<![CDATA[Designed Happy The Podcast]]>www.DesignedHappy.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:05:39 GMTThu, 28 Aug 2025 13:24:39 GMT60Designed HappyRemodeling your current home or building your next one can be hard. We're here to focus on the human side of the process, helping you navigate the waters with great tips, insider advice, and some good laughs. Join Katie (a licensed therapist) and TJ (a licensed architect) every week for Designed Happy: The Podcast. And as always, if you know someone who has just started thinking about a big home project, please share this podcast with them so we can help them have a better experience.episodicDesigned Happytj@designedhappy.comno<![CDATA[DH:TP - 048 - What to Look for on a Designers Website]]>Katie and TJ get judgy for a good cause. They walk through the red flags (and a few green ones) to watch for when you're browsing a designer or architect's website, including what the web design choices signal about the experience you're likely to have. TJ has a strong reaction to black backgrounds and heavily serifed fonts. Katie has thoughts about pop-up boxes and broken contact links. They also cover why no photos of finished projects should give you pause, what a team page with 50 names actually tells you, and why a single typo might say more than you think. The Goonies come up, but neither of them can name more than two characters.

]]>37d9b35d-41e4-4bd9-bdde-04c5b9a30e7aTue, 21 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ get judgy for a good cause. They walk through the red flags (and a few green ones) to watch for when you're browsing a designer or architect's website, including what the web design choices signal about the experience you're likely to have. TJ has a strong reaction to black backgrounds and heavily serifed fonts. Katie has thoughts about pop-up boxes and broken contact links. They also cover why no photos of finished projects should give you pause, what a team page with 50 names actually tells you, and why a single typo might say more than you think. The Goonies come up, but neither of them can name more than two characters.</p>no00:47:16DH:TP - 048 - What to Look for on a Designers Websitefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 050 - Our 50th Episode]]>The air horn is back. Katie and TJ celebrate 50 episodes by each sharing their three favorites, and TJ takes a well-deserved victory lap for calling the Knicks winning the NBA Finals back in the Houzz predictions episode from January. Then Katie pulls listener scenarios out of a hat and TJ recommends episodes for each one: first-time remodelers, bad past experiences, deciding whether to stay or move, and figuring out your budget. The word fungibility makes a triumphant return, and no, they still do not know what it means.

]]>26b2702f-eff6-4e71-9d46-37bf627ae9dfTue, 04 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>The air horn is back. Katie and TJ celebrate 50 episodes by each sharing their three favorites, and TJ takes a well-deserved victory lap for calling the Knicks winning the NBA Finals back in the Houzz predictions episode from January. Then Katie pulls listener scenarios out of a hat and TJ recommends episodes for each one: first-time remodelers, bad past experiences, deciding whether to stay or move, and figuring out your budget. The word fungibility makes a triumphant return, and no, they still do not know what it means.</p>no00:38:44DH:TP - 050 - Our 50th Episodefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 049 - Crazy for Cabinets]]>TJ didn't want to say the title, but he said it anyway. Katie and TJ walk through the cabinet decision tree, from custom versus semi-custom to framed versus frameless to inset versus full overlay, and TJ builds a cabinet from scratch in SketchUp so you can actually see the difference an inch of face frame makes across an entire kitchen. They also cover why painted cabinets will never match your window trim and why repainting your existing cabinets is not the same as getting new ones. Katie came in lukewarm and left ready to bring up face frames at a cocktail party.

]]>bc4415fa-fade-4449-8b07-baec37a0b13eTue, 28 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>TJ didn't want to say the title, but he said it anyway. Katie and TJ walk through the cabinet decision tree, from custom versus semi-custom to framed versus frameless to inset versus full overlay, and TJ builds a cabinet from scratch in SketchUp so you can actually see the difference an inch of face frame makes across an entire kitchen. They also cover why painted cabinets will never match your window trim and why repainting your existing cabinets is not the same as getting new ones. Katie came in lukewarm and left ready to bring up face frames at a cocktail party.</p>no00:51:22DH:TP - 049 - Crazy for Cabinetsfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 047 - It's Getting Hot in Here]]>Katie is a thriver, not a survivor, and her comfort depends on temperature control. TJ didn't think this topic could fill 30 minutes. He was wrong. They cover the building envelope, the difference between Tyvek and Zip, why your insulation matters more than your thermostat, and how mini splits work for additions. Katie shares her personal temperature control toolkit, TJ reveals his prototype invention for cooling hot ears, and it turns out it already exists on Amazon. Eight Sleep, if you're listening, send two.

]]>1b1da28e-ee97-4797-a8de-6966de60e42aTue, 14 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie is a thriver, not a survivor, and her comfort depends on temperature control. TJ didn't think this topic could fill 30 minutes. He was wrong. They cover the building envelope, the difference between Tyvek and Zip, why your insulation matters more than your thermostat, and how mini splits work for additions. Katie shares her personal temperature control toolkit, TJ reveals his prototype invention for cooling hot ears, and it turns out it already exists on Amazon. Eight Sleep, if you're listening, send two.</p>no00:34:32DH:TP - 047 - It's Getting Hot in Herefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 046 - Listen to This Before You Build in City Of]]>If your home is in a "city of" or "town of," there's a whole extra layer of approvals between you and your building permit. Katie and TJ break down what that means, which municipalities are helpful (hi, Falls Church) and which ones are not (hi, Rockville), and why missing a submission deadline by one day can cost you seven weeks. TJ shares the three-month curb cut saga from building his own house, Katie discovers she grew up in an unincorporated community that may or may not have been a commune, and Jason Mraz makes an unexpected cameo.

