House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[illini1959]

20 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I liked the fireplace too. I forgot about that.

I hope I'm remembering this right, but did they not have any furniture in front of the fireplace?

I saw two small chairs off to the side, but I can't remember if they showed the entire front room. It just looked like a blank expanse in front of the fireplace. I wonder why.

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, illini1959 said:

I hope I'm remembering this right, but did they not have any furniture in front of the fireplace?

I saw two small chairs off to the side, but I can't remember if they showed the entire front room. It just looked like a blank expanse in front of the fireplace. I wonder why.

You are right and I forgot to comment on that in my post. They had a dinning table to the right of it which was off the kitchen....I think. Then they nothing in front of the fireplace. I don't know if it was intentional, they ran out of money or they forgot. I would have thought HH would have just staged furniture there for the heck of it.

[izabella]

I liked the wallpaper she chose for the half bath, but not for that space.  The pattern would look great on hand towels for that bathroom, too.  But it was too busy in there, and seemed like it would make you dizzy if you'd had a couple of drinks. 

Overall, I liked what they did with the house, though some of their choices weren't appealing to me.  Opening up that kitchen was a great idea, and I liked the fireplace, though might have picked a different color.  The master bathroom tiles were a bit much for me; again, I'd find patterned curtains or something, but not floor tiles in a big space.  On the other hand, at least they tried something a little different, and I think it really did look nice.

I did like the floating vanity, though.  I also would hesitate on getting white marble counters because I'm messy and spill things, so would end up staining pretty quickly.  I think I would spring for the quartz or whatever those manufactured stones are that I hear are virtually indestructible, lol. 

And, wow, I hope they called the marble experts before applying a blow torch to unfreeze it!

Edited June 14, 2016 by izabella

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 4:04 PM, Albino said:

No, marriage is not a guarantee you'll be together forever, but it is a guarantee you will have a much stronger legal and financial footing when and if you split up.  You guys have 27 years under your belt (congrats!) but these are two kids have been together for just a few.  And he seems right on the verge of douchery.

 

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 5:58 PM, Maharincess said:

He was kind of a jerk wasn't he?  

I missed the first half and when I turned it on I thought he was gay.  I was kind of surprised to see his girlfriend. 

Thanks Albino, I hope I didn't come off as rude in my post,  I just didn't really see the difference that them being married would have made.  I get a little prickly about things like that sometimes. If I had a dollar from every divorced person who tells me that we need to get married, I would be a rich, rich woman. Lol.  We argue maybe twice a year and they last for 5 minutes, we laugh constantly, respect each other and are both totally committed to each other.   I see no reason for us to get married but I respect those that choose marriage. 

Topic...I didn't like the house much when they were done.  I'm so damn sick of stupid open concept but this woman took that to a whole new level with her open concept bathroom. 

I don't white cabinets in a kitchen, it's just so cold looking and they're a bitch to keep clean. I like dark, rich warm wood cabinets.     I really hate cabinets that are 2 different colors which seems to be the new trend.  

 

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 0:37 PM, Empress1 said:

Or you get divorced (or in their case, break up, which would likely be very messy to untangle financially) and you have to either move out or sell the house. Life happens. Also I hope they were paying their parents back, although the guy said his parents gave them a gift so maybe not. I have a friend who needed a new roof and couldn't afford it so her parents loaned her the money. She's still paying them back. And a new roof is a necessity. Concrete floors aren't.

I hated all the openness of that house - the open master, the open kitchen. I think only the half bath and guest bath had walls! Hard pass. I did like the pass-through windows to the outdoor area though.

 

You guys are all correct about the unmarried couple.  It's terrific that your relationship has worked for 27 years, Marahaincess but here's the thing, IMO - when we post about these reality TV couples, we don't know the actual, RL situation so we gotta' go with the statistics.  The statistics indicate that property purchases between unmarried couples of any kind don't work, period!

Hopefully these two visited an attorney and drew up a contract, including a buy-sell / buyout agreement in order to recoup any funds they (or their individual families) contributed before any net profits are allocated.  BTW, the provisions of these contracts are very similar to prenuptial agreements, i.e. determining the worst-case scenario and planning for it when cooler heads can prevail, before breakup emotions kick in.

Edited June 14, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Oh, and I do hope the San Pedro couple has net profits.  Perhaps they're thinking it might have to be their "forever" home!  The median price in SP is currently around $530K, median price per sf of $383.  Good luck to them, pushing a million into that place and less then 1,450sf.  With only 2 bedrooms, it won't even appear on searches by anyone desiring a family home.

In fact, I looked them up and 1 of their neighbors, same side of the street, has been on and off (mostly on) the market since the end of 2013.  Their neighbors have a 3/3, about 2,500sf, updated kitchen, greatroom and patio / yard area, remainder of the home in much better shape than their home, better curb appeal and great pool overlooking that horizon.  They started at 1.2M and are currently less than 1.1M.  (Bet they haven't priced it correctly with too much into it, like their neighbors!)  Another neighbor with a larger home is sitting on the market at 950K.

Oh, the other thing I noticed is that they purchased their home at 740K after a price drop of about 6% and they were overbidding???  Ok, yeah, sometimes another buyer comes in after a price drop but that surprises me.  I'd prefer to avoid posting their home address here but if anyone would like to see the photos, drop me a message.  I'll send you the link.  

