This week on HGTV Obsessed, hosts Kat and Mike Stickler sit down with the host of One Week to Sell, Taylor Spellman. Taylor shares her best tricks to prep your home for potential buyers, and how to trust your instincts when it comes to interior design (hint: you don’t always have to follow the rules). Then, she talks about why it’s more important for her to incorporate thrifted pieces into her designs—and what she absolutely will not pick up on a sidewalk. She also talks about starting her career doing interior design for single men and moving to New York City to pursue dance. Taylor then gives her thoughts on gallery walls in your home, and Brian Patrick Flynn gives a listener advice on how to buy a home overseas.
This week on HGTV Obsessed, hosts Kat and Mike Stickler sit down with the host of One Week to Sell, Taylor Spellman. Taylor shares her best tricks to prep your home for potential buyers, and how to trust your instincts when it comes to interior design (hint: you don’t always have to follow the rules). Then, she talks about why it’s more important for her to incorporate thrifted pieces into her designs—and what she absolutely will not pick up on a sidewalk. She also talks about starting her career doing interior design for single men and moving to New York City to pursue dance. Taylor then gives her thoughts on gallery walls in your home, and Brian Patrick Flynn gives a listener advice on how to buy a home overseas.
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Learn More About One Week to Sell: https://www.hgtv.com/shows/one-week-to-sell
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Follow Taylor Spellman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylor_spellman/
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Follow Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stickks__/
Find episode transcript here: https://hgtv-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/tips-for-selling-your-home-fast-with-taylor-spellman-how-to-buy-a-home-abroad
KAT STICKLER: Hi, guys and welcome. I'm Kat.
MIKE STICKLER: And I'm Mike.
KAT STICKLER: This is HGTV--
KAT AND MIKE STICKLER: Obsessed. Hi, guys. I'm so excited to be back for another episode of HGTV Obsessed.
MIKE STICKLER: Woo. It's a great day, right?
KAT STICKLER: Michael yells "woo hoo" so loud that our producers are like, you need to just say it a little quieter. We appreciate the enthusiasm, but just bring it down a notch.
SPEAKER: Yeah Mike, you just yelled in everyone's ear right now.
MIKE STICKLER: OK, I won't. Sorry, sorry. I'll watch it. OK, cool.
KAT STICKLER: Shut it, Mike.
[LAUGHS]
SPEAKER: All right, let's try it again. Kat, we'll start with you.
KAT STICKLER: OK. Hi, guys and welcome back to another episode of HGTV Obsessed.
MIKE STICKLER: (DEADPAN) Woo-hoo.
[LAUGHTER]
I'm sorry I had to Brad.
[TRUMPET SOUNDS]
Oh, my gosh. Anyways, this is a weekly podcast where we dive into all things HGTV. I'm Mike
KAT STICKLER: And I am Kat. And when we aren't watching HGTV, we make funny videos on TikTok about marriage, parenting, and life.
MIKE STICKLER: OK, give us your best New York accent go.
KAT STICKLER: Um--
MIKE STICKLER: I'm putting you on the spot, I apologize. Not really, I'm not sorry.
KAT STICKLER: (NEW YORK ACCENT) Yeah, I'm from New York. You ever heard of it?
MIKE STICKLER: Wow.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah, I live in the stock market. That's how I know when to go up and down. What did I just say? I don't even know what it means.
MIKE STICKLER: I'm actually-- OK, I wasn't--
KAT STICKLER: What was that?
MIKE STICKLER: I wasn't expecting-- [LAUGHS]
KAT STICKLER: I don't even know why I did that.
MIKE STICKLER: (IMITATING KAT) What do you want? [LAUGHS]
KAT STICKLER: (NEW YORK ACCENT) I'm working here.
MIKE STICKLER: (NEW YORK ACCENT) Forget about it.
KAT STICKLER: Oh, baby.
[LAUGHTER]
MIKE STICKLER: That might have been more Boston, but anyways--
SPEAKER: We've got a real New Yorker on the podcast today though.
KAT STICKLER: Yes, her name is Taylor Spellman.
MIKE STICKLER: Right.
KAT STICKLER: (SINGING) She's going to put a spell on you. And when she does, you won't know what to do. She'll sell your house in seven days or less with $10,000. [LAUGHS]
MIKE STICKLER: You having fun?
KAT STICKLER: I don't know what else to-- [LAUGHS]
MIKE STICKLER: She'll put a spell on you.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah, with her magic interior design skills.
[MIKE LAUGHS]
It's truly a sight. She--when she is working it--, that woman is working.
MIKE STICKLER: Right, she's-- no, she's a boss. She opened her own design firm in NYC at the age of 23, and she's been killing the game ever since.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: And now, she has a new show on Discovery Plus. One Week To Sell.
