This week on HGTV Obsessed, it’s all about designing functional spaces with kids in mind. The Rambling Redhead Jennifer Todryk joins host Marianne Canada to talk all about her journey from blogging and social media influencer to hosting her own show, No Demo Reno. Jen shares her thoughts on giving kids the freedom to own their spaces and embracing kid’s items. She talks about her simple house rules to keep her couch white and gives her thoughts on washable rugs. Then host of Bargain Mansions, Tamara Day, comes on the show to talk about her signature laidback luxe style and creating functional, lived-in spaces for her four children. Tamara also talks about her experience filming Home Town Takeover, and finally Tamara and Marianne weigh in on their kids’ obsession with the LED light trend.
This week on HGTV Obsessed, it’s all about designing functional spaces with kids in mind. The Rambling Redhead Jennifer Todryk joins host Marianne Canada to talk all about her journey from blogging and social media influencer to hosting her own show, No Demo Reno. Jen shares her thoughts on giving kids the freedom to own their spaces and embracing kid’s items. She talks about her simple house rules to keep her couch white and gives her thoughts on washable rugs. Then host of Bargain Mansions, Tamara Day, comes on the show to talk about her signature laidback luxe style and creating functional, lived-in spaces for her four children. Tamara also talks about her experience filming Home Town Takeover, and finally Tamara and Marianne weigh in on their kids’ obsession with the LED light trend.
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Learn More About Bargain Mansions: https://www.hgtv.com/shows/bargain-mansions
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Find episode transcript here: https://hgtv-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/designing-with-kids-in-mind-with-jennifer-todryk-tamara-day
[MUSIC PLAYING] MARIANNE CANADA: Hello and welcome to HGTV Obsessed, your podcast for all things HGTV. Today's episode is a personal fave because we are talking to two HGTV stars, all about designing with kids in mind. I mean, I've got two of them and they leave their mark, let's just say that. What they take into consideration when approaching spaces with kids and how they create lived-in, functional spaces that are still stylish and elevated. Yes, it can be done. You do not have to have your house decorated by Fisher Price.
We have got the secrets for you today. I'm talking with Jennifer Todryk, a.k.a. The Rambling Redhead. I mean, we have a legit superstar influencer on the podcast today. Jen is also the host and designer of the brand new HGTV show, No Demo Reno. She shares how she went from being a mommy and lifestyle blogger to having her own show. And how she manages to maintain a white couch with three kids and a puppy. She might be a very powerful witch, we're going to find out today. And then I'm chatting with the lovely designer and host of Bargain Mansions, Tamara Day, about her time on Home Town Takeover and her signature laid-back luxe style.
We also get into the LED light trend that is apparently all the rage with the teens these days. It's tough out there, guys. I'm your host, Marianne Canada, executive producer and hgtv.com lifestyle expert. And when I'm not watching HGTV, you can find me making crafty videos for HGTV Handmade, gardening, cooking, or being a mom of two myself. I mean, I've got two kids and two dogs. We go through some stain remover in this house.
BRAD: Marianne, producer Brad here. It's that time every episode where I chime in and become the voice of the people, and ask you--
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS]
BRAD: And ask you the questions that everybody wants to know.
MARIANNE CANADA: The people-- what do the people want to know, Brad?
BRAD: Well, we want to know about your design style and your decisions. Do they change once you had kids, or did they stay the same?
MARIANNE CANADA: You know what? That's a good question. And my kids are a little older, like we're out of that toddler phase where they're just messier, they're more destructive, they make a mess when they eat. They're 8 and 12 now. I have to say though, I've always been really concerned with having a home that feels really comfortable, and like you can live in the entire house. I'm just not really one for having a living room that no one's allowed to sit on, or furniture that you're not allowed to sit on. I just really want the house to feel comfortable. And I really want it to look good. But I do think it's possible to do both.
So I would say that the only thing that really changed is, I maybe put some things out of reach if they were breakable. That's what the top of the bookshelf is for. I will say, I really lucked out though. My kids, neither of my kids' were really destructive. I mean, Hugo got a hold of a red crayon and drew on the wall once. But for the most part, we never had any real disasters. I have a friend who their kids took some scissors to their couch, like to the upholstery. And I mean, that is just-- you can't come back from that, that is-- you're getting it recovered or you're getting a new couch. I mean, so--
BRAD: I'm speechless. I mean, I've heard horror stories about people's children too. My kids are pretty good. I mean, I've got two boys, so they are just messy. They're really messy. They have a hard time putting away their toys, but they're not destructive. But they also only want to decorate their room with pictures that they draw.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, but see, that's great. I love that.
BRAD: It's actually adorable. And they like to-- they want to copy my comic book frames. And so now, they draw pictures, and then they make-- they cut out frames and put them on their wall. And it's--
MARIANNE CANADA: Brad.
BRAD: It's adorable.
MARIANNE CANADA: That's the cutest thing I've ever heard. That is the goal. I mean, your kids want to decorate their room, and they want to do it themselves. I love that. I love to really encourage kids to be creative, and I think the best way to validate their artistic aspirations is to hang it on the wall. I mean, my kids are the exact same. That's so sweet. I will say, if you guys ever do have questions or you just want to follow along with my chaotically, beautiful life-- there, that's the thing-- you guys can follow me on Instagram, at Marianne Canada, if you want to follow along with this journey. Right now, it's a lot of flowers. So if you're into that, you know where to find me.
All right. Well, someone who is no stranger to kid-friendly design solutions is our first guest, Jennifer Todryk. And I cannot wait for you all to get to know this new HGTV star a bit more. So here's my conversation with Jen.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Jen Todryk, we are so excited to have you. Welcome to HGTV Obsessed.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Oh, thank you for having me. This is so fun. I'm excited.
MARIANNE CANADA: This is your first ever podcast appearance, I'm so honored.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah, first ever. So, I'm really excited. This is the first time.