Edited June 14, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Before we leave SP, the floor crack would have been a required sellers' disclosure.  The seller should have picked up any stabilization expenses and also the work required to pull out that "sunroom".  The realtors won't let them get away with that one (stabilization) - they're named on the lawsuits.  The sunroom had unpermitted add-on written all over it.  They had to stabilize the property or no insurer would cover it.

Because they made a conscious decision to do the entire home, I wouldn't call it a budget overage.  The kitchen was o.k. but colored cabinets scream "paint grade" and "cheap", to me.  That shower accent tile was garish.  Oh, BTW, the closet had mirrored doors on them.  If you stumble upon a rerun, see the "after" camera shot of the shower on the other side of their open concept (yuch) mbath - you can see the reflection of the closets. 

[Mu Shu]

On May 22, 2016 at 1:24 PM, Amethyst said:

Thanks for the link, because I realized I do recognize Jenny from The Amazing Race.  She was paired up with Jelani on the "couples" tour, and she was the absolute worst!  I felt so bad for Jelani because Jenny treated him like crap the whole time, ordering him around, saying he didn't have what it takes, they wouldn't last as a couple, etc.  People were writing in about how awful she was and it's probably one of of the reasons she wasn't asked to return.  The funny thing was that she was listed as a lawyer (like Jelani iirc), no mention of her fashion blog.  Methinks her blog is more of a hobby and her real income is from being a lawyer.

Knowing this now, I'm not surprised that she'd marry this dude after five minutes.  He spent most of the episode trying to keep her happy and that's what she's into.  Surprised he was able to get the staircase he wanted. 

Ugh.  I'm not really digging her fashion sense either, but she's being sponsored by various companies, so she'll continue to shill them.

I'm thinking that a lot of her clothes and shoes are sent to her gratis to advertise.  A lot of bloggers/vloggers tend to eBay after showing the items off and don't require closets the size of a garage. 

The only thing I really wanted to see in the end was the powder room.  The closet with sinks in the middle was very specific indeed.   I wonder how many people will be interested in that once they sell?     

The staircase didn't go with the style of the house.  Should have used wrought iron like they showed.  

Didnt  like self centered Jenny, but she is the norm for this show.   

[juliet73]

Burbank couple: her voice was grating, but otherwise,  they didn't annoy me.  I can't believe they spent 2+ months in the guest house.  Why couldn't they sleep in the main house since those rooms weren't being worked on?  Couldn't they have just used the guest house for the bathroom and to eat their meals? 

The kitchen:  ugh with the two toned cabinets,  but then they had two toned counter tops!!! UGH!! The designer said "the kitchen turned out exactly how I wanted it."  I wonder if the homeowners felt the same. 

The dining room came out nice but I was surprised they didn't replace that outside door with a glass/french door. It would have looked better and brighter.  What's with the Home Goods plug?  This is the 2nd time I've seen this on HHR.

The bathroom came out nice but the toilet placement would have been a deal breaker for me. 

Finally...it was so nice to see homeowners that didn't go over budget, etc. They were smart about dividing the reno into 2 phases.  After dipping into a bit of phase 2 money, they are putting phase 2 on hold until they save that money back.  Good for them!!!!  Take note previous and future homeowners...not everything has to be done at once! 

[sheetmoss]

35 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

What's with the Home Goods plug?  This is the 2nd time I've seen this on HHR.

In show commercial/promotion - same as when they feature  Lumber Liquidators flooring

I've also seen a Home Goods shopping trip  featured  on  Fixer Upper as well.

[laredhead]

Juliet73, I just began a major gut to the studs, floor, & ceiling remodel of my kitchen.  I wish I had a guest house to stay in for 2 months.  No matter how much you clean and how good the contractor is about trying to keep the dust to a minimum, it's impossible.  Right now my storage shed is looking pretty good as a place to retreat to.  Week 1 down - at least 6 more weeks to go.

Yes, it was nice to see homeowners exercise a little fiscal restraint and be happy and not stress over spending more than planned.

[Empress1]

I liked seeing the fiscal restraint too. They were a nice couple. And I don't blame them for moving; that commute sounded brutal. 100 miles a day, three hours a day, a ton of $$ in gas and wear and tear on the car ... ugh.

I'm ready to see some locations outside of SoCal! I'd like to see some totally new locations, although I'd take Chicago or Buffalo (the other two popular Renovations locations) because I feel like the properties are more interesting.

[aguabella]

Running behind (sorry) so will try to stick to the high (or lol, lol!) points.

Anyone mind talking Elmhurst, again?  I understand everyone's issues with banquettes but seriously, size shouldn't have mattered here ...  lol.  Why not?  Well, if your contractor's installing a bench custom, he/she can size it properly.  In my experience, most families have semi-assigned seating so they know who'll typically use it.  If nothing else, a h/o can have their contractor use their fave chair to measure.

Actually, I believe my issue with this particular banquette was bigger (oops, pun unintended) than that!  To me, the only thing accomplished by the designer was creation of a large dead zone in the home's previous dining area plus a smaller dead zone between the new banquette and the entryway.  Instead, I would have staged a smaller d/r table in the previous area, with leaves available for parties / holidays and possibly built in some open shelving or other cabinetry to set up a library or reading nook in that front corner.  Plus, that way the dining area's closer to the kitchen.

And, did everyone see the size of that sectional?  That was ridiculous!  Again, set up some zones.  How about a lovely grouping around the f/p?  Everyone notice how the h/o was taking care not to back into that couch (b/c it extended so far into the front of the room) when she opened the front door to greet her friends for the closing scene?  Even her puppy was concerned and waiting on the couch, ready to warn her if/when she fell backwards into the sectional.  Hey, how about breaking that sectional up and using part of it in the basement?  Or, saving some $$$ and purchasing fewer sections, if possible.

