we need to talk about your "faux" materials

[@jo_aspen]

My husband and i are currently house hunting and i've been having a hard time articulating to him what is that i dislike about some houses we've seen, but now i can send him this video and say "THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT IN A HOUSE." We've seen so much grey wood flooring and faux this that and the other thing, and it drives me bananas.

[@car_hiller]

The grey “wood” flooring drives me absolutely BONKERS!!! and it’s everywhere

[@hanszieten6288]

It’s hideous! I rented a 3 story town house and every floor was fake grey wood. It was so awful that I now will have nothing grey in my house ! Awful trend

[@BurdHQ]

@@hanszieten6288 I've got the grey wood problem too! But luckily just in the bathroom. I'm pro vinyl flooring in most cases (because idk how I'm going to cut tiles around a toilet cistern on a time and monetary budget), but grey wood flooring... Evil. Feels like a fake of a fake

[@AboutBritney]

​@@car_hillerI haaaaate the grey wood floors!

[@RJBond121]

I gotta speak up here. The price of materials between vinyl flooring and wood flooring might be similar but the installation cost is leagues different. You can do a whole house with vinyl planks in a day. For wood, even pre finished wood, would take 4 days for a similar space. And thats for the easy types of pre finish.

[@davidstroe]

The time will pass anyway

[@morgan3llis001]

I'm not sure if that's totally true for environmentally engineered wood that he mentioned. I only did my bedroom but it took like 2 hours.

[@takecourage92]

Engineered wood doesn't have this problem no? I think that could be a good solution for you that is more "authentic". Also, if you're going vinyl maybe just don't get stuff that looks like wood. Embrace the fact it's vinyl

[@RJBond121]

@@takecourage92 engineered wood is truly functionally no different than final planks. It's in many ways worse for a day to day living thing.

[@lanehedler4080]

Hello, my king whom is saving Interiors youtube one video at a time. We salute you.

[@noahdaniel.studio]

Omg stop 🥲

[@tee6588]

​@@noahdaniel.studiocould you help me please? i really want to stay true to this rule but i'm a renter! if i used contact paper to change the colour of my boring white kitchen or ugly greige bathroom flooring, would using block colours keep the authenticity of the vinyl? is that my best option? and which colourways would you recommended for these spaces?

[@drytoasts]

I'll echo other commenters in saying that it's extremely refreshing to hear someone articulate this in the sea of design content that is oblivious to things like materiality, provenance, etc. I try to buy mostly second-hand and not place demand on petroleum production where feasible, and I've grown to truly despise the sheer number of items pretending to be wood, or trying to artificially invoke a nostalgia about a past when well-made, durable items were the norm. On occasions when I MUST buy "fast" furniture, my strong preference is simply to lean into an industrial aesthetic and buy items that were designed for commercial use and get items that are made of metal. Even when it's thin, cheap folded sheet metal, metal is comparatively durable, and honest. I also have a few vintage pomo and 80s modernist revival pieces in my house that are plastic - - but they're proudly plastic, screaming their plasticness in bold, fun colors, and that too is at least honest. I'd rather have a piece of unabashedly plastic kitsch than a veneered piece of garbage pretending to be wood!

[@Helen-jv9mq]

Yes, thank you.

[@misslaurahueto]

I completely agree with you in principle and I would 100% approach a new build/full renovation with an honest materials mindset. However - having rented in London for over 10 years, I see how prevalent bad design is in today’s existing housing stock - with either faux materials already in place or such glaringly ugly alternatives that covering kitchen cabinets with a wood-look film or adding a fake plant to a windowless bathroom don’t seem like such bad ideas if they feel like the only way to improve the space you’re stuck with. I’d be very curious to see what advice you’d have for renters or first-time buyers without a budget for a real renovation work to improve these kind of difficult spaces without resorting to fake materials! 😊

[@andyg1735]

I know you didn't ask me but a fake plant is never the only way to improve a space. I'm one of those that feels like fake plants are the worst thing in the world. They fool no one and are dust traps and they just take up space. There's gotta be something else you can put in there. How about a real preserved plant like a vase with decorative branches in it or a glass scultpture or something?

[@elsiehupp]

Yeah, good taste will never solve the problems of capitalism.

