Get A Room With Carson And Thom - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss all things Get A Room With Carson and Thom here. 

[walnutqueen]

S01.E01: The Ghost and the Grotto - 2018.10.19

A living room as well as a grotto are in need of an immediate remodeling in order to transform them into a family space that will be both fun and functional, so a call for help is made in order to bring two designers in to assist a struggling family.

Edited October 20, 2018 by walnutqueen

[Chit Chat]

I am thrilled to see Carson and Thom back together again!  What a fun show.  Having said that though, I'm not a fan of the gold and white wallpaper at the Grotto house.  There was just too much of it, IMO.  I liked the rest of the redo for that big house though.  I will definitely put this on my list to record. 

[2727]

Ah, the jokes, the jokes. I've missed you guys. The chyrons with the cheeky definitions were also fun.

I'm so happy to be spending time with Thom again! I love Carson too but have seen him a few shows over the years since Queer Eye, so Thom is more nostalgic.

I had reservations about both designs but am just glad they were different than the typical West Elm style on most of the other home reno shows I watch.

[Alonzo Mosely FBI]

I loved loved loved this show am so glad they are back ! Thom & Carson have amazing chemistry. 

Now on to the snark. The lady with the big house who fired 5 designers? What made Thom and Carson win the job for her is it got HER on TV.   New money and attn seeking. Who builds a monstrosity like that with no plan? FOUR years like that?? More to the story there. 

[walnutqueen]

I really enjoyed seeing Carson & Thom back together again.  They fell right back into the easy banter they had way back when they were on Queer Eye.

I always adored Thom's transformations on Queer Eye - he has a design aesthetic that manages to capture the client's personality while elevating their surroundings.  I was impressed that he was able to take that huge empty mausoleum and make it feel like a functional living space.

Carson is as cheeky as ever.  He can learn a lot about interior design if he pays attention to what Thom teaches him.

Both clients seemed genuinely pleased with the reveals, and that's the only thing that matters.

[Chit Chat]

24 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

Carson is as cheeky as ever.  He can learn a lot about interior design if he pays attention to what Thom teaches him.

What I love about Carson (and always have) is his self-deprecating nature.  He is the first one to point out that he's not an expert in interior design, but is willing to learn from others.  There is no ego with him or Thom.  It's refreshing to see.  Carson has always had an eye for fashion, so he knows his fabrics and such - as we saw in the fabric store, and I think with Thom's help he'll be really good as a designer.

I loved the curtains they picked out for the grotto house.  Adding curtains to some of those windows helped the room a lot.   Four years is a long time to go without living room furniture.  I wonder how the bedrooms looked.  The owners must've been able to decorate them.  It is odd that she could never pull the trigger on making a decision for the living room space. I agree with other posters, there's got to be more to the story. 

Also, with their kind of money, she could always redo some things over time if she didn't like it.  And speaking of the budget, damn!  I've had homes that cost less than that! Of course that was many years ago, but still, that's a pretty hefty budget to decorate a few rooms.  Good for them, though. I loved the style of the home on the outside.  It was beautiful. 

[Lizzing]

I really liked this show.  The guys have such a natural ease with each other and weren't one-trick-pony egomaniacs, like a certain other home decorator on Bravo.  While I wasn't so in love with the wall paper in the Scarsdale house, the overall result was great.  And that might have been the first $11,000 couch I've ever seen that I would actually want and not ponder why anyone would make such a thing.  (Not that I'm in the market for a couch, but typically when I see thing uber pricey, they're just tacky.)  And even if that wall  paper was kinda odd, it was still so much more fun to watch (rather than snark watch) than anything on HGTV in the past seven or so years. Now that I've said all that, i'm sure Bravo will cancel this four eps into the season and replace it with reruns of Don't Be Tardy or some shit. LOL!

[Tanichka]

This was a lot of fun.  I had my doubts about the orange drapery, but it seemed to work.  When I saw the little bits & pieces for the Scarsdale house, I was afraid they were going ultra-modern.  But, that worked, too.  I guess they know what they're doing.

