Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Writing Our Second Book

We’ve been mentioning our second book off-and-on for several months now, usually followed by promises to give you some details soon, so we’re finally fulfilling that promise.

How did you get a second book deal?

Our original deal with our publisher, Artisan Books, was for two books, so we’ve known since signing on with them in 2011 that we’d be doing a follow-up to our first book, which came out in November of 2012 (more on that whole experience here).

When will this one come out?

Right now we’re working towards a fall of 2015 release – although that depends on lots of factors (many beyond our control) so it’s not set in stone yet. Artisan has been great. Instead of pressuring us to jump right back into developing Book #2 right after the first book’s release, they encouraged us to decompress and take time to really be thoughtful about the second book. Having been through this process before, we have a much better understanding about how time consuming each step can be (the proofreading alone, my goodness!) so we know fall of 2015 will creep up on us faster than we think.

Will it be more of the same from Book #1?

Nope! There will still be specific projects and tips worked into every chapter, but the overall concept of the book will be different. We actually assumed Artisan would encourage us to follow the same format as Book #1 (if it ain’t broke, right?), but they really wanted us to make it different, so it could stand alone. That sounded a lot more interesting to us as well… albeit sort of elusive for a while. What concept and format would grab us this time? We spent nearly a year tossing around ideas, drafting rough outlines, and brainstorming with each other and Artisan. At some points, Sherry and I worried nothing would ever hype us up enough to say “that’s IT!”, but sometime last winter we landed on an idea that got everyone excited, which added up to some really nice momentum.

So… what will it be about?

Without giving too much away, the goal is to write a book full of real decorating ideas that fit the way that families really live. It’s all well and good to stare at gorgeous high end inspiration rooms, but where are the TV remotes? Where do they drop their mail? Do kids and pets actually live there? We want to highlight a bunch of decorating and organizing ideas that solve challenges that many families face, while making sure there’s not just form and function, but meaning in every space (so each member of the family feels at home). Obviously our household isn’t representative of everyone’s family structure, so we’re excited to step outside our own doors and include some other homes, which is a really fun departure from our first book, which was shot almost exclusively in our house. So in addition to chapters full of our projects and ideas, we thought peppering real home tours throughout this book allows us to showcase a greater variety of families, styles, and solutions.

Are you looking for homes to feature?

Yes! We’ve already begun shooting some of them, but there’s still room for more and we’d LOVE to consider yours (or your friend’s / neighbor’s / beekeeper’s). Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested:

  • We’re looking for homes that are beautiful but also very personal and reflect the tastes and needs of the people who live there. Even if you don’t think your whole home is ready for its close up, we’ve got ways to feature single rooms or spaces if you think you have a really special kitchen, playroom, or even a great staircase.
  • Unique circumstances are encouraged. We want to keep the definition of “family” as wide as possible – from parents with kids, to empty nesters, to couples with pets, etc. etc. Do you live with your in-laws? Do you juggle a big family in a small apartment? Did you convert a bedroom into a hang-out room for your eight dogs? We’re all ears.
  • Send your pics and brief story/description to [email protected] with “BOOK TWO” in the subject

What if I don’t have a home to submit? Can I still be a part of it?

Yes! We’ve got some other fun ways to work you guys into the book. We really want it to represent tons of families, so we’ll let you know more about them when the time comes.

Are you going to have those crazy weeks of photoshoots in your house again?

Hopefully not! We’re trying to make the process less hectic than last time, so we’ve been spacing out our photography – especially since this time we have the added challenge of coordinating shoots in other homes in addition to our own, as well as juggling a newborn. At one point we tried scheduling all the shoots to be done before Teddy arrived, but quickly realized it would be impossible. It was nice to check some off beforehand though, and Artisan has been so great about letting us pace ourselves and focus on enjoying Teddy’s arrival. We finalized our outline last month, recently started writing some chapter intros and tutorials, and are aiming to have everything else shot by the end of the summer, at which point we’ll have a few months to complete the manuscript.

Book2 Instagrams

Will you be going on a book tour again? If so, will you be coming to my city again/this time? 

This is another frequent question we get, but we haven’t really had that discussion with Artisan yet. Everyone’s focused on making the book first, so the tour stuff probably won’t get ironed out for another year or so. Our guess is that there will be some sort of tour but what and how many cities is a big ol’ question mark. So much of that depends on who’s willing to host an event, and that’s way too early to guess. For now we’re just grateful that we don’t have to think about traveling too far away from our kiddos for another year or so.