KAT STICKLER: Yes, so Taylor is super talented. I was looking through her Instagram, and her style-- impeccable, her skills-- impeccable.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: And I just want to ask her for life advice. Just also would like to be a boss woman. I just feel like she embodies that.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: I just--
MIKE STICKLER: You do too, though.
KAT STICKLER: Babe.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, you don't have to do anything different.
KAT STICKLER: Oh, my God, I love you Oh me too OK what was I saying. I forgot. So Taylor Spellman is-- she opened her own design firm in New York City at the age of 23.
MIKE STICKLER: Tender age.
KAT STICKLER: Yes, I don't-- I was doing absolutely nothing close to that at 23.
MIKE STICKLER: Same. You don't want to know.
KAT STICKLER: Oh God, don't tell me, please. And she has been killing the game ever since. Now she's got a brand new show on Discovery Plus. It's called One Week To Sell.
MIKE STICKLER: This title is seriously stressful.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: But she takes homes that are getting a little stale in the market, and she transforms them into beautiful works of art, and she has a pretty small budget. She does it all in seven days. It's intense, it's fun. This interview was great. I think you guys are going to love it. So why don't we get into it.
KAT STICKLER: Let's do it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
KAT STICKLER: Welcome to HGTV Obsessed. Taylor, we're so happy to have you here.
MIKE STICKLER: We're so glad you're here, Taylor. Thank you for joining us.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Thank you. I couldn't be more thrilled. My show premiered yesterday. So now I'm going from that to this. I mean this is like this is big time.
MIKE STICKLER: Did you watch the premiere?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yes, I did watch it. It was-- actually I had watched it, if I'm going to be honest, like anywhere between 50 and like 200 times prior. So I wasn't nervous at all. I had already gotten it all out. I was like, you know what, we're good to go.
MIKE STICKLER: I love it. That's like us when we make a video too. We literally watch it a hundred times before we put it anywhere. So I get it.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, exactly. I was like, at first you're nervous, then you analyze it, and you figure out where you could've been better or worse or whatever, then it's OK, great here we go.
KAT STICKLER: When I film myself-- do you notice your posture? I feel like something I really notice is my posture does not that great.
MIKE STICKLER: Same.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Just released.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah. [KAT LAUGHS] I don't think anyone's posture is that great, and we just happen to be seeing it, so you're like, this is a terrible--
KAT STICKLER: Is that how I look. [LAUGHS]
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: So we're so glad you're here. Kat and I were just talking about how stressful the title One Week To Sell sounds. Can you go ahead and tell us a little bit about the show.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, I mean it sounds stressful because it is stressful.
[MIKE LAUGHS]
Straight up. So the title is actually very well done because it is stressful, and I think when this show kind of started out, my idea was-- my parents couldn't sell their home, and they had it on the market for two years. Absolutely couldn't sell it, trying to figure out what to do. And I came in and I was like, guys, like, I don't have that many skills, this is my skill. Like this is my thing. I know how to make a home sell quickly. So I was like, all right, let's put it on the market. And it did it sold in one week.
MIKE STICKLER: Wow.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And so I was like, that's kind of-- how when we started this conversation how things started out. But the bottom line is that when you're designing a home for sale, speed is the name of the game. People wanted-- they always want their house to be-- have been sold a long time ago. That's why I'm there. So it's always a rush and in this case, we do have one week to turn it around, and then hopefully it sells very quickly thereafter. And if that's the case, I would have done my job correctly.
MIKE STICKLER: Have you ever missed a deadline?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: No.
[MIKE LAUGHS]
KAT STICKLER: Do you know who I am? No.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, you know I'm like for the purposes of this conversation I had to answer that very confidently. But--
[LAUGHTER]
--for the most part, no, I haven't missed a deadline.
MIKE STICKLER: I love it
KAT STICKLER: I also want to add, I feel like people can do-- I love like adding these things, people can do so much in a week, like way more than you think, consistently.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Absolutely.
KAT STICKLER: Like--
MIKE STICKLER: It's great.
KAT STICKLER: When we found out we were pregnant, got engaged, got married, got an apartment. Like we did all this in one week. And like you can do--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: What?
KAT STICKLER: --so much.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah
MIKE STICKLER: That's our crazy story.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Wow.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, I got, I got a job and everything.
KAT STICKLER: Oh, yeah you got a job.
MIKE STICKLER: Life changed. Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: You can literally change your life in a week.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: In a week. Yeah, and I think it takes focus, and elbow grease.
MIKE STICKLER: Hm.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And if you're willing to just put the work in, you can do it.
