Instant Dream Home - General Discussion

[CountryGirl]

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Netflix: Part home renovation show and part heist movie! A group of families are in for the surprise of their lives, with their homes about to be totally transformed and radically improved in just one day. Hosted by Danielle Brooks. 

Premieres on August 10, 2022

[zenithwit]

Just watched the first episode.  Danielle felt more like a cheerleader than a team leader and she clearly only showed up for the makeover day.  I recognized Adair from his other Netflix show with his husband and Paige from ANTM (pretty cool that she shifted into more carpentry/interior design).

Overall, this fits the bill for a sappy, feel good background show but I can only imagine the corners they were cutting to get everything done in a day.

Edited August 12, 2022 by zenithwit

[LuvMyShows]

On 8/11/2022 at 1:01 PM, zenithwit said:

Just watched the first episode.  Danielle felt more like a cheerleader than a team leader and she clearly only showed up for the makeover day.  I recognized Adair from his other Netflix show with his husband and Paige from ANTM (pretty cool that she shifted into more carpentry/interior design).

Overall, this fits the bill for a sappy, feel good background show but I can only imagine the corners they were cutting to get everything done in a day.

I've also only seen the first episode so far and agree about Danielle.  I liked how they made a sensory garden area for the blind grand-mother.  My only complaint about that is that for some reason that I can't fathom, they didn't put a railing on the steps leading from the french doors to the garden.  Seems like a railing would provide so much more stability for her, because of her blindness and because of her age.  I didn't like whatever make-up atrocity they committed on the daughter's eyes at the end.  She looked so nice with a more natural look.  And I can't help but wonder what happened to all their stuff.  Maybe they managed to fit it all in the new storage that was built, but I can't help but suspect that there are boxes and boxes of stuff that the family needs to go through.

[LuvMyShows]

Just watched episode 2.  Looks like there's a pattern here, where they come up with a novel solution that requires something big like a forklift or crane, and it goes wrong during the planning phase, so we are in suspense for how it will go for the real thing.  Also, I have to say that I enjoyed the first episode more from the amount of transformation that occurred in terms of how the family really needed it.

[LuvMyShows]

Episode 3 was back to what I feel like was a more needed remodel.  I really liked what they did with that huge window...totally transformed that attic room.  But the most stunning thing I took away from the episode was when the homeowner recognized Danielle as having played the singer Mahalia Jackson in the movie Mahalia.  So I looked at her Wikipedia article, and she graduated from Julliard in drama!!!  She was apparently also in Orange Is the New Black and Girls.  You'd never know from how OTT she is in this show.

[LuvMyShows]

Wow, the episode 4 family had 9 kids! I just realized that we saw all the kids' rooms makeovers, but I don't think they showed us the parents' room.  I can't imagine that they wouldn't have done something for them...maybe they didn't finish in time and so didn't show us anything?  Putting that front patio there was really great.

[LuvMyShows]

Episode 5 had an amazing backyard!  That trailer/camper ended up looking pretty good in the location they had it...I guess that neighborhood doesn't have a homeowner's association 'cause there's no way where I live that we would have been allowed to do something like that!  I liked how they divided the main floor into the zones.

[LuvMyShows]

Loved seeing the woman just sitting in her new bathtub in episode 6 and being overwhelmed with it all.  I was wondering why they hadn't added an extra bathroom to that very first family's house, so going the pre-fab route for this house made a lot of sense.  

Edited August 14, 2022 by LuvMyShows

[LuvMyShows]

That window installing robot in episode 7 was really amazing.  And I guess the kitchen counter chipping thing was real, since they needed extra time afterward.  The only thing I couldn't figure out, was that IIRC there was more than one door to the outside, so when the crew was running late, why did all those people have to go through that major door where they would be visible to the family coming home? I also was curious what the bedrooms looked like, since we didn't see any of them.

[LuvMyShows]

That episode 8 makeover was extraordinary, especially given what the couple had been through with their contractors.  The only thing that didn't work for me with the design was that enormous open space when you walk in.  Because it's so unclear what the space is supposed to be doing, it makes all the stuff in the surrounding areas look like it's been pushed back against the wall.  I had no idea Paige is 6'1"....that is tall!  I found it interesting that for the flooring decision, they simply went with whichever was fastest...I don't know, seems like there might have been more to consider.

All in all, I've enjoyed the season, as mindless as it is.  There are probably some design ideas people can use, like decorating kids' closets to make it something special, and I was super impressed by the detailed planning that had to go into each episode, as well as the technical savvy they showed to solve problems and make things work.  I hope they have another season!

[sadtvjunkie]

I would like someone in Atlanta area to peel the onion on this show. I call impossible to put in 2000 sq ft of flooring and drywall, tape, and mud and finish and prime and paint in one day. The quarter round for a 2000 sq ft house would take a minimum of 3 days. I've also never heard of magnetic floors would love to learn more.

[DietCokeJunkie]

On 8/14/2022 at 8:16 PM, LuvMyShows said:

That episode 8 makeover was extraordinary, especially given what the couple had been through with their contractors.  The only thing that didn't work for me with the design was that enormous open space when you walk in.  Because it's so unclear what the space is supposed to be doing, it makes all the stuff in the surrounding areas look like it's been pushed back against the wall.  I had no idea Paige is 6'1"....that is tall!  I found it interesting that for the flooring decision, they simply went with whichever was fastest...I don't know, seems like there might have been more to consider.