[@stum7396]

Completely agree with this with really only one exception which is stone effect (ie limestone) porcelain tiles, they tend to be pretty hard to tell the difference imo

[@elsiehupp]

@@stum7396 stone-textured porcelain tiles tend to get really gross, though, because the anti-slip texture collects dirt, and they never get properly cleaned, particularly in commercial settings. On the other hand, I have a weird soft spot for wood-grain porcelain tiles. They’re not plastic, and if you’re gonna choose something fake but low-maintenance they tend to be on the nearer side of the uncanny valley (i.e. obviously fake) rather than in it. Would I prefer real hardwood most of the time? Yes. But I’ve seen enough destroyed hardwood in commercial settings (oddly common in NYC) where I think weird hardwood-printed porcelain tile would look better.

[@OnboardG1]

@@elsiehupp I have wood-effect tiles in my bathroom. They're non-slip, look nice and everyone knows they aren't real wood because wood floors in a small bathroom would be a... courageous choice.

[@meghamama]

This resonates so deeply. It reminds me of the concept of the “uncanny valley” in robotics - the idea that the more humanoid a robot is the more affinity humans will feel toward it up to a point, where it’s almost so humanoid it could trick us into believing it’s human but something is just off about it and that makes us feel uneasy somehow. I think that the brain perceives subtleties of deception in a negative way because they might be a threat. It also reminds me of a domain you probably haven’t thought a lot about but I have haha, and that’s aesthetic modifications meant to be anti-aging or to increase “beauty.” People complain that older women get criticized whether they get work done or not, which is probably true there is no acceptable look for older women in our society but often I think what people find distasteful about cosmetic enhancement is when it veers into the uncanny valley - it’s trying to look youthful or beautiful but something is just not quite right and our brains read deception and don’t like it. Like if someone has very full lips that suggest youth but a relatively long philtrum, which suggests older age, the brain perceives this clash and flashes negatively. Anyway I find this stuff fascinating and I adore your channel! As a renter it’s hard to live by this design rule sometimes but I’m really trying because I do believe it is fundamental!

[@alimo1611]

so true. false nails give me the creeps too

[@ANPK209]

I had the same thought. The uncanny valley effect is such a great way of naming how artificial realism can cause a subtle sense of unease. It’s a concept that definitely applies across multiple fields, as you point out.

[@irenelopezmartin2246]

EXACTLY THAT is what my mother in law and I talked about! She said she obviously respects people who have work done but it just distresses her and I told her about the uncanny valley. That night she looked it up and told me that perfectly reflects her feelings when she's exposed to cosmetic surgeries

[@alexandrafulger1899]

I would love to see a video about the cheaper or comparable alternatives to 'faux materials' that you like! Also just wached all your videos in one go haha! thank you!

[@veryclaro]

Agree with this; especially as I am a renter and this means I have more limited choices. Some people in the comments are renters too and also think their design choices that counter Noah's main point are mostly done out of limitation (budget or not being able to choose other materials).

[@takecourage92]

I love your content but this for me is a missing piece of the puzzle. Laminate flooring is all some people can afford, and it's pretty much exclusively fake wood. I have the budget to put real wood flooring into my house but like, what if you don't and you're pulling up some mouldy carpet?

[@vk8397]

I totally agree. Your videos are great! However, we have to acknowledge that people can't always afford natural materials. And yes, even a $200 difference matters to people. Everyone doesn't have a cool thrift store. People have to buy what they can afford. BUT if you can afford to buy real materials and vintage, do it. And regarding artwork- art is very expensive. Sometimes you get lucky and can find originals by newer artists that are more affordable. With art, I suggest buying high quality prints from an Etsy seller. Prints are perfectly fine and it's what the majority of people can afford. But please do NOT buy art prints that every person has. There are soooo many choices that there is truly no reason to have the same print as every influencer. On the other hand, buy whatever brings you joy. If that's the same print as everyone else...so be it.

[@painterlyrabbit]

There are plenty of affordable honest materials that dont have to mimic another material though..

[@torieyoung7800]

As a recent interior design graduate i REALLY appreciate your commentary. Its a much needed break from the diy room makeover youtubers (which is no shade, i love those videos too) because it seems like they are only focused on aesthetics and give little to no meaningful advice on how to truly curate a home/space. So thank you!

[@chillsummercharisma]

"Let the material form the aesthetic". I'm in heaven.

[@Elin.Noller]

This is very true. It is also true for clothing. I see so many people who wear synthetic clothing and then complain about being too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. Synthetic has its uses for enhancing natural material, like making cotton/linen jersey and getting stretch in it. But fabric that is ALL synthetic is horrible. Making a polyester to look like silk or acrylic to look like wool gives you the look but not the inherent property of the material it is pretending to be. Linen is cooling, wicks away moisture and is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Wool is warming, dirt resistant, odour resistant among other things. Silk also has thermal regulating abilities. I could go on. Synthetic material do not breath, does not hold warmth, does not wick moisture, gets dirty real quick.

