Flipping The Block - General Discussion

[auntjess]

They should give the brothers a day with Tony Siragusa, the Man Caves guy, to help them with design.   He's probably more their style.

[DownTheShore]

I really had to laugh when they were so proud of "adding color" to the room:  a colorful rug that was mostly under the bed, and a small print pillow on the bed.

 

Either their mom has no decorating sense either or else she's at home, banging her head against the wall as she watches them....

[hkit]

I wasn't crazy about any of the rooms but I liked the brothers' and John and Whitney's better than the other two.  That fence wall and all the kitschy crap in that room (and every room Amanda has done) would turn me off instantly.  So would orange.  Bright, saturated orange at that.  I can see someone choosing it for themselves if they love the color but not using it for anything they hope will appeal to the public.

 

You are dead on about the wall. I recently sold a house that I put an oxblood red accent wall in a smaller room, and I got a ton of negative feedback from buyers. Nobody thinks their baby is ugly, so naturally I think my wall was much less bold than the sisters, but outside of HGTV land, it will absolutely turn off buyers. 

[needschocolate]

While I liked the look of all the yards, except the "beach" one, I would have given the win to the sisters - I thought the fake grass was a nice idea.  No one wants to buy a lawn mower or pay a gardener for a little patch of sod.  The twins was a little to plain to win (hgtv like yards to by really full, as evidenced by the one that won), and the married couple's yard was impractical - the hose was too far away, and to mow the lawn you have to drag all the stuff off of it - and where would you put it while mowing.  However, the sisters should have put the potted plants where they decking was missing - it would help hide the missing parts and might have even made the missing sections look intentional.

 

I didn't like the twin(s) attitude - acted like they deserved to win just because the actually finished this time. 

 

Big Hair (who always initially inspires dislike in me that gradually fades away as the episode progresses because despite the hair she seems to be an okay person) made a serious mistake with that sand.  She keeps decorating for herself. 

 

I watched an episode with my daughter, who hadn't seen any of the show.  I was telling her about the teams and said that one of the women looks like the type that would annoy me on a show like this (hair always done, make-up always on, and she looks like the type that would normally never go out without wearing heels and something that sparkles), but she is actually quite normal. 

[DownTheShore]

That's a very good idea about the potted plants.

 

I don't know what to make of the twins.  You're right about them thinking that they should win merely because they completed a challenge.  The problem may be that they are missing the point of the whole competition and are focusing on what seems to be the easiest aspect of it - finishing a room - instead of paying attention to what makes the rooms of a house attractive to buyers. 

[DownTheShore]

If Nicole is judging, then John and Whitney will be winning, no matter what they do, since they match her design esthetic.

 

I was thinking, the other day, about how much coordination must have had to have taken place with the city to get permits pulled and inspections done in such short time frames.

[auntjess]

True, but the city wins by getting a higher taxable value for the property.
I guess they finagle it all somehow, so that code is met.  Maybe the timeline isn't as shown.

[LizBug]

Just a general observation/question ... anyone else think that this show is an extended audition for a "show of your own"??  Seems they have the requisite diversity in teams:

 

Twin brothers who do construction

Nice looking younger couple

Sisters who have good design and construction skills

Kooky couple

[meep.meep]

I honestly think that this is going to help the brothers when the auction occurs.  People want a blank canvas that they can put their own touches on.  Their condo will contain well constructed work, with very little to offend anyone.  Off white sells.  It also makes a small room look bigger.  It also resulted in a room that was *never* going to get a spread in a magazine.

 

I sold my mother's house when she passed away and had to paint over a beautiful hand-painted mural wall.  It was going to turn off buyers.

 

Big Hair is putting way too much stuff into each room.  That turns off buyers as well.  You want a few things that suggest how the room will function, not fully decorated with furniture, artwork, and knickknacks.

[DownTheShore]

Something I hadn't thought about before, though, is that the people who are going to be bidding on these houses might be a lot of HGTV junkies, so that might throw the standard assumptions about what people like out the window.