]]>de2f085d-e9e0-4468-aa6d-8ec1ae9c87cbTue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>If your home is in a "city of" or "town of," there's a whole extra layer of approvals between you and your building permit. Katie and TJ break down what that means, which municipalities are helpful (hi, Falls Church) and which ones are not (hi, Rockville), and why missing a submission deadline by one day can cost you seven weeks. TJ shares the three-month curb cut saga from building his own house, Katie discovers she grew up in an unincorporated community that may or may not have been a commune, and Jason Mraz makes an unexpected cameo.</p>no00:32:00DH:TP - 046 - Listen to This Before You Build in City Offull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 045 - What's the BFE?]]>Katie knows nothing about floodplains (her words). But by the end of this episode she's earned her architecture license (again, her words) and is spending her Friday evening on the FEMA website. TJ explains base flood elevation, walks through how to check if your property is in a flood zone, and shares a story about clients whose floodplain changed mid-project - they couldn't even build a deck. Katie checks her own address live on air, and TLDR gets the recognition it deserves.

Link for floodplain checks: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search

]]>fb895cfb-35d7-491a-98db-cf2278dfe7d3Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie knows nothing about floodplains (her words). But by the end of this episode she's earned her architecture license (again, her words) and is spending her Friday evening on the FEMA website. TJ explains base flood elevation, walks through how to check if your property is in a flood zone, and shares a story about clients whose floodplain changed mid-project - they couldn't even build a deck. Katie checks her own address live on air, and TLDR gets the recognition it deserves.<br /></p><p><b>Link for floodplain checks: </b><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search" target="_blank">https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search</a></p>no00:38:16DH:TP - 045 - What's the BFE?full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 044 - The Flooring Episode]]>You think it's all the same? False. Katie and TJ dig into the flooring decisions that trip people up, from LVP thickness and wear layers to the relationship between old wood floors and new ones. Then TJ gets into wide plank engineered floors and humidity, Katie Googles what can go wrong, and things take a dramatic turn she did not recover from. Also: psych is apparently making a comeback, TJ remotely changes his father-in-law's TV channel from the basement, and there is a song called "I'm Hungry" that no child should have to hear at full volume.

]]>4872ff11-80aa-497a-bb56-3841975fb937Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>You think it's all the same? False. Katie and TJ dig into the flooring decisions that trip people up, from LVP thickness and wear layers to the relationship between old wood floors and new ones. Then TJ gets into wide plank engineered floors and humidity, Katie Googles what can go wrong, and things take a dramatic turn she did not recover from. Also: psych is apparently making a comeback, TJ remotely changes his father-in-law's TV channel from the basement, and there is a song called "I'm Hungry" that no child should have to hear at full volume. </p>no00:52:15DH:TP - 044 - The Flooring Episodefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 043 - Why Waiting on Your Remodel Might Not Save You Money]]>TJ actually did research for this one, like for real research. He goes behind the remodeling industry curtain to find out if the old line about it costing more next year is actually true, and what the real numbers look like compared to inflation. Spoiler: a gallon of milk roughly doubled in 25 years. A high-end kitchen more than tripled. Katie flies without an outline for the first time and delivers the podcast's first ever sneeze.

]]>23540378-505e-41ff-ad3d-5bf81ad09403Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>TJ actually did research for this one, like for real research. He goes behind the remodeling industry curtain to find out if the old line about it costing more next year is actually true, and what the real numbers look like compared to inflation. Spoiler: a gallon of milk roughly doubled in 25 years. A high-end kitchen more than tripled. Katie flies without an outline for the first time and delivers the podcast's first ever sneeze.</p>no00:38:25DH:TP - 043 - Why Waiting on Your Remodel Might Not Save You Moneyfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 042 - Downsizing (not the Honey I Shrunk the Kids kind)]]>Katie and TJ welcome Realtor Jeff Wu to the podcast to talk about downsizing, or as some are calling it, right sizing. Jeff shares his 5D framework, explains why downsizing is more of an identity shift than a house decision, and drops a stat that 10,000 people turn 65 every day. TJ realizes one of his own clients has been doing this all along without him fully connecting the dots. Katie briefly takes over as solo host, and Jeff's branded shirt inspires a long overdue conversation about Designed Happy merch. Sylvia, if you're listening, we need hats.

]]>d86f7e37-10ee-4115-bc57-3c8d42ccb65aTue, 09 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ welcome Realtor Jeff Wu to the podcast to talk about downsizing, or as some are calling it, right sizing. Jeff shares his 5D framework, explains why downsizing is more of an identity shift than a house decision, and drops a stat that 10,000 people turn 65 every day. TJ realizes one of his own clients has been doing this all along without him fully connecting the dots. Katie briefly takes over as solo host, and Jeff's branded shirt inspires a long overdue conversation about Designed Happy merch. Sylvia, if you're listening, we need hats.</p>no00:40:15DH:TP - 042 - Downsizing (not the Honey I Shrunk the Kids kind)full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 041 - Being a great client, and why you should care]]>What does it mean to be a great client and why should you care? Spoiler: it's not about making your design team happy. It's about making your experience better. Katie and TJ walk through the seven-piece puzzle from Designed Happy: The Book, including pronoia, vulnerability, thank you notes, and why you don't want your service professional rolling their eyes before they pick up the phone.

