keep up with!! Fingerprints, tiny crumbs, air .... whatever!! Everything shows up on black quartz... trust me!!!

[@tasjahinge1777]

Air 😅😅 love it.

[@IExpectedBSJustNotThisMuchBS]

Here’s a backless stool that’s fully practical: a saddle rolling stool. They’re not attractive but great in the kitchen and also as an artist’s stool, as they’re comfortable and naturally having you sitting straight.

[@jaimegonzalezrosa9463]

Tiles don’t depend of the grout but the slip resistance. It actually it’s better performance specifically in long term the less grout you have as the grout is not as waterproof material as porcelain or ceramic

[@laurabfromvt6197]

I also have to comment on dark countertops. I have dark gray/black soapstone countertops, and while they scratch unbelievably easily, there's no more of a problem showing dirt and crumbs than anything else. It has a matte finish with white swirls. Maybe it's different with high gloss black granite. But soapstone doesn't need to be photoshopped to look good.

[@melbrod3868]

Your reference to middle seats brought back a memory. I had two siblings growing up--3 kids total. Yes, we fought over the window seats in the car--and, of course, someone always got that undesirable center seat. I have two kids now--each can have a window seat, right?? They fight over the center seat. There's always something...

[@lormor460]

I moved into a home with gray/dark gray countertops on a center island and ugh, yes, you can see everything, every smear, every fingerprint, Drives me crazy! Love your videos, Nick!

[@chynna12100]

Validation!!! I finally got rid of my dark countertops. What a difference with the cleanliness AND the reflectivity of light. That is a huge benefit for people like me who are dealing with reduced vision.

[@amymcginty6634]

I agree with every item you spoke of! I detest backless stools & dining benches!!! Also, another strong dislike (hate) is booth seating in the kitchen… everyone crawling over everyone else to get in & out! One other of my biggest dislikes is sofas with low backs, so you can’t lean your head back & if you doze off, you have serious neck problems! Thanks for this video… I do design, decor & staging & I always warn clients about these impractical & uncomfortable choices. I also agree with your opinion about tile in the bathroom. Actually, shiny, slick floors are dangerous everywhere. There are ways to obtain the look without “killing your family”!

[@zeerobles4496]

I have black countertops, and I love them!! By the time one gets to be my age you’ve had it all. I don’t mind cleaning and that might be why I don’t mind having them. I think they’re beautiful and so worth it . Just my two cents. Love your videos Nick! 😊

[@deborahmatatall]

Me, too! I have Stellar Night Silestone (quartz) and they are beautiful and gorgeous and I love the way they look with my white cabinets. They are actually very easy to keep clean. Micro fiber cloths shine them to perfection with very litlle effort.🌸

[@suziemyers9855]

Me, too. I had high-end granite with a lot of movement and when I'd wipe it off, omg, yuck. It hid everything. I finally have soapstone and I'm happy to wipe it down twice a day. Not gonna lie...

[@nathalie_desrosiers]

Thank you. I was planning on installing slate countertops in my soon to be built home and was crushed when I heard Nick comment about black countertops. Slate has so many pros, I really want to go that route. Your comment restore my decision.

[@KatSchlitz]

Yes! I am installing soapstone counters surrounding a honed charcoal granite island (for Invisacook range), and cannot wait to have them. I just ripped out green laminate that showed everything the same as black, but the new kitchen will have minimal counter clutter, for quick full wiping down and ease on eyes, so I can have that clean counter feeling KNOWING they are clean, with a quick wipe being all it takes. Honed will make it slightly less obvious, but I love clean counters in a kitchen. My kitchen is right at french doors with a mountain outside (and thus dust), so having white means I live in filth and don't even know it!! I used to have chocolate brown granite with all the fleck colors. They hid EVERYTHING. And to my horror whenever I looked eye to counter level, they were REVOLTINGLY dirty!!! They were constantly disgusting, until I realized I needed to wipe them daily. And then I could not see if I missed stuff, and I always did! YUCK! Instead I will clean black soapstone and honed granite charcoal counters and will be beaming love at my stone everyday!

