Happy holidays! To celebrate we’re sharing the show notes for Episode #29 of Young House Love Has A Podcast. This week we talk about hiring out renovation work—when it’s exhilarating and when it’s infuriating. We ran into some frustrating contractor issues recently, so we share warning signs to watch for, tips to reduce risks, and a few ways we’ve simplified the holidays (and cut back on excessive gifting). We also discuss favorite design books, dig up an old journal of John’s, and enjoy a holiday tune from a special guest.
You can download this episode from iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or TuneIn Radio—or listen to it below. Use this page to find links, notes, and photos mentioned in the episode.
What’s New
- Above is the photo of John in the “baby chair” we mentioned—about 12″ off the ground while he’s 6′ tall. It’s as ridiculous as it sounds.
- Below is this year’s Christmas card design that we ordered from Minted; we liked the clean layout and how it photographed our family.
- Here’s a recap of holiday gift-exchange themes we’ve used. These prompts make gift-giving more fun and less stressful:
- Travel Junk – souvenirs and small finds from trips.
- Say Cheese – photography or cheese-related gifts (we once gave a Wisconsin-shaped cutting board to cousins in Madison).
- Back In The Day – vintage or retro items, like classic board games.
- On The Road – gifts useful for road trips, such as compact travel art kits.
- The Year of Granny – gifts inspired by a loved one’s personality or memories.
- Be A Good Sport – sports-themed gifts or games to enjoy together.
- Feeling Green – eco-conscious gifts, or items that are literally green.
- Across State Lines – locally made products representing where the giver lives.
- We’ve also used broader categories in other years, like Music or Entertainment, to inspire picks.
- We also mentioned a listener poll about smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo; you can find that poll in our previous episode notes.
What’s Not
- We shared a roundup of holiday-inspired paint colors featured in the episode: White Christmas, Sleigh Bells, Holiday Wreath, a Reindeer tone that can read pink or peach depending on light, Santa’s Beard, Egg Nog, December Eve, Elf, and Winter Snow. These shades are great for seasonal accents or to inspire a festive palette.
Listener Call
- We referred to a post that answers common questions about choosing when to DIY and when to hire professionals—useful background if you’re weighing a contractor for a project.
- We also covered negotiation tips for working with contractors so you get better outcomes without unnecessary stress.
- Have a question for the show? Leave a voicemail at 571-4-YHL-HAP (571-494-5427) and we may play it on a future episode.
We’re Digging
- Design books Sherry mentioned include:
- Absolutely Beautiful Things by Anna Spiro
- My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living by Jonathan Adler
- Styled by Emily Henderson
- Domino: The Book of Decorating
- Domino: Your Guide To A Stylish Home
- Young House Love and Lovable Livable Home (we threw our own books into the list for fun)
- We also recommend the podcast Grown-Ups Read Things They Wrote As Kids for a lighthearted listen—lots of adults revisiting their youthful, hilarious writing.
Psst—if you remember a segment we covered but can’t recall which episode, check the master list of everything we’ve been digging from past shows for quick reference.
Visit westelm.com/yhl to learn about their Design to Impact program. Use code YHL15 at checkout for 15% off your next purchase.
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