House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[zxy556575]

The red tile backsplash was more than like a punch in your face of color, but fine. The entire red and white decorating scheme throughout the house? Whoa.

[truther]

Their house looked like a penthouse suite in a South Beach hotel.  Which for them was sort of what they were going for, I think, so good for them.  But it doesn't work for most people and it'll be very dated in a few years.

[juliet73]

I was not a fan of all the red throughout the house. I fast forwarded through all the construction/drama so I was surprised at the reveal that they removed the fireplace and hardwood floors. Those would be the two things I would have kept for sure.

[Empress1]

They showed a flash of their old house and I hated their kitchen - it felt really cold to me, all black and white tile and white cabinets. And I hated the final renovation, but they were clearly into it. So I think they just have really different taste than I do. The husband kind of irked me; he had a touch of That Guy about him.

 

 

I was not a fan of all the red throughout the house. I fast forwarded through all the construction/drama so I was surprised at the reveal that they removed the fireplace and hardwood floors. Those would be the two things I would have kept for sure.

There was serious damage to the chimney; repairing it would have cost $20K but getting rid of it cost $8K. (And they still ended up over budget by $25K.)

Edited December 6, 2015 by Empress1

[Peanutbuttercup]

I wanted to cry when I saw that guy ripping out the original hardwood floors, and then wanted to strangle both of them when I saw the end result with that horrible cheap looking laminate installed in their place. FFS, live with the white appliances for a while and spend the "stainless steel appliance" money on restoring your beautiful, original floors.

I thought the entire house (okay, the guest bath and the office were fine) looked terrible when they were done with it, but I don't have to live there. I'm glad they like it, at least.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Peanutbuttercup

[laredhead]

I agree about the original wood vs. laminate floors.  Yes, laminate is tough and will withstand wear and tear, but it is totally unforgiving if water or other liquid is spilled on it and gets between the joints.  Voice of experience here.  I would have skimped somewhere else to keep those wood floors.  I also was not a fan of that solid red backsplash.  A touch of red, yes, but not solid red for the entire back splash.  That is very taste specific and if they plan to sell that house, it might be a drawback.  Paint can be easily change for little money, but getting rid of a back splash is messy and more expensive.

[aguabella]

Their house looked like a penthouse suite in a South Beach hotel.  Which for them was sort of what they were going for, I think, so good for them.  But it doesn't work for most people and it'll be very dated in a few years.

 

Yep - plus they'll most likely be moving in a few years!  The tiny, 40's Burbank home is probably not their forever home, even though someone added on.  (No wonder they'd ended up with a postage stamp of a backyard.)  That guy's nuts if he installs a pool.

 

They're a few years behind the SB cherry red phase, too, IMHO.  The colors these days remain vivid and intense but muted.  If they repaint - maybe just leaving an accent wall in their lr, they'll get through resale.  Moreover, the location will save them. 

Edited December 12, 2015 by aguabella

[twinks]

Just watched a young couple in Chicago. The designer wanted to put the stove under the kitchen windows. I know it's against code in many places. Hated the tile on the walls, and too many finishes...brass, stainless, copper...

[KittyS]

The Chicago couple was all over the place. It seems like the designer presented them with some interesting options and they went with their own boring ideas. I can't believe they spent $2000 to brick over a window! I would never block a light source like that.

Mixed metal finishes are hot right now and there's a lot of versatility in that, but I wasn't crazy about that particular copper hood. I'd probably pick one finish for the expensive stuff and then mix in other finishes with knobs and accessories. I liked that it was such a cute little place in such a tidy neighborhood. I wish there was more renovation and less house hunting, kind of like the shows that USED to be on HGTV.

[Peanutbuttercup]

I'm in a judgy mood today . . . wtf is WRONG with people? Why would you pay $2K+ to brick up a lovely window, especially if you aren't going to do anything with the wall space? I guess I could see it if you desperately needed the space for cabinets, but they showed the "before" and "after" with the (former) window, and the "after" had a teeny cabinet and a couple of hideous looking tchotchkes nailed to the wall.

Yet another renovation with white shaker cabinets, a farmhouse sink, gray quartz, blowing out walls for "open concept," and subway tile -- the only slight variation in theme is that the subway tile was so huge it looked like the tile installers got lost on the way to a bathroom tile job. Boring and ugly all around.

[Empress1]

I'm in a judgy mood today . . . wtf is WRONG with people? Why would you pay $2K+ to brick up a lovely window, especially if you aren't going to do anything with the wall space? I guess I could see it if you desperately needed the space for cabinets, but they showed the "before" and "after" with the (former) window, and the "after" had a teeny cabinet and a couple of hideous looking tchotchkes nailed to the wall.