]]>e9d4aed6-8ce6-4c7f-8956-a57f3794050bTue, 02 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>What does it mean to be a great client and why should you care? Spoiler: it's not about making your design team happy. It's about making your experience better. Katie and TJ walk through the seven-piece puzzle from Designed Happy: The Book, including pronoia, vulnerability, thank you notes, and why you don't want your service professional rolling their eyes before they pick up the phone.</p>no00:47:24DH:TP - 041 - Being a great client, and why you should carefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 040 - Design Bid vs. Design Build]]>They sound almost the same. They're not. Katie and TJ break down the differences between design build and design bid, including the pros, the cons, and the nuance that nobody talks about. TJ also reveals he couldn't tell Bruce Willis and Michael Keaton apart as a kid, Katie and TJ fall into a Newsies rabbit hole, and TJ makes enough blanket statements to warrant a drinking game.

]]>8f70312d-0715-4cd7-a2fd-4a57614cc1b7Tue, 26 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>They sound almost the same. They're not. Katie and TJ break down the differences between design build and design bid, including the pros, the cons, and the nuance that nobody talks about. TJ also reveals he couldn't tell Bruce Willis and Michael Keaton apart as a kid, Katie and TJ fall into a Newsies rabbit hole, and TJ makes enough blanket statements to warrant a drinking game.</p>no00:40:45DH:TP - 040 - Design Bid vs. Design Buildfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 039 - Can you live in your house while it's being remodeled?]]>It's one of the most commonly asked questions in remodeling. And a lot of times the answer is yes, you technically can...but should you? Katie and TJ talk through the things you need to think about before you commit, from noise and dust to water and phasing. TJ regrets a loud river cruise, Katie reveals a short-lived career as a party princess, and neither one of them would ever live through a remodel - not even a little bit.

]]>f06dab62-4dd9-4e9d-8b33-8ef129414a81Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>It's one of the most commonly asked questions in remodeling. And a lot of times the answer is yes, you technically can...but should you? Katie and TJ talk through the things you need to think about before you commit, from noise and dust to water and phasing. TJ regrets a loud river cruise, Katie reveals a short-lived career as a party princess, and neither one of them would ever live through a remodel - not even a little bit.</p>no00:38:55DH:TP - 039 - Can you live in your house while it's being remodeled?full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 038 - The Tile Episode]]>Join Katie and TJ as they review the wonderful world of tile with the President of Architessa, David Benson. They review tile basics, like the difference between ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, and LVT. They discuss large format tile and porcelain slabs, and what to consider when choosing an installer. They explain what overage is and why it's important to remember when figuring out the amount of tile you need. And they ponder how long David and TJ have been friends (100 years?).
Here a link to the resources that Architessa provides to help you make better tile decisions:
https://architessa.com/pages/resources

]]>634e101b-843d-4fd1-8f64-f9f3bfb00d05Tue, 12 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Join Katie and TJ as they review the wonderful world of tile with the President of Architessa, David Benson. They review tile basics, like the difference between ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, and LVT. They discuss large format tile and porcelain slabs, and what to consider when choosing an installer. They explain what overage is and why it's important to remember when figuring out the amount of tile you need. And they ponder how long David and TJ have been friends (100 years?).<br />Here a link to the resources that Architessa provides to help you make better tile decisions:<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://architessa.com/pages/resources" target="_blank">https://architessa.com/pages/resources</a></p>no00:45:27DH:TP - 038 - The Tile Episodefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 037 - Our favorite things]]>No rain drops on roses in this episode. Katie and TJ get personal and each share their 3 favorite things about their homes. Somehow, and maybe unsurprisingly, they end up discussing 1950's toys.

]]>221a66b5-958f-4ac9-90ef-0cb9cc224bf5Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>No rain drops on roses in this episode. Katie and TJ get personal and each share their 3 favorite things about their homes. Somehow, and maybe unsurprisingly, they end up discussing 1950's toys.</p>no00:39:27DH:TP - 037 - Our favorite thingsfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 036 - The Shower Episode]]>In the follow up to their smash hit, The Toilet Episode, Katie and TJ do a deep dive on showers. What to consider when you're planning a curbless shower, the difference between thermostatic and pressure balance valves, digital shower setups, steam showers, and more...

]]>87a837de-92c1-459d-8bb9-12464990fb56Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>In the follow up to their smash hit, The Toilet Episode, Katie and TJ do a deep dive on showers. What to consider when you're planning a curbless shower, the difference between thermostatic and pressure balance valves, digital shower setups, steam showers, and more...</p>no00:51:12DH:TP - 036 - The Shower Episodefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 035 - Happy Home Stories - Meera]]>In our second Happy Home Stories episode, Katie and TJ are joined by Meera. She discusses her basement remodel, why she did it, how her experience went, the value of RealTIME Design, and what she learned.

]]>a020d451-0d22-45a0-997e-ee70d45c5d05Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>In our second Happy Home Stories episode, Katie and TJ are joined by Meera. She discusses her basement remodel, why she did it, how her experience went, the value of RealTIME Design, and what she learned.</p>no00:38:33DH:TP - 035 - Happy Home Stories - Meerafull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 033 - The Toilet Episode]]>Today, Katie and TJ are talking toilets! You're probably thinking, how can they talk about toilets for a whole episode?? Katie thought the same thing. And then this episode ran long. There's a lot to cover, and when you're done, be sure to take our brand new TOILET QUIZ! Special surprise when you pass it.

www.DesignedHappy.com/toilet

]]>2be14c29-0910-4ef1-a77c-a3dc6beea545Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Today, Katie and TJ are talking toilets! You're probably thinking, how can they talk about toilets for a whole episode?? Katie thought the same thing. And then this episode ran long. There's a lot to cover, and when you're done, be sure to take our brand new TOILET QUIZ! Special surprise when you pass it.</p><p>www.DesignedHappy.com/toilet</p>no00:49:17DH:TP - 033 - The Toilet Episodefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 034 - Don't "Set It & Forget It"]]>Remodeling or rebuilding isn't an infomercial. Katie and TJ talk (briefly) about the wonderful rotisserie oven of the 90's. Then get to the topic at hand about why and how to get involved in your project, and how your brain values the project based on your level of involvement.

