Here is more advice on DIY home projects and blogging from Young House Love writers John and Sherry Petersik, based on phone interviews with each of them.
(Bill O'Leary/WASHINGTON POST) - Sherry and John Petersik answer about 200 reader questions every day.
Favorite places to shop
S and J: Thrift stores, Craigslist, Target, Ikea, Z Gallerie and Pottery Barn.
Favorite chain store
S and J: A tie between Target and Ikea. Target has great accessories that are always changing. Ikea has great larger pieces; we bought our bed and sectional there.
Go-to item
S: West Elm Parsons desk. It goes anywhere and just works.
Best design tip
S: Play around with things and stop being frozen with indecision.
Recent splurge
S: Our Ikea sectional ($1,200). I don’t think we own many items over $1,000.
J: Our dining table ($800).
Recent inexpensive purchase
S: Vintage-looking drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby for $1.50 each that look just like some from Anthropologie.
J: The teal blue paint we used in the guest bedroom (Martha Stewart’s Plumage, color matched in Olympic Premium’s No-VOC paint). It was $22 for the gallon.
Favorite DIY project
S: The built-in wardrobes in the master bedroom in our old house.
J: The full bathroom in our old house. With the exception of a few minor things, it was all me. I did so many things in that project that I had never done before. I was immensely proud.
Least favorite DIY project
S: Pulling down a scalloped trim on our old porch. It was a nightmare. There was metal flashing and lots of falling over into the bushes involved. The irony is that the new house has same thing.
J: [Demolishing] the bathroom.
Most expensive house project
S and J: The kitchen renovation in our old house. But we got it done for $17,000 by doing a lot of it ourselves.
Easiest upgrade besides paint
S: Curtains. They can almost make as much of a difference as paint.
J: Lighting.
Favorite blogs
J: howaboutorange.blogspot.com
Best advice for novice bloggers
S: Do something that feels authentic, and don’t mimic other bloggers.
J: Be yourself and make sure you enjoy it before deciding to make it your profession.
Best blogger moment
S: When people think we’re funny. It makes us feel like they like us as people rather than just a source to find something they’re looking for.
J: When readers take inspiration from something we’ve done, take pictures and send them to us.
If you weren’t a blogger, what would you be?
S: A writer. That’s my background.
J: Something in advertising. But if I was adventurous, I would try something completely different, like teach high school.
Chat Thursday at 11 a.m.
4John and Sherry Petersik join staff writers Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza for our weekly online Q&A about decorating and household advice. Submit questions at washingtonpost.com/home.
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