txvoodoo

I don't hate Kass - I'm just thinking of her playing a villain role. I mean, look what she got to happen tonight - she got Woo to flip. I have to respect that. Now, what I wanna know - how/why did *Tony* flip?

Yeah, I think character in that area must mean something different. Apparently floor-to-ceiling teal tiles? :D (I mean, I love teal but....)

Weirdly, that's what made me think it IS Canada, because that's familiar from HGTV shows from Canada to this Texas watcher! That, and Allison's community - it looks so much like a house that David would show on Love it or List it. :D

The boys have a new show coming up this fall: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/18/hgtv-adds-nine-new-series-to-2014-schedule-including-the-jennie-garth-project/255434/ The Brothers Big Reno Project Premieres: November Hosts: Jonathan and Drew Scott The Brothers Big Reno Project is an entertaining new series featuring HGTV's popular Property Brothers Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott as they join forces to complete a massive renovation of the Scott family home Las Vegas just in time for a family reunion.

So I'm watching, and ... The pictures he looks at are from a few *years* ago, and he bases his estimate of $30k for reno on that. Never mind that his estimates are ALWAYS low. They're told "don't get laminate." What do they get? Laminate. High quality or not, it's cheaping out. People don't only spend money for the look, they want quality. They're told to go for character. I really don't think they have any clue what character is. I have to laugh a little when they are forced to put down a thicker subfloor because their laminate is so thin. And also, laugh at their final reno cost: $123k. They sold it, but I really wonder how much was just due to location and view.

I'll say, however, that as much as I like Hillary's renos, generally, I find that she spends a lot on things that needn't be so expensive. Reupholster some furniture! Refinish/remake some! It'll be better quality than some of the stuff she gets to replace it. I also chuckle at "custom builtins" when she says it. We saw the flatpack boxes, Hillary. Just because the crew installed them doesn't make it custom.

Oh, yay, so we might get some HHers who aren't actors! Or at least, professional actors.

Things being dated. Today, we have a good example of this! A pretty much brand-new build, and the woman is confusing a vintage STYLE faucet fixture with actually vintage. Pictorial evidence - the close-captioning is on there:

I have brushed stainless appliances, and they work for us. There are just 2 of us, I wipe it down a couple of times a week. I like them because they're utterly neutral, and every white fridge I've had has yellowed over time. I like hardwood floors! GOOD ones. Because you can refinish them to the end of time, if they're thick enough. Sand 'em down, refinish. And they're pretty. :D I hate granite. Seriously, most of the granite patterns I find just plain fugly. Eventually I'll be redoing my kitchen, and what I want black quartz. That stuff is sturdy, and black won't go out of style. Ever. As far as cabinets, I'd like dark wood on the bottom, and white on top, because it'd complement my kitchen. I love all-white kitchens, but the bottom cabinets don't always wear as well. And my kitchen size is pretty huge, and I'm afraid it'd look too sterile and clinical. Honestly, I'd really like an eco-friendly solid surface, but those are actually more expensive! But mostly, I'm about simplicity and functionality. Granite is a fad. But good god, we're SO SPOILED today. Our kitchens are massive!

There was a really cool forum at Harvard today that was streamed online: http://forum.iop.harvard.edu/content/revisiting-west-wing Lawrence O'Donnell, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, and Janel Moloney all participated. Apparently they post past forums about a day or so later, so keep an eye on http://forum.iop.harvard.edu/past-forums/all/5458/all

I love her premise, and I really enjoyed the early season of the show. But lately, she's doing less restoration, and more cobbling together solutions that leaves me a bit cold. She used leftover beadboard as a bathroom countertop, and all I could think about is "well, that's gonna swell, chip, and get entirely filthy". Her most recent kitchen renos look virtually non-functional - no counter space, no storage space, not enough electrical outlets for use in the 21st century. And, where she used to use cabinets salvaged out of homes of the era, now she's using stock (often 2nd hand stock) cabinets. Where's the charm in that? Her unwillingness to use energy efficient windows really annoys me, too. It's COLD up there! The heating bills on those homes must be enormous. Originally, the hub & I watched the show, really appreciating the renos she was doing. Nowadays, we watch and cringe. It's a shame!