There are grand prize winners.

There are really, true, live grand prize sweepstakes winners. I was one one them. In 2006, I won the La-Z-Boy President’s Day Sweepstakes worth a cool $10K. I received $5000 in La-Z-Boy furniture, $2250 in any other brand furniture and accessories I wanted from Grand Home Furnishings, $2000 in flooring from Carpet One, and $750 for Sherwin-Williams paint and a professional painter to paint my room.

My husband and I decided to makeover the living room. Despite the fact that it had been recently revamped, we were both agreed that leather furniture would be a blessing with a Siberian Husky in the house. Dog hair does not stick to leather. Ergo, no more vacuuming the damn couch.

Here are the before pics of our living room. Husband and dog included.

Now, the photos of the new living room with the wall color being very close to the original, though lighter. The pergo hubby had put down in the previous photos was replaced with real hardwood bamboo flooring. We paid extra for that. We also purchased a few additional pieces not include in the contest winnings. Hubby’s tv was suddenly too small and lacking the newest 1080p technology, so he upgraded. We also bought a few other tidbits, including the painting (overstock.com), the media cabinet hiding the dvds (to the right of the television - Pier One), both of the smaller side tables (Pier One and Target), the gold velvet drapes (Target), the wire dragon sculpture (local artist), the Japanese Maple (Pier One), and the vase (Pier One.)

In the end we spent well over the $10K we had won. And… I emptied out my savings for a new kitchen table and chairs.

So, yes, people really do win the grand prize. And, as in our case, we’re gritting our teeth paying out the income taxes on it!