Home Town - General Discussion

[SunnyBeBe]

19 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

I just watched an episode of this for the first time this weekend.  It was two young women buying a Craftsman style house just outside of the historic district, with the screened in front porch which I absolutely coveted.  I enjoyed it because the people are lower key than a lot of the HGTV shows, and the design wasn't the same old Cristina/Joanna cookie cutter.  But, as a newbie, I did have a question which someone here might be able to answer: They had furniture in all the rooms, and I was wondering if that was the new homeowners' stuff or if maybe it was rented just for staging purposes?

I saw that episode too.  I'm not sure, but, I would think it was staged with furniture, unless it's something specially built like those seats in the book nook.  I sort of laugh when things like that are made to be such a great feature. Maybe, it will turn out to be used, but, from my experience, things like that are better utilized another way.   I did like the front porch swing. I can see that getting lots of use.  As, a good size kitchen, baths, living room, and closets.  I would have preferred a larger kitchen and/or storage area over a book nook.  I missed the very first part of this episode.  Did the girls tell her they liked mature decor?  The design seemed rather dated imo.  I would think something more contemporary would have been for younger home owners.  Not one of my favorites. 

[proserpina65]

6 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I would have preferred a larger kitchen and/or storage area over a book nook.

I'd have killed for something like that book nook.  The kitchen size was okay for me, could've used a little more counter space but compared to what I have now, it was fine.  And I thought the design was a good mix of contemporary with vintage, possibly even a little more contemporary than I'd like.

But hey, variety is the spice of life.  :-)

Edited January 27, 2020 by proserpina65

[SunnyBeBe]

1 minute ago, proserpina65 said:

I'd have killed for something like that book nook.  The kitchen size was okay for me, could've used a little more counter space but compared to what I have now, it was fine.

But hey, variety is the spice of life.  :-)

To each his own.  I just always seem to need a lot of room to put pots, pans, dishes, etc. 

I also didn't care for the fake trees.  I have this pet peeve about fake trees and plants. There are some that are lovely, but, if you can't get good ones, I'd rather not include them.  

[proserpina65]

8 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

To each his own.  I just always seem to need a lot of room to put pots, pans, dishes, etc. 

I also didn't care for the fake trees.  I have this pet peeve about fake trees and plants. There are some that are lovely, but, if you can't get good ones, I'd rather not include them.  

I am with on the fake trees.  I'd rather have none than fake ones, myself.

Wasn't the room with the book nook also their office?  I like having an office.  Of course, my dream house would have a huge library and a big kitchen - if only I could afford it, lol.

Edited to note that my dream house would either be Sir Walter Scott's house in Melrose, Scotland https://www.scottsabbotsford.com/ or Lord Leighton's house in London https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/museums/leightonhousemuseum1.aspx.  (Hey, if you're going to dream, dream big!)

Edited January 27, 2020 by proserpina65

[SunnyBeBe]

I think that I have gone into a transition from my old taste.  I've recently renovated my house and am working on details.  I have found that the old stuff that I used to care about are no longer a priority.  I'm into function and ease.  I'm obsessed with decluttering and not amused with things I might use.  I want stuff that I know I need and use all the time.  Plus, I want less to clean and organize! lol  I have found that there is peace in looking at empty spaces in my home.  I intend to leave empty space for things that I acquire later.  

[izabella]

59 minutes ago, CruiseDiva said:

It depends, but if the homeowners have furniture and accessories that are antiques or family heirlooms, or if they simply have things they love, then Erin uses them. That's one thing I really appreciate about this show--she doesn't overlook the homeowners' stuff like it's unworthy of being used.

Ben sometimes builds custom pieces, too, like dining room tables and bookcases/shelves, or cabinets that go into the bathroom or something. 

[CruiseDiva]

14 minutes ago, izabella said:

Ben sometimes builds custom pieces, too, like dining room tables and bookcases/shelves, or cabinets that go into the bathroom or something. 

Ben's custom pieces are usually awesome.

