My Controversial Interior Design Opinions 😅

Everyone poo-pooed the “old fashioned” idea of having a dining room separate from the kitchen in and knocked down walls to create the open-concept kitchen/entertaining space … only to come back around to make a second kitchen to hide the mess! Guys, that’s why the kitchen was separate from the dining room in the first place 😂😂

Bouclé always makes me think of cat towers -- the ones covered in cheap carpeting that mats & pills & holds everything that touches it.

TV (or any screen in the bedroom for that matter) is considered a big no-no not just in the design world, but also in healthcare (I’m a doctor and planning on getting a PhD in neuroscience focusing on sleep disorders). It is a well documented fact that TVs and phones should be kept away from bed, since the blue light can interfere with your circadian rhythm and severely affect your sleep. In my experience it’s one of the main contributors to sleep irregularities that are constantly on the rise. So please watch your TV in the living room and when you feel sleepy go to bed. Also, I would advise everyone to avoid screens at least one hour before bed (I know, it’s a hard thing to follow, even for me personally). But it should be considered if you’re having sleeping issues.

I can't say I'd be interested in having a small, second kitchen. But a massive pantry with open shelves with a secondary freezer and small washer/dryer combo for kitchen towels/washclothes would be amazing. I don't actually need a large kitchen for cooking but I need a lot of storage.

One of the best YouTubers. Period. So much I learned from watching Vivien's videos and from her blogs. You go, girl!

I’ve had a scullery in my last house and won’t add it again despite also having five kids 😊 What I will have is an extra large pantry that stores all our appliances, pantry and house hold supplies. All the shopping getting put away in one location is a huge convenience.

The thing with the hidden kitchen which is mostly done wrong, is the scaling. The "show" kitchen should be much smaller, and really only have coffee machine/kettle, toaster, and perhaps a microwave and small under-counter fridge. An area of countertop for serving meals is the only other thing you need, and that can be quite small. The hidden kitchen is where you do EVERYTHING but make coffee and toast. I've seen it done this way, and it looks much better. There's no excess, and it's considerably cheaper than having two full kitchens.

I hate bouclé. Then I found my dream armchair and, to my dismay, it’s bouclé AND I LOVE IT 😫 I’m so confused! 😅

Finally, someone with exactly my thoughts on marble. And bloucé, don't get me started. I actually have a vintage bouclé jacket that I adore and have had forever (found it at Goodwill 20 years ago). It speaks to a quality and timelessness that the modern bouclé peices lack.

I like lime washed walls :)

I love the way you illustrate everything you say with one or more pictures.

I have never heard of a Scullery and I love this. I don’t need two kitchens but I love the idea of a “hidden” pantry/space for entertaining dishes/small appliances and maybe a small sink. About to add this space to my Pinterest board. I am really intrigued.

I hate marble. Nightmare to live with it, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. It is also a death trap in stairs or entryways, especially if it gets wet. It is great for gravestones tho, lol. Limewash on the other hand, if done correctly and in a house located in an area that fits it, can be absolutely marvelous. Keep it up Viv, love your videos and I always check for your updates :)

Brutal, just painted our room in Limewash and carpeting in Natural Boucle by Shaw. Going for a subtle “safari lodge look”- regardless we like it.

I thought the scullery kitchen looked wasteful and excessive, but finding dedicated space for certain things can be nice. If you have someone making coffee or toasting bagels every day, then having a place where all of that lives could be convenient. My house doesn't have a massive walk-in pantry like that, but we do have one of those makeshift phone/office areas (just counterspace, really) at the end of the kitchen. That has become the drink station. The coffee maker, coffee mugs, wine glasses, wine racks, corkscrews, coffees, and teas all live in that one spot. Shoving something like that into a pantry wouldn't be all bad, but I'd think ergonomics would become an issue. That second big room may look nice, but it would become a pain in the @$$ due to things due to things being stored in two rooms. I want to make a toasted sandwich or something. Bread and the toaster are in the Downton Abbey kitchen. Hey, use that awesome deli cheese! It's in the main fridge! Oh, and put potato chips or some nonsense on it. Those are in the pantry. Use the fresh tomatoes! They're on the counter in the main kitchen! Use a paper plate. Those are in the servant kitchen. Crap, we're out of plastic knives to spread the condiments! Walk 30 km back out to the silverware drawer in the main kitchen and get a knife! I'd like a glass of juice. That's in the main fridge. No, don't use the good glasses. Go into the type of kitchen that doubled as an infirmary for soldiers with musket and bayonet wounds and get one of those plastic cups!

The hidden pantries you mentioned is fairly common in Asian countries, especially if they have the space. Where I'm from, we call it a "dirty kitchen" or "auxiliary kitchen". It's usually used to do the 'heavy" cooking, as a lot of Asian foods have strong aroma (even with a strong exhaust), and you don't want that extending throughout the house. The "clean kitchen" is the one exposed to the rest of the house, and you would just do lighter cooking and baking here. And you would do the messier stuff in the "dirty kitchen".

Have to agree with the TV in the bedroom! Kept it out for years as a bonafide insomniac. Changing my eating and exercise habits and falling asleep to TV, I now sleep better than ever😊

I agree with you on everything you touched on. The first time I saw a designer show her new large full marble bathroom, I thought that it looked soooo cold and like a dead zone. Ugh. Thanks for each of your excellent content and time!💯👌

I had a chuckle at the scullery kitchen😂. I’m Italian and we called that kitchen the summer kitchen and it was usually in the basement with quick access to the back yard, and next to the room where my dad and grandfather and uncles made the “Guinea red” and the grappa! I think it was the Italian man’s way keeping the wives, aunts and Nona’s cool while she slaved in the kitchen in the summer months.

I love your videos so much! You get to the point 9which is hard to find in home design videos) and add humor which makes them informative and entertaining.