Yet another renovation with white shaker cabinets, a farmhouse sink, gray quartz, blowing out walls for "open concept," and subway tile -- the only slight variation in theme is that the subway tile was so huge it looked like the tile installers got lost on the way to a bathroom tile job. Boring and ugly all around.

Yeah, I was kiiiiiind of with them when they said they were afraid of losing cabinet space - I have a ton of dishes (my grandmother loved them and I got a bunch when she died, including a set of expensive china) so I need as much cabinet space as I can find, and I still have a free standing china cabinet. But they didn't add many cabinets at all and they got rid of a great window. What's the point?

 

I hated that giant subway tile. It just looked clumsy to me. I also hated that glass pear-holder shaped like a pear - I thought it was so twee. I did like the vintage hutch and the dresser-turned-vanity. Those were cool and not as generic as the rest of the reno. And I did think it was very sensible to get sound-proof windows since they lived on a flight pattern. I'd prioritize that highly if I'd bought that house and I'd imagine the windows added value.

[izabella]

Just watched a young couple in Chicago. The designer wanted to put the stove under the kitchen windows. I know it's against code in many places. Hated the tile on the walls, and too many finishes...brass, stainless, copper...

 

Do you know why it's against code?  I'm wondering what the pitfalls are of having the stove under a window. 

 

I wasn't fond of the kitchen.  I think I just dislike all white kitchens to begin with - it feels too sterile, and having had white cabinets before, I know how grimy they can get around the handles and just from cooking.  But mostly, it just feel unrelentingly colorless to me.  But then to take out the window, too, ugh.  Chicago gets a lot of gray days in spring, fall and winter.  Plus some in the summer...rainy days are common.  And it gets dark at 4pm in the winter. I would never take out a window in a Chicago house. 

[Mittengirl]

If I had to hazard a guess about the stove under window thing, I would say it has to do with blocking an egress point in case of fire. And maybe danger from a heat source in front of glass? Especially in cold weather.

[ByaNose]

I thought the Chiacgo couple was cute but their design of the kitchen was a little wonky. The covering of the window was dumb especially since they didn't really gain any cabinet space. I thought the copper looked out of place and I would have preferred those large glass globes with the Edison bulb. It was a little too white even with the gray counter. Of course, everyone has their likes and dislikes. Did I miss the reveal of the garage door to the back yard? I might have been looking at the iPad during that. LOL!! I guess opening that to use the bricks was a good idea but I thought the French doors was weird off a garage. All in all, it's a cute house for a starter home.

[laredhead]

I think the French doors from the garage to the back yard were to facilitate getting the grill,  lawnmower and other yard equipment in and out of the garage easier.  They did mention entertaining in the back yard, so maybe they plan to use the garage as a covered area for gatherings as well.  I thought they made a poor choice in removing the kitchen window too, especially because they said they were doing it to get more cabinet space and then they didn't follow through with that.  It was obvious that they do not intend for that to be their forever home, but if you finished the basement that's another 1200 sf of usable space, and the house becomes very spacious for a small family.  I thought it was a very attractive house from the outside, and it had been well maintained for its age. 

Edited December 14, 2015 by laredhead

[Empress1]

The Chinese-Guatemalan couple last night were another where I was like "Seriously, you have $45K to renovate your ENTIRE house? In the LA area? Naw." And surprise, they more than doubled that. The bathroom did look much better and made more sense from a layout standpoint once they were done with it. I might have left the in-laws' bedroom alone for a bit - I know feng shui was a consideration for them, but maybe they could wait a year or two. It seemed like they really had no idea what they were doing and things kind of snowballed. The wife only wanted to paint the kitchen cabinets (which I thought made sense if they were in good shape) and change out the brick floor (which didn't bug me as much as it apparently bugged them), yet they ended up taking out walls. 

 

I hated the first backsplash the designer showed them - the color made me think of toothpaste.

[laredhead]

I was so fascinated by decor of the 3rd house last night and I had to rewatch the tour of the one they bought.  Personally, I would want more than 1700 sf of living area and more than 1.5 bathrooms, with that many people living in the house, especially 2 who will be watching Chinese TV all the time in an open concept layout.  I agree that the first mint green backsplash was not attractive.  BTW, I read this past week that the design world has decreed that chevron patterns are now out of style in house decorating.  Guess all those HGTV remodelers will have to rip out the chevron floors and backspashes that have been installed for the past 5 years.       

[MoreCoffeePlease]

 

The Chinese-Guatemalan couple last night were another where I was like "Seriously, you have $45K to renovate your ENTIRE house? In the LA area? Naw." And surprise, they more than doubled that.

