Classic Trading Spaces: 2001-2008 Seasons Discussion

[LexieLily]

That does make more sense. Technically Doug did play by the rules but when Pam opened her eyes all she saw was her protected fireplace, the one thing the show was legally obligated not to touch, looking dramatically different than how she left it. And I believe I read somewhere once that Crying Pam was already emotional during the taping because a family member of hers had recently died. 

[FormerMod-a1]

I remember thinking her reaction was way OTT  even if it hadn't been just a facade over the fireplace.  Also, though, I thought they did tell her and she still went on crying and crying, like someone had kicked her dog or something.  Maybe while she was pitching a fit, she didn't hear them say it was removable?  But I also remember them telling her a few times, but I haven't watched recently so I could very well be wrong.  Of course, I also don't get being that upset over anything in a house - even imagining my own house - I have my favorite items, and items with sentimental value from my childhood or from significant others, that I would be even very upset if ruined, but not crying non-stop on national TV upset.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯    Of course, I also wouldn't end a friendship over a color I didn't like either, at least not if the reason was due to being on a TV show like this.  

[Mumbles]

It will be interesting to watch the new series 10-15 years later to see how things have changed, not only taste-wise, but culturally.

Like, for example, I just rewatched an episode set in Boston where a team of male homeowners on their own initiative decided to paint the walls of the room in stripes the night between the two days - which was NOT part of the design plan of their designer, Kristie. Both she and Paige came in the morning and were first shocked, then pissed, but Kristie put on a good face and went along with it (because she had little choice). 

I remember at the time thinking it was kind of jerky, but now 10+ years later it enraged me that these two guys just disregarded their female designer's plan and did what the hell they wanted. Maybe they would have done it if they were working with a male designer? Who knows, but I'm doubtful. And to the extent that there are geographical or cultural stereotypes concerning this kind of behavior - these were two gay men in one of the most liberal cities in the country engaging in this sexist crap.

In any event it will be interesting to view the show through the lens of the changing culture of the last decade. 

[AZChristian]

56 minutes ago, aquarian1 said:

I remember thinking her reaction was way OTT  even if it hadn't been just a facade over the fireplace.  

I couldn't find it in a 30-second Google search, but I seem to remember that Frank (who did NOT cover the fireplace) stayed pretty much all night at Pam's house, helping them to undo some of Doug's changes.    

[Wings]

5 hours ago, AZChristian said:

I couldn't find it in a 30-second Google search, but I seem to remember that Frank (who did NOT cover the fireplace) stayed pretty much all night at Pam's house, helping them to undo some of Doug's changes.    

I found an article and failed to get the link.  Rather than go back and try to find it again, it said that when they finished they left Pam with 21 trash bags and the money to have it carted away.   That all but said they removed it.  They didn’t want to put it in print so others would not expect the same, I am sure.  

It also said the neighbors helped them paint their walls red with the left over paint from their house the next day.  They covered their couches with blue plaid fabric so it looked like a Nantucket cottage as they had requested.  I felt no sympathy for her.  She had seen the show!   

 I watched some old episodes on youtube today including the British Changing Rooms. I loved the cast on that show particularly Lawrence. 

TS did have some episodes where the budget was $2000 if you picked the room with that amount in the envelope.  The reveal was not a hair blowing back moment.  I hope there is more to this new incarnation than an extra grand.  

Edited April 1, 2018 by Wings

[jackjill89]

I loved the show in its early days. I think as Hildy and Doug got more outrageous my interest waned. It did seem like they were trying to shock more than please. I get the designers wanting to push the envelope a little and try something that would broadened the homeowner's home design, but there's pushing an envelope, and then there is going for pure shock value. 

The thing that bugged me about Hildy was how impractical her designs were. Ribbon on a wall? Silk flowers on a bathroom wall? Hay? Come on -- you can't live with that. How do you clean it? Just wait until the black ribbon gets dusty. I kept thinking that the silk flowers were simply mold attractors in the bathroom. Yuck.

