Is that really our name listed over on Apartment Therapy as the winners of this year’s Homies? Wow. We’re simultaneously flattered and flabbergasted. Just call us flattergasted. Wait, maybe you shouldn’t. It kinda sounds like a euphemism for flatulence. But it’s safe to say that we’re shocked and are definitely feeling all “aw shucks” about it.
A big thanks to everyone who nominated and/or voted for us. There are so many awesome home blogs out there and it’s such an honor to think that anyone believes that we belong anywhere near the top. We were just happy to be nominated among so many fantastic fellow bloggers. Really. And a big thanks to Apartment Therapy for playing host to this annual celebration of reader selected shelter blogs. It’s always cool whenever sites like AT share some link love and spread the word about other design & DIY enthusiasts. Sidenote: We met Maxwell a couple of months ago at a book signing event here in Richmond and he’s even more nice, genuine, and passionate than we imagined. Just a great all around guy. And I don’t mean that in a creepy way.
Our favorite part of this whole Homie thing is the list of must-read home blogs that AT compiled as part of the reader submitted nomination process. Our Google Readers better throw on some elastic waist pants, cause we’re gorging on a ton of new RSS subscriptions. So if you’re looking to join in, might we suggest our fellow finalists to start?
- Door Sixteen
- Freshome
- Our Little Beehive
- Remodelaholic
- 7th House on the Left
- Slim Paley
- The Steampunk Home
- Table Tonic
And don’t forget to check out the amazing full list of nominations here (scroll down a bit for the whole mack daddy list). Oh and along with the title of the 2011 winner, the Homies also include a sweet $50 prize. And rather than blowing it on ceramic animals something for the new house, we decided to channel Maxwell and pay it forward to one of his favorite charities: Donor’s Choose.
You can click the image above to learn more about that specific project. And as for more info about Donors Choose in general, it’s a really cool organization where teachers can log on and request specific items that they need for their classroom, and you can pick whichever request hits home with you and donate directly to that cause (we’re going to choose a local Richmond classroom that’s looking for something that has to do with the arts or building – you know, since painting and hammering are two things that we still enjoy to this day).
So thanks again to Apartment Therapy for the inspiration and the fun! And to you awesome people who clicked the box next to our name. Holy bananas. We still can’t believe it.
Tanya Quinlan says
Congrats YHL! I think it’s commendable that you didn’t even mention that you were up for a hommie until now so there was no pandering for votes.(And I know you weren’t just out of the loop.)Not that asking for votes is bad, but I’m sure it feels so much better to win knowing that the people who voted for you did it 100% on their own.
You do an amazing job and the award is well deserved!
Audrey says
Hear hear!
Danielle says
Congrats! I agree with all the other comments – you guys deserve it! :)
Kristen says
Love you guys! Love your blog! Congrats on the well-deserved win!
Sheila M. says
Totally, totally deserved! And while I appreciate the list of other blogs, yours appears to be all I need. Thanks for the inspiration – it keeps me moving room, by room, by room. (And being a Richmond Spider, I love the references – it brings back great memories of college!)
Keep up the good work and congratulations!
Slim Paley says
Dear Sherry & John
Congratulations to you both!!!!
Very Best Wishes,
Slim Paley
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Slim Paley! It was an honor to be nominated with ya!
xo,
s
leah says
I didn’t even know you guys were on the list at first. I was prompted to the voting page by another blog I read and thought why not. Then I saw your blog on the list and just HAD to vote for you instead. You guys are the best and I read every day, really.
lexipedia says
This is my first reply, to give you guys a major congrats! I’ve been reading for some time and originally found YHL via Apartment Therapy. I thought of the blog a week or so ago as we are currently designing our first home and were ready to make some major investments. Since then I’ve gone through old videos, projects and had a major design breakthrough courtesy of your whole house colour scheme diagrams. Thanks so much for all that you do.
Kelly says
Congratulations you guys! You totally deserve it. Yes, there were (alot) of other great sites, (and I tried my darnest to see most all of them), but your site is REALLY well laid out, user friendly and just, well…awesome. I’ve had so much inspiration from you two over the years, it’s great that you’re getting recognition all over the place!
Enjoy your victory!
Cheers!
Kelly
SarahR says
I browsed through the other sites as well and there were definately some great blogs, but I agree that YHL is so user friendly that it makes it #1 on my list.
