Inspiring Homeowners to Create Their Dream Spaces

Inspiring Homeowners to Create Their Dream Spaces

By Kimberly Greenwell, Home education expert and host of the TV show, My Southern Home

Founder Kimberly Greenwell created My Southern Home in 2017 to educate and inspire homeowners to create their dream spaces. 

She is passionate about educating and inspiring homeowners to transform different areas of their home into a room that brings them joy and reflects their style. Her show airs on television in Louisville, KY, and Nashville, TN, and is streamed 24/7 on her YouTube channel, My Southern Home TV. 

Her television segments and podcasts are filled with evergreen content to help homeowners think differently and approach their remodel or home project methodically. 

Home-related television shows love to talk about design trends, colors, and styles, but at the core of it, design is all about the person. Their likes, dislikes, what brings them joy and makes them feel safe, and having items in their home that reflect positive feelings and reactions.  

A home should be a safe space, a haven, and a place you are proud to call your own and entertain friends. My Southern Home speaks with trusted, quality contractors to provide homeowners with the knowledge to empower and inspire them to finally remodel that kitchen, create their dream outdoor living area, or tackle that home project!  

Greenwell wants to inspire homeowners to be bold and brave with color choices and design, be smart regarding resale value, and think about organizing the space differently to fit their needs. 

Most homeowners think about aesthetics, but Greenwell wants them to think about the flow and function first. It doesn’t matter how breathtaking a kitchen is; if the space doesn’t allow you to quickly move to prepare a meal or grab spices and utensils, it will never be a dream space. The homeowner will hate working in it and ultimately be unhappy. 

A great example of Greenwell trying to change the approach homeowners take with a remodel is her conversations with cabinet companies and remodelers. 

Greenwell talks to kitchen designers and general contractors about homeowners sitting in their space and thinking about how their kitchen is no longer serving them. What tasks would they like to perform in their kitchen if they were to remodel? How can you change the room’s flow to make it more functional?  

Kitchens are all about organization. Adding spice racks around your stove, appliance garages to easily store mixers, and unique drawers that fit around your piping, providing additional storage and preventing dead space. 

Organizing appliances in a way that makes it easier for a homeowner to cook. For example, incorporating a microwave into the design of an island to make room for a double oven. 

Planning how many people the homeowner wants to sit around an island. Adding drawer peg organizers for dishes and deeper drawers for pots and pans. Moving the sink to the window so you can watch the kids play outside. Moving the stove to the island so your back isn’t to your family while cooking dinner at night. 

Strategically placed pantries along the side of your cabinetry where you can quickly grab oils and spices, but they are hidden from view while maximizing space. Drawer organizers that allow you to layer items such as eating and cooking utensils give the homeowner more storage space and things at their fingertips. 

Another essential part of a kitchen remodel is lighting. Greenwell talks with contractors about statement lighting and how to layer lighting to provide the appropriate size, proportion, and color temperature. 

If the homeowner wants an oversized island, the pendants and chandeliers hanging above it must be planned out. Depending on the size of the light fixture, you might need two chandeliers or five pendants over the island. You must layer your lighting with recessed lighting with dimmers to ensure the homeowner has enough light for the space. 

Organization, lighting, size proportion, choosing the right appliance to maximize space, and the homeowner’s cooking habits are just a few of the many items that go into the planning conversations of remodeling a kitchen. 

There are hundreds of ways to design a space, so one of Greenwell’s favorite lines during the television show is “Who you choose is important.” Choosing a contractor that asks the right questions in advance, listens to your needs and goals, and has an open and honest dialogue about the process is essential to a homeowner’s overall experience and satisfaction. 

Communication is such a crucial part of the process Greenwell created My Southern Home University, where she offers one-on-one classes such as Kitchen Remodeling 101. During the course, homeowners learn how to finance a project, hire a contractor, design their dream space, and speak with contractors about their projects. 

From the tv show to the podcast to My Southern Home University, Greenwell has built a brand where she empowers homeowners with education to make the right choices and inspiration to create their dream spaces.