I saw the black/white episode and it turned me off wanting to watch the reboot. I watched a few shows that evening. The decorating is shoddy. I don't know why I didn't see that before. I couldn't believe that they painted the inside of the fireplace white and Doug was so nonchalant about it. I kept thinking that it wouldn't withstand the heat from the fire, or it would burn up or something horrible. I don't think you're supposed to just paint the inside of a fireplace...and a painted tarp floor? Really? How impractical and cheap is that? Paige seemed very concerned the whole time. 

I thought the black room was supposed to be an office and entertaining space. Weird combo. There was no office left in the black hole. It was ugly and made the room look tiny. 

If Doug hadn't been so married to the white concept, kept the floor, stained the woodwork, kept the fireplace and did white with neutral accents, it could have been warm and inviting, not stark and unappealing. The covers on the couches looked so cheap. The whole room looked cheap. 

[Wings]

I went down a Trading Spaces rabbit hole today and came out believing that the only thing different in the reboot is the money.  

I read comments and one was that a low budget show was needed in the current landscape of high priced decorating now.  

Someone uses egg shells, lots and lots of egg shells.  Sounds like Hilde but because that is obvious, probaby not. 

I am still psyched to watch.  

[auntjess]

6 minutes ago, Wings said:

I read comments and one was that a low budget show was needed in the current landscape of high priced decorating now.  

By the time I started watching TS, it frequently made no pretense of usable, practical, decorating.  It was too often going for shock value.
Design on a Dime showed low-cost designs.

[LexieLily]

22 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

Honestly, I don't remember choking either, I seem to recall wrestling around and it looked joking to me, too. Paige said they looked for two hours today to try to find that reveal online and couldn't. So if you find it, tweet her! She said through the interview process Jesse never mentioned hating brown. On "day zero" when they film homeowner interviews and the designers shop, that's when Jesse brought it up. So Laurie was out buying brown (taupe really) paint while Jesse was revealing she hates it! And for cryin' out loud - it's just paint! I think her friend is well rid of her!

@Nordly Beaumont: There is a marathon of old TS episodes leading up to the premiere on Saturday and one of them is Brown Jessie. So if someone wanted to record it, figure out how to upload a recording or at least the reveal portion to YouTube, and tweet that to Paige, have at it! Assuming they haven't edited anything out over the years. 

FWIW, Crying Pam is part of that marathon, too!

[fountain]

Crying Pam was an interesting episode as the room was so much better than so many rooms on TS.  I get the white room guy hating it as they spent hours stripping the windows and to make the room all white Doug could have just put curtains and white sheers over the windows leaving the wood behind.  At least he didn’t paint the floor.  The rest of the white room was fine as I personally like painted brick better than natural brick.

[Wings]

5 hours ago, auntjess said:

By the time I started watching TS, it frequently made no pretense of usable, practical, decorating.  It was too often going for shock value.
Design on a Dime showed low-cost designs.

I cannot remember one good, usable room but there probably were some!  There were many rooms that had a few elements the homeowners probably kept, though.

[Wings]

2 hours ago, fountain said:

Crying Pam was an interesting episode as the room was so much better than so many rooms on TS.  I get the white room guy hating it as they spent hours stripping the windows and to make the room all white Doug could have just put curtains and white sheers over the windows leaving the wood behind.  At least he didn’t paint the floor.  The rest of the white room was fine as I personally like painted brick better than natural brick.

I watched this episode today and missed them saying they stripped the woodwork.    Now I understand the tears, that was a lot of work. 

Personally I hate it and would paint all my woodwork white.  

[joanne3482]

Yesterday's rerun had literal millionaires trading spaces. The dining room set previously in the room was estimated (by the homeowner) to have cost her $20k.  It was so weird to watch these homeowners who could easily have hired a professional (or probably Edward and/or Hildi) do this via a TV show.  I definitely liked one couple over the other. They were more down to earth and apparently (based on their talking heads) were self made and remember their early roots vs the other couple.  

I liked Edward's room and what he did with it (and he and a recent episode with Genevieve basically confirmed that they stockpile stuff to hold onto for a future design). I didn't blame the more unpleasant homeowners for not really liking Hildi's design. It was weird at best. (Not horrifying like so many of her episodes, just weird).  