[LittleIggy]

4 hours ago, CruiseDiva said:

Ben's custom pieces are usually awesome.

I loved that daybed porch swing!

[RoxiP]

Fake trees and plants are simply dustcatchers in my opinion.

[izabella]

5 hours ago, CruiseDiva said:

Ben's custom pieces are usually awesome.

I loved that dining room that they turned into a library for a minister getting his own place for the first time.  They knew he'd want a library, and Ben built custom shelves for him.

Ben's also made some amazing tables.  Just gorgeous!

[Rhetorica]

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

 

I also didn't care for the fake trees.  I have this pet peeve about fake trees and plants. There are some that are lovely, but, if you can't get good ones, I'd rather not include them.  

I wholeheartedly agree about fake trees and plants. Remember "Room by Room" with Shari Hiller and Matt Fox? I had to look it up on the web. They would put ivy plants on top of the kitchen cabinets. So fake, and they did this nearly every episode. I did like their show, except for that. 

[CruiseDiva]

1 hour ago, Rhetorica said:

I wholeheartedly agree about fake trees and plants. 

I have allergies so no plants in my house, real or fake.

[pep4]

The show ended later tonight, 2 or 3 minutes past the hour.  Is this the old TBS strategy of starting every show a few minutes late, or something else?  Or goodness gracious, did even HGTV do some kind of breaking news tribute to Kobe?

[LittleIggy]

The Little House: I loved what they did except for that headboard looking backsplash. I thought it was ugly. The table Ben made was gorgeous! I love him. He is so funny. I relate to him too because I would have been a dripping mess too after touring that hot house. I’m hyper heat sensitive.

[RoxiP]

The show ending late - so annoying because I was watching the recording!  I even tried to stay up to watch the ending on a later viewing but fell asleep.  I didn't like the backsplash behind the stove either but perhaps that was the style that the homeowner preferred?  I thought it looked kind of like a tombstone myself.

Still a really cool little house.  Does anyone think she ever considered the other house at all?

[suebee12]

1 minute ago, RoxiP said:

Still a really cool little house.  Does anyone think she ever considered the other house at all?

Probably not once she was told that the house could be moved! Wonder why great grandma and great grandpa chose the original site when all of those gorgeous pecan trees were just a little way away? I loved what the Napiers did with that house...well, maybe with the exception of the backsplash! I do wish that they had screened one of the porches. I live about 2 1/2 hours northwest of Laurel and the mosquitoes are unbelievable. I am quite fair skinned and really don't enjoy being eaten alive!

[RoxiP]

Maybe there were once trees around it and now they are gone?  Or else they put the house in a cleared field.  I would suspect that the grandma house was the original on the property and Mom's house was built later.  

[3 is enough]

The house was cute but that backsplash was odd.  I just kept imagining  grease from cooking depositing on the wall just above the edges.  It did look like a headboard- not sure where that idea came from.  

Also, was a bit baffled by that console table that had a fabric cover- seemed like a dust catcher to me.

The woman's name was Rena- which I would pronounce Ree-nah, but evidently it was pronounced Renee.  Is this a Southern thing?  I have never seen that spelling before.

[RoxiP]

23 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

The house was cute but that backsplash was odd.  I just kept imagining  grease from cooking depositing on the wall just above the edges.  It did look like a headboard- not sure where that idea came from.  

Also, was a bit baffled by that console table that had a fabric cover- seemed like a dust catcher to me.

The woman's name was Rena- which I would pronounce Ree-nah, but evidently it was pronounced Renee.  Is this a Southern thing?  I have never seen that spelling before.

No, I'm from the south and the spelling was weird to me (yes, your pronunciation is how I would say it also).  

[izabella]

12 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

The table Ben made was gorgeous!

It really was beautiful, but I wish it were just a little bit bigger. 

Cute house, but I would have wanted a screened porch, maybe the one that had the fridge on it.  I also did not like the "foundation" being just a bunch of cinder blocks.  That seems....dangerous?