1 hour ago, Alonzo Mosely FBI said:

Now on to the snark. The lady with the big house who fired 5 designers? What made Thom and Carson win the job for her is it got HER on TV.   New money and attn seeking. Who builds a monstrosity like that with no plan? FOUR years like that?? More to the story there. 

You got that right!

[2727]

I would've loved to get a glimpse into the rest of the Scarsdale house. With something that big there'd have to be a couple other den/family room/bonus space areas with furniture where the six of them hang out and watch TV. 

Loved that Thom left the ping pong table in place. Room for everything in that cavern!

I wanted to sneak over and put some nice big flower urns on the front porch. So bare.

[meep.meep]

Glad to see Carson and Thom back.  Their banter is worth everything.

Loved watching Thom show the Scarsdale woman how curtain fabric has to work, as well as talking her out of her freak out.

[Chit Chat]

27 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

Loved watching Thom show the Scarsdale woman how curtain fabric has to work, as well as talking her out of her freak out.

She said that just going in the fabric store was overwhelming for her.  I'm kind of like that too, so I can understand that feeling.  I don't like to have a million choices when I'm buying clothes or things for the house.  Sometimes it's just too much to look at.  It was nice that Thom and her daughter picked out a few things to let her choose from, but even then she didn't like the curtains once they were hung up.  I think she ended up liking them once she saw how they blended in with everything.  She couldn't see the "bigger picture" until it was actually completed.   Having that kind of client would be extremely trying!  It's like watching those bridal shows and how some of the ladies get so overwhelmed with the choices.  

I've learned over time to just go with what I like when it comes to decorating my house, and not worry about how I think it will look to other people.  I want it to look tasteful, but also to be an extension of us with family photos and such, and not just filled up with things that don't mean anything to us.   The couple with the grotto home do have a certain standard to live up to, but I think Thom & Carson created a homey but classy living area for them.   Sometimes it's just the simple things like updating the picture frames that makes things look fresh again.  I have found some very pretty frames at the discount stores like Tuesday Morning.  I don't if any of you have those stores in your area, but they get in some really cute home stuff. 

[atlantaloves]

Well that was kinda fun, with the total lack of any shows on television about decorating, I'm totally in and will record it. I could do without Carson just acting silly, but I'll live with it.  

[palmaire]

2 hours ago, atlantaloves said:

Well that was kinda fun, with the total lack of any shows on television about decorating, I'm totally in and will record it.   

I actually stopped fast-forwarding to catch the ads for Bravo's other new design(ish) shows coming on Nov 2 -- Sweet Home and Buying it Blind. I'm always in for people other than me doing remodeling. All done and beautiful in 60 minutes!

[Chit Chat]

I wonder how much input the owner of the grotto house actually had, aside from the curtains.  I wouldn't trust any designer to redo my house without me picking out the colors, etc.   There are certain styles that I strongly dislike, so I'd be nervous about the outcome if I had no say in the decisions.   With the other home, although I liked the gold wallpaper Carson picked out, it's not something I would choose.  I think it fit that space just fine, and it was in line with what the owner wanted, but I've sworn off wallpaper - only because we've moved several times and it's always the wallpaper that gets the negative comments.  It's just easier to paint and then if we sell again, at least it's just a neutral color the potential buyer would be dealing with.   I do love wallpaper, but have found it to be a pain in my ass when having to remove it from homes we've moved into.  I'm talking about wallpaper from the 60's that had that super strong adhesive on the back of it.  The kind that pulls off drywall when you remove it!  Ugh!  Again, I do love how it looks, but I have to will myself away from the wallpaper books whenever I go to the paint store!  ;) 

