House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[Irlandesa]

11 hours ago, juliet73 said:

House to Home was on last night instead of HHR.

It was.  I didn't see H2H but an hour earlier they aired the Lakefront Home Renovation version of the show. 

Edited May 8, 2017 by Irlandesa

[suebee12]

Silver Lake, CA...

I was impressed that they came in under budget...way under budget! They were smart enough to know that they could wait and have a second phase and still be happy with what they had. I enjoyed them a lot!

[Thumper]

(Copying from House Hunters, where I mistakenly posted this originally.)

I loved the Silver Lake, CA couple!  They were cute together and seemed to "get" each other too.  The aviary room was too "busy" for me, plus I dislike bird decor, but they liked it.  I was surprised they went for butcher block countertops (not practical, to me) -- did they say they would chop food right on the butcher block????!!!  Also disliked the subway tile, just because I'm so tired of it.   But I really liked this episode because of the couple.

On 4/23/2017 at 7:22 PM, vesperholly said:

Your booooots. I have relatives in Minnesota. ;)

I thought the cost of that range was NUTS! EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS?! Does it come with its own good-looking French chef?

Wait, how do YOU say "boots?"  (Minnesotan here.)  "Boots" as in "looks?"  Puzzled.  :-)

[Bastet]

I tuned in about 45 minutes into the episode (which doesn't mean I missed as much as the timeline would suggest, given how much of this is filler), and, first, I want to know who - agent, show, and/or buyers - was calling El Sereno Silver Lake, and why, to evaluate what kind of residents the HHs are likely to be -- members of the community or white, gentrifying assholes.  They seemed decent (even though she says Brussel, rather than Brussels, sprouts, which is a pet peeve), but the amount they spent on the kitchen doesn't seem worth it for the changes and sitting around a wall masquerading as a fireplace is odd.  And to be that excited about grey, rather than white, subway tiles? 

But I like their dogs, and their general attitude, so good for them.

[Mittengirl]

That was way too much subway tile for me.  But then again, any subway tile is too much for me.   And that aviary room - Yikes!

She kept using the word "magical" - one fireplace wasn't magical enough for her.  Is she five?  Why the hell is an adult person going on about a magical fireplace?  They both seemed far too interested in being "unique".

[Kohola3]

Rule of thumb.  When someone describes himself/herself as unique, fashion forward, quirky, out-of-the-box, or a nonconformist..............they aren't. They are just PIAs's pretending to be different.

[sheetmoss]

RE: Silver Lake couple - pleasant enough people.

Thought the re-purposed fireplace mantel outside was dumb - IMO, it would have been more charming used in the bird or explorers room

          Speaking of explorers room, an artist friend did a celestial ceiling in his foyer, but he used Bradbury & Bradbury random star wallpaper, yes maybe costlier....but way more easy.

            Also, why or why didn't you use some color on ceiling and trim in the bird room?

Kitchen layout sucked - you had to walk the entire length of the kitchen to the refrigerator

Edited June 4, 2017 by sheetmoss

[biakbiak]

16 hours ago, Bastet said:

(even though she says Brussel, rather than Brussels, sprouts, which is a pet peeve),

Also, why on earth was he boiling them?

[ByaNose]

Points for saving the fireplace mantel. Points taken away for spray painting it gold and putting against a cinder block wall and calling it a fire pit. It was ugly and the chairs didn't look comfortable to hang out on. I would have used them indoors though. That style of chair is popular but pricey. I didn't care for the bird room. Way too busy for me and didn't flow well. The kitchen was nice. I thought it was funny when she thought the white subway tile would be too bright. The whole house is crazy bright and she was worried about white subway tiles. Too funny! Overall, none of it was my style or taste but I did appreciate their enthusiasm and their conviction for design. Also, he reminded me of a Kevin Kline and she looked like Kelly McGillis.

[msrachelj]

I though they were a nice couple. style was a little too artsy for me. I loved the bird wallpaper!!  I wouldn't have changed the kitchen right away, better money spent on the addition. You should see what i've been living in for 20 years. It always irks me that everyone has to get every renovation done in 6 weeks.  Then again, i don't know where they get the $$ from in the first place.  That's the biggest thing that gets to me about HH. Is everybody in hock up their eyeballs?

