Rock The Block - General Discussion

buttersister · April 11, 2023

LOL! One-bedroom giant homes? Welcome to Empty Nest Acres, where rich people spend $2-3M and host parties with their rich neighbors! Michel and Anthony's house will be the model for buyers with children who visit.

My hearing isn't what it used to be, but did Ty or somebody call them Michael and Anthony?

Anyway, I'm glad they won. Process of elimination taking out others I like less. Far less. I did LOL when Egypt fell the hell out of that stupid swing. I missed the resort builders' tour, anybody book the spa? 😏

toodywoody · April 11, 2023

Where were the other rooms they listed at the end? Or were there rooms they all didn't get to decorate and make a back kitchen or another kitchen outside and another kitchen downstairs. And then when it listed all the beds and baths that the house turned into at the end, did I miss all those bathrooms too?

I loved the ombre bedroom and bathroom. Actually didn't mind any of the owner's bathrooms, thought the fireplace in the bathroom was stupid though. While I liked the bunk bed room, I thought it would be more for an airbnb and not for someone's house. The swings in the one kitchen were stupid. The spa was stupid, should have just made a mother in laws suite. The only kitchen I didn't like at all was the winning house's kitchen. I did however, love the arched doors, the added porch to the bedroom and the added room and bathroom, not the colors necessarily but that could have functioned for several different things. The steamer in the one house was unnecessary to me. I guess that house I actually didn't like the most. I thought everyone else's living rooms were better than theirs. I loved the bookcases though but didn't understand the books being turned the wrong way. I thought that fireplace was boring.

I guess I'd have to go room by room and rank them each to get who won for me. But if by value, I can see where the added balcony and on suite pushed Michel and Anthony's over the top. To me the designers knowing that it is to be won off of value, need to start thinking with that in mind instead of their own personal preferences. I know this is a show based on preferences, but I would think all of them would say, well what would add value? Not a big room with a sunken tub and wasted space, a kitchen with swings or a back kitchen, or views that were obstructed.

Edited April 11, 2023 by toodywoody

Kip1 · April 11, 2023

2 hours ago, absolutelyido said:

For all the commentary and discussion Jasmine, Egypt and Mike had did they have any say in who the winner was, or was it strickly based upon the appraised value?

It sounded like the winner was selected based on the appraised value. In past seasons, we've seen clips of two or three appraisers walking through the houses with their clipboards and then sitting down adding up all their figures. When we didn't see that this time, I was afraid Jasmine, Egypt and Mike were making the final call - too much opportunity for favoritism and individual preferences come in. I'm glad they used appraisers.

DVDFreaker · April 11, 2023

I will be honest, I did not think Michel and Anthony have any chance of winning but they proved me wrong so congratulations to them

Michel and Anthony seems like cool people to hang out with but I do not care much for their designs or show but good for them for winning Rock The Block

Edited April 11, 2023 by DVDFreaker

Chippings · April 11, 2023

Was it entirely weird that the finale, with Michel and Anthony winning, was followed immediately by Season 1 Episode 1 of a new "Luxe" series with Michel and no Anthony -- a lady partner?

As to the win, I thought Michel and Anthony pulled out ahead when they added that portion of deck -- sort of like when Egypt and Mike added the generator last season. And I'm a bit on information-overload, but I think M & A did fewer dumb stuff than the others did.

(Well, that's slight praise, isn't it.) 😏 But it's how I'm seeing it right now.

janey99 · April 11, 2023

I love Michel and Anthony but I'm shocked they won. Their interior design was very specific but I suppose that can be easily changed and they did add rooms which add value.

I thought the whole season was too short. IMO, at least one extra episode where they did family bedrooms should have been included - either a set of three (nursery, elementary aged and teenaged), or a set of two with a shared bathroom.

TeapotWakeen · April 11, 2023

I'm glad Michel and Anthony won, even if it did mean a total erasure of the urinal in the finale 😜

catrice2 · April 11, 2023

Everyones designs were specific. It cracks me up how people watch a show and one person uses a word and then everyone does. Like pitchy from American Idol. Houses are specific whether it is Craftsman, cottage etc. Having stone everywhere was specific. The judges over used that word.

