Oh please pick us!

I love hgtv. I watch it all the time, especially if I'm out of cheesy reality tv shows that are always loaded up on our dvr. One of my favorite shows is Design Star. This is a reality competition show kind of like Project Runway, but for interior design. My husband (he pretends he doesn't watch shows like Design Star and Project Runway, but he secretly LOVES them) and I got hooked after last season and watched every episode of this new season together. We both really liked Emily from the beginning. She oozes "cool" without really letting on that she knows it. By the time it was down to the final 3, I knew she was going to win.

Here's the room she did for the glass box challenge (photo from her blog). It takes my breath away. Can I live there, please?

Then, she was down to the final two. By this time, I was already reading her blog and following her on twitter. She announced that she would have a viewing party of the final episode at a local bar - oh, did I mention she lives in LA? - and she invited anyone and everyone to attend. I begged my husband to go with me and, after much flip-flopping on his part, he agreed.

Here is a (horrible camera phone) photo of the bar where the party was held. They had a big screen which projected the show so everyone could watch and cheer. When we first walked in, my husband bee-lined it to the bar and I was following him. All of the sudden, I looked up, and there was Emily, about 2 feet away from me. I kind of gasped and smiled and she said "hi" and I kept smiling and then I walked away like a dummy. I am just really shy and don't know how to act in front of celebrity-types. I wish I would have introduced myself...

Well... guess what??

She WON!!! Here she is (sorry, another atrocious pic) up on the bar giving a little speech and answering questions from the guests. She told everyone to watch her special on hgtv the following week and to pass it on because if the special didn't do well, the network wouldn't pick up the series. Of course, you know I watched (and live tweeted during the twitter party - wow, I'm such a humungo dork).

On her special, Secrets from a Stylist, she styled (fancy word for decorated - no big time renovation here) three rooms in Ian Brennen's Hollywood Hills house. He's the co-creator of Glee and one of her good friends. Isn't she lucky...

Before:

After:

(photos from her blog)

Well, let me start by saying that his house wasn't too shabby to start with. I'd kill for those built ins and that fireplace and those vaulted ceilings. However, I do think she did some pretty amazing things. It just looks so effortless and chic and fresh and... well like somewhere I want to live!

His dining area:

His guest bedroom:

(photos from her blog)

The master bedroom:

(photo from hgtv)

The office:

(photo from hgtv)

Each room gets better and better. I just can't get enough.

After watching the special and tweeting nonstop, I saw that hgtv had put up an application online to be on her new series. I got right on the computer and completed a quick application. It suggested doing a video, but we didn't have a video camera and I wanted to get our application in quickly, so I just attached pictures. They actually emailed us back twice and also called to ask for a video because they liked our application so much. Once we submitted the video and some more pictures, they commented on how much they loved it - eeeek! We're not sure if we'll really get a home makeover by Miss Emily, but it is looking promising. I'm trying not to get too excited, but honestly, I can't stop thinking about it. I really hope they pick us because I think I would just die of happiness.