Comments

  1. Carol Farish says

    Seriously, we need a Young House Love meets the Property Brothers.All these lovely open concept homes are nice but can present challenges for families. Where do you put the mail? How do you prevent toy creep, whereby large plastic toys take over everything? There are so many issues families face when living in their homes that you are just the folks to address.

    BTW, love the pix of your kids. Teddy is one of several Internet babies I am in love with at the moment.

    Reply

  2. Cassi says

    I seriously don’t know how you guys accomplish everything, blog, kids, books… and still have the energy to stand! I’m a graphic designer by day and you guys really do inspire me.

    And how exciting for a new book! I can’t wait to read it. And if the book tour pans out, I hope you guys get to come to Columbus, OH so I can be all Sherry-meeting-Eminem! hahahaha! ;)

    Reply

  3. Teri says

    ohmygawd. I DIE.

    Within seconds of reading this post, I hasitily sent off an email to my partner stating “WE HAVE TO GET OUR ___ IN GEAR”. I can only imagine the mega eye roll I’m going to get at dinner tonight.

    We’ve been remodeling our 1960s ranch (RIGHT?!!) and I am sooooo excited to submit it. It’s half-way done, but I’m running inside to tackle some trim work now. Must. Submit. ASAP.

    Reply

  4. Linden says

    I don’t know, Young House Love and the Chamber of Secrets has a nice ring to it!

    I hope that if you guys do another book tour it brings you to Memphis (or even Nashville or Little Rock or somewhere close by). I would LOVE to meet you guys!

    Reply

  5. Karen Q. says

    WOOT WOOT! So excited for you! Love the idea and concept of this book- great idea I think everyone will love! Can’t wait to get my paws on it next year! Enjoy the process and adventure! Congratulations!

    Reply

  6. Amelia says

    This isn’t exactly related to the book(But yay! Can’t wait! Come to C’ville!) but last night I finally gave my son’s curtains the YHL treatment and altered them with Heat n’ Bond (they needed to be hemmed), hung black out liner behind them, and clipped the ‘new’ curtain/black out combo up with curtain clips and he slept almost an hour later than he has been this morning. So at the risk of this getting weird fast, one of my first thoughts this morning was, I love Sherry so much right now. A WHOLE HOUR!!! As those of us with early risers know, there aint no party like a sleep-in party because a sleep-in party…well, it stops eventually, but it’s really awesome while it lasts. :)

    Reply

  7. Bianca C says

    Eeeep!!! This is so exciting. Now to rush cleaning/decorating/painting to submit something spectacular! Is there a deadline for submissions?

    Reply

  8. Danielle says

    Is there a deadline for home your submissions? My family and I are moving in two weeks and our current rental is in no good state right now but our new home will have some really neat rooms an if love to email you!

    D

    Reply

  9. Lesley says

    Very excited for y’all! And, I am really hoping you guys eventually make it down to New Orleans for a tour! A lot of people and neighborhoods had to completely start over gutting their homes and restoring them after that big ole hurricane in 2005. It would be interesting to see how people reinvented certain aspects of their home to prepare for future situations whether it be in tornado alley, snow-pocalypse, flooding, hurricanes etc.

    Reply

  10. Laura says

    Aaaaand I’m already pumped for Book Two, even though I still have to get started on my projects I marked in Book One for the condo I just bought/moved into. EEK!!!

    Best of luck – and thanks for proving even more that we’re meant to be BFFs by the choices for your cover options, I personally see nothing wrong with the TMNT option, especially..

    Here’s hoping you come to Louisville, Ky!

    Reply

  11. Darcy says

    So, basically what this post is saying, is that while you guys have cut your hours working on the blog with your reduced posts each week, you all aren’t really relaxing at home, snuggling Clara and Teddy, you are SUPER busy with book stuff!!! You two are really the hardest working people in the blog-o-sphere!! (Those 2 kiddos are pretty snug-able – I’m sure you find the time to fit it in! LOL!)

    And I am soo excited about this book concept — I am so glad you gave us this update today!! I can’ wait to pre-order it!!

    And, 1 more comment– I am so happy that you commented above with the link to the reader submissions of book projects they did — I TOTALLY forgot all about that!!

    Have a very Happy 4th of July Weekend — I hope Teddy and Clara enjoy the fireworks!! (this was the 1st year, I let my 4 year old do Sparklers — LOVED it!!)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Darcy, you’re so sweet! We’re definitely maximizing snuggle time thanks to the new pace & planning this book better, so all the shoots aren’t compressed into the craziest 21 days of our life! It’s a nice mix of sweet newborn haze & blog/book stuff, just to keep us on our toes. Haha! And Happy 4th of July to you too :)

      xo
      s

  12. Alexandra says

    Please come to boulder co! Also one of my dreams is to have a room featured as a reader redesign on your blog. That and a spread in better home and garden lol. I love your book and can’t wait for the second one!