The winning house had indoor outdoor entertainment with the kitchen downstairs that opened to the patio serving window, the best master closet, the deck, and the pantry. Add the murphy bed room with a bathroom and it was sealed. Multipurpose is key.

Spas, swings and arcades are specific along with kegs and a golf simulator. Of them all their downstairs could easily be tranaformed into an in law suite or a separate income property or rent the downstairs out. Just make the speakeasy a bedroom and add a shower. Anthonys make it room should have been a gym and the blue bathroom was a hard no, along with the urinal. Michele? does too much.

Personally I never thought they would give them the win but after seeing all the spaces it made sense. Odd in the one home I didnt see them go into the kid hideaway space. Was that not added value?

Why did the kitchens with the double islands look like science lab tables to me? Or the surface in libraries? I have seen that donw before but better. Both looked awkward.

catrice2 · April 11, 2023

9 hours ago, toodywoody said:

Where were the other rooms they listed at the end? Or were there rooms they all didn't get to decorate and make a back kitchen or another kitchen outside and another kitchen downstairs. And then when it listed all the beds and baths that the house turned into at the end, did I miss all those bathrooms too?

I loved the ombre bedroom and bathroom. Actually didn't mind any of the owner's bathrooms, thought the fireplace in the bathroom was stupid though. While I liked the bunk bed room, I thought it would be more for an airbnb and not for someone's house. The swings in the one kitchen were stupid. The spa was stupid, should have just made a mother in laws suite. The only kitchen I didn't like at all was the winning house's kitchen. I did however, love the arched doors, the added porch to the bedroom and the added room and bathroom, not the colors necessarily but that could have functioned for several different things. The steamer in the one house was unnecessary to me. I guess that house I actually didn't like the most. I thought everyone else's living rooms were better than theirs. I loved the bookcases though but didn't understand the books being turned the wrong way. I thought that fireplace was boring.

I guess I'd have to go room by room and rank them each to get who won for me. But if by value, I can see where the added balcony and on suite pushed Michel and Anthony's over the top. To me the designers knowing that it is to be won off of value, need to start thinking with that in mind instead of their own personal preferences. I know this is a show based on preferences, but I would think all of them would say, well what would add value? Not a big room with a sunken tub and wasted space, a kitchen with swings or a back kitchen, or views that were obstructed.

I felt the same about the bunk beds. And they would only be comfortable for kids. I did not understand the high praise for them ,the arcade space or bathroom in that space. I did however love their living space upstairs.

I agree with Egypt about the high storage in the winning house's kitchen! Visually nice put totally impractical unless it was just for looks since they had the pantry.

islandgal140 · April 11, 2023

I was shocked by the win, but pleasantly so. I actually clapped (in a bedroom by myself). I am so happy for them. I don't know what it says about me but Michel and Anthony's house most closely aligns with my personal taste than the 3 others. I love a touch of luxe and I veer more towards dark and moody. One room that probably didn't get a lot of play but was my utmost personal fave was their pantry. The pantry of my dreams and is staying pinned on my boards. Kind of reminds me of a more modern English pantry.

I did also love Michel and Anthony's master, but the master shower although gorgeous was huge, cavernous and doorless. I'd be freezing my ass off in there every damn morning.

Frankly, I thought Jon and Kristina had it locked, especially with the kitchen and their gear room. Colorado has a lot of outdoorsy people and no one else thought of a place to put things like skis, bikes, etc. I didn't care for the room but thought it was a well thought out addition.

I thought all the exteriors were super lovely, but I do like the light tones of the hotel couple. The brick works way better on the outside than on the inside.

I am now firmly on the 2 kitchen islands is ridiculous train.

I am with everyone else, what about the other bedrooms and bathroom(s)? I feel a little short changed.

