Courtney Warren is a Texas-based interior designer whose work has been featured in Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, and Today.com. She is a frequent consultant on Fox 4 TV’s Good Day program in Dallas, was ranked in the top 3 percent of interior designers in the US by Houzz.com, and starred in the Dallas episode of TLC’sFour Houses. She delights in helping overwhelmed clients create beautiful spaces—and will never turn down a warm chocolate chip cookie or Diet Dr Pepper.

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Best of Flea Market Style Behind the Scenes: Getting Ready {Part 2}

The time preparing was not as stressful as I thought it would be. The editor got in touch and set the date for about a month away. They told me I couldn’t make any changes from the initial photos, so it took away the temptation to redecorate my house- I couldn’t. No changes. So instead I obsessed about what I would wear.

Initially, they said they would just be featuring me and not the whole family. This was fine because my youngest was barely 3 and a bit wild. You know how rough family photo shoots are for Christmas photos? Imagine the extra pressure that this brought to get the right photo? Impossible. Crisis averted, or so I thought.

They said they wanted me casual, in jeans in possible. I am usually a jean girl, however, my momma raised me right and I dress for the special occasion!! If you are going to be photographed in a national magazine, it seems fitting to wear a dress. But she said that was too formal. Ugh, stress!!

Then the editors saw a dress in a photo and asked me to wear that! Yay. Jeans crisis averted. Sometimes it is so nice for someone to make a difficult decision for you! Right??

Now just clean, and wait.

The editor called for my input on some changes and additions that would look better in print. For instance, more colorful pillows for the bed. Here is the list of what we added from her email.

“Hi Courtney, Just wanted to recap the details of our phone conversation this morning.

1) Entry vignette – COURTNEY: Rain boots – D: Straw market bags, flowers

2) Living Room: – COURTNEY: Pillow options for sofa, Cream throw – D: – White birch logs, flowers

3) Kitchen – D: Vintage bowl options, food props, herbs & pots, flowers, vintage dish towel options

4) Breakfast room: COURTNEY: Runner for table, cake stands, pitchers for flowers, milk, etc. D: Food props, flowers, black & white pieces for cabinet to complement ironstone

5) Desk Vignette: D: Pencils, cookbooks, note pad, flowers

6) Powder Room: D: Teal hand towel, soap, white flowers COURTNEY: Bath towels for basket

7) Master Bedroom: COURTNEY: Pillow options for bed (coral, blue, pretty, colorful, vintage-y feeling) D: 3 European pillows with white cases, flowers

8) Nursery: D: Fern plant for side table”

She was bringing staging items and I would also be getting some items. It was getting real now. I ran all over town getting the items for my list, borrowed my sister’s cute rain boots, and finalized the details. I cleaned from top to bottom, changed out photo in frames, and also hosted a bunch of kids at my house the day before. (We couldn’t stop real life!).

The day is here. They arrive at 8 am.

I think I am ready.

Let’s do this.

Join me next week for never-seen Behind the scenes photos from the photo shoot!

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XOXO, Courtney

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