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

I wonder how much input the owner of the grotto house actually had, aside from the curtains.  I wouldn't trust any designer to redo my house without me picking out the colors, etc.   There are certain styles that I strongly dislike, so I'd be nervous about the outcome if I had no say in the decisions.   With the other home, although I liked the gold wallpaper Carson picked out, it's not something I would choose.  I think it fit that space just fine, and it was in line with what the owner wanted, but I've sworn off wallpaper - only because we've moved several times and it's always the wallpaper that gets the negative comments.  It's just easier to paint and then if we sell again, at least it's just a neutral color the potential buyer would be dealing with.   I do love wallpaper, but have found it to be a pain in my ass when having to remove it from homes we've moved into.  I'm talking about wallpaper from the 60's that had that super strong adhesive on the back of it.  The kind that pulls off drywall when you remove it!  Ugh!  Again, I do love how it looks, but I have to will myself away from the wallpaper books whenever I go to the paint store!  ;) 

I remember that old wallpaper - it was a bitch to remove!  I'd go for it again in a heartbeat, but only because I'm never moving!  I did have my living area rooms painted with Thom Felicia's recommended Benjamin Moore paint back in 2003 - it still looks great.

The grotto house owners didn't seem to know what they really wanted, other than for the rooms to be DONE, but I'm sure they gave Thom some sense of their general style preferences, even if it wasn't televised.

I'd probably give Thom carte blanche to decorate my home, but only because I've seen how he pays attention to his clients' tastes and style, and how he is willing to incorporate their most treasured items in his designs.  At least, that's how he was on Queer Eye - his intuition and insight bordered on the magical.

[Chit Chat]

9 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

The grotto house owners didn't seem to know what they really wanted, other than for the rooms to be DONE, but I'm sure they gave Thom some sense of their general style preferences, even if it wasn't televised.

I wondered if that lady was just so nervous that she was going to make a bad choice that it limited her ability to make a decision, or if the choices were just too overwhelming.  Maybe it was a little of both.  My boss is currently renovating an office we will be moving into and he has agonized for months over picking the new flooring.  It's exhausting listening to his endless debates with himself over what to choose.  Just pick a damn floor and be done with it!!  I know it's a big decision, but sometimes you've just got to pull the trigger and then live with what you chose.  Been there, done that!

 I would trust Thom too, but I'd still want final approval on his ideas!  Other than the wallpaper he picked, I liked most everything else.  He did a nice job with the grotto space too.  It's nice when a designer listens to the client and doesn't do something extreme.  

[ByaNose]

The show was funny. The house turned out nice but it’s not my taste. It was a little too busy for me. The man grotto wasn’t anything big though. I could go to Target and pick out the same items for a lot less. I was expecting some grande thing. $3,800 for a outdoor club chair. Um, no. Full disclosure. I watched the first ten minutes and ffwd to the reveal. The one thing I was most impressed with was how normal the teen daughters were. Especially, the older daughter. Don’t they know their parents are super wealthy and they were living in a house for 4 years without furniture??? Shouldn’t they have been a little more traumatized? LOL!!!!

[GoldaVining]

Yay! Loved this. Carson was so sharp, so funny, always a darling. Love him.

How does that mom who can't make a decision manage her life? She has kids! If she dithers on every decision how did she ever get them dressed and out the door to kindergarten? They are teenagers now! The curtain fabric was lovely. I am envious. I didn't love the wallpaper and the curtains together, but I could keep my mouth shut about the wallpaper if it meant I got those curtains. I can't imagine what all that embroidered fabric cost. The rug was gorgeous too. I think the chyron said it cost 15 thousand dollars. I have a gorgeous old art-deco cabinet in my living room that I found on the highway. I stood next to it with my arm around it like it was a lost dog until my husband came with the truck. Just illustrating that there is no budget line for 15 thousand dollar rugs at my house.

The only thing that disappointed me in the whole episode was that they spent 130 grand (!) on those 2 (beautiful) rooms and didn't do the kids' bedrooms. The one daughter was so gung-ho and spoke of wanting to be a designer and she specifically said she wanted to do her room....so I was sure they were going to do a little collab segment and do up the the teen rooms too. What? All those bucks and none for the kids' bedrooms? That would have been so fun. I am also surprised the mom would allow herself to be portrayed on international television as such as groaning pain in the ass. I certainly felt for the children and the surgeon husband who had all lived without a goddamn couch because mother is a fretting, insecure mess. But probably this is just the "company" living area that has to be picture perfect and in another wing of that 12000 sqft house they have a den with a tv where they actually hang out on actual couches.