    Reply

  13. Carly S says

    Can’t wait! We recently bought our first home and your book has been a staple in how we have decorated/created so far!

    Also, I kind of need you to tour again. Last time you toured and were in my neck of the woods (Toronto, represent!) I was away on vacation and missed you! I had even looked at whether any of your stops aligned with our road trip and we missed you by a few days in other cities! I was the saddest!

    Reply

  14. Hillary says

    Sounds perfect! I’m really hoping that your book will feature some split level entries. Such a challenge to decorate and make work for a family. We have small children so we need places to drop shoes, keys, etc all while keeping safe on the steps. Tough!

    Reply

  15. Sally says

    Love the concept for your book. One of things I constantly think we I see homes in magazines or on HGTV is…how would they watch TV…there’s no seating facing it!

    I’m not offering up my home, but some things I’d love to see:

    * Homes belonging to people with mobility issues (wheelchair, scooter, walker) It makes a difference in layout. While many young people haven’t had to deal with this, some do. And many of us will be helping our parents adapt their homes to age in place. My parents renovated their bathroom and included grab bars even though they don’t need them yet. I’d love to see “Universal Design” shown looking good.
    * Homes without rugs (either due to allergies, mobility issues, etc)
    * Small homes belonging to people who camp/bicycle/backpack/kayak or do some other hobby that requires a bunch of stuff that needs to be stored.
    * Fitting a desktop computer into the living room.
    * Solutions for the counter-top appliances (coffee maker, toaster, etc) when you can’t totally renovate.
    * Window coverings for weird shaped windows.
    * Homes with a “mother-in-law” apartment or another way to have extended family have there own space.

    Reply

    • Cat Morris says

      Sally: BINGO on so many of those, especially 1) storage for “gear heavy” activities like camping 2) fitting a desk top computer into a common living area. 3) universal design–yes! 4) limited counter space 5) window coverings for weird shaped windows. We have a converted attic space with a roofline that messes with our windows.

      (By the way, a neat resource for some small house inspiration is The Not So Big House by Susan Susanka. She’s been around for a good awhile. I haven’t looked at her stuff recently.)

  17. jeannette says

    i think y’all’s capacity to live in a space/dilemma/idea for a year while feeling it *and* brainstorming it is your greatest gift. it allows real progress to be made in design function and aesthetics. i love the way you two collaborate til it clicks.

    all that HGTV thing of 48 hours and $2K makes good TV. but it makes formulaic design, all too often with no sense of organic living space. all those $700 armchairs in corners far away with no reading light.

    anyway, i’m always excited by your thoughtful approach to design problems and i’m still plugging for you to visit elderspirit in abingdon — senior co-housing, a great answer to a huge “design” problem as baby boomers age out — the majority of whom have no children, no pension, and only $50K in savings. I’ll never forget the do-over you did of your granny’s bathroom.

    http://www.elderspirit.net/

    http://oregonon.org/blog/2013/the-silver-tsunami-hard-facts-facing-ageing-baby-boomers/

    Reply

  18. Amy S. says

    Forget a whole tour….I’d be interested in just coming to Richmond to meet you somehow! Haha I know that sounded stalkerish, and that’s not (entirely) how it was meant, but since one of my friends introduced me to your blog/brand, I love all of your ideas and keep coming back and searching the blog for tips to help me decorate and re-do in my 1971 house!

    Reply

  19. Sarah says

    I’m so excited for your next book and I hope this process has been a growing and rewarding experience. I too hope that you have another book tour! Since I now live in New Jersey and you are from here, I’m hoping it will be a stop on the possible tour.

    Reply

  20. Sarah says

    I’m so excited for your second book and I hope this has been a growing and rewarding process for you. I too hope that you have a book tour. Now that I live in New Jersey and you are from here, I’m hoping it will be a stop on the possible tour. Looking forward to Fall 2015!

    Reply

  21. GreenCanary says

    I would love to see a stylish, functional home of someone who has PARROTS. Having birds as pets presents a crazy set of obstacles and challenges. I haven’t been able to figure it out on my own (and my two feather babies are just little birdies!), and the living spaces of most “bird people” are nothing I’d go to House Beautiful with – PVC play stands, plastic tablecloths under cages, cages themselves, etc. You have constant mess and you need tons of enrichment for birds. Can you please, please, please find someone with birds who has a bright, clean, pretty home that I can pore over and copy? Pretty please?

