It’s fun to daydream about downsizing, but this week we spoke with a family of four (plus a very large dog) who actually made the leap. They moved from a spacious, builder-grade house into a 1,200-square-foot cottage-style bungalow with only two bedrooms and one full bathroom. Designer Shavonda Gardner offers candid insights into the benefits and trade-offs of living small — including who in the family resisted the change most, which space challenges persist, and the practical strategies they use every day to make the smaller layout function far beyond its square footage. We also discuss design approaches for compact homes (spoiler: lighter paint isn’t the only solution), how to broaden your online inspiration sources, and share news about our upcoming furniture collection. Plus, we explore why many Millennials express regret about their first home purchase.

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What’s New

• We’re sharing a few early peeks at the furniture line we’ve been developing. Above you’ll see color samples we evaluated for several wood pieces in the collection — each shade took multiple rounds of testing before we settled on the final tones. Below, you can see some raw, unfinished pieces as they appeared in the warehouse prior to staining and paint.
• Follow our Instagram for behind-the-scenes updates as we photograph the full collection in North Carolina and share the design process and production details.

• If you’re curious about research on Millennial homeownership, reputable news outlets have summarized the findings that many younger buyers later question their decision. The original research was conducted by Bank of the West and has been widely discussed in financial and lifestyle coverage.
• We reference that study here to provide context for our conversation about housing choices, financial trade-offs, and the emotional consequences of buying a home too early or without clear long-term planning.

Shavonda Gardner

• Shavonda shares insightful writing about style and family life on her blog, SG Style, and regularly posts design inspiration and project photos on Instagram under the handle @sgardnerstyle. Her work blends personal narrative with practical design advice, especially around culturally informed interiors and inclusive visual storytelling.
• She recently launched a design column focused on celebrating cultural roots and heritage through interiors. Her writing explores how identity, memory, and family history inform personal spaces and design choices.
• Shavonda also highlighted an important conversation about diversifying the types of designers and creators we follow on social media. The discussion encourages broader, more representative inspiration feeds and thoughtful curation of creative sources.

We also want to thank our sponsor for this episode, Universal Furniture. They’re supporting the show and helping us offer a giveaway opportunity: you can enter to win a significant prize in living room furniture. Stay tuned to the show for details and official entry information; listeners have had success in past giveaways and we’re excited to keep the momentum going.

Thanks for listening and reading along. We appreciate your support and love that this community continues to share stories about homes of every size. If you’re considering downsizing or rethinking your current space, our conversation with Shavonda offers practical ideas and honest reflections to help you weigh the pros and cons.

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