I enjoyed the episode.  Couple seemed nice.

 

I cannot believe they didn't figure out how big they wanted the window to be in the bathroom before installing one.  I would have put my foot down due to the extra cost, HOWEVER, I will say the new window looked nice and more proportional in the end.

 

They spent over $22,000 on appliances?  Aack! I'm sorry, but if you are on a budget, you can get a nice fridge, dishwasher, oven, and microwave for way less than that. 

 

I did not love the black and white granite, and for some reason, I usually don't like the "waterfall" edge treatment either.  Must be too contemporary for me.

[aguabella]

The geniuses in Sherman Oaks have never heard of running cable to another room, say their parents' bedroom?  They probably needed the cable co to come out anyway to upgrade their system so it's a no-brainer to have them add another outlet.  I doubt their parents would have cared about having the TV in their bedroom.  (If they'd had a 4 bedroom house, the guest room could be set up as a TV den / guest space.)  They probably deserved a break from childcare. 

 

Overall, however, what they really needed was a project manager to oversee the job.  These people can't depend on the (free) HGTV designer to fulfill that role.  If you say your budget's 45K but you spend 95K, you didn't have a budget to begin with.  For example, there was no need to demo the grandparents' bedroom.  For feng shui purposes, it's my understanding that the bed could have been placed under the window, facing the door as you enter the room.  For privacy, it's easy to use an interior mount window treatment and possibly dummy curtains (around the bed), if they wanted more color / fabric. 

 

Even better, for future resale of the home and their grandparents' comfort, why not use their $$$ to set up a dual master (almost)?  The bedroom they talked about using for the master abutted the large bathroom, via a closet.  Why not use set up a true master there?   I wasn't 100% clear on the floorplan (after seeing their tour a 2nd time) but if the grandparent's room could be connected to that 2nd bathroom, why not do it?  Then, have a door from the hallway, making it a Jack - n - Jill bathroom.  If necessary, that adjoining laundry room could probably be relocated, if they wanted to enlarge the bathroom. 

 

Even better yet, how about using the pool room as an au pair suite?  Again, if they'd cut down their kitchen overspending, they could have considered this option.  What's more important, her husband strumming a guitar for a couple hours a week after work or the people that take care of your child?  They could have added a small bathroom and kitchenette to that space as their main project in the home. 

 

That stove was massive.  That was probably the bulk of the appliance money.  It was probably 6 burner and possibly with a wok.  Was that really necessary?  For a family of 5?  Unfortunately, I believe the use of the HGTV designers encourage overspending in the kitchen. 

 

Here's another idea for the kitchen, assuming they wanted to spend the bulk of their $$$ there.  Their kitchen plan placed the chef, behind that stove, in a dungeon, staring at a wall with endless backsplash.  They had no additional cabinets on that wall so no add'l storage space to lose.  If you're going open concept, why not go all the way and open up that wall so the chef can see everything and interact more freely?  It wouldn't have been that much more $$$, structurally, to extend their beams.  They may have needed a post on that end but it could have been nicely worked into the design.  The fireplace would still provide separation for the l/r and f/r.  

 

Speaking of the f/p, if you're working on it anyway, why not make it double-sided?  So much for the faux drama about the inspector.  That contractor looked like he was laughing at having to utter those lines.  Given the way they presented the window situation, the homeowners were responsible for those costs, b/c they would have approved the previous plans, including the window's size.  Again, if you don't have the time to manage your job - and it's a fairly large job - you need someone with experience to oversee it.

 

I hear the realtors on the show making suggestions about improvements and notice the homeowners jumping in to do those things.  Don't know if those were the realtors' actual comments or lines.  In any event, the overwhelming majority of realtors are not interior designers or space planning experts.  I wouldn't rely on their off-the-cuff, sales motivated comments for that purpose.  Anyone see the home / townhouse purchased by the Northern California realtor, featured on a WATN recently?  If you did, enough said! 

 

Am not a big black and white person but the b/w granite they selected was gorgeous.  If it had been my kitchen, I might have painted the back cabinets dark and provided some contrast with a plain white quartz.  (I'm not usually an all white fan.)  I'd do something simple b/c the b/w granite was the main feature of the kitchen. 

 

The black granite's been out for many years so I was surprised they used it.  It does have an Asian feel, however.  I'm sure the chevron backsplashes will stay around for a while b/c homeowners like them.  The appliance manufacturers have declared s/s out for many years!  Black granite disappeared fairly quickly, IIRC. 

 

Anyway, those are just my opinions.  I believe they had many more options to consider before spending their 95K.  They needed help.  I feel the HGTV influence / control gives us too many $$$ kitchens.