[needschocolate]

Turquoise/teal with orange accents  (along with touches of green and yellow) is very popular right now.  By "popular" I mean that it is the most common colors found in stores and magazines, and I have noticed the turquoise/teal appearing in many tv shows (the offices in Suits, walls in the Dunphy house on Modern Family, etc...) 

 

I recently repainted a few walls of my house and used shades of teal.  I love the color and it has been really easy to find things like pillows to go with it, but am a bit afraid that teal and orange will be to this decade what harvest gold and avocado green were to the 1970s. 

 

The color the Whitney/John and Amanda/Curtis used is very on trend.  The Sisters' orange works well as an accent color, but the orange wall was too much, IMO - any small items, like vases or pictures, would get overpowered by the orange.  Maybe a softer orange and painting the shelves white (as another poster suggested) would have been better.

 

I am surprised by how much I am enjoying this show and I find myself wishing that the condos were bigger so there would be more episodes.  I really appreciate the lack of drama. Everyone gets along - each pair gets along, and the teams get along with the other teams.   The could have gone another route and had couples that bicker an argue or had teams that would sabotage.  The talking heads are all about what their team is doing- not their thoughts on what the other teams did (do they even see the other teams' work?).  And there are no sob stories that get repeated every episode. I may like some of the people better than others, but there is no one who annoys me too much. I wish we saw more of the actual work being done, but these aren't tv stars or professional craftsmen (except for the Brothers) so it makes sense - having Curtis tell me how to hang a door or having the Sisters tell me how to put up a shelf or paint a stripe would not be helpful . 

[GaT]

Turquoise/teal with orange accents  (along with touches of green and yellow) is very popular right now.  By "popular" I mean that it is the most common colors found in stores and magazines, and I have noticed the turquoise/teal appearing in many tv shows (the offices in Suits, walls in the Dunphy house on Modern Family, etc...) 

 

I recently repainted a few walls of my house and used shades of teal.  I love the color and it has been really easy to find things like pillows to go with it, but am a bit afraid that teal and orange will be to this decade what harvest gold and avocado green were to the 1970s. 

 

 

 

The problem with the Amanda/Curtis rooms is that they didn't just use turquoise on the walls, they used turquoise tiles too. And not even a nice shade of turquoise. It's one thing to have to repaint because you don't like a color, it's a completely different thing to have to rip out tiles. To me that was a very stupid thing to do.

Edited August 22, 2014 by GaT

[needschocolate]

I agree that, if you are planning to sell the property your are fixing up, anything that is time-consuming and'or expensive to replace (tile, flooring, light fixtures) should be neutral and timeless.  Heck, I don't plan to move until I am old and grey, but I still won't put up wallpaper. 

 

And if you want a theme - beach backyard, spa bathroom, rustic bedroom - the theme should only be in the accessories you choose, so that when the new owner moves in, there is no theme left. 

[DownTheShore]

That's why I think Curtis and Amanda have such a hard time.  They've (or rather, she) has this vision as to what the completed project should look like and they get bogged down creating it all at once, instead of getting the main bits done first - like putting the doors in where they should be, etc.  The sisters seem to have a similar problem; the creative one thinks up the accent features and then gets bogged down creating them.  Though their advantage is that they have the money to hire the contractors, which Curtis and Amanda don't have.

 

I'm not all that put out by the turquoise tiles, because I don't think that they really overwhelmed anything, and I frankly would rather buy a house with some character and work around it, rather than a bland box.  I'm not one of those people who has to "put their own stamp" on things, so if something is finished and done - unless it's especially egregious like an orange wall - that's just less that I'd have to do.  I can live with a lot of stuff that's already in place and design around it.

[Lisin]

The four teams renovate the living room, the last space in the condo. They also repair past mistakes and complete unfinished projects in order to bring their units up to code in preparation for the final auction. With hardly any money left Amanda and Curtis resort to a risky design choice, while John and Whitney get custom work done with all their winnings. Nicole Curtis returns to The Block to judge the teams Living Rooms and to sign off on the Contestant's fix it projects. One team's Living Room wins them a night of luxury at an LA hotel. But it's still anyone's game to win the $50,000 Grand Prize.