[AlleC17]

On 4/3/2017 at 8:17 AM, AlleC17 said:

 

That 'bird cage' room did nothing for me...the wall paper was too busy and too dark for my tastes.  A little would have gone a long way.  The gold painted 'fireplace' was tacky and the 'explorers room' looked like  middle school children did it.  And not very talented middle school children at that.  However, the couple was happy and that is what really matters in the end.  I was amazed that the designer chose a colored kitchen cabinet...I almost fell off my chair.

[Cherpumple]

I was scratching my head at the initial description of what the Silver Lake couple wanted. She wanted New England Victorian, and he wanted mid-century modern, mixed with Regency. ?????? I'm not sure if I would describe the finished product that way, but I liked that it was different from all the other cookie-cutter design shows. Colored kitchen cabinets! Interesting tiled floors! Bold use of color! It was refreshing. A lot of it wasn't my style (ahem, the outdoor space), but I loved the starry ceiling, although I wondered why they didn't just use gold paint, rather than messing around with gold leaf. I liked the aviary wallpaper, but probably would've stuck with only an accent wall. A little went a long way.

And maybe I'm lazy, but I wouldn't have even considered the house at the top of the stairs. I can't imagine lugging my weekly groceries up that hill, let alone furniture and other bulky items for refurbishment.

[AlleC17]

On 6/5/2017 at 8:07 PM, Cherpumple said:

I was scratching my head at the initial description of what the Silver Lake couple wanted. She wanted New England Victorian, and he wanted mid-century modern, mixed with Regency. ?????? I'm not sure if I would describe the finished product that way, but I liked that it was different from all the other cookie-cutter design shows. Colored kitchen cabinets! Interesting tiled floors! Bold use of color! It was refreshing. A lot of it wasn't my style (ahem, the outdoor space), but I loved the starry ceiling, although I wondered why they didn't just use gold paint, rather than messing around with gold leaf. I liked the aviary wallpaper, but probably would've stuck with only an accent wall. A little went a long way.

And maybe I'm lazy, but I wouldn't have even considered the house at the top of the stairs. I can't imagine lugging my weekly groceries up that hill, let alone furniture and other bulky items for refurbishment.

Can you imagine having to haul yourself and whatever stuff you have with you up those stairs in the rain/bad weather?  Yuck!  I prefer a gym membership, lol

Edited June 9, 2017 by AlleC17

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Didn't Silver Lake couple take out a fine, recently renovated kitchen?  I know it didn't reflect their personalities, but still, as someone mentioned, if your kitchen is OK and non-offensive and functional, spend the money on other projects. 

Having said that, I liked the cabinet color, the counters and the concrete floor.  Very pretty.  Layout wasn't ideal though, and I would have incorporated the dining room space somehow.  Even if I got a butcher block counter, I would still use cutting boards, since that has been my habit my entire life.

[sheetmoss]

Glendale?  couple tonight - , seemed okay enough - but I really wanted to say about  his OCD symmetry issue to get over himself.

[Empress1]

The Glendora couple were about to have four children under three. Lord. 

The renovation turned out well, although I didn't love the dark floors for some reason (I don't usually mind them). I liked the patterned floor in the kitchen.

[Hotel Diva]

3 hours ago, Empress1 said:

The Glendora couple were about to have four children under three. Lord. 

I didn't think she was pregnant.

[AuntiePam]

5 minutes ago, Hotel Diva said:

I didn't think she was pregnant.

She was.  By the time of the renovation, she was showing.  I can't fault her though -- I had four kids in six years, and a sister-in-law had five kids under three (including a set of twins).  Stuff happens.

It was disappointing that the kitchen walls were load-bearing.  You'd think they'd check that out before buying the house, since the kitchen was the major issue.  The kitchen turned out great though -- they made the best of it, for sure.  The floor -- it limited what they could use in the adjoining room, but that turned out okay too.

I liked the couple. 

[juliet73]

1 hour ago, Hotel Diva said:

I didn't think she was pregnant.

Yes, she looked pretty far along at the reveal. The designer even mentioned completing the kitchen before the baby arrived. 4 kids under 3! Whew! Glad to hear both sets of grandparents live nearby and help out. 

His "OCD" was annoying. 

I thought the bathrooms turned out lovely as well as the bedrooms, etc. I didn't care for the color of the flooring in the living room, etc but the rest of the room and dining room looked nice. As for the kitchen, I wasn't a fan. Having a big kitchen was one of their major requirements and unfortunately, they still have a small galley kitchen. The cabinets were too dark and the floor was too busy for such a small, dark space. The tunnel window barely added any natural light. I wish they could have pushed out the kitchen wall (the sink side) to give them more room and to add a window.