[Thalia]

I just finished watching an episode from May 2002, Plano:  Bent Horn Court.  Vern redid a living room, while Genevieve created a playroom.  The playroom was memorable -- the one with the dots on the wall, circle of movable turf on the carpet (I thought that was a cute idea), sky blue ceiling.  The couple seemed visibly underwhelmed, but not mad. 

I don't remember thinking this at the time, but Ty created a playstation that, at first looked fun, but on second look, seemed like way too dangerous to have around kids.  There was this big wooden flap that could be propped open.  Nice, until a kid knocks it down and hits another one on the head.  And if the three small children got to first grade with a total of thirty fingers, color me surprised, because that flap had "ouchie" written all over it.  Not literally (this is Trading Spaces, after all.)

Nonetheless, I'm loving the reruns, and looking forward to Saturday night!

[Bastet]

There was also no place for a TV in that play station, and while I'm all for kids having limited TV time, there had been a TV there previously, and it was supposed to be the room for the parents and kids to hang out -- that's going to include watching a show/video together sometimes, and now there's no place to do it.

[friendperidot]

I did kind of like the polka dots on the wall. But, I like bright colors and have a room in mind to do for myself, if I ever get to live in a decent home again, that will look like a box of crayolas threw up. I'm totally ok with it. And since I'd be the one living in it, it's fine, no one else has to like it. I thought of doing polka dots on the wall, so I was interested in how Genevieve did them, hadn't thought of using embroidery hoops, but I've backed off from the polka dots and now thinking about a light gold starburst on a coral wall.

[joanne3482]

18 hours ago, Thalia said:

I don't remember thinking this at the time, but Ty created a playstation that, at first looked fun, but on second look, seemed like way too dangerous to have around kids.  There was this big wooden flap that could be propped open. 

To me the puppet station just seemed too small for the kids to get under there and do their puppet shows. It was against the wall so they couldn't go in from behind. It was a more impractical piece. 

[Bastet]

I just caught the end of one where Genevieve had done a pretty bedroom that, even if not to the homeowner's taste in terms of the color scheme, would be easy to change, and the owner was such a fucking pill about it.  She just stood there with a sour look on her face the entire time and criticized everything - she doesn't like ceilings painted (what, you want bare plaster/drywall? no, you mean you don't like ceilings in anything other than white), she doesn't like dark colors - even though only an accent wall was dark - she called a very mildly Asian theme Egyptian, etc.  She bugged me, especially because the room before was so.fucking.ugly -- boring, no design scheme whatsoever, and just a sad specimen all around.

Now Hildi is about to staple 6000 fake flowers to a bathroom wall.  When owners get mad at shit like that, I am fully behind them, even though they knew the risks when they signed up.  But getting a completely "normal" room with furniture, fabric, and artwork that can still work if you change the wall color and being an asshole because you happen to want to make that change?  Go away.  I hate pink.  I know I'd have a negative reaction if I walked in and found my room pink.  But I'd be able to talk about what I did like and how I'd make it work with a different color rather than just standing there scowling and dismissing things without even giving them more than a glance.

Edited April 7, 2018 by Bastet

[Bastet]

Ah, now I remember what I didn't like about Laurie -- she was always replacing bedroom ceiling fans with chandeliers.  Screw that.  Now, yes, some people have cheap, ugly fans (and I have no idea how they sleep with something that wobbles or otherwise makes noise), and need better ones.  Some people don't care if they have a fan or a chandelier.  But those who have high-quality fans quite purposely, because we have them on the majority of the year to sleep comfortably, and have expressed that?  Do not touch; it's just something I'd have to reinstall, and she'd be wasting part of the budget on a chandelier that I'm just going to give away (unless I loved it and wanted to replace one of my existing chandeliers). 

Edited April 7, 2018 by Bastet

[biakbiak]

Warching the marathon, I forgot how ratchet so many of these rooms looked.

[LexieLily]

Crying Pam and Brown Jessie are part of the marathon tomorrow/today.

[fountain]

I just watched one New Jersey: Manitoba trail with Frank and Doug.  Frank’s room was awful, I mean full on craft shop but Doug painted the fireplace white and had a few things that would still be in style enough today.  

