We were stunned to see our name listed on Apartment Therapy as this year’s Homies winner. Honestly, we’re equal parts flattered and surprised — call it “flattergasted” if you like, though that word does sound a little silly. Regardless, it feels amazing and we’re genuinely humbled by the recognition.
Thank you so much to everyone who nominated and voted for us. There are countless great home blogs out there, and it’s an honor to be mentioned alongside so many talented creators. We were thrilled just to be nominated among such fantastic peers. We also appreciate Apartment Therapy for hosting this yearly celebration of reader-selected shelter blogs. It’s always wonderful when established sites shine a spotlight on other design and DIY enthusiasts.
On a personal note, we met Maxwell a few months ago at a book signing in Richmond. He’s even more kind, genuine, and passionate in person than we expected — a truly great person and an inspiring presence in the community.
One of the best parts of the Homies for us was the curated list of must-read home blogs that came from reader nominations. We’ve been eagerly subscribing to lots of new RSS feeds and discovering fresh voices and ideas. If you’d like to explore some of the other talented finalists, here are several we recommend checking out:
- Door Sixteen
- Freshome
- Our Little Beehive
- Remodelaholic
- 7th House on the Left
- Slim Paley
- The Steampunk Home
- Table Tonic
Along with the title of 2011 winner comes a modest $50 prize. Instead of spending it on something for the new house, we decided to follow Maxwell’s lead and pay it forward to one of his favorite charities: DonorsChoose.
DonorsChoose is a straightforward and impactful organization where teachers post specific classroom needs, and donors can choose projects to fund directly. We chose to support a local Richmond classroom requesting materials related to the arts or building — things like paints and basic tools that encourage creativity and hands-on learning. It felt like a meaningful way to celebrate the win and help students do more making and creating.
Again, thank you to Apartment Therapy for hosting this fun tradition, and thank you to everyone who voted. We’re grateful for the support and genuinely honored to be part of such a creative community.