Something about the YouTube interior design channels right now can be highly cringe-worthy. I’m not sure why there is a need to nearly yell into the camera, speak at twice the necessary speed for humans, or, on the flip side, speak so quietly that you’re not sure they’re actually conscious.

But I come bearing good news: there ARE interior design channels that will inspire, delight, and motivate you! Here are my top five faves. And if you share yours with me, I will love you forever because these channels don’t provide enough content for this YouTube addict.

Paige is a freelance prop stylist who has worked with Architectural Digest, Joybird, Bedthreads, and many more. I legitimately study her Instagram feed for how to style photos so they look effortless & cool—but still haven’t nailed it.

Anyway, this is one of my favourite YouTube interior design channels. I fell head over heels when she started doing home reviews of celebrities based on their Arch Digest tours and her evisceration of popular interior design trends. The random painted arches people are putting in their homes? See ya. Empty frames for a shabby chic look? Boy, bye.

She’s like that dry friend you go to for completely honest opinions on whether you should leave the house wearing something (or if you should buy that table lamp you’re eyeing)—AKA you need her in your life.

Also, I once messaged her if I should buy a couple shelves from CB2 and she instantly messaged me back saying yes. So that just elevated her to my favourite YouTuber of all time lol.

2. Homeworthy

Alison Kenworthy founded Homeworthy “as a way of showcasing how homes shape peoples’ lives”—a mission I resonate with completely.

And let me tell you, she invites on the coolest people with the coolest homes that you ever will see! I’m talking even cooler than Architectural Digest home tours.

The homes don’t feel meticulously designed with a photoshoot in mind. Instead, it’s as though the home is a living thing, both shaping and reflecting the homeowner’s personality at the same time.

3. Never Too Small

Never Too Small is a titan in the world of journalism on sustainable design. They produce evocative videos showcasing tiny/micro apartments, work studios, and other projects that reveal the brilliant ways people are creating spaces that help them live a small footprint life.

Here in Vancouver, BC, the reality for most of us is that we won’t be raising a family or living out our days in a sprawling freehold home like our parents. We’re not alone in this, of course. By 2050, seven in ten people will live in a city globally.

Never Too Small makes me feel genuinely excited about the potential of tiny spaces, though—including those who have families. Even more importantly, they celebrate smart home design over excessive luxury. The more channels that eschew a focus on “bigger is better”, the more we are equipped to both build & enjoy a more sustainable future.

4. Hunting for George

Hunting for George is an Australian home, design & lifestyle journal that has a killer YouTube channel, too. Lucy Gladewright (the serene woman to your left) hosts the room makeovers and home tours—she is a ton of fun and also someone I would love to call up regularly for interior design advice and probably just a good laugh. I think the theme to my favourite channels is whether I want to be friends with the hosts. 😉

They regularly feature the homes of insanely talented architects and interior designers (which deliver enough eye candy for a lifetime) while also sharing practical tips for revamping your home on a budget (because not all of us have the wallets of a celebrity architect).

5. The Local Project

Of all the channels featured so far, this has got to be the most cinematic one. I’ll sometimes even cast these videos onto our TV so I can see each of the featured homes in their full glory.

The Local Project is an Australian and New Zealand-based magazine (both online and in print tri-annually) that showcases leading contemporary architects’ projects & residences.

My favourites are the off-the-grid cabins that evoke a nearly meditative sense of escape and those that feature experimental architecture, like multi-unit buildings that include both smaller apartments & two-story penthouses.

For those whose love of design straddles both interiors & architecture, you’ll likely become obsessed with The Local Project (join the club!).