    Reply

    • Lisa in Seattle says

      GreenCanary, I empathize. We’re DINK2Fs (Double Income No Kids 2 Ferrets) and have similar decorating constraints including tubes, towers, dens, little toys everywhere… One of our fuzzies, Hurricane Gabriel, has unbelievable jumping/climbing skills. As a result, all our bookcases, etc., must have securely closing lower doors. Most of our belongings are stored 3′ up or higher, like they’re trying to escape rising floodwaters. HGTV isn’t exactly pounding on the door.

    • GreenCanary says

      Lisa in Seattle –

      YES!! It’s exactly like that, with the play pieces and the getting into things and the thrown food! (I don’t know if ferrets throw their food, but my parrots definitely throw theirs. Right now the wall of their room looks like a Jackson Pollock, except with raspberries instead of paint. S’annoying.) We need to create our own HGTV show for people with high maintenance pets :-)

  23. NancyO says

    I think the most disappointing thing in this post is that your faces aren’t photo shopped on the Chipmunks, Whoopi, or the Harry Potter crew. :)

    Sounds exciting! I’ll be submitting some of my home ideas soon.

    Nancy

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We actually bagged a European home (we couldn’t shoot it ourselves so we used local resources out there) and are so excited to have it in the mix! There really aren’t any restrictions as long as we can figure out a way to get some great photography :)

      xo
      s

  25. Melissa says

    Yay! I can’t wait to see what book #2 has to offer! And PLEASE feel free to come to Cleveland and shoot my remote control storage solution: I classily toss them right inside the fabric bin I keep diapers in. It’s a very glamorous set-up :)

    Reply

  26. katalina says

    Yah second book!

    Instagram question:

    in john’s selfie— what is that white piping border around the frame– in your house or added on the photo?

    Reply

  27. Momcat says

    Haven’t gotten through all the comments yet, but it would be great to see you incorporate some universal design / accessibility features into the book. We have a son who uses a wheelchair and unfortunately “style” and beautiful design take a backseat to function and accessibility. With an aging population, I’m sure many readers will at some point have aging or infirm parents, or maybe a child with special needs, or a family member who needs wheelchair access. I’d love to see your take on some of the basic elements to beautify this lifestyle! Thanks for your consideration. Ps. I offer up my house for any DIY advice or projects! We’ve made modifications but still have some hang-ups to iron out. And there is a large group of parents here in RVA I can put you in touch with who are all dealing with the same modification issues.

    Reply

  28. Kim says

    I am really excited about the new book. Enjoy spending time with your two cute kids. Happy 4th of July!

    Reply

  29. Emily @ Life on Food says

    I really enjoyed the first book. I cannot wait for the next one. Love the idea. And it took a second for me to see that the first picture was not the real cover. I was wondering about that.

    Reply

  30. Erin says

    I’m so excited about this book idea. Please give me a book that will help fix my life. Not the big stuff, which is thankfully in pretty good shape, but the crap I trip over, get tangled up in, can’t find, and don’t want to look at.

    Also, Happy Fourth!

    Reply

  31. Megan says

    “while making sure there’s not just form and function, but meaning in every space”…this right here is why I love your blog, and what I think the decorating world is sorely, sorely lacking. Can’t wait to get my copy!

    Reply

  32. Fara says

    I have been coveting your first book for a while, and after your line came out at Target, I jumped on it! Now, I want this book…NOW! I’m so excited!

    Reply

  33. mckayla says

    I think the second book concept is fantastic. We are currently staging our home (ourselves) to sell it, while living in our too-small house while it’s on the market with 3 kids. I’ve had such a hard time finding practical resources for where to put the trash cans, dirty clothes hampers, etc. Whilenstill having it look nicely decorated. I know yall have posted about your experience with living in a house while selling it, but a lot of your practical suggestions for book 2 could be a resource for staging circumstances too!

    Reply

  34. Caitlyn M. says

    I’ve been looking forward to your second book since you first started teasing about it, and I’m excited for the concept. It’s very discouraging when otherwise helpful resources do things like always orienting seating arrangements around a fireplace and poo-pooing the TV, or only ever showing offices that have laptops with no cables or peripherals. My husband and I can’t be the only ones who don’t passively consume TV but actually enjoy gathering to watch and talk about shows and movies. Likewise, not everyone finds working on a laptop desirable or even feasible, and not everyone considers their computer an eyesore that must be disguised or hidden. So thanks for being your awesome selves and getting real about decor, because I think that perspective is much needed.