All in all, I've enjoyed the season, as mindless as it is.  There are probably some design ideas people can use, like decorating kids' closets to make it something special, and I was super impressed by the detailed planning that had to go into each episode, as well as the technical savvy they showed to solve problems and make things work.  I hope they have another season!

The finished house from this episode was my favorite. I was scoffing at the idea of a “farmhouse industrial” aesthetic, but I loved the look in the end. Anyone else a little surprised that these 2 “pastors” for a church for the poor and marginalized bought a 2000 square foot home (yes, it needed a lot of work, but still, that’s a big investment) and drive a big truck that had to cost at least $40k? 

Edited September 3, 2022 by DietCokeJunkie

[bilgistic]

3 hours ago, DietCokeJunkie said:

The finished house from this episode was my favorite. I was scoffing at the idea of a “farmhouse industrial” aesthetic, but I loved the look in the end. Anyone else a little surprised that these 2 “pastors” for a church for the poor and marginalized bought a 2000 square foot home (yes, it needed a lot of work, but still, that’s a big investment) and drive a big truck that had to cost at least $40k? 

Not surprised at all. This was their second home. Their "church" was in an arena. They're probably pulling down several million dollars a year. There's a local preacher here who has churches like that and lives in a $2 million home. So much for an austere life of service.

[Sbeetle]

On 8/13/2022 at 7:05 PM, LuvMyShows said:

Loved seeing the woman just sitting in her new bathtub in episode 6

I am in shock. How did they manage to put in a brand new bathroom with electric/plumbing and additional square footage with pulling permits or inspections? It’s absolutely gorgeous and the homeowner’s face visibly relieved and overwhelmed was great to see. 
 

I hope they left a note to not use that shower for 24 hours so the epoxy can cure. 

[bilgistic]

7 hours ago, Sbeetle said:

I am in shock. How did they manage to put in a brand new bathroom with electric/plumbing and additional square footage with pulling permits or inspections?

The last episode was when my suspension of disbelief ended. Any major renovation like the bathroom or the huge changes to the last episode house would have to have municipal permits, right? And the homeowner would obviously have to know about it. So I decided all the reactions were staged. It didn't change too much of my satisfaction of seeing the happy homeowners, but they had to be in on it somehow.

I was irrationally bothered by the walkway stones not being completed on the last episode. They spent so much time tearing up the sod around each stone. Why not just put down the stone and let it sink down naturally? I get that they are a tripping hazard at first, but get it done for the show.

[Sbeetle]

On 9/6/2022 at 7:50 AM, bilgistic said:

I was irrationally bothered by the walkway stones not being completed on the last episode.

Me too. If it was such an issue, why get distracted by taking down a flipping TREE? It was nowhere near the sandstone pavers. I'm irrationally bothered by the pieces of sod when you can literally buy it in rolls like carpet and lay it out that way. 

I'm also weirded out by the majority of the winners being pastors, or leading churches. Atlanta's a large municipal area. What did they do? Pin a postcard to the community room billboard? 

I'm late, I just finished this series last night. I would love a six month follow up, to see if things still actually work and aren't falling down. 

[Rlb8031]

On 9/6/2022 at 10:50 AM, bilgistic said:

The last episode was when my suspension of disbelief ended. Any major renovation like the bathroom or the huge changes to the last episode house would have to have municipal permits, right? And the homeowner would obviously have to know about it. So I decided all the reactions were staged. It didn't change too much of my satisfaction of seeing the happy homeowners, but they had to be in on it somehow.

I was irrationally bothered by the walkway stones not being completed on the last episode. They spent so much time tearing up the sod around each stone. Why not just put down the stone and let it sink down naturally? I get that they are a tripping hazard at first, but get it done for the show.

I kept getting hung up on that. I mean, I guess you can go as a contractor and apply for permits in advance, but with some of the heavy machinery, wouldn't they be required to notify everyone on the block "Hey we're bringing a crane down your street and swinging a trailer over the neighbors house on Friday"

Also, I was wondering what the actual timing of these projects were. Did they do one install a week for two months? Or was there a significant amount of time between homes?

[ahisma]

On 9/13/2022 at 11:03 PM, Sbeetle said:

I'm also weirded out by the majority of the winners being pastors, or leading churches. Atlanta's a large municipal area. What did they do? Pin a postcard to the community room billboard?

It felt like they were going back and forth to have a mix: here’s biracial family with a blind mom; here’s a church-y family; here’s a gay, married EMT; here’s a church-y family… As if they didn’t want any viewers saying the show was “too woke/anti-Christian.” But they did seem to end up heavier on the church-y side. Maybe because they really wanted the narrative for all of them to clearly be, “these good people deserved it,” and the submissions from pastors more clearly fit that narrative. 

In the end, the show has a cast of skilled, personable, attractive people, so it was a fine way to spend a few hours. 

Edited September 16, 2022 by ahisma
oh, typos…