[biakbiak]

The geniuses in Sherman Oaks have never heard of running cable to another room, say their parents' bedroom? They probably needed the cable co to come out anyway to upgrade their system so it's a no-brainer to have them add another outlet. I doubt their parents would have cared about having the TV in their bedroom. (If they'd had a 4 bedroom house, the guest room could be set up as a TV den / guest space.)

They actually might have cared a lot, they mentioned Feng shui more than once and having a TV in your bedroom is a big Feng shui no no.

Edited December 30, 2015 by biakbiak

[aguabella]

They actually might have cared a lot, they mentioned Feng shui more than once and having a TV in your bedroom is a big Feng shui no no.

 

Thanks for the info - haven't ever heard that from my feng shui obsessed friends who do have TV's in their room!  For so many people, probably too many, the TV reigns supreme!

 

That said, I mentioned several options (that would have been my preference), i.e. setting up a 4th bedroom as a TV den / guestroom.  In their case, that'd be the pool room.  Or, better yet, it would have been renovating the pool room into an au pair suite.  In LA, in that location, I believe that would have been a much better option from a RE, financial standpoint, for resale.  And, it would have given the parents the privacy they probably earn after taking on the bulk of the childcare.

 

Plus, it would have given HGTV a different plot instead of the overdone, big $$$ kitchen renovation, including granite, s/s, shaker cabs and you guys know the rest!  They could have done a minimal kitchen reno and maxed out the $$$ on an au pair.  Or, do a minimal kitchen, medium master bathroom, going through that closet space and medium au pair suite with a small bathroom and kitchenette.  It's all about determining the optimal use of limited funds, assuming 95K was their true "budget".  Or, perhaps they stage those renovations over the next few years, filming only a minimal kitchen update, DIY style (if possible) plus a terrific au pair suite.  Was their parents' comfort truly first priority??? 

 

Sorry to repeat, but, again, they needed a project manager, IMHO.

Edited December 30, 2015 by aguabella

[JasmineFlower]

Watched the one in LA with the screenwriter married to the "singer and songwriter" (I'm sure she is, but she's been an actress for years, Marley Shelton's sister), and their son Lazlo.

 

The renovation is very nice, but feel like they made several mistakes. The wife was so adamant about the atrium being removed, but there is literally nowhere to really have a sit down dinner in their house now that the atrium is gone. Think if the husband had bothered to talk to the brother-in-law realtor and asked point blank, are we taking away value by removing this atrium he would have told him yes because it's all you have right now as a true dedicated dining space. That two seater table in the corner and that barely there space between the kitchen and living room is not going on anyone's radar as a suitable dedicated dining space. People may not care about formal dining spaces much anymore, but they do want something that can seat more than 2 adults or 4 children at once.

 

The white painted kitchen floors were also so unrealistic. Can't stand some of these designer ideas that are clearly for their portfolio and great for a magazine but unrealistic for daily living. The designer wouldn't even lie and say they wouldn't stain some, take the hint and get a true alternative for the floor, not that busy stuff that she brought with her as alternatives.

 

Not a bad episode overall. The wife was a bit indecisive but complaining just the same some of the time, which I don't necessarily care for, but it was okay. Think they'll definitely regret getting rid of the atrium, think they likely already do. Everything they said suggested they expect to expand their family, this house will get even tighter so another space would have been good. Definitely think they could regret not getting that La Crescenta place that they could really grow into.

[NYGirl]

Caught the last half of the same episode Jasmine and I agree so much.  When he said to keep the atrium I was hoping the wife and designer would agree with him.  What I can't stand is these HHs that say...'we don't need a dining room'.  I'm sure they will be sorry in the long run since they LOVE to entertain so much.  I'm sure they don't want people standing around their kitchens eating or sitting in their family and or/living rooms with food.

 

I was telling the HHs not to go with the white floor but apparently they didn't hear me through the TV.

[laredhead]

I loved the atrium on that house, and hoped they would keep it.  Rooms don't  have to be designated and used for a specific purpose, but can be utilized as extra living space.  The room in my house that I use as a dining room was used as a sunroom by the previous owners.  I hope there was a structural reason why the atrium was removed, and that the producers decided to go with the design story line instead.  I couldn't believe the white painted kitchen floors either.  Maybe in a farmhouse style of dwelling, but not this house.  I, too, hope they plan to install a more approriate floor.  

[JasmineFlower]

Right, I didn't even hear them say they entertain much, but I thought, you keep mentioning your family. Never mentioned Marley, but that's another sister at least in addition to the one who is married to the realtor. Then there are her parents who are not far away. When you have them over, exactly where is everyone going to sit? Even if they're like, it's a cocktail party, people don't really need to sit, they'll mingle. That extended kitchen table can basically hold the food you plan to serve and nothing else, people can't sit around the drinks and appetizers.