[3 is enough]

37 minutes ago, izabella said:

It really was beautiful, but I wish it were just a little bit bigger. 

Cute house, but I would have wanted a screened porch, maybe the one that had the fridge on it.  I also did not like the "foundation" being just a bunch of cinder blocks.  That seems....dangerous?

I did love the table, but yes, a bit bigger, and I would have preferred a stained base to the painted one.  

I must say, Ben and Erin and their partners at the store have a marketing team that is a well-oiled machine.  As soon as the episode airs their store Instagram page shows every item featured, and for the first two episodes Ben has made "limited edition" items tied to the episode.  Last week it was swings, this week it is smaller cutting boards.  And they sell out!  While their merchandise is good quality, and made in the USA, it is not cheap.  I have bought a couple of candles but the rest of their merchandise is too pricey for me.  Even the candles have gone up in price from $21 to $25.  They occasionally have sales and I will wait for one to replace my candle.

Edited January 28, 2020 by 3 is enough

[sheetmoss]

2 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

The house was cute but that backsplash was odd.  I just kept imagining  grease from cooking depositing on the wall just above the edges.  It did look like a headboard- not sure where that idea came from.  

Also, was a bit baffled by that console table that had a fabric cover- seemed like a dust catcher to me.

The woman's name was Rena- which I would pronounce Ree-nah, but evidently it was pronounced Renee.  Is this a Southern thing?  I have never seen that spelling before.

Maybe  Rena was like Bette  Midler? Bette's mom was a fan of the actress Bette Davis and wanted  the same firstname for her new baby...she thought Bette was pronounced 'Bet' instead of 'Betty'

[65mickey]

5 hours ago, izabella said:

It really was beautiful, but I wish it were just a little bit bigger. 

Cute house, but I would have wanted a screened porch, maybe the one that had the fridge on it.  I also did not like the "foundation" being just a bunch of cinder blocks.  That seems....dangerous?

I wondered about the foundation also. You can just sit a house down on concrete blocks and that's it?  What would happen if a tornado hit that house? Did they show if the house was somehow bolted to the blocks?  I was ticked that the last few minutes of the show was cut off when I watched it on demand. 

[CruiseDiva]

42 minutes ago, 65mickey said:

I wondered about the foundation also. You can just sit a house down on concrete blocks and that's it?  What would happen if a tornado hit that house? Did they show if the house was somehow bolted to the blocks?  I was ticked that the last few minutes of the show was cut off when I watched it on demand. 

That's called a pier foundation in Louisiana and not at all uncommon in neighborhoods with older homes in the South.

[CrazyInAlabama]

My guess is a lot of the locals on this show will screen one of the porches, but they just don't have the money immediately.   

 Also, when I screened in my small porch, the company that did it had a backlog of repair, and screening new porches or entire screen rooms.   It was three months between contracting for my porch, and actual construction. 

Also, with each episode, there is a resource guide with paint colors, furniture pieces, and everything else listed on the Laurel Merchantile site, with the Home Town link on there.   

The episode with the two young women was different, because one is part of the family that own Lott Furniture.    I'm sure everything in the home stayed that was furniture related.

Edited January 29, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[izabella]

1 hour ago, CruiseDiva said:

That's called a pier foundation in Louisiana and not at all uncommon in neighborhoods with older homes in the South.

It seems like it would be easy for a house to start sinking unevenly, depending on what was beneath each set of blocks.

Edited January 29, 2020 by izabella

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, 65mickey said:

I wondered about the foundation also. You can just sit a house down on concrete blocks and that's it?  What would happen if a tornado hit that house? Did they show if the house was somehow bolted to the blocks?  I was ticked that the last few minutes of the show was cut off when I watched it on demand. 

They showed them pouring concrete for the foundation, IIRC.

[3 is enough]

I really enjoy Home Town.  I like Erin and Ben, I think they truly are nice people, and I admire their dedication to made in America products.  