Elizabeth says
Congrats YhLer’s! You So deserve it!!
Kay says
Congratulations!!!! You guys are awesome, and that was well-deserved!
Rachel says
Wow! Thank you for setting it up so links open in a new tab! I love not losing my place on YHL. You guys are so good!
kristy~ says
Congratulations YHL!!! Love your Blog! you deserve it!
Hilary @ My So-Called Home says
Oh no surprise really, you guys totally deserve it!
Meghan says
Congrats and thanks for all the new blog goodies to read!
This is totally off topic but just wanted to thank you guys for the tip about unclogging the drain with baking soda, white vinegar, and boiling water. Tried it this morning on a frustratingly stopped up bathroom sink and it worked like a charm!
Michelle from FL says
You guys totally deserve this! As I’ve said before, I don’t do one thing without checking out YHL first! If it’s here, then it goes in my house. My white curtains in the living room have completely transformed the space – thanks to you for the great idea!!
Jess-The SemiAbnormal Gal says
Thank you for choosing to support DonorsChoose! As a teacher I use the site and it means very much to all of us in education.
Congrats!
Audrey says
I voted! You guys definitely deserved it!
GreenInOC says
Congrats!
I am in love with Donors Choose!
I’m sure it was intentional on your part but I really think you should have shared some link love to the Donors Choose project you funded.
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=488525&verify=793011652
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink, right? Lead people there and then they decide whether or not the want to take it further!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually linked the pic itself. Just click that image to go there. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
GreenInOC says
The picture opens up to an image file:
http://images.younghouselove.com.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/02/homies-donors-choose.jpg
I tried it twice before and just now twice again to make sure I was not being an idiot.
If I am being an idiot, I will go stand in the corner WITH a dunce cap to boot!!
YoungHouseLove says
You’re definitely not being an idiot – that was our fault. It’s all fixed now!
-John
Lesley says
Congrats! I am a Die Hard Slim Fan, but I am So Happy that I have found you guys:) My husband and I just bought our first Home and I see, many a late night, studying your tutorials in my very near future!
Congrats to you both again!!!!
Ana Brightful says
Fabulous job, guys. You deserve it! And to think you won without fishing for votes from your readers. That, along with your gracious post of thanks, paying it forward and your overall awesomeness, confirms my love for your work. You both are a class act.
(Wow, that last line made me sound like I’m in my 60s! Only 33. Swears.)
Lori says
SO happy for you both, and of course Clara and Burger, since they play a very important part in your blog as well!
Congrats!
Tori M. says
Congrats! I love your site and am glad you won, but I am really glad to see what you are doing with the prize money. As a teacher any little bit helps. We spend so much of our money on things it’s not even funny. It’s great to see people care about teachers.
Cara says
I just started reading your blog recently and I love it! I sent it to all my girlfriends. I checked out the other sites and added a few to my favorites but you guys definitely deserve the win. Congratulations!
Linda says
CONGRATULATIONS to you two very deserving winners. As a newly retired educator, I am probably one of the “oldies” in your group of fans–in more ways than one! ;0) I appreciate your frugality, your honesty, your enjoyment of what you, do as well as your obvious love for each other and for “home!” Although a very weak DIY-er myself, I check your site daily and always find some type of inspiration. Thank you for a sane spot in a sometimes insane world! I wish you continued blessings…
Gretchen says
Congratulations on your win! And from a teacher who’s benefitted from DonorsChoose.org thank you, thank you, thank you! It is an amazing website that allows teachers to get much-needed supplies for our classrooms without paying for them ourselves. (Since we all know teachers make so much…) I was lucky enough to have several people I didn’t even know donate to my project of getting a children’s book library for my high school students to use in their children’s literature class. Such a great website!
Nikki says
I read your blog religiously because frankly you all rock! Congrats : )
Andrea Egan says
Congratulations! Your site is so organized and easy to use for reference and eye candy. Thank you for the inspiration and fun reading!
Linda says
Me again: I forgot to mention I am a newly retired IOWA educator (i.e. high school guidance counselor). This is just another reflection of the expanse of your reach and someone else’s appreciating your donation of the prize money to education!
Shirah says
Congratulations on the win! You guys deserve it! I check your blog daily, and I’m always amazed at how you keep it so fresh and interesting. Keep up the awesome work guys!
