You’ve found the show notes for Episode #3 of Young House Love Has a Podcast. In this episode, designer Sarah Richardson joins us to share one of her most memorable makeover missteps, which prompts us to admit to a design fail of our own — not once, but twice. We also talk about the ongoing project of keeping our home tidy, dig into research on why clutter can feel overwhelming, and share the small morning changes that have made our routines greener. Plus: updates on our framing strategy, a few design items we’re currently loving, and a fun quiz about the many spinoffs of a well-known design show.

This episode is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and TuneIn Radio. Listen through your preferred podcast service, then use this page to find any links, notes, and images we referenced during the show.

What’s New

• We use a Nutri Ninja Pro to blend our daily green smoothies — it’s compact, powerful, and handles frozen fruit easily.
• Here’s the recipe we make for the kids (simple, fruity, and mild):
  • Three green ice cubes (spinach, kale & water blended and frozen)
  • One frozen peach slice
  • A few frozen pineapple pieces
  • A few frozen mango chunks
  • One whole banana (not frozen)
  • A big spoonful of plain Greek yogurt
  • A splash of orange juice or almond milk
  • Optional: a teaspoon of chia seeds
  • Tip: let the frozen ingredients thaw slightly before blending to reduce chunkiness.
• Here’s the version we make for ourselves, which is greener and more savory:
  • Three green ice cubes (spinach, kale & water blended and frozen)
  • Plenty of frozen green apple chunks (cut and frozen ahead)
  • Cucumber chunks (fresh or frozen)
  • One whole banana (not frozen)
  • Two to three spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt
  • A few basil leaves and a few mint leaves
  • A splash of orange juice, almond milk, or water
  • Optional: a small spoonful of chia seeds or a scoop of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)

Voicemail from Sarah Richardson

• We were thrilled to receive a voicemail from Sarah Richardson. It was a real honor to hear her perspective and design stories firsthand. She mentioned projects and products from her site, including fabrics for Kravet and her line of home textiles. She also has books that dive into her design approach.

Design Mistakes

• We confessed to our notorious green curtains — a choice we tried in two different rooms and later changed both times. Those trips down the design road are honest reminders that not every idea sticks.
• Other green design missteps we mentioned include:
  • An overly shaggy green rug in an earlier living room that we eventually replaced with a better green rug we now use in our bedroom
  • Briefly green dining chairs that didn’t survive the test of time and were later swapped out
  • An ill-advised attempt to paint a powder room vanity green that was quickly repainted
• On the flip side, there are green pieces we genuinely love: a chippy antique buffet that now sits in our dining room and a bold green vanity from a showhouse project. Green can be amazing when it’s used in the right scale and context.

What’s Not

• We mentioned the extensive list of House Hunters spinoffs — there are many variations of that show. It’s easy to forget how many related programs exist until you see a compiled list.

Clutter Discussion

• We dug into the science and practical tips around clutter and the brain, exploring why clutter can cause stress and distraction, and what steps you can take to reduce its impact on your daily life.
• We also discussed the idea of “clutter blindness,” the tendency to stop noticing areas that have become too full, and how simple routines and small habits can help prevent that from becoming overwhelming.

We’re Digging

• The non-white planter shown is something Sherry found at HomeGoods. She’s also been eyeing nesting planters and other pieces that add texture and color to a space.
• We recently mixed birch and silver frames into our living room gallery wall for more visual variety. We also swapped in darker frames in the master bedroom to better complement the artwork and fabrics there.

Psst — if you’re trying to remember an item we featured in a past episode, check our master list of “We’re Digging” picks from previous shows to find it quickly.

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