[NYGirl]

Poor brothers...robbed again. They're the only team without a win.

I hated Curtis and Amanda's room.

[LizBug]

John & Whitney seemed a little snarky when they didn't get the win. Yes, they added value with the under-stair storage but their custom stairs and the picture frame arrangement make it hard for anyone to easily change it.

I feel that Curtis & Amanda got the win because they added the most value with the least money spent.

Glad that al the condos are up to code and approved to sell. Would kinda spoil the producers plan if they weren't.

[Madding crowd]

I don't think Nicole is a fair judge; her whole show is dumpster diving and using old stuff. Of course she is going to favor plain wood staircases and bare beams. I think bare beams look good in certain types of houses, but just looked unfinished here. Their room was all furnishings and clutter.

I hated the blue frames on John and Whitney's wall. I would dread having to take them all down and cover all the holes. The sisters and twins had beautiful rooms and people could always bring in a cabinet for under the stairs.

[auntjess]

I too was hoping for a brothers win, since they hadn't had one, or if not, the sisters.

Those picture frames were really strange.  If they're meant to hold pictures, they should have had some in them, but I don't know if there was a way to put something in them.
If they were just shapes, why so many and so turquoise?

I do think Amanda & Curtis did a great job with what they had to work with.

And Nicole is judging the quality of the work? 

[txvoodoo]

Those blue frames - again, I love turquoise, but those were just pinteresty. And NAILING them on, I cringed. You don't nail on things like that. 

 

Twins: I think the traditional handrail & newel post looks rather stupid with floating treads. A real mismatch. 

 

Sisters: I really like it. These people are making me like orange, which I don't care for. 

 

Big hair+spouse. I HATE THAT CEILING. Especially in a multi-unit condo, it's gonna carry sound SO MUCH. You're gonna hear every footstep, every bit of radio. Nicole never cares about that in her own homes, either. She's done floors where you can see through to the level below - so heat efficient in Minnesota! (not).

Also, the door on their garage looked really janky.

 

There is NOTHING "craftsman" about big hair's ceiling. Nicole should know better.

 

I'm annoyed by her obsession with storage under the stairs - they're FLOATING stairs and if you put anything solid under them, you lose the floating feeling. And the plywood piece of junk that team Big Hair used...ugh.  I don't think they added any value. I think they took value *away* by not having proper ceilings in that kind of condo.

 

Pedantic whine: does no one on tv anymore know how & when to use "and I" versus "and me"? I weep.

[hkit]

I think that big hair's ceiling could look OK if it was painted black, but that may give it a loft-y feel and be at odds with the mid-century modern look of the staircase. At any rate, I think they did what they had to do. There was no way they'd be able to repair the drywall damage on that ceiling for only $80.

Episode highlights for me:

- The electrician telling Daisy Dukes no when he was asking for a favor. Begging the assigned trades for something for free just seems like poor sportsmanship. I can see asking for a concession when getting a quote for a bigger job, but that wasn't what this was. This was, "hey, we didn't play the game well and mismanaged our money, so I can only pay you about 25% of what you are asking. But we paid you in full for the last job, so that's cool, right?" What I like about this show is how everyone seems to get along and respect the constraints of the competition. But this guy is always trying to get away with something and it bugs me.

- when they showed Big Hair and Daisy Dukes out for their "night of luxury", I was greatly amused that Daisy Dukes couldn't be bothered to clean up. I feel like I'm entering into "bitch eating crackers" territory of my hate for him, but he is just so repulsive to me in every way imaginable.

[MomHasCooties]

I loved the brothers' room, and the sisters are seriously into orange.  I didn't think those empty frames were artsy or even attractive!  But Curtis and Amanda's ceiling took the cake.  But, with no money, I guess they did what they had to do.  Since Nicole was all about the storage under the stairs, she should have given the win to the married couple.  It will be interesting to see what kind of price these condos bring!