MARIANNE CANADA: We're thrilled. And I mean, I won't lie. You are a busy woman. We are so excited we finally got you on the podcast just in time to celebrate the end of the first season of your new HGTV show, which we're going to talk all about that.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah.
MARIANNE CANADA: But I mean, seriously, how crazy is your life right now?
JENNIFER TODRYK: I mean, I'm doing these crazy opportunities that are a once in a lifetime thing. But also, yesterday, I forgot to send my kids to school with water bottles and we have to run back up to school and give it to them. Just trying to juggle a lot. But yeah, the opportunities are pretty crazy.
MARIANNE CANADA: I sympathize. I'm a mom of two, full-time working mother. I always say, you may drop some balls, just try not to drop the eggs.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Oh, I love that. That is so dang true. You can drop all the ball's in the world, but please do not drop the baby chickens. That is 100% accurate.
MARIANNE CANADA: Exactly. The balls will bounce. So Jen, as I mentioned, you're the designer and host of the new HGTV show, No Demo Reno, which everyone is just obsessed with. So, for those who haven't had a chance to tune in, can you tell us a little bit about the show?
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah. The show is HGTV, we're renovating homes. No shocker there. But basically, I think what makes it different is we have more, I want to say, realistic budgets, because I'm not trying to say the others aren't realistic, but I mean, lower budgets, which it's still a good chunk I think. I mean, we're working with 30 to $50,000. A ton of money, but they're trying to get multiple rooms for that amount, which you could easily drop 40k on a kitchen. And it could happen 24 hours. And it really goes really quick, right? Just for new cabinets and all that. So we're trying to get the most out of our dollar for my client.
And it comes with a lot of reusing things that we have, if we can. And while the name is No Demo Reno, we do a little demo. The whole premise is basically nothing that requires a permit or heavy demolition. We're really trying to work with what we have. So me, air quotes, removing a wall is really just like chopping it in half, so we can make it into an island and make it a better space in the middle of the kitchen or whatnot. Pretty much the premise is getting the most we can just like any high-end renovation, but spending less and not touching the surrounding walls, we're trying to use the existing floor print.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. And I love it too, because I mean, as fun as it is to see somebody come in with the sledge hammer and knock out all those cabinets and bust up a perfectly-- it may not be your style, but a perfectly good countertop, it's so refreshing to see you be like, no, no, no, remove this very carefully because we're actually going to reuse it over here to make this entertainment unit. It's so inspiring. And you really have this, you use every part. You will even sell pieces on Facebook Marketplace or eBay to recoup the cost. Where did this no waste attitude come from, where you try to maximize what you've got?
JENNIFER TODRYK: Well, it matches who I am and my husband is as well. We're pretty frugal. So the idea came with just how what's not being done, and pretty much just not coming in with $150,000 is it right now. And the big thing that's been the last 10 years is open concept, right? Everyone wants to remove all the dang walls in their home and people love that. And I've had that and that's great. But a lot of people don't have the funds, and they shouldn't, because you don't want to spend 150,000 into a home that maybe you won't recoup that. And that's a whole other conversation, so you don't want to do that. And so basically, we're teaching people how to love most concept and how we can make it feel bigger just from an aesthetic point of view. And it's less money that way.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. I mean, that's-- it's so true. And less going into the landfills. I mean, it's so smart. It's not enough to host your own show on HGTV, you're also the author and person behind The Rambling Redhead, which is your personal brand and blog. You've got a huge following. How did you go from blogging about parenting and motherhood to redesigning and renovating homes for HGTV?
JENNIFER TODRYK: Girl, you tell me. [LAUGHTER] I don't know. I really don't know. No. I mean, the real answer is this production company was like, we're seeing your home, we're seeing what you just did. I had just renovated my own house, so I had before and after pictures. They were like, "Would you feel comfortable doing this for other people?" And I was like, "Heck yeah, I've done it for like family and friends. But I'm a stay at home mom, but heck yeah, I can design, I can do this."
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. It's one of the rare times in HGTV history where someone gets to actually see the process of filming a show and how you share that with your fan base is having your own show, anything like what you expected.
JENNIFER TODRYK: It's hard. Filming, the industry is hard. And don't get me wrong, I didn't think it was going to be a piece of cake, I'm not naive, but I mean, it's really hard to not only do the designing, which I do, and with season one nothing is ever staffed what should be, right? You don't have help, so I'd be designing at 11:00 PM, looking for inspo pictures to show someone to help me shop like, I need five tiles that are this white, oblong. So you're trying to do things, but I'm also trying to make my kids do homework. And then in the middle of COVID, that probably added a ton of pressure that normally isn't there. But yeah, I mean, I took on a second full-time job if you think about it because I treat my Instagram platform as a full-time job as far as just showing up, and that's how I grew.
MARIANNE CANADA: It is a grueling amount of work. I think a lot of people have a misconception that HGTV stars just like rolling on set and pretend to paint, and then don't go to some fictional trailer. But no, everyone I know, everyone I have met, they are doing the work. And there's no time to make sure your hair and makeup looks good, you're just--
JENNIFER TODRYK: Oh, no. I look at some of the episodes and I'm like, "Oh, my gosh, Jen, care. You've got to care about your makeup in between takes or homes." And I just wouldn't. We were sweating in 180 degree weather and I'm like, "No girl, put on some setting spray."
MARIANNE CANADA: No, you look great. I do think it's really refreshing. It's nice to see people who really look like they're in there doing the work. And I know, a little bird told me that you're actually good friends with Mina Starsiak from Good Bones. Didn't Mina to give you any insider advice about having a show on HGTV?
JENNIFER TODRYK: I mean, I can't tell you our secret, come on.
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS] Dang.