More on Elmhurst ... 

[aguabella]

More Elmhurst floor plan:

Kitchen - major designer fail.  I believe what they needed to do was invest more $$$ into the kitchen and do it right.  Why not delay the basement or one of the other projects?  Can't see them liking it going forward.  Ok, high points, high points ...

They have no counter space or cabinet space!  Is the island a work island or eating island?  The designer set up a bowling alley type run from that back kitchen door to the front door, running along that massive sectional.  Ugh - awful, awful, awful!

I'd suggest a peninsula to get f&f out of the work area and increase counter space, placed on the right side, assuming you're in the kitchen.  Then, change the fenestration of the window on the other side of the kitchen.  No need to stare at the neighbors' side wall so make it a high, narrow, dormer to brighten up that side of the kitchen.  (Nice that the previous fam installed that skylight, IIRC.)  That way, the side wall could house a narrow work table between a couple tall pantry cabinets plus opening shelving - or whatever they need.  No need to move plumbing and place the sink under that window to stare at the driveway.

This might be one kitchen that could use a rolling cart / table for add'l work space.  But, don't call it an "island", lol!  I would also try to drive traffic away from that back door.  Would consider a barn / sliding panel door across the back kit opening and encourage visitors to use the front.

Everyone notice the quartzite in the kitchen?  They should have visited a stone yard and selected a terrific slab instead of the cheaper version.  They could have done so much with that and highlighted it.  (It wasn't quartz.)  Another designer fail, to me.

Edited June 23, 2016 by aguabella

[Albino]

New episode tonight...young, soon-to-be-married couple decide to move out of cramped condo (condos are always cramped in these shows) to a roomy single family home in LA area.  And guess what!?  She wants a craftsman with character, he wants a more modern ranch.  I know, right?  How will they ever resolve this?

Sadly, I have nothing really nasty to say about these people...they were basically very down-to-earth, had a sense of humor and weren't especially entitled. Girl's overuse of "cute" started to wear thin after hearing it 15 times, though.  Anyway, they settled on a Tudor - or what passes for a Tudor in LA - and got to work.

My main problem was the end result.  Why an all-white kitchen?  ALL WHITE.  Cabinets, backsplash, countertops, farm sink, everything.  It was blinding. Designer tried to sell them on blue/gray lowers and white uppers but cute girl was too afraid of color.  (I assume...I missed this part, but she seemed very wary of it at the beginning.)  To make it worse, they went for the 80's brass fixtures on everything.  Why is this coming back? To compensate for the all whiteness of the all-white kitchen, designer sweet-talked cute girl into some god awful white and green geometric wallpaper for the dining room.  And then proceeded to add touches of green to virtually every possible nook and cranny in the living room too.  Including a rug.

And finally - if you're going to spend the money on updating the fireplace surround with the same white granite from the kitchen, why not spring for the extra $500 and replace the 80's brass fireplace trim?  It looked awful.  Although it did match the kitchen fixtures, I guess.  

[juliet73]

Los Angeles couple: They didn't annoy me too much,  but if I hear the word AMAZING one more time...

This was the 2nd worst reno IMO for the main rooms. (I think we can all agree the reno in Buffalo was the worst.)  I'm not a fan of all the green in this house.  The bathrooms turned out nice. 

I hate that brass fixtures are making a comeback, and I really hate them with ss appliances. The "before" kitchen looked like it had just been recently remodeled. I wasn't a fan of it, but I think the kitchen could have waited until a later date since they were trying to save money for a wedding too.  Another white kitchen. The "after" was very boring and there really wasn't any cabinets/storage.  

The DR wallpaper was awful! And I can't believe they paid $800 to have 4 sheets hung!! I think if the wall was just the paper,  it would have looked better. But to have the ugly accessories hanging on it too made the wall tacky and busy.

Another barn door.

I can't believe they redid the fireplace, but left that horrid brass cover!! That looks awful!!

I don't know how safe their neighborhood was,  but the bars on the windows should have been removed. 

Both bathrooms were nicely done.  However, I didn't understand why the master bath had a brass faucet, yet all the other fixtures were chrome.

Of course they went $30k over budget! They could have saved $800 if they hung the wallpaper themselves (or didn't do it at all). And almost $2000 for the backdoor?! And almost $1000 for the barn door?! I wonder if a homeowner ever says "$2000 for a door! No way! I'll go down to Habitat for Humanity ReStore and get one for a couple hundred bucks!"  If not,  they should! 

[Albino]

LOL I forgot about the barn door, Juliet.  They work nicely in some homes, but look ridiculous in most.  What is a barn door doing in a Tudor?  "Oh look how rustic and authentic we are!".  Plus...I want a door to shut completely, so I'm baffled by designers who use them for en suite baths.

But it was a Dutch door...more than worth the $2000 price tag!  Because it's too much trouble to open the whole door if you're handing someone a drink. But of course, it's useless for getting some fresh air in the kitchen because there's no screen.

Edited June 26, 2016 by Albino

[juliet73]

51 minutes ago, Albino said:

New episode tonight...young, soon-to-be-married couple decide to move out of cramped condo (condos are always cramped in these shows) to a roomy single family home in LA area.  And guess what!?  She wants a craftsman with character, he wants a more modern ranch.  I know, right?  How will they ever resolve this?