[@AmazingJane137]

Animal, vegetable, mineral.

[@Elin.Noller]

@@AmazingJane137 ?

[@analeko1992]

One of my pet peeves as well. Trying to find a reasonably priced mostly wool coat is near impossible.

[@tjordan78]

I love your passion and the principles behind your position. However, as a person that rents in one of the few cities in this country where renting long term makes more financial sense than buying, I can say that using materials like peel/stick tiles for flooring and backsplashes have allowed me to like the way my kitchen looks vs not loving my long term living space. Sometimes those alternate materials are the only through line to attractive design. I am also a fan of mixing real/faux plants, keeping the closer plants real and further away plants faux. Its a personal choice. If it makes you happy, it is successful on some level.

[@saram8996]

Some of the things you’ve mentioned, like here with authentic material, are things I’ve felt but haven’t been able to put into words why I don’t like something. You put it perfectly and it’s great to hear from someone educated in the area

[@shaunnarochelle]

you really suceeded in sharing the deeper importance of this conversation. it's not just snobbery.

[@jjjokkkerrr]

As a self-proclaimed design elitist, I generally agree with your points. However, we opted for a high-quality faux wood kitchen countertop that even mimics the surface structure of wood, and I must say, it works really well. Stone would have been way too costly, real wood is totally impractical, and artificial mono-colored surfaces wouldn't have achieved the look we desired. So, I hope you can excuse our choice?

[@The_Nicoo]

Love your Videos! Thats solid advice for moving to my next apartment. Could you do a video on how to work around a bad "base". As in a rented space where you dont have alot freedom to transform you space

[@sarawofford]

I'm so excited for your channel and the perspective you bring, it's a nice counterbalance to a lot of the interior design content creators that aren't so rooted in fundamentals of design.

[@CaitiSM]

I'm so glad you're giving us normie non-designers the language to talk about this stuff! 🙏 I literally just got off the phone with my mom who was contemplating getting rid of railroad tie stairs down to the beach at her Wisconsin lakehouse and putting in these concrete slabs stamped to look like rocks. She got an earful about honest materials lol

[@maryannehillis6471]

Hello Noah, It is so very true that faux materials scream'fake' from a mile away. You call it a human perception, and I truly believe that is so. Vinyl floors are vinyl - enough said. I love the fact that you are educating young people (20-35 you said) about the authentic/historical roots of pieces of fine design. For someone who grew up IN midcentury Australian design, and who studied Design in Italy in the 70's ( yes, THAT old!) I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to experience good design first hand. I can't tell you enough that you're performing a very very much needed educational service. I love your videos and agree that the Troye S house here in Melbourne is divine. Have a look at The Local Project, an Australian brick of a magazine that showcases contemporary domestic architecture. There's also a supplement dedicated to commercial projects as well. Yes! Never enough lights that can be so very beautiful in themselves and that elevate the space.

[@creativeknowing]

Your tone and willingness to reflect while you’re sharing well considered ideas and opinions is so inviting. What you,ve said about honest materials is such a balm for the nervous system. Present as you are, materials. Let us develop a sense of trust and belonging and safety with wood as wood, concrete as concrete, plants as plants, sunlight as sunlight, a tv as a tv 😊

[@tinachristine4573]

I used to wonder why new build estates make me feel so discombobulated and it was all that fake rendering they do on the outside to mimic stone or brick. So weird and so unnecessary.

[@lillianbarker4292]

Thank you for highlighting this idea. We have many old homes in Phoenix from the 40s and 50s. They have cement floors in various colors. Flippers cover the floors with cheap tile or vinyl faux wood when instead they could simply leave it alone. Also homes made of brick or block don’t ever have to be painted. I don’t understand why builders abandoned the principles of modern architecture. It isn’t any more expensive.

[@lindawales2394]

I was doing the DIY home renovation long before it became trendy. I along with husband installed several homes with the real hardwood flooring. Its hard work but well worth the time and effort. We use to save money by not only installing it ourselves, but also buying it unfinished and putting the finish on ourselves. Another lengthy process, but well worth it. These new "faux flooring" finishes I find horrifying. I commend you for shinning a big light on this subject, because it is a serious issue for the environment. As you state, all of these temporary finishes will fail quickly with time. And yes I agree, a thin wood veneer is better, but your very limited to the number of times it can be refinished, whereas solid wood can last a lifetime plus. The entire home building industry needs to put quality back into their products, and the consumer needs to reject this horrible trend.