The psychic lady was adorable and sweet. I loved her reaction to the room reno. Did she say, "I feel like Diana Ross!" at one point? It was nice to see somebody so pleased and overjoyed and grateful. As someone who loves to sew, I am concerned about those no-sew, ironed-on seams on the orange/coral drapes. I think he used something like Stitch Witchery. Wondering how those seams will hold up if she pulls those drapes open and closed on the daily. While they looked good for the reveal, I think some top stitching would add strength and look sharp.

[Chit Chat]

4 hours ago, GoldaVining said:

I stood next to it with my arm around it like it was a lost dog until my husband came with the truck.

Funny, but true.  If you find something like that, you have to claim it stat!  You can live a few doors down, but by the time you get back with a truck, said item is usually gone. 

4 hours ago, GoldaVining said:

Wondering how those seams will hold up if she pulls those drapes open and closed on the daily. While they looked good for the reveal, I think some top stitching would add strength and look sharp.

I've made a few curtains for smaller windows, and I prefer the look of top stitching too.  I wouldn't trust the adhesive to stay glued, especially on a bathroom window where it's exposed to moisture everyday.  Maybe they'll leave the drapes alone and they'll hold.  

10 hours ago, ByaNose said:

 Full disclosure. I watched the first ten minutes and ffwd to the reveal.

The banter between Carson and Thom is so much fun to watch.  They have a true friendship that dates back to their show 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' years ago.  Carson has such a quick wit and is never mean with his humor.  As soon as I saw that Carson and Thom had a show, I was on board!  

[Corgi-ears]

On 10/20/2018 at 8:21 PM, ChitChat said:

Also, with their kind of money, she could always redo some things over time if she didn't like it. 

No kidding. I laughed when they showed her freaking out about the curtains and wondering what the "return policy" was. Lady, if you and your husband can afford to drop $130,000 on doing 1.5 rooms, I think you should be able to buy alternative curtains if need be. Unless she somehow didn't understand that curtains are not permanently affixed to a room, which is entirely possible.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Corgi-ears

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Corgi-ears said:

Unless she somehow didn't understand that curtains are not permanently affixed to a room, which is entirely possible.

I got the impression that she thought it was a once and done kind of thing.  She can well afford to update her living room from time to time without spending $130,000 each time.  Maybe she'll figure that out!  

[gingerella]

Best.Show.On.TV.Now.

Love the witty repartee between Carson and Thom, and the results were great. When I heard TPTB were remaking Queen Eye I thought there's no way it'll come close to the OG, and I was right (IMO). And seeing these two gems together again shows just how good the guys were, and still are, when they're together riffing off each other. 

BravHo, PLEASE DON'T FUCK UP THIS SHOW, like you do all your other shows, with manufacturered drama drivel! Thankfully I think Carson and Thom would bail before being pushing to ruin their own show...

[PaulaO]

I have seriously crushed on Thom since QEFTSG.  Too bad I’m a straight woman......

[PaulaO]

Swatch from Mood!

[atlantaloves]

I love that doggie....I screamed with glee. 

[gingerella]

I've always adored Carson's self deprecating humor. He's rarely if ever nasty or mean, but always brings the funny. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I watched this premiere episode last night, wonderful!

[walnutqueen]

He's a great combination of snarky and kind, with a big dollop of funny.

I appreciate that he is branching out into design, and that he is learning from the genius that is Thom Felicia.

Seeing these two reunited is a dream come true for me.

[Pj3422]

Swatch! That was a pleasant surprise!

[breezy424]

I missed the Friday night first run episode.  So I was so glad it was on again tonight.

Loved the episode and seeing Thom and Carson together again.

Hey, we're at Mood and then we see Swatch.  And then we're at Calico Corners where I've bought so many fabrics for my homes over the years!

It was a lot of fun and different from all these HGTV shows that have become sooo worn out and repetitive.  I just hope that viewers will tune into original programing  on Friday nights on Bravo.  I'm also looking forward to Sweet Home because I loved Sweet Home Oklahoma.