Sadly, I have nothing really nasty to say about these people...they were basically very down-to-earth, had a sense of humor and weren't especially entitled. Girl's overuse of "cute" started to wear thin after hearing it 15 times, though.  Anyway, they settled on a Tudor - or what passes for a Tudor in LA - and got to work.

My main problem was the end result.  Why an all-white kitchen?  ALL WHITE.  Cabinets, backsplash, countertops, farm sink, everything.  It was blinding. Designer tried to sell them on blue/gray lowers and white uppers but cute girl was too afraid of color.  (I assume...I missed this part, but she seemed very wary of it at the beginning.)  To make it worse, they went for the 80's brass fixtures on everything.  Why is this coming back? To compensate for the all whiteness of the all-white kitchen, designer sweet-talked cute girl into some god awful white and green geometric wallpaper for the dining room.  And then proceeded to add touches of green to virtually every possible nook and cranny in the living room too.  Including a rug.

And finally - if you're going to spend the money on updating the fireplace surround with the same white granite from the kitchen, why not spring for the extra $500 and replace the 80's brass fireplace trim?  It looked awful.  Although it did match the kitchen fixtures, I guess.  

I think we were posting at the same time.  You and I said basically the same things :) 

I think barn doors, actually sliding doors (because let's face it,  that's really what they are)  are so overused now.  They aren't different, cool,  or quirky anymore. 

Edited June 26, 2016 by juliet73

[MsTree]

Are these people getting this shit for free? Because I'll be damned if some rookie designer is going to PUSH me, and INSIST that I use brass hardware on my cabinets! And no doubt the "designer" recommended they keep the ugly brass at the fireplace to match. I won't even get into the hideous wallpaper and overuse of the color green. Come on homeowners, it's YOUR house! Unless, of course, it's all free and you re-do the decorating after "Hildi" is gone.

[nb360]

I know this is terrible, but sometimes I like to watch these shows to see how well the couple gets along. You can learn so much about relationships by watching couples trying to buy a home. This LA couple with the green wallpaper -- I don't think they will last long. The wallpaper was not nice, the man said some words that suggested that he wasn't completely "sold" on it: "Actually, I really like it now... Honestly, it's growing on me." I think he was trying to convince himself. 

I also wondered what their jobs were. It's not a small matter to go $30,000 over budget, especially when a wedding still needs to take place.

At the end of the program, the man said something like, "Let's just enjoy this house before moving on to something else," which I took to mean the wedding...

I hope it works out... but that was a pretty hefty price tag for a young couple.

Also, I did not like the designer... she seemed a little uncertain about her design choices.

[Empress1]

She was a doctoral psych candidate, he was in ... financial services? I was surprised that they were so nonchalant about going that far over budget. I'd imagine money is tight if she's a student.

I hated how their house turned out, to be honest. I like green but not that shade of green; it makes me nervous. That wallpaper was tripping me out; I'd never feel relaxed with it around. And then they added pops of that green all over, and all her accessories were too much. Very overdone and busy. Ugh. (Not to mention that the outside of the house is bright orange. Their house is loud AF.) The appliances looked new when they were touring the house - I hope they didn't replace them.

I didn't like that designer at all. Not only did I dislike all her design ideas, but there was an issue with the hood placement and she started panicking, like, get it together, lady. Act like you have some sense and professionalism.

[NYGirl]

I didn't like last night's reno at all.  I wanted to come and post about it as soon as it was over but I dozed off.  I absolutely hated it.  My reason was that it looked so busy at the end and I couldn't tell which room was which.  That horrible wallpaper..ugh.  Plus the kitchen looked so small at the end.

The designer's partner was nice eye candy though.  Plus he was so calm and collected...nice.

The couple was nice though.

Also..ugh ugh ugh..I wish they would have painted the exterior.  It reminded me of a creamsicle.

[laredhead]

When last night's episode came on and I realized there would be a kitchen reno involved, I grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote down what I thought the designer would choose for the reno - white subway tile, Shaker style cabinets in two colors probably white and gray, and either light granite or quartz for the counters.  Yep, I nailed it.  I guess I should have some business cards made advertising my decorating services for people with absolutely no imagination whatsoever.

I don't like the mix of brass hardware with SS appliances either, and the hardware she chose certainly did not look contemporary.  Trying to pull in contemporary elements in a kitchen with a farmhouse sink, Dutch door, and other things just doesn't work, IMO.  Speaking of the Dutch door, maybe there are no bugs in California.  That door would be totally useless here in Louisiana unless it had a screen on it because we have every flying and crawling insect known to man here.

I didn't mind the wallpaper, but I would not have chosen it.  I made a very bad decorating mistake back in the 80's when I had a dining room papered with what was a popular pattern, but I now consider it hideous.  It is immortalized in many family pictures taken in that room and we have a good laugh when we look at those pictures with that awful paper.  Maybe they could have used that in the small guest bath instead.

Another $30,000 over budget, and yes I agree with those of you who have said they could have saved some $$ on a few things.  I'm into week 3 of a total kitchen renovation, and so far I've have gone $700 over the original contract price, but only because there was a hidden plumbing problem that needed to be fixed.  Sometimes it seems these buyers get easily distracted by the bright, shiny objects forgetting they will be paying for those for years and years to come, probably until it's time to replace them with newer brighter, shiny objects.  