 

And the atriums were great and looked solid. I have trouble believing there was any structural problem to explain away taking it down. And they are absolutely great for additional living space, as this couple even showed with the son's play room. There's no space for that otherwise, but because it's there, he has one and it instantly makes their house more livable because his toys are going to be rather contained to that area, not the rest of the house.

[Bastet]

Caught the episode in LA with the red tile backsplash.  I hope for the sake of their marriage that the "even though we're over budget I'm going to rip out the rest of the original hardwood floors without consulting you" conversation was staged, because I really wanted to smack that guy.

 

I had to look up responses to this old episode after catching it this morning while refusing to get out of bed.  Because, yeah, if I were her, and if California didn't have no-fault divorce, my petition would read, "Respondent ripped out original hardwood flooring (to be replaced with laminate) without notifying Petitioner."

 

You don't do that.  It's a huge decision, not just because she liked the floors and had already lost the fireplace she was so excited about, but because replacing original pre-war hardwood with laminate impacts resale value in general, and significantly in their Burbank neighborhood.  That's a decision to be made jointly.

 

But by their design choices, it's clear they weren't thinking about resale (and if they plan on staying any real length of time, good for them).  They created a look out of step with the neighborhood and not what one would expect to see based on the style of the house, but they did it very well.  It's not my taste - too contemporary for me - but I liked the look of it when it was all done.  It was great to see so much color on the walls, simply because it was different than what we so often see (with the added subjective bonus that it's my personal preference not to have neutral walls; every room in my house is a different color, and none of them neutral [although they do coordinate with each other where you can see into another room from the one you're standing in]).

 

Between it not looking like every other kitchen the HH designers do, and the owners doing some of the work themselves, it was an interesting episode.  But replacing those floors?  And deciding unilaterally to do so (and whether or not she really found out about it on camera, I do think him deciding on his own was accurate because she was pissed in her talking head about it)?  Big, big stain on the episode.

[aguabella]

I had to look up responses to this old episode after catching it this morning while refusing to get out of bed.  Because, yeah, if I were her, and if California didn't have no-fault divorce, my petition would read, "Respondent ripped out original hardwood flooring (to be replaced with laminate) without notifying Petitioner."

 

You don't do that.  It's a huge decision, not just because she liked the floors and had already lost the fireplace she was so excited about, but because replacing original pre-war hardwood with laminate impacts resale value in general, and significantly in their Burbank neighborhood.  That's a decision to be made jointly.

 

But by their design choices, it's clear they weren't thinking about resale (and if they plan on staying any real length of time, good for them).  They created a look out of step with the neighborhood and not what one would expect to see based on the style of the house, but they did it very well.  It's not my taste - too contemporary for me - but I liked the look of it when it was all done.  It was great to see so much color on the walls, simply because it was different than what we so often see (with the added subjective bonus that it's my personal preference not to have neutral walls; every room in my house is a different color, and none of them neutral [although they do coordinate with each other where you can see into another room from the one you're standing in]).

 

Between it not looking like every other kitchen the HH designers do, and the owners doing some of the work themselves, it was an interesting episode.  But replacing those floors?  And deciding unilaterally to do so (and whether or not she really found out about it on camera, I do think him deciding on his own was accurate because she was pissed in her talking head about it)?  Big, big stain on the episode.

 

Yes, I posted above, IIRC, that they'd do fine, resale wise, if they paint out some of those walls, leaving an accent red wall to balance the backsplash.  It might take a lil' longer to sell in that area but the location will save them.  Always nice to see buyers decorate homes for themselves, to their taste.  We see enough staging around here!

 

WRT the yf's comments about the floors, I don't know - they were still doing some acting during the episode.  For example, the budget plotline over the chimney.  If an earthquake cracked it, that'd be the seller's responsibility.  Doesn't matter if they had overbidding - any buyer with a minimally competent agent would request that.  They probably rec'd the $$$ at close.

 

Didn't care for the guy's rationale about ripping the floors out.  He never mentioned checking the closets - they probably had enough extra material to weave in the damaged area.  Plus, those floors always need maintenance to remove the squeaks, etc. after a few decades of wear and tear.  She did her TH but actually, I had the sense she wanted the laminate (yuch) floor.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't care for the finished product.  Don't always like open concept.  The husband said the typical line, "So great for entertaining - so much flow!"  After they demo'd all the room dividers and 1/2 walls, it felt as if they'd created a giant hallway, running from the kitchen, through the l/r, d/r area and directly out the door to the backyard.  (Feng-shui wise, the money's out the door!)

