Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Decorate More Confidently

Happy hump-day afternoon, y’all! I made you guys a little something. I realized that while many of our posts are tutorials or projects or planning or shopping related (how we built this, what fill-in-the-blank we found on craigslist, how we painted that, etc) only around 2% of them have touched on the heart of the whole DIY thing: just doing you and having the faith/courage/conviction/confidence to go for it when it comes to creating a home that you love.

So if you’re feeling stuck or second guessing yourself (goodness knows we do that!) these simple words from people far wiser than ourselves might be all that you need to pull the cord and go for it. Because if you’re not all in when it comes to making your house your own, well, there probably won’t be anyone else who can swoop in and save you.

LoveWhatYouLove

I thought making these quotes into free printables for you guys would be fun (using instagram photos we’ve snapped as the background). So feel free to print ’em out and tack them up on your bulletin board or frame one on your wall for a nice daily reminder to go nuts making your house feel like you and no one else. That’s my wish for everyone on this little DIY journey. Not to have a house that everyone loves (how is that even possible?) but to create a home that you’re completely crazy about – whatever that might look like. Note: This one wasn’t said by this B.B. it was this one.

YourOwnStyle

As for how to get to the higher res. printables, just click any of the images in this post and a 5 x 5″ printable should pop up in a new window that you can right-click to download or drag onto your desktop. I went with 5 x 5″ since that’s the size of the prints we had over our sofa in the last house – and they look awesome with a fabric background and the white mat that comes with each of these $19 Ribba frames from Ikea.

Instagram5

I thought I’d toss this one in for any bloggers, writers, or authors-of-Facebook-poetry who might need a reminder to hang over their computer:

PerfectionWriting

Comments

  3. Katie says

    Must hear your Dexter prediction!!!
    I’m guessing Dexter is killed or in prison and Harrison ends up with Hannah starting a new life somewhere.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Spoiler alert (don’t read this unless you’re caught up)! I thought it was going to be something crazy at first (ex: Deb is forced to choose to kill some other innocent person or Dexter like the Laguerta thing and painfully chooses Dexter this time) but now I keep seeing him riding off on his boat into the sunset leaving insanity and heartache in his wake (maybe dead Deb and Hannah, but not by his hand?). I can also see it ending with him discovering Hannah dead in a pool of blood just like his mother and his wife Rita or something crazy like that. Ahh!

      xo
      s

  4. Tessa says

    Post-its on my computer:
    “SIMPLICITY is the ultimate form of sophistication”
    “What worries you, masters you”
    Great quotes for work, life… and even home decor ;)

    Off to print yours out for even more inspiration/therapy!

    Reply

  5. Lindsay says

    Love these prints! I know this isn’t your usual type of post, but I think it’s definitely a fun one to throw in every now and then. Thanks again!

    Reply

  6. Erin says

    If I have taken anything away from your blog (which I have, tons in fact) the biggest ting is to LOVE what you put in or do to your home. Every time I debate something I think do I like it, or do I LOVE it. Thanks for a bit of inspiration to keep pushing through.

    Reply

  8. Jeanna says

    Aww, bless your heart. I have noticed a lot of really snarky comments lately from readers, and I love your gentle and sweet reminder that we all just love what we love, and our homes should be a reflection of just that. Thanks so much :)

    Reply

  10. Erin says

    These quotes are very inspiring although I find its hard to “love what I love” in the midst of trying to appeal to what my hubby loves as well! We are building a home and so far we’ve been pretty in sync with choosing finishes but its the furnishings that we are night and day on… Specifically choosing counter stools for our island! Argh… I think I’ll just sit on the floor ;)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      John and I have a “full agreement agreement” which is so frustrating but it means we hold out for something we both love. Takes longer but there’s nothing in the house that we hold against the other person so it’s nice in the long run.

