House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[MsTree]

11 hours ago, Albino said:

...is there any advantage to a farmhouse sink, or is it just for looks?

While most people like it for looks, I like it because it prevents water from running down the front of your cabinets (esp. when you have a sloppy person rinsing dishes :)) and damaging the wood. Much easier to wipe down the sink 'apron' than eventually deteriorating the stain on the cabinet below.

[ChelseaNH]

If they're going to use the same design elements over and over and over and over, what's the point of having multiple episodes?

[izabella]

11 hours ago, MsTree said:

While most people like it for looks, I like it because it prevents water from running down the front of your cabinets (esp. when you have a sloppy person rinsing dishes :)) and damaging the wood. Much easier to wipe down the sink 'apron' than eventually deteriorating the stain on the cabinet below.

I think the farmhouse sinks are also great for washing big pots and long pans, especially if those are things that shouldn't be run through the dishwasher or are too big to fit in the dishwasher.  Divided sinks make it a lot harder to wash bulky items.

[NYGirl]

23 hours ago, juliet73 said:

There was a "dining area". It was next to the couch near the fireplace.  It was a small table with 4 chairs.  It looked like an afterthought. Oops, we forgot a DR. Oh,  here's a bit of space by the fireplace. 

OMG.  How are they going to entertain?

[MsTree]

12 hours ago, ChelseaNH said:

If they're going to use the same design elements over and over and over and over, what's the point of having multiple episodes?

I don't think we watch HHR for design tips...the same way we don't watch HH for realtor tips. Personally, I watch for the drama of it all. And while certain elements like subway tile might be repetitive, the floor plans of each house are different. No two shows are exactly the same in total content.

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, MsTree said:

I don't think we watch HHR for design tips...the same way we don't watch HH for realtor tips. Personally, I watch for the drama of it all. And while certain elements like subway tile might be repetitive, the floor plans of each house are different. No two shows are exactly the same in total content.

I don't watch this show for design tips but I fast forward through all the renos because of the stupid drama.

[ByaNose]

I must say that HGTV loves a barn door, don't they? They're in the pantry, the bedroom and the bathrooms. Everywhere except an actual barn. They are pretty to look at but I don't know one person who has one. Maybe, I'm in the wrong demographic. I'm 51 and live in the Philly suburbs. It looks like they are here to stay a while according to what HGTV is showing. Like I said, they are pretty but I've never actually seen one in person. Maybe, I need to get out more. LOL!!!

Edited August 7, 2016 by ByaNose

[laredhead]

ByaNose, my son and his wife put one in their kitchen to block the view from the front door into the kitchen.  They used this style instead of a pocket door because they didn't want to tear into the plaster wall to install a pocket door.  They used a solid exterior style door, instead of a rustic style to coordinate with the other doors in their house.  They don't close it very often, and I don't think it's very practical because it tends to swing outward at the bottom when it's moved back and forth and doesn't seal like a hinged door.  For their purpose, it works OK, but I don't think I would ever install one just because of the overuse on HHR.

[aguabella]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 11:28 AM, sheetmoss said:

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

Anyone else notice this guy posted a couple of photos before the episode aired?  Chad might want to review his contract.  I've spoken with participants about photos over the last few years and, IIRC, I'm not sure they're allowed to provide photos even after the episode airs. 

Incidentally, if anyone's interested, he also posted about the episode on houzz.com.  For the couple's sake, I wish he'd spent as much time working on their design as he apparently spent marketing himself.  Oh well - you get what you pay for and it was a freebie.

Thanks for posting the article, sheetmoss. 

ETA:  The realtor gave an interview, too - sans photos, however!  Hmmm ...

Anyone else disappointed they didn't tour a couple of Sears kit homes in Downers Grove?  I always enjoy seeing them.

Edited August 6, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

Returning briefly to Downers Grove, I didn't previously get a chance to discuss my issues with Chad's work.  Mostly, I felt his design was a mish-mash.  Was he trying to prove to potential clients that he could help them with any design style??

The kitchen was basically contemporary but then he introduced rustic for the h, right?  I would have been fine with that if he'd limited it to the beams.  But no, he had to add the expensive reclaimed wood on the chimney.  Hated it!  It darkened the space, closing the walls in, highlighting the kitchen's small size, if you ask me.

