Hi Everybody! I want to introduce you to my best friend Mandi.
Well I guess she’s not actually my bestfriend per se, and I guess er, friend might be pushing it a bit seeing how I’ve never um, technically met her. I really, really, want to though, and we could be best friends — you never know. Mandi’s was the first DIY blog I ever read. I saw her on the Nate Show, and I was hooked. She is a DIY legend! Mandi is giving away an Epic Room Makeover, so I entered and I really, really want to win. Sept 7th-14th you can go to Mandi’s blog and vote for me daily. Don’t worry, I will be sending you daily reminders asking(begging) you to vote. Beneath is where you will see me pleading to Mandi. Thanks!
Hi Mandi! I’m Shanna Gilbert from Wichita, Kans and this is Charlie:
I know Wichita doesn’t sound like the most fun place to visit, but I promise we would make it fun.We need your help!
We are drowning in a sea of beige! When we bought our house I didn’t know what color to paint the upper level since all of the rooms flowed together.
So I painted the whole upper level beige.
I thought I would get my color in when I did the basement. Well, the upper level walls flowed into the lower level walls, so where do you stop one paint color and start the next without making it look odd? I didn’t know what to do so I painted the basement beige too. I know, I know sooo boring.
Two months ago, we bought this giant sectional which we love. It is super comfortable and seats a lot of people.
The only problem is, it’s brown. Beige room, brown couch,
brown end tables
brown tv console
and you guessed it: brown blinds.
To quote you Mandi this is “an Epic Fail”. This room needs some serious color — I just don’t know what color to use or where to put it.
What I love about your rooms, Mandi, is is all of the bold colors and interesting pieces and fixtures. My room has nada. Here’s the sad thing (besides this room), I redo vintage furniture bright fun colors for a living. I can create all these fun pieces for other people but I don’t know how to incorporate them into my own home.(ps I learned a lot of my furniture tips from you Mandi).
I also have shelves of unique decorative pieces I have bought at flea markets and yard sales and they just sit in storage because I don’t know what to do with them. (Could you tell my hubby that just because I haven’t used them YET doesn’t mean I’m a hoarder?)
Problem number 2) this room is a big rectangle. If this space is where you relax and watch tv, what the heck is this side used for? There is nothing over here. Looking at these pictures I would like to tell you we just moved in, but we have lived here for SIX YEARS! Ugh!
I bought these neat bookshelves off of craigslist the other day because A) they take up space over here and B) I wanted to paint them to look like built ins which I can’t afford. Only I cant paint them, because again, I don’t know what colors to use.
See Mandi, I admit it, I’m stuck. Not knowing what color or style I’m going for has paralyzed me. I’m on a tight budget and I don’t want to screw things up because I can’t afford to fix them.
I need some guidance. I need some Mandi magic sprinkled on this room. You need to tell me “Shanna this goes here” or “don’t use that color, that would be stupid”. You have the fantastic vision that I clearly lack.
Your blog is my absolute favorite. I read it religiously and I even watched you on Craft Wars. Who wants a dumb birdhouse anyway?
Charlie and I are hard workers. We think it would be great fun if you would come to Wichita! Maybe we could go to yard sales together, that would be fantastic!
We need your amazing creativity and playful personality all over this room. I think this room has potential, and you and I together, this room could be amazing! (ps I had a dream I answered the door and you were here. I think it’s a sign don’t you?)
Plus today is my birthday, if you came here that would be the best birthday gift ever! Please come to Wichita Mandi!

Shanna, could you be any cuter!? I would love to come to your house, we will totally be BFFs! And seriously the best line of the entire post “don’t use that color, that would be stupid”. SO freaking hilarious!! Good luck!!
Love your guts
mandi