FIRST EVER “SHE SAID” CONTEST!!!

 Without a doubt, since starting this blogging adventure, my most popular posts have been the DIY home updates.  From Horizontal Stripes, to Pottery Barn walls and iPhone photo sessions, the feedback you all have given me has been so encouraging.

But lest you think my home is just one wonderfully executed HGTV program after another, allow me a minute of vulnerability.  Last week, Chris and I did something crazy.  I’d like to say that it’s unprecedented, but as it goes with many of our huge home undertakings, we do something a little on a whim and a hunch and then…find a solution for it.  Past examples of this have been:

“Hey honey, lets paint all the trim and doors, in our entire house, by ourselves.  That should be a pretty simple project.”   Three weeks later with a completely torn up house, we had finished.   And of course, we are thrilled with the result.  Then there’s the infamous,

“ I think we can stain our kitchen cabinets ourselves.”  This project involved 4 months with an unusable kitchen (my oven was in my entry way) MULTIPLE favors and people called in and sawdust in places sawdust should never be.  BUT, 4 months after those “famous last words,” we had a kitchen that we are in love with.  (Don’t worry, I’ll post that project eventually 🙂 )

Sooo, with that little bit of background, allow me to introduce to you, my living room.

 It wasn’t all bad, it was fine really.  We were just tired of it.  It’s been the same color, Thunder Bay by Ralph Lauren, for almost 10 yrs.  Our couches are well loved by Gunther, the lamps don’t really reflect our style any more and the end tables and entertainment center were SUPER cheap Target purchase when we first got married that I repainted about 8 years ago.  We did update the artwork (see more about that here & here)“about 2 years ago which helped “tied us over” BUT we were both craving an update.

So, drumroll please, we threw out our entertainment center.  Kicked it to the curb.  *snap *snap *snap

And then it looked like this.

It felt so great for the first 10 min, and then I got a case of the “WHAT HAVE WE JUST DONE’S.”  Don’t get me wrong, we both wanted it gone, it was dark and clunky and the TV was unusable, BUT it filled an other wise very blank wall.  Soo, we started re-arranging, flipping through magazines and Pinteresting like it was our job.  And came up with this.

(clearly gunther’s not a fan)

We’re onto something, I like opening up the space, but we are in desperate need of a great plan, some solutions for the walls and a few accessory updates.  And that’s where you come in!!!!  I’m beyond excited to announce the first ever SHE SAID/NO SMALL LIFE contest.  I’m looking to you for ideas to help us design our living room!

Here’s the premise:  we want your ideas for our completed living room!  We’re trying to convert this former traditional/Tuscan living room to something that reflects our current style, which is more “eclectic modern chic”.  AND we’re trying to do that on a very limited budget.  We’re open to new paint colors, floor plans, artwork, and accessories, but probably need to stick with our existing couches.  We currently have updated Apple Greenish accessories and would love to bring in some pops of Teal to tie into our dining room, BUT we’re open.  As you can see we’re working with vaulted ceilings and THE MOST HORRIBLY PLACED AIR VENT in all of humanity.  The deadline for the contest is March 31st, and if we pick your design idea, you will win a $25 Target gift card.  To enter, just leave your ideas in the comment section below.  Can’t wait to see what you all come up with!!! And of course we’ll be updating our progress along the way

Meg