They showed that tiny patch of damage on the chimney.  Instead of the expensive reclaimed wood, why not parge the back of that chimney and cover it with a thin layer of brick veneer?  Select a light veneer with variations in color to make it appear old.  Or, smudge it with paint until you achieve your desired color / look.  If anyone asks about it - just say, "Oh yeah, that's where the old chimney was!"  True statement, lol.

So then, after introducing contemporary and rustic and enclosing the room - presto, changeo, we have a glam Hollywood Regency dining room, complete with mirror, crystal chandy and silvery drapes!  Say, what???

Instead of H/R, how about staying with the comtempo / rustic look for the d/r?  To balance out the beams, why not give the opposite wall, the d/r's far wall, a wood treatment?  In fact, they could have used the discarded flooring for that.  Again, if the flooring wasn't their desired shade, change it or distress it.  I believe that would have expanded the space instead of closing it in ...

Stepping off design soap box now - well, that's until later, lol!  

[Bastet]

Tonight's Burbank HH, upon being shown the designer's proposed quartz for the countertop:  I really wanted white.

Me:  That is white!

I missed the introduction, so for the entire tour of the first house and several minutes of the second, I thought Leonardo was a dog, not a child. 

It was nice to see someone come up with a slapdash fix for an outdated bathroom to make a minor cosmetic improvement until they could afford to do it properly, rather than going further into debt to keep up with the Joneses, so I'll give them that.

"We need to be closer to family" as the reason for moving from Encino to Burbank is either bullshit for "we want a bigger place but can't afford one here" or code for "we want free daycare from our parents and thus need to be just minutes away to avoid inconvenience."  Based on their budget, methinks the former.  Which, fine.  But say it. 

They spent the money to replace those windows with French doors, then shoved a couch in front of them.  Is anybody really going to scoot behind the couch to access those doors rather than just walking through the easily-accessed door that already existed a few feet away? 

At least they put new windows in the kitchen rather than doing like some other HHR couple and leaving the original windows despite the fact the new counter top was too high for them. 

No barn door, anyway.

[ByaNose]

9 hours ago, Bastet said:

Tonight's Burbank HH, upon being shown the designer's proposed quartz for the countertop:  I really wanted white.

Me:  That is white!

I missed the introduction, so for the entire tour of the first house and several minutes of the second, I thought Leonardo was a dog, not a child. 

It was nice to see someone come up with a slapdash fix for an outdated bathroom to make a minor cosmetic improvement until they could afford to do it properly, rather than going further into debt to keep up with the Joneses, so I'll give them that.

"We need to be closer to family" as the reason for moving from Encino to Burbank is either bullshit for "we want a bigger place but can't afford one here" or code for "we want free daycare from our parents and thus need to be just minutes away to avoid inconvenience."  Based on their budget, methinks the former.  Which, fine.  But say it. 

They spent the money to replace those windows with French doors, then shoved a couch in front of them.  Is anybody really going to scoot behind the couch to access those doors rather than just walking through the easily-accessed door that already existed a few feet away? 

At least they put new windows in the kitchen rather than doing like some other HHR couple and leaving the original windows despite the fact the new counter top was too high for them. 

No barn door, anyway.

Either the couch in front of the front door was for photography purposes or it's a small room. WTH? You wouldn't  be able to escape that room if there was a fire. I.didn't.get.that.all. It was a light and airy room but that couch was an inch away from the door handle. I didn't like the kitchen backsplash either. I get that the designer was trying to present some color but the style/color of the tile wasn't working for me. I give them props for the mini bathroom makeover. It wasn't pretty but it was practical. Totally agree about no barn door. Color me shocked. LOL!!!

[izabella]

Sigh.  There are so many colors in the rainbow, and all people want is white on white on white. 

[juliet73]

Burbank ep: couple didn't annoy me.  I agree with everyone else regarding the french doors. I didn't see the point of them when there was another set of french doors a few feet away.  And they are useless if you're going to put a couch up against them.  

Even though she said in the beginning of the episode that she didn't want a galley kitchen,  she still ended up with a galley kitchen after the reno. I liked the outcome even though it's the same as every other HHR remodel.  For this particular kitchen though, I think the white cabinets were necessary.  Anything else would have closed in the space and made it look darker.  At least they used a different colored backsplash and didn't have a barn door. I liked the white countertop. I fast forwarded through the second half so I didn't understand why she needed 2 sinks in a smaller sized kitchen? The farmhouse one should have been eliminated.  The handle on the dishwasher stuck so far out...that would drive me crazy!