      xo
      s

  11. Laura says

    I love your blog and have been reading it for years although I think this is the first time I’ve commented. I think this is a nice post. And I just wanted to say that you handled the criticism really graciously. Also the picture of the green pencils with that quote is charming. And the underlying point of the post is so true! We just bought our second house and unlike our first it’s very old and very much a fixer upper but finding the balance between maintaining historic character, which I want to do, and making it our own is hard, and I’ve been afraid to do anything big because of it. So thanks,

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Laura! Years of blogging have taught us that you definitely can’t please everyone (and trying might stress you out enough to never hit publish again!).

      xo
      s

  13. Pam Gereau says

    This is totally dating me but you forgot Billy Squier! I can’t believe that guy I was totally hot for when I was 17 is now 63 years old, haha!

    Love the Nate Berkus quote and that picture is gorgeous. On my way to download…

    ps: I prefer non-censored music anyway. :)

    Reply

  15. Jennifer@The Chronicles of Home says

    Great reminders guys! Esp love the one about perfection – such a silly thing to aspire to and yet it’s always hanging out there taunting juuuust a little. And weirdest thing ever is that as I was walking to my car tonight after meeting my mother-in-law for dinner, I started singing in my head, “Lose yourself in the moment, the moment you own it…” And so on. I think you know the rest :) But so bizarre that that song came into my head and then I came home and read this. xo

    Reply

  16. MelanieO says

    Margaret Atwood is one of my all-time favorite kick-ass feminist authors, and I’m heading to Ikea tomorrow for a frame so I can put this quote on my daughter’s bedroom wall. Love, love, love. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

    Reply

  18. Kitty A. says

    I am too thin skinned to ever be a blogger. There is so much hatred on the Internet now, it’s a wonder that anyone would ever dare to put themselves out there anymore. Sometimes I go online and read about how awful Ikat, garden stools, IKEA, chalkboard paint, etc. are and I question the choices I’ve made with my home. I have to remind myself that it’s just as ridiculous to hate something just because it’s trendy as it is to run out and buy something just because it’s trendy. I try to decorate my home with things I love, some trendy and some not and who cares what other people think?! Keep fighting the good fight and don’t let the haters get you down!

    Reply

  19. A says

    I don’t know why these made me tear up a bit, but they did. I’ve always wanted to email you guys thanking you for helping me make some major life decisions with little things you’ve said in your posts/comments, but i didnt want to come off as crazy (yeah, i know, too late now!). As another person has already commented, I saw them as signs and this posts counts as one of those signs. My confidence in knowing what my style is (I’m in another area of design) and my determination for my daughter to have two working parents that love what they do has been greatly affected by what you two have put out there. Thank you for staying true to who you are and helping us do the same.

    *love letter over

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s a great one! Especially for making a house a home since that hardly happens overnight (so it’s all about getting unfrozen and starting to chip away at things).

      xo
      s

  21. Stephanie S. says

    This is such a sweet post and so true! I love the idea of embracing what YOU love, because after all, it is YOUR home and no one should be happier in it than YOU! That’s the message I took away from your book, for sure…especially when it comes to art. Everyone always has a different opinion about art/photos in your home, but ultimately, these things should make you smile every time you see them. Surrounding yourself with the things and people you love, is at the heart of the matter!

    Reply

  23. Christine G says

    My husband and I both have design backgrounds but when it comes to home decor decisions we always butt heads. Neither of our ideas or styles are “wrong” in the other’s view or too wacky but they almost always seem to be opposite. This is seriously the only thing we “fight” over and it seems soooo silly. I want to jump in, after some thought and research, and fill our home with pictures and color and he’s more like “let’s just wait till we find this one exact thing I’m thinking of” which ends up being never. Do you two ever come at a design decision from different directions and have difficulty resolving the situation? Thanks for all the inspiration, Cheers!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, we disagree all the time! We have a “full agreement agreement” though, which means we both have to agree on something before we buy it or do it. It means things take longer (to find something we both like, to choose a color we both like, etc) but in the end we don’t hold anything against each other and each hate 50% of the things in the house so it seems to work for us. I also find that when I’m trying to convince John of something it helps to show him inspiration photos (a picture is truly worth a thousand words to him, so sometimes if he can’t understand something I’m describing a picture does the “selling” for me).