No crazy wall colors, no ugly wallpaper, no brass fixtures, no sliding barn door or white shaker cabinets so this one is a win in my book!   

[ByaNose]

Yeah, for the Glendora couple I would have gone with white cabinets since it was a small galley kitchen. The blue/gray cabinets didn't look horrible but that kitchen needed white cabinets. I.did.like.the.floor.at.all. I've seen that tile on HGTV forever. I don't get it. I guess it's not my thing. I like the laminate flooring color and the bedroom turned out nice, too. Overall, it turned out nice and it was a change of pace that it wasn't a McMansion or the couple was overly designed looked familiar. I don't know why but it might just be the Metro sexual (is Metro sexual still a thing? Maybe, I'm dating myself) gray hair & beard look I see everywhere. I can never tell if they are actually old or not. LOL!!!

[laredhead]

17 hours ago, juliet73 said:

No crazy wall colors, no ugly wallpaper, no brass fixtures, no sliding barn door or white shaker cabinets so this one is a win in my book!

Juliet73, you were reading my mind.  They did use a lot white tile in that house, but they were trying to brighten and lighten the interior and the house was small.  I thought I heard about 1600 square feet, but with 5 bedrooms and 3 baths is that even possible?  Maybe I heard that wrong.

I think the kitchen cabinet color, while not something I would choose, is probably going to show less dirt and fewer fingerprints than white from those 4 very young children for the next few years.  I would not have chosen the dark laminate floor, and they are fooling themselves if they think it will show less dirt.  My son and daughter in law had a dark floor in their last house and they hated it.  Said it showed every speck of dust, foot prints, and pet hair constantly no matter how many times a day it was dusted, mopped, and swept.  The tile on the kitchen floor will certainly hide almost anything with that very busy pattern.  I think that is a passing decorating fad best used in small places like behind a range as a backsplash.  

Overall, I think the completed project looked nice, and they spent their $$ wisely and only went over budget by $5,000.  I hope they are on a future episode to show us what they do with the back yard which really needs some love.    

[Hotel Diva]

On 6/11/2017 at 2:59 PM, AuntiePam said:

She was.  By the time of the renovation, she was showing.  I can't fault her though -- I had four kids in six years, and a sister-in-law had five kids under three (including a set of twins).  Stuff happens.

It was disappointing that the kitchen walls were load-bearing.  You'd think they'd check that out before buying the house, since the kitchen was the major issue.  The kitchen turned out great though -- they made the best of it, for sure.  The floor -- it limited what they could use in the adjoining room, but that turned out okay too.

I liked the couple. 

Thank you for telling me. She was pregnant. I wonder what the gender of the baby is.

The kitchen was very nice, it looked like what you would see at a restaurant & bar. It was a total transformation, from rigged, load bearing walls to real house living and five bedrooms? That is more than enough.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

Overall, I think the completed project looked nice, and they spent their $$ wisely and only went over budget by $5,000.  I hope they are on a future episode to show us what they do with the back yard which really needs some love.    

HGTV should absolutely do another episode with this couple!  I thought they were so sweet and calm, and I love episodes with cute kids running around.

[aguabella]

Seriously behind on HHR posting but thought a few of you might enjoy seeing some photos.  Everyone remember the Austin family (military recruiter father)?  Check these out, if you like:

http://www.mwalterdesign.com/residential/#/ascot-residence/

Agree with everybody about breaking up those cabinets with some glass fronts.  I had the feeling, however, that this family didn't have the $$$ to go more over budget.  In the kitchen, we all have to make choices and compromises b/c those small items add up, big time.  Plus, that was a large kitchen.  Maybe if they'd gone with cheaper, less trendy cabinet pulls, right ???

I have a feeling those plants were only temporarily in the d/r and will be placed throughout the home as they assess the light situation.  Yeah, they probably need a screen or something in front of that f/p.  They got away with it for the staging photos, however, b/c that floor is tile.

Yes, their smallest boy did have one gorgeous head of hair!

[aguabella]

More Austin photos, if anyone's interested.  Here they are:

http://www.michellethomasdesign.com/portfolio/hgtv-house-hunters-renovation-project/

This was the home with the artist's colorful kitchen backwall.  I liked that wall but would have done this reno differently.  Mostly, I was amazed how many of you disliked the f/p and wanted it gone.  Fireplaces have declined in popularity but remain more popular than not. 

Personally, I would have retained it for resale but spruced it up.  For one thing, it can cost up to 10K to remove it plus the dust, dirt and delay.  Another option is to box it / wall it in, removing it that way.  (I've done this and made it easily reversible for buyers.)