[@whirledpeas5717]

This partly explains why I super love my current apartment - wood floors, wood kitchen cabinets, solid wood doors. Last place, vinyl wood-looking floors, man-made faux wood kitchen cabinets, super light, thin doors. I feel super content and at home here.

[@gr4yd0n_]

as someone who’s currently in architecture school your opinions and takes are so refreshing to hear on youtube!! keep up the good work 👍

[@staceyhart9746]

Some might scoff, but I think that synthetic materials can have their own authenticity too. Like, vintage Formica that looks like Formica. Or, using plastic milk crates if you want to decorate “industrial.” For real, I think calling the steampunk looking rooms with pipe-looking table legs “industrial” is less authentic.

[@whirledpeas5717]

I think he'd agree with you and I do. Your plastic milk crates are milk crates, an authentic thing. They aren't covered in wood grained wall paper to try and make them look like wood cubes. In the video, he showed a vinyl floor he was fine with because it didn't have a fake pattern on it. Formica is the same in my experience. Go be steampunk!

[@dancinginmaltesers]

As an interior design graduate your videos are the best I’ve seen on KZbin. I’m also very against faux materials but I’ve never heard someone explain it so well. It’s like you’ve condensed all the ideas in my head and made them make sense. So happy you’ve created this channel and can’t wait to see where you take it 👏

[@Blastendedskrwt]

paige wassel

[@namxhuynh]

I’m so thankful to have come across your channel. You helped me to make a huge decision. More importantly sticking to authentic materials and appreciation for real finished work. Staying away from faux .

[@Ana-pq2wd]

its honestly so refreshing to hear you talk about something u seem to be passionate about. Its really nice to hear your perspective on this topic and questioning things society has dead set on. thank you for this video! x

[@anthonyswan9551]

Noah, just ... thank you! I only recently stumbled upon your channel, and I'm hooked! I'm addicted to interior design, and I absolutely love your approach. I resinate with so much of what you have to say. Please keep it coming

[@hypnicjerk8854]

I think I’ve watched every single video you made. Some of them more than once because I wanted to watch them again with my boyfriend! I love your videos so much. You’ve expanded my understanding of design. I’ve always felt like I could tell good from bad, so I thought I had ‘good taste’, but at the same time I knew that I was totally illiterate on the subject. Watching your videos definitely has brought a sense of intention and information to my decorative decisions, which has been so helpful especially since I just moved to a new home :) While I’m at it I’d also like to say that you’re like a proxy for a decent, knowledgeable, cool, normal human being on youtube, where we mostly get scammy loud personalities 😂

[@jordanc3233]

Its worth calling out that real brick walls will have 'seams' too. They're called expansion joints that need to exist every so often in a brick wall to allow for contraction and expansion of the bricks. I don't want people watching this video to think that all brick walls are 'fake' because they have a 'seam'.

[@alimo1611]

100% my feelings exactly. Just been through the hardest time trying to find a kitchen and I couldn't choose but didn't know what kept holding me back. You have nailed it- they were all fake. Luckily found the right one- real wood and stone. Smaller and plain but real and in budget.

[@mariastathopoulos744]

I think it is unrealistic to rule out man made materials especially when purchasing an existing home and you have a limited budget to repair or switch out elements. Yes, solid timber cabinetry is beautiful especially in the kitchen but l live in a home that has laminated cabinet door fronts etc, and l don't have the money to switch out. Natural materials are really becoming elitist, those that can afford versus living within modest means. I have Van Gough, Monet and Klimt printed posters which l had professionally framed. I will never own a masterpiece but l can appreciate and enjoy a knock off. I also have original wall art pieces from local artists too. I'd be interested in seeing a video tour of your home, highlighting both natural and synthetic materials within your space.

[@boopyvacaine]

You summed up how I feel about all these faux materials, especially wood. I have done some woodcarving so a piece of furniture pretending to be real wood is almost offensive to me. Sadly the stores are overrun with vinyl and laminate flooring and plastic furniture.

[@mylescooperTV]

I agree. And there is also an exciting world of the faux. Trompe-l'œil treatment on walls and mosaic work on floors. Woven textiles mimicking naturally occurring animal hides and "prints." The faux can be fun and cute when done with some humor and intention.

[@paolaespinoza330]

I just found your channel and it's so great to hear that not all is lost within interior design. Would love your take on designing with purpose for smaller spaces!