      xo
      s

  25. Lisa E says

    Cool sayings. So appropriate, especially for DIYers as yourself. The few negative comments obviously didn’t get the meaning of this post at all. How ironic. I’m just amazed how they miss the whole point of your blog in general. You started to just share with family and friends and it grew from there. You just share what you do and others appreciate it and ask for advise, etc and you share that as well, all the while specifically stating you aren’t pros! People also ask you to share what some might call “fillers” because it’s every day stuff that we all deal with. I might not agree with everything you do, but I’m sure if I shared my home with you, it would be the same and that’s okay! How boring it would be if we were all the same! You remain gracious as we all should, but I have to say, I would have a harder time of it. All of that said, you are doing a wonderful job and I thank you for being you and please don’t ever change that.

    Reply

  26. Jamie says

    My philosophy on this comes from something my best friend said when we were in college. I had just spent a crazy amount of money to buy tickets to see the Backstreet Boys, and she was buying something for her car. When she told me how much it was, I said “Wow, that’s a lot.” Her response was “Well, SOME people like cars, and OTHER PEOPLE like the Backstreet Boys.” That has stayed with me since then, and I use it all the time. It’s fun to change up the items — SOME people like Dexter, OTHER PEOPLE like Keeping up with the Kardashians :)

    Reply

  27. jessi says

    thank you for posting these quotes! i’ve just recently started following your blog (in the last month or so) and i love all the DIY stuff y’all have done! you guys have such amazing eyes for design. as my husband and i are diving into our 2nd house that needs a lot of love it is very inspiring to see what you guys have done. it’s also easy to second guess yourself on EVERY decision and i need to remember that ultimately if we like it then it works. thank you for the inspiration in knowing that you can DIY the majority of projects in your house!

    Reply

  28. Hill says

    s-
    I’m so impressed with how you handle negative feedback in the comments, so gracious. The most important thing I learned in college composition classes was that in writing (emails, texts messages, everything) your tone always reads more harsh/confrontational than you realize without the body language/intonations/etc. that come with a face to face conversation. It is hard to maintain a friendly style of writing.

    And love the Beastie Boys sound, I’ve had “The Mix Up” on repeat while I’m moving this week.

    Reply

  29. Vanessa says

    I love it. Good words to live by. I love your Instagram pics and thanks so much for sharing. Sherry, I am an Eminem fan as well. Hey we were class of 2001! Ha, I am assuming since you were born in 1982 like me. :)

    Reply

  32. JenM says

    This is just what I needed :) We’re in house-buying-limbo right now on a house with awesome potential, but also tons of problems (the ad came right out and said it needs TLC – needs a new roof and the plumbing is the recalled polybutylene, hence should be replaced asap). I’m trying to brainstorm what to tackle first but it is a daunting task!

    I have a feeling you answered this question a while back, so I’ll dig around the site for it, but I’m hoping you have a good post somewhere about how you decide in which order to tackle the numerous DIY projects when you buy a house. We’d love to redo the kitchen right off the bat when we replace the plumbing, but I have a feeling we should hold off a while and wait until we know exactly what we want.

    Reply

  33. Pamela says

    Thank you Sherry for being kind and gracious to all who post comments which are not always so kind or gracious. I have noticed if a post is written by John there will rarely be a negative response and certainly nothing as hateful as what is written when you write a post. Why is it that some ladies suddenly become eight-grade girls again??? Keep smiling and being you!

