4.20

4

Aug 08, 2012

This is going to seem weird, because I don't really share the Petersik aesthetic which is modern and a little minimal. Nor am I crafty. The idea of filling my home with perfect vignettes, tablescapes, and curated shelves doesn't appeal to me. We have way more stuff than an family of four requires, and our taste is practically Victorian with all the inherited old furniture. My primary home-decorating interest involves dragging boxes of stuff off to the Friends of the Library book sale and the This is going to seem weird, because I don't really share the Petersik aesthetic which is modern and a little minimal. Nor am I crafty. The idea of filling my home with perfect vignettes, tablescapes, and curated shelves doesn't appeal to me. We have way more stuff than an family of four requires, and our taste is practically Victorian with all the inherited old furniture. My primary home-decorating interest involves dragging boxes of stuff off to the Friends of the Library book sale and the thrift shop.

Nonetheless, I am charmed. I'm not going to do any of this, you understand. I don't need ideas for how to fill frames with something, anything. We have more framed art than we can figure out where to put it, because most of our walls space is filled with bookcases, natch. Despite how NOT ME this is, I love looking. There is color, and lovely photographs, and perhaps most of all, an endearing commitment to making their home the sort of space they love. I can't help respecting how thoroughly they do them.

Library copy ...more

3

May 20, 2013

I always have fun skimming through designy magazines, blogs and TV shows, and the Young House Love blog is no exception. The Petersiks are a super talented, creative duo whose whole house transformations are lovely and inspiring to those of us who like to daydream about taking on our own house projects.

As with many blog-turned-book deals, I was curious to see what kinds of projects would be included in the book that we hadn't already seen on the blog. There were lots of cute ideas about how to I always have fun skimming through designy magazines, blogs and TV shows, and the Young House Love blog is no exception. The Petersiks are a super talented, creative duo whose whole house transformations are lovely and inspiring to those of us who like to daydream about taking on our own house projects.

As with many blog-turned-book deals, I was curious to see what kinds of projects would be included in the book that we hadn't already seen on the blog. There were lots of cute ideas about how to build your own headboards, paint your own picture frames, hack IKEA furniture, and turn virtually anything into artwork. I definitely saw a couple of projects that made me think "oooooh, gotta try that!"

Ultimately, though, I think the best stuff still lives on their blog, because the Petersiks' real talent lies in applying their magic to an entire room from start to finish. That's where the payoff is -- a payoff that's just missing from the book. Instead, the book feels more like a random assortment of crafty projects that one could just as easily discover by spending an afternoon on Pinterest. Fun to flip through, but nowhere near as exciting or aspirational as the Young House Love blog. ...more

1

Jan 28, 2013

Another blog.
Another book deal.

No offense to the lovely couple who have done a fantastic job on their house. Their blog has been filled with fun, frivolity and pratfalls. But is it really book worthy? Will publishing ever go back to finding new talent? Or will publishing just stick with the automatic audience blogs present?

Repeats? Oh yeah. No new ideas here that aren't recycled on every DIY blog on the internet.

Rent, don't buy.

4

Dec 13, 2012

I've been reading Young House Love (the blog) for a while, and I like Sherry and John's voice- funny, dorky, warm and humble. The book has a similar voice. I like that the tips are grouped into rooms; while reading, I could visualize my own spaces and see if any of the tips were useful for me.

On the whole, I like their style of decoration- clean and bright with a touch of whimsy but much of their artwork (eg. displaying keys to previous homes) is far too sentimental for my tastes.

Some easy ideas I've been reading Young House Love (the blog) for a while, and I like Sherry and John's voice- funny, dorky, warm and humble. The book has a similar voice. I like that the tips are grouped into rooms; while reading, I could visualize my own spaces and see if any of the tips were useful for me.

On the whole, I like their style of decoration- clean and bright with a touch of whimsy but much of their artwork (eg. displaying keys to previous homes) is far too sentimental for my tastes.

Some easy ideas that I can see myself using right away:
1. Papering the back of bookcases
2. Stenciling a rug
3. Chalkboard paint on a coffee table/tray/bar cart
4. Painting thrift store finds (furniture, mirror frames, lamp bases)
5. Reupholstering dining room chairs
6. Hanging fabric as art

Once Lila is a bit older, I will certainly set up a rotating art wall for her drawings.

All in all, a fun book to browse through!
...more

4

Jun 28, 2013

This would be a great book to buy someone (or yourself) who has just moved into their first home/apartment, or for someone who loves to do diy projects on a budget. There are a ton of ideas on making your own home decor, re-purposing just about anything, how to hang art work, to stenciling your walls. I did think there would be more in this book about renovation of houses because that is a big part of their blog and their background, but nevertheless I wouldn't hesitate to buy this book. It This would be a great book to buy someone (or yourself) who has just moved into their first home/apartment, or for someone who loves to do diy projects on a budget. There are a ton of ideas on making your own home decor, re-purposing just about anything, how to hang art work, to stenciling your walls. I did think there would be more in this book about renovation of houses because that is a big part of their blog and their background, but nevertheless I wouldn't hesitate to buy this book. It would make a great house warming gift! ...more

5

Apr 04, 2016

I love that this book and the ideas are for normal "paycheck to paycheck" folks! So many home decor books include projects that either cost hundreds or that you need to have a garage full of expensive tools to accomplish. I got many good ideas from this book!

