Be warned: this post is longgggg.

I still can’t believe that we were on TLC’s Trading Spaces. I am writing this post a few weeks post-filming because we have had such a busy month and haven’t had time to actually sit down and think. I am wracking my memory trying to write down every last detail so that I don’t let this experience fade away. I will probably over-share and give more information than necessary, it will be a lot to read, but I want to make sure I remember everything!

Let’s start at the very beginning…

July 13 –  I was perusing Facebook and I saw a post about how TLC was looking for families interested in being on their show Trading Spaces, which had been off the air for over 10 years and which they were bringing back. I remembered watching this show as a kid and being utterly amazed at the concept, it was truly the first of its kind (I actually think I can contribute my interest in design at a young age to this show)! So I texted my friend Krista who 1. has excellent design style and 2. lives right down the street. She texted back immediately and said, “Oh my gosh yes!!!!!!”.

July 31 – We finally get around to filling out the application. We took some before pictures of our toddlerized homes and sent it in.

August 1 – THE NEXT DAY received an e-mail asking to set up a Skype interview with the four of us.

August 11 – Jacobsens come over for a 3 hour Skype interview with the casting director.

Skype Interview Ready

August 12 – Casting requests more photos and videos.

August 18 – “Congratulations on being selected as a finalist for TradingSpaces!” Pending background checks…

August 28 – Receive a call that the producers want to visit our homes!

August 31 – Producers come and visit the space. We are getting VERY excited.

September ? – We get the call that we are being selected! During this time there is lots of discussion between Krista and I about WHO our designers could be!

September 11 – Producers returns to do some videos of us greeting our unknown designers.

September 28  – Lots of phone calls with more questions, more photos requested, etc.

September 29 – DAY 0 Load In and Filming Begin! We couldn’t believe the amount of stuff and people it required! 2 FULL garages of equipment and nearly 50 people between the two houses. We sat around a lot this day, hidden away in the garage, because the designers (whom we didn’t know yet) were being filmed inside the house. Krista and I were giddy all day trying to guess who they could be and just being overwhelmed by the excitement of everything. Towards the end of the day we shot our introductions and a few group shots out on the porch. But STILL didn’t know who the designers were! Getting very anxious!

Trading Spaces in the neighborhood!

This was the picture I received from Krista when she looked out her kitchen window, morning 1. The crew has landed!

Oh you know, just casually sipping tea out on the porch!

Filming our introductions.

Look at just HALF of the equipment it takes to film. The other half was in the Jacobsens garage!

September 30 – NO SHOOTING! Usually they shoot three consecutive days but the designers were unable to shoot this day so we had to take a painstakingly long 24-hour break… the entire time wondering who they could be.

October 1 – Day 1 of filming begins! Kids are picked up by grandma and grandpa and we officially begin the next 48 hours of shooting. We are brought out into the middle of the intersection, Paige explains the rules, we switch keys and run to each other’s homes. Once we reached the Jacobsen’s gate we are told that our designer would be waiting for us in the living room. We run in and to our surprise it’s… Nate Berkus! Honestly, my first thought was, “I’m pretty sure this is Nate Berkus… it is right?” Of course I knew his name from buying his products at Target and remembering his name from the Oprah show but I couldn’t exactly place his face. However, it didn’t take long to figure it out and become an instant fan (if I knew as much about him then as I do now I would have been so star struck!). His genuine kindness and composure that’s displayed on TV is exactly how he is in person. He was a joy to be around, so thoughtful and calm and intentional… it was a true privilege to have worked with him! Right off the bat he began explaining what he wanted to do to the Jacobsen’s room and I loved all the ideas he came up with. My only hesitation was when he wanted to paint stripes on their very textured wall. I had a feeling it would end up looking too muddy because we wouldn’t be able to get a clean crisp line, to my surprise he was so willing to nix the idea and try something different. The next idea was to glue ribbon to the wall to create the stripes. I actually liked the idea (still kind of do) although it was probably the one “controversial” item we introduced… which isn’t even THAT controversial considering we could have glued hay to the walls or filled the living room with sand (previous Trading Spaces controversies). Side note, Krista and I had many a conversation leading up to this weekend about the do’s and dont’s for each of our rooms so I would have never allowed that haha! After discussing the plan for the room we got right to work. I helped Nate and Kevin built alongside the carpenters installing the shiplap that went around the base of the entire room. He didn’t stop working until probably 3 or 4 am! Nate commented that he had never met someone with Kevin’s work ethic! Side note about Kevin, he is seriously the hardest working, non-complaining, positive attitude, getter-doner that I know. 15+ years of knowing him and have never heard him complain! I’m serious. He loves to help and does it every time with a positive attitude! #wifebrag… Ok back to the story. Sometime mid-day we were given another surprise, Frank Bielec, an original TS designer, was “delivered” off the truck to help us! He bounced between the two homes helping where he could. He was seriously so fun to be around. He brought the laughs and got his hands dirty painting, gluing and crafting… in fact, he (and Paige) even stayed until about 1 in the morning OFF CAMERA to help us complete our homework! It was so fun listening to his stories and hearing him reminiscence about previous episodes. During our late night work-sesh a neighbor brought over Krispy Kreme donuts for us! How sweet!

