We all love to believe our homes are cozy, stylish sanctuaries. You know — the kind of place where someone would walk in and say, “Wow, this should be in a magazine.” But according to interior decorator Nicolas Fairford (who’s been going viral on TikTok), a lot of us are unintentionally sabotaging our own vibe.
And brace yourself: odds are, you’ve got at least three of his “never-ever” items sitting in your house right now.
1. The TV
Fairford doesn’t mince words — he calls it “an ugly black box.” Ouch. He argues that the second it enters a room, everything starts orbiting around it. Suddenly your stylish living room turns into a shrine to Netflix.
2. The Microwave
Apparently, nothing says “culinary sad trombone” like a big hunk of reheating machinery squatting on your counter. Sure, it’s convenient, but in Fairford’s world, leftover lasagna should not come at the cost of your kitchen aesthetic.
3. Air-Drying Laundry Indoors
Listen, no judgment — we’ve all turned our living room into a laundromat at some point. But hanging socks off every chair and railing? Let’s just say that’s not exactly the cozy Pinterest-worthy vibe most of us are going for.
4. Too Much Lighting
Fairford’s beef here is with those endless rows of recessed pot lights that make your home feel less “chic retreat” and more “interrogation room.” His fix? Lamps. He’s all about creating little “pools of light” that feel warm and inviting instead of harsh and blinding.
5. Candles That Never Get Lit
We all have them: the fancy candles we bought back in 2014 that are now just decorative dust collectors. According to Fairford, if they’re not flickering, they’re not doing their job.
The Takeaway
Fairford’s message is simple: decorating isn’t about filling your house with stuff, it’s about curating what actually makes the space feel good. Which means maybe it’s time to finally light those candles… and yes, possibly re-think that giant black rectangle hanging above your fireplace.