And of course they went over budget by $20k. I understand they had the asbestos issue that they weren't anticipating, but then I would think to save some money,  they wouldn't spend $2300 on a light fixture!!! And it looked like basic pendant lighting!!  And $950 on cabinet pulls? They weren't anything special either.  They could have saved 75% or more on those if they bought them off ebay, etc. Then they could have used that money towards the bathroom.  Speaking of the bathroom,  it looked good for the minimal effort that put into it. I'm glad to hear they didn't need it remodeled immediately.

Obvious plug for 3M.

Edited August 7, 2016 by juliet73

[ByaNose]

2 hours ago, juliet73 said:

Burbank ep: couple didn't annoy me.  I agree with everyone else regarding the french doors. I didn't see the point of them when there was another set of french doors a few feet away.  And they are useless if you're going to put a couch up against them.  

Even though she said in the beginning of the episode that she didn't want a galley kitchen,  she still ended up with a galley kitchen after the reno. I liked the outcome even though it's the same as every other HHR remodel.  At least they used a different colored backsplash and didn't have a barn door. I liked the white countertop. I fast forwarded through the second half so I didn't understand why she needed 2 sinks in a smaller sized kitchen? The farmhouse one should have been eliminated.  The handle on the dishwasher stuck so far out...that would drive me crazy!

And of course they went over budget by $20k. I understand they had the asbestos issue that they weren't anticipating, but then I would think to save some money,  they wouldn't spend $2300 on a light fixture!!! And it looked like basic pendant lighting!!  And $950 on cabinet pulls? They weren't anything special either.  They could have saved 75% or more on those if they bought them off ebay, etc. Then they could have used that money towards the bathroom.  Speaking of the bathroom,  it looked good for the minimal effort that put into it. I'm glad to hear they didn't need it remodeled immediately.

Obvious plug for 3M.

Yeah, I wonder how much 3M contributes? I also notice that Joss & Main are also prominently displayed on the other shows as well. At least, you get some nice stuff from them. I guess a plastic clasp for your broom is nice, too. LOL!!!

[laredhead]

Juliet73, I'm with you on the expensive extras that could easily be postponed and installed later like a light fixture.  If you are over budget, or a budget is important, skip the extra expense now and buy and install it later.  $2300 on a light fixture is ridiculous in a house in that price range - IMVHO.  Those must be the things that the HH's get for free or at a deep discount, and then they state the price that it retails for.

[laredhead]

I finally got around to watching the Torrance, CA episode and while it has been a couple of weeks since it aired, I just had to make a couple of comments.  First, the woman's voice grated on my last nerve.  At first I thought the sound on my TV was wonky, but everyone else sounded normal.  It was a combo of vocal fry and shrillness if that's possible.  Now for a comment about the house.  After insisting on natural light over and over and over, and an open kitchen concept again over and over, and several other things that she just had to have, she topped all of that by saying that the only thing she really wanted in her house was a red front door.  Really?  Perhaps someone should have shown her the list of her other must haves.  Thank goodness her husband won that battle and painted the interior of the door black.  Where on earth did she ever get the idea that a door has to be painted the same color on each side?  

This was also another math challenged couple.  The largest house they looked at was about 1600 sf and they wanted 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a large walk in closet, blah, blah, blah.  Then when they are shown the "slightly less than 1500 sf house" that they purchased, they griped about the small rooms.  Either lose a bedroom or two on your requirements list or increase the square footage of houses you are looking at for goodness sake.  One of my all time pet peeves with HH's.

Everyone who commented about the sameness of the decor of the redo is correct - boring.  I think Sherwin Williams and other paint companies could save a lot of money by stocking only white, gray and beige these days.  They have hundreds of pretty color swatches.  Does anyone ever buy paint with color these days?  Episodes like this make me wish for more of the type like the awful Buffalo reno.  At least it was different.    

[Bastet]

Quote

Where on earth did she ever get the idea that a door has to be painted the same color on each side?  

That paint color discussion was the only thing I saw other than the reveal, and I was confused.  She was on about painting the door one color on the outside and another color on the inside as if that were bizarre, but every door I have - interior or exterior - is a different color on each side.  Unless you paint all the trim in your house the same color (which I don't, as every room is a different color and thus, while most rooms have some shade of white as the trim color, they have different shades of white in order to best coordinate with the wall colors), that's just how painting works.  And certainly with an exterior door, since not many people have the same trim color outside as they do in their foyer.  That was such a strange thing to get hung up on.