JENNIFER TODRYK: No, no, she was awesome, she reached out. Apparently, she had been following along when I posted that we got a pilot. And I don't know how I saw her message, but I just randomly did. And she was like, "Hey girl, I'm so happy for you and your show." Again, I had no idea who this lady was, and so the redhead. She was like, "I know so much more in season five than I do in season one, feel free to always reach out." And I mean, we just FaceTime for 3 and 1/2 hours four days ago, so yeah, we're really close. And of course, it's great to have someone on the talent side to be like, "Yep, that's normal", or "No, that's not."
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, I love that. And as if you didn't have enough going on in this past year. You also moved into a new home and did renovations. How was it? Because this is something that I struggle with-- to flip the script and be the client.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Honestly, I felt like I didn't give my house my all because I was giving it to 20 other people at the exact same time. Because we were renovating my house when I started shooting, it was a mess. It was so stressful. My contractor probably wanted to kill me because I was the worst client as far as not responding back quickly because I was working or shooting. You would say that was stressful, but it needed to happen, so I definitely don't regret any of that.
MARIANNE CANADA: It is so interesting. You always take care of yourself last in that situation, always. And then on top of it all, you and your husband also bought a coffee shop in North Dallas.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah, we have a coffee shop in Allen named Armor Coffee. And my husband takes the majority of that work. I just have fun talking about it and drinking the coffee every day and promoting it, and having fun with social events. All the fun stuff, all the foofoo stuff.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, that's good.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah. Mike's in the weeds, so he's the one who's doing all that executive work and business making. And he's just been awesome at that.
MARIANNE CANADA: I imagine you are drinking a lot of coffee these days. I have to ask, what's your go to coffee order?
JENNIFER TODRYK: We make a latte, a honey vanilla latte and I put it with oat milk, and it's so dang good. I drink it every single day. That's my first cup. And then my second cup, I usually get a cookie butter latte on ice for the afternoon.
MARIANNE CANADA: OK, this sounds incredible.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah, both are very good. I drink a lot of coffee, we both do, for sure.
MARIANNE CANADA: You have to. Well, Jen, a lot of what we're talking about in this episode is how you juggle kids with design, which I think is something that a lot of parents struggle with because on top of the show, on top of being an influencer, on top of owning a small business, you're married with three kids, and you make your crazy parenting life part of your presence on social media. So, I would really love to talk to you about designing with kids in mind. What considerations should someone think about when they're trying to make a space work for kids?
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah. I would say, realistic expectations is so big. Just know your kids. And if-- I have an ER child, my middle child, she's the one that will forever go to the ER over everybody else. She's just clumsy, God love her, and full of joy. And so, she's just constantly skipping through life. So she's my one that when I'm doing her room, I might not hang a shelf right above her bed because she might bump it, or just little things like that. So obviously, that's common sense, but know your kids. My kids have been I want to say trained, but kind of. They don't touch my home decor. I just left out in that sense, not too much. So I have home decor all over the place.
But if you know your kids, they're just not getting it, and they literally want to make LEGOs out of your vases for everything, it's just a season and it's not going to be like that forever. And know your kids, as far as anything with decorating, design, and it should never be stressful at all.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, it's so true. I mean, just like with adults, design is not one size fits all. You have to take that into account. I also have kids that just, they're not destructive, I don't-- I mean, knock on wood, I just lucked out, but I have friends with very different children. And I mean, that is interesting, because I literally was going to say like, I follow you on Instagram and I know you have a white couch, that's a brave move, my friend.
JENNIFER TODRYK: No. That was a dumb move. It was a dumb move. Honestly though, my couch stayed really clean before Gary, our golden retriever.
MARIANNE CANADA: I literally was like, can we talk about Gary because I have two big dogs.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Oh, my gosh, we just bought Gary and he's destroying every nice thing we have. And we don't have too many super expensive things, and the couch really wasn't at all. It's a couch, it's an expensive piece in relative of everything else. But luckily, we have slipcovers, so I can take it off and wash them. But no, my kids, we just don't take food out of the kitchen, that's just a rule I'm really big on. And so, we'll get the occasional pizza sauce was on their shorts and it brushed up, but nothing huge that a little tied pen or a wipe won't take care of.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, everybody acts like kids are going to destroy your house, but nothing really messes up your house like dogs. And I love my dogs.
JENNIFER TODRYK: No, we scream Gary at least in a negative context at least 30 times a day. I mean, he's just a nut. And he's barely four months old and he's huge. He's massive, he falls all over the place, bumps into things.
MARIANNE CANADA: He is so cute though. And you can follow him on Instagram at Gary Todryk.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Please follow along Gary at Gary Todryk in Instagram. I know, I was like, I'm going to make it for the dog.
MARIANNE CANADA: It's so funny. I do want to-- do you have any durable or performance fabrics that you love? You mentioned the slipcover. Are there fabrics that you find are easier to keep clean?
JENNIFER TODRYK: Burlap. I think we should wrap everything we have in burlap, and I think it'll be really great. Just constantly wrapping burlap everything. Burlap socks. That'll be horrible.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my God, it's like a punishment. It's like taking farmhouse to the next, next--
JENNIFER TODRYK: Burlap underpants. Just everything--
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, God. [LAUGHS]
JENNIFER TODRYK: No, I'm just kidding. Burlap everything.
MARIANNE CANADA: So much chafing.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yeah, it's awful. Getting a little-- Sorry, we'll go back, we'll backrack.
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS]
JENNIFER TODRYK: Technically, no, I don't. I feel like I should have a really professional answer about some kind of fabric. I mean, anything that has like a tweed, like a weave with a couple of different colors of the breads is so forgiving because it's not a solid cotton or whatever. So if you get a couch with tans and creams and stuff woven towards I think it's like a tweed, it's like that is so much more forgiving. But other than that, nah, just go dark gray until your kids are out of the house. That's my-- dark gray.
MARIANNE CANADA: Well, speaking of-- speaking of gray and beige and the colors that are chic right now, a lot of kids stuff-- high chair, the toys they want-- not the toys you buy for them, the beautiful wooden toys, but the toys they actually want seem to only come in like bright primary colors. Do you have any thoughts on kids items that are visually beautiful or do you just put it all behind closed doors?