Edited April 11, 2023 by islandgal140

Madding crowd · April 11, 2023

I agree that Michel and Anthony had the least amount of annoying specifics although the ceiling high cabinets would be useless. I don’t understand huge homes with one bedroom. Most people have kids or adult children who might visit or guests. I would want other bedrooms over golf rooms, speakeasy’s or spa rooms. I think the guys won with the office and Murphy bed plus the little balcony off the master.

chessiegal · April 11, 2023

I looked up the floor plan of these houses. There are 3 other bedrooms beside the main.

As far as the high kitchen cabinets, I would use them to store things you don't use that often. I'm short enough I have to use a step stool to reach the top shelves in my cabinets, so I would use one to reach the high cabinets.

islandgal140 · April 11, 2023

14 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

As far as the high kitchen cabinets, I would use them to store things you don't use that often. I'm short enough I have to use a step stool to reach the top shelves in my cabinets, so I would use one to reach the high cabinets.

I love their kitchen, but yeah those cabinets were sky high. It would be more than a step ladder for most avg height people. I feel like I would be in danger of my life just to get on a ladder and get those 'not often used items.' The thought of having to break out the scaffolding just to get my grandma's special thanksgiving pumpkin shaped butter dish is just too much. But I have to say, in actuality, having them stop short of the ceiling would probably be a problem and look chintzy. I don't know what the solution is. Soffits?

CrazyInAlabama · April 11, 2023

Since the cabinets are over tall cabinets, I would have put one taller pair of doors, instead of the top and middle cabinet doors. Then you could at least put taller items in the cabinet, and not have to reach the top cabinet.

The producers used to spoil the episode winners in the first season or so, they always played an episode of the weekly winner's show right after the episode aired.

Edited April 14, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

carrps · April 11, 2023

3 hours ago, catrice2 said:

Odd in the one home I didnt see them go into the kid hideaway space. Was that not added value?

Nah. My niece and her family bought a house almost two years ago when their son was about 2 and a half. The previous owners set up a room under the stairs as a secret space for him, when they knew they were selling to my niece. My grandnephew starts kindergarten next year, and he's already outgrown his little cubby.

2 hours ago, islandgal140 said:

I don't know what it says about me but Michel and Anthony's house most closely aligns with my personal taste than the 3 others. I love a touch of luxe and I veer more towards dark and moody. One room that probably didn't get a lot of play but was my utmost personal fave was their pantry. The pantry of my dreams and is staying pinned on my boards. Kind of reminds me of a more modern English pantry.

Agreed with you! I'm actually slightly repelled by overly bright white spaces. I like coziness and drama. And I adore a good pantry. It was my favorite space, too.

DVDFreaker · April 11, 2023

4 hours ago, janey99 said:

I love Michel and Anthony but I'm shocked they won. Their interior design was very specific but I suppose that can be easily changed and they did add rooms which add value.

I thought the whole season was too short. IMO, at least one extra episode where they did family bedrooms should have been included - either a set of three (nursery, elementary aged and teenaged), or a set of two with a shared bathroom.

I agree it was too short, when they had the preview last week for the season finale, I said "already?!"

catrice2 · April 11, 2023

2 hours ago, islandgal140 said:

I was shocked by the win, but pleasantly so. I actually clapped (in a bedroom by myself). I am so happy for them. I don't know what it says about me but Michel and Anthony's house most closely aligns with my personal taste than the 3 others. I love a touch of luxe and I veer more towards dark and moody. One room that probably didn't get a lot of play but was my utmost personal fave was their pantry. The pantry of my dreams and is staying pinned on my boards. Kind of reminds me of a more modern English pantry.

I did also love Michel and Anthony's master, but the master shower although gorgeous was huge, cavernous and doorless. I'd be freezing my ass off in there every damn morning.

Frankly, I thought Jon and Kristina had it locked, especially with the kitchen and their gear room. Colorado has a lot of outdoorsy people and no one else thought of a place to put things like skis, bikes, etc. I didn't care for the room but thought it was a well thought out addition.

I thought all the exteriors were super lovely, but I do like the light tones of the hotel couple. The brick works way better on the outside than on the inside.

I am now firmly on the 2 kitchen islands is ridiculous train.