 

Speaking of that new floor, if they wanted it, they needed to extend it through the kitchen.  The flooring change to tile, IIRC, in a small, older house, just made it feel like a small, older home, to me. 

 

Problem with these HGTV-hired designers, they come in to do 1 room and that's it - they fail to integrate that room into the rest of the home.  In this Burbank episode, the designer proposed enlarging the kitchen.  She added that giant island.  Then, I noticed she extended the kitchen floor half-way into their eat-in, existing dining area.  Buhbye, eat-in!  Sorry, that was awful!

 

By doing that, she created a giant dead space, i.e. the remaining 1/2 of the eat-in.  Then the yf places that huge, no-leaf, contemporary table directly inside the front door.  Again, awful.  And that anemic, make-shift, open-shelving bar the couple blocked the front window with - awful.  (That needed to go on the former eat-in's back wall, using at least some of the dead space, balancing the kitchen.)

 

Thinking about their space planning, reduce the kitchen size (incl. island) a little to incorporate the eat-in, combining and integrating those two spaces.  In fact, a contemporary, built-in banquette on the eat-in's back wall might have looked tres-cool.  And, they could have eliminate the huge table and reclaimed the other space.

 

Going back to the other spaces, they needed a couple of contemporary, maybe lasered wall-dividers to better define the front room's spaces and eliminate the hall-way feeling.  It's ok to integrate the office into the space - possibly with French doors or a wide doorway and barn door.

 

The best thing they could have done, however, may have been moving the front door.  By changing the front door to a window and the last window (by their large table) to a door, they could have sectioned off an entryway - possibly by using some tall, open shelving to separate the kitchen / eat-in.  I would have replaced that narrow wall with a 1/2 wall.  That would have given them their vaunted open concept!  (I would use the contempo divider by the bathroom - where they removed the other narrow wall.)

 

Hope he keeps his day job and hires a tile installer, next time.  I'd be surprised if a level ever graced that bathroom.  His problem was that he didn't dry-fit or lay out his pattern in advance.

 

Anybody notice the designer's backsplash had a horizontal  pattern?  Then, she installed it vertically, cutting off the pattern, turning it into a stub.  Designer woman, it's designed that way to make the space feel larger, right?)  In general, that space plan needed work.  Perhaps the island should have been a cooking island instead of an eating island.

 

I definitely appreciate it when the h/o's hire the designer to work on other rooms.  It's a better result in the end - or seems like it anyway.

Edited January 8, 2016 by aguabella

[Mu Shu]

I liked the red in the kitchen, but nowhere else. I don't think most people will like a red backsplash though.

I hate open concept. I hate guests shuffling around in my kitchen. Come in, go to the living area and mingle with other guests. Then again, don't most people have appetizers ready for guests, and the actual food prep has been done before they come to the big fais do do or whatnot? Also, open rooms are noisy and there is no wall space. Don't get me started on the actual morons who want to wash their bacteria ridden hands in my kitchen sink. My bf is very pleased with my stay out of the kitchen rule. No worries about any booty bumping

[NYGirl]

Got to see the Feng Shui Chinese/Guatamalan couple today for the first time.  I loved the granite in the kitchen.  I got a kick out of the wife who was worried about soy sauce spills.

 

I hated that designer as she's another one of those bully designers.  The wife wanted 2 living room spaces, one for her and her husband and daughter and the other for her parents.  The designer insisted on knocking down that wall.  I wish the wife would have been more stubborn about it. 

 

I loved the backsplash they ended up with.  But I do agree with everybody here that they had no idea what they were doing.

[Pickles]

I liked the episode tonight about the single woman buying a house in Pasadena (I think it was Pasadena). Her mother was touring homes with her. I did not care for the kitchen floor she chose. I would get tired of that pattern. I also was not sure about the color of the kitchen cabinets even after they repainted them to tone them down. I liked the color, but don't know that I want that color on kitchen cabinets.

[ByaNose]

The kitchen cabinets still look mint green. Not a good look. The floor is way too busy for me. Since, it's not my house I'm sure she doesn't care. LOL!! I did like the French doors from the kitchen but I thought the yard was just a little small. I really liked the daughter and her mother. They weren't obnoxious which is a plus. I thought it was funny when the cabinets showed up and the mother was laughing while the daughter was horrified. Too funny!

[MsTree]

Ugly floor...and agree the cabinets were not a good color. I wouldn't work with that designer if she was the last one on earth. Ugh!

 

What I don't understand is why can't these homeowners say NO!?  Are they obligated to HGTV to go along with everything the "designers" suggest?  If so, then I'm guessing they are compensated or get the materials for free??