JENNIFER TODRYK: No. I just use what we got. I just feel like I know it's probably unpopular in the designer realm, but I'm like, I'm not about to buy all these wooden toys just for looks. So this looks nice, we are not-- I'm trying to not over buy toys just in general. I say with a playroom, I just own the bold colors and I try to bring in nice furniture pieces. I have a few really nice wooden bookshelves that we just had left over from Mike's office in the last house, so I brought them in the room and I love the way they look. And then we put brick on the walls. So I just amped up the industrial look, a more mature vibe of the room. But no, I just use their toys like, own the bright colors.
We have a closet that's really organized, but I'm about to decorate some of the open shelves with the toys they have because why wouldn't I?
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, exactly. And there are only kids for so long. It really is over-- it is a season to your point. What about your kids rooms? I'm curious if you have an approach to decorating kids rooms. I know you're in your son's room right now. And making them work through the many phases without-- I really respect people who fully redecorate their children's rooms every three years, but that is just like, I don't have time. It's also just not where I want to put my budget. So do you have any thoughts on making a room that works for years?
JENNIFER TODRYK: I feel like I'm just getting there and I am passionate about letting your kids own their spaces, that's just my personal opinion. I never did the cutesy nursery themes. And I really stayed with those raw woods, blacks, hunter green, any taupe color. I really kept it more mature. In that way, it could last them. My son just got a new room and he's eight. And he's had the same theme throughout his whole nursery which is just like Americana, just like his old room. Maybe pick a more mature color palette. And then that way you can change out only the decor every-- even if you wanted to do it every year or two years, you're just getting new decor, but you're keeping the paint color the same, or maybe you're only repainting one wall for an accent wall, and building upon what you started. So that's what I would do.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. I think that's really smart. All right, before we let you go, I wanted to have you weigh-in in one of our favorite segments called Defend the Trend.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Oh, OK, let's do this.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I'm afraid I'm going to say something that's going to get me in trouble. Is it like unpopular opinion?
MARIANNE CANADA: No, no, no, it's literally just give us your thoughts. There's no wrong answers because people land on both sides of every one of these trends. So this week, since we're talking about juggling kids, and dogs, and work, and contractors, we are talking about washable rugs.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Oh, OK. I have two.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, well, there you go. These washable rugs, they're all the rage right now and it's easy to understand why. So, I'd love to hear. Are you a fan of folding it up and throwing it in the wash, or would you rather stick to just spot cleaning a traditional rug?
JENNIFER TODRYK: Who would pick the second option? Just wondering. Yes, I love throwing that bad boy in the washing machine. And it's like a big sticker. I just stick it back to the bottom of it. I've already had to do it 3 times, and I haven't even really had it that long. So, yeah, I'm a fan of it, personally. And it's the only way I'd be-- I don't have one under my kitchen table, but it's because we don't really eat there we eat at our island-- that's the only way I could be able to have a rug. And I love the look of a rug underneath the kitchen table, is if it was washable. Because other than that, what's the point with kids?
MARIANNE CANADA: No, this is an ongoing discussion between my husband and I, because I also love-- from a design standpoint-- I love how it looks to have a big rug under your dining table, and he's just-- And we do eat at our dining table. And he's like every raspberry, you would just be losing your mind. So you're definitely right there. I am very much like a traditional rug person. But I have to say, every single person that I talked to about these is really starting to win me over. And maybe that would be the compromise with my husband.
JENNIFER TODRYK: And my thing is you could still clean at your traditional way and just spot clean it until it gets-- but the great thing is it's like this massive safety net of like, once there's a really bad stain or it just looks gross, you don't have to take it anywhere, just toss in the washing machine. And I air dry mine. I throw it out on my patio, super simple.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. It's so smart. Because I will say, we got some rugs professionally cleaned and it was hundreds of dollars. I was horrified.
JENNIFER TODRYK: That's why you can find cheaper rugs that aren't washable, 100%, but it makes up so much money back if you really think about it, if you can just wash it every time you have something on it.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. I have to say, you've won me over. Jen, this was just such a pleasure. I would love for you to tell everyone where we can follow you on social media to see all of your wild and entertaining life, and where we can watch No Demo Reno on HGTV.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Sweet. Well, No Demo Reno is on HGTV. No, I'm just kidding. At 7:00 PM central time. I do everything Texas time, because I'm in Texas. 7:00 PM central time on Thursday nights or on Discovery Plus. And then I am on Instagram primarily, at The Rambling Redhead, every single day, we do stories there. And then also on Facebook. I just have it linked through there. So The Rambling Redhead on pretty much everywhere, Facebook and Instagram. I don't do Twitter. I tried TikTok for a hot minute and realized I felt like I was 92 on TikTok, so we're going to stick to what we know, which is Instagram and Facebook.
MARIANNE CANADA: Sometimes you just have to pick your lane, and I think you have found a good spot, you have.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Well, thank you. Yes.
MARIANNE CANADA: Thank you so much. I hope that we can have you back on again soon.
JENNIFER TODRYK: Yes, I would love that. Love it. Thank you for having me, so much.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MARIANNE CANADA: OK. I have to say, that made me-- I don't know. I don't have a washable rug. They're all the rage with my friends and coworkers right now. I just, I feel like they don't look like a real rug, it looks like it's printed onto the fabric. I just think I'm a real rug person. I will say, if you have kids, if you pets, I have this Bissell spot cleaner. It's a rug and upholstery cleaner, and it gets out everything. And we've had dogs get sick, we've had really, really gross things that we've had to get out of rugs and upholstery, and it comes right up. So as long as that is working for me, I'm going to stick with my traditional rugs. But people are winning me over.
Anyway, our next guest just so happens, has some thoughts on washable rugs as well-- as she should. She is a mother of four, the host of Bargain Mansions on HGTV, and most recently, showed up on Home Town Takeover. So here's my chat with Tamara Day.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right. Tamara, welcome to the podcast.