[abby1000]

The brothers make eke out the overall win, their place is the most neutral of the four. Next in neutrality would be the sisters, their accents of orange are quite easily removable/changeable. Married couple spent a lot, those frames are hideous and damaged the walls. I hate all of that reclaimed wood in Big Hair's place, a little of that goes a long way.

[GaT]

WTF???? How did Amanda & Curtis win? That ceiling was crap, I thought the sisters room was much better. 

 

I don't think Nicole is a fair judge; her whole show is dumpster diving and using old stuff. Of course she is going to favor plain wood staircases and bare beams. I think bare beams look good in certain types of houses, but just looked unfinished here. Their room was all furnishings and clutter.

I hated the blue frames on John and Whitney's wall. I would dread having to take them all down and cover all the holes. The sisters and twins had beautiful rooms and people could always bring in a cabinet for under the stairs.

You're right, Nicole is just picking what she likes, not what other people will like, & I agree about the blue frames, how stupid to attach them permanently.

[VartanFan]

Uggghhhhh.  Nicole Curtis so totally grates.  So Curtis and Amanda get rewarded for doing so little with nothing...by that we mean choices based on necessity because of their poor financial management??!!  They get rewarded on the week that they completely blow their budget for the kitchen and then get rewarded for shoving a million FREE items in a room (floor, furniture, decorations, stair railing) and sanding down beams. 

 

I would have given the win to the brothers.  The sisters' choices were too busy for me and the picture frame "art" was terrible in John and Whitney's.  But still...I thought the win would go to any of those three teams over Curtis and Amanda. 

Next week's looks like it will be sort of a boring filler episode.

[needschocolate]

I didn't like the picture frames on the wall - looked unfinished - and I am pretty sure that anyone who buys that house will take them down.  Even if they liked the look (perhaps the buyer is a hermit that wants to be reminded that he has no friends?) if they don't want them to be turquoise, they would still take them off to paint them.  Using a brad nailer is not the way to hang up a picture frame, with or without a picture in it - unless you happen to be decorating a hotel room. 

 

However, it isn't that permanent - it would have been so much worse if they decided to glue the frames to the wall (the way some people do with mirrors).  With the brad nails, all the buyer has to do is yank those frames off the wall, smear a little spackle in the holes, let dry, and paint. Yeah, it would be a bit of work, but, if they hung the frames the normal way, each one would mean one or two holes in the wall to patch up when the frames are removed anyway.  John could have attached those empty frames with only 2 brad nails. 

 

However, I think he used more than 2 brad nails for each and I doubt the paint had completely cured by the time he nailed up the frames, which means that when they are taken down some of the plaster will come off too (which is like using glue). 

 

 

 

WTF???? How did Amanda & Curtis win? That ceiling was crap, I thought the sisters room was much better. 

 

You're right, Nicole is just picking what she likes, not what other people will like, & I agree about the blue frames, how stupid to attach them permanently.

 

I forget now what the three criteria are that are used in the judging (I think "quality of workmanship" and "value added through making smart choices" and ???).  I am not sure how having an open beam ceiling plays into those criteria, but I realized last night that winning individual weeks may not be a prediction of who wins in the end.  The winner is the one who gets the most for their condo, so winning the finale is based on what other people will like ----

 

As someone upthread said, the brothers may win because they have the least individualized condo.  However, they don't have a bath tub, which has the potential to turn off many buyers. 

 

I think John and Whitney have a good chance. They made a few permanent (or semi-permanent) choices that may not be for everyone (like the frames and the stair railing). However, they also made the most changes to the floorplan, and they seem to be good changes - moved the washer upstairs, made the bathroom bigger - so they may have an edge over the others. 

