Stowing Thrones (and Other Items) in Mall’s Glass House

Reality TV paid a visit to Santa Ana this week. But there were no phony millionaires or aspiring pop singers.

Instead, Arlene Lane and Jo Telles put their friendship to the test as cameras filmed them living in and decorating a glass house inside the MainPlace mall for 24 hours, ending at noon Thursday.

“I did, originally, want my husband to come on the show,” Lane said. “But I wanted to stay married.”

So she asked Telles, a friend and coworker at the Southern California Gas Co. in San Dimas, to join her.

“We don’t need to stay married,” said Telles, a Temple City resident.

The women were participating in “Glass House,” a show in which contestants, chosen from throughout Southern California, have 24 hours to unpack boxes of fabric and knickknacks, assemble furniture and decorate a glass house.

Lane and Telles were picked for their boisterous personalities and the chemistry in their friendship, said Suzanne Goldstyn, director of communications at Christopher Lowell Enterprises.

The footage will air this spring during Lowell’s home decorating show on the Discovery Channel.

Telles said she and Lane, who sit next to each other work, volunteered for the stunt because they thought it would be fun.

“There seemed nothing more to get out of it but to have a really good time,” she said.

Rules prohibited the two from leaving the house except for bathroom breaks. They were provided with a survival kit of drinks and snacks and were given breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Although loud music was not allowed, Lane said she blasted Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana” on headphones.

Lane and Telles said they were having trouble deciding what look to strive for until coworkers visiting them at the mall began teasing Lane about a synthetic ponytail she purchased right before filming began Wednesday at noon.

“They said it was stripper hair,” said Lane, an Ontario resident.

It gave the pair an idea: They decided to create a Moulin Rouge theme.

An abundance of flowers, pillows and frilly fabric helped give their house a plush, romantic look.

Using a drill, screwdriver, glue gun and other tools in a kit provided by the show’s producers, they hung drapes, scattered purple feathers on the bed, and set up candles and frilly lamps.

After only three hours of sleep and with less than half an hour before time was up, the pair poured a glass of water and waited out the final minutes in the living room.

At noon they walked out to cheers from coworkers and family members.

“I’ll never speak to her again,” Lane joked as she crossed the threshold.

“Tell her to put it in writing!” an onlooker shouted.

Although they both said they have “bossy” personalities, they were able to compromise and consider each other’s decorating suggestions.

“It was a miracle. I honestly didn’t think they were going to be able to do it,” said Mikki Borquez, a coworker.

“I didn’t see the both of them in the same room for 24 hours.”