Let’s still be friends after this, ok?

The camera crew getting set up for the opening shot of us with Paige in the middle of the street.

Getting the low down on rules from Paige Davis!

Nate & Jeremiah! We lucked out with the dream team!

Painted the wall black that will go behind the entertainment center. Taped out where the ribbon stripes were going to go.

Nate & Joanie

I asked Nate to write a note to the Jacobsens that would forever be inscribed behind the shiplap. “Wishing your family love health and joy xx Nate”

Progress! Stripes glued to walls. Shiplap painted and installed!

Frank stayed until 1 AM and helped us finish our homework!

October 2 – Day 2 We hit the ground running. Kevin got up early to finish painting the console doors so they would be dry to hang when everyone arrived. Shooting began again around 8am and we did a lot of fun projects around the house. One of the best parts was going to the Wayfair tent and picking out an item that the designers had to incorporate into the room. Kevin actually picked out our item, 3 woven baskets! When we brought them to Nate he had the great idea of turning them upside down and fashioning them into lights! Fortunately because Kevin had done so much the night before we didn’t feel like we had to frantically scurry around. We even invited our friend, the ice cream man over (because he’s on speed dial LBH) and got to surprise Frank with a birthday cake! It was such a fun day. But want to know the best part of the entire day? Yes maybe even better than our actual reveal… yikes can I say that? The reveal was so awesome too. Ok Ok it’s a tie… It was a conversation that we had with Nate sitting around the Jacobsen’s dining table about some of our work aspirations. Many of you know that Kevin and I have been dreaming about how we can break into this design/build/flip industry for some time. We got to talk that out a little and get absolutely affirmed from NATE BERKUS. He encouraged Kevin to pursue a niche (like furniture making) and break in, he told Kevin that he was impressed with his craftsmanship and said that once we got started he’d endorse it. WHAT! Wait. WHAT! Kevin could be endorsed by Nate Berkus?? I was on cloud 9 at that point, beaming with pride for Kevin and my brain racing with ideas. This conversation with Nate may have been fleeting to him but to us (to ME) it is something that we’ll always remember.  In that moment I literally thought to myself, my living room could be ruined but I don’t care, meeting Nate made the entire experience worth it haha. Luckily our living room was far from ruined. It was INCREDIBLE.

So after this exciting conversation we were then ushered down the street to our home and taken to our back patio. Side note: I really appreciate all the effort the Trading Spaces crew did to make this a 100% true surprise. Covering all the windows, walking us through the alley, covering our eyes, not talking about the houses in front of us etc. Paige explained with emphasis the importance of not blowing the surprise by opening our eyes too soon. She reminded us that there are very few times in our adult lives that we get to be genuinely surprised… so don’t ruin it! We followed her instructions and were carefully guided through the house into the living room where she finally allowed us to open our eyes! I. Was. Shocked. It was this weird feeling of being misplaced. The room had changed so much that I momentarily forget where I was. It felt like we were standing in the lobby of some trendy, boutique hotel. What a transformation! I instantly loved it, the meaningful details like the recreating of the family picture on the porch and using the sidewalk planks around the fireplace, the fresh greenery, the new layout… SO good! When the cameras went off we walked back into the kitchen and there was the dream-team crew (with Nate & Jeremiah still there… I was afraid they had left early and that we weren’t able to say our thanks and goodbyes) greeting us! The excitement in the air was tangible. I wish I could have bottled that up, because it could have sustained me for years to come haha. We then got to walk over to the Jacobsen’s house, hide in the kitchen, and listen as they entered their room and delighted over their new space. When we were able to run out and see them, my excitement was at 200%. 1) We got to work with the best designers ever. 2) We just had a great conversation with Nate. 3) We absolutely loved our room and were so grateful for the Jacobsens. 4) We were so glad they liked their room. 5) We absolutely loved this entire experience. I probably looked a little too enthusiastic but  I couldn’t contain my excitement.

Kevin & Joanie assembling the entertainment center.

Watching the master work. Arranging the freshly built entertainment center.

Ice cream break with Frank & Nate!

Celebrating Frank’s 70th birthday!

THANK YOU Jeremiah & Nate (and TLC) for giving us an experience of a lifetime.

Look at this oasis of a living room we were given! Before & Afters coming soon!

One corner of the Jacobsen’s room.

The dream team! What we saw when we turned the corner into our kitchen (following the reveal). I had to take a picture of them to remember the excitement!

Well there you have it. A very long story about how we ended up on TLC’s Trading Spaces. One of the best experiences we’ve ever had.

Paige always has to buy double of the same outfit for day 1 and day 2! She gave us each the t-shirt she wore in our episode.

Please tell me you see why I was freaking out at 6:30 AM the next morning…