Edited August 10, 2016 by Bastet

[aguabella]

Anyone interested in the Mellenthin homes?  Here's some info:

https://paradiseleased.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/before-the-birdhouse-some-early-mellenthin-homes/

Page down slightly, if you're interested in a standard floorplan.  It's not exact but I believe the Burbank home's very similar.

More on the episode / design later but first off, it's too bad they can't eliminate the dovecote (bird house) from the garage.  I know, it's his signature so it stays but ugh, birds can do serious damage to roofs.

What was Mr. M thinking, lol!

BTW, while searching for the floorplan, I did find listing photos.  If anyone's interested in seeing them, PM me b/c as always, I'd rather not publish their home address. 

[Albino]

Although I liked the chicken-raising, fitness-fanatic, too-cool-for-school couple moving to Austin (especially Chad!) that house was a hot mess.  I mean, I like color too but this place hurt my eyes.  Screaming red, magenta, green, purple, ornate blue wallpaper, plus ghastly "hand painted" curtains in bright stripes and squiggles, and twee knick-knacks galore.  Even the kitchen hardware was hideous.  If they're going to paint anything, they should have started with the pistachio house color.  Oh wait...I forgot...they LOVE color. That may have been mentioned once or twice. How hard is it going to be to sell this Crayola Castle when they realize Austin is not cool enough for their awesome hipness?  

They were easy enough to please  (especially Chad!) and didn't use the words "gut job" or "farmhouse sink" once.

I know it's Austin, but won't the neighbors hate having chickens clucking and shrieking at all hours?  That is, until they go to the house, knock on the door and see Chad in all his handsomeness. 

Edited August 14, 2016 by Albino

[AnnaRose]

I tuned in late, just as the designer was suggesting that tacky wood wallpaper and Chad nixed it.  Between that and the nice cabinet color and gorgeous quartz counter tops, I actually had high hopes for this reno.  It turns out those were the only things I liked in this entire reno.  House-wise anyway... I did like the couple too.  They seemed very nice, I thought he was cute and seemed very handy, and she had very pretty eyes, and I didn't notice any grating vocal fry or uptalking... so that was a big plus for a change.  (It's been making HGTV mostly unwatchable for me lately.) 

I was just completely astounded at how horrific everything else was.  There was no balance or harmony anywhere in that house after they were finished.  Everywhere you looked everything clashed.   I remember when they showed the master bedroom and I thought, okay, a lot of color but at least it's mainly limited to the the dark green and light yellow with some neutrals.  Then the turned the camera to show all the hideous clashing colors in the other direction and that gawd-awful magenta on the ceiling. 

At one point, the wife (they were married, right?) indicated how pleased she was that the gaudy marble cabinet handles added another 'element' to the room.  That's the problem, the whole house is full of disparate 'elements' screaming for your attention everywhere you look.  And all these elements are fighting with each other because none of them 'go' with each other.   So many clashing colors, tones and patterns etc.

Albino - I think only the roosters are noisy and are usually banned from urban/suburban neighborhoods.  From what I've read, egg laying hens are not a nuisance.

[Albino]

Thanks for the chicken info, AnnaRose.  I'm from the Northeast...the only chickens I really know are wrapped in clear plastic wrap at the supermarket.  They are very quiet.  Too quiet....

[Bastet]

It's great having a nearby neighbor with backyard chickens.  I don't know if living next door would create smells and sounds I'd find a nuisance - although I'd rather listen to chickens than crying babies or shrieking children any day - but being a few houses away means I have steady access to fresh eggs, and the peace of mind that the chickens bearing them are fed, housed, and all-around treated as they should be.

[sheetmoss]

4 hours ago, Albino said:

Although I liked the chicken-raising, fitness-fanatic, too-cool-for-school couple moving to Austin (especially Chad!) that house was a hot mess.  I mean, I like color too but this place hurt my eyes.  Screaming red, magenta, green, purple, ornate blue wallpaper, plus ghastly "hand painted" curtains in bright stripes and squiggles, and twee knick-knacks galore.  Even the kitchen hardware was hideous.  If they're going to paint anything, they should have started with the pistachio house color.  Oh wait...I forgot...they LOVE color. That may have been mentioned once or twice. How hard is it going to be to sell this Crayola Castle when they realize Austin is not cool enough for their awesome hipness?  