[@esse1900]

Me too. After 10 years of beige builder grade formica, I used a countertop paint in black marble to see if I could live with black. Three years later, I could afford new countertops and got black recycled glass. Yes, I see water marks and crumbs and, guess what, I clean them up. Why would anyone want a kitchen surface that "hides the dirt"? A quick wipe down with an ammonia-free glass cleaner once a day keeps them clean and shiny. And the surface reflects the under cabinet lights beautifully. Nick, you're my favorite and I'm doing me!

[@Ophelia_1668]

Totally agree, great video! I was the youngest of 4 and always forced into the middle seat in the back of the car, hated it, so give us your trauma Nick, I am right with you for it all! Tears of laughter running down my face now!

[@grat2010]

You are hilarious. I could not control my laughter when you ranted about the suburban mom with her whitewashed 14 kids (or was it the photos that were whiteashed?) Looking super gorgeous in their dining benches. It was therapy for me too.

[@paulas_lens]

Several snorts later, I do concur with Nick - dark counters show everything.

[@Renzsu]

THANK YOU for mentioning that desk situation! It’s so hard trying to find a nice looking desk that isn’t a desk made for people that seem to do nothing other than writing the occasional letter on them! Like, can I have something that looks nice, where I can store my massive pc tower out of sight (not everybody can make do with a laptop). Major peeve of mine at the moment!

[@jbridges9574]

Seriously!!! I have 2 monitors so who wants to walk in and see them and all the cords- and my 3 drink cups.

[@s.fuhrmann]

And a pull out keyboard tray.. Is that so hard?

[@lisaburt7118]

Thank you Nick, your videos helped me design and remodel a completely safe, gorgeous, and highly practical modern bathroom for my disabled husband. You are 100 percent correct about using small format tiles on the floor (we chose a wonderful 2-inch natural marble hex) and put the large format tile on the shower walls. I adore the contrast between the “busy” hex floor tile and large format white gloss, large format wall tiles, The wall tiles mean less grout to clean, and it’s super easy to squeegee them off after a shower. Adore you and your channel, keep up the great work!

[@DoubleMD11]

“Don’t kill your family, okay?” Noted 😂

[@jessieyork4508]

Thank you Nick for the armless couch comments.

[@julial1938]

You're the highlight of my Saturdays, Nick. I live in my little 2 bed, 1 bath in the middle of Sask with my big, fluffy, white dog and my Ikea furniture and my shelves of books and items from travels around the world. It's way too late for me to attempt to be sophisticated in any way (although I'm very proud of my deep red leather couch and chair), but I love your videos and they're very much a must watch for me. Thanks for making them!

[@christinae30]

Sounds very cosy!

[@dcyyc]

I barely discovered you channel about a month ago and you are now my favourite thing on yt (and I'm on yt a LOT). I've been under a lot of stress these last few week, and here I am now, exercising while watching you, laughing in tears and feeling the best I've felt in weeks. Thank you. You are an absolute gem. I used to dream about a desk in the middle of the room, but your comment on writing the correspondence at your silly desk just killed me (and convinced me that they are stupid). I can also vouch that black countertops are gross and a pain. I hate mine with a passion for exactly the reasons you listed here.

[@loca8048]

Countertops and I've had em all - the best are butcher block and stainless steel like in an industrial/restaurant kitchen. Never trendy, never not - just is - the zen kitchen.

[@arizonashopper5095]

My goal in flooring (even in the shower) is LESS grout. I've had to regrout the tile in my shower twice now, bc it wears down. I am going to replace it with large format tile and just put clear no-slip strips on the tile. I have used those in the past and they are invisible when applied. Just another option for ya. 😊

[@sailorz3]

I have a 1 in by 1 in mosaic tile that I put in my bathroom using epoxy grout. It is fantastic and it does not get dirty ever.

[@lisamo1013]

I definitely agree with you on this. Tiles have grip ratings anyway, so all you need to do is pick one that has plenty of grip and you'll be fine. Regular shower pans don't have grout lines either and they are deemed safe as well.

[@stefs3460]

A suggestion when shopping for new furniture, flooring or countertops consult with someone who has cleaned houses for a living. I USED to like dark floors, dark cherry furniture, glass , mirrored or acrylic furniture ect. 😅

[@christinae30]

I never got those mirrored furniture as a teenager in the '80s, and always had a secret longing for them, but I think you've cured me...