    Reply

  34. Vanessa says

    Just read the negative comments. C’mon people – REALLY. I think you two are just a family trying to do simple things to be positive and there is nothing wrong with that at all. I think its great. It makes me sad that people just have to be so picky and negative. Whats the point? Life is too short for that. Is that the biggest issue/what rubs them the wrong way in their life. If so I want their problems! I admire you being so gracious when people can be so rude and careless with your comments. Don’t worry for those two or three who won’t read your blog anymore I invited 5 or 6 friends to start reading you guys! Thanks for a GREAT BLOG and positive attitude!!!!!

    Reply

  35. Meghan says

    I bought my first house a year and a half ago and decided to gut it down to the cinderblocks- mostly all DIY! I’m still not living in there yet (so close!), and keep reminding myself that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Eminem is always my go-to pump up jam- thanks for the inspiration! :)

    Reply

  38. bridget says

    These are great, I would love to know what motivates you! It would be a great post because you two have been doing this for a while but yet you still keep it fresh and consistent. I am stay at home mom and I have painted so much dark trim in my house that I am all over any type of DIY…in a rut for months because of it. Do you have any books (kids book count too), movies, places, activities, quotes, music, and/or role models that you go to when you are in slump to help motivate you?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I’m a huge fan of just saving pretty things (pictures, quotes, fabric swatches, fortune cookie fortunes, anything!) in a binder that I pull out when I’m in need of some inspiration or eye candy, and I also love Pinterest and even just google searches and other blogs (holy cow are those FULL of inspiration) to get me all excited!

      xo
      s

  39. Renee says

    first of all, i am LOL-ing. Is that a thing? i just made it one. secondly, we just moved to a 756sq ft apartment in cambridge, MA so my husband could do a grad program. We are only going to be here for 1 yr… 2 years max. So, I was thinking about not decorating much. [read: grad student/stay at home mom budget] BUT this is inspiring. I can basically still decorate for free – just have to be creative! why not!? Thanks for posting!!

    Reply

  40. Alicia / Jaybird: Home in Motion says

    I love this post! Such a good reminder. My style is very different from that of magazines and design blogs–which I do love to read and find inspirational–and sometimes I worry that it’s not “right”. But, hodge podge as it may be, it makes me very happy. Thanks for the wonderful words.

    Reply

  41. Leslie says

    RE: Eminem’s new song…the Billy Squier bit just jumps out at me-grew up in the 80S. BTW-I drove by Gilberts Lodge the other day and thought of the original $herdog. Keep up the good work. I don’t expect to be amazed everyday. I enjoy checking in with your family and seeing what project you are working on. Some may not be my taste, but they always inspire me to develop my DIY skills. Take care.

    Reply

  42. Renee says

    Quick question – how do you recommend printing out square photos? my square prints come out cropped funny at walgreens. Probably a user error, but I was wondering if you had any tips for printing squares (besides ordering from an instagram printer). Thanks!!!

    p.s. When I came to leave this comment, I noticed some crabby criticizers on here. I think it’s funny people feel free to be critical on a blog that they don’t have to read. unless someone is forcing them to read it. But so far as I can tell, the internet is a free for all. Read or don’t read whatever you want, but criticizing what other people do with their personal lives and post about? that seems silly. but hey, that’s just me.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So sorry you’re having trouble printing, Renee! They’re formatted to be 5 x 5″ so they should just work on a printer at your house (you can click “center” before printing and then cut the square out when it’s out of your machine). I imagine if you ask them to print them at FedEx/Kinkos they could do the same thing (maybe not on photopaper like a picture form your camera, just as a print on 8.5″ x 11″ paper?). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

    • Renee says

      ooo i didn’t even think of printing it at home!! haha we don’t have a color printer, but of course, not using 4 x 6 photo paper would help (like they do at walgreens). i will try fedex/ kinkos type place. thanks for the tip & for the free print. i love the green pencils – i was thinking it’d be inspiring up near where i write :)

  43. whitney says

    where did you get that tall wooden framed chalkboard that you used to have in your office?! i’m in love with it and i can’t find one on the web… :( maybe i’ll just make one.

    Reply

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