Sure, I liked how removing it opened up the f/r to the kit but I would have achieved that by keeping the stove on the back wall, in its original location, saving $$$ that way.  W/o the hood, the front of the kitchen could be more open to the f/r.  If measured, I suspect that would cover for retaining the f/p, WRT the openness of the kitchen.

Surprised that nobody commented on (IIRC) what I consider this kitchen's biggest flaw.  Check out the dead space created by the way the designer butted up the backwall to the sidewall.  Ugh!  Hate it!  Think about it - you're loading the d/w but someone wants to get in the pantry.  Or, you need something from the cabinets on the sidewall, behind the pantry.  Yes, it's cheaper to run cabinetry in straight lines instead of inserting a corner. 

Besides making that corner more functional, as mentioned above, I would have kept the appliances in their original locations to save $$$.  Instead of the colorful wall, I'd use my $$$ savings to integrate that wall into the kitchen.  (To me, that wall feels disjointed and not part of the kitchen.) 

If they needed more cabinets, they could do a wall of them there, with a glass cabinet or two for beautiful dishes or glassware.  Or, how about a serving bar for the dining space?

BTW, I did like the colors used on the wall but I'd use them for a colorful, fun backsplash, my place to go crazy with color!

Anyway, what do you think about those possibilities?  Other ideas?  If you remember this renovation ... (sorry)

Edited June 16, 2017 by aguabella

[Pickles]

The Nashville episode that just aired. I was surprised they chose the A frame house. I thought it would be the third house, the cottage. I did not like how the front door opened up right into the kitchen in the A frame. Blue cabinets. Not sure I love those. Did not really like the light gray floors. The setting for the house looked pretty, but how far out were they? I did not see any neighbors. He travels for work. I wondered if she would feel uneasy being there alone. 

Also, the only eating area was at that little island they had installed? That did not look comfortable.

[twinks]

I also thought they would go for the third house. I couldn't believe the way they demolished that kitchen. Surely they could have donated most of it. Not sure they added $70k in value, but if they're happy....

[biakbiak]

I knew they weren't going for the third house because this is HHR and it was in too done to be in contention. 

The architect who designed that townhouse needs to be tried for crimes against humanity. 

There is no way I could not move the kitchen the house they chose. The front door entering directly into a kitchen is a deal breaker. The thought seriously gives me anxiety.

The upstairs bathroom was hideous.

I want to know what the designers arm tattoo said.

[Pickles]

8 hours ago, twinks said:

I also thought they would go for the third house. I couldn't believe the way they demolished that kitchen. Surely they could have donated most of it. Not sure they added $70k in value, but if they're happy....

I also thought it was terrible the way they just took a sledge hammer to the kitchen! Just awful,to see that. Surely, those cabinets could have been donated.

[Kohola3]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Surely, those cabinets could have been donated.

Habitat for Humanity has a lot of stores for donated items in good shape.  What is the matter with people that they think good things should just be trashed?

[Empress1]

I liked the kitchen better before, to be honest. The cabinets were in great shape and looked pretty new. (I wouldn't have taken that house because walking straight into the kitchen would bother me.) I didn't like those blue cabinets and it didn't look like they gained that much space. It seemed like a waste to gut it.

[Christine]

Was holding my breath in fear that they would pick house 3.  I disagreed with everything they wanted to do and felt it would've ruined the home.

[Mittengirl]

The Habitat for Humanity in my area has run an ad in the paper for that last month or so promoting the fact that they will send a licensed contractor to your home and remove your kitchen or bathroom fixtures - free of charge and on your schedule - so that they can sell them in the stores.  

 

I have taken down a few cabinets in my day, but never in a time crunch, so I will ask -  Is it really faster to flail at cabinets, drawers and doors with a sledgehammer than to use a power driver and unscrew the doors from the cabs and then the cabs from the wall?  If removed in one piece not only can they be resold/reused, if desired, they can be removed from the house in one piece, rather than several.

[laredhead]

Mittengirl, my kitchen was remodeled last year and I wanted to save some of the cabinets and donate them to Habitat for Humanity.  We knew that some of the original 1957 cabinets were beyond salvaging, but thought the ones installed about 15 years ago by the former owner could be saved.  Nope - the newer ones had been installed with about 1,000 nails.  The demo people said they had never seen anything like that in more recent installations.  The wood split in pieces when they tried to remove the nails and pull them from the walls.  In the end, the time and effort wasn't worth it and they all ended up in the dumpster.  The new cabinets were custom made and screwed into the walls, so that some future owner can reuse them if so desired.  BTW, I think flailing at things with a sledge hammer is a bit dangerous.  