 

Even though most of the orange in the sisters condo can be easily removed (that one wall would have to be repainted, probably with a coat of primer first),  a lot of potential buyers may have trouble looking past the orange (orange is gaining in popularity, but it still tends to be a love it or hate it color - certainly not neutral)

 

Curtis and Amanda probably made the most choices that don't have wide appeal - like the tin backsplash and the sand pit it a big turn-off to everyone but the crazy cat lady.  Plus, I don't think are staging their condo well - most of the time they put in too much stuff, which makes it look cluttered and smaller.   

[qtpye]

Uggghhhhh.  Nicole Curtis so totally grates.  So Curtis and Amanda get rewarded for doing so little with nothing...by that we mean choices based on necessity because of their poor financial management??!!  They get rewarded on the week that they completely blow their budget for the kitchen and then get rewarded for shoving a million FREE items in a room (floor, furniture, decorations, stair railing) and sanding down beams

 

Agree with the entire post.  The goal was to successfully manage your budget, not to throw everything into your kitchen and then get by on the last few rooms.  Yes, their room was impressive for eighty dollars, but they got a good portion of their stuff for for free.  At the end of the day, the living room is paint and furniture, unless you plan on adding architectural details. The married couple probably thought the picture frames were the "pop of color and design" that David taught them to add to their spaces, but it was still a bad choice.

 

Also, the whole idea of adding personality to a flipped property goes against the rules of real estate.  You are supposed to leave everything as neutral as possible so buyers can imagine customizing the space to suit their own tastes.  HGTV knows that having well done but bland rooms would not entertain their tv audience, so they are making these ridiculous request to add "personality" to the redone rooms.

 

Does anyone know if the condos will be sold with the furniture?  If this is not the case, then why even bother to put furniture in the room, except for staging purposes (which should highlight the best qualities of the space, but still be pretty neutral)?  I would personally hope that someone would want to burn the sheets that Daisy Dukes was sleeping in.

[magdalene]

I liked the brothers room the best and I think it looks tasteful and neutral. Which from a selling stand point may work in their favor when all is said and done.

 

Curtis and Amanda - their taste is not my taste but I do admire what they can get done with so little money and their can do attitude.

 

The other two teams I wasn't too thrilled with their living rooms. I wouldn't want to buy their condos judging by the living rooms.

[hkit]

I liked the brothers room the best and I think it looks tasteful and neutral. Which from a selling stand point may work in their favor when all is said and done.

 

In the real world, I'd agree. But this is reality TV land, where even the auction probably has shills to ensure that the producer determined winner comes out ahead. They've got a lot riding on their design aesthetic, which shows little variation from show-to-show-to-show. Fun challenge: look at a picture of a finished kitchen from Property Brothers, one from Flip or Flop, and one from Love It or List It.  Then identify the show. 

 

The married couple will win, because they most closely adhere to HGTV's aesthetic.

[mojito]

 

Pedantic whine: does no one on tv anymore know how & when to use "and I" versus "and me"? I weep.

It's a youth-oriented society. People not only want to look younger than they are, they want to talk like they're four years old. (I'm sure there's someone out there cringing at my use of the word "like").

Edited August 25, 2014 by mojito

[mecmimi05]

I agree with everything you posted txvoodoo.....especially your "pedantic whine" I am appalled how even scripted dramas seem to have no idea how to use these two simple words.....maybe we need to re-introduce the task of diagraming sentences in schools.

I hate Big Hair and Daisy Dukes' ceiling.....just awful! Hate the turquoise frames, I cringed when they showed John nailing them up. Not crazy about all of the orange the sisters used and felt the brothers needed a stylist.

It really bugs me that Big Hair team keeps getting rewarded for bad decisions. IMHO their condo is the least appealing. I will be very interested to see which condo gets the highest bid. I hope we get to see all the prices that these units get.

I have enjoyed this show, even when it drives me crazy. The aspect I like best is the fact that there has been very little discord and everyone seems to get along. I hate the phoney drama that happens on so many of these HGTV shows.

[QuinnM]

 

I have enjoyed this show, even when it drives me crazy. The aspect I like best is the fact that there has been very little discord and everyone seems to get along. I hate the phoney drama that happens on so many of these HGTV shows.

