Design Shows

[Taylorh2]

I love watching 'design shows' but the thing that drives me crazy is the amount of money a designer will spend on accessories. I remember one show where the designer spent $150 dollars on a shower curtain and $100 for a bowl of ceramic fruit for the dinning room table, and didn't give it a second thought. I was like 'why would anyone spend $150 on a shower curtain ?!  I loved one show where the designer took a homeowner to 'Big Lots' and brought most of the accessories.

 

I like watching "I brake for yard sales" but I think that the host/designer Lara Spencer spends way too much money at flea markets/thrift stores.

[Athena]

A place for your interior design show talk. Please note there is also a real estate topic in Genre Talk and a general HGTV topic in Network Talk.

 

 

[nx74defiant]

I like Knock it off. They ask the homeowner's for inspiration photos to see what they like and the work withing a budget.

[Taylorh2]

Never heard of  Knock It Off.

[Wings]

I just watched a marathon of My Big Family Renovation.  I was stunned at the lack of design sense the mother had.  Nicole (judge on Flipping the Block) would have loved it.  The house was a hodge podge of found items and horrific paint colors; the most glaring horror was the design of the back door.  

[NYGirl]

Omg Wings I thought the same thing. The colors were horrifying.

[Wings]

Omg Wings I thought the same thing. The colors were horrifying.

 

That back door belonged on Hansel and Gretel's cottage.   I also thought it was funny that they moved out of a brand new well appointed house, too small granted, and loved this 100 year old mess.  

[NYGirl]

I couldn't believe it when they showed their old house at the beginning. I thought it was strange to change aesthetics so drastically. I did enjoy their relationship but then I'm always suspicious of couples so nice to each other. Also like chip and Joanna Gaines.

[Wings]

I couldn't believe it when they showed their old house at the beginning. I thought it was strange to change aesthetics so drastically. I did enjoy their relationship but then I'm always suspicious of couples so nice to each other. Also like chip and Joanna Gaines.

 

Both couples get along in a very rehearsed way, nothing seems spontaneous.  

[NYGirl]

Both couples get along in a very rehearsed way, nothing seems spontaneous.  

Very very true.  All I know is that my husband would be yelling and cursing at half the problems Chip Gaines runs into.  Of course he'd never let me boss him around like Joanna does without a fight...

 

I do like the way Joanna teases him though.

[auntjess]

They've been showing reruns of That's So 80s on DIY recently.
They show overdone and bad designs, like chintz everywhere, and southwestern decor, and they throw in a few fads like the Clapper.

I amuse myself by making a mental list of what they'll show on a That's So Teens show.
Gray walls and basin sinks (my friend calls them "sink you have wash on the outside too,") figure on it, and I've added "that" rug, you know the one you've seen on almost all makeover/design shows, in various colors, with the Moroccan design.
If you google "moroccan design rug," you'll see it.
 

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=moroccan+design+rug
 

[Wings]

I love "the sink you have to wash on the outside, too."  That was my first thought when I saw them.  And oh yes, the ubiquitous  Moroccan rug.   

 

I only see That's so 90s and put it on my DVR.  Never heard of these shows before.  

 

I would like to add something that is so "now "and will be "over so soon."  The small rectangular tiles that are being used as back splashes and even in the shower.  The minute I first saw them (hated) knew they would date a house and become the new "turn of the century."   

[auntjess]

Wings, the shows have a lot of flaws, and most seem to be because the people doing them are too young to know that TV dinners, and other things, are really 50s or 60s things, not 70s or 80s.
These people don't yet have the perspective to know that people will snicker at their taste in a few years.
I've complained in other threads about backsplashes, because I sometimes prepare things that do splash on the wall.
Luckily I don't have tiny tiles with lots grout, so chocolate or tomato washes off.

[Wings]

Wings, the shows have a lot of flaws, and most seem to be because the people doing them are too young to know that TV dinners, and other things, are really 50s or 60s things, not 70s or 80s.

These people don't yet have the perspective to know that people will snicker at their taste in a few years.

I've complained in other threads about backsplashes, because I sometimes prepare things that do splash on the wall.