MIKE STICKLER: I'm sure you have a great team too. So like who you surround yourself with as well right, so--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Absolutely.
MIKE STICKLER: I feel like that's huge.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And that was what was great about this show. Everyone's like, how did you get along? I'm like, no, no, this is my real life job, my real life team. We work together every day, so it was easy to transition and do the show.
KAT STICKLER: So you see a lot of homes, and I'm sure when you walk in, you're like, OK, this, this, that, this is the reason why your house isn't selling.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah
KAT STICKLER: What do you think people should not do when they are listing their home.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Like what's the biggest no-no when you're putting your home up in the market. Is it weird art, is it an unkempt yard?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: I think, to your point, there's the obvious things like-- get rid of your personal effects, like as much as you and your family love that photo of you guys all wearing jeans and a white button down on a sand dune, that's like over your fireplace. Not that many other strangers don't want to see that. You don't even like-- for you guys that's awesome, you had that great photo shoot in the brush, we've all seen the shot. But as a whole, remove that, put up a blank canvas and, slap a little paint on it. And you're going to be in better shape.
MIKE STICKLER: Hm.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: One thing that I always say is like, it's good to pretend that you're super judgy mother-in-law is coming over your house, and just prepare the home for like when she's coming. You know and you know she's going to make that snide comment like, Oh, I just-- it's so strange that you are never able to wipe down the kitchen counters or whatever the comment is. Think of her when you're preparing because cleanliness sounds like an obvious thing, but oddly enough it kind of isn't.
So that's one thing I say, but the last point is people like-- I kind say that we invented this methodology, that's interior design for sale. And the way that the old guard used to do it, it's called staging, is that you kind of make everything stiff, and one of the things that I always would laugh at is when like you-- the stager would come in and make the bed, and then put like a tray with champagne flutes on the bed. It's like no one lives like this. Like who has champagne flutes on their bed. Like this is not a selling point. This is crazy talk.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: So I say, make sure that your home is really how you live. So that when the potential buyer walks in, they see it they understand and say, OK, yeah, I could live here.
MIKE STICKLER: What is the longest you've ever seen a house having had sat on the market?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And then until we came in?
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, just out of curiosity.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, I mean years, for sure. Literally years, and even when this whole thing kind started my parents' home when I started to think this through that was two years on the market. And then I came in and just did a couple of switches, and it sold in one week. So it's like obviously everybody should be able to have access to these ideas because if you want to sell your home, typically there's a pretty good reason for it. You know and sitting on that expense, and not being able to move that expense is typically stressful.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: So yeah, years, I would say.
MIKE STICKLER: I heard your career began with you like giving advice to single men. [LAUGHS] Are they just-- are single guys an easy target or how did that happen?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Low hanging fruit. Like this is like shooting-- like shooting fish in a barrel. This will be easy. [MIKE LAUGHS]
I mean yes and no. So yeah, I started my first company-- we did interior design for men exclusively. But the reason why I kind of came up with that is two things. Number one, I think when you're starting out as an interior designer or decorator or you're interested, it's like what is your niche? What are you're interested in? And for me I felt like this was sort of an untapped market, and then I could maybe get a little bit of traction on that because I was the only one doing it, which was great.
But, yeah I was like in the city dating all these guys, and we'd go to the best restaurants, and they'd have fancy shoes, and a fancy watch and a fancy college and then you get back to their apartment it was just like huh-- a mattress on the floor, like a solo cup, and I'm just like, wait your flawless. What happened? You know like you can't tell me that you don't care about your appearance because look at you.
So I felt like-- I felt like you got to be kidding me here. Like I bet these guys want to have a nice home, they just don't know how to do it. So I came in and offered that service and everyone was like, yeah, of course I want a nice place, just take care of it and do it. So that was a great sort of foray.
KAT STICKLER: So you basically gave them that like structure and direction.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Exactly.
KAT STICKLER: That's--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And I was like, if you want to have a girlfriend, let me help you buddy. OK.
[LAUGHTER]
Or a boyfriend, if you want to have a boyfriend let me help you. That was another-- that was a very popular group as well. So you know what can you do. And I'm like, oh, just give me your credit card and your keys and I'll be right back.
[LAUGHTER]
MIKE STICKLER: Freaking love it.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: It was a great gig.
MIKE STICKLER: It's so good.
KAT STICKLER: It'd be a good show too.
MIKE STICKLER: I feel like single guys in general, they need that sort of like, yeah, direction and guidance. Yeah, you know I needed that for sure from you.
KAT STICKLER: What did you need, like a positive pregnancy--
[LAUGHTER]
That'll kind of--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: That helps. Yeah, that helps. No, maybe I need to get a proper couch in this house.
KAT STICKLER: When you were single did you have a mattress on the floor, kind of thing?