[ByaNose]

Wow! This was a major reno fail for me. I.did.not.like.the.green.accent.and.lattace.wallpaper.at.all. I didn't mind the white kitchen but I think the new brass phase makes everything look old. Especially, when you have SS appliance which is the "new thing". I also didn't like the fireplace since the tile dated it with the wood floors. There was just too much mismatch design style going on. Which is odd since there was only designer. That said, I liked the couple and the husbands reaction to the wallpaper was hysterical. Like he said, "it's just A LOT!".

[juliet73]

10 hours ago, MsTree said:

Are these people getting this shit for free? Because I'll be damned if some rookie designer is going to PUSH me, and INSIST that I use brass hardware on my cabinets! And no doubt the "designer" recommended they keep the ugly brass at the fireplace to match. I won't even get into the hideous wallpaper and overuse of the color green. Come on homeowners, it's YOUR house! Unless, of course, it's all free and you re-do the decorating after "Hildi" is gone.

Lol @ Hildi! I miss Trading Spaces.

[Peanutbuttercup]

This reno managed to end up bland, boring, personality-free, overdone, overly busy, garish, and gauche all at the same time. I don't think there was one thing I liked at the end.

[Dewey Decimate]

Have to admit that I didn't hate the wallpaper. It ended up over-tchocthke'd, but that's what I expect on these shows. What I really disliked was how the wallpaper area directly adjoined the white subway tile backsplash. Ugh - totally destroyed the flow and only drew my eye to the seam. If it's an accent wall, make sure it's a whole dang wall.

Oh, and brass fixtures are never not hideous. But maybe I'm biased as a child of the eighties.

[MooCat Pretzel]

I said to Mr. MooCat the minute my "designer" presents anything brass to me, I fire him/her on the spot.  That had to be the worst reno in the history of HGTV shows.  All of the brass accents, green décor and droopy plants were hideous, not to mention not even taking 5K and repainting the exterior of the home.  That poor young couple--they did an admirable job in pretending to like it at the end.

Edited June 27, 2016 by MooCat Pretzel

[izabella]

They'll be ok.  They can easily replace the brass pulls from the drawers and cabinets, and take down those awful green curtains and even paint that wall pretty quickly.

Hopefully, they'll donate the brass handles and green curtains to Habitat for Humanity or something (though I really don't wish those curtains on anyone!).

Edited June 27, 2016 by izabella

[Empress1]

2 hours ago, MooCat Pretzel said:

I said to Mr. MooCat the minute my "designer" presents anything brass to me, I fire him/her on the spot.  That had to be the worst reno in the history of HGTV shows.  All of the brass accents, green décor and droopy plants were hideous, not to mention not even taking 5K and repainting the exterior of the home.  That poor young couple--they did an admirable job in pretending to like it at the end.

I couldn't believe they didn't appear to entertain the idea of painting the exterior. She was like "holy orange!" when they looked at it and then it was never mentioned again. I'm not opposed to colorful houses - I was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the brightly colored houses the first time I visited New Orleans, for example, and there is a house near my mother's place that has navy shutters and muted, burnt orange trim (it's a stone house with complementary-colored accents, even down to the shades of the colors) that I love. It's interesting without being garish. But that couple's Sunkist house was ugly, I'm sorry. Maybe they'll paint it down the line.

[Peanutbuttercup]

21 hours ago, Dewey Decimate said:

What I really disliked was how the wallpaper area directly adjoined the white subway tile backsplash. Ugh - totally destroyed the flow and only drew my eye to the seam.

Could not agree more. I actually didn't hate the wallpaper either, but the contrast with the subway tile (plus all the doohickeys on the wall) made it pretty unbearable to me.

[juliet73]

2 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I couldn't believe they didn't appear to entertain the idea of painting the exterior. She was like "holy orange!" when they looked at it and then it was never mentioned again. I'm not opposed to colorful houses - I was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the brightly colored houses the first time I visited New Orleans, for example, and there is a house near my mother's place that has navy shutters and muted, burnt orange trim (it's a stone house with complementary-colored accents, even down to the shades of the colors) that I love. It's interesting without being garish. But that couple's Sunkist house was ugly, I'm sorry. Maybe they'll paint it down the line.

In my mind, off camera the designer suggested painting the exterior the same awful green as the inside... "to tie it all together".  And the homeowners said "No thanks,  we love the orange!" ?

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 0:54 PM, Talky Tina said:

I noticed the dog doesn't have a yard also, after they turned down other houses because there was no yard for the dog.  I worried about the dog on that deck. I wonder what the drop was over that railing. I kept imagining the dog or a drink person tumbling right over that short rail.  

All I can think of when I see those doors and windows they chose was flies getting in the house. I have screens on my windows because I can't stand flies in my house. 

Screens are actually available for most, if not all, types of windows and doors.  I've noticed inventory for rotating / fold-a-way doors, dutch doors and French doors.  Plus, they usually are hidden during installation so it's possible the HGTV participants had them but we didn't see them on camera.

[CocoaGoddess]

I just don't understand the wallpaper, that was the biggest waste of money ever! And worse, it will be a pain to remove it if they get tired of it sooner rather than later. 

I did an accent wall with a stencil design that resembles wallpaper, and it cost me around $60 with all of the materials included--plus I have paint leftover and the stencil can be used for different purposes. It took me less than two hours. These people are lazy and have more money than sense. 