TAMARA DAY: Oh, thank you. I'm so excited to be here.
MARIANNE CANADA: Well, we're thrilled to have you here. So before we got on with you, we were actually just talking about washable rugs. All of these-- they're very popular on social media. Do you have any hot takes on washable rugs?
TAMARA DAY: Well, I've actually used them before, they're awesome. They're very thin. I think people don't know what they're getting before they've ordered one, but I think they're really awesome. Under a kitchen table-- I mean, if you have kids like mine, you can't put a regular rug under a kitchen table.
MARIANNE CANADA: That is exactly what Jen Todryk said. She's like, "It's the only way you can put a rug under a dining table with kids." So that's so funny, you guys are definitely on the same page. So Tamara, you are the host of Bargain Mansions on HGTV, which is such a fun show where you buy and renovate these large, large homes that maybe have seen better days in and around Kansas City. And what I love is that you started with your own. What have you learned since your first Bargain Mansion?
TAMARA DAY: Oh, my gosh. I've learned so many things. I had trial and error, I've been successful at some and not so successful at others. My first renovation of our big house-- it's still in progress, right? It's like one of those things. I do these houses on the show and my kids are always like, "Well mom, why doesn't our house look like this?" I'm like, "Because I don't have time for ours."
MARIANNE CANADA: This is another recurring theme in this episode. All about these hard working moms. That's really funny.
TAMARA DAY: So, it's like one of those things. We started at 12 years ago, during the economic downturn. When '08 happened and the world collapsed. We had three little babies and we were in the middle of construction of almost 6,000 square feet, and had to make hard decisions. We were going to gut the whole thing. It had been foreclosed three times, three different families.
MARIANNE CANADA: Wow.
TAMARA DAY: And was just trashed. I mean, dirty diapers left on the floor. There's so many pictures of just a massive amount of junk that they left in the house. And they left it to squatters, so it had been beaten up like bats to the walls. Just bad. And we started in on it, and halfway through the world collapsed and it became incredibly scary. And so, my husband just kept working his day job, I put a baby in a Bjorn and got to work and just started doing it. So we cut things like the windows and the siding, we're like, "They're there, they'll work. Let's just get what we have to to live here."
MARIANNE CANADA: You really learn what to prioritize.
TAMARA DAY: Yes. He was like, "This is how much we have, that's all we're doing, make it work somehow." I carried every hardwood floor, every piece of hardwood in our main floor. I carried every one of those in off the truck myself, because I didn't want to pay somebody to do it. I sanded every inch of wood work myself. It was a labor of love, and I still love all of those things that I did. It makes me feel good. I'm like, "I did that, I learned something. I did it the hard way, but we got it done." And now finally, we're in a place that-- OK, we can do the windows and the siding. And get it done.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. I think that's a really important lesson though. I think people watch these shows on HGTV sometimes and they think they have to do everything at once. And you don't. Even our own HGTV talent, you prioritize, you take your time. Let's prioritize getting rid of the dirty diapers and patching the holes in the wall, but these windows are fine.
TAMARA DAY: Exactly. Exactly.
MARIANNE CANADA: And something else I love about your show is that you work with your dad, Ward. And I heard that he really brought you up to be very handy. Tell me a little bit about that. Because my dad has a lot of great skills, but I did not get any of my DIY skills from him.
TAMARA DAY: So you must have been a better kid than I was, because every time I get in trouble, I'd get a job. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS] Well, I don't know about that.
TAMARA DAY: But we grew up on a farm and my dad grew up on a farm, so it wasn't a mentality of hire somebody to fix it, right? It was like, figure it out. And my dad was really great about we'll figure it out. And if I broke it, I had to figure that out, right? There was no safety net except for him. I remember when he made me change the tires. He wanted me to learn how to rotate my own tires on my giant Oldsmobile Delta 88 back in high school. And I had to rotate him, but I weighed 90 pounds and could barely [INAUDIBLE]. And so I was jumping on the tire iron and I broke the bolt, because I just, I wasn't strong enough, I couldn't do it. And I broke the bolt. He never made me do that again. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: That's a little lesson for him.
TAMARA DAY: Exactly. So that was one of those things like, it broke it, that was not fixable except for with a whole new wheel, so he learned that lesson. So I learned a lot in those sorts of situations where we just had to figure out how to get it done. Like dry walling is still the bane of my existence. I just really hate to drywall, because that was one of his regular chores. Whether it was in our own house or he owned a lot of buildings, he'd be like, "OK, your Saturday is dry walling." And I remember thinking, this putty knife is awful, I can do a better job with my hands. I just putted with my hands and he came, he's like, "What are you doing?" I was like, "This seems a lot better, I'm really getting it in there."
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS] It's like, we were going to have to sand all of this, start over. Oh, my gosh.
TAMARA DAY: It's those trial and errors as a kid that made me appreciate the process. And it made me-- I was the one that had to stand it, not him, so I learned through those moments of thinking I've figured it out a better way and making it work. And so, I've learned to appreciate professionals a lot. And I've also learned to learn from the professionals instead of just going on it on my own.
MARIANNE CANADA: Well, and now, you're a mom do you do the same thing? Do you make sure your kids are learning these skills?
TAMARA DAY: Absolutely, every day. It's all kinds of skills, right? It's just life, and figuring it out. My dad lives in our neighborhood, and he pays the boys to come and work. Right now, their power washing his patio and filling it in with polymeric sand. So they're learning what that is and what that process looks like. And he's going to build a deck this summer, and they're going to help him on that. And I've had I'm working on some of my houses as cleanup crew. They come in a couple hours a day at the end of the day. And they're in charge of sweeping the floors and cleaning up the debris. Figuring out what's salvageable, what's just trash. And just a good day's work is a good day's work.
MARIANNE CANADA: I mean, it's so true. This is really inspiring me. I'm thinking I need to level up beyond just like keep the LEGOs off the floor with my kids. That's my number one.