I am with everyone else, what about the other bedrooms and bathroom(s)? I feel a little short changed.

That pantry and the arched doors along with thw Murphy bed did it for me

DVDFreaker · April 11, 2023

It is funny when they said it was close and pretty close when Egypt said there was a $75,000 difference, that is not even close

tunajune · April 11, 2023

I remember Anthony from Project Runway Season 7 (5th place) and also from All Stars Season 6, which he won. He was so funny and creative. Still, what a surprise to see him in the interior design field. After looking him up, I see he's still creating couture gowns.

MsJamieDornan · April 12, 2023

16 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

I don’t understand huge homes with one bedroom.

The graphics on the screen when they showed each house said what each house started out with and what they ended up with for beds and baths. Most said 5 bedrooms and 4 full bathrooms and 2 half baths.

buttersister · April 12, 2023

6 hours ago, MsJamieDornan said:

The graphics on the screen when they showed each house said what each house started out with and what they ended up with for beds and baths.

I find that some (many) of HGTV's graphics are hard to read. Looking at you, white letters on yellow background, Home Town memories.

kikicat · April 13, 2023

On 4/11/2023 at 11:46 AM, chessiegal said:

I looked up the floor plan of these houses. There are 3 other bedrooms beside the main.

As far as the high kitchen cabinets, I would use them to store things you don't use that often. I'm short enough I have to use a step stool to reach the top shelves in my cabinets, so I would use one to reach the high cabinets.

Step stool? I'm 5'7" and I'd need a full size ladder. Can't imagine climbing up, grabbing Grandma's china, then trying to get down without breaking my bones or the soup tureen. The only items I'd store up there would be 50-roll packs of toilet paper, canned Chef Boyardee, and sacks of rice for the apocalypse. Yes, it'd take a nuke to get me to climb that high. At least some of those secret rooms would be great for zombie hideouts.

Agreed about the need for another episode. They should have done an extra bedrooms episode.

The house tours are good for a new perspective. Thought I preferred the Farmhouse pair's house (love me some green), but found myself liking the boring beige Baumler's design a bit more after the tour. Loved the dramatic tile in the shower, but the enormous spa was too much. Happy to see Michel and Anthony win.

Thanks to the commenter who brought up Project Runway! I've been trying to remember where I'd seen him before, other than playing a Ron Funches lookalike.

Enough with the millionaire homes. Next time, let's see what good design can do to a smaller, bland, builder's grade tract home.

Edited April 13, 2023 by kikicat

kikicat · April 13, 2023

Thinking of appraised values, did anyone add a good-sized tree to the landscaping? That would be a big value-add for me. I don't understand why builders raze every living thing in sight. Well, I understand it (ease of access for the workers & machinery), I just don't like it. Lost ten or so trees from a bad ice storm once, and I cried. The increase of sunlight once spring came cheered me up again.

buttersister · April 13, 2023

16 minutes ago, kikicat said:

did anyone add a good-sized tree to the landscaping

Pretty sure there was going to be an HOA in this development, so until the "plan" is in place, that tree might not have made the cut. sts.

ML89 · April 13, 2023

15 hours ago, buttersister said:

Pretty sure there was going to be an HOA in this development, so until the "plan" is in place, that tree might not have made the cut. sts.

Living in a big development like that (well, the FL version in a small house), the number of trees are set by the HOA. I have more of them due to being on a corner lot and I've lost two and had to pay to replace them. That's why that stone address marker and the whole drama of what was on the outside was a bit much, that's all determined by the HOA rules.

15 hours ago, kikicat said:

Enough with the millionaire homes. Next time, let's see what good design can do to a smaller, bland, builder's grade tract home.

I would love to see that too.

Book Junkie · April 13, 2023

1 hour ago, ML89 said:

Living in a big development like that (well, the FL version in a small house), the number of trees are set by the HOA. I have more of them due to being on a corner lot and I've lost two and had to pay to replace them. That's why that stone address marker and the whole drama of what was on the outside was a bit much, that's all determined by the HOA rules.

I would love to see that too.

Me three!