]]>52a36b04-0099-4a3a-a28b-e762fe1713a2Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Remodeling or rebuilding isn't an infomercial. Katie and TJ talk (briefly) about the wonderful rotisserie oven of the 90's. Then get to the topic at hand about why and how to get involved in your project, and how your brain values the project based on your level of involvement.</p>no00:39:58DH:TP - 034 - Don't "Set It & Forget It"full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 032 - The most important word in architecture]]>If you polled 100 people and asked them: "what is the most important word in architecture?", how many of them do you think would say: Buildable? Probably not that many. In this week's episode Katie and TJ discuss why it actually is. Katie also offers us one of her patented, Duh's.

]]>58a38a0c-baf3-4553-9e59-b0157fc92820Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>If you polled 100 people and asked them: "what is the most important word in architecture?", how many of them do you think would say: Buildable? Probably not that many. In this week's episode Katie and TJ discuss why it actually is. Katie also offers us one of her patented, Duh's.</p>no00:39:54DH:TP - 032 - The most important word in architecturefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 031 - Coffee Is a Commodity. Your Home Is Not.]]>For years and years and years we've all talked about our home as our biggest asset. And sure, it is. But we're approaching a tipping point where people are starting to realize that the Return on Enjoyment might be just as, if not more important than, Return on Investment. Katie and TJ take a deeper dive on ROI vs ROE. They also talk about a board game from the 70s, and do their best to define the word Fungibility.

]]>23a17e7b-d37e-4000-8c7a-75f7f6ef1af9Tue, 24 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>For years and years and years we've all talked about our home as our biggest asset. And sure, it is. But we're approaching a tipping point where people are starting to realize that the Return on Enjoyment might be just as, if not more important than, Return on Investment. Katie and TJ take a deeper dive on ROI vs ROE. They also talk about a board game from the 70s, and do their best to define the word Fungibility.</p>no00:40:46DH:TP - 031 - Coffee Is a Commodity. Your Home Is Not.full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 030 - Happy St. Patrick's Day]]>Do you hold your luckiest lucky charm as you sign on the dotted line with a contractor? Should it all be up to luck? Of course not. Katie and TJ discuss a step-by-step strategy to remove luck from the process and help you to choose a contractor that is the right fir for your project. But can they get through the whole episode without doing Irish accents?

When you're at the Fit Score step, you can find it here:

https://www.designedhappy.com/fitscore.html

]]>0fbf90fc-61dd-4978-9134-d6da05ee5a0eTue, 17 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Do you hold your luckiest lucky charm as you sign on the dotted line with a contractor? Should it all be up to luck? Of course not. Katie and TJ discuss a step-by-step strategy to remove luck from the process and help you to choose a contractor that is the right fir for your project. But can they get through the whole episode without doing Irish accents?</p><p></p><p>When you're at the Fit Score step, you can find it here:</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.designedhappy.com/fitscore.html" target="_blank">https://www.designedhappy.com/fitscore.html</a></p>no00:39:35DH:TP - 030 - Happy St. Patrick's Dayfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 029 - The Pixie Cut Principle]]>Does a hair cut have anything to do with home remodeling? Actually, yes, a whole lot! Katie and TJ discuss Katie's new style, her process for getting there, what it felt like before the first snip, and how all of that is exactly what this podcast has been about from the beginning.

]]>a32ddd94-ed3f-485a-8ff5-303561c50179Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT<p>Does a hair cut have anything to do with home remodeling? Actually, yes, a whole lot! Katie and TJ discuss Katie's new style, her process for getting there, what it felt like before the first snip, and how all of that is exactly what this podcast has been about from the beginning. </p>no00:41:30DH:TP - 029 - The Pixie Cut Principlefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 028 - Contract types (but fun)]]>Can Katie and TJ making discussing different contract types fun? Will this episode be more like eating your vegetable, or the cool teacher putting on a movie in class? Either way, we're talking about different types of remodeling contracts and when they make sense.

]]>c8686db4-53a8-4390-bd14-94b130e3c124Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>Can Katie and TJ making discussing different contract types fun? Will this episode be more like eating your vegetable, or the cool teacher putting on a movie in class? Either way, we're talking about different types of remodeling contracts and when they make sense.</p>no00:36:24DH:TP - 028 - Contract types (but fun)full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 026 - Valentine's and Trust]]>Happy Valentine's Day! We hope you had a wonderful day celebrating. This week Katie and TJ talk about trust - how to earn it, when it's at its most fragile, and if you can regain it. They also discuss how they each celebrate Valentine's day, and TJ shares a balsamic glaze story gone wrong.