[@floood87]

These videos are great. Appreciate none of the typical KZbinr bells and whistles. Honest videos for honest materials. 👍

[@dee-here-now]

My current apartment has faux marble vinyl tiles for the *kitchen counter* and it makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit. I really appreciated the points about letting vinyl be vinyl and the IKEA drawers so it made it clear that it's not just about being bourgie!

[@kateeyoko]

Totally agree with the authentic/honest materials. Your arguments and design process make total sense. I’m leaning toward brick still being authentic. In the building examples you were showing, it was probably brick masonry with mortar, ladder joint reinforcement, and wire anchor ties back to the main structural system. It is still self standing…just wouldn’t hold up well in an earthquake without the anchor ties. The problem with the mortar looking bad, is the craftsman. It is a dying and under-appreciated craft. I watched my 80 y/o neighbor lay brick and it was art. Thanks for the thoughtful content.

[@MullingArtefacts]

I really would like to design honest materials in such a way that it could be affordable for more people. I still feel that it is an up hill battle to choose for honest materials instead of all the 'faux' options available. If you don't care you just go down the path of knock-offs, fauxs and so on, going for the look not the feel, buy it in one store and just throw it away after a few years. It is such a waste.

[@jessical972]

In some places like Japan , they actually have homes that are usually demolished when the land is sold and rebuilt because after a few decades the home falls behind in safety code. What you said about vinyl flooring was interesting because my friend told me in the basement you often need vinyl since the floor isn’t going to be even enough to do hardwood and when my landlords looked into it all the vinyl options were fake wood but maybe a solid colour would have been a much better option if it had been an option.

[@lillianbarker4292]

Our community colleges, universities and community centers have art shows with very inexpensive art. There are artists leagues and art fairs where you can find original art. Second hand stores have it too. Sometimes people don’t trust their own judgement so they want something by the current popular artist, thinking of it as an investment (bad idea!) or they want something from a trendy store or gallery. I’m not saying local art will be dirt cheap. It may seem expensive but so much goes into its making and it brings life to your space. How much did you spend for a manufactured lamp or chair? You don’t need many pieces anyway.

[@takeanightdrive]

I am so so happy that you are adding your voice to the interior design space on KZbin. Great videos!!

[@JB-qz3cd]

completely agree with this video. you can't print out textures and call it "trompe l'oeil". inauthetic design can be spotted a mile a way

[@noa_674]

This is the best interior design channel on youtube, so informative, so direct, love it!

[@langabird5112]

PLEASE KEEP THESE VIDEOS COMING!!!! Here for all of it

[@elsiehupp]

Engineered hardwood is also often rated for higher-humidity environments than solid hardwood, for instance basements. So my parents have solid oak floors in their upstairs and engineered oak plywood floors in their basement. (If your basement full-on floods, though, the only things that’ll survive that are linoleum or tile, though.) Oh FYI plywood does contain petroleum products (in the glue), but plywood has advantages other than just tending to be slightly cheaper; plywood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood, so it can be easier to construct furniture that doesn’t warp over time (because the wood wasn’t kiln-dried). As for other places one might use plastics such as melamine for durability, though, you can, in fact, use natural linoleum pretty much anywhere you would use melamine.

[@UpupBinweevils]

👏 exactly there’s a time and a place were faux is actually better

[@elsiehupp]

@@UpupBinweevils I’d hesitate to call plywood “faux”, though… it’s still wood; it’s just sliced wood that has been heavily impregnated with glue. And natural linoleum isn’t faux anything. Natural linoleum is basically pasta lol

[@KAROLINAPOCHWAT]

This is the reason I’ve been renovating my home for the last 10 years, slowly, and not having finished it yet. We’re building everything ourselves with quality materials that feel honest, which for us, brings us closer to nature. We ended up going for a white quartz counter, and it’s the one thing I regret because it brings me away from that natural feel. It’s too urban, but here we are.

[@sarabrankaer7796]

I totally agree about using "real" or "honest" materials! That's why our house is clad in wood. Our Belgian house is built in brick. When renovating, we insulated on the outside using cellulose (shredded newspaper, really). The insulation then needed a thin layer to protect it from the weather. You can get really thin "bricks" to stick on the outside. They don't even look bad when they are actual thin bricks (not fake, made of plastic). And they would make the house look a lot like it was before, and fit in the traditional Flemish vernacular. But I could not get past the falseness of it, that it's a cladding pretending to be an actual wall. So we went for natural, untreated lark planks. I think it looks good 🙂. Our floors are chestnut planks, terracotta tiles and cork tiles (that are natural cork colour). In the bathroom I have an affordable vinyl floor in a teal with multicoloured speckles that's obviously vinyl. I had a very good reason for that: I needed a really thin floor and couldn't find any colour that I liked in cork 🙂.