Now Frank’s room was insane, I cannot believe anyone could ever like that crap.  Even the flower bathroom Hildi did was better (I just saw the flower and gold bathroom yesterday and years later it looks better than I thought at the time).

ETA the repeats are still creeping me out as styles and taste levels were so awful in the late 90s/ early 2000s, definitely an awful era of design.  

Edited April 7, 2018 by fountain

[chick binewski]

11 hours ago, Bastet said:

I just caught the end of one where Genevieve had done a pretty bedroom that, even if not to the homeowner's taste in terms of the color scheme, would be easy to change, and the owner was such a fucking pill about it.

I saw that last night and still don't undestand the HO's reaction. There were solid, warm colors and the room looked pulled together which can't be easy to accomplish in a high-ceiling bland room. In a day and a half no less.

Doug & Hildi's methods aren't that egregious in the episode airing right now, but most of the time I was convinced they took their budget and went out and got drunk. Almost all their reveals look shockingly cheap. They both seemed compelled to use furniture that was most likely to be infested with some kind of creature. And I'm convinced Hildi was on a mission to create mold and deadly fumes everywhere she went. 

[Thalia]

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

Ah, now I remember what I didn't like about Laurie -- she was always replacing bedroom ceiling fans with chandeliers.  Screw that.  Now, yes, some people have cheap, ugly fans (and I have no idea how they sleep with something that wobbles or otherwise makes noise), and need better ones. 

I'd forgotten about their ceiling fan phobia.  And in the episodes I've rewatched, the designers have been freaking out over Middle America's attachment to ::shudder:: television sets.  I wonder how they will deal with circa 2018 sets that take up half a wall, and a wall they're nailed to at that?   

Brown Jessie is on today at 3 EST; Crying Pam at 5 EST.  

[LexieLily]

Ha! At least it presumably takes a load off Carpentry World that they don't have to build those entertainment centers to accommodate the bulky TV's that were prevalent in the early 2000's.

OMG there was a Hildi episode last night where she wanted to spray paint couches and chairs hot pink and she was so disappointed that it rained in Seattle and the tarp blew away and ruined the spray-painted furniture.

Edited April 7, 2018 by LexieLily

[Jaded]

3 hours ago, chick binewski said:

Doug & Hildi's methods aren't that egregious in the episode airing right now, but most of the time I was convinced they took their budget and went out and got drunk. 

Doug did get arrested for DUI/TMZ link  in 2008 after the show ended so they could have happened.

[auntjess]

The brown hater is Vegas: Stormont Ct, or something like that, at 3 PM today, 4/7.

[FormerMod-a1]

I forgot about the cardboard room Hilde did.  It's the one airing right now.  I also forgot about the broken mirror backsplash she did in a kitchen (the ep that just aired).  The rest of the kitchen looked good, but even with the grout it looked like there were exposed sharp edges, and the whole effect was more bathroom than kitchen, I thought.

[LexieLily]

7 minutes ago, aquarian1 said:

I forgot about the cardboard room Hilde did.  It's the one airing right now.  I also forgot about the broken mirror backsplash she did in a kitchen (the ep that just aired).  The rest of the kitchen looked good, but even with the grout it looked like there were exposed sharp edges, and the whole effect was more bathroom than kitchen, I thought.

Cardboard furniture, too? Really, Hildi?

[friendperidot]

really.

[chick binewski]

Yikes. Brown Jessie and her roller brush bangs can have seversl seats. On those fugly black couches.

[Marley GMA]

Wow she was rude. Don’t these people know that the designers pick everything. If you can’t handle anything different or eclectic, this is not the show to be on Jessie!!

[Cupcake04]

No Brown Jessie....what an asshole!  "We totally did something cool in your room"....so obviosuly she only did her friends house so she would get something in return.  Her hubs and the other couple were totally embarassed at how she was acting.  She was so quick to say I hate it and just starting flipping out.  Oh....and she says brown is only color she doesnt like, but then she hates orange too.  LOL.  Oh...and her " i am trying to be the bigger person here"   well honey you sure failed at that when you hit and tackled your neighbors!  lol. Anyone have an update on her.?  I am curious if she is still with hubby?  I am evil but I secretly hope he left her and bought a brown house!  