They were easy enough to please  (especially Chad!) and didn't use the words "gut job" or "farmhouse sink" once.

I know it's Austin, but won't the neighbors hate having chickens clucking and shrieking at all hours?  That is, until they go to the house, knock on the door and see Chad in all his handsomeness. 

Previous owners had chickens as well, so if neighbors did hate them...and breathed a sigh of relief when the were gone, are probably shitting their pants with new owners.  What are the chances?

The only thing that bothered me, I know it's Austin and it's warmer, but I wish the chickens had a bit more protection from the elements in their coop

I didn't mind the after, I kid of liked it's OTT-ness w/color--prefer that than the usual color phobics shown

It also was nice not to see subway tile, barn door, etc

I don't know why it amused me so me, but I got a delight out of seeing Chad wear jeans cut off high so your could see a bit of the  pockets  hanging out when the were pouring the paint--it brought me back to the 70's w/the retro look when men's shorts didn't go down to their ankles..

Edited August 14, 2016 by sheetmoss

[NYGirl]

Loved the couple...hated the renovation.  Having such good looking eye candy kept me awake for the whole episode.  Just as I was about to doze off the reveal happened and my eyes flew wide open.  Yikes!!!!  This reno jumps above that hideous green wallpaper one of a couple of weeks ago.  That red living room..ugh.  I was picturing a nice light gray for that room.  And then the magenta ceiling... there.are.no.words.

That being said I wanted them to pick the pistachio house.  It was my favorite and had the shed and chicken coop already there for them.

[Empress1]

Looks like the couple was into Crossfit and vision boards. That made me chuckle. They also seem genuinely fond of each other. And they stayed on budget!

So refreshing to see a renovation that veered from the standard. I was getting sick of SoCal and the interchangeable kitchens. Having said that, there was a LOT going on in that house. I quite liked the backsplash but not with that orange-tan wall color. The orange-tan against that paisley wallpaper and striped curtain looked kind of crazy. The living room is a very aggressive shade of red - better as an accent, I think. The blue bedroom with the magenta ceiling and orange trim made me feel claustrophobic. I liked some individual components but not all together.

I might turn a shed into a gym if weather allowed and I had ample storage space already, so that was cool.

[ByaNose]

It's not my taste but they seemed happy with it. Unfortunately, they had so much going on that it looked ugly. They are so much younger than me so maybe I can't appreciate but the bedroom ceiling looked like it was closing down on that room after they painted it. That said, I didn't see a barn door in sight. Of course, there was a chicken coop. One step forward...2 step backwards. LOL!!!!

[wait.what]

Did they ever show the hand painted curtains? The ones I saw in the reveal were orange, but didn't look like the ones they were painting earlier in the episode. 

[Albino]

54 minutes ago, wait.what said:

Did they ever show the hand painted curtains? The ones I saw in the reveal were orange, but didn't look like the ones they were painting earlier in the episode. 

You mean the curtains that will blow all their friends away when they entertain?  The ones that everyone will ask where they bought them and she'll be all "Bought?  We MADE them ourselves!"?

I didn't see them anywhere, unless they were used in the chicken coop.   Or they might have just thrown them out since they were boring black and white.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Albino

[juliet73]

Austin episode: I owe the infamous Buffalo house an apology.  

The couple wasn't annoying.  Total hipsters. I'm glad he was handy and they repurposed the kitchen cabinet doors and bunk beds. 

I liked the kitchen cabinets and the back splash. Everything else looked HORRIBLE!!!  I understand wanting color, but this mess went way overboard!!!  There was way too much going on!! Everywhere!!  It was like the designer gave them a bunch of materials/textures/colors and said pick a couple. Instead,  they went with all of the above!! 

How can they even relax in that bedroom, let alone sleep?  So many colors! Loud colors! Everywhere!

Happy to see they didn't go over budget. They could have come in under budget if they didn't spend $600 on two wood shelves! Why didn't he use some wood from the bunk beds and build those shelves himself? For free? 

[Empress1]

25 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

Austin episode: I owe the infamous Buffalo house an apology.  