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 11:09 PM, MsTree said:

Are these people getting this shit for free? Because I'll be damned if some rookie designer is going to PUSH me, and INSIST that I use brass hardware on my cabinets! And no doubt the "designer" recommended they keep the ugly brass at the fireplace to match. I won't even get into the hideous wallpaper and overuse of the color green. Come on homeowners, it's YOUR house! Unless, of course, it's all free and you re-do the decorating after "Hildi" is gone.

In a word ... Yes!  They're getting quite a bit of crap for free.

I was hoping that the Burbank couple could return most of the Home Goods garbage after the reveal was filmed for credit.  Those d/r chairs and barstools were so ugly!  And the cheap buffet was seriously out of scale.

Then, they'd be stuck with a large HG credit and receive a major tax bill on the crap at full retail.  Ugh!

Edited June 29, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 10:21 PM, juliet73 said:

I think we were posting at the same time.  You and I said basically the same things :) 

I think barn doors, actually sliding doors (because let's face it,  that's really what they are)  are so overused now.  They aren't different, cool,  or quirky anymore. 

I've always felt this way about barn doors.  To me, they represent contractors cheaping out and avoiding the work necessary to install a pocket door.

Sometimes, occasionally, they make sense from a design standpoint.  For me, however, that's rare.

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2016 at 11:32 AM, juliet73 said:

Burbank couple: her voice was grating, but otherwise,  they didn't annoy me.  I can't believe they spent 2+ months in the guest house.  Why couldn't they sleep in the main house since those rooms weren't being worked on?  Couldn't they have just used the guest house for the bathroom and to eat their meals? 

The kitchen:  ugh with the two toned cabinets,  but then they had two toned counter tops!!! UGH!! The designer said "the kitchen turned out exactly how I wanted it."  I wonder if the homeowners felt the same. 

The dining room came out nice but I was surprised they didn't replace that outside door with a glass/french door. It would have looked better and brighter.  What's with the Home Goods plug?  This is the 2nd time I've seen this on HHR.

The bathroom came out nice but the toilet placement would have been a deal breaker for me. 

Finally...it was so nice to see homeowners that didn't go over budget, etc. They were smart about dividing the reno into 2 phases.  After dipping into a bit of phase 2 money, they are putting phase 2 on hold until they save that money back.  Good for them!!!!  Take note previous and future homeowners...not everything has to be done at once! 

Great points about the Burbank reno, juliet73!  The new system bounced me out earlier, w/o warning, responding but this time, I quickly saved a copy.  Splitting up some chit-chat over the next two posts, as follows: 

If the dust wasn't too bad, they prob were all sleeping in the main house, although their kids most likely loved camping / crashing in that loft for a day or two.  The bedrooms weren't shown on camera.  Just b/c they had to amp up the HHR drama and state they were stuck in the guesthouse doesn't mean they actually were!.

It would have been nice, however, if they'd done a little DIY on those bedrooms, i.e. just surface treatments - painting, decorating, etc.  We didn't see it, however, so it prob didn't happen.

I hated the 2 tone treatment on steroids in the kitchen, too!  Moreover, I detested the oversized, lantern-style pendant lights over the peninsula.  And, how, according to the wife, was that g-awful backsplash "traditional"?  Both parents professed to the designer that they absolutely loved the kitchen and sounded genuine - to me, anyway.  Given their HG selections, they must have different tastes v. mine.

BTW, I heard the designer's comment in context with the parents' excited compliments to her.  She appeared thrilled that they liked it.  Also, it seemed kinda' nice that she took ownership of the project, managing the contractors (if we believe the on-camera exchanges) and seeing the kit through to completion on behalf of the h/o's and to their delight.  Given the context and her genuine smiles as they uttered those lines, I gave her a pass on that particular phraseology.

More to follow ...  next post. 

Edited June 29, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

More on the Burbank reno:

Good thinking, juliet73, to consider a French door for the d/r.  I would pass, however.  It had an existing, interior French door plus 3 fairly large windows, IIRC.  (1 window would be eliminated for the new door, BTW.)  The room appeared bright.  Considering the floor plan and both the front and rear exterior of the home, I suspect that door led to an icky side yard.

Also, the mbr, a major, future project will occur, again IIRC, on that side of the home and they weren't sure how they'd incorporate it into their floor plan.  Given the above plus the wonkiness of that roof, I'd avoid the added expense, for now.  When they complete their mbr, they'll most likely include either a French door or slider to access the backyard pool area.

You're so right about that bathroom!  I believe they need a narrower vanity plus a pocket door.  Their reno left the door hitting you in either the back or knees when you're using the toilet.  Awful!  Why bother doing the project if you're not going to correct the room's major defect?

Well ... if they're dipping into their Phase 2 funds, then, technically, they're overbudget!  But, it's HHR so they conveniently omitted the fact that the sellers would have been required to cover that lovely raw sewage / plumbing situation.  So, we don't really know the budget's actual, RL status.  I agree, however - it's great to see a couple accepting delayed gratification instead of going crazy, overspending.

Edited June 29, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Another thought on that Burbank bathroom reno:

Does everyone think they truly needed to gut that?  The husband called it "90's".  They went from one neutral tile to another, if you ask me.  How about a mini reno, e.g. new, slimmer vanity and toilet, updated light and mirror, resurface tub and most importantly, add the pocket door.  (Or, at minimum, reverse the door so it opens out v. in!)

Then, with any cost savings, DIY the bedrooms.  Instead of just passively selecting the tile, the older kids could learn to paint.  All of them could be involved in decorating their rooms. 