]]>5bd623cc-0602-4870-8304-7b7fd8b5f91cTue, 17 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>Happy Valentine's Day! We hope you had a wonderful day celebrating. This week Katie and TJ talk about trust - how to earn it, when it's at its most fragile, and if you can regain it. They also discuss how they each celebrate Valentine's day, and TJ shares a balsamic glaze story gone wrong.</p>no00:40:24DH:TP - 026 - Valentine's and Trustfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 027 - Behind the scenes of Nailed It]]>This week, Katie and TJ take you behind the scenes of how we create our monthly comic strip, Nailed It. They review of few of their faves, share the stories that led to their creation, and discuss how they collaborate with local artists.

You can find all of our comic strips here:

https://www.designedhappy.com/blog/category/nailed-it

And if you want to see the comic before everyone else, subscribe to the Designed Happy newsletter here:

https://www.designedhappy.com/subscribe.html

]]>dc805dd7-af22-4bca-a0c9-c085a4fc5016Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>This week, Katie and TJ take you behind the scenes of how we create our monthly comic strip, Nailed It. They review of few of their faves, share the stories that led to their creation, and discuss how they collaborate with local artists.</p><p></p><p>You can find all of our comic strips here:</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.designedhappy.com/blog/category/nailed-it" target="_blank">https://www.designedhappy.com/blog/category/nailed-it</a></p><p></p><p>And if you want to see the comic before everyone else, subscribe to the Designed Happy newsletter here:</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.designedhappy.com/subscribe.html" target="_blank">https://www.designedhappy.com/subscribe.html</a></p>no00:31:14DH:TP - 027 - Behind the scenes of Nailed Itfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 025 - Design around THIS]]>Katie and TJ think back to when Kat had TJ design a kitchen around a sink. Katie wants to know what kinds of other things clients have designed around, and well, things got a bit weird by the end. And to give credit to the comic TJ couldn't remember, here is the clip: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xqcSILeOwhA

]]>29ef4bb1-f8f4-4edc-b949-4e4f433668feTue, 10 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ think back to when Kat had TJ design a kitchen around a sink. Katie wants to know what kinds of other things clients have designed around, and well, things got a bit weird by the end. And to give credit to the comic TJ couldn't remember, here is the clip: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xqcSILeOwhA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xqcSILeOwhA</a></p>no00:35:59DH:TP - 025 - Design around THISfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 024 - Custom vs CUUStom]]>In this week's episode, Katie and TJ discuss how words change over time, and how a word like Custom, used to mean something different than it does today. They talk about why that's important, a word to use instead, and pecan pies for people with silk scarves.

]]>f9c00790-85d4-45b8-9bb8-4fb70346772cTue, 03 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>In this week's episode, Katie and TJ discuss how words change over time, and how a word like Custom, used to mean something different than it does today. They talk about why that's important, a word to use instead, and pecan pies for people with silk scarves.</p>no00:31:39DH:TP - 024 - Custom vs CUUStomfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 022 - The Fit Score]]>After months of teasing it and building anticipation, it's finally time to review The Fit Score. Katie and TJ breakdown what this tool is, how to use it, and why it exists. They also talk about re-re-recording, and something about a horse and Perrier where you get to hear the punchline but not the setup.

]]>7732263d-266e-4c17-bff7-1fcad8cb5887Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>After months of teasing it and building anticipation, it's finally time to review The Fit Score. Katie and TJ breakdown what this tool is, how to use it, and why it exists. They also talk about re-re-recording, and something about a horse and Perrier where you get to hear the punchline but not the setup. </p>no00:49:49DH:TP - 022 - The Fit Scorefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 023 - HOUZZ predicts 2026]]>In this episode Katie and TJ review the 2026 trend predictions made by HOUZZ. Do we love them all? No. But do we love most of them? Also no. We'll give them this - we have our finger's crossed for a couple of them. Also, Katie's about to have a great year, and TJ explains door doors (not a typo). Check out the HOUZZ predictions here:

https://pro.houzz.com/pro-learn/blog/sneak-peek-houzz-reveals-11-of-the-top-home-design-predictions-for-2026

]]>7abb39ce-0843-4952-b51e-c37420aa79b5Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>In this episode Katie and TJ review the 2026 trend predictions made by HOUZZ. Do we love them all? No. But do we love most of them? Also no. We'll give them this - we have our finger's crossed for a couple of them. Also, Katie's about to have a great year, and TJ explains door doors (not a typo). Check out the HOUZZ predictions here:</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://pro.houzz.com/pro-learn/blog/sneak-peek-houzz-reveals-11-of-the-top-home-design-predictions-for-2026" target="_blank">https://pro.houzz.com/pro-learn/blog/sneak-peek-houzz-reveals-11-of-the-top-home-design-predictions-for-2026</a></p>no00:44:01DH:TP - 023 - HOUZZ predicts 2026full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 021 - Why relationships matter]]>This week, Katie and TJ have a special guest! Industry pro, lifelong remodeler, and TJ's friend, Steve Scholl, joins the podcast. We talk about why having a good relationship with your contractor is so important, what a good relationship looks like, and what "running to trouble" means.

]]>2c52a9b9-b9ea-4df0-94cb-b9e4e040e38fTue, 13 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>This week, Katie and TJ have a special guest! Industry pro, lifelong remodeler, and TJ's friend, Steve Scholl, joins the podcast. We talk about why having a good relationship with your contractor is so important, what a good relationship looks like, and what "running to trouble" means.</p>no00:40:52DH:TP - 021 - Why relationships matterfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 020 - Happy Home Stories - Nick]]>We're so excited to introduce a new series on our show. It's called 'Happy Home Stories.' In it, we talk with one of our clients about what it's really like to remodel - not the HGTV made-for-TV version remodeling - the real life, what happens when things don't go the way you planned, and how do you work through it. This week, Katie and TJ talk to Nick about his whole-home remodel in Fairfax. They discuss the tool Nick used to mentally process design options (it's not what you think it is), some of the surprises he encountered during construction, what he learned about the process and himself, and what he would do differently next time. Thank you so much to Nick for being a great client, and being willing to talk about his process openly.