The couple wasn't annoying.  Total hipsters. I'm glad he was handy and they repurposed the kitchen cabinet doors and bunk beds. 

I liked the kitchen cabinets and the back splash. Everything else looked HORRIBLE!!!  I understand wanting color, but this mess went way overboard!!!  There was way too much going on!! Everywhere!!  It was like the designer gave them a bunch of materials/textures/colors and said pick a couple. Instead,  they went with all of the above!! 

How can they even relax in that bedroom, let alone sleep?  So many colors! Loud colors! Everywhere!

Happy to see they didn't go over budget. They could have come in under budget if they didn't spend $600 on two wood shelves! Why didn't he use some wood from the bunk beds and build those shelves himself? For free? 

I think the Buffalo house is worse. Everything the Austin couple did can be taken down or painted over - curtains and paint are an easy fix. They'll probably take the curtains with them. We say all the time that no one should pass up a house because they don't like the paint color, and I would expect to paint a place no matter what. (I did like that they weren't afraid of color. I just didn't care for the color combinations they used.) But the Buffalo couple installed that insane kitchen floor and used those horrible reclaimed wood cabinets, which will have to be torn out and replaced. Much more time-consuming and costly to get rid of.

It's funny to think about how the Austin couple will stage that house if/when they put it back on the market though. That bedroom paint job is awful. Like @ByaNose said, the ceiling looks like it's coming down on them. And orange and blue are complementary colors, but that bright orange and the dark blue are too sharp a contrast. 

[sheetmoss]

It finally it me who the Austin couple wife reminds me of , actress Jane Levy, Suburgatory and Mandy Milkovich on the S1 of Shameless.

Chad gave me a Keanu Reeves vibe from Parenthood.

Edited August 17, 2016 by sheetmoss

[buttercupia]

that place in austin was a technicolor train wreck. i love color as much as the next person (probably more) but it does help if things are even slightly cohesive. that was just all over the place.

[izabella]

For me, that magenta bedroom ceiling vies for Worst Idea Ever with the marble kitchen cabinet handles.  That vintage cove ceiling feature was virtually swallowed up by the dark, saturated magenta.  They would have done better to just paint the ceiling a lighter shade of the wall color.  The marble cabinet handles were entirely wtf for me.  They felt completely out of place on those cabinets and in that house.

But, I'm glad they did their house the way they wanted it, and even though that jumble of color felt too carnival crazy for me, for them I'm sure it feels fun and eclectic. 

[Peanutbuttercup]

For those of you who have missed out on the infamous Buffalo episode, it's re-airing tomorrow afternoon (4 PM eastern).

[Albino]

On 8/18/2016 at 4:56 PM, Peanutbuttercup said:

For those of you who have missed out on the infamous Buffalo episode, it's re-airing tomorrow afternoon (4 PM eastern).

I watched it again and I still cannot get with all the diagonal wood, especially in that bathroom.  It was baby blue and peony pink and shit brown and God only knows what else.  Wasn't one of them a preservationist or something?  Because I'm wondering what kind of Victorian had that kind of floor and walls?

And the suspenders were even more annoying the second time around.

[Mu Shu]

Chickens aren't a noise problem.  Birds sleep at night so the minimal noise they make  during the day shouldn't bother anyone, as long as it's just a small bunch.   Roosters of course crow to greet the day, but these people are probably wanting eggs, so no rooster needed.  Actually, Im a light sleeper, and have never been awakened by the neighbor rooster, or the key west roosters.

but these people are hipsters .  I have nothing good to say about hipsters and their stupid pants and eyeliner.   

[Albino]

Am I the only one who wanted to shoot, strangle, stab....uh, I mean slap Cassie and Oliver, the couple who bought a lovely, rustic, cottage-y ranch in California?  If you don't like dark wood don't buy a house that is all dark wood.  I had a small seizure when they were trashing all the beautiful built-ins in the den.  Then white-washing all the gorgeous wood left behind.  Which, by the way, looked like complete and utter ass when they were done.  They even painted the lovely carved oven hood in the kitchen.  All because pissy Cassie wanted everything bright and white.  Again...why buy the house to begin with?

I have no problem with dark wood and an un-bright home.  And I admit, that was a lot of wood.  But jeez, at least make it better, or reuse it somewhere else. Which reminds me, did anyone notice that after sassy Cassie redid the bathroom (by painting it white, of course) that the ceiling was torn and falling down?  I assume the pro's fixed it, because she had paint all over the brown trim too.