    Reply

    • Megan Franklin says

      I second these two problems! So often seating looks better around the fireplace when it makes more practical sense to face the TV. Some fireplaces are also too high to have a tv above it. Maybe I just need to learn how to mount the tv above the fireplace, but even then you have to figure out where the cable box and all of that stuff goes…
      Also, I need help figuring out what to do with a desktop. We had an office until the baby came along. Then we had to combine office and guest room and it’s just not looking good. I’d love to read how to hide an “office” in a living room or bedroom in a pretty way.

  36. Angelica says

    I’m so excited for your next book! I’d love a realistic approach to decor for middle class families. I love other designers like Emily Henderson but sometimes the “only $900 for reupholstery” drives me crazy!

    I’d love to see you guys come to the SF Bay Area next time!

    Reply

  37. Kelly says

    I don’t know what kind of pull you have with Artisan, but St. Louis DEFINITELY needs to be on that list. Shoot, if we can have the likes of Alton Brown and Hillary Duff, who’s to say we can’t add the Petersik’s to that list?

    Reply

  39. John says

    Perhaps you could include some exterior play areas for kids.
    Doesn’t have to be all inside photos.

    Reply

  40. Lauren S. says

    Ah! So excited for the new book! Hoping you come to Charlotte, NC!

    Wish I had something creative to submit, but as creative as we’ve gotten is sticking a changing pad on top of the cabinent desk from World Market we bought for our cable box/Xbox so that we don’t have to walk our lazy backsides upstairs to change a diaper (tv is hanging for better or worse over the fire place). I looking forward to the inspiration though!

    Reply

  42. Abby says

    Please write about how to handle all of the kiddo items! I have a 3yo and a almost 2yo and I feel like there stuff is taking over the house. Also it would be great to get your opinion on how to add storage (that looks nice) to your home. I have no attic or closets (except for the bedrooms). Love your work and the first book. Can’t wait for the second!

    Reply

    • Kati says

      Abby, I know how you feel! After learning about the Petersik Kid Library Closet, we implemented that in our house and found two things to be true for us: 1. Our kids need way, way, WAY less stuff when it’s all simple and pared down and out-of-sight-out-of-mind… Our little girl can just focus with less stuff around and is just as happy or happier. She’s a 2 1/2 year old who colors, reads, plays with our dog and climbs under the table for fun for hours at a time- all the other toys are in her toy closet and she rarely wants to play with them. 2. It’s also made cleaning so much easier!

  43. Roxanne M says

    Can’t wait! Love those fake covers :) Hope you stop in Minneapolis again so I can see you again! Have a great 4th!

    Reply

  44. Amy says

    We just moved and my house looks dreadful, but I’d love to see a book page on how to move with a family, since with little kids it seems much more is involved than making just two adults feel at home. You guys moved recently and seemed to do a great job of making Clara adjust well. Also some tasteful ways to decorate your home when you need a ton of storage for items out of kids reach! I usually take the teach my kids not to touch methods of doing things, but there are pointy objects and medicines and tools and chemicals to store in the house and in a smaller place its hard to find enough places high enough or locked away!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Love all the suggestions guys! We’d love to cover as much of this stuff as possible! You’re really getting us excited for new topics and tips to add :)

      xo
      s

  45. Jill says

    So exciting! Love the idea of seeing what readers (and others) have going on- such a great idea. Have a great holiday weekend with your own little 3 firecrackers! : )

    Reply

  46. Diana says

    Love the concept! As my son grows (15 months) I feel like we are constantly trying to hide/contain his stuff so things aren’t overrun with kid stuff!

    Reply

  48. Jean Clare says

    Congrats! Can’t wait to get the second book. I hope you guys make it out to Phoenix this time! Also, missed-opportunity sequel cover — John could’ve been all Arnold-ed, and the book would’ve read “Judgement Day.” :)

    Reply

  49. Mary-Crystal says

    I am SO excited for your second book! I remember reading your first book out loud (cover to cover) to my husband while in the car on our way to our Christmas vacation destination. We both enjoyed the humor, pictures, and projects that were in the first one. Can’t wait for the practical ideas that sound like they are in book two. Both my husband and I have been dying to meet the two of you ever since you started YHL. Please please come to Dayton, OH!! :)

    Reply

  50. Jenny D says

    I hope to see real-life sized rooms…we are getting ready to remodel our 1950’s bathroom and Houzz & Pinterest’s idea of “small bathroom” is quite different than our 5×8′ space!

    Reply

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