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎6‎/‎2016 at 8:19 AM, ByaNose said:

I agree with all of the above. That said, does anyone know if HHR kicks in money for this? Are they on really hiring the designer? After all, it's a tv show and I'm sure HHR is kicking in some money, right? I'm thinking something like $10,000? Maybe?

HHR hires the designer and approves the initial design plan.  (I'm convinced HGTV's involvement causes the boring, repetitive design plans and materials.)  My current understanding is that the going rate for the reno and flip shows has been 30K for several years but they keep that quiet.  It includes both the designer and possibly some contractor discounts plus promotional merchandise, e.g. Lumber Liquidators, Home Goods, Ikea, etc.

For tax purposes, they're required to include everything at full retail value - no exceptions.  For that reason, many of us wouldn't value the package at 30K but that's the total amount reported on the participants' 1099.

ETA - thinking about the 10K figure - that's been a rumor but my understanding is it's incorrect.  At full retail value, that'd maybe, barely cover the Lumber Liquidators, including installation.  10K definitely wouldn't include the designer's services and they receive more merchandise, too.

Edited June 29, 2016 by aguabella

[MsTree]

17 hours ago, aguabella said:

HHR hires the designer and approves the initial design plan.  (I'm convinced HGTV's involvement causes the boring, repetitive design plans and materials.)  My current understanding is that the going rate for the reno and flip shows has been 30K for several years but they keep that quiet.  It includes both the designer and possibly some contractor discounts plus promotional merchandise, e.g. Lumber Liquidators, Home Goods, Ikea, etc.

For tax purposes, they're required to include everything at full retail value - no exceptions.  For that reason, many of us wouldn't value the package at 30K but that's the total amount reported on the participants' 1099.

ETA - thinking about the 10K figure - that's been a rumor but my understanding is it's incorrect.  At full retail value, that'd maybe, barely cover the Lumber Liquidators, including installation.  10K definitely wouldn't include the designer's services and they receive more merchandise, too.

Thanks for the info. My only beef is that many times the designers insist on the ugliest things even when the owners wince at their suggestions. It makes the homeowner look like an idiot...especially when we know they hate what's being proposed. But I guess that's the price they pay for "free" stuff.

[Talky Tina]

I liked tonight's couple, the newlyweds in Chicago. The episode description said they wanted a designated tea room but I don't remember that, I just remember them wanting a room near the door to take their shoes off.  I was multitasking as I watched so I may have missed the tea room. 

I'm so tired of the same thing in every house. I hate subway tile, I think it's cold and looks cheap and its been put into every kitchen I've seen lately on these shows. I also don't like white kitchens, white cabinets can look so dirty if you don't  constantly clean them.  I do like the barn doors though,  I was ahead of the trend as I put one on my bedroom closet and my pantry door when I built my house over the course of the past 6 or 7 years. My pantry door is the same dark mahogany as my kitchen cabinets,  but the closet is raw wood.  I'm ahead of my time!  It's become so trendy that I'm not liking them so much anymore. 

Today's design trends just look so cold to me. I like a comfortable house, WITH ROOMS that people feel at home in.  I like a place where you can kick your shoes off and jump up on the couch, put your feet on the coffee table and not worry about spilling or breaking something.  Everything in today's homes looks so fragile.   Then again, I live in a cabin in the woods that I built myself (with a lot of help) in an itty bitty town in Oregon sure everybody would hate my house as much as I hate these houses. 

Edited July 10, 2016 by Talky Tina

[Albino]

10 hours ago, Talky Tina said:

I liked tonight's couple, the newlyweds in Chicago. The episode description said they wanted a designated tea room but I don't remember that, I just remember them wanting a room near the door to take their shoes off.  I was multitasking as I watched so I may have missed the tea room. 

I'm so tired of the same thing in every house. I hate subway tile, I think it's cold and looks cheap and its been put into every kitchen I've seen lately on these shows. I also don't like white kitchens, white cabinets can look so dirty if you don't  constantly clean them.  I do like the barn doors though,  I was ahead of the trend as I put one on my bedroom closet and my pantry door when I built my house over the course of the past 6 or 7 years. My pantry door is the same dark mahogany as my kitchen cabinets,  but the closet is raw wood.  I'm ahead of my time!  It's become so trendy that I'm not liking them so much anymore. 

Today's design trends just look so cold to me. I like a comfortable house, WITH ROOMS that people feel at home in.  I like a place where you can kick your shoes off and jump up on the couch, put your feet on the coffee table and not worry about spilling or breaking something.  Everything in today's homes looks so fragile.   Then again, I live in a cabin in the woods that I built myself (with a lot of help) in an itty bitty town in Oregon sure everybody would hate my house as much as I hate these houses. 

I agree.  They were one of the less offensive couples to appear.  But I could NOT believe where they had been living - the Smallest Studio Apartment In Chicago.  It looked to be about the size of an SUV.  The only annoying thing was the wife's insistence on a 'tea room'.  Even her husband - who was also Chinese - was like "How often are we going to use that dumb thing anyway?.  She claims they'll use it after dinner...apparently people come over all the time and they go in the tea room and have tea and talk and relax.  So....a living room?

The one thing I didn't like was the - wait for it - RECLAIMED WOOD! in the kitchen.  It didn't make sense with the rest of the design and looked too deliberate.  Look everybody!  Authentic reclaimed wood in our kitchen!  Check it out! 