[Wings]

Laurie's personality grates.  She often talks down to the homeowners. I don't think that is her intention but rather a bi product of her personality.  She loves brown and orange and I hate those too so I get it that woman was mad.  That room was hideous.  Orange, brown and black reads Halloween.  

I remember when she said, "you get to work with a pregnant woman today."  That was so odd but so Laurie.  She is a tad self absorbed.  

Interesting tid bit that Frank kept in touch with only Hildi and Doug through the years.  

Did they have a crew that helped the HOs with their homework?  They often have way too much to do given the time frame. 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Wings

[LexieLily]

24 minutes ago, Cupcake04 said:

No Brown Jessie....what an asshole!  "We totally did something cool in your room"....so obviosuly she only did her friends house so she would get something in return.  Her hubs and the other couple were totally embarassed at how she was acting.  She was so quick to say I hate it and just starting flipping out.  Oh....and she says brown is only color she doesnt like, but then she hates orange too.  LOL.  Oh...and her " i am trying to be the bigger person here"   well honey you sure failed at that when you hit and tackled your neighbors!  lol. Anyone have an update on her.?  I am curious if she is still with hubby?  I am evil but I secretly hope he left her and bought a brown house!  

Someone mentioned in the other thread how Paige said that the Brown Jessie episode was one of the rare ones, if the only one, where the friendship between the four neighbors was ruined. I believe it. Laurie's room wasn't to my taste but it seemed like it would be simple enough to repaint the walls a non-brown color and maybe pick another accent color. At least she didn't end up with spray-painted furniture or flowers on the walls like she would have if it was Hildi.

[PJ123]

I know Crying Pam is up in a few minutes but if I remember I think she also said or indicated at the beginning of the show that she really wanted Frank to do the room and even though she got to work with Frank she was peeved that he was not doing her room.  The reveal was the last straw and then she lost it.  Total control freak.  Now hearing in this thread that Frank actually stayed overnight to help her. I guess she got her way as Frank did (sort of) do her room. 

I hope this season we dont have this kind of drama.  People should definitely know by now what they are getting into or do sign up for the show.

[desertflower]

The thing about Brown Jessie was it was really hard to tell when she was joking and when she wasn't. I mean she clearly didn't like the room but when she first tackles her friend she seemed to be kind of joking. Then she got really mad and yelled and walked out. Then during the end credits they showed an outtake where she had the friend in a chokehold, and you can hear someone saying "Ok, now she's kidding.". So she was kind of back and forth about it. But ultimately, it wasn't that hard to adjust that room. Paint the walls off white or something and leave the rest. 

[Bastet]

Crying Pam's episode is just getting started, but what I remember about the reveal is that her husband was just about as ridiculous about the room as she was, but she's the one who gets a notorious nickname out of it.

They said that ugly-ass room of theirs didn't match the rest of their house (which, if she loves Frank's style and describes herself as crafty, I think is a delusion - I bet the rest of their house looks not much different), they wanted something interesting, but they love the fireplace the way it is.  Okay, so before they realized the fireplace was just a facade and their brick was intact, I can see being taken aback by the fireplace, but they were pills about the entire room, and kept on about the fireplace even after they were told the brick was unharmed behind there.

I don't like brick, but if someone does, don't paint it; it's way too difficult to undo.  And Doug - Doug, of all people! - didn't.  He made the room look the way he wanted, but did the fireplace in a way that if they really still wanted the brick, they could just pull away that facade and have it.

Edited April 7, 2018 by Bastet

[LexieLily]

9 minutes ago, PJ123 said:

I know Crying Pam is up in a few minutes but if I remember I think she also said or indicated at the beginning of the show that she really wanted Frank to do the room and even though she got to work with Frank she was peeved that he was not doing her room.  The reveal was the last straw and then she lost it.  Total control freak.  Now hearing in this thread that Frank actually stayed overnight to help her. I guess she got her way as Frank did (sort of) do her room. 

I hope this season we dont have this kind of drama.  People should definitely know by now what they are getting into or do sign up for the show.