[truther]

Huh, I liked it. The cabinets looked good -- much better than the "wrong color" ones that first showed up -- and the floor was fine. I actually thought the bathroom that the homeowner did herself, with only minimal advice from the decorator, was the least appealing part of the remodel. It's LA, after all.

I've been noticing recently that every kitchen/dining area on HGTV looks the same. Everybody on all these shows does the same thing. (And did you notice how the "dated" kitchen was the de rigeur design from the 90s?) So it was nice to see something a little unusual.

[NYGirl]

If I have to see another shaker cabinet I'm going to scream!!!!

Ugh that green color was not nice ..and those floors...puke worthy

[laredhead]

I liked the homeowner and her mother. They seemed to have a wonderful relationship. I also liked the final layout of the kitchen, but did not care for the color of the kitchen cabinets or the floor choice. I wonder if that floor has to be sealed periodically to keep it from staining. The pattern was too busy for my taste, but it's not my house. The black floor in the bathroom was striking, but I bet it will show every piece of lint and dust. Hope she never gets a pet with light fur.

[DownTheShore]

I missed rhat Pasadena episode, I have to make sure I catch it.

I like when people throw some pattern on the floor, especially in a small space like a bathroom. It make the room so much less bland.

I am so done with seeing homes with neutral grey walls, and black and white kitchens. Over the holidays I visited a.relative who has a combined bi-level living/dining room and there were three different strong earthtones on the walls and ceiling and it looked beautiful. The colors served to tie all the furniture and various room ornaments all together, and made everything look warm and homey. Such a difference from those sterile environments we've been seeing on the home shows lately.

[JasmineFlower]

Loved the mother and daughter in/near Pasadena episode. I liked them in general, going to see places, the mom giving advice from her past experiences, cautioning her against getting in over her head, but like turned to love when the mom was laughing heartily when those kid cabinets showed up for her kitchen. I love that she wasn't even trying to cover it up and then was like, I'm really proud of her for working though the problem despite my openly laughing at the cabinets. It was great, felt real when it definitely doesn't always. Think the place looked great in the end. Not necessarily every choice I'd make, but in general, really liked the transformation. And couldn't love the laundry solution more.

Edited January 11, 2016 by JasmineFlower

[juliet73]

I wasn't a fan of the kitchen either. I don't understand why she didn't move the sink under the window (on an angle). That would have given her more prep room on the counter. The cabinet color wouldn't be my first choice, but it was OK. I agree about the kitchen floor. It was way too busy. I think it would look awesome though outside as a patio.

[Kiddvideo]

I liked the Pasadena Mom and daughter even if the daughter was one of those uptalkers? Who end every sentence as if it's a question? With the last sound of the last word drawn out foreverrrrr? I thought they were really respectful of each other, but I had to turn the channel when Kelly Bundy, interior designer, appeared. Two-tone blonde hair, candy apple red lipstick. I hated not seeing the finished house, but she was one irritant too many.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

 

I agree about the kitchen floor. It was way too busy.

 

I disagree. When the designer first showed the tiles, I was extremely skeptical, but then when I saw the completed floor, I was like "Cool!"  It was something different, which appeals to me since I seem to see all of the same design choices on the HGTV shows these days.  (Although I do have to admit I saw someone else use that type of tile on a backsplash, just can't remember the show.)

 

Interesting how the wrong size French doors were ordered ... a "6 foot" door vs. a 60" door.  The devil is in the details.  For as much as the HGTV shows are not reality, I think some of these renovation issues are absolutely what people run into when doing these projects.

[laredhead]

OMG is about all I can say about the Chicago renovation tonight.  The couple planned to spend $200,000 max on the reno and are presently at $320,000 and the 3rd floor isn't finished at all.  I think the husband's statement that it looked like a money pit to him when they first saw it came true.  Major fixes like plumbing, installation of HVAC and structural issues are big bucks items, but if you are in the hole and worried about money, why spend almost $8,000 on a peninsula cabinet and counter top?  At least they didn't put in a spa bathroom and the rest of the place did look pretty plain all in all.  I can sympathize with the discovery of hidden defects during a remodel, having gone through that a few times with the house I have.  You never know what is lurking behind walls.  I hope the city issues a permit for the 3rd floor and they have enough money to finish the renovation, or that the $320,000 included finishing the 3rd floor.  I also hope that HH's revisits this one when it is complete.       

[ByaNose]

It also looks like the Chicago couple had to rob Peter to pay Paul for extra money. It really looks like the money pit but if they can finish the third floor I'm sure it will be amazing looking. I actually like the blue island (not so much the light wood countertop) and, the other parts that were finished. I just wonder how in debt they will be before the kid arrives which surely by now has. Hopefully, we will get a follow up to the follow up.

