Today we’re sharing what it’s like for our family of four to share a single bathroom, and the plans we’re making to add another in the future. Naturally, this episode wanders into bathroom territory—again—and we explore America’s particular fascination with bathrooms, including why the number of bathrooms per person has roughly doubled in the last 50 years. Also: after weeks of sleeping on mattresses on the floor, we finally have proper beds in our home, and it makes a big difference. We explain how each bed serves a practical purpose in our smaller house, reveal the most popular decor styles in each state, and bring conversations from Instagram about Black makers and voices into the podcast.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app, like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and Spotify.
What’s New
- We finally bought a simple wood platform bed for our room so our mattress is no longer on the floor. It’s easy to add a headboard later (we’re deciding between building one or upholstering), and the frame leaves useful under-bed storage. Right now it’s holding picture frames and art for the small guest house/shed we hope to add later. Since it’s solid wood, we can always stain it to tweak the color.
- We also ordered two beds for the kids’ rooms. Our daughter’s bed has three sides of under-bed storage that are perfect for books and games. Our son’s bed includes two large drawers that corral toys and extra clothes—both choices work well in smaller rooms where smart storage is a must.
Top Trending Design Styles By State
- We highlighted a study that tracked which interior-design styles are most popular on Instagram in each state. The results are an interesting peek at regional tastes and how people present their homes online. The study also found that a small number of states account for a large share of interior-design posts, which suggests some states are much more active on visual social platforms than others.
America’s Bathroom Obsession
- We discuss a comprehensive look at how bathrooms went from being the least-loved room in the house to one of the most valued features when buyers shop for homes. Over the past decades the bathroom evolved into a space of comfort, convenience, and design investment, which helps explain the rise in bathrooms per household.
- As for our own plans: we’re leaning toward adding an ensuite off our bedroom where the kids currently have space. We want to preserve the beloved kitchen window behind the area, so we’re exploring options that allow us to keep half of that double window while using only part of the porch for the addition.
- We also shared two recent bathroom projects: a full master-bathroom overhaul from our previous house and a smaller demo-free refresh of our hall bathroom. Both projects show different approaches to updating a bathroom depending on time, budget, and goals.
We’re Digging
- Check our Instagram profile to see the Make Change highlight circles, which showcase many Black-owned businesses and creators worth supporting. We’ve been collecting these resources and plan to keep expanding the list.
- We’re compiling a blog post cataloging 300+ Black-owned shops and small businesses. This will be an ongoing project, with curated gift guides and seasonal highlights to come.
- If you haven’t read Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime, we recommend it—it’s both moving and frequently very funny.
- We also suggested several podcasts that feature Black hosts or stories, ranging from culture and race discussions to design and personal finance. These recommendations include shows that offer thoughtful storytelling, interviews, and perspectives you might enjoy.
If you want to revisit topics we’ve highlighted in past episodes, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging in our show notes, plus a page with all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
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