Didn't Crying Pam go viral? Or whatever the early 2000's equivalent of viral is/was. I seem to remember there was much talk of that episode and her reaction on the TLC message boards, more so than other episodes. I see from my guide as I'm watching it now that she was in season two so she had to be one of the first homeowners that hated it so much she had that kind of reaction.

If she wanted Frank to work in her room that makes sense. The before living room was very country with tchotchkes and their pre-swap little interview showed them doing some sort of craft project.  

[jcbrown]

I'm watching some of the ones I recorded last night. These designers and their hatred of practicality is really annoying. I've seen several bedrooms where they take away nightstands and replace them with... nothing. Does no one need a place to put glasses, a drink, a book, a lamp, a remote? I watched one with Lori where she put a TV in a closet on a rolling cart and another with Gen where she put a TV on a shelf suspended from a joist. No way to cable any of those. No way I would let any of these people into my house. And I totally agree with those upthread who commented on what a reminder this is of the crap that passed for design in the McMansion era.

[vibeology]

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

Someone mentioned in the other thread how Paige said that the Brown Jessie episode was one of the rare ones, if the only one, where the friendship between the four neighbors was ruined. I believe it. Laurie's room wasn't to my taste but it seemed like it would be simple enough to repaint the walls a non-brown color and maybe pick another accent color. At least she didn't end up with spray-painted furniture or flowers on the walls like she would have if it was Hildi.

Jessie was being totally unreasonable. Nothing Laurie did was permanent. Also Jessie seemed to think she'd made some sort of pact with their neighbors but the neighbors didn't seem to have any idea what she was talking about. That was a huge part of the anger, I think. Jessie's claim of being a bigger person was garbage considering she scrunched up her face, jumped up and down, shoved both her neighbors and stormed out of the room rolling her eyes and yelling.

 

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Crying Pam's episode is just getting started, but what I remember about the reveal is that her husband was just about as ridiculous about the room as she was, but she's the one who gets a notorious nickname out of it.

They said that ugly-ass room of theirs didn't match the rest of their house (which, if she loves Frank's style and describes herself as crafty, I think is a delusion - I bet the rest of their house looks not much different), they wanted something interesting, but they love the fireplace the way it is.  Okay, so before they realized the fireplace was just a facade and their brick was intact, I can see being taken aback by the fireplace, but they were pills about the entire room, and kept on about the fireplace even after they were told the brick was unharmed behind there.

I don't like brick, but if someone does, don't paint it; it's way too difficult to undo.  And Doug - Doug, of all people! - didn't.  He made the room look the way he wanted, but did the fireplace in a way that if they really still wanted the brick, they could just pull away that facade and have it.

I think Pam got the worst of it because she left the room. He stayed and tried to go with the experience even if he wasn't happy. 

And I think Doug's solution was pretty great. He was an ass getting to that point but the result made the room look nicer while still preserving a focal point they cared about. 

[LexieLily]

2 minutes ago, vibeology said:

I think Pam got the worst of it because she left the room. He stayed and tried to go with the experience even if he wasn't happy. 

I actually think what the husband said - he'd take these two minutes all over again just to have the two day Trading Spaces experience - was a super-sweet way to phrase the disappointment.

[For Cereals]

I feel so old...this wasn’t THAT long ago but everything looks so dated and cheap! 

[FormerMod-a1]

Ahhh...  the infamous hay on the walls episode is on now.

[LexieLily]

Most of the episodes in this marathon, and the ones last night, are the infamous/notorious ones. Coincidence or nah?

 I'll be asking this in the other thread, too - is anyone on Twitter that wants to live-chat about the new episode?

[seacliffsal]

I watched both brown Jessie and crying Pam this afternoon and wondered why in the world did they ever sign up for this show when they were both so set in what they wanted.  I did not particularly care for the brown room that Laurie did for Jessie, but just repaint it and you're fine.  I did like Doug's room for Pam-especially the fire place facade.  They put in a chair railing and calmed the brown down by using oatmeal paint for under the chair railing.  I thought the upholsetered furniture looked a million times better than their old fabric.  Again, the show had been on for a few years by that time, so why sign up?