[@beitheleaf8221]

Nearly had my coffee come out of my nose this video had me cracking up with all the sass and salty remarks on benches and backless stools 😂❤ I love your channel Nick, keeping it real for all of us

[@DNAConsultingDetectives]

Excellent! Put the armless furniture in the room you want people to leave sooner than later. They won't know why, but those slipper chairs/armless sofas will make them uncomfortable and they are out of there! Glad you got to vent! "Get a new family"! Lol! 😂😂😂

[@653j521]

Aren't those from his video on furniture that older people hate?

[@lutra-lutra]

hmmm, quite the opposite in my experience, because you can't get off this armless sofas easily, so guests, especially those with mobility issues would stay. Forever😈

[@louisemoynan5005]

Oh Nick, I really enjoyed your videos, they are super resourceful, but also, I just love your sense of humour. I catch myself laughing so much and you don’t even realize how funny you are. Keep them coming and keep being you!!!

[@joansmall9019]

Thank you, Nick, for saying what I'm thinking. Now I have to find a new family because these people don't pick up after themselves!! 😂❤

[@Kmvxh4wn]

I tried. They keep showing up every day though 😂

[@sun7677]

Thanks Nick, I love these videos on impractical furniture. You might have never mentioned those white velvet, gorgeous dining chairs that can exist only in the magical lands of Pinterest. I have a couple of beige ones and I finally decided to hide them when guests come over. Harsh but necessary.

[@pamelacox540]

Solid countertops, either white or black, show every flaw. My favorite counter was a speckled black granite w wood cabinets. Easy to clean and pretty!

[@DrawTangleswithDawn]

Dark countertops i also nominate black sinks. We thought that would look so good with our dark green granite and it looked beautiful for about a day... then all the hard water spots ... oh my goodness we absolutely cannot keep the sink clean unless we polish it dry after each use.

[@lindaartz3297]

I had a black and hated it for the reason you said. I loved my white. My nightstand is so full of stuff that I need and it goes in the top drawer. I can open it the middle of the night and get what I wand in the dark. All of your ideas today are spot On.

[@lydia6477]

in defense of dining benches: including me there are 4 siblings and we grew up with them. They were super handy bc you could pack 4 or 5 small children on one bench, and my mom liked having friends over. now for people who live mostly in adult settings, benches kind of suck, but if you need extra seats and dont have storage space for extra chairs, there's nothing wrong with the bench. especially if it's all children sitting on them.

[@Sooze35]

I like the bench because all adults that come to visit me slam the back of the white chair into the dark blue wall and damage the paint. The bench has fixed this problem 🤣😂

[@vlrissolo]

Nick's killing it here 😂

[@jaynefurze9942]

Nick, you were at your snarky best today 😂! I agree with everything. I'm getting up there in age. I need arms and backs on my furniture. I agree with the slippery tile, but some of that older style tile with the wide grout is so slippery. It's not large tile, but it could kill you. I had some next to my door to outside and it was very dangerous. Definitely ask someone at the tile store.

[@tammyphillips3334]

Nick you are so hilarious and it is fine to work out your childhood issues on your channel. Makes us laugh. Agree with you on all points.

[@M21-m1l8z]

Brother…you are SPOT ON about each one of them. I love hearing designers speak about practicality in design.

[@amandaklaus1677]

Hi!! We have black stone countertops (with a bit of flecks and veining). They really work for us. You're not wrong about them showing absolutely everything, but there's always messes and crumbs in a kitchen regardless, so we just wipe them down once or twice a day. Our kitchen is small, so that makes it a lot easier. We might feel differently if we had a large kitchen with a lot of counter space! We also like the contrast between the dark counters and light cabinets. We need light wood cabinets because my hubby is in a wheelchair and the light wood really hides the bumps and scratches (trust me). Thanks so much for your informative/entertaining videos!, Nick!! Always enjoy your content!! ❤

[@julienelson8162]

You have a delightfully weird sense of humor and I LOVE it!! I’m also hopelessly addicted to your videos. (Don’t fall off your pedestal.) ❤❤❤❤❤

[@takecourage92]

My experience of dark granite countertops (not my choice but not enough money to replace with something similar quality) is that they hide everything to the point where i don't notice how dirty they get and then I wipe them and there's WAY more dirt on them than i could see. Sounds convenient but it's actually a bit horrible. Its really easy to miss a spot.