Edited June 18, 2017 by laredhead

[ByaNose]

10 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I liked the kitchen better before, to be honest. The cabinets were in great shape and looked pretty new. (I wouldn't have taken that house because walking straight into the kitchen would bother me.) I didn't like those blue cabinets and it didn't look like they gained that much space. It seemed like a waste to gut it.

I like the blue but it's still too dark looking. I'm just glad they got away from the gold/brass fixtures they had been using earlier in the year on the other renovation shows. It wasn't a huge kitchen and they only gained 30 inches. They worked with what that had. That said, I thought the earlier cabinets looked fine. They weren't even that dated looking. I'm not sure I like walking right into the kitchen. It's a nice looking kitchen but I don't want to walk right into it. The one thing I'm amazed with is the house itself. I've seen that exact house in the mountains my whole life. I would never had guessed it was in Nashville. 

Edited June 19, 2017 by ByaNose

[twinks]

I almost forgot to mention...what's the deal with the slab? How could you not know you don't have a crawl space? Do these people ever have a home inspection?

[aguabella]

On ‎2‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 1:55 PM, laredhead said:

My DVR failed to record this episode for some reason.  I want to watch it, so could someone please give me a clue as to what to search for on the HGTV HH website?  Date?  Title? Episode #?  Thanks in advance.

Perusing the thread the other day to catch up.  Didn't check closely but never saw anyone answer your inquiry, laredhead.  You meant the crazy colors, Austin chicken coop episode, correct?  You've probably seen it by now but for anyone else who's interested, here's the link:

http://www.hgtv.com/shows/house-hunters-renovation/episodes/a-reno-that-ruffles-feathers#episode-tunein

Looks like HGTV's not updating the Episode pages but this one's scheduled to be rerun on Friday at 4pm ET/PT, according to my dvr's schedule.  So, if anyone's interested ...

 

Incidentally, about that episode, I noticed several comments about the designer's responsibility for the color explosion.  HGTV typically only hires the designer / contractor for the main room or space.  So, yeah, that designer has to answer for the backsplash and IIRC, the g-awful curtain project.  IIRC, the rest of that home was diy.  The paint's on them, lol! 

Sure, sometimes the homeowners hire the pros to help them out with other rooms but I don't believe it happened, here.  In fact, given that couple's taste, perhaps the designer's best defense is that she couldn't control them and they rejected her kitchen selections - even if she has to fib and say that happened off-camera!  

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 8:36 AM, twinks said:

I almost forgot to mention...what's the deal with the slab? How could you not know you don't have a crawl space? Do these people ever have a home inspection?

Haven't had time to watch the latest couple of episodes but you can be sure, with about 99% certainty that basically all these buyers had a home inspection prior to closing escrow and subsequently filming their episode.  In fact, that's where all those intense, construction dramas come from!

Production companies hate surprises so they purposely schedule those scenes with the contractor, h/o and (often) the designer.  They definitely won't employ a film crew (or even 2+) to follow everyone around on a 6-8 week remodel on the off-chance that a load-bearing wall or water leak will magically appear.  

Everyone remember the 20-something woman who flubbed the cabinet color choice and her mother cackled endlessly (!) when it appeared from the supplier?  (Many comments here, IIRC.)  Sorry, guys, there's no way that wasn't pre-scheduled.  BTW, that family was in the business, i.e. the entertainment business - in LA.  I'm certain Mom was just a little better actress than we're used to on these cable renovation shows!

[aguabella]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 0:54 PM, Mittengirl said:

The Habitat for Humanity in my area has run an ad in the paper for that last month or so promoting the fact that they will send a licensed contractor to your home and remove your kitchen or bathroom fixtures - free of charge and on your schedule - so that they can sell them in the stores.  

 

I have taken down a few cabinets in my day, but never in a time crunch, so I will ask -  Is it really faster to flail at cabinets, drawers and doors with a sledgehammer than to use a power driver and unscrew the doors from the cabs and then the cabs from the wall?  If removed in one piece not only can they be resold/reused, if desired, they can be removed from the house in one piece, rather than several.