[@rejuvinationstation829]

Loving your content ♥️ I’m currently shopping for land to build a cabin on and I’m already getting so much inspiration from your channel. I specifically loved the video on lighting and it’s such a great perspective on it that I haven’t heard.

[@thomasgatti]

i agree with you and share the same sentiment. But keep in mind that not everyone has the budget for authentic Moroccan tile or Marble flooring. Are there alternatives? yes. But they have s specific look that not everyone is necessarily into. Also, sometimes people want something that isn't a huge commitment which explains peel and stick tiles. Do i think it feels as nice? no. But sometimes you gotta work with what you got. If it were for me, id try to have authentic materials even with a low budget (plywood panels for flooring, second hand or thrifted items, diy art) but i can do so, because this mindset is very fitting for the look i want

[@TheKaurK]

Thank you for doing a video on this. You’re right about this in that we all share a responsibility to do better and spend what we have to make a world where things can last and have them be passed down. You’re also so right about letting the material be what it is, even if it is synthetic.. instead of trying to disguise it as something natural. You’ve made me think about what we think of as “beautiful” and “desirable” in the US and how hollow it generally is. We’d rather be a knock off version of someone who’s wealthy than see the beauty in our own humble means. And we always want more. It’s so hard to feel enough by yourself with what you got. And I guess that shows up in our spaces too.

[@TheKaurK]

I swear there’s a joke in there somewhere about our materialism being just as fake as the printed wood vinyl floors..or something.

[@FaezeImani-d1l]

Finally found the interior designer that says what should’ve always been said. I appreciate if u talk more about mid-century design

[@UpupBinweevils]

I feel like a big part of this is WHY do people use this faux materials and why our society has drifted in this direction. I’ve noticed there’s a shame placed on those who can’t afford ‘real’ materials when they say they like them or appreciate them. We should consider it a privilege to be educated on them and to afford them.

[@SjorsTimmer]

Having recently renovated my house, I've seen how deep this runs. Like a door + doorframe is these days a complete package, but all made from some (I assume) pressed wood composite with filling material, coated in white. It still looks like a 20th century white painted wooden door, but really nothing of it is "real" anymore. My theory is that a 100 years ago, you could cut costs by maybe 10% if you faked things, but these days you can probably save up to 90% so it makes sense that most of the industry is a make believe one. One fun composite material I have is a "engineered" metal kitchen counter, it's a bout 1 mm of metal around a 1cm wooden core. Apparently it's much more scratch resistant and lighter and more flexible to handle.

[@fromstardust.2660]

I agree with everything you've said in this video, however, interestingly enough, I was on a docent tour for a Julia Morgan building this weekend and I learned that the wooden beams on all of the ceilings in that building were reinforced concrete that she has texturized and painted to look like wood! But she honestly did such a great job--I remember being that in building before and telling my husband how I love the wooden ceilings of the rooms lol

[@_miss.gomez_]

This is a really good topic..im 100% with you…the question is..how to fix this if you’re renting☹️? In Spain every apartment..even the expensive ones..are all faux😭…i was looking for an apartment for 4 months and…i think i find one that is ok..but still have some faux things☹️ that i can’t change..but i wanna at least improve them.. HOW?!🫤

[@jordanc3233]

I'm having real trouble working out what colour tile to choose based on this advice. Where I am from, apart from coloured tiles, porcelain tiles are generally either some sort of stone look or concrete look. If I chose a subtle stone or concrete look tile for a japandi style home would that break the faux rule?

[@isabellachavez3555]

Hello, could please make a video about more affordable honest materials which are also eco-friendly. Maybe mention how accessible they are as well. Thank you!

[@meghanpfeiffer]

I bought a vintage Drexel dresser and was surprised to find that the top of it is veneer. You really can only tell if you're looking hard and it feels like wood when you touch it. And it's holding up great so far.

[@Brook.Gonzales]

As someone in an old home, I'd love your thoughts on historic preservation while staying stylish. I have found this to be the most challenging thing when decorating my space. I personally love a cottage Scandinavian look but that look requires some fun colors & at times, painted woodwork. I know the old house community will chastise me so I've refrained from painting anything unless it was a 90's add on. Also my ENTIRE house is wood, I need something to break it up. I have a second stairway thats a bit hidden (literally behind an old door) that I am so tempted to paint Scandinavian inspired folk art on. I am pretty decent at art so I'm not worried about how it'll look as much as I'm worried that I'll be ruining my homes integrity.