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: You did?
MIKE STICKLER: Oh, Yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: He does-- he doesn't even flinch. He's like, yes I did.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, I did. Oh yeah. I mean--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Anything on the wall?
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, I would put stuff on the wall.
KAT STICKLER: Like what?
MIKE STICKLER: Like a band that signed my poster. Like--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: The Michael Jordan where he has his hands out with the basketball. That was always a popular one. I'm like, oh, jeez here we go again. Great, all right. Cool. Great choice.
MIKE STICKLER: I heard before you started in design, you were also actually a dancer. Did you really move to NYC to become a professional ballerina? Is that what you--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Clearly I failed. So here we are. [CHUCKLES] Yeah, I did. I went to a performing arts high school in Connecticut, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. And then I went from there to dance with its called Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and it's-- it was awesome. And when I was in Connecticut, I was like, I'm the best dancer in the world, basically. And then I went to New York City, and then you quickly find out, no you're not, no you're not the best dancer.
KAT STICKLER: Wow.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And that was awesome, and great competition, and a great experience. But truly, I kind of more so realized it was awesome, but I like eating, drinking and paying my rent. Three things I enjoy, and I could tell that if I stayed on the track of being a dancer, it really wasn't going to work out that great. So yeah, I switched to a business major and I graduated from Fordham University instead.
MIKE STICKLER: Wow.
KAT STICKLER: I get that. I-- not professional, but I'm a pretty good dancer. [MIKE LAUGHS] Yeah, I'm pretty good. I mean, I dance on some videos and they're--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Pretty great.
KAT STICKLER: Pretty great. Yeah, people don't think they're great but I think their pretty-- [LAUGHS]
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: That's not what art is about. Art is producing what you think is great, and then the world can take their leap.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, if you dance like a giraffe then you don't like--
KAT STICKLER: Oh yeah, such a specific-- [LAUGHS]
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, that didn't sound like a hypothetical. What you just said right there.
MIKE STICKLER: It has happened, I promise.
[LAUGHTER]
KAT STICKLER: Oh, God.
MIKE STICKLER: Do you still have a passion for dance?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah. I mean I feel like that kind of training doesn't really leave you.
MIKE STICKLER: Right.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And it's so much-- I don't know I think even in the show it's helped a lot because as a dancer you kind of have to have a thick skin. And so that was something I developed a long time ago, of people kind of critiquing your work, and critiquing your art, and just saying, OK, that's fine.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: But, yeah. I love dance. I love to go to a wedding and just kind of show off some moves casually.
KAT STICKLER: Do you think your history, like background and dance has been influential in how you stage these homes? And the inspiration you got to even start this in the first place?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: For sure. When I went to Alvin Ailey and all everyone who had auditioned was the final group that had made it in. And everyone's like, where did you train for the summer. And someone's like, Oh, I was at the Paris Opera ballet, and someone was like, I was at New York City ballet, and they're like, what about you? And I was like, I was a waitress at my dad's restaurant. I took the summer off, I didn't-- I didn't dance at all.
But I feel like I kind of have always had this element of like following your gut more than what the proper rules are. And I think that was how I approached dancing, and that's how I approach this interior design. There's a lot of rules, and I don't typically pay too much attention to them. And I feel like that's been helpful in creating a new genre here in homes for sale because you have to just trust your instinct and say, I know in my gut that this is why this home isn't selling, and I'm going to follow that instinct, and I'm not going to get sidetracked.
KAT STICKLER: I think that's one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. I know that sounds-- might be dramatic but I swear like you literally said-- because it's true.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah, it's really good.
KAT STICKLER: When I found out we were like going through this process that wasn't the quintessential like--
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Kat, get married, get your house, and-- I felt like I was breaking all these rules but when I went with my gut and like put opinions and these rules aside, like our lives totally changed for the better.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Absolutely. Yeah and I feel like everybody has that voice. You know like you followed that once you let yourself hear it. We just oftentimes say, shh, don't listen but--
MIKE STICKLER: Because it's scary. It's scary.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Exactly. It's very scary, especially if you're doing it within, I don't know say a week.
MIKE STICKLER: Right. [SNICKERS] Yeah. Both of us right. [LAUGHS]
KAT STICKLER: So watching your show, I noticed you have this very impeccable, on point look. And it's like you got the power suit. I'm like wearing one, with shoulder pads right now. I was like, I know she's going to look good, I'm going to look into.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Hard as a rock.