Luckily I don't have tiny tiles with lots grout, so chocolate or tomato washes off.

 

 

There aren't any good decorating shows, unfortunately.  I would love to see Nate Berkus create a good one.  I will watch them regardless with a few exceptions.  Love it or List it is one I avoid.  

[bubbls]

I would like to add something that is so "now "and will be "over so soon."  The small rectangular tiles that are being used as back splashes and even in the shower.  The minute I first saw them (hated) knew they would date a house and become the new "turn of the century."   

 

So true! I loved them at first, but I'm quickly growing tired of them. I think they're going to get dated FAST. 

[auntjess]

Danielle Colding, a Design Star winner, posted on Facebook that "my return to TV is in the works."

[selhars]

 

The small rectangular tiles that are being used as back splashes and even in the shower.

 

You mean "subway tile." Never really liked the look, myself. I'm much more a travertine, tumbled stone, granite, marble person.

Of course I just buy and use what ever Home Depot has on sale, that I like. If you have a good eye for design you don't have to use expensive stuff imported from Italy. I see shows use high-end stuff from places like Walker-Zanger and it's soooo much money. But when you've got it like that, I guess money is no object so you just spend it.

 

I used to be ADDICTED to HGTV. Now I MIGHT watch half of a "Love it or List It" or a "Property Brothers" and that's it. I don't even know what's on when anymore. SOMEtimes I catch an "Income Property" or "Rehab Addict." I also sometimes catch the show about the couple in TX that makes over houses for people, I think their names are Chip and Joanna, have no idea what the name of the show is. (But if I heard it, I'd recognize it.) I dont' watch ANY shows from start to finish. I'm not up early enough to catch a sporadic showing of some of Sarah Richardson shows. And Candice Olsen isn't on anymore.....

[Wings]

You mean "subway tile." Never really liked the look, myself. I'm much more a travertine, tumbled stone, granite, marble person.

Of course I just buy and use what ever Home Depot has on sale, that I like. If you have a good eye for design you don't have to use expensive stuff imported from Italy. I see shows use high-end stuff from places like Walker-Zanger and it's soooo much money. But when you've got it like that, I guess money is no object so you just spend it.

 

I used to be ADDICTED to HGTV. Now I MIGHT watch half of a "Love it or List It" or a "Property Brothers" and that's it. I don't even know what's on when anymore. SOMEtimes I catch an "Income Property" or "Rehab Addict." I also sometimes catch the show about the couple in TX that makes over houses for people, I think their names are Chip and Joanna, have no idea what the name of the show is. (But if I heard it, I'd recognize it.) I dont' watch ANY shows from start to finish. I'm not up early enough to catch a sporadic showing of some of Sarah Richardson shows. And Candice Olsen isn't on anymore.....

 

 

No subway tiles are timeless and my favorite.  They will never date your home.  The are the larger rectangles. Subway tile comes in stone, glass, porcelain (many colors), travertine, lime stone and more.   

 

I am speaking of the tiny little skinny but long rectangles in multi colors. 

Edited December 1, 2014 by wings707

[auntjess]

Try Unlivable, on FYI (formerly Biography) network.
It's on tonight, and I see repeats during the week. 
I usually record and watch from the DVR on just about everything.
Anyway, it's a contractor and a designer, in LA, taking a young couple with a small (for LA, less than half-a-mil) budget, and they buy dumps and make them over in a week.

Sounds like Property Brothers, but I'm liking this one better, despite the fact that they're in LA.

[jaimesommers]

I miss a lot of the older shows (whose names all are coming up blank at the moment!) - they showed great ideas for those of us who live in smaller homes or apartments where we can't make permanent changes. Sometimes it would be nice to see a couple of furniture swapouts or a new room layout, etc. instead of all the drama so many of the current shows insist on including.

[ByaNose]

One of those shows was called Freestyle. They moved existing furniture around & went through the homeowners closet.

[BizBuzz]

I loved Freestyle.

 

Another one of my faves was Small Space Big Style.

[selhars]

Finding out how absolutely fake many design, real estate, remodel and makeover shows are has totally turned my off from most of them.

And I used to be ADDICTED to HGTV.