The butcher block waterfall "eat-in" counter in the kitchen was laughable. It looked to be all of 4 feet long FFS.

At the end - when they were "entertaining all their family and friends" one guest said something about coming over every weekend for dinner.  Interesting in that there was no dining room or place to eat, other that the ammmaaazing counter in the kitchen.  Or they could use their precious pool table I guess.

[NYGirl]

Wow I didn't even notice that there was no dining space.  Being Italian that's the first thing I always notice.  I guess I was being too horrified at all the bright whites...they were blinding me.  What was the story with that stupid butcher block thing in the middle of that kitchen?  Yes. I did notice the paint all over the brown trim too.

What I couldn't get over was the size of that stove!!!  It took up half the wall in that small kitchen.  Why, Oliver, why? You are only 2 people with room for maybe 1 more when you entertain.

[biakbiak]

There was a decent sized dining room off the kitchen (you could actually put in a huge table with leaves because the opening going into the kitchen was huge), they showed it during the initial tour, the opening was opposite where the stupid butcher block peninsula was, I imagine they didn't show it during the reveal because they didn't do that much to it other than painting the wainscoting, you can see a glimpse of someone painting it right before they bring in the range. It has wood beams on the ceiling and a pendent light fixture, they even mention it in the voiceover.

I actually liked the white in the kitchen it made that stained glass look so much better. The white washing in the den was ugly and I hated that the wainscoting in the bathroom didn't go all the way to her must have vanity, though the bathroom was ugly pre-reno.

Edited August 21, 2016 by biakbiak

[ByaNose]

The white washing did not look good at all. It looks like they didn't wash enough. LOL!!! The kitchen was nice but the stove is too big & the island is too small.

[Empress1]

11 hours ago, Albino said:

I have no problem with dark wood and an un-bright home.  And I admit, that was a lot of wood.  But jeez, at least make it better, or reuse it somewhere else. Which reminds me, did anyone notice that after sassy Cassie redid the bathroom (by painting it white, of course) that the ceiling was torn and falling down?  I assume the pro's fixed it, because she had paint all over the brown trim too.

I noticed that too. All kinds of cracks in the ceiling and she'd gotten paint on the trim. I didn't see any painter's tape when she was painting, so the fact that she got paint on the trim wasn't a surprise.

That whitewashed den looked terrible. It just looked like the walls were dirty.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I have a very strong stomach. I've helped dissect a human cadaver and sat in on some pretty gory animal necropsies without batting an eye. But the sight of those two jerks laughing triumphantly as they ripped out built-in bookshelves about made me dry heave.

Once again we were treated to subway tile backsplash, farmhouse sink, and a two-tone shaker cabinet scheme. At least I think we escaped this reno without a sliding barn door, so props for that. Also, kudos to the designer for pushing back on the "we NEED to open up the kitchen!" mantra that apparently all HGTV guests get bashed into them by their corporate overlords, along with "we NEED open space because we LOVE TO ENTERTAIN!"

Also, their dogs were adorable so that makes up a little for the travesty of the built in bookshelves and hideously painted wood trim, which I would otherwise believe should result in prison time for the both of them.

I was intrigued by the recycled paper counters. And they didn't even look all that expensive from the price we were shown.

Paperstone countertops

[izabella]

The white washing looked like it had been primed to be painted, and then stopped.  It would have been better if they had painted it white or just left it alone because it looked awful.

Hated that butcher block peninsula.  Stupid use of space and it looks like it would get in the way each and every time they walk into that kitchen or carry plates to the dining room.  I can see a lot of bruised hips in their future as they smack into the corners of that peninsula.  I also noticed that the peninsula blocked access to some shelves that were on the side of the lower cabinet that the peninsula abutted, which meant that they would have to crawl under the peninsula to get to those shelves.

I didn't love the reno.  I do give them snaps for the recycled paper countertop - it's something different and sounds like it was very durable.

[izabella]

6 minutes ago, Peanutbuttercup said:

I have a very strong stomach. I've helped dissect a human cadaver and sat in on some pretty gory animal necropsies without batting an eye. But the sight of those two jerks laughing triumphantly as they ripped out built-in bookshelves about made me dry heave.

Once again we were treated to subway tile backsplash, farmhouse sink, and a two-tone shaker cabinet scheme. At least I think we escaped this reno without a sliding barn door, so props for that.