SarahR says
Congratulations!! That is sooo awesome. Did you guys blog about the nomination? I want to say I don’t miss any any posts but now I’m second guessing myself. I know it’s too late, but you have my vote.
YoungHouseLove says
Not to worry- you didn’t miss anything! We didn’t blog about it since we were just happy to be nominated among so many other cool fellow bloggers. We’re still in shock that we actually won.
xo,
s
Stephanie says
I was wondering, are there blogs you guys follow? Do you mainly read the megablogs like designsponge/apartment therapy or do you follow any people who are doing similar blogs to yours?
YoungHouseLove says
Our google readers runneth over with big and small blogs alike! We love them all. You can see some of our faves by clicking the Link Love tab on the sidebar button with our faces on it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
jja says
Congratulations! You diserved it! :-)
Melissa says
Congrats! I follow your blog daily and as a teacher who has had three projects funded by Donors Choose, I really appreciate how you chose to donate your prize money! It’s a fantastic organization.
Emily says
How excited was I to log onto my google reader and see not just that you guys had won a much deserved award, but that you were featuring MY CLASS PROJECT PROPOSAL:
http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=488525&challengeid=32280
as a plug for donorschoose.org and supporting local classrooms! I was super pumped and have gotten a donation to my project as a direct result, which I was so thrilled about because it only has a short period of time remaining to be funded.
Being a fellow RVA gal and two time old home renovator with my hubs, I already loved you guys madly, but now it’s official, I may be your biggest fan. Thanks & Congrats
– “Mrs. H” *grin*
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so amazing! It’s such a small world. We love your project proposal and are so happy to spotlight such a great organization that helps out awesome teachers like yourself!
xo,
s
Mel says
I am so happy for you guys, I love your blog
Jen F says
of course you won! I was just at a family gathering and “Young House Love” came up around the game table…one thing that we all happen to have in common even though we all live in different cities and have different occupations and lifestyles…that is saying something!
carolinaheartstrings says
Congratulations. You two deserve this honor!
Jorie says
Yay! Congrats you insanely adorable couple, you! Burger must be so proud! Oh, and of course Clara, too!
Jennifer says
Great work you guys!!! Congrats!!!
Cindy says
Super congratulations!
mypatsyann says
I think you far outshine the other finalists…just sayin’. You got my vote. Happy weekend basking in the first-place-ness.
Kristina says
Congrats. Thank you for being so inspiring. I read your blog daily and recommend you to everyone. Well deserved!
Ann says
Congratulations you guys! That’s fabulous.
BTW – I totally love your blog better than any of the other ones that were in contention. I checked them all out from the links on your page and they just didn’t strike me the way that yours did and has for the past, oh, 6 months since I found you.
Keep it up. Love your posts and pics.
Erin says
Well deserved, YHL! I’ve hit the home decorating blogs hardcore this year, and you guys are HANDS DOWN the best combination of accessible, cool, earnest, charming, and professional. (My fiance is so tired of me starting sentences with, “So I got this really cool idea from YHL…”).
It’s also so nice to know that you seem like pretty great people to boot! Can’t wait to see all that’s to come.
Caitlin at the Desert Domicile says
Congratulations!!! Very well deserved :)
Briana says
Congrats!! This is how I found out about you guys and this blog is my new obsession! What a beautiful family you have! I am so inspired and truly appreciate your how relatable you are. Job well done!
Nicole says
Congrats – I voted for you! :) And thanks for donating to Donorschoose – it is such a wonderful resource for teachers! I teach in a super impoverished area of Portland, OR (Have you seen Portlandia on IFC yet?? It’s so true!) I’ve had several projects funded on Donorschoose and each time the kids are so excited about the new resource I bring in. Although, sadly, my last project was for printer ink! It will be a good day when the government decides to fully fund education and make our children and our future a real priority.
Karen says
Congratulations John and Sherry! Keep up the great work with the new house and with your blog!
Michelle says
You guys deserve it so much. You inspired me to start my own blog when I bought my first house with my man and we’ve been diying our way through each and every inch of the house. I also have a growing obsession with shiny white ornaments and love hearing your stories you make me smile when Im just about ready to give up and call in the pros!
Monika says
Congrats!
I’m not surprised you won, you guys are awesome. Keep up the great work, I’m always looking forward to see what you will tackle next.
Monika
:)