]]>49de8508-3fdd-4438-a802-2cda196f1393Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT<p>We're so excited to introduce a new series on our show. It's called 'Happy Home Stories.' In it, we talk with one of our clients about what it's really like to remodel - not the HGTV made-for-TV version remodeling - the real life, what happens when things don't go the way you planned, and how do you work through it. This week, Katie and TJ talk to Nick about his whole-home remodel in Fairfax. They discuss the tool Nick used to mentally process design options (it's not what you think it is), some of the surprises he encountered during construction, what he learned about the process and himself, and what he would do differently next time. Thank you so much to Nick for being a great client, and being willing to talk about his process openly. </p>no00:43:58DH:TP - 020 - Happy Home Stories - Nickfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 019 - The "Price per square foot" lie]]>Feathers will be ruffled and boats will be rocked! Gears might even be ground!! Katie and TJ discuss why Price Per Square Foot is such a common way to talk about remodeling and new construction pricing, and why it is completely misleading. Then they discuss a better alternative, before sneaking a Harry Connick Jr reference in just when you thought the episode was over.

]]>3ac8f68d-6f91-4015-a286-f07fcfabed2cTue, 30 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>Feathers will be ruffled and boats will be rocked! Gears might even be ground!! Katie and TJ discuss why Price Per Square Foot is such a common way to talk about remodeling and new construction pricing, and why it is completely misleading. Then they discuss a better alternative, before sneaking a Harry Connick Jr reference in just when you thought the episode was over.</p>no00:35:51DH:TP - 019 - The "Price per square foot" liefull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 017 - State of the DC Real Estate Market]]>In this episode, Katie and TJ have a special guest...Marc Cashin! Marc is a realtor, the owner Forward Real Estate, TJ's friend, and most importantly, Katie's husband. We have a fun time discussing our long time knowing each other - our time in college, TJ and Marc having a band, gifting a dining table, and Marc's dislike of formal dining rooms. We also discuss the DC real estate market, selling your house in the winter vs in the spring, remodeling with an eye toward resale, and why having the right team of professionals can make your life a whole lot easier.

]]>b0b2c02f-8a07-4d6a-a996-e979bd9b321aTue, 16 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>In this episode, Katie and TJ have a special guest...Marc Cashin! Marc is a realtor, the owner <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.fwrdrealestate.com/" target="_blank">Forward Real Estate</a>, TJ's friend, and most importantly, Katie's husband. We have a fun time discussing our long time knowing each other - our time in college, TJ and Marc having a band, gifting a dining table, and Marc's dislike of formal dining rooms. We also discuss the DC real estate market, selling your house in the winter vs in the spring, remodeling with an eye toward resale, and why having the right team of professionals can make your life a whole lot easier.</p>no00:49:24DH:TP - 017 - State of the DC Real Estate Marketfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 012 - What 'Expensive' really means in remodeling]]>Katie and TJ discuss purchases they've made that felt expensive. Then they tackle our big topic - what does "expensive" really mean in remodeling? They discuss a chart from Designed Happy: The Book, why focusing on value is important, and call back to our episode on ways to pay (other than money).

]]>2d806793-a25f-4bac-9451-aa7bd60421c5Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:13:02 GMT<p>Katie and TJ discuss purchases they've made that felt expensive. Then they tackle our <b><i>big</i></b> topic - what does "expensive" really mean in remodeling? They discuss a chart from <i>Designed Happy: The Book</i>, why focusing on value is important, and call back to our episode on ways to pay (other than money).</p>no00:36:12DH:TP - 012 - What 'Expensive' really means in remodelingfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 018 - How to remodel and stay married]]>Katie and TJ welcome Jake Jackson-Wolf to the show. Jake is the owner of b'well Counseling Services and is a licensed therapist. Katie, TJ, and Jake debate whether podcast guests should have entry music, reminisce about the 2011 DC earthquake, and discuss why remodeling is hard on relationships. Jake offers wisdom and advice to help you keep your relationship strong. To learn more about Jake and b'well visit: https://www.bwellcounselingservices.com/

]]>4d68f84b-652e-4d56-8090-3fbdda277103Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ welcome Jake Jackson-Wolf to the show. Jake is the owner of b'well Counseling Services and is a licensed therapist. Katie, TJ, and Jake debate whether podcast guests should have entry music, reminisce about the 2011 DC earthquake, and discuss why remodeling is hard on relationships. Jake offers wisdom and advice to help you keep your relationship strong. To learn more about Jake and b'well visit: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bwellcounselingservices.com/" target="_blank">https://www.bwellcounselingservices.com/</a></p>no00:52:22DH:TP - 018 - How to remodel and stay marriedfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 016 - The Future Test]]>Katie and TJ review one of Designed Happy's favorite tools: The Future Test. This test and the accompanying worksheet help homeowners get their remodeling project unstuck by helping them imagine different versions of their future. They also discuss one-person seesaws, their current thermostat situation, and how TJ's hair blends in with his wallpaper. Visit https://www.designedhappy.com/the-future-test.html to download The Future Test worksheet.