ML89 · April 13, 2023

23 minutes ago, Book Junkie said:

Me three!

And I want shopping. If they're going to use Wayfair, I want them to stand in the room, tell me WHY they're buying what they're buying and what things they buy. Then go pick the paint and why. And the backsplash, and all of it.

One of the Design Star contestants, maybe in David's year or the one after, was going to do a shopping show and I would love that. Go to Ashley, go to Haverty's, go to Pottery Barn, Ethan Allen, Room and Board, whoever - get some sponsors, go to someone's house and decorate a room. Make it like Ask This Old House, except they send a decorator.

buttersister · April 13, 2023

1 hour ago, ML89 said:

want them to stand in the room, tell me WHY they're buying what they're buying and what things they buy. Then go pick the paint and why. And the backsplash, and all of it.

They can do this instead of the hijinks and time-filling junk!

Book Junkie · April 14, 2023

19 hours ago, ML89 said:

And I want shopping. If they're going to use Wayfair, I want them to stand in the room, tell me WHY they're buying what they're buying and what things they buy. Then go pick the paint and why. And the backsplash, and all of it.

One of the Design Star contestants, maybe in David's year or the one after, was going to do a shopping show and I would love that. Go to Ashley, go to Haverty's, go to Pottery Barn, Ethan Allen, Room and Board, whoever - get some sponsors, go to someone's house and decorate a room. Make it like Ask This Old House, except they send a decorator.

I LOVE this idea! I'm tired of all the house flipping/demoing/gutting shows. There's too many of them and most of us aren't going to gut or tear down homes, but simply want to refresh and update various rooms and want to know where we can go to get the updates. I don't need to see 5 million ways to demo a space.

I also like that Rock the Block does the exterior, but I wish HGTV would bring back Curb Appeal and Landscaper's Challenge, especially since a lot of people redid their backyards and exteriors during COVID, because they were home so much. I'm tired of seeing the same kitchen, primary bath, and living rooms being done over and over. Is there still an HGTV network thread?

chessiegal · April 14, 2023

13 minutes ago, Book Junkie said:

Is there still an HGTV network thread?

Yes. It's here under Network talk. HGTV forum

carrps · April 14, 2023

3 hours ago, Book Junkie said:

I don't need to see 5 million ways to demo a space.

And every show does one whole segment on demo, and it's booooooorrrrrrring. Let's watch Chip Gaines or Tad (Mina's brother) act like crazy dumbbells. Ugh. We always FF through segments like this (and we never watch the Gaineses anyway on their channel).

I remember when there were actual design shows on HGTV. I miss them.

Kemper · April 15, 2023

HGTV is like Groundhog Day. Rock The Block is at least not marathoned once a week.

catrice2 · April 15, 2023

Eygpt verified they do not choose and it is down to the appraisers.. who were different people. Sad to see the number of people who yelled bias and a fix and said the win was to fit a "narrative." Including not having interesting shows anymore, especially gardening ones, I needed to be reminded why I stopped watching HGTV

Edited April 16, 2023 by catrice2

CruiseDiva · April 15, 2023

I would like to hear the appraisers' opinions on what features really added value to the houses and how much value they actually added.

CrazyInAlabama · April 16, 2023

I wonder if any of the houses have sold yet? It will be interesting to see how buyers react to some of the more bizarre finishes, and decoration like entire rock walls indoors.

chessiegal · April 16, 2023

I wonder if the developer will remove the more bizarre stuff. I'm sure the swings at the kitchen island will be gone.

chessiegal · April 16, 2023

I went to the Heron Lakes web site to see what homes sell for. It appears they do not build spec houses, only sell lots and you use one of their builders to design the home you want. That explains why the only houses we saw were for this show, everything else around them was empty. You have to provide personal info to get more information.

Shermie · April 17, 2023

So I watched the last couple eps of this just to see the end results; I have no patience for endless blather and wacky hijinx. I just want to see the before and after shots.

I’m surprised by so much negative commentary on these houses, since I thought all four were gorgeous. The black and stone and wood look is current, yes, but so what? Current is now, that’s what people want. Are they supposed to do the houses in something generic like red brick that’s been around forever?

