Sure, it’s fun to imagine downsizing to a much smaller space, but this week we talk with a family of four (and a giant dog) who actually did it: they left a large builder-grade house and moved into a 1,200-square-foot cottage bungalow with two bedrooms and a single full bathroom. Designer Shavonda Gardner shares candid insights about the benefits and challenges — including who in her family resisted the change, which space issues persist, and the practical strategies they use to make the smaller home work much harder. We also discuss designing compact spaces (spoiler: lighter paint is not the only solution), diversifying online design inspiration, and some exciting news about our upcoming furniture line. Plus, we cover why many Millennials say they regret becoming homeowners.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it below. Use this page to find links, notes, and photos we referenced. Note: if you’re reading in a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- Here are a few sneak peeks of our new furniture line that we’re able to share so far. Above are some color samples we selected for the wood pieces in the collection — each shade required multiple rounds before we landed on the right tones. Below are raw, unfinished pieces as they appeared before stains and paint were applied at the warehouse.
- Follow along on Instagram this week for behind-the-scenes coverage as we travel to North Carolina to photograph the entire collection.
- If you want to read more about Millennial homeownership regrets, there’s a clear summary on CNBC titled “Almost 70% of Millennials regret buying their homes. Here’s why.”
- You can also review the original study from Bank of the West for more detail.
Shavonda Gardner
- Visit Shavonda’s blog, SG Style, and follow her on Instagram at @sgardnerstyle for more of her work and ideas.
- Read the first installment of her new Design*Sponge column, “Celebrating Roots.”
- She referenced a Domino piece about diversifying your Instagram feed; you can also read her own post about that feature for more context.
Finally, a big thank you to Universal Furniture for sponsoring this episode. Enter to win $5,000 in new living room furniture at their YHL giveaway now through August 13th. YHLHAP podcast listeners have won the last two Universal giveaways — it could be you!
Thanks for listening!
*This post contains affiliate links*