]]>76a929c8-7347-4f7d-b134-02eb43e45583Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ review one of Designed Happy's favorite tools: The Future Test. This test and the accompanying worksheet help homeowners get their remodeling project unstuck by helping them imagine different versions of their future. They also discuss one-person seesaws, their current thermostat situation, and how TJ's hair blends in with his wallpaper. Visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.designedhappy.com/the-future-test.html" target="_blank">https://www.designedhappy.com/the-future-test.html</a> to download The Future Test worksheet.</p>no00:39:14DH:TP - 016 - The Future Testfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 015 - How to build a house without ruining family dinner]]>This week, Katie and TJ invite their first guest to the podcast, and it gets personal for TJ, because it's his wife, Kat. We discuss what it's like to live through a remodeling or construction project, some of the fun projects TJ and Kat have done (and one they didn't do), and how to get your kids involved and engaged in the process.

]]>4a0a5622-0400-41b3-a7cf-6953d2eb0f1eTue, 02 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>This week, Katie and TJ invite their first guest to the podcast, and it gets personal for TJ, because it's his wife, Kat. We discuss what it's like to live through a remodeling or construction project, some of the fun projects TJ and Kat have done (and one they didn't do), and how to get your kids involved and engaged in the process.</p>no00:44:22DH:TP - 015 - How to build a house without ruining family dinnerfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 014 - You're late for Thanksgiving]]>Katie and TJ talk about what they do for Thanksgiving. TJ talks about his famous mashed potatoes that have an ego. Then they dive into one of the most popular posts on the Designed Happy blog: You're Late For Thanksgiving. They discuss how to talk about completion dates with your contractors, the idea of a reverse timeline and how it can be useful, and review how lead times can affect your project schedule and what you can do about it.

]]>fe810dff-c52e-405e-a05d-154e5eb7f551Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ talk about what they do for Thanksgiving. TJ talks about his famous mashed potatoes that have an ego. Then they dive into one of the most popular posts on the Designed Happy blog: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.designedhappy.com/blog/youre-late-for-thanksgiving" target="_blank">You're Late For Thanksgiving</a>. They discuss how to talk about completion dates with your contractors, the idea of a reverse timeline and how it can be useful, and review how lead times can affect your project schedule and what you can do about it.</p>no00:29:48DH:TP - 014 - You're late for Thanksgivingfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 013 - R.O.A.S.T.]]>Katie loves British cuisine. TJ wants to be in the Rat Pack. In a follow up to recent episodes on ways to pay, and what expensive really means, Katie and TJ discuss what kind of return you can expect on your investment, whether that investment is money, energy, time (or all 3). Then they review the 2025 Cost vs Value Report, explain what it is, and how it can be useful.

]]>03ef7329-4665-4b3a-96d4-619d4a52bd1aTue, 18 Nov 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>Katie loves British cuisine. TJ wants to be in the Rat Pack. In a follow up to recent episodes on ways to pay, and what expensive really means, Katie and TJ discuss what kind of return you can expect on your investment, whether that investment is money, energy, time (or all 3). Then they review the 2025 Cost vs Value Report, explain what it is, and how it can be useful.</p>no00:31:54DH:TP - 013 - R.O.A.S.T.full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 011 - Ways to pay (other than money)]]>Katie and TJ tackle the topic of paying. Sure, everyone knows what it means to pay for a project with money. But did you know that you could also choose to pay with your time, energy, and emotion? All of the options are interwoven, and have pros and cons. Katie and TJ tackle the nuances and guide you through decided which path might be best for you.

]]>c5ef0307-b0ef-4358-bfcc-99cb27d70d6cTue, 04 Nov 2025 09:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ tackle the topic of paying. Sure, everyone knows what it means to pay for a project with money. But did you know that you could also choose to pay with your time, energy, and emotion? All of the options are interwoven, and have pros and cons. Katie and TJ tackle the nuances and guide you through decided which path might be best for you.</p>no00:33:15DH:TP - 011 - Ways to pay (other than money)full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 010 - Happy Halloween!]]>TJ and Katie take a break from the weekly wisdom, to talk about their favorite Halloween memories, being scared, haunted houses, and a brainstorm for a new brilliant business idea.

]]>3ffc67f5-04e0-43a0-b5bb-4ac1ef56605eTue, 28 Oct 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>TJ and Katie take a break from the weekly wisdom, to talk about their favorite Halloween memories, being scared, haunted houses, and a brainstorm for a new brilliant business idea.</p>no00:28:15DH:TP - 010 - Happy Halloween!full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 009 - What are you actually buying when you buy remodeling?]]>TJ and Katie discuss their favorite things to shop for and then dive in to the main topic: What are you actually buying when you buy remodeling? Katie's not sure if that's real grammar. Most people would say cabinets, or tile, or windows. Yes, while your money is technically being used to purchase materials for your project, learning what you're actually buying could help you have a much more enjoyable experience.

]]>bb0c28a6-43b1-4d5b-981b-104a95e0acb4Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>TJ and Katie discuss their favorite things to shop for and then dive in to the main topic: What are you actually buying when you buy remodeling? Katie's not sure if that's real grammar. Most people would say cabinets, or tile, or windows. Yes, while your money is technically being used to purchase materials for your project, learning what you're actually buying could help you have a much more enjoyable experience.</p>no00:32:57DH:TP - 009 - What are you actually buying when you buy remodeling?full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 008 - What does the client actually control]]>In this episode Katie and TJ discuss the remodeling and design process, and when and how clients can control it. As a homeowner, you'll want to tune in to this one to understand when in the process you have the most control vs when you have the least, and how to set your project up for success when you're in the driver's seat. Katie sneaks in some (seemingly) complicated laundry advice to keep your black shirts looking black, and TJ doesn't want to decide on your dishwasher placement for you.