At first I recoiled at your barn door love, but then when I read where you lived I got it.  That's when a barn door makes sense and looks like it belongs.  It's just too bad they're shoehorning them into sleek city condos and split levels in Delaware or wherever.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Albino

[Peanutbuttercup]

I liked the couple -- they weren't terribly outlandish with their wish list, and I appreciated their willingness to get their own hands dirty.

Overall I wasn't crazy about the design -- first because of the overdone elements (Shaker cabinets! Farmhouse sink! Subway tile! Sliding "barn" door!) and second because the adding in of the unfinished wooden beams on the ceiling and the wood accent wall just looked all wrong with the main design. I thought the main design was at least going for sleek and modern and then all the rustic wood seemed very out of place.

[sheetmoss]

An interview w/the designer Chad Esslinger of the Downer's Grove, IL  reno:

 

http://patch.com/illinois/downersgrove/downers-grove-designer-takes-hgtvs-house-hunters-renovation

Edited July 10, 2016 by sheetmoss

[juliet73]

The Chicago couple didn't bother me. They did go $15k over budget. I know a lot of that was the unexpected plumbing and leveling problems. But, then I would think you wouldn't spend $900 on some broken down pallets to hang on the wall or as the designer called them "reclaimed wood." And why did their subway tile cost $1700?? Wasn't it just used in the kitchen for a backsplash? 

I liked the kitchen, but it seemed very cramped and the farmhouse sink looked out of place. 

[Bastet]

I didn't like what they wound up with, but they were a pleasant couple to watch.  Their comments on the three houses were pleasantly lacking in the ridiculous, and they were interested in renovating in a way that incorporated both of their styles.  I don't think the designer did them many favors on that front, but if they're happy with it, good for them.

Nice to see someone excited about a closet, period, because having her clothes smell like food has given her some perspective.

I don't know what the hell you need a separate room to sit around and drink tea in, but I never fully understood what he wanted his study for, either.

HGTV designers will just slap a farmhouse sink down in any kitchen, won't they?

I don't remember if it was their house, or a decoy that had also been added on to (I believe the former), but when they commented on the floor not being level the real estate agent shrugged it off with, "Well, it's an addition; that happens."  Um, not if it's done properly.

[ChelseaNH]

From the designer interview: "This particular episode was to be integrated with products specific to one supplier".  Not much variety at IKEA, it seems.

I like Shaker cabinets (mine are maple) and subway tile.  Just not all. the. time.

[CocoaGoddess]

Most new kitchens from every decade looks the same. If I'm redoing a kitchen, I'm not going to go out of my way to put in non trendy appliances and finishes just because. People like the look of solid color countertops, shaker cabinets and subway tile backsplashes, just like oak cabinets and white tile countertops were standard in the 90s. It's not a huge deal to me.

I have a new kitchen with gray cabinetry, white quartz and subway backsplash, but despite what is shown on HGTV, these kitchens are not in the majority of homes right now, so my kitchen is still pretty new and shiny and gets a lot of compliments when I have guests over. This style is only "outdated" on HGTV.  Even the builders were surprised and said that they hadn't had an opportunity to install gray cabinets and white quartz in any of the homes they built, that most homeowners are still choosing brown cabinetry and brown/beige granite finishes.

I think that with reno, there's just way, way too much focus on kitchens though, and that's why it seems so monotonous and overdone. We don't need to see kitchen renos in every! single! episode! The owner's personality and style comes through when they are doing other parts of the home, and I wish HGTV would be a little more choosy when picking buyers to be on this show. I would love to see a complete backyard renovation, or a basement, or any other part of the home but the kitchens and bathrooms. 

Re: the Chicago couple, I just don't understand sticking a barn door in an otherwise contemporary space. It just looked so huge and bulky and completely out of style in that bedroom, and I could swear that the guy hesitated when his wife asked how he liked it. 

The kitchen was ho hum and standard, but the beams looked out of place--and yes, we know it's not structural, Mr. Designer and everyone who walks into that room will know that they're not structural--and clashed with the dark espresso cabinets. I'm not sure how in the hell they thought an island would fit into that tight space, so it's a good thing the designer gently course corrected that little plan. 
I would have chosen a lighter color for the cabinets though, especially since they were dead set on having those ridiculous beams. The espresso color made the kitchen look cramped and small. And speaking from personal experience, they are so going to regret that color the first time someone accidentally drops a bag of flour on the floor. (Don't ask)

I like the idea of a tea room! We have a "sitting" room here in my house that I thought was a waste of space and I had no idea what we would do with it. We put in a fireplace, declined having it wired for TV (it is new construction), and turned it into a nice reading/quiet space where we can retreat and read, write, or have after meal conversations with no distractions, it is especially cozy in the winter. We use the space far more than we anticipated and I'm glad that we have it, so her wanting a dedicated tea room even if she's the only one who will use it seems fair to me. 

[Bastet]

Quote

Re: the Chicago couple, I just don't understand sticking a barn door in an otherwise contemporary space. It just looked so huge and bulky and completely out of style in that bedroom, and I could swear that the guy hesitated when his wife asked how he liked it. 

Not just a hesitation, he filled that pause with the up-talk "Um ..." that is a clear signal the positive answer to follow is going to either be an attempt at diplomacy or an outright lie.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Bastet

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I thought they were so cute, especially the wife.  I was thrilled that it wasn't an all-white kitchen!  Is anybody at HGTV listening to us?!?  It has just gotten ridiculous showing the same choices over and over, with no real design shows left.  I haven't been watching as much ... there just is nothing new under the sun.