KAT STICKLER: Yes, so how did you settle on that. Like that's your look. What-- do you feel like that matters? Do you feel like it helps you, I don't know--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, for sure. I mean I think finding your look is important in any situation, especially when you're doing kind of the work that I'm doing, which is you're speaking without words. You're speaking through the visual, and I think for me, when you watch the show I have two modes, and that's how it is in my normal life too. I'm either on or off. So it's like we're wearing all black, like t-shirts and converse, dirty, working or it's like, all right, it's game time.
Let's show the broker. Let's give them an amazing sales tool, and be a-- an absolute boss. And I feel like when you wear a bold outfit, just same way with how I designed the homes, it's very unapologetic. And I think, especially, when you're a woman in business, it's helpful to just walk in and be like, hey, I'm here, I'm going to take some names, and we're just going to get this done you know?
KAT STICKLER: Taylor frickin' love you.
MIKE STICKLER: That's cool.
KAT STICKLER: You wish you were a woman now. Oh, my God.
MIKE STICKLER: I really appreciate it.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, there's a lot of not so great things about being a woman, but wearing a badass power suit is one of them.
MIKE STICKLER: Give me one.
KAT STICKLER: I love that.
MIKE STICKLER: Sign me up.
KAT STICKLER: I'm like standing up a little straighter. I feel like you should write a book. I would read--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Hey, let's put it out in the universe.
MIKE STICKLER: Let's go, come on.
KAT STICKLER: Also, I have noticed that when you do the design it's not just these brand-new pieces of furniture art, you like to incorporate a lot of vintage pieces.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Why do you find that so important to you and for selling the house?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: I think I value that for two reasons. One is, I feel like when you go into your friend's house, and they have just ordered a catalog, and all the furniture is from that one catalog. And they're like I got it from blank. You're like, I know you did, I can see that. It's like you can feel it, you can see it. There's like, people always tell you like, this is from wherever, and I'm like, I am acutely aware of that.
[LAUGHTER]
KAT STICKLER: I know you did.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: But when every single thing is brand new, it doesn't feel good. And oftentimes when you're designing a home for sale, it's like you know that this is staged. You can feel it because it feels stagnant and cold and like not-- there's no warmth and love, and I like things that have a little bit of history. It just actually just changes the vibe, and it's subtle but it's important.
And then the second thing is, sustainability and cost. When you come in and repurpose something old and bring in that piece that didn't look so great before and slap on some paint. Not only are you-- is it great for the environment because it's sustainable. You're not going and consuming a new item, and then on top of it it's great for a budget. You don't have to go and break the bank and so-- and there's always a little history and whatever that piece is that you found.
In the show, most of the things I literally just drive around, like a weirdo just aimlessly looking for some trash on the side of the road, and I'm like, found this dresser. Awesome.
KAT STICKLER: What's the like weirdest thing you've ever like gotten off from the street, and what is something that you see when you're like, there's absolutely no way I'm going to salvage that because that's just a no-no.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: That's where I draw the line. I mean I think the first episode of One Week To Sell, that piece that I found on the side road, I have to admit it was pretty sad. Like was missing half of itself. It was like, Kate, who's on the show with me, was like, you've lost it like for real this time. Like this is gross. And I was like, uh, I mean I don't totally disagree, but just give me a minute. That was pretty bad.
I mean I think almost everything I get off the side of the road is pretty bad, but that's the point. We're saving it, bringing it, giving it a hug, giving it a new life, which is great. And then, my draw the line moment is a mattress.
MIKE STICKLER: Hmm.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: It's just-- just don't do it.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Don't-- like no matter what just don't do that. That's-- there's just a lot of lot of don'ts with that. I'm not going to get into it. Don't do it.
MIKE STICKLER: Sounds pretty nasty.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: I still want to know, I just don't want to know, you know?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: No. Exactly, we don't need to cite the various things that could go wrong with a roadside mattress. Just don't do it.
MIKE STICKLER: I love that your parents-- they turn up on the show to help you with the home. I feel like that's super relatable for a lot of people, right. Because--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN:
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah. I need my mother-in-law to do most projects in my house.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Absolutely, we all have someone who is--
MIKE STICKLER: Yes. Have they always been super supportive of your career, in this venture? And what has that been like for you?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah. I think growing up my family-- we didn't really have a lot of money. So if we were doing something, it usually involved everybody kind of chipping in and helping and-- When I started my company, I was 23-years-old so that was good because I was so young that you're very dumb. So you're like, this is going to be great. Like you have no sense of the fact that it's super not going to be great. You know what I mean? Like it's probably going to be very stressful. So in doing that I pulled this thing together out of nothing, and my parents were super instrumental especially in the beginning, when I was like I literally don't have one dollar. So I'm going to need you guys to come in and paint, or do the gardening, or do whatever the case is because I can't pay somebody. So, yeah. [CHUCKLING]
MIKE STICKLER: That's so sweet.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: And they're so fun, and loving, and it's just like why not? Again, they're free too, so that's pretty good selling point, but whatever.