Just look at the difference between the participants on this show and the Rowhouse one.  The teams actually like their teammates and like each other.  This is all stressful enough without introducing a douchebag like Josh to just be cruel to people.

[jlb]

I think John and Whitney's kitchen layout might be even worse now.   Did no one notice that with the dishwasher open that you can't stand in front of the sink?

Edited August 25, 2014 by jlb

[meep.meep]

How happy John and Whitney must be that they had David Bromstad as an advisor when they designed the kitchen!  What did he do over there anyway?  Paint a picture?

 

 

he married couple probably thought the picture frames were the "pop of color and design" that David taught them to add to their spaces, but it was still a bad choice.

Wasn't his show about helping a homeowner redecorate what they already owned?  They are trying to sell their condo and get the best price.  Pops of color need to be few and easily removed.  Cushions on the couch are good.

[mlp]

I don't like Nicole Curtis and her "design aesthetic" which isn't really.  She was IMO a bad choice to be a judge on a show that's more about remodeling than how to decorate one's coffee table. 

 

As others have said, that exposed ceiling was awful.  Someone walking upstairs is going to sound like an elephant to anyone downstairs plus all those exposed beams just made me think of nests of spiders.  How would you keep that clean? 

 

It seemed hypocritical to me that Nicole praised the sisters for the hideous orange artwork on giant canvasses then turned around and criticized the married couple for decorating with blue frames.  I didn't like either but I thought the concept was the same.

 

I'm hoping the brothers win now.

[walnutqueen]

That ceiling was an eyesore - it looked like something you'd see in the unfinished basement of a very old home.

 

It was nice to see the brothers finally get their shit together and feel good about finishing things.

[DownTheShore]

I thought that the exposed ceiling at least showed showed some originality and made that living room different from the rest of the houses.  If they had gone with a little more of a French country theme with their furniture choices it would have worked even better, but I didn't mind the look.  That's only a two bedroom townhouse, so there's not going to be a big family living it it; put some good carpeting and padding on the bedroom floor if sound is a problem.

 

Speaking of painting an open ceiling like that, that's what we did with our semi-finished basement.  We got a paint sprayer and sprayed the all the wood, pipes and wiring flat black.  Looked great - better than a dropped ceiling would have.

 

I really wasn't impressed with the brothers' living room; it was rather blah.  Those guys really missed their chance to maybe score a show on HGTV; they just don't know how to accessorize.

 

I think Big Hair and Daisy Dukes deserved the win; they created a nice room out of basically air.  John and Whitney made a good decision with the understair storage - even though it detracts from the effect of the stair style - but their room wasn't memorable to me, except for those turquoise frames.  I think the sisters did a good job, though I would not have included the "Love" painting and they should have put something else under those stairs, even if it was just a TV.

[mojito]

 

...they just don't know how to accessorize.

Unfortunately, they're being judged more on style than on the things someone's actually going to buy.

 

Nicole clearly went for bang for the buck. So disappointed in her judging on this show. Exposed wires just don't do it for me. The ceiling looked like exactly what it was. Unfinished work.

 

I was fine with everyone's work except Big Hair and Daisy Dukes' work. I don't see these two commanding the highest dollar for their place; I think between the others, it'll be a crapshoot. I'm surprised that the brothers didn't go hog wild creating shelving for beneath the staircase.

 

Kudos for Daisy Dukes' light-hearted moments with his rubber arms. Seems to show that these eight really do get along fine.

 

I'm narrowing down my favorites. Everyone did one (or more) bonehead things. The most egregious is the off-centered shower fixtures. An extra sink just wouldn't make up for that. For me, tchotchkes (aka chachkis) and pillows are background noise and wouldn't sway me. So I would say, "Stay strong, brothers and sisters! The race is not always won by the swift."

[needschocolate]

I really wasn't impressed with the brothers' living room; it was rather blah.  Those guys really missed their chance to maybe score a show on HGTV; they just don't know how to accessorize.