But I have to say I am a bit conflicted about the "limited edition" small butcher blocks being sold after this week's episode.  They measure 11" x 7 .5", which is slightly smaller than  piece of printer paper.  Made of maple with cherry and walnut accents. Very pretty to be sure.  I believe they are signed by Ben, but they stop short of saying they were made by him.  I think he simply has no time to make anything other than the pieces for the show anymore.  The price?  $100.  That's insane.. 

For comparison, a Boos Block sized at 17" x 13", also maple, also handmade in the USA, sells for $70.

If they had some disclaimer saying that some of the proceeds were going to the Laurel tornado relief fund I could understand.  The "limited edition" swings on the website last week were selling for $200.  For a piece of wood and a couple of pieces of rope.

It just feels "off" coming from the people who use old walls to make a new kitchen floor.  I understand there needs to be a markup on prices in order for the store to turn a profit, but it seems excessive to me. 

[cinsbythesea]

My new feel-good show.  I happened on to this show as Ben's truck caught my attention - then when I saw the house they were working on (LOVE old houses) I decided to stay with it.  Now I'm catching up with the prior seasons and loving each episode.  Husband was a big fan of Chip and Joanna - I could never warm up to them or their show - but Ben and Erin....I absolutely adore them.   Love their passion,  love their creativity, love that they reuse materials as often as possible, LOVE THEM!     Oh - and Ben's sense of humor - you never know what to expect out of that man's mouth!   Love this show!

 

[CruiseDiva]

This show caught my attention because my husband's late cousin and his family lived in Laurel. When we lived in Louisiana we visited them about once a year. Their home was what I'd call a late 50s/early 60s rancher with a couple additions  on a large lot on the edge of town. For instance, a mother-in-law suite and a sunroom were add-ons that were already a part of the house when they bought it in the early-70s.

When we'd visit it was to spend time with family and sadly we never explored the town. I wish we had because it looks so charming.

[ByTor]

On 1/27/2020 at 11:09 AM, proserpina65 said:

I just watched an episode of this for the first time this weekend.  It was two young women buying a Craftsman style house just outside of the historic district, with the screened in front porch which I absolutely coveted.  I enjoyed it because the people are lower key than a lot of the HGTV shows, and the design wasn't the same old Cristina/Joanna cookie cutter.  But, as a newbie, I did have a question which someone here might be able to answer: They had furniture in all the rooms, and I was wondering if that was the new homeowners' stuff or if maybe it was rented just for staging purposes?

I have another question which is really bugging me.  I thought the house was a 2 bedroom with a small bathroom.  Maybe I missed something, but I thought they said they were knocking down a wall to expand the bathroom into the bedroom .  Did they do this & this is now a one-bedroom house?

[CruiseDiva]

1 hour ago, ByTor said:

I have another question which is really bugging me.  I thought the house was a 2 bedroom with a small bathroom.  Maybe I missed something, but I thought they said they were knocking down a wall to expand the bathroom into the bedroom .  Did they do this & this is now a one-bedroom house?

Yes, it's now a one bedroom house. The home owner said that was all she needed. Ben and Erin used space from the second bedroom to create the big bathroom and the former bathroom area is now a walk-in closet. They didn't show the closet, but I think they put the washing machine and dryer in there. 

After seeing the very end of the show I disliked that kitchen counter, which didn't seem to go with the color of the cabinets, and the backsplash behind the stove looked like a grave headstone to me.

[LittleIggy]

Is there anyone here who liked the headboard/tombstone backsplash? C’mon we won’t make fun of you if you do! 😏

[buttersister]

LOL. No. Looked like the painter Erin had a moment of self-considered creativity. With no one willing to tell her it sucked.

Guessing the DYI stencil they’ll put in Y’all Olde Mercantile won’t be a big seller.

[ByTor]

Thanks @CruiseDiva!  I actually groaned when they decided on that house, and it seemed that it was because they loved that book nook.  I would have bought the other house and used one of the bedrooms as a "library."  But then again, it wasn't my decision 🙂 

[RoxiP]

12 hours ago, CruiseDiva said:

Yes, it's now a one bedroom house. The home owner said that was all she needed. Ben and Erin used space from the second bedroom to create the big bathroom and the former bathroom area is now a walk-in closet. They didn't show the closet, but I think they put the washing machine and dryer in there. 