]]>8cbaa68e-1a14-4dcc-9e65-b9602b45aa57Tue, 14 Oct 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>In this episode Katie and TJ discuss the remodeling and design process, and when and how clients can control it. As a homeowner, you'll want to tune in to this one to understand when in the process you have the most control vs when you have the least, and how to set your project up for success when you're in the driver's seat. Katie sneaks in some (seemingly) complicated laundry advice to keep your black shirts looking black, and TJ doesn't want to decide on your dishwasher placement for you. </p>no00:33:09DH:TP - 008 - What does the client actually controlfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 007 - How to give better feedback than "Ew, Gross"]]>Katie and TJ talk about feedback: why it's important and how to make yours better. TJ is terrified on a roller coaster, and Katie does an A+ impression.

]]>0715f9fd-814b-43b7-b9ae-f47a6e56ddeaTue, 07 Oct 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ talk about feedback: why it's important and how to make yours better. TJ is terrified on a roller coaster, and Katie does an A+ impression.</p>no00:33:12DH:TP - 007 - How to give better feedback than "Ew, Gross"full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 006 - Heat Maps: The most honest design tool you've never used]]>Katie and TJ introduce Heat Maps, a simple tool to help you see which rooms matter to you and which rooms don't. Katie makes a stellar air horn sound and TJ's ears get too hot.

]]>3431dfb3-0eaa-43e3-ba0e-09ef00afd45aTue, 30 Sep 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ introduce Heat Maps, a simple tool to help you see which rooms matter to you and which rooms don't. Katie makes a stellar air horn sound and TJ's ears get too hot.</p>no00:33:25DH:TP - 006 - Heat Maps: The most honest design tool you've never usedfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 005 - The stress free remodel: Myth or Manageable?]]>Katie and TJ tackle the 3 types of stress: what they are, how to know which one you're currently feeling, and how to move between them.

Here is the link to the book Katie mentioned (this is not an affiliate link - just trying to help you out):

https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Stress-Why-Good-You/dp/1101982934/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

]]>b522c80e-601b-4c69-bbc2-c237f76544ebTue, 23 Sep 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ tackle the 3 types of stress: what they are, how to know which one you're currently feeling, and how to move between them.</p><p></p><p>Here is the link to the book Katie mentioned (this is not an affiliate link - just trying to help you out):</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Stress-Why-Good-You/dp/1101982934/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Upside-Stress-Why-Good-You/dp/1101982934/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0</a></p>no00:39:07DH:TP - 005 - The stress free remodel: Myth or Manageable?full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 004 - Talking about talking about money]]>Katie and TJ discuss how to talk about the B word - Budget. Katie twirls her fingers in excitement, and we give you some tips for making an uncomfortable conversation a little bit easier.

]]>fc9b3a23-e789-4fca-92b1-17a03dd1404cTue, 16 Sep 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ discuss how to talk about the B word - Budget. Katie twirls her fingers in excitement, and we give you some tips for making an uncomfortable conversation a little bit easier.</p>no00:34:31DH:TP - 004 - Talking about talking about moneyfull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 003 - Stay or Go]]>Katie and TJ tackle the age old question...Should you stay, or should you go. Highlights include: Katie hates TJ's inflection, a review of the Stay or Go Quiz, and should houses have love letters written to them.

You can take the Stay or Go quiz here:

www.StayOrGoQuiz.com

]]>50af4052-9eee-4462-9f09-ea8de96c33fbTue, 09 Sep 2025 08:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ tackle the age old question...Should you stay, or should you go. Highlights include: Katie hates TJ's inflection, a review of the Stay or Go Quiz, and should houses have love letters written to them.</p><p></p><p>You can take the Stay or Go quiz here:</p><p>www.StayOrGoQuiz.com </p>no00:32:03DH:TP - 003 - Stay or Gofull<![CDATA[DH:TP - 002 - Why before What (What, What, What)]]>Katie and TJ talk about Why, and why Why is more important than What. They discuss a helpful exercise to help you get to the core of the emotion leading to your desire to remodel or rebuild. TJ sings 2 seconds of Thrift Shop and Katie is a fancy lady.

]]>92fceb8f-fa73-400f-b887-1e36dc3d4108Tue, 02 Sep 2025 10:00:00 GMT<p>Katie and TJ talk about Why, and why Why is more important than What. They discuss a helpful exercise to help you get to the core of the emotion leading to your desire to remodel or rebuild. TJ sings 2 seconds of Thrift Shop and Katie is a fancy lady.</p>no00:32:45DH:TP - 002 - Why before What (What, What, What)full<![CDATA[DH:TP - 001 - The one with the intro]]>Katie and TJ introduce Designed Happy: The Podcast, what it is, why it exists, who they are, and what you can expect from this show. And they absolutely crush the opening.

You can check out our comic Nailed It, here:

https://www.designedhappy.com/blog

]]>b60cebb2-f5cb-407b-950a-fbb87451a84fThu, 28 Aug 2025 13:55:28 GMT<p>Katie and TJ introduce Designed Happy: The Podcast, what it is, why it exists, who they are, and what you can expect from this show. And they absolutely crush the opening.</p><p></p><p>You can check out our comic Nailed It, here:</p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.designedhappy.com/blog" target="_blank">https://www.designedhappy.com/blog</a></p>no00:31:55DH:TP - 001 - The one with the introfull