 

They have gotten better, so this may be unfair to say now, but my first thought reading this comment was that, if the brothers had their own show on HGTV, it would have to be 35 minutes long, because they can't finish anything on time. 

Edited August 26, 2014 by needschocolate

[windsprints]

The most egregious is the off-centered shower fixtures.

 

I was waiting for them to fix those. I don't see how that wasn't considered something that needed to be fixed. I could overlook the blue frames faster than those off center fixtures if I were a buyer (and I did not like the frames).

I have enjoyed this show, even when it drives me crazy. The aspect I like best is the fact that there has been very little discord and everyone seems to get along. I hate the phoney drama that happens on so many of these HGTV shows.

 

I agree. It was nice to not have all the bickering.

[txvoodoo]

I agree with everything you posted txvoodoo.....especially your "pedantic whine" I am appalled how even scripted dramas seem to have no idea how to use these two simple words.....maybe we need to re-introduce the task of diagraming sentences in schools.

I hate Big Hair and Daisy Dukes' ceiling.....just awful! Hate the turquoise frames, I cringed when they showed John nailing them up. Not crazy about all of the orange the sisters used and felt the brothers needed a stylist.

It really bugs me that Big Hair team keeps getting rewarded for bad decisions. IMHO their condo is the least appealing. I will be very interested to see which condo gets the highest bid. I hope we get to see all the prices that these units get.

I have enjoyed this show, even when it drives me crazy. The aspect I like best is the fact that there has been very little discord and everyone seems to get along. I hate the phoney drama that happens on so many of these HGTV shows.

 

I like crafty things. I make and sell crafty things. I love pinterest. But nailing empty frames on the wall? NO. 

 

The brothers needed just a little bit of help. They had good choices but it definitely looked like a non-design-oriented guy did it.

 

YES on being rewarded for bad decisions. That annoys me. 

 

I don't like Nicole Curtis and her "design aesthetic" which isn't really.  She was IMO a bad choice to be a judge on a show that's more about remodeling than how to decorate one's coffee table. 

 

As others have said, that exposed ceiling was awful.  Someone walking upstairs is going to sound like an elephant to anyone downstairs plus all those exposed beams just made me think of nests of spiders.  How would you keep that clean? 

 

It seemed hypocritical to me that Nicole praised the sisters for the hideous orange artwork on giant canvasses then turned around and criticized the married couple for decorating with blue frames.  I didn't like either but I thought the concept was the same.

 

I'm hoping the brothers win now.

 

I don't think Nicole should be judging anything. She's not a good flipper, she's not a good conservationist, and what she does on her show and in her homes is so dubious that my side-eye gets tired. And her flips take forever to sell, soooooo.

 

I thought those canvases were nice, even though I'm not an orange-loving person. The real benefit though was that they were removable - they weren't nailed to the wall! Orange is a big color lately so I can see it being used in staging - as long as the eventual owner can easily change things. So I'm glad they got rid of the orange paint stripe.

 

 

That ceiling was an eyesore - it looked like something you'd see in the unfinished basement of a very old home.

 

Nailed it! That's exactly what the basement ceiling looked like in the house I grew up in. It's one thing if it's an actual loft-style condo, but nothing about this condo is lofty. 

[LazyToaster]

I have a ceiling like that. In my 1956 house. In the basement. Difference is that I accept that it is just ugly and don't pretend otherwise.

I hate that Curtis and Amanda (hope I got the names right) keep getting extra credit for making do on very little money. Not to say that isn't a good skill - but, they started out with the same money as everyone else and the only reason they ran out is because they mismanaged.

I like Nicole on her show, but I don't think she was the right judge for this show. Imagine someone like Vern Yip, bet he wouldn't have stared at the rafters and then said I love it!

[needschocolate]

I didn't mind Curtis and Amanda's ceiling, but I have never lived in a house with a basement.  I have noticed that exposing beams or even putting fake beams on a ceiling seems to be a "thing" now.  To those who hated the look - Do you think it would have looked better if they left the beams bare wood (or stained them) and painted the underside of the upstairs floor white? 