3

Nov 09, 2012

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Sherry and John definitely stay true to their blog voice. Some of the ideas are really good, some are good refreshers for other things I've seen. It's a lot of just little tips and tricks so don't go in expecting anything revolutionary. My husband and I are currently in the process of buying our first home so I'm sure I'll be referencing back to this quite a bit (Painting a front door! Styling bookshelves! Painting furniture!).

3

Aug 15, 2014

I really like this book. It's full of easy and inexpensive ideas. I found a few small projects and gifts that my dad is going to work with me. :)

5

Jul 09, 2015

Bought this one I liked it so much! Not a rehash of the blog, which is a refreshing change. Love having so many projects and tips all in one place.

5

Jan 31, 2014

I love their blog, and this book is great! Lots of inexpensive and fun ways to change your house into your home. I loved it. It's on my wish list.

2

Mar 15, 2013

I was pretty disappointed with this book. Not sure what I was expecting but the hype they put on wasn't met. I still love their blog but the book wasn't the best. I did not like the hand drawn ideas. It felt cheap to me and like a filler when they ran out of ideas!

1

Jun 27, 2013

Do you have pinterest or the internet? Ok, then save yourself $25 and skip this book. I think I spotted 2-3 original ideas in the entire book, and everything else was a rehash of something I've already seen. Worse, the book is very short on direction or instruction. It's just simple projects inspriation. Don't expect to learn anything.

4

Feb 13, 2013

As a fan of their blog, I knew I was going to like their book before I cracked it open. It's full of relatively quick and mostly inexpensive ways to "paint, craft, update, and show your home some love." Most ideas are unique from their blog, so readers of their blog get something fresh. John and Sherry are hilarious and quirky, which makes their book (and blog) very fun and enjoyable.

4

Jan 19, 2013

This book has the same practical, fun, goofy feel as the YHL blog. It offers a lot of home projects organized by room, good pictures, and clear description of the time, money and energy required for each idea. Some of the concepts were similar to things they have done in their own home, but they offered new versions of the idea for fresh inspiration. This was a quick read that I know I will refer back to in the future.

5

Dec 13, 2012

This isn't a novel.

I just wanted to clear that up. It's a decorating DIY book, but I loved it enough to write about it.

It is mostly pictures. I still I found it very well written. Each project is outlined succinctly and clearly. Easy and fun to read, yet full of useful information.

This would be a great book to give as a gift to anyone from new homeowner, someone moving into their first apartment, or your mother-in-law whose living room could use a serious update.

4

Oct 14, 2013

my boss just introduced me to this book and its blog. i'm house-shopping right now and getting so excited to nest and do things that aren't allowed in rentals. this is a great source for inspiration, and i like that they're upfront about how much things will cost and how long they'll take.

update: had to read again now that i actually own a house. soooo many things to do.

first read: october 2013
second read: november 2015

5

Feb 07, 2013

So many great home decorating and easy renovation ideas. I love that they really think outside of the box and make the projects doable for even the beginner like me. I also love that the Petersiks are frugal like myself and they rate the price of each project; they really considered the wallet of their followers when they wrote this book. Even though their style tends to be more modern than mine I have found many of their projects adaptable, and I plan on trying to implement many on my own, So many great home decorating and easy renovation ideas. I love that they really think outside of the box and make the projects doable for even the beginner like me. I also love that the Petersiks are frugal like myself and they rate the price of each project; they really considered the wallet of their followers when they wrote this book. Even though their style tends to be more modern than mine I have found many of their projects adaptable, and I plan on trying to implement many on my own, Thanks Sherry and John! ...more

3

Dec 31, 2012

A quick, fun read by the YoungHouseLove bloggers.

First off, they're adorable. The book is written just like their blog and has some good ideas, though me being very uncrafty makes me doubtful I'll actually try any of these ideas.

I do love their attitude that you should love everything you put in your house. So I indirectly took their advice and have finally made an appointment with an interior designer to help us out with a few rooms. Perhaps she can incorporate some of their ideas for me.

2

Jan 03, 2013

Copied and pasted from Facebook:


I bought the nook book for $2.99. It was probably less appealing electronically, for starters, which I know isn't their fault. I felt like a lot of the projects were silly or not worth being listed as a suggestion. And I hated how they were like, "paint a lamp lime! Or eggplant! Or turquoise! Oh, but gray, white, or chocolate would work too." Like, "hey, did you know you can paint a lamp any actual color?!" I dunno, their blog has not been much fun lately. Maybe Copied and pasted from Facebook:


I bought the nook book for $2.99. It was probably less appealing electronically, for starters, which I know isn't their fault. I felt like a lot of the projects were silly or not worth being listed as a suggestion. And I hated how they were like, "paint a lamp lime! Or eggplant! Or turquoise! Oh, but gray, white, or chocolate would work too." Like, "hey, did you know you can paint a lamp any actual color?!" I dunno, their blog has not been much fun lately. Maybe I'm getting tired of their taste.
...more

