Channeling my inner David Bromstad

Blog, you (and husband Davie) are painfully aware at how long I have been tortured about the furniture arrangement in the living room of Magic House.  I have obsessed for years about what to do with this room.

The living room is quite big, and configured in such a way that only one arrangement of the home theater--possibly the most important element of our entire home--is feasible.  Likewise, there was only one good way to place my desk--possibly the second most important element of our home, at least for fans of my books, since that's where they happen.  We were left with a big, wasted area of floor space, some 80 square feet that served no purpose except for being the spot where I learned the "Rock Your Body" aerobic hip-hop dance.

It was very frustrating for me to watch HGTV's talented designers on TV (which I do about 857,208 hours per week) and know that they would be able to glance around our living room for maybe 20 seconds and say, "Obviously you just need to move that lamp, that potted plant, and those pictures and knickknacks, buy yourselves a [mystery item], a [mystery item], and a [mystery item], and it'll look fabulous!

Yes, I lost hours of sleep over this.  Yes, I came up with one idea after another only to reject them.  Yes, I drove Davie nuts.

Finally this week I took myself aside and said, "Listen, Birdbrain--just find a way to channel your inner David Bromstad and solve this!  Haven't you watched him for like 375,802 hours by now?"  Yes, I voted for David when he competed in 2006's "HGTV Design Star" and have watched his show "Color Splash" ever since. 

[Side note, had I been able instead to channel my inner Matt Locke, who came in second in 2008, I would have done that.  He's my design idol, and I'm thrilled to say, is now a friend as well.  But Matt didn't get his own show--yet!--so I haven't watched him for 375,802 hours yet.]

So, I reached down deep into my psyche, seeking a ripped gay man with a great smile, amazing artistic talents, and fabutastic design sense....

And gosh 'n' begorrah, it came to me.  PLUS we had a 10% off coupon for your entire purchase at World Market.

So, we just moved one lamp, the fake tree (slightly), and shifted some pictures and knickknacks, and bought ourselves a papasan chair, a matching footrest, and a small side table, and it looks fabulous!  Cost:  $185.  I can hear Vern Yip, Candice Olson, and Genevieve Gorder in a chorus, crying "This space is button!!!"

Putting the chair there was not the idea that fixed everything.  It was the footrest.  We just needed something that extended a bit into the space.  It also helped getting a chair that was round and contrasted strongly with the squarish couch, so it didn't in any way tie in visually with the home theater zone of the room.  The wood color and cushions match the bookcase, my desk, and my desk chair, bringing the grouping together.

Surprise bonuses:  a nice view of the patio, and the possibility of watching Hulu on my PC comfortably.  Best of all, it is super, super comfy-cozy for reading...and the light from the tree is actually enough to read by on my nook!

Problem solved at last.  Davie no longer has to listen to me fretting and brainstorming. 

And I knew one day those 857,208 hours per week of watching HGTV would pay off, Blog....