KAT STICKLER: Score. Before you go we want you to tackle a little challenge. We do it every podcast. It's called Defend the Trend.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: (SINGING) Defend the trend. OK
KAT STICKLER: (SINGING) Just defend that trend.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: There we go. That was-- that was so much better than mine. That was really good. See?
KAT STICKLER: OK, so--
MIKE STICKLER: Babe, you crushed it.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yes.
KAT STICKLER: Today we are, talking about art in the home. And gallery walls, they are very popular, but they seem so intimidating to some people to kind of mix it and hang it up the right way and not make it look too clustered.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Too clustered, that's a nice way of saying it. [KAT LAUGHS]
MIKE STICKLER: And then there's the one piece, of the big statement piece, that just seems kind of easier. And--
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Mm-hm.
KAT STICKLER: So what are your thoughts, and should we leave the galleries to like the art museums, or do you think there's something to be said about the gallery wall setup?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: OK, so I will defend this so hard, that I will say that it's-- I don't even consider it a trend. I think it's a classic, and I think you should do it and here's why. I think it's become a trend because people put it on Instagram a lot, and then you can see good ones and then you can see bad ones. And I will say it's actually super hard to do because to make it look not like a weird tag sale situation is like a bit of an art form. But if you focus hard enough, it is really good. But the reason why I like it is because, yes, a big amazing piece of art would be great. But big amazing pieces of art are expensive. And like I have a couple large pieces in my house, but it's pricey. You've got to save up, and find it. And then the whole thing.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Whereas a gallery wall, I think is great. Because when you travel somewhere or you have a photograph that you love, or you find even something from like a thrift store that you like. Or you go to Italy and you happen to get the little thing on the side of the street, or like locally, or in New Orleans or something. Most of these pieces are small, and they're small because it is affordable and it's a great memento. So to take all of those and put them together in a gallery wall, I say, have at it, do it. And you can just go and look at it and have all these wonderful memories, and then get on with your day.
KAT STICKLER: My friend told me-- because I was thinking about doing a gallery wall, she said, get like that not cardboard paper but that brown paper that-- put it on the floor, and then just like trace what you want to hang and then you can see how it looks from far away. I was like--
MIKE STICKLER: Was that Kourt? Yeah
KAT STICKLER: Jules.
MIKE STICKLER: Oh, Jules. That's awesome.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah, I was like, woah, why didn't I think of that.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: The one tip I'd say about that is, Jules is correct. A lot of people are like, oh I want to do a gallery wall. And you're just take the random one and you're like, oh, I'll just start here, just like hammered up. I was like, don't-- no, no, don't do that. So just start here.
MIKE STICKLER: Make sure it works.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Think it through. Don't just say, good. I mean this might be good and you're like, I don't think so.
KAT STICKLER: What have I done to my wall?
MIKE STICKLER: I think we should do one.
KAT STICKLER: No, we should do it in the living room.
MIKE STICKLER: She's like, we are doing one. You're dumb.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: Like you're so far behind.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: That's the main reason why we're interviewing Taylor. 'Cause to find out the stick.
KAT STICKLER: We're actually going to hire Taylor to--
MIKE STICKLER: Literally just want you for a gallery wall.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: I can babysit. I'm a good babysitter
MIKE STICKLER: Let's go.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: That's fine. Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: What a designer and a babysitter?
MIKE STICKLER: This is a super connection.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: You guys deserve a dinner out. It's fine.
MIKE STICKLER: Oh.
KAT STICKLER: OK.
MIKE STICKLER: Thank you.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Before you go, we wanted you to let us know where one, we can watch One Week To Sell and where also we can find you on social media.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yes, so you can find me on Facebook, Taylor Spellman New York. You can find me on Instagram, Taylor underscore Spellman. I'm very creative with my names. And then One Week To Sell is now streaming on Discovery Plus. It's $4.99 or $6.99, depending on which package you get. Verizon is offering an amazing deal right now, that it's free if you have Verizon for a period of time. But yeah, we're going to be on Discovery Plus for a while. We're going to have every Wednesday, a new show is going to be available. So now you guys know what your Wednesdays look like.
MIKE STICKLER: Well.
KAT STICKLER: Well, thank you so much for talking to us. I feel like I learned so much from you like you are very insightful woman.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Thank you--
MIKE STICKLER: Yes.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: --very much. [MIKE LAUGHS] It's all about the power suit. And the gallery
MIKE STICKLER: Wall. I think you could also do stand up comedy. So I just want to let you know.
