Mika Kleinschmidt: Designing a Dream Space Starts with a Vision

Chaz Dykes | Design: Better Homes & Gardens

The Better Buy, a podcast from Better Homes & Gardens, explores all things home—from decorating and DIY to renovating and budgeting. For season 2, we’ll delve into the full home buying process, from house hunting and moving to interior design and landscaping, with stories, practical tips, and advice from our guests each week. We’re on a mission to inspire and empower you to create your dream home. New episodes every Wednesday!

Follow now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Amazon / Google Podcasts / iHeart Radio / TuneIn

Host Mélanie Berliet talks with HGTV star Mika Kleinschmidt about how to tackle a speedy home renovation project with grace, why it’s important to take advantage of functionality from before demolition all the way to the final stretch, and what went into building her own dream home.

Mika Kleinschmidt is the owner of Dirt 2 Design, a Tampa Bay-based home design firm that customizes renovation and build projects to match clients’ individual needs. Along with her developer husband Brian, Mika hosts HGTV’s 100 Day Dream Home, which is currently on its fourth season. The pair also won the second season of Rock The Block in 2021, and most recently, starred on the network’s Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.

Mika shares her advice for finding ways to bring functionality to each and every room of your home.

Functionality is so important because you’re paying per square foot. You don’t want wasted space that’s not going to get used. You don’t want something that's not gonna work for your family. You also have to think ahead, not just about what's functional now, but 10 years from now, will this be something that works?

You can really make a statement with some really cool lighting in a