Woohoo! It’s done–except for waiting for the issue to come out. The team from Better Homes & Gardens Real-Life Kitchens & Baths Magazine (say that five times, fast!) descended on Nashville last week and, after shooting some fabulous, high-end spaces, they came to my humble abode. So what did I do? Headed to Disney World, of course, with my family!
Real-Life Kitchens & Baths features kitchen redos done on a budget
Seriously. I wasn’t here for what will probably be the one-and-only photo shoot of my entire lifetime. Because as luck would have it, they decided to come to town during the ONLY week in the first half of 2012 when we had plans…plans we’d made last November, and paid for last December. The hubby will be gone for work all summer, and next summer we’ll be moving again, which always means no vacation, so we didn’t have many options but just to go to Florida!
I called in reinforcements–two of my bestest friends, Carolyn and Andrea–and asked them if they could “be me” for the day. Here they are:
Carolyn, Andrea, and me, at one of our military formals
We’re not normally dressed like aging prom queens…here’s a real-life snap:
Carolyn, me, and Andrea
Yes, we’re in a ladies’ rest room in the above picture. Where do you hang out with your girlfriends?!
So, these two dear friends drove to my house early in the morning to meet Bonnie Broten, the editor who “discovered” my shoestring-redo of a kitchen here at 11 Magnolia Lane (read the redo posts HERE and HERE, or check out our truly magazine-worthy old kitchen HERE). She was accompanied by the photographer and the photographer’s assistant. I had left them a sparkling clean kitchen and cleared the counters of everything that made it look like people actually USED the kitchen!
Prior to the shoot, I sent Bonnie lots of pictures of “props,” also known as “stuff I have collecting dust in my cupboards.”
She and the editors had decided on pink as the accent color to make my beige and white kitchen “pop.”
I left all the props on the dining room table, and left the crew and my girls some snacks and a fridge stocked full of water and soda. Then I snuck out of town!
While the pantry wasn’t included in the shoot, I still feel like a new woman after tackling that dreadful space and making it awesome!
I can’t show any of their photos, of course, because that would spoil the surprise, but the girls did shoot a few behind the scenes snaps for me.
Carolyn and Andrea report that much of the work of a photo shoot involves lighting the shot, checking it again and again on the computer and having it approved via internet before snapping the final pic. They texted me to get the password for our wireless network, but other than that, I didn’t hear a peep.
I love how the area that’s being photographed is *perfect* and there’s a perfect mess everywhere else! That’s exactly what I do when I’m taking pictures!
Those gorgeous peonies were on their last legs when we made it home from Florida, but they sure were pretty in the shoot!
The pink cushions were just for the shoot…this is what I usually have on my chairs:
There were a few minor hitches, of course. The valance over the kitchen sink took about an hour to get draped and folded just the way they wanted, and the seagrass pendant shade over my kitchen table was hanging just a little crooked. Andrea weighed one side with a metal clamp from my husband’s workbench and all was well…
Not everybody was happy with the fact that our kitchen was going to be in Better Homes & Gardens. The cat was most definitely pissed (there’s really no other word for it). He wanted to sleep under my bed and access was DENIED all day long!
Angry Kitty!
In the end, the girls and I decided that it was probably God’s plan that I be out of town for the shoot because they’re not sure I would have handled it well (as if!). I promised them that when their kitchens are photographed for BH&G, I will help out while they go to Florida to relax!
They’re not sure exactly which issue we’ll be in, but chances are that it will be Spring of 2013. That timeline is typical–you always hear about magazines shooting Christmas spreads in May and June–but of course it’s hard to wait.
I can’t thank Bonnie and her team enough (and of course Carolyn and Andrea, too!) for all their efforts.
Thanks for stopping by!
This is my first time coming by your blog and I’m excited to read more! Your kitchen is beautiful! We are in the midst of a whole home reno and part of that is a brand new kitchen. I took so much inspiration from your photos as I’d love my kitchen to look like yours. How exciting to be featured in a magazine! Congrats!! And love the pops of pink! Too fun!
Thanks, Mandi. I’m glad you like it! Keep us posted on how your reno is going–I know it’s tough to be in the middle of all the upheaval, but you will be thrilled when it’s all done!
~Christy
CONGRATS……….how exciting, and you didn’t eeeeven have to be there. I’ll be lookin for you in the spring issue of BH&G. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Candy. It was pretty cool that I got to skip town, huh?!
Very cool! I look forward to seeing you in BH&G!
Thanks, Chessa!
your kitchen looks adorable, but i am really really jealous over your pantry! i want mine to look just like yours!
Joni
Thank you, Joni. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have the pantry done!
How fabulous was that!!!!! So happy for you and I am looking forward to seeing the issue when it hits the stands.
Congrats!
janet xox
The Empty Nest
PS…you and your gals are beautiful!!
Thanks so much, Janet. As always, I appreciate the encouragement (and the kind words!). ~Christy
How cool is this! What great friends that you could leave a magazine photo shoot to them. I’m new to your blog and found you at At the Picket Fence. Your kitchen is so sweet, beautiful and cozy. I look forward to seeing you in the glossy pages! How absolutely fun! Stop in and see me at Quirky Vistas sometime!
Liz
Thanks, Liz. I’ll be sure to stop by!!
So cool! I can’t wait to read that issue when it comes out. Bummer you weren’t there for the shoot! I LOVE your pantry, by the way!
Thanks, Ellie. I know, I hated to miss the shoot, but I have to believe that it was probably for the best. Glad you stopped by. ~Christy
Congratulations Christy! Your kitchen is beautiful! I’ll be looking forward to see it again when the issue comes out!
Thanks, Cristina. I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing your kitchen in a magazine one day, too!
Can’t wait to see it!! I hope you’ll let us know when the issue comes out!! Also, as someone who volunteers running a lost and found Facebook page for my local humane society, I say a big THANK YOU for putting a collar and a tag on your precious kitty!!! You have no idea how I wish other pet owners were as responsible!
Oh, yes, Shawne. We don’t want to lose our friend and have him not be able to find his way home! 🙂