TAMARA DAY: You're all good. You're all good.
MARIANNE CANADA: I am. I know I will miss that when it's gone, but right now we are in it with LEGO.
TAMARA DAY: You'll never miss not stepping on a LEGO. That will be something you'll be happy that is over.
MARIANNE CANADA: Never, never, never. So I want to talk a little bit more about Bargain Mansions, because that's such an oxymoron, right? The idea of a Bargain Mansion, but it ties in so well with your personal style, which you've described as laid-back luxe. How did you land there? And what are some key elements of this style that you incorporate time and time again?
TAMARA DAY: I think you nailed it. Laid-back luxe is definitely my brand aesthetic. It's that whole concept of, I'm a mom of four kids, I like pretty things, I like nice things. But there's a limit, right? You can't have everything be absolutely luxe and still live in your home with four kids. And so, I want our house to feel like someplace the kids want to be, their friends want to be, it's comfortable, but I still want it to look beautiful when my friends come over. And so, finding that perfect balance of the laid-back and the luxe is really the sweet spot for me. And making it feel like a home is everything. And I think that's the same with the Bargain Mansions.
A bargain to you and I might be a completely different thing to Bill Gates, right? Bargain is subjective. It all is in the eye of the beholder. And the same with the mansion. Your home is your mansion. And so, it really doesn't have to be a massive, palatial space. It can be anything that you think is a mansion. So a bargain and a mansion goes perfectly with that laid-back luxe concept.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, I love that. And the whole idea of laid-back luxe is perfect for this episode because we're talking all about design with kids in mind. And we're talking to Jen Todryk, we're talking to you, we're talking to working moms who are juggling a lot. As a mom of four, how do you approach your spaces so they are functional but still stylish? It's constantly that tug of war.
TAMARA DAY: Right. Well, I mean, I think it all comes down to durability at the end of the day, right? Picking things that are durable. And having rugs that make sense, right? Under your kitchen table. You're not going to put a vintage, beautiful hand-knotted rug because you've got four kids, and that's going to make a mess. You're going to ruin it. You're just going to be angry. Let's make yourself happy at home, not frustrated and stressed. And so, finding that perfect balance where you put the beautiful rug in the living room or in your bedroom where the food is not supposed to be. Not saying it doesn't ever get there, but-- [LAUGHTER].
And then, in choosing fabrics that make sense. Our couch in our main living room is a cotton velvet, so it has lots of movement in the fabric and it really-- you can't tell that somebody spilt yogurt down the side of it, because it just scuffs up, and it's a little bit white there and a little bit blue there, and you just don't see it. And finding those types of materials that really complement your life and how you're going to live in the spaces is the number one key.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, I think it's really important that people cut themselves some slack and set themselves up for success. If you know what kind of life you have and you know the stage of life you're in right now with your kids, just set yourself up for success. There will be a time and a place for the vision you may have for your living space. And like we just said, and then you'll miss it, you'll miss the chaos and you'll miss the little yogurt handprints. That's a lie, I will never miss the yogurt handprints.
TAMARA DAY: Well, let me just tell you, they never go away. [LAUGHTER] I can tell you, my teenage boys are just as messy as my toddler boys were, if not worse.
MARIANNE CANADA: And they're just bigger.
TAMARA DAY: They are much larger and the messes are much larger too. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my gosh. So I'm also one of four, so I always love to talk to people with lots of kids and big families. When it comes to your kid's different personalities, how do you tend to their personalities in their own spaces? How do you let them express themselves, but still keep it somewhat within your aesthetic? Or do you? Do you just like, it's behind closed doors, do your thing?
TAMARA DAY: Well, there's this thing called LED lights that are [INAUDIBLE] thing.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh my god, Tamara, I almost said. I am in this battle with my 12-year-old over these LED lights that I just-- they give me a headache, they're like three different kinds. Every time I go in there, I literally close my eyes. And I'm like, "Can you just turn them off, so I can talk to you?" [LAUGHTER]
TAMARA DAY: I may or may not have had that same conversation in all three of my boys rooms. It's so bad. And I pull up at night, and they just-- it's like on the outside of the street, you pull up to the house and their rooms are just like glowing red and you're like, "What is happening?"
MARIANNE CANADA: It looks like an alien abduction is happening. I'm glad I'm not alone. This is literally the argument we are having right now.
TAMARA DAY: Yeah, we have it. I've given up. I just stopped, because they all three want them, and it's like, they've spent their own allowance on this, it's their thing. And we just went through this, we have-- everybody has their own room, and the very first thing all three of them did was put up their LED lights. It was-- I was like, "Really?" I just painted all these rooms like, can we just leave them looking good for a hot minute.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my God. That's the real challenge. I want to see-- that's the skill I want to see. I want to see a designer make those look chic, because the struggle is real.
TAMARA DAY: You have challenged me because I'm going to have to think on that a lot, because I just gave up, I didn't even try. They just want to line the whole perimeter of every corner, and the ceiling, and the floor, and up the walls. I'm like--
MARIANNE CANADA: I feel like I'm living in a video game, it's insane.
TAMARA DAY: Yes, that's exactly it.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my God, I feel like we really-- this could just be, the whole episode could be Marianne and Tamara talk about LED lights. [LAUGHS] You are such a busy woman right now. I mean, you were just a judge on Rock the Block. The basement episode of Rock the Block, I think was my favorite. And now, we're getting to see your skills in action on Home Town Takeover. Where you're joining up with the Napiers-- who we just had on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, and just adore. And you and Steve Ford make over the Main Street of Wetumpka. I mean, this is just-- Was this the biggest project you have taken on?
TAMARA DAY: Who takes on a whole Main Street? That's insane.
MARIANNE CANADA: That's what I'm saying.
TAMARA DAY: I just-- I still am like, how did we do that. And somehow, we laughed through the entire thing. It was so much fun.
MARIANNE CANADA: Well, Steve Ford, how can you not just laugh all the time.
