A little imagination, with the help of Photoshop
Kristin Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 6:26PM Happy Monday everyone. I hope everyone's weekend was full of rest, relaxation, and relationships.
That's at least how my weekend went. I came home Friday night to a sick husband. We had invited another couple over, but coughing, sneezing, and the occasional hacking of phlegm always seem to scare away our guests. So we saved them the trouble and gas, and canceled.
Instead of doing more projects that we have filed in our mental to-do list, we took it easy and worked on relaxation and relationships. I had the opportunity to meet with a few different people this weekend, and I was encouraged. It is so encouraging to see God's hand moving and directing people.
This weekend, we also found something that the Hacker and I completely disagree on. And thus brings me to the point of today's post.
We don't know where to put the tv in our living room.
Our TV room is really a guest bedroom that we store our tv in. When we redid our fireplace, neither of us could stomach placing the television over the mantel. It just didn't seem right. Our guest room won't always be able to pull off double duty as the TV room. We knew when we put it in there it was a temporary fix.
My idea is to build a DIY built-in bookshelf on the sides of the fireplace, and place the tv inside of it. The Hacker wants it against the far wall, opposite the windows. He doesn't want the tv to compete with the fireplace, and is a firm believer that in order to get optimal tv-viewing satisfaction, it must be viewed head-on.
When it comes to the house, we only start a project we are both in agreement about. Not only that, we both have to love the idea. If one of us doesn't like it, we wait until our minds change, or it is replaced by a new and better idea.
This is the story with my failed attempt at changing my husbands mind.
Because I know my husband so well, I know he, like myself, is a visual learner. I became inspired by the idea from one of my favorite blogs: The Lettered Cottage. Check it out. They have a feature they call "Pick My Presto." Layla will take a picture of a reader's room-related dilemma, and photoshop her idea of an answer. Its a great way to see a room completely transformed without picking up a paintbrush or spending a dime.
I did my own version of Pick My Presto, and attempted to use the visual eye candy tostate my case.
I begin the pitch confident, charming and convincing:
"Look hunny, this is what our living room looks like now. See how boring it is on the sides? Yuck."
I examine my client's face. So far, so good. Keep going, Kristin, you're about to knock his socks off!
"This is what I'm thinking of doing! See how it completes the living room!"
"The fireplace is still the main attration, right?"
The client isn't so sure: "Eh, I don't know. I like it better the other way."
My confidence takes a hit. Think quickly, Kristin, you're loosing him! "Er, but look it, hunny! I even put in closing doors to hide the tv when it's not in use! You like that don't you?"
There, I gave the pitch. I did all I could. Does he love it? His face is unreadable. I can't tell what he's thinking. Finally, after what seemed like an hour the client speaks:
"The built-ins look greatl. But I just don't like the television on the side like that. Sorry, babe."
Obviously I'm not a good sales-man. We will have to revisit this another day.
Good dramatization, no? A girl is allowed a little bit of drama and suspense once in a while, right?
Right?
No?
Fine.
What are your thoughts? Even though my plan failed, it's nice to look at the idea of built-ins and dream a little. We will come up with something. I'm not sweating it. Just thought I would share with you the planning stage of our projects.
The sun is shining, the air is warming and our community is coming over. It's going to be a good night. Built-ins or no built-ins.
Defeated salesman,
kristin
Reader Comments (2)