[@littleblueplanet222]

grateful to live in nyc where my old building has real brick and solid hardwood! I’ve never lived in a rental with these features before and I never want to leaveee

[@preeve4061]

Hi Noah. Loving your videos and your friendly personality. I'm building a home, and need to think about finish materials. You've given me a lot of pros and cons to weigh.

[@brianornduff9668]

You are preaching to the choir on this one! A gray area (pun intended) is something like board-formed concrete. Though it gets a wooden texture on an otherwise gray concrete wall, its "honest" because it's still concrete and it's how these types of concrete walls are created.

[@maryannehillis6471]

Form concrete is stunning!! The National Gallery of Australia is a formidable example. It's also gorgeous on a smaller scale of course. Offset with timber, it's just

[@maryannehillis6471]

.....Stunning.

[@jaim_e]

Hi Noah! Thank you for making this video - I thoroughly enjoyed it as this concept resonates deeply with me. I'm wondering if maybe in the future you would be able to talk about how to integrate honest materials in an accessible way for those of us who are living in apartments where the base of the apartment is inauthentic. For example, I live in Toronto in one of the (seemingly) last reasonably priced apartments, and from the baseboards up it's a beautiful apartment that I love to live in. Unfortunately, however, for the last 2 years I've been at odds with the grey faux wood vinyl flooring (it's completely taken over every apartment in this city), and have been struggling with how to work with it to make it appear more warm. If you have any suggestions or ideas, I would super appreciate your point of view! Wishing you all the best!! :)

[@clurrrburr]

And- LINOLEUM! Most people think this is the same as material as vinyl/ it is NOT. These terms are used interchangeably (vinyl sheet, laminate, linoleum) and they should not be. I wouldn’t be surprised if the image Noah included at the 9:01 is linoleum. Linoleum / Marmoleum is a natural building material made of flaxseed oil / limestone / wood flour and other natural materials. I am planning on replacing our faux vinyl kitchen tile with linoleum as soon as I can in my 1950s home.

[@sophiamolina9972]

Thank you for this content. Your explanations had perfect timing as I am beginning my kitchen remodel and now will NOT use vinyl.

[@JRMO8891]

what would you use in form example a countertop kitchen that doesn't stain easy like marble?? because as you said with the flooring, countertops are crowed with faux stones

[@blic.create]

Your content is so refreshing. It's so nice to learn about design from someone who is intentional in their design thinking

[@orborb2644]

I will say - I rented a place with a completely greyscale bathroom. Grey sink countertop and cabinet, grey floor tiles, white painted walls, chrome hardware. The bathroom was decently designed but also kind of soul-sucking. I ended up using wood contact paper on the countertop because I'd reached a point where I disliked the bathroom more than I disliked imitation materials, as well as teal contact paper for the cabinet, and the amount of life it added to the space was amazing.

[@sivannatalie]

I totally agree. I will say that my one exception is quartz countertops. I’ve put them in my last 2 kitchens and they don’t feel like imposters to me.

[@kenologyy]

Please make a video about designing rooms

[@YayaBolender]

I agree with you even if I used to paint some “Trompe-L’Oeil” art, but it was supposed to be Trompe-L’Oeil, like a little joke to the eyes. It is still painting and art. I also prefer real materials in general. I’m certainly not a big fan of vinyl materials.

[@elizabethchurchill1216]

Oh how nice to see a quick clip at 2:56 of Jim Cutler’s little office/cottage on Bainbridge Island used as as a “good example” of honest materials. You’ve just acquired a new fan! Thanks.

[@paolanv3881]

I live in a rented apartment with a vinyl floor and I hate it with a passion. I also feel like I have a bigger dust problem with this flooring than when I lived somewhere with laminate flooring, but that might just be my perception.

[@ahran_in_seattle]

Im obsessed with your channel!

[@OlgaHK]

Fantastic content! I enjoy every video you post, please keep on going!

[@Skip1409]

Moving in June and these vids are helping me start the thought process for designing a new space. Thanks!

[@infirestear]

I would love to see if you have any suggetuions on renter friendly ways that can change a space without using faux materials! like how people will use sticky tiles, contact paper, wallpaper, things like that

[@gabsasusual]

I really don’t like the gray vinyl wood floor in the apartment I’m renting. But I’ve found that with good decoration (rugs and furniture) it can actually work. It’s obviously not ideal but rentals almost always have it (makes me so mad).

[@12Sanguine]

While I disagree with some Noah's taste/opinions, I find these videos very insightful. Thank you for sharing.

