I love a good design video and although most of the cool kids are watching quick multipart transformations on Tik Tok, I still enjoy a start to finish longer video to watch with a nice glass of wine at the end of a long day. Some might say I am a little obsessed with design. There are MANY designer YouTubers out there, some who are more well known then the ones I consider the bees knees, but the channels listed below are the ones that bring me joy when I see a new video has been posted.
Created by House and Home magazine, each episode of covers a design project, usually the “after” of a major remodel done by notable designers in North America. The story of the reno is often chronicled by the designer/architect which gives the audience an insiders view of challenges and considerations made in order to create the beautiful project they are presenting. The videos are usually 10 minutes give or take and are well presented in a sophisticated narrative style.
Gater and Team AG specialize in budget friendly apartment and condo makeovers. When I first started watching Alexandra the projects were smaller and mostly cosmetic enhancements that made rental spaces more pleasing. Over the years both the channel and the teams skills have grown immensely. Some of their more recent projects might be out of the realm of a typical renter and require some serious DIY skills but the makeovers are great and the road to the end is filled with laughter and detailed instruction. These makeovers are longer than my usually 20 minute limit but they are so entertaining they keep our attention to the very end.
Katy French’s describes herself as maximalist who likes color, pattern, and making cool sh*t… I would also say that she creates fun and informative makeover videos. Although a little more crafty than most of the channels I watch, Katy has some serious design skills. Her maximalist style is balanced and more restrained than she would probably admit but they have all impressed me, especially since Katy came to design as a secondary career. Most of LCDIY videos are about 20 minutes, the perfect amount of time for a lively design break.
Katie Scott (Salvaged by K. Scott)
There is no shortage of furniture flipping videos on YouTube and for the most part I tend to avoid them. Katie Scott grabbed my attention with her seeming love of well designed furniture, paint techniques and legit repair skills. I have been working my way through her video catalog and her content varies from quick and easy flips to projects that require more advanced equipment and skills. We started watching her short videos but have found her longer ones are only 10 to 15 minutes long and are very well edited.
Honorable mention
These YouTubers put out really good content and we enjoy watching them but they are more tell than show so their videos usually get watched after the ones listed above.