KAT STICKLER: You're funny.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Thanks, guys. That is very helpful, and tell my boyfriend that. Hey, they said I'm funny. [KAT LAUGHS]
MIKE STICKLER: Why aren't you laughing dude?
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah, it's was hilarious what I just said. He's like you said, make the bed. I was like, true.
KAT STICKLER: But how did I say it.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Yeah. Did you here the end how I went up. It's funny, kind of. No? [KAT LAUGHING]
MIKE STICKLER: I love it. Taylor, thank you again so much for being on the podcast. We appreciate you.
TAYLOR SPELLMAN: Thank you for having me.
KAT STICKLER: So nice meeting you, Taylor.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MIKE STICKLER: Man, I think I need a power suit. My t-shirt and gym shorts, they're not really cutting it.
KAT STICKLER: Told you. Hey, babe, maybe, like change the t-shirt and shorts and you're like, no, I just like being in what I'm comfortable in.
MIKE STICKLER: No, but I feel like I have--
KAT STICKLER: Yes.
MIKE STICKLER: No, I have great style.
KAT STICKLER: Do you?
MIKE STICKLER: Yes, look at the sweater.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah.
MIKE STICKLER: That I picked out.
KAT STICKLER: Yes.
MIKE STICKLER: Without you.
KAT STICKLER: And the jeans with a rips and the skinny--
MIKE STICKLER: That's stylish.
KAT STICKLER: Is it? I feel like when you're in a band, it's stylish but--
MIKE STICKLER: This is a look, it's a vibe.
KAT STICKLER: Oh, OK, it's a vibe. I am obsessed with Taylor.
MIKE STICKLER: You really are.
KAT STICKLER: She's my girl crush. What a woman.
MIKE STICKLER: You're like-- you were foaming at the mouth the whole interview.
KAT STICKLER: OK, don't say that. That's sounds weird. No, we cannot say that.
MIKE STICKLER: Why can you not say that? You were.
KAT STICKLER: I was foaming at the mouth?
MIKE STICKLER: Well.
KAT STICKLER: Like rabid dog. No
MIKE STICKLER: It happens. Like it really does.
KAT STICKLER: OK.
MIKE STICKLER: I get it. Keep it rolling. Anyways what would you-- what would your power suit be like?
KAT STICKLER: I feel like the three essential components for a successful power suit are-- one, it has to be comfortable. You have to be walking around liking how it feels in every nook and cranny. Two, you have to feel confident, you have to like how it accentuates your body, and makes you feel when you're walking around. Three, classy. You want to be classy because as Taylor said it's speaking without words.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: It's your first intro and you don't even say anything. That is powerful. I feel very insightful after speaking with her.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah. Anyways. [CLEARS THROAT] Now we can go on to HGTV to the rescue. [LAUGHS]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MIKE STICKLER: You know who else is a boss?
KAT STICKLER: Who?
MIKE STICKLER: Our friend, Brian Patrick Flynn.
KAT STICKLER: He is here to save the day, and we have a really great question from Gabriella about buying a house overseas. "Hi, Brian. So I'm obsessed with your house in Iceland, and loved watching you find it on House Hunters International. I can't stop following all of these Instagram accounts with cheap old houses in Europe, so I wanted to ask you. How hard is it to buy a house in another country? Any tips for a hopeful first timer."
BRIAN PATRICK FLYNN: It is 10 times harder than you would think. The reason being is, there are so many things that change from country to country. There's currency, there are all these different guidelines for building, there's different ways to price things, there's different ways to expect people to charge for things. So the takeaways that I learned from buying a property in another country, renovating it, and then living in it, is finding what's called a fixer. Any time you are overseas and you're looking to do a project, whether it's a remodeling project, or a shopping project, or if you're looking to put on a play, you find what's called a fixer.
And that is somebody local to the area who knows the area inside out, and knows everyone. They know the mayor, they know the best builder, they know the person who cleans the pools. And what happens is you align yourself with a fixer, and they find everybody for you. And they kind of weed out all the possibilities of people who will try to scam you. They also understand what something is cost-- costing too much. They also know what something is underbid. So to me, the key to finding a property overseas, especially with all these Instagram handles, and the fact that you can buy a house for $1 in Sicily now is making sure you find somebody local who you trust.
Who you create an international contract with. Cost me a lot of money and lawyers fees to create contracts, because the contracts will then only hold their value in that country where your property is. But if you're not there, I mean it doesn't really apply to you. So I would say the best thing about buying a property overseas is finding a fixer who knows the area inside and out, having a very strong contract that holds true in that country, but also holds true back home. And from there on out it's all fun. Except for when you go over budget, which I did. I went over budget 100%, but I did stick to my timeline. So there's that.
MIKE STICKLER: Real quick, what's one tip for finding a fixer.