4

May 24, 2013

I like to think that reading this book will make me a super decorator, one with a really cute apartment. I should note that my apartment is definitely not decorated nor is it very cute. I would love to try some of the ideas in this book, like gluing patterns of tissue paper on a canvas to make geometric DIY art, but I know that if I were to try it would just look like something a second grader made. That being said, there are some really basic ideas that I gleaned from this book, like having a I like to think that reading this book will make me a super decorator, one with a really cute apartment. I should note that my apartment is definitely not decorated nor is it very cute. I would love to try some of the ideas in this book, like gluing patterns of tissue paper on a canvas to make geometric DIY art, but I know that if I were to try it would just look like something a second grader made. That being said, there are some really basic ideas that I gleaned from this book, like having a box with a lid to store your remote controls. I mean, who does that? But it's such a good idea! ...more

4

Dec 28, 2012

I was so excited to get this book, I actually squealed when I got my hands on it! As a fan of the Young House Love blog I have been waiting for this to come out for what felt like forever. When I got the book I quickly skimmed all the projects and starting making notes and plans for my own home. I love how these projects are totally easy and financially realistic to do. The book is well written and organized with handy ratings of each project based on ease, expense and time. And even if you are I was so excited to get this book, I actually squealed when I got my hands on it! As a fan of the Young House Love blog I have been waiting for this to come out for what felt like forever. When I got the book I quickly skimmed all the projects and starting making notes and plans for my own home. I love how these projects are totally easy and financially realistic to do. The book is well written and organized with handy ratings of each project based on ease, expense and time. And even if you are a religious follower of the blog you will still see new and exciting projects that you'll be excited to try. ...more

5

Jan 05, 2013

I've long been a fan of Sherry & John Petersik's home blog, Young House Love (formerly, This Young House). The book extends the familiar conversational style that the Petersiks are so well known for, and offers up a buffet of home DIY projects.

I especially like the abundance of photos in each project, guiding through the process. No matter what one's budget is, the Petersiks have a project for it. Advocates for thrift shopping, secondhand stores, and discount home stores (ie. HomeGoods, I've long been a fan of Sherry & John Petersik's home blog, Young House Love (formerly, This Young House). The book extends the familiar conversational style that the Petersiks are so well known for, and offers up a buffet of home DIY projects.

I especially like the abundance of photos in each project, guiding through the process. No matter what one's budget is, the Petersiks have a project for it. Advocates for thrift shopping, secondhand stores, and discount home stores (ie. HomeGoods, Habitat ReStore); many of the projects rev up something that you already have, or can come across for minimal expense.

Petersik style is fresh, young, modern; but, the techniques used could easily work for any decorating style. ...more

4

May 17, 2015

I found their blog last week (via Pinterest, of course) and guess what? They're done blogging! I read the last few posts and looked through their house tours and thought they both had an interesting approach to decorating so I got their book.

It's fine. Had I read this in 2012 or in conjunction with their blog perhaps I'd be blown away. Their conversational tone is cute (a little annoying in the intro because it's soooo "funny"), but I really like that they keep it real. They know their projects I found their blog last week (via Pinterest, of course) and guess what? They're done blogging! I read the last few posts and looked through their house tours and thought they both had an interesting approach to decorating so I got their book.

It's fine. Had I read this in 2012 or in conjunction with their blog perhaps I'd be blown away. Their conversational tone is cute (a little annoying in the intro because it's soooo "funny"), but I really like that they keep it real. They know their projects may not fit everyone's tastes and they keep it simple. They also do a good job breaking down each project by time and cost.

Probably due to Pinterest, most of these ideas weren't new and I wish they showed more of the completed projects within an entire room layout. Oh well, I guess that's what the blog is (/was) for! ...more

4

Apr 19, 2014

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting. It is really a do-it-yourself manual for mostly inexpensive upgrades to your decor. I think this book would be great for a new couple starting out in their first home and trying to decorate on a budget. It has some great ideas for updating rooms and individual pieces, though some of the ideas I wouldn't want to try because they would be difficult to change if you wanted to update the rooms again in the future.

4

Apr 05, 2019

I'm Spring cleaning the home library, weeding out books to donate, and found this one. I must've picked it up somewhere and never really read it before. So I did.
Sadly, it already feels dated. (The waste and non-eco-friendliness of constantly changing trends and consumerism is a total bummer.) Then again, this was never my style in the first place, so who knows. BUT, what a likable couple! Their book is loaded with ideas that can be adapted to individual style. Even if I don't plan to use them, I'm Spring cleaning the home library, weeding out books to donate, and found this one. I must've picked it up somewhere and never really read it before. So I did.
Sadly, it already feels dated. (The waste and non-eco-friendliness of constantly changing trends and consumerism is a total bummer.) Then again, this was never my style in the first place, so who knows. BUT, what a likable couple! Their book is loaded with ideas that can be adapted to individual style. Even if I don't plan to use them, I enjoyed reading it front to back.
My favorite section was "HANG" - making your own art and things to frame and display. Simple, practical, fun ideas for family arts and crafts type stuff.
...more