After seeing the very end of the show I disliked that kitchen counter, which didn't seem to go with the color of the cabinets, and the backsplash behind the stove looked like a grave headstone to me.

One of the houses (not sure if it was the house they ultimately did) they showed putting a stackable washer/dryer in with the toilet, which I thought was kind of weird.  I guess it could be convenient though - change out the laundry while you are doing your business!

I'm a bedroom girl - if you are taking away one of the bedrooms to expand my bathroom give me a little more bedroom space also!

[3 is enough]

The bathroom did have a little separate area for the toilet, and a stackable washer and dryer.  The toilet was at one end and the washer/dryer was at the other end.

My other concern was the fridge on the side porch.  Yes, the porch had a roof, but did it offer enough protection for the fridge from the torrential rains they get in Mississippi?  At the very least I hope the outlet for the fridge had its own breaker. 

The consensus seems to be that the backsplash looked like a tombstone.  A rare miss from Erin. 

Edited January 30, 2020 by 3 is enough

[proserpina65]

13 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Is there anyone here who liked the headboard/tombstone backsplash? C’mon we won’t make fun of you if you do! 😏

I don't remember what the backsplash looked like.

I think I would want 2 bedrooms and just have one bathroom, but then, I'm used to small bathrooms anyway.

3 hours ago, RoxiP said:

One of the houses (not sure if it was the house they ultimately did) they showed putting a stackable washer/dryer in with the toilet, which I thought was kind of weird. 

I've seen that in apartments and also a lot in Europe.  It makes sense given that plumbing is already in that area.

[3 is enough]

I know real estate varies by region, but back in the 80's we had two houses with the washer and dryer in the main floor powder rooms.  There were cabinets above the washer and dryer and it worked well.

FWIW, the houses were in Montreal.

[kirklandia]

1 hour ago, 3 is enough said:

I know real estate varies by region, but back in the 80's we had two houses with the washer and dryer in the main floor powder rooms.  There were cabinets above the washer and dryer and it worked well.

FWIW, the houses were in Montreal.

I have that setup now in my townhouse (built in 1980) - don't see a problem with it, works fine for me.  I took out the ugly bi-fold doors and put up pretty curtains.

[LittleIggy]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I don't remember what the backsplash looked like.

I think I would want 2 bedrooms and just have one bathroom, but then, I'm used to small bathrooms anyway.

I've seen that in apartments and also a lot in Europe.  It makes sense given that plumbing is already in that area.

It looked like a headboard or a tombstone. 😆

[CrazyInAlabama]

Where I live, if you have a town house with a downstairs half bath, you have at least a 50% chance that your washer dryer is in that half bath.   

The worst thing about the small house being right by the mother's house is that because the mother's home is at ground level, and the grandmother's home is up a 4 or so steps, then Rene would have been perching over her mothers house.    I think that would make the mother very self-conscious, and feel that she had a baby sitter.      Also, for septic you have to have ground that perks at a certain rate (absorbs liquid), and I bet the new house location was much better for that.  

I really like the entire house.    I think the stove back splash is growing on me too.   However, I would like to see a tile back splash added on the sink side, and on the two sides of the stove.   

[suebee12]

On 1/29/2020 at 9:17 PM, CruiseDiva said:

 Ben and Erin used space from the second bedroom to create the big bathroom and the former bathroom area is now a walk-in closet. They didn't show the closet, but I think they put the washing machine and dryer in there. 

When they showed the bathroom, you could see the "toilet room"(painted a pretty blue) with stacked washer and dryer opposite the toilet. I personally would like the w/d in a room like that since that is where my hamper is...no lugging the laundry to the laundry room, you are already there!!!

[pasdetrois]

Finally had a chance to view the new season.