TAMARA DAY: Yeah, he's so amazing. We had such a fun time. And I mean, it never felt like work. It was so much fun. And the community came together in such a beautiful way. And Ben and Aaron picked the perfect town, right? These people really cared and they love their community. And it's already a beautiful space, right? The whole town has this charming vibe about it, it just is a little dated it needs a little help. And I think it turned out so amazing. And I've watched the first couple of episodes, cried my eyes out, it's so touching what huge change is happening for this town. And I think it's amazing. And I just am amazed at how much we got done, but how much they accomplished over the entire course of everything is truly miraculous.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, I have to say, seeing all of those storefronts painted. The perfectly coordinating colors and the lights strung over the street, I was just like-- truly, I don't consider myself that much of a softie, but I have teared up in every episode that I've seen, it's just so sweet. How long how long were you there? And what did you enjoy most about your time in Wetumpka?
TAMARA DAY: I was there for a few days, and we just sunup to sundown, literally, we were working, working, working. What did I enjoy most? Oh, my gosh. I don't know that I could pinpoint one thing. I mean, I got to eat a lot of really great barbecue, so that was pretty fun. And being from Kansas City, that's our jam. So, I got to try their barbecue and it was almost as good as here. [LAUGHTER]
MARIANNE CANADA: I'm not even touching the barbecue thing. I mean, I live in Tennessee, that's a whole different thing.
TAMARA DAY: It is, yeah. Every place has their own jam, so it's fun to do the food trucks and try that. And they had some funky food, it was really cool to try. And I'm a foodie, so that was really fun for me. And then just seeing that whole downtown. I mean, I grew up in a smaller town. My grandparents were in small town, so my whole life revolved around really tight knit communities and those small downtowns that have disappeared. And I remember as a kid, my mom's parents lived in Dodge City, like the Wild West. And they had this charming downtown street right next to the Boot Hill strip, and it was an event to get to go to.
And now, it's practically empty and it's junked down. And it has so much potential, and I mean-- oh, my gosh, I would love to see something like this happen in that community. And so being there to see Wetumpka transformed just made me feel like there's hope for all of these small towns, and felt really personal to me.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, it's so special. I mean, it's so personal. And everyone comes from somewhere, right?
TAMARA DAY: It's so true. [LAUGHTER]
MARIANNE CANADA: I mean, a lot of people are born in big cities. But yeah, I do think it's so special to see these small towns get another chance, right?
TAMARA DAY: Exactly, exactly Well, and it improves so many lives, right? It's not just the giant, big-box stores. It's every one of those storefronts that we cleaned up means another small business is starting or upgrading, and building more in their lives. So you're not just helping a town, but you're helping these small businesses get a foothold in their world and you're changing families.
MARIANNE CANADA: Let's just see it, I'm going to get all emotional again. So, like you aren't busy enough with everything you're doing on HGTV and with your four kids and everything, you're also-- I have to talk about this because this really speaks to my crafty DIY side-- you have a specialty in sourcing second hand, thrifted furniture and giving it a new life. We love a good upcycle here at HGTV. What are some of your favorite pieces that you've upcycled?
TAMARA DAY: Oh, gosh. Well, my favorite piece is still the first one I ever did, right? It was when we had just moved into our giant renovation and had no budget for anything. And so, I couldn't go buy new stuff. And I went to this estate sale in a big, gorgeous house. And I took my three boys. And they had this beautiful secretary in the garage, and it was dingy. And they wanted 100 bucks, I was like, "That is too much, I can't spend $100 on it." And so I came back the next day, and it was 50 bucks. I was like, "Oh, but what if I mess it up?" I've never painted anything. And so, I was like, "I'll just come back tomorrow. If it's still here tomorrow, it'll be $25 and I'll get it."
And so, I got there first thing with my boys and I'm very thankful they're very cute little boys, and they're very sweet little boys too. And they had buttered up those girls at the front cash wrap and they were hungry. One of the first days, and they were like, "Do you have any snacks?" And they gave them a granola bar and that came in really handy on Saturday morning when somebody else wanted that secretary. And they remembered me and my boys, and gave me-- I won, I got the Secretary, even though she was like, "I was here first", I was like, "No, I was here first." [LAUGHTER]
MARIANNE CANADA: I was here two days ago.
TAMARA DAY: I've been here every day stalking this thing, it's mine. [LAUGHS] And so I brought that home and finished it, painted it black and put it in my bedroom. And then I wish that I could say that I still had it, or even had a decent picture of it, but in some-- I can't remember exactly how it happened-- in some way, shape, or form, a kid's shoe went through the face of the glass and shattered the whole door. And so, it's gone buh-bye since, but that must have been like a wrestling match between the boys at some point. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my gosh. I mean, kids can't be hard on.
TAMARA DAY: Yeah, that's life, right? That's life with kids. You never get to keep anything perfect or precious, laid-back is the way to go.
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, you have to be able to live in your house, that's for sure.
TAMARA DAY: Exactly.
MARIANNE CANADA: Well, I love that. I have a vintage refrigerator downstairs in our basement that I painted pink. All of these retro style fridges are so popular now, but they're so expensive. And so, I found one, an actual old fridge on Facebook Marketplace for $50 and just painted it pink, it's adorable.
TAMARA DAY: It still works?
MARIANNE CANADA: It works. And we have to defrost it every month though, I feel like Donna Reed. And they are like, time to defrost the refrigerator. But we only use it for-- we use it for drinks.
TAMARA DAY: Sure. Well, you're speaking my love language when you're talking pink, that's my color. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: I love that, I do. You got to have a little something, like a little pop a black and some pink in every room.
TAMARA DAY: I couldn't agree more. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah. Well, and something I also find so interesting about you is you do you have this love for second hand for vintage, for thrifted, but you also, you really embrace smart tech in your renovations. It's such a nice combination. So before we let you go, I would love to hear some of your favorite home gadgets that maybe make life a little easier as such a busy working mom, four kids. Really, I just-- I'm just going to start making a shopping list.
