If you’re an avid reader of A Bullseye View, you know that we’re crazy about a good DIY project. Early on, our curiosity led us to the blog Young House Love and we immediately fell head over heels.
Started seven years ago by Sherry and John, the couple chronicles their ultra resourceful home renovation projects and everyday family life.
Along the way their clan has grown—they now have an adorable three-year-old and “moody” Chihuahua named Burger—and they have moved homes, but their love for hands-on home transformation has been an anchor through it all!
Lucky for us, the king and queen of DIY recently created a quirky home décor collection with Liberty Hardware sold exclusively at Target. We caught up with the couple to get the lowdown on their current endeavors and the perfect projects for little ones.
What is your home décor philosophy?
We believe in making a house feel like it’s yours. Above all else, embrace what you really love and bring that into your home. There’s an amazing freedom that comes with realizing that you’re not decorating to please the masses.
You are big DIY-ers. Are you working on anything right now?
We usually have a few projects going at a time. Right now, we’re converting our unused formal living room into a home office. We’re also about to try some concrete-covered counters in the kitchen (along with waiting for our son to be born in just a few weeks).
What is your biggest advice for someone who is about to tackle a DIY project?
We always say a full belly and some good tunes are necessary for any DIY project. Never go into it hungry! We also have a rule that only one person is allowed to freak out at a time. If John’s worried about something, I have to be his rock; if I’m losing it over a snafu, it’s his turn to calm me down.
What does your daughter Clara think about all of your projects around the house?
She’s so used to us working on projects while she sleeps that she asks for updates whenever she wakes up from a nap. She’ll walk out of her room and say “Ok, what’s different?” Now that she’s almost four, she’s becoming more interested in helping out. She recently helped me paint a mobile I was making for the new baby. It’s so much more meaningful to me because she was a part of the process.
What is a good DIY project to do with kids?
Something as simple as painting or sketching with your little one and then framing it nicely and hanging it on a gallery wall next to family photos or mementos can be really sweet.
Your products have very whimsical touches. How do they reflect your design sensibilities?
We don’t take ourselves too seriously and we really wanted to create pieces with personality. Every room needs a little humor or something to make you smile. We took a lot of inspiration from things in our life, like an octopus painting Clara made, our wedding invitation, which had bees on it and our hilarious Chihuahua, Burger.
Describe the design process of working with Liberty Hardware’s team.
It all started with us brainstorming ideas for shapes, colors, designs and also different functions. We loved watching the team at Liberty Hardware take our sketches and turn them into real-life 3-D objects made of clay, which they then fed into 3-D printers. It really was cool to see things go from being scribbles on paper to finished items that will hang in people’s homes.
Why are you excited to be selling your products at Target?
We have always been huge Target fans, so this is a dream come true for us. To think that we’ll be able to walk into the store and see our products on an endcap just might be enough to send me into labor!
1. Young House Love Book; 2. Hexagon Rail Hook; 3. Chihuahua Hook; 4. Bee Hook; 5. Octopus Hook; 6. Vintage Key Rail; 7. Hexagon Decorative Picture Hanger
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