House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[izabella]

3 hours ago, biakbiak said:

 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.

The stupid thing is they would not even have had to move the plumbing or island that 2 inches.  They could have just added 2 inches to the columns.

Personally, I cannot stand islands that have plumbing and sinks in them.  I especially cannot stand islands that have stove tops.  I understand in some kitchens there isn't space, but it's seen so frequently even the largest of kitchens. 

Edited June 27, 2017 by izabella

[ByaNose]

17 minutes ago, izabella said:

The stupid thing is they would not even have had to move the plumbing or island that 2 inches.  They could have just added 2 inches to the columns.

Personally, I cannot stand islands that have plumbing and sinks in them.  I especially cannot stand islands that have stove tops.  I understand in some kitchens there isn't space, but it's seen so frequently even the largest of kitchens. 

I was wondering why they didn't make the column chunkier....so to speak. Wouldn't molding and trim give the appearance the column being bigger and in line with the door. At least, that's my thought. I can't even hammer a nail so I could be totally wrong.

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I was wondering why they didn't make the column chunkier....so to speak. Wouldn't molding and trim give the appearance the column being bigger and in line with the door. At least, that's my thought. I can't even hammer a nail so I could be totally wrong.

That might have been difficult because the other beam was already in place and having trim on just one side or the columns different widths would be also annoying.

[illini1959]

23 hours ago, Peanutbuttercup said:

The husband looked