TAMARA DAY: Well, OK. So with four kids and four teenage boys-- I mean, everybody knows about this-- but the ring system is one of my greatest things in my house, because I know who's coming and who's going, and which teenage boys have left at a decent hour and which ones have not, or which ones have shown up in the middle of the night. [LAUGHS] And so, I can really keep tabs on the kids is what I really worry about the most is, I know they're sneaking in or out of that back door and I can keep an eye on it. So that's top of my list. But one of my favorite things that is a game changer in my bedroom is remote controlled drapery. I mean to tell you, that was life-changing in my world for so many reasons, but like room darkening.
And I have a big bay window and a table in front of it, so it was always such a pain to shut those drapes. And because you're reach, you had to move furniture around to really get them up and down and make it still look nice. So most of the time, they just stayed down. And so now, the first thing I do is push that button and all the windows all through the bay and both the other windows just open up like Christmas morning. It's literally like the heaven's part when I push that button every morning and the sun shines in, and it's just happy. It's really made that much of a difference to me, it's so simple.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my God. That's so-- that's amazing, what a game changer. And as someone that really believes in blackout curtains, I like it to be-- I don't want to see my hand in front of my face, but yeah, the first thing every morning with those curtains open, so you might have to add that to my list.
TAMARA DAY: That should definitely be on your wish list because it has been such-- And we used to just leave the windows shut, and now, every morning they all open, there's sunlight, it's just a happier way to start your day is to have all of it open.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, man. I feel like I would also like ring cameras. Not even for personal safety, but just to spy on my kids, or my husband. Really, we just need-- what I need is to Truman Show my life, so that everyone can see his reactions. I mean, I made my husband change out. We renovated our house completely two years ago, and I just made him switch out the lights in our kitchen. He was like, "But these were the ones you picked when we--", and I was like, "And I don't like them anymore, I like these now." And then he's just like, you've been married to me for 15 years.
TAMARA DAY: Nothing stays the same, right?
MARIANNE CANADA: Yeah, you knew what you were getting into. Tamara, this has just been so delightful. I feel like we could talk for another hour or so. I hope you will come back next time you have another show coming on, because like I said, you are a hardworking lady. Can you share with everyone listening where they can find you on social media and where they can watch you?
TAMARA DAY: Absolutely. So Tamara Day on Instagram, Facebook, all the things. We also have our home store, Growing Days Home. So that's one of the pages where I post a lot of the fun things that I'm loving. You see more of my life on my page. And then tamaraday.com is my website. And you can see actually every episode of Bargain Mansions. We've done a blog post and its sources everything that we can source in that blog, so you can actually watch an episode and go to our website and figure out what life that is or what paint color it is, and have it all right there for you.
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, amazing. Well, we'll make sure to link that on the show notes. And you can also watch Bargain Mansions on Discovery Plus. And make sure to tune in for all of Home Town Takeover, but especially Tamara's episode where she redoes that Main Street, because it is really spectacular. Thank you so much, come back again soon.
TAMARA DAY: I will, thank you.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MARIANNE CANADA: Oh, my God, I love Tamara Day.
BRAD: That was a great interview. I must say, I really feel for your husband.
MARIANNE CANADA: No. I mean seriously like, OK here, I'm just going to send you this Instagram story of poor Chris taking down the very nice custom-built, custom-designed lights that I picked for over our island and then and then putting up the also very nice lights that I picked to replace them. I'm sorry, I am who I am. I'm fun. Guys, I'm fun to be married to. What can I say? It's going to look so good. It's so good.
CHRIS: [INAUDIBLE].
MARIANNE CANADA: Well, they're down here.
CHRIS: Oh, please. [LAUGHS]
MARIANNE CANADA: Are you saying you don't enjoy sitting on the counter?
CHRIS: My hands are sweaty, I don't want to drop it.
MARIANNE CANADA: I think they're almost level.
CHRIS: Almost?
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS]
BRAD: What a saint.
MARIANNE CANADA: Listen, we had to make a lot of really fast decisions when we renovated this house, and sometimes you just can't-- you can't nail them all. I nailed most of them, but the lights were too small, they have bothered me for two straight years. And I already have someone that wants to buy the old lights from me, it's like a win-win situation. But yes, my poor, patient husband had to sit on our kitchen counter. He put our dining, our breakfast room chairs on the kitchen counter and switched out the lights. I will put a highlight of that on my Instagram if anyone wants to walk with us on that journey.
BRAD: You're going to see his face, and you just see it on there, it was like, "OK, I know I'm doing the right thing, but this is crazy, this is going to--" I sent you a message right away. I was like, "Not all heroes wear capes."
MARIANNE CANADA: [LAUGHS] Oh, man. Well, we hope you guys enjoyed our episode today all about kids and design. I mean, I think that a lot of people really think those two things don't go together, but I think we proved today that there's hope for us all. I want to give a special thanks to Jennifer Todryk and Tamara Day for talking with us. You can catch the finale of No Demo Reno tonight at 7:00 PM on HGTV. And of course, you can stream all the episodes of No Demo Reno and Bargain Mansions on Discovery Plus. Also, I really encourage you to check out Home Town Takeover. Tamara literally made over the Main Street, and it's a real tearjerker. As always, you can learn about both of our guests by checking out our show notes at hgtv.com/podcast.
And as usual, you guys know what I'm going to say. I'm going to beg for your love and adoration. If you loved today's episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to rate and review HGTV Obsessed. I want five stars, and I want each of you to tell me your favorite color. I'll know that you listened to today's episode if you do that. Don't forget to follow HGTV Obsessed wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss an episode. Just a note, we're going to take a week off next week, it's Memorial Day. We're all going to barbecue, and I don't know, set off some fireworks. We will be back to you guys on June 3rd for our summer vacation themed episode, you do not want to miss it. I'll see you then.