[auntjess]

 

I like Nicole on her show, but I don't think she was the right judge for this show. Imagine someone like Vern Yip, bet he wouldn't have stared at the rafters and then said I love it!

I think Scott is OK, but the other judge should should also know construction. 

Get John DaSilvia or Damon Bennett.

Edited August 27, 2014 by auntjess

[ShellSeeker]

 

The Contestants work together on their final renovation, The Block's common spaces and curb appeal. Josh Temple and David Bromstad surprise the Teams when they roll up their sleeves and get dirty along side them to transform the outdoor areas to the most beautiful building on the Block. Judge Scott McGillivray returns to review everyone's hard work and to give the Teams advice on how to shine during their open houses in an effort to get the highest bid at auction. The Contestants are only one week away from one Team winning the $50,000 winner take all prize.

 

[txvoodoo]

needschocolate - it's a thing in loft-style properties. The key there is that the rest of the place has to be loft style as well - very high ceilings, exposed ducting, etc. And even in that style, electric lines are enclosed in conduit because that shit is ugly, and really not very safe to leave exposed.  

 

These condos are not loft style. Exposing the ceiling in them is just indicative of a lack of time and/or money and/or attention. Trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. 

[Madding crowd]

No one is going to want exposed electrical wiring around their ceiling. Of course Nicole is not the most safety conscious (on her show she is often seem wearing sandals and no gloves while handling dangerous materials). I also don't think teams should be awarded specifically because they blew their budget.

 

I was also amazed that the off center plumbing in the bathroom was not addressed. I honestly wouldn't bid on the married couple's property because of that and because the kitchen is crowded and the blue frames nailed to the wall. I like the sisters and twins units the best.

 

I can also understand wanting to have some color in the design because it is a TV show after all. As a buyer I could easily remove curtains, throw pillows and even paint if needed, but plumbing fixtures or major wall repairs or drying a ceiling would make me turn away. 

[Wings]

Any other judge would have nailed Curtis and big hair for being too taste specific in EVERY room they did.  Their taste is cornball and kitchy.  But not Nichole, though she did mention that once, very casually.

 

The finale will be interesting.  A buyer with that same cutesy taste could love their condo and they could acutally win.  The disaster of the exposed ceiling could be seen by some, who know nothing about heat transfer and noise, as fabulous.

[needschocolate]

needschocolate - it's a thing in loft-style properties. The key there is that the rest of the place has to be loft style as well - very high ceilings, exposed ducting, etc. And even in that style, electric lines are enclosed in conduit because that shit is ugly, and really not very safe to leave exposed.  

 

These condos are not loft style. Exposing the ceiling in them is just indicative of a lack of time and/or money and/or attention. Trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. 

 

I have seen HGTV designers expose beams or add fake ones to rooms in people's houses (though not with exposed wiring) that is why I thought it was a "thing' now.  I can't think of a particular show right now (but I remember them talking about how wrap a fake (foam?) beam to with boards to make it look like solid wood), but it seems to me that it tends to be with vaulted or high ceilings more than flat, 8 foot ceilings.  A friend of mine bought a house where the beams are exposed and the rest of the celling is painted white - it looks great and everyone that sees it loves it.  Her ceilings are slightly vaulted.   

 

She also has a one story house.  I think Curtis and Amanda's looks odd because there are stairs in the same room - unpainted wood ceiling with exposed beams and wiring, plus a staircase running up one side would give that basement feeling. 

Edited August 27, 2014 by needschocolate

[judy]

Add me to the group that is bothered that Curtis and Amanda are rewarded for blowing their budget. Their "exposed beams" bothered me because the room just doesn't have the height or the area to really make it look good. For that size of a room, it feels a bit over bearing.

Also, did anyone catch in the first episode where they worked on the master bedroom where in the beginning, they were talking about what they planned on spending they had said they were going to spend a lot on the master because it would really help sell the house? I remember hearing that and going "Huh? Don't people usually say that about kitchens and bathrooms????"