Yep, unfortunately, it almost always is significantly faster (and therefore, cheaper) to simply demo the kitchen than to carefully remove it, organizing the hardware and separating other items for donation.  Why?  Because labor is pretty much always, by far, the highest budget line item in any given renovation.  Now "flailing" - uh no - just no.  Safety first!  (Flailing's strictly for the cameras, if you ask me!)

Smart idea for H4H to offer that service.  If they can truly accomplish it, showing up on time and performing efficiently, that's terrific!  In our area, I'm not sure they either need and/or have sufficient w/h space for add'l donations.

Another issue that comes up is the fact that some of the charitable organizations won't accept certain items.  So, you end up scheduling pickups at different times to donate items plus you're scheduling your contractor plus subs to keep the overall job on schedule - eeek!  It can be a nightmare!  That's why so many folks just call it quits and demo. 

If you know anyone who tries their service or hear how it works out, let us know, Mittengirl!  Thanks for the info - I'll be calling our local office tomorrow!

[Mittengirl]

Most of the flailers I see are the ones doing their own demo.  I can see pros not wanting to fuss with every little thing, but DIYers who proclaim to have never done demo before?  Seems much safer and just as quick (or slow) to take cabinets down as they went up, when possible.  

Then when they are whining about every penny they spend, it seems they could use whatever money they could get by selling the old stuff.   And if selling those things can keep you from having to get an additional/larger dumpster, you save again.  Of course, it is also more eco-friendly to keep those things out of landfills.  (Which I guess isn't an issue to those who rip out perfectly good stuff because it isn't to their taste.  I don't mean ugly or old, just "have to have white cabinets".)

 

One time I saw a Sub-Zero fridge at my Habitat store.  I would have had to build an addition to put it in my kitchen; it was huuuge.

[Beaner]

We donated our cabinets to a friend, lol. He needed them for his cabin, so it was a win-win. I suppose my point is one person's trash is another's treasure. Stuff can always be recycled.

[sheetmoss]

When my friend reno'd her kitchen a few yrs back. Habitat came in an removed old & they got a   tax deduction for the donation

ETA - even if the just left intact old cabinets by the curb they will soon disappear... somebody always has a use  for them in a garage, basement, etc

Edited June 22, 2017 by sheetmoss

[ByaNose]

Nice couple downsizing since their boys were headed to college. They went way over budget but didn't seem too upset. I thought it was hysterical when the wife said, "It doesn't bother me" out loud when it bothered the husband about a design element. It wasn't a fake acted for the show reposnse. She really meant it and was totally real about it.  Hysterical!!!!

Edited June 25, 2017 by ByaNose

[sheetmoss]

I did not like the wife of the Franklin downsizing couple  - seemed a bit too me,me,me-ish

Also, sons were 15 and 17, couldn't they have waited until they were actually in college? 

I hope the sons were at least able to stay in their old school.

Edited June 26, 2017 by sheetmoss
correcting city

[Pickles]

I looked up the Franklin, TN wife's shop and there was a writeup about her. She has had four businesses in Franklin (I think all at different times), over the years. I believe it also said she is the head of the chamber of commerce or some downtown organization. 

It looked like the oldest son just graduated from high school. 

[Nysha]

Unless there was a financial situation not mentioned, I don't understand the desire to downsize before the kids actually leave for college, either. What's another 3 years?

[laredhead]

Maybe the house in Franklin was a very desirable one and when it came on the market they jumped on it.  If one of the son's just graduated, then he will be living away from home beginning this year.  I believe the house they bought has about 2,500 square feet, so that's still a nice size house for 3 people.

I liked the tile in the shower.  It was a nice change from the usual subway tile.  I did not understand exactly how they made the master bath larger even though I reran that segment a couple of times when they were explaining it.  I wish they would show some floor plans like they do on Vintage Flip.  You can pause the DVR and compare before and after.  The kitchen was OK, and I was surprised that I liked the brick which was also a nice change from subway tile.  Using it as a back splash though might be a problem when spaghetti sauce splatters on it.  That brick is porous unless they sealed it with something to prevent stains.

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, Nysha said:

Unless there was a financial situation not mentioned, I don't understand the desire to downsize before the kids actually leave for college, either. What's another 3 years?

Maybe, they're sending a message to their sons. The Inn is closed. Don't even think of coming back. LOL!!! I thought it was all too early to be downsizing and I don't even have kids.

[Peanutbuttercup]

The Franklin TN home was not my taste, but it looked fine. The husband looked like a missing Property Brother.

[biakbiak]

 The column not lining up would bug the shit out of me but why didn't the designer take that into account when they did the layout.