HGTV's White Room Challenge: Celebrating Matthew

I tend to get star struck very easily (although I would like to think I am immune to this emotion living in DC) so you can imagine how excited I was to have one of my friends become a celebrity!

No, Cooper (below) hasn't made his debut yet, but he was just as excited as I was to celebrate Matthew Bees on HGTV's premier episode of "The White Room Challenge."

If you're not familiar with The White Room Challenge, the premise of the show is that four contestants are each given a small, perfectly white room, specific guidelines on material usage, a set time and a certain budget...then they are let loose to design the room as they see fit.

The episode that Matthew filmed was chosen to be the premier episode.  In order to properly celebrate, nearly 20 of us gathered to watch it together.  No one (except Matthew) knew the end result.

Coop and I anxiously anticipate the premier!

Charles and me

Charles, Laine and Matthew

Laine and me

Charles and Mary Ellis

A few minutes before show time it was toast time!

Charles kicked it off with a proper toast.

Matthew gave us a hilarious monologue and the true "back story" to his HGTV experience.  He explained how he had originally auditioned for a totally different show and after getting call that he was not selected, another producer called and asked him to be a part of the White Room Challenge.

Listening to the "behind the scenes" stories were like watching the blooper reel--we all laughed!

And the toasts continued...

Finally...SHOW TIME!  Everyone settled in and was glued to the television screen.

This episode was known as the "Flower Challenge" - meaning that the contestants had to use at least 1,500 stems of flowers in their room design.  They were dropped off at the LA flower market and had 15 minutes to select all of their flowers!  

Waiting to see what will happen....

STAR!

Spoiler alert: Matthew didn't win the grand prize, much to all of our dismay and amazement because his room was BY FAR the best.

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Matthew's keeping room - full of beautiful flowers and tastefully put together.

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The coffee table top was arranged with flowers in the design of the Alabama State Flag - a true southern touch!

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I would encourage you to go to HGTV's site and look through the photos from the episode if you missed it.  Once you do, you will know what I mean by "Matthew's room was the BEST BY FAR."  He stayed true to his design instinct and the result was a comfortable, thoughtful, well put together room that anyone would be proud to have in their home--and that is hard to do with 1,500 stems of flowers!

My shot with the celebrity

Congratulations, Matthew, on a job well done!