BRIAN PATRICK FLYNN: Wow, that's a great question. So I got lucky because I found my fixer, because when we were shooting House Hunters International-- when you're on House Hunters International, one of their line items on their show is fixer. They have one because there are three different continents. So this is how I found mine. The very first time I went to Iceland with my friends in 2015, we rented this beautiful Airbnb from a woman named Helga. It just so happened the first night we got there, Iceland had this insane Arctic storm, canceling plans for 24 hours because everything was like toppling over, which means we couldn't go like-- we couldn't go in ice caves because it was dangerous.
What happened was, Helga knew we were Americans who don't understand Arctic, and she called us on the phone to be like I want to make sure you guys are OK. The doors are going to be ice shut tonight. You should not go outside because everything is slippery. She was our Airbnb owner. I kept-- I stayed in touch with her. I added her on Facebook as a friend, and it just so happens she was just the Airbnb owner, and she was the only person that I knew when I first got to Iceland. It turns out that because she owns an Airbnb and understands real estate laws and people partying and what time people go out, so she was the person that helped me find a fixer. So my favorite place to start is either with a concierge of a hotel, or the owner of an Airbnb. And those people, they know-- they know everything.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MIKE STICKLER: Wow, that was some great insight from Brian. That was awesome. I feel like I can buy a house overseas right now.
KAT STICKLER: Oh, you do.
MIKE STICKLER: Yeah. See you. Going to Italy.
KAT STICKLER: OK, bye.
MIKE STICKLER: Bye-bye. Have fun with MK.
KAT STICKLER: Speaking of the HGTV Dream Home sweepstakes, I cannot wait to see who wins that home in Newport because Brian Patrick Flynn is going to be designing it. It's very Americana. Brian taught us all about that when we had him on. And you can learn more from Brian on his Instagram, @ B Patrick Flynn.
MIKE STICKLER: It's going to be so exciting. I can't wait to see who wins.
KAT STICKLER: Where would you want to live if we bought a house that was overseas.
MIKE STICKLER: I kind of alluded to it in my joke, just a couple of seconds ago, but I feel like Italy would be very, very cool.
KAT STICKLER: I mean, I feel like you put me anywhere but you bring my family with me, I'll be happy.
MIKE STICKLER: Aww, that was sweet.
KAT STICKLER: I really hope they're listening to this right now. I love you guys so much. I'm sorry I haven't responded to your texts. I still love you. But seriously how cool was Taylor Spellman. Like she's taking on homes on the market from drab to fab. It's like a great fashion show but with homes instead of people.
MIKE STICKLER: That's a great way to put it.
KAT STICKLER: Thank you.
MIKE STICKLER: I like that. Yeah.
KAT STICKLER: Yeah, I really thought about that. So we really enjoyed talking to Taylor today, and I hope you did too. If you want to know more about her and the show, head over to hgtv.com/podcast to check out the show notes. And tune into One Week To sell, which is now streaming on Discovery Plus. Yeah, and also thank you so much to Brian Patrick Flynn for answering today's HGTV to the rescue question. If you want to ask HGTV stars your own questions, hit us up on the HGTV Instagram account. Just look for our post on Thursdays, and we'll be sure to see your questions there. And as usual if you like what you're listening to please head over to Apple Podcasts to rate and review HGTV Obsessed. Do not forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss an episode. And head over to hgtv.com/podcast for the show notes on today's episode. I love show notes.
MIKE STICKLER: Yes.
KAT STICKLER: I don't know why.
MIKE STICKLER: Show notes are good because you can see the pictures and the visuals, yeah.
KAT STICKLER: I'm a very-- yeah--
MIKE STICKLER: 10 out of 10 recommend.
KAT STICKLER: We are visual artists. [MIKE LAUGHS]
MIKE STICKLER: Lastly, if you want even more of us, follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @mikeandkat. And then we'll see you next Thursday.
KAT STICKLER: Bye, guys.
MIKE STICKLER: Woo. Oh.
[TRUMPETS PLAYING]
I'm such a woo guy, man.
KAT STICKLER: He wooed when I was giving birth. He was like, woo.
MIKE STICKLER: Woo-hoo.
KAT STICKLER: It's like, please stop.
MIKE STICKLER: I am a hype man. Put me on stage with Lil Wayne.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
BRAD: And now it's time for Kat Stickler's first impression of me, Brad the producer.
KAT STICKLER: My first impression of Brad. Wow, this guy is awesome. I really want to emulate the aura he gives off, and make people feel as awesome as he makes me feel. I just want to be more like Brad.
BRAD: There you have it, everybody. Be more like me. We're taking a break next Thursday, but have no fear. We'll see you guys again and two weeks.