[@hanszieten6288]

I’ve never seen any interior channel that I so agree with!

[@hillfarm7044]

i agree with the what you are saying about real materials, but i will not ever go back to wood for porches, I do love my Trex decking. I do have it flipped over so the faux wood pattern is not showing. Nothing i hate more than broken porch floor boards.🙂

[@robertpritchard9962]

I have laminate countertops in my kitchen--probably going to replace them soon--printed with a pattern that from a distance vaguely resembles stone. But I wouldn't mind it at all if it was just solid white or solid black. I was looking at some large tile at Home Depot, 2 feet by 4 feet, as a possible replacement, but every one was made to look like some kind of stone. Unlike the low-fidelity reproduction of the laminate, however, this stuff looks and feels *exactly* like stone, and there were some that were very close to pure white, but always contained the gray variegations that meant to make you think it's natural stone, and I can't get behind it.

[@Aliceimkaninchenbau]

I rent a space with kind of vinyl floors with carvings to imitate the stripes of real wood… and i hate it so much! Not just the vinyl but also these strange carvings! It’s nearly impossible to clean :/ but if you rent you dont have an influence on the flooring material…

[@alexislumpkins3278]

I totally agree with what you are saying and personally LOVE the “real” (except for leather as I’m a vegan - don’t come for me). However, there are many who don’t have the budget for these materials. I am one who does the best I can with what I have to make my home feel cozy for all who enter.

[@mamoelgome]

I agree, this is the video that made me realize that the channel isn't for me. Honestly I don't expect most design youtubers to pander to a poorer audience as broke people tend to not buy so much stuff from affiliate links and etc. And I agree with his point, to an extent. It's just that for me it's not useful content while I can't afford real materials 💀 I'll go look for broke people tips on how to decorate cheap ass spaces instead

[@GailAnderson-t8q]

What is your opinion on Marmoleum? We purchased for our kitchen and will run the classic checkerboard pattern. Heard it is more environmentally friendly than vinyl. Thoughts?

[@TellaQ]

I would love to do the same thing in my Kitchen. I have been eyeing this material too.

[@kennethbarber438]

linoleum is an authentic material. made with linseed oil (from flax) as well as other natural binders like cork dust.

[@filipw.4073]

Thanks! This was useful for apartment inspo/planning

[@anu-hz4be]

these pictures of faux materials give me the ick, like I'm physically uncomfortable looking at them

[@crosby10able]

Do you have thoughts or maybe even like soulutions for folks who are living in rental/temporary spaces? I feel like a lot of the examples that you showed are materials that folks who rent would use to personalize their space while they are there. Would be fun to see a video to see how you would take on a rental space.

[@nancyrose6259]

I recently realized this with clothing as well. The clothes I always reach for in my closet are all the natural materials. Thanks for the reminder that I should apply this rule to my interior.

[@DM-ol9ne]

I have an extension with engineered wood added to an old house with blackbutt floors everywhere. Against 100 year old floors it comes across as fake, especially as they tried to match the stain colours. I’m thinking I’ll replace them with flat berber carpet which at least is just carpet, .

[@BaloHasMusic]

Totally in love with your channel ! I just started to get into interior design and his history, but do you maybe have cool books to recomand for someone trying to get more knowledge about it? Thanks and excited to see more 😊

[@lauraty3583]

Please do more videos on authentic materials. Great information, thank you

[@FleurDeCersier]

One of the imo worst offenders that you haven't yet touched upon are the faux distressed printed persian style rugs 😭 So ugly but they're everywhere. How did these even become so popular?! Authenticity in general not just in materials is so important to me. Like for instance, I really dislike how "coffee table books" for a lot of people in the decorating and design space have become just about the aesthetic of looking pretty and intellectual. Feels so inauthentic to me.

[@pri2916]

Thoughts on cork?

[@wzwzwzwzwzw]

this is great. lovely to listen to. I like that these videos are well thought out episodes of a your personal, authentic discourse, rather than just attempts at serving the algorithm with content. p.s. i would love to see sources on your references!

[@Androgynary]

Completely agree with you, however I wouldn’t put it past certain people to still rip out beautiful historic architecture/interior design made w/ authentic materials just to replace them w/ something trendy and “sellable” lol

[@anu-hz4be]

btw I wonder if you could do a video about small space / studio apartment living? I live in a small studio apartment and I love living like this: it's affordable, ecological and functional. but there's not much decor inspiration for small spaces.. or there might be but not in my style. I would love to hear your ideas about it!