A friend and I seriously thought about applying for the show in the day, but because I knew which room would have to be done at my house due to the minimum size requirements (they had minimum room sizes on their website and applications), I told my friend that I wouldn't be able to do it as they may ruin the woodwork in the room and that would have devastated me (my father built the house and had died several years prior so I was very attached to the woodwork).  Again, we knew what show it was and what we would be signing up for; therefore, we did not actually apply to be on the show.

[Nordly Beaumont]

I'm watching the hay room, and I noticed that when they started Hildi said they'd be putting the hay on sort of organized. And you can see that by the door the hay was all straight up and down. She must have realized they'd never get that done and started putting it on willy-nilly. I'm surprised at how game the friends were. They were adding more hay, even with the idea that they'd be helping to take it down. Before I even tackled the hay on the walls, I'd be repainting the pink ceiling and taking down those louvers. I'd go crazy trying to keep them all straight. Plus they were ugly. Then I'd have to at least straighten the curtain behind the bookshelves. But I'd take it down, it was silly. I liked the fireplace cover (I don't have kids). So after I changed everything else, I'd take a stiff brush to the walls to get down the loose pieces and live with it for awhile! I think the homeowners were lucky that they didn't have that much wall space to be covered. They were also very game and good sports. Very good sports!

[chick binewski]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

I watched both brown Jessie and crying Pam this afternoon and wondered why in the world did they ever sign up for this show when they were both so set in what they wanted.  I did not particularly care for the brown room that Laurie did for Jessie, but just repaint it and you're fine.  I did like Doug's room for Pam-especially the fire place facade.  They put in a chair railing and calmed the brown down by using oatmeal paint for under the chair railing.  I thought the upholsetered furniture looked a million times better than their old fabric.  Again, the show had been on for a few years by that time, so why sign up?

A friend and I seriously thought about applying for the show in the day, but because I knew which room would have to be done at my house due to the minimum size requirements (they had minimum room sizes on their website and applications), I told my friend that I wouldn't be able to do it as they may ruin the woodwork in the room and that would have devastated me (my father built the house and had died several years prior so I was very attached to the woodwork).  Again, we knew what show it was and what we would be signing up for; therefore, we did not actually apply to be on the show.

3

Looking at the Jessie room apart from its owner I think I can understand initial disappointment with the color simply because of modern home design. The cutout walls and open floor plans make working with different colors more challenging and I think the surrounding area of the Brown Room was stark white. But they could have absolutely lightened up that paint color and kept many elements of the design intact. I just can't get on Laurie's case because I think she's always shown a respect for quality items and details, whether they're hers or the HO's. And I am one of her shameless fabric stans.

I 'm glad for your foresight to not apply, @seacliffsal . because for me the most frustrating thing to watch was some gorgeous framework or built-in bookshelves get introduced to a sledgehammer. I never understood how designers could bring themselves to do that, especially since they were replacing all the great original stuff with MDF.

[emma1420]

4 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I actually think what the husband said - he'd take these two minutes all over again just to have the two day Trading Spaces experience - was a super-sweet way to phrase the disappointment.

And that is always why I felt sorry for Crying Pam.  Because even though the fireplace thing wasn’t permanent she didn’t know that.  So she walked into a room exhausted and saw the one thing changed that she had deemed off limits.  And she was really upset, but wasn’t nasty about it.

 

Brown Jessie?  Was just nasty.  She wasn’t nice during the two days, and she was really nasty to her neighbors.  I was just sad that she wasn’t the recipient of one of Hildi’s wacky rooms (one of the ones that causes damage to the drywall).

[Bastet]

Holy hell, this "Oh noes, there's color and mildly Asian-themed décor in my room!" woman is too much.  She just worked with Hildi, who SPRAY PAINTED furniture HOT PINK (although it got replaced by slipcovered furntiture thanks to rain) in a room where the rest the furniture was hidden behind a tent, and because Genevieve put a little hint of Asian and a couple of colors in her room, she scowled.  People whose rooms have white walls with a sprig of fake flowers above their knock-off Laura Ashley sofas should be barred from appearing, because they are clearly never going to like an actual design, whatever it is.

With that tent room, I'd have kept it on the ceiling and just lost the part hanging down obscuring everything they needed to use.