I kept thinking they should make an unnecessary sliding door out of their own "reclaimed wood" because those bookcases were SOLID.  

I also had to laugh at the wife who was trying to "save" the vanity by knocking the doors off with a hammer.  She should have used a screwdriver to remove the doors.  She had no desire to save the vanity so I don't understand that pretense. 

Edited August 21, 2016 by izabella

[sheetmoss]

15 hours ago, Albino said:

At the end - when they were "entertaining all their family and friends" one guest said something about coming over every weekend for dinner.  Interesting in that there was no dining room or place to eat, other that the ammmaaazing counter in the kitchen.  Or they could use their precious pool table I guess.

Eat at the bar?

RE: the whitewashing....That paint needed to be way diluted

Instead of just ripping out the built-in shelving, try  painting it - and at the very least, see if it can be removed intact so somebody could repurposre - or so the wood pieces could go to salvage.

Didn't mind the  60" stove, it was free, and he used to be a chef, so that made him happy,  Also , the kitchen had enough counter space  so I don't think losing 30 inches of counter space was such a biggie.  Butcher block slab could be used over stove burners in a pinch

[juliet73]

11 hours ago, izabella said:

The white washing looked like it had been primed to be painted, and then stopped.  It would have been better if they had painted it white or just left it alone because it looked awful.

Hated that butcher block peninsula.  Stupid use of space and it looks like it would get in the way each and every time they walk into that kitchen or carry plates to the dining room.  I can see a lot of bruised hips in their future as they smack into the corners of that peninsula.  I also noticed that the peninsula blocked access to some shelves that were on the side of the lower cabinet that the peninsula abutted, which meant that they would have to crawl under the peninsula to get to those shelves.

I didn't love the reno.  I do give them snaps for the recycled paper countertop - it's something different and sounds like it was very durable.

Yes on everything you said!! I wasn't really into this episode at all.  The couple was boring and the show wasn't holding my interest at all! 

I agree with the other poster about the wainscoting in the bathroom. Did they not measure the vanity width correctly because that's what it looked like.  

Mr. Juliet LOVES to cook and he was LOVIN' that huge stove! It was free,  so I love it for that reason alone. Hated the two tone cabinets!

Did she mention where she was from? In the beginning of the episode her accent sounded different than it did later in the show.

Yay for no sliding barn door! 

Edited August 22, 2016 by juliet73

[Albino]

8 hours ago, sheetmoss said:

Eat at the bar?

Oh I forgot about that bar!  She's worried about all the wood and there's that atrocity right when you walk in?

 

6 minutes ago, juliet73 said:

Did she mention where she was from? In the beginning of the episode her accent sounded different than it did later in the show.

At first I thought she was an Aussie, but later in the program she said she was from England...hence her love for "cottages".  She grew up in a cottage!  In England!  They even showed a picture of it, but it was mostly ivy.

[laredhead]

What it is with the hate of good paneling by HH's?  I'm not talking about the cheap stuff from the 70's and later, but that was beautiful, solid wood paneling that you cannot buy anymore and they totally ruined it.  There should be paneling police!  Yes, there was a lot of wood in that house, but I'm sure a more creative designer than the one they hired could have suggested another solution.  Since they went over budget by $20,000 why not spend a little more and put dry wall over it if they hated it that much?  At least a future buyer could uncover it if they wanted to.  I'm just in disbelief over how awful that room looks.  My first question to them would be to ask when they are planning to finish the job. 

As for the bathroom, they did not show a close up of the paint job she did on the tile.  Unless you have experience with that type of finish, it can look very DYI and messy.  I had some damaged vintage tile and an original tub refinished professionally and it cost about $750 in a small bathroom.  It looks beautiful and you cannot tell the tile was ever another color.  If they did the same slap dash job on the bathroom as they did on that paneling, it probably doesn't look good.

As for an eating area, just toss a big sheet of plywood over the pool table and eat there. 

[biakbiak]

44 minutes ago, laredhead said:

As for an eating area, just toss a big sheet of plywood over the pool table and eat there. 

The original poster was incorrect, the house had a nice sized dining room in addition to the den with the pool table and the large bar counter in the living room. The house did seem  to be built for entertaining because it had large sized public rooms (which included a dining room) and smaller bedrooms and bathrooms.