Jean Stoffer & Grace Start Interview: The Established Home, Kitchens, and Old Houses

Original Air Date: October 10, 2026 Episode Number: 480

Episode Summary

Dan sits down with Jean Stoffer and her daughter Grace Start, the mother-daughter team behind Grand Rapids based Jean Stoffer Design, Stoffer Home, and the Magnolia Network show The Established Home. They cover how Jean got into design with no formal training, how a failing kitchen in her own house sent her to British magazines with a magnifying glass, and what happened when a new appliance technology, a growing national interest in kitchens, and a design contest win all landed at once. Grace explains how she went from teaching preschool to asking her mom for a part-time job, and both talk about what each of them turned out to be good at. There’s a long stretch on the career decisions Jean turned down when her kids were small and what she thinks of those choices now. Then the business side: the Wealthy Street store, going online, building a virtual cabinetry business during COVID, and Grace’s vanity line. They get into how the Magnolia show came about and why it ended after three seasons. Finally, old houses, what you find behind the walls, why constraints make for better design, and how they approach a kitchen. They close on their three books, including one out for pre-order now.

Timestamps

[00:00] -- Welcome and Guests

[01:14] -- Jean Finds Design

[03:58] -- Kitchen Design Breakthrough

[07:05] -- Sub Zero Contest Win

[08:31] -- Grace Joins the Firm

[10:42] -- Mother Daughter Strengths

[15:00] -- Faith Family Priorities

[20:40] -- Store Online Expansion