[Archery]

I miss the actual design shows, like crazypants Trading Spaces and Design on a Dime, and the organizing/design ones like Clean Sweep. I could get ideas for rooms that I could actually use. Now it's all renovating and rehabbing, which I don't have time or money to do.

[Athena]

Hello! I have moved a number of posts about Ellen's Design Challenge to the All Episodes Talk thread for it.

[auntjess]

HGTV is showing old episodes of Staged to Perfection, Wednesday 7:30 AM, ET.

This is the one where the staging company has a huge warehouse full of all sorts of furniture.

[bubbls]

I miss the actual design shows, like crazypants Trading Spaces and Design on a Dime, and the organizing/design ones like Clean Sweep. I could get ideas for rooms that I could actually use. Now it's all renovating and rehabbing, which I don't have time or money to do.

 

 

I feel exactly the same way. It's all brand-new/gutting everything, which I'm not interested in although I do watch just for the design porn. I was just watching Love It Or LIst It and they saved money by buying cabinets the workers had to put together. Rather than what? Custom built? Seriously? I especially enjoyed the shows where they'd use mostly the homeowners stuff. Now that was helpful to me and fun to watch. 

[SmithW6079]

I miss the actual design shows, like crazypants Trading Spaces and Design on a Dime, and the organizing/design ones like Clean Sweep. I could get ideas for rooms that I could actually use. Now it's all renovating and rehabbing, which I don't have time or money to do.

I got tired of "Trading Spaces" real fast, but I liked most iterations of "Design on a Dime," "Designed to Sell" (but I stopped watching the Chicago version when Monica Pederson redid a kitchen and blocked off a window), and I used to like "Home to Go," with Peter Fallico. And even though it wasn't design per se, I liked "For Rent," with Jodi Gilmour. 

[tvchick]

Yea, Sarah Richardson is back on HGTV!  Or at least they are running a marathon of "Sarah Sees Potential" this morning, in which she helps potential home owner choose a new house and uses a reno budget on the room of their choice.  Very enjoyable!

[Wings]

I have been looking for the design show threads the past few days, but since they are under the word "Genre" I could not find them.   Mods, could we have this listed as Decor shows or Design shows in the main menu so it can be easily found?  

 

I just put the Sarah marathon on.  Thanks for the heads up.

[SmithW6079]

I don't think "Income Property" necessarily warrants a thread, but I watched one that popped up on my DVR as "new": the documentary filmmaker buying a commercial property, for the rental income, with living space above. Maybe he was hamming it up for the cameras, but good lord he was annoying. What was interesting was that by buying a commercial property with a tenant already in place, all the renovations could be for the living space. A constant theme throughout the episode was needing a space for his son, who lived with him part-time, but when Scott did the two options as he always does, there was no mention of the kid's bedroom, in the bigger, more expensive renovation. That surprised me, but during the reveal, they did show the space. I guess it didn't get factored in because they didn't do anything to the room.

 

I'm not particularly a fan of the expanded version of the show because it's too much: buying a house, deciding which space to fix up -- the apartment or the house where the landlords would live, etc.

 

At least with Scott, you know your renovations are going to be done well.

[auntjess]

From shorpy, an addicting photo site, is a picture of a true mid-century tile bathroom.
I'd love to see the colors.
I guess, because each little tile was laid by hand, it doesn't seem to have the precision of today's tile jobs, where all the little tiles are in sheets.
But do enjoy, and look around in shropy.http://www.shorpy.com/node/19667?size=_original#caption
 

[bubbls]

Did they not have tile spacers back then? That's either a really sloppy job or nicely rustic. I can't decide.

[auntjess]

I know.  It looks to be an expensive bathroom, but at the tile certainly looks messy to me.

[Wings]

I like the look of that tile!

[auntjess]

I've been watching a few While You Were Outs that have shown up on Discovery Family Channel.

Even with good carpenters, I'm struck now by how cheap and slapdash the makeovers were.

This was a dining room in Providence, and a lot of what they made used MDF.

[DownTheShore]

I can't stand when they use MDF or OSB in home construction. One flooding, or roof leak or burst pipe and you've got a heck of a lot of damage with that stuff.

