Happy holidays! To celebrate we’ve posted the show notes for Episode #29 of Young House Love Has A Podcast. This episode focuses on hiring professionals for home renovations — the highs, the lows, and the lessons we learned after a recent frustrating project. We share contractor warning signs, practical tips for avoiding costly mistakes, and ways we’ve reduced holiday stress (and trimmed down gift clutter). We also talk about favorite design books, dig up one of John’s old journals, and enjoy some holiday music from a special guest.
You can download the episode from iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or TuneIn Radio — or stream it from your preferred podcast app. Use these show notes to find links, references, and photos mentioned in the episode.
What’s New
- Above is the promised photo of John in the tiny “baby chair.” For perspective: the seat is about 12 inches off the ground and he’s six feet tall — not exactly ergonomic.
- Below is our Christmas card from this year. We ordered it on Minted and chose a simple, modern design that fits our family photo and holiday message.
- Here’s a recap of theme-based gift exchanges we’ve used, which help reduce impulse purchases and encourage creativity:
- Travel Junk — souvenirs and finds from trips.
- Say Cheese — photo-related or cheese-themed gifts.
- Back In The Day — vintage or retro items that spark nostalgia.
- On The Road — compact travel-friendly gifts for road trips.
- The Year of Granny — gifts that honor a family member or milestone.
- Be A Good Sport — sports-themed gifts and games for group play.
- Feeling Green — eco-friendly gifts or anything literally green.
- Across State Lines — local specialties from the giver’s town.
- We’ve also used broader themes like “Music” and “Entertainment” in other years.
- We mentioned a listener poll about smart home devices (Google Home, Amazon Echo, Echo Dot) on a previous episode — see the show notes for Episode #25 for that discussion and listener feedback.
What’s Not
- Here are the holiday paint colors we talked about in the episode, handy if you’re decorating for the season or planning festive accents: White Christmas, Sleigh Bells, Holiday Wreath, Reindeer (note: this one can read pinkish), Santa’s Beard, Egg Nog, December Eve, Elf, and Winter Snow. These shades span classic whites, greens, and muted seasonal tones so you can pick an accent or coordinate a whole scheme.
Listener Call
- If you’re deciding whether to DIY or hire a pro, check our post addressing common questions about hiring contractors and weighing the costs, time, and skill involved.
- We also share negotiation tips for working with tradespeople — practical advice for getting fair pricing and clear expectations.
- Have a renovation, decorating, or house question? Leave a voicemail at 571-4-YHL-HAP (571-494-5427) and we may feature it on the show.
We’re Digging
- Sherry’s recommended design books mentioned in the episode:
- Absolutely Beautiful Things by Anna Spiro — a great source of inspiration for layered, collected interiors.
- My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living by Jonathan Adler — a playful perspective on design and happiness.
- Styled by Emily Henderson — practical styling tips for everyday rooms.
- Domino: The Book of Decorating and Domino: Your Guide to a Stylish Home — both offer approachable guidance for building a cohesive look.
- Young House Love and Lovable Livable Home — our own books, included here as down-to-earth references for real-life home projects.
- We also recommend the lighthearted podcast “Grown-Ups Read Things They Wrote As Kids” for anyone who enjoys nostalgia and plenty of comedic cringe-worthy kid writing.
Need to find something we mentioned in a past episode? We keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging across previous show notes, which makes it easy to locate favorite resources and recurring topics.
Visit westelm.com to learn more about their Design to Impact program. Use code YHL15 at checkout for 15% off select purchases.
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