[Carolina Girl]

I don't know if anyone caught it, but right after this episode Bravo ran the first episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy from back in 2003.  I had forgotten how terribly witty the Fab 5 were!  So I must ask - does anyone know where I can find the ORIGINAL episodes for this series and not it's new incarnation?  

[cpcathy]

The Fab Five bursting into someone's home and snarking all the way through the first ten minutes were always my favorite part of Queer Eye.

[PaulaO]

1 hour ago, Carolina Girl said:

I don't know if anyone caught it, but right after this episode Bravo ran the first episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy from back in 2003.  I had forgotten how terribly witty the Fab 5 were!  So I must ask - does anyone know where I can find the ORIGINAL episodes for this series and not it's new incarnation?  

Send you a message

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, Carolina Girl said:

I don't know if anyone caught it, but right after this episode Bravo ran the first episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy from back in 2003.  I had forgotten how terribly witty the Fab 5 were!  So I must ask - does anyone know where I can find the ORIGINAL episodes for this series and not it's new incarnation?  

Oh, girl - have YOU been missing out.  My DVR is set to record everything Queer Eye, and Bravo was rerunning episodes in the early a.m. all week long, and several times on weekends.  I hope someone techno-savvy can point you in the right direction, because re-living those episodes made me very, very happy.  ;-)

[Reality police]

On 10/21/2018 at 3:13 PM, PaulaO said:

I have seriously crushed on Thom since QEFTSG.  Too bad I’m a straight woman......

Me and you both!?

[oldCJ]

Loved Thom on queer eye but here he was giving me Jon Lovitz vibes.  When he screamed upon seeing the huge empty foyer and living room, it was like an SNL flashback. 

[walnutqueen]

I thought he was good looking back in the Queer Eye days.  I must say, he has aged well.

[PaulaO]

I can't wait to hear him say "harrible!"

[walnutqueen]

53 minutes ago, PaulaO said:

I can't wait to hear him say "harrible!"

That's how I pronounce it to this day!!!

[Tanichka]

“This is how I’d look, if I could move my face.”   No change in expression.   ???

[Tanichka]

I wish they would lose the skinny pants, no socks look, though.

[PaulaO]

Me too! Harrible!

[meep.meep]

On 10/22/2018 at 1:19 PM, cpcathy said:

The Fab Five bursting into someone's home and snarking all the way through the first ten minutes were always my favorite part of Queer Eye.

That and the running.

[Reality police]

On 10/22/2018 at 4:19 PM, cpcathy said:

The Fab Five bursting into someone's home and snarking all the way through the first ten minutes were always my favorite part of Queer Eye.

Heaven help me i will watch the opening just to see Kyan walk. That man can strut. 

[retiredviewer]

I like the show. Carson was always my favorite from Queer Eye. I like how Thom explains things to Carson. And Carson seems to be paying attention and learning.

[Mindthinkr]

What an unexpected pleasure to have found this show tonight. These guys are a blast from the past and still look great. I love their quirky brand of humor. 

[Lava VaVoom]

What did Mr. and Mrs. Scarsdale do for a living, that they could afford a blankety-blank castle?

[Tanichka]

Loved the studio apartment.  The dog was a cutie, too.  

Hated the great room in West Nyack.  Blue is a neutral - really?  If I see another blue wall ......  As for the frickin' hanging chair - I don't get that.  The fireplace would have been fine if not for that massive clock.  The outside deck was really nice, though.

[breezy424]

Another fun episode.  Loved the studio as well.

West Nyack, not so much.  I liked the blue walls.  If I see another grey wall...  The hanging chair?  Nope but that wasn't Thom's choice.  I think Thom was doing what he could with the budget and the woman's taste.  The outside looked great but.... There was a lot out there that would need to covered in the rain (cushions etc. even it's all sunbrella) plus the hanging lights from the umbrella. 

Love Carson and Thom together. 

[EAG46]

I like that this show so far has a "small client, big client" pattern.   So far, the small clients seem more interesting.