[sheetmoss]

OMG is about all I can say about the Chicago renovation tonight.  The couple planned to spend $200,000 max on the reno and are presently at $320,000 and the 3rd floor isn't finished at all.  I think the husband's statement that it looked like a money pit to him when they first saw it came true.  Major fixes like plumbing, installation of HVAC and structural issues are big bucks items, but if you are in the hole and worried about money, why spend almost $8,000 on a peninsula cabinet and counter top?  .       

Doesn't HGTV-- or the producers,  give the HO's $25,000 toward the reno--usually the kitchen, as kind of a compensation  for appearing ?

 

Also, I really wish they would have had an FYI update from the production company at the end about the status of that third fl

Edited January 17, 2016 by sheetmoss

[KittyS]

I really felt for the Chicago couple because they seemed so darn nice. I can't believe none of the defects were discovered during the home inspection. Yikes! Judging by the parts they did manage to renovate, I think the final results should be pretty cool. If I were them, I'd finish the rental unit and get some tenants in there pronto. That's like $12,000 - $18,000 a year - nothing to sneeze at. I'd love to see the follow up on this one.

Edited January 17, 2016 by KittyS

[JasmineFlower]

That wife in the Chicago renovation bugged big time. She claimed to be a structural engineer and architect, yet didn't see any of the MASSIVE structural issues with the home and didn't properly investigate during escrow to make sure there weren't any to adjust the sale price. The contractor spotted the water line issue immediately upon inspection because it's easy to see the correct size down there, meaning there was no thorough inspection before they bought it and she sure as heck didn't know. The copper piping is a reasonable thing to not know needed replacing throughout the house, but the rest, given her claimed expertise is quite a problem.

 

She was obsessed with getting the Victorian style, it was her "dream home" but she put them in such a precarious money situation reaching for her dream. And still even though she got what she wanted, she kept making all the decisions. Blue wall, blue cabinets, classic detailing. Your husband asks for one thing, the shade of butcher block countertops on the freakin island and she wants to see another option, sees them installed and questions them and keeps saying we'll see? Are you kidding me woman? 

 

And she said she worked downtown, so her not knowing City of Chicago coding is so incredibly suspect. She should have never overstated her experience and expertise. She's quite obviously not nearly as skilled as she claimed or she could have spotted at least one of these major problems that got them into this money pit. She came off as basically nice, but that was on the surface, this is a spoiled brat underneath it all who was not willing to compromise on anything and it put them into this situation. Really liked the husband, he was fun, feel bad that his wife's "vision" and claims put them in a shaky financial situation that he can't do much about with a baby on the way.

Edited January 17, 2016 by JasmineFlower

[DownTheShore]

I started watching that one, but then I saw the blue that they were going to use in the kitchen and I just said "no" and changed the channel.

[Empress1]

I kept wondering how none of the major issues were caught during the inspection. They need to get some tenants quickly, because WOW that's a ton of money they spent and will continue to spend. Since they sacrificed doing anything to the rental, I'm guessing they'd price it on the lower end, but $1500 a month isn't anything to sneeze at. I thought that episode was really interesting from an "everything that can go wrong will" perspective - there are always issues that pop up during the renovations but I don't think I've seen one quite as bad as that.

[laredhead]

Empress1, when I bought my house I paid extra for a thorough inspection, but within a year problems cropped up that an inspector would not have found unless walls had been opened and roofing torn off.  The previous owner had put a new roof over rotten decking that was not visible during the inspection.  There was a moisture problem with the slab that was covered with new carpet.  There were electrical issues that we did not find until 2 years later when I had the bath remodeled.  My house was built in 1955, so I can only imagine what a 100 year old house hides.  That being said, I would not have bought that house based on what we saw in the HH process.  As the husband said, it screamed money pit.  I hope they grow to love it, and I wonder after all of the money they sink into it, will they be able to sell it for a profit if they need to.    

[Redcookie]

Re: the Chicago couple....there are so many things that are for show. For instance, they had to know there were major plumbing issues as every sink and toilet in the walk through had blue take across them. My feeling is they knew plumbing would have to be replaced. The third floor was surely a surprise but my gut tells me the plumbing was only a surprise for camera.

[joylove]

What a nightmare! And they paid $5,000 over asking for it!

 

I sincerely hope they get approval to build that third floor. I would have to be committed if the city told me I couldn't live in an addition I spent $40K to build.

 

With all that said, I'm glad they can at least live on the second floor for now and rent out the first floor. Typically I think these HGTV shows romanticize home renovation; they always make me want to buy a fixer-upper. However, this episode was like a bucket of cold water on that dream.