Anyway, each house had something I loved and something I hated, and I didn’t agree with the winning house choice. I thought it was a little too specific.

I’m terrible at remember people’s names and details, so I’ll ramble away hoping I remembered correctly. 😁 I liked the Baumler’s house (and I like them, which seems like an unpopular opinion), even though it was too beige for me. But that’s easy to change with furniture and art and accessories. Putting the fireplace in the middle of big window was a mistake, and I’m glad they said that themselves. The endless spa in the downstairs seemed weird; does the house come with masseuse? What’s the point of a massage room in your house?

I liked the old English pantry and the arched wooden doors and the hobby room of the winning team, but I didn’t understand the point of the speakeasy room. It was cool and everything, but what’s the point of it? There was no tv, no wine or whisky bar. The house already had a living room up and down for sitting around and chatting, plus outdoor spaces. So what’s the point of the speakeasy? The hobby room was a great idea, but velvet wallpaper? No. And weren’t they ones with the giant outdoor fireplace that blocked the entire view from the downstairs patio area? Weird that the judges didn’t comment on that as a negative (in the final episode).

The swings in one of houses was a fun idea, but not how they did it. So weird. Why not just have them facing the tv or something, as fun extra seating? I liked the bunk room, but it seemed like that was for a house that would be a short term rental, not a permanent home.

I don’t understand the second kitchen behind the first one. Odds are the people who own these houses don’t cook enough to justify one kitchen, much less two, plus an outdoor kitchen. Do they need a second kitchen to hide all the takeout containers so their dinner guests will think they cooked? It’s all so performative.

Anyway, it was an entertaining show but I agree that it would be nice to see a season where they did homes under 2500 sq ft, for regular people. The problem with design competitions is that they have to keep one-upping each other with that crazy new idea, and it just gets out of hand.

buttersister · April 18, 2023

OMG, an hour of B roll. Or, you know, 15 minutes for me.

HGTV: Bag the BS, do a recap of details from the appraisers. You can fill any down time with auditions to replace Ty.

Edited April 18, 2023 by buttersister

Chippings · April 18, 2023

On 4/15/2023 at 10:50 AM, CruiseDiva said:

I would like to hear the appraisers' opinions on what features really added value to the houses and how much value they actually added.

I entirely agree. I think in a previous season or seasons we actually saw the appraisers, but I don't remember seeing them this time. They had to exist, but were invisible. Since the Win is based on the appraised values, it would have been good to hear their actual analysis about which features had added value and which diminished it. Hint, hint, HGTV?

Or, can they do this again? From my vantage, they're pretty much run out of their personalities who do this stuff.

Anyway - appraisers.

Vandy10 · April 19, 2023

On 4/12/2023 at 1:12 AM, DVDFreaker said:

It is funny when they said it was close and pretty close when Egypt said there was a $75,000 difference, that is not even close

75,000 can be a big difference if you’re talking about buying a house that’s $200,000 vs. $275,000. For people buying in those price ranges, it’s a huge difference! But for homes that are close to $3 million, that $75,000 is basically nothing.

roughing it · April 23, 2023

Heron Lakes is an exclusive community built around a new professional $$$$ golf course. I doubt the HOA will allow any short term rental opportunities. Also any exterior uses will be heavily scrutinized/nixed, like the boulder address or as some have suggested, privacy fences.

I preferred Brian/Sarah's outdoor firepit area and their exterior house colors, but didn't really like anything else they did. One thing I noticed that no one else did, was in their master closet, the w/d was in a really tight space, barely enough room to even open the w/d doors, let alone stand in front of it with the doors open. It would be really hard to move laundry from one to the other without bumping the wall across from it. Maybe it was the camera angle though.

My "winner" would have been Jon/Kristina. I liked most of their design. The bocce pit was a fail, not much bocce happening in Colorado, I think a horseshoe pit would have been better. However, they did say they had a long, narrow lot to work with which limits their use.

ML89 · May 17, 2023

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