Best of Home in Progress: Small-Room Paint Tricks; and the Story of Window Glass

In this special Best Of episode of Home in Progress, sponsored by RepcoLite Paints and Benjamin Moore, Dan Hansen shares a handful of favorite segments from the past year—perfect for the holiday stretch when you’re tackling projects, relaxing at home, or doing a little of both.

The show opens with some weekend chatter (including a nostalgic roller-skating detour sparked by Back to the Future), then into a paint-heavy segment aimed at a classic homeowner problem: how to make a small room feel bigger without remodeling. He breaks down five practical paint strategies, including smart color choices, monochromatic palettes, and “color drenching,” plus a couple of visual tricks that add height and depth.

The second half of the show takes a surprisingly fascinating turn into the history of glass—from natural obsidian to early glassmaking legends, Roman breakthroughs like glass blowing and early window panes, and the evolution to modern insulated windows. Dan wraps the episode with a rapid-fire guide to common window issues—drafts, condensation, fog between panes, and windows that won’t operate smoothly—along with realistic fixes and when it’s time to call in a pro.

Episode Summary

00:00 — Best Of kickoff + holiday-week programming

00:16 — Weekend plans and roller-skating nostalgia

02:09 — New Year’s resolutions, “Quitter’s Day,” and the mindset reset

03:32 — A funny “height hack” detour (and why it secretly sets up the paint point)

12:45 — Paint Point: 5 ways to make a small room feel larger

17:39 — Two-toned walls and eye-trick design strategies

18:30 — Listener emails + how to send topic ideas

18:56 — The history of glass: discovery, invention, and innovation

20:25 — From early glassmaking to Roman windows

26:09 — Industrial-era improvements and modern window evolution

30:38 — Window problems homeowners actually deal with (and what to do)

39:36 — Wrap-up, where to find the episode, and next week’s preview