[@KatSchlitz]

Yes!! I just wrote above that I used to have chocolate brown perfectly flecked granite which hid absolutely everything,, and at first I did not realize the filth they contained! And when I finally got it, I could NEVER get them clean because I could not see it all, horrific! Give me black soapstone any day, with minimal counter stuff and so a quick wipe each afternoon and evening delivers pristine beauty!

[@takecourage92]

@@KatSchlitz good knowledge for next time! Thanks

[@postivevibes731]

i am constantly wiping down mine

[@doryrindge1270]

Correct! That dark green and gold granite in my dream kitchen was exquisite and could hide a crumb massacre

[@lhalison87]

It really depends on the pattern, mine are mostly a solid black (just a light speckling of gold that looks like a sparkle) and they show EVERYTHING!! Not all black is the same!

[@lesanimaux4416]

I had fun when I went to a furtniture store to pick out a couch. I saw everyone sitting neatly upright and there I went, draping myself over couches, lying down, lounging, snuggling in corners. I had the best time (and I found the perfect couch that way too!)

[@theginger8855]

I have soap stone in my kitchen and they always look good. I swear… I love mine.

[@momlifebeautifulchaos3882]

We need more interior designers like Nick Lewis ❤ The armless sofa portion of the video is right on point😂

[@ArtemisMaelstrom]

13:32 Yes! I'm here for the therapy and humor ❤

[@sarahab6497]

Love your videos! So fun and light-hearted. A realistic approach to design. I'd love to see a video about pet friendly design products ...stuff like fabrics to look for, types of carpet, things that are easy to clean etc

[@natalyaakselaleksander4502]

Nick’s sass gave me life😂 You’re right Nick, that’s why we’re here 😅😅

[@PolarBearChicky]

I have a desk in my bedroom (which is gigantic). I cut its legs down so it fits the level of my daybed. I love having something to put my arms on in front of me while sitting comfortably. I don't want the daybed in the middle and staring at the wall. I spend so much of my time there. It's my favourite watching TV and crafting space.

[@arianekelly2633]

I was real concerned about my black marble quartz countertops. I LOVE em! Especially with my hickory cabinets. I do keep them pretty clean. I cook everyday. 😅

[@marisabaptista9026]

You are right about the black surfaces! (And the rest impractical furniture) I bought a beautiful matte black faucet for my bathroom and every time I wash my hands, it ends up splashed with water and when it dries it remains stained and you can see it from afar. To avoid this, you must dry the surface very well each time after using it! Very impractical!

[@michellemichelle2639]

I just love you Nick. You are so funny, informative and you make me laugh while learning. Thank you for that.

[@SusanEBaker]

Wow! What a rant, but right on!! Yes, as the youngest growing up, of course, I sat on the bump in the backseat of the car! Now as a mother of three and a grandmother I have a bench in my kitchen. It is so cute! And, guess what? I, as the shortest in the family, get to sit on the bench that I must choreograph my gymnastics to get in and out. Thanks for letting me rant a bit. Sometimes it's a good thing.

[@GGFOREVER111]

Nick, you are a gift. 😂 in so many ways. I love when your raw self shows through. It’s inspiring! Love all your videos ♥️

[@daniellebissonnette3304]

I agree with every thing you said, except the armless sofas. I am a knitter, and I do most of my knitting on the couch. We used to have love seats with arms in front of the TV, and the arms just got in the way, they were super annoying. Now, we have an armless modular sofa and I always sit at the end so I have lots of elbow room. My husband likes to take the corner side, where he can put his feet up and lean on the side. Best of both worlds.

[@K-Flea_Jax]

Oh my goodness Nick, you were on a roll today. I was laughing the entire video. Thanks for brightening my day.

[@ivysweets]

I have a very small home and your tips and tricks have helped me make practical decisions for my home that work and that I absolutely love! Thank you!

[@lm0703]

This is great, and I agree with about 99% of everything you said! (Dark countertops are my sticking point.) Too many designers seem to embrace form over function, which is just not real life.

[@janaboehringer]

Am I the only one always watching Nick's clock in the background, wondering why it's not moving? 😄 Loved the video as always!

[@rachellerachelle2931]

Great video as always Nick. In addition to armless sofas, another pet peeve of mine are sofas with plain wooden arms. Yes, there are arms, but there's no way you could comfortably rest against them.