[auntjess]

This was a sliding-door and then a cabinet for some TV tower, and the surprisee seemed underwhelmed.
I used to enjoy the show, but I can't imagine that it's still in that house.

[auntjess]

HGTV is airing episodes of Bang for Your Buck, the design challenge show, 5/5 and 5/6 at 7:30 AM.
http://www.hgtv.com/shows/bang-for-your-buck

[editorgrrl]

Bravo is casting for a new design/real estate show, "Yours, Mine, Ours": http://www.bravotv.com/casting

Quote

Casting Successful, Dynamic and Outgoing Couples & Pairs (Family Members, Friends) for a New BRAVO Television Series

NEW SERIES FROM THE PRODUCERS OF SELLING NEW YORK AND SELLING L.A.

Are you (or someone you know) in a relationship and you each own your own home? Are you about to merge households? If so, whose place is it going to be? Or are you considering getting rid of your existing places, starting fresh and buying a new place together? 

We are seeking upscale property-owning couples/family members/friends who are each bringing real estate to a relationship and are torn about where to call home. We are in need of all kinds of relationships from couples to newlyweds to daters to siblings and even friends!

Whether you’re living in a house, condo, apartment or townhouse, we can help couples to decide where is the best place to call home! Our design and real estate experts will offer advice, tips and ultimately help couples, pairs and families decide which space is best for them. Ideal candidates must be dynamic and outgoing people who are proud of their accomplishments in life, have great taste, and an enviable lifestyle!

I floved Changing Rooms on BBC America, but my all-time favorite is How Clean is Your House?

[auntjess]

I've got a couple of the Carson Kessler? show set to record, maybe tomorrow AM.
It's called Carson something.

[Wings]

Carson Nation.

[auntjess]

And I see he's Carson Kressley.  It seems to be set for midnight Friday mornings, on DFC, for the next few weeks.
Wasn't he one of Oprah's proteges?

[tvchick]

Carson Kressley was on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

[auntjess]

From shorpy.com, a photo site and a great time sink, here's true mid-century modern, in chair design.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/20995

[auntjess]

At least this week, Staged to Perfection is being shown on HGTV, Thursday at 7:30 AM ET.
It was on last week, so just maybe it's on the schedule for a bit.

[PBSLover]

I stopped watching HGTV years ago.  Every great design show they aired is gone.  What ever happened to their joint Canada/US airing?  The Canadian shows were SO MUCH BETTER than our shows.  Sigh.  Such a shame.  

Staged to Perfection was a great show but I know some of the insiders at the company so now it is ruined for me.

[shawny]

I hope this is the right place to post this, Trading Spaces is returning.

[auntjess]

Anyone else watch Nate & Jeremiah: By Design?
Nate Berkus, and his husband Jeremiah, a designer, rescue people who started their own renovations, and had them go horribly wrong.
I've only seen the first one.  The people had a ton of things that needed doing, including structural work, by only $40k left (and for what need doing, $40k was an "only" amount.)
Nate & Jeremiah called in favors, and $165K work done.  Nice, but I fear for the tax bill for these folks.

[WildPlum]

I watched what must have been the second "Nate & Jeremiah" set in Culver City with a young newlywed couple and by the time the interview portion of the show was done, I wanted Nate and Jeremiah to say "so sorry" and walk away. The most amusing part was that they presented the couple with a layout which would work and the woman frowned and set her lips and said "but you are putting all the walls back in!" Yes, honey, I suspect those walls are structural, and they are doing it pretty much for free, so shut up.

The final budget was $195,000 for the reno plus furnishings (the couple had $80,000) and I suspect that was the full retail markup for a lot of donated labor, materials and furniture. I'd like to see the budget separated out for the actual structure and fittings and then the decor and furniture.

I get that their wasn't much space for the powder room, but I'd rather not see a bathroom directly off the kitchen - it looked like there was a laundry room behind the kitchen as well and I'd prefer to have the powder room entry off the laundry room instead. Maybe space was too tight to get it in there, I never really saw the laundry room.

I liked Nate and Jeremiah (and their cute little girl) and thought they did a nice reno without a lot of the standard "overflowing with useless designer tchotchkes" that I see.