Was looking for the bachelor preacher's house in the retrospective episode - probably my favorite house, aesthetically. I loved seeing the fishing-pole room again.

No way was Rena gonna pick the town house. Living next to mama in the country is encoded in her southern bones. And laughed at mama's plain-spoken "I don't like the blue door."

Viewers please note: the proper pronunciation is Puh-CAWN! And "aint" for "aunt."

As a child I lived in houses on concrete blocks and on stilts in Louisiana and Mississippi. The hunting dogs would bump around under there. And we had tin roofs. (Shout-out to the B-52s: "Tin roof, rusted!")

Have endured several tornadoes crammed into a bathroom with the family, dogs included.

I love when Ben goes looking for treasures in abandoned sheds.

Looking forward to seeing Mr. Gary in his twice-renovated home. Bless his heart. And I enjoyed Miz Jones' delight over the adorable little house.

Hated the monolithic tombstone.

Major props to anyone who restores houses in the Mississippi heat.

Some of the staff are surnamed Purvis. Possibly kin to the founders of Purvis, MS, which is nearby.

Only complaint is Erin's tendency to talk over poor Ben. Let the man have his own thoughts and finish his sentences.

Edited February 1, 2020 by pasdetrois

[LittleIggy]

I say “puh-kahn.” “Pee-kan” drives me up the wall as does “pray-leen”! 😆

[CrazyInAlabama]

The pronunciation I hate is Peek-in with a long "E" in the peek.    I only have met a couple of people that said it that way, but it drove me nuts.  

 

I like Rena's entire house, but I'm getting used to the back splash.    I think it would look good if they used a small subway tile that looked similar, on both sides, and on the sink side.   Then it would be an accent, and not so obvious. 

The one thing I dislike is the stackable washer/dryer.   They are very expensive, don't hold much.     With a separate washer/dryer, then one part or the other can be replaced easily.    

Edited February 2, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[LittleIggy]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

The pronunciation I hate is Peek-in with a long "E" in the peek.    I only have met a couple of people that said it that way, but it drove me nuts.  

 

I like Rena's entire house, but I'm getting used to the back splash.    I think it would look good if they used a small subway tile that looked similar, on both sides, and on the sink side.   Then it would be an accent, and not so obvious. 

The one thing I dislike is the stackable washer/dryer.   They are very expensive, don't hold much.     With a separate washer/dryer, then one part or the other can be replaced easily.    

You hear it all the time on Food Network baking competition shows.

[buttersister]

Just watched the reveal of another airing of the little house. Yep, backsplash still looks like Mt. Awful.

[RoxiP]

My favorite is still the one with the artist - not because of the house so much as because I fell in love with that artist's work...unfortunately it is WAY out of my comfort zone or else I would own a piece (and it looks like a lot of the work she does is on commission).  (My comfort zone is pretty small...LOL!)

Just now, RoxiP said:

My favorite is still the one with the artist - not because of the house so much as because I fell in love with that artist's work...unfortunately it is WAY out of my comfort zone or else I would own a piece (and it looks like a lot of the work she does is on commission).  (My comfort zone is pretty small...LOL!)

Gosh I just quoted myself - hit the wrong button!  Anyway, I don't really have a favorite house but I like any of them that has a front porch.

[pasdetrois]

Quote

I'm getting used to the back splash

According to a recent Washington Post article on kitchen and bath innovations, the solid backsplashes are a trend. I still don't care for it.

I can see where not having to clean grout would be a benefit. Having seen it in other countries, I tried to find solid panel tub surrounds when I renovated my bath. No grout and no moisture damage (supposedly all grout fails over time), but hard to find and exorbitantly expensive. The Post says the solid panels are becoming more available now.

Little Iggy: My Texas family says pray-leen and pee-can. We hiss the words at each other.

Sweet memory: when I was a kid, there were ladies on many French Quarter street corners, selling homemade pralines, straight from their kitchens. Heaven.

Edited February 3, 2020 by pasdetrois