Fun fact: 17 is a prime number. Even more fun: you’ve found the show notes for Episode 17 of Young House Love Has A Podcast. In this episode we reveal a major home project we’ve finally tackled, offer simple, budget-friendly ways to fill empty walls, share a small bedroom tech upgrade that’s making life a bit lazier (in a good way), commit to staying hydrated in October, and talk about the 2017 paint color of the year.
You can download this episode from iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio, or listen to it through your favorite podcast player. Use this page as a quick reference for links, notes, and the photos we referenced on the show.
What’s New
- It’s finally happening: the big kitchen update we’ve been hinting at for years is underway. We shared a few throwback photos from move-in day to show how far the space has come and why this project felt overdue.
- After years of incremental updates, we tore out the fake brick laminate flooring that never really fit the house. If you like a little demolition peek, we gave listeners a sneak look at the mess and the progress so far.
What’s Not
- We discussed Sherwin-Williams’ 2017 Color of the Year, Poised Taupe, and what that selection says about popular paint trends. If you’re considering neutral paint choices or want context for design direction, this is a good example to study.
- We also referenced several past Colors of the Year, including Vintage Wine, Coral Reef, Aloe, Lemon Sorbet, and Breath of Fresh Air. These examples illustrate how brands highlight seasonal color directions and how those choices can influence decor decisions.
Listener Question
We answered a listener who wanted quick, inexpensive ways to fill empty walls. Below are practical ideas, favorite projects, and places to look for affordable wall art.
- Start with our blog’s art and crafting archives for step-by-step DIY ideas and inspiration. Our first book also includes a chapter on hanging art (Chapter 6, “Hang”), which is full of practical tips.
- Specific project ideas we discussed:
- Use a calendar page as framed art for an instant, inexpensive update.
- Create a “wallpaper” effect by filling a wall with varied frames for a textured, layered look.
- How to hang a gallery wall: make a large paper template, arrange pieces in a grid, use small paper placeholders, or simply arrange and adjust directly on the wall.
- Large but inexpensive office art solutions and easy big DIY paintings that make a statement without a big budget.
- Affordable postcard or shelf displays that allow you to rotate art and keepsakes seasonally.
- We also mentioned a handful of affordable art finds we like right now—many pieces are budget-friendly and can be used alone or in a gallery configuration to fill blank walls quickly.
We’re Digging
Here are a few things we’re currently into that came up during the episode:
- The nightstands shown above have a convenient “touch strip” on the back that makes bedside lighting easy to control. We referenced stores that have carried similar nightstands and noted availability can vary.
- We mentioned a retrofit touch kit available on Amazon that can make many lamps touch-sensitive—a simple tech upgrade if you want minimal fuss at night. If you try retrofitting your own lamp, tag us on social to share how it went.
- If you want to join our hydration-themed challenge, “Aquatober,” we explained the idea on the blog and shared a cheerful graphic to help track daily water intake. It’s a fun, community-style way to prioritize staying hydrated.
Psst — looking for something we’ve featured in a previous episode? We maintain a master list of everything we’ve been digging across past shows to make it easy to find past recommendations and links.
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