We’re back from Suwanee, Georgia- and the room we re-did for our pilot episode for HGTV is done!
It was an exciting/fast-paced five days, and we’re thrilled with how the Morrison’s living room turned out! (More importantly- so were they! Yay!)
Our adventure started on Thursday, September 8th.
We borrowed our neighbors Suburban because we had so much stuff to bring with us for the makeover. That sucker was packed front to back and floor to ceiling!
(Thank you Peter and Josette!)
I shared the passenger seat with a table lamp from TJ Maxx.
Our friend Meghan warmed up my hair on Friday, the 9th…
…and we spent the 10th and 11th pounding the pavement for some new duds, and more furniture and accessories for the makeover room.
On the 12th, our TV team gathered in our hotel’s conference room to talk about everything that needed to be accomplished over the next 5 days.
That’s Patrick, our executive producer, at the head of the table. It was his idea to create a show that was an extension of our blog, and we can’t thank him enough for allowing us to be ourselves, and for letting us video things with our own camera like we’re used to doing for our posts! (He even incorporated our presto change-o concept into the show- yay!)
These three kept things running super smooth all week…
That’s Jinnie on the left, (remember her from Carter Can? She’s amazing!), Jason in the middle (construction manager extraordinaire!), and Whitney on the right. Whitney coordinated everything and made sure we all knew where to be, and at what time. She’s 14 years younger than me, but holy cow is she waaaay more organized than I was at 23!
This is Michael…
He used his big fancy-schmancy camera to shoot footage of us, while we shot footage with our little bitty camera. His view will show things from another perspective, and capture things we couldn’t with our own camera. We’re excited to see what that looks like!
Terry was in charge of capturing all of our audio…
I felt so bad for him having to tote that thing around with him all day, every day!
Here he is, putting Kev’s mic on him at the beginning of day 1…
And that cool old blazer on the right side of the pic? That’s Suzie.
A friendly fellow blogger named Charity (and her hubby!) let us borrow her for the shoot.
(I have another story to tell you about her this week, but I want to save it for a separate post.)
Our friends Matt and Shaunna graciously volunteered their time and talents the whole week too…
…and if they’re able to work it out, we’re hoping one or both of them will be able to join our crew full time if the show gets picked up! (We also want to send out a HUGE thanks to Shaunna’s parents for kid-sitting so Matt & Shaunna could be a part of the show!)
(Matt, hard at work)
(Shaunna, ready to shoot a pic of us pulling up to the makeover house on day 1. PS- Would you believe that sucker sold for almost the exact same price as our little Lettered Cottage?!)
And speaking of helpful-volunteers-we-owe-big–time…we were stoked so many bloggers and blog readers were able to come out and participate in the shoot!
(Deneen (who drove all the way from TN!), Mendy, me and Donna)
(Rhoda, on wallpaper duty)
We seriously would not have finished the room without our blog friends’ help. Like we mentioned in an earlier post- the show would be about connecting with our e-friends and redoing rooms on a budget, so we’re really excited about the opportunity to work with lots more bloggers and blog readers on future redecorating adventures!
This is Rachel…
She was the first person there on day 2, and one of the very last people to leave that day! She drove all the way over from Columbus, GA- and was an absolute delight to be around! Our construction manager, Jason, was very impressed with her work, and we can’t thank her enough for jumping in and making over that room with everyone!
We also want to thank Sherry from GertieMaes.com for donating so many lovely fresh flower arrangements and plants, and Mel & Denise for sewing together all of our curtains and throw pillow covers! We felt so lucky to have you guys there!!! And our favorite salvage shop in Alabama, Southern Accents, hooked us up with great deals on several of the wood elements in the room- SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE!
Kev and I are so used to tackling redos by ourselves, but we had to do a lot more yappin’ than usual this time…
(photo)
…so we’re very grateful that so many friendly folks were able to come out and help with this (big/fast) redo! (If the episode airs, you’ll notice that my voice is significantly lower and weaker on day 5 than it is on day 1- LOL!)
Here are some random pics Shaunna shot throughout the week…
Patrick pinching my cheek…
Just kidding, I have no idea what was going on there!
Kev, shooting something with our blog cam…
Terry, sticking my mic to my shirt…
Lori, Rhoda, Emily and Alex- taking a break in the kitchen…
Kev and me- taking a banana break in the kitchen…
Me and Jinnie Choi…
Patrick giving us our first iPad lesson…
Jason, hard at work…
The electrician that gave us a heck of a deal…
The living room before…
The living room during…
Shaunna, Matt, Kev and me…
Flea market shopping at Queen of Hearts Antiques in Buford, GA…
This was right before we showed the Morrisons their “new” (soon-to-be-reupholstered) armchairs…
And here’s a shot of Kev explaining that the flap of fabric at the bottom would be taken off to expose the chair’s great-looking legs…
Thanks to Susan from Sassy Stitches for knocking that reupholstery project out of the park!
The night of day 4 (a 17 hour day!) we did a little shooting at the Gwinnett County Fair…
Rides were ridden, cotton candy was consumed, and stuffed animals were won- it was a night we’ll never forget!
And last but not least, here’s a sweet shot of the newly-wed homeowners…
(Alex and Emily)
They just moved into the house a couple of weeks ago, and it just so happened that their one year wedding anniversary was on the exact same day we revealed their new living room to them! We’re so glad to have had the chance to meet them, and we hope having their living room done will inspire and motivate them to forge ahead with the ideas they have in the rest of their house! Purchasing a foreclosure can be intimidating (especially when you have to spend all of your redo money on a new HVAC unit before you even move in, like Emily and Alex had to do!), but we tried to show them that even a shoestring budget can stretch a long way if you think outside the box and make a party out of it!
Thank you friends and family for inspiring and motivating us to give this thing wild thing a whirl!
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And like our header says- 0ur blog is our playground, and passion pushes our swing- so no matter what happens with that all that wacky TV footage, we’re so grateful to have had the chance to try something new, and redo another room!
PS- We’ll let you know if we hear anything back from the folks at HGTV before the end of the year. It’ll take a couple of months to edit the episode, so it’ll be a while before we blog about a yay or nay!
How cool for you guys! Congrats! Steve
Thanks Steve!!
I’m so excited for you both, I’ve beel a blog follower for a couple of years and yeahhh for you both, totally amazed to see how doors are being opened and though I’m still looking to hear Kev’s music album it’s great to see you both working together.
Congratulations!
What a super fun day!!! Thanks for everything!!!
Thank YOU Rachel!! You ROCK!!!!! 🙂
amazing post to recap an amazing week! You know we’re in all the way. 😉 Love you both so much…got all weepy reading through this.
xoxo
shaunna and matt
So great for you guys – it has to get picked up. I mean, how can it not?! Looking forward to the “after” pics someday!!
This is so exciting
Congrats Kevin and Layla
You are so cute together ,I love how you look at each other with so much Love and Joy
Looks like so much FUN
Can’t wait to see the after pic’s
xxoo
Pam
Thanks for sharing and bringing us all along for the ride!
WOW I am so excited for you guys! When I found your blog a few years ago I loved it. And I have awlays thought you two would make a great team for a tv show. So best of luck on the new adventure. Look forward to seeing it.
So excited for you guys! …and I couldn’t help but scope out your shoes in the pics. Looking fab!
Can’t wait to see the show air. If there’s anything we can do for you guys to show support and help make that happen, just say the word! I’m sure EVERYONE here in bloggerville would rally!
Dana
craftedniche.wordpress.com
I was hoping to be able to help you guys last week, and even spoke to Whitney a few times about it, but my work schedule kept getting in the way 🙂 Oh well, maybe next time!
It looks like you had plenty of helping hands though – and I’m sure the reveal was beautiful! Can’t wait to see the afters!
Oh you guys CONGRATS! This sounds and looks like so much fun! I cannot wait to see if it gets picked up! It really looks like a breath of fresh air! IT BETTER AIR IN CANADA!
xoxo
Becky 🙂
Looks fun and exhausting! How did you get the pig in the suburban and how is it going to fit in your cottage design? Lol! I’ve been enjoying your blog now for about a year. Can’t wait to see it on HGTV!
Ha Ha Layla did win a stuffed animal, but it was not the pig. The producers thought it would be funny to see me walking with that huge thing, but we had to give it back. 🙁 But Layla beat me fair and square at a game a won a cute little bulldog! It was a lot of fun!!! 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
Thank you for sharing! Can’t wait to hear.
Oh, I see you visited my antique stomping ground. I would have volunteered to help if I had know it was going to be in Suwanee since I am just two exits north and my mom lives in Suwanee. Hope the show gets picked up.
What a fun week you must have had. The pics are great & you both look so happy. Good luck!
LOVE it! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear more. 🙂
WOW this is very exciting. Will pray for your show to get picked up! How can they not… you both are so talented. Lucky homeowners to get a makeover by you two!!
Blessings and enjoy some quiet time.
So exciting!!! Can’t wait to watch what I know will be one of my favorite shows EVER on HGTV!! Keep it real and everyone will love you as much as your FB, Blogsite, Website Groupies do!!! It’s been so much fun feeling like we have all been traveling this road with you!!
Thanks so much for the sneak peek! It’s very exciting to see what goes on behind the scenes and all the talented people involved. So what did Kevin do with his “Prize Pig”!!!!????!!!
it all looks AMAZING!!! such talent and hard work! wish you could share more but know that you can’t…WHEN (not if!) it is picked up will it be called The Lettered Cottage? or is the name kept a secret too?
Thanks for sharing…you deserve to be taking some time off after such an exhausting week!
Hi Kelly!
If the show gets picked up it will not be called The Lettered Cottage. There is a “working title” right now that may change, but HGTV will make the final call. Thanks so much for the kind words!!! 🙂
Looks like it was a blast!! Can’t wait to see the episode! #ionlythinkpositive
Congratulations! See you didn’t need Design Star after all! Can’t wait to see your new show!
Cannot believe you were so close all week…honestly, I was in Buford all day Saturday and kept my eyes peeled!! Glad you had a great time, I KNOW the show will get picked up, and I CANNOT wait to watch it!! My tv is on HGTV at all times, and Im so excited to see you and Kevin there!! XOXO
Can’t wait! I’ll keep my fingers crossed!! Looks like it was a blast!
So exciting! Definitely something I’d watch. Congrats!!! Can’t wait to be tuning in to you guys on HGTV!!!
WOW!! That looks like SO much fun!!! I can’t wait to see how it all comes out and my fingers are definitely crossed for you guys! You would make great TV hosts!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing as much of the process as you could- it looks very exciting! Good Luck!
Oh my word…we are going to have to wait for months and months to see the “after?” 🙂 I know it will be better than I can even imagine. LOVE THIS and SO thrilled for you guys!! 🙂
Can’t wait to see this show! Love your blog & your work – I’m sure the show will be fabulous!
I’m so happy for you guys, it couldn’t have happened to a better couple! I look forward to seeing the new show, congrats!
Soooooooo exciting! The pair of you are so talented and such a cute couple…you just have to have this pilot picked up. I’m not a big fan of some of the new shows on HGTV these days, and I would be thrilled to see you regularly on my tv. Good luck to you on this new venture. You deserve wonderful things!
I’m such a HGTV fan and would be so excited to watch you both! Great energy, chemistry and talent…Congrats and such a fascinating week! All the best!! Kim & CCS
Soooo excited for you both! Can’t imagine why HGTV would not let you have your own show! Ya’ll are so talented. All the ladies that helped you are some of my favorite blogs! Btw….My husband does painting for Carter Oosterhouse’s brother, Tyler in the Dallas area so maybe if you ever do a home here, they can help! ; ) Good luck and thanks for sharing this new adventure with us!
Looks like so much fun! I only wish I lived closer so I could’ve helped out! Layla, you’re outfit with the pink checkered shirt is adorable!
Love the post! So exciting to see all the pics and everyone having fun 🙂 If you guys ever come to New England let me know! Would love to help on a project 🙂 and of course meet you guys!
What an amazing opportunity! I am so excited for you guys, and way to share the love with blogging buddies!
Fingers crossed for you guys. What a great concept for a show. I would absolutely watch 🙂
They’d be crazy NOT to pick it up, how could they not? you guys are awesome! love your style! you can come re-do my house ANY day!! can’t wait to see the show!!! xo
How exciting!! You guys look fantastic and I know the room will too. What a fun, fun job to have. 🙂
I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to help more, but I’m so glad that I got a chance to stop by and say hi! It was really cool to see everything behind the scenes. Good LUCK with the pilot and please keep us posted!!! 🙂 xo
Thank you for coming by Michelle! We appreciate it sooo much!! 🙂
Looks like y’all had an amazing time. I hope the show gets picked up and can’t wait to find out. I am so glad you are back blogging for a while though… missed reading your posts last weeks. Thanks for sharing about and taking so many pictures.
Super Exciting! Fingers Crossed!
Ooh, I hope it’s a Yay. It would be awesome to sort of “know” people on HGTV! Great luck.
Congrats! Can’t wait to see the pilot episode. BTW, did I miss the announcement of who won the velvet pumpkins? I don’t know how I could have, since I read every post!
So happy for you guys! I can’t wait to watch the show. I am sure it will be a hit with the HGTV audience. I think your show would be a breath of fresh air! 🙂 Best of luck!
Michelle
This is so exciting!! I sure hope HGTV picks up your show!!
This is so cool! I cannot wait for the new show, I have no doubt in my mind that it would not be picked up, I get so tired of the old shows on HGTV that this would liven things up. Congratulations to you both! by the way couples that work together, stay together!
This is so exciting! I love the concept of the show and can’t wait to see it, so I hope HGTV picks it up. When will we get to see photos of the room reveal on your blog?
Jane atfrugalfineliving.com
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What an exciting adventure for you both. I can’t think of two more deserving people. I have my toes and fingers crossed for you… thanks for taking us all along for the ride.
Hugs, Deb
Kev and Layla, Wow! What a week! Thank you for the wonderful recap. It helped me live through the week with y’all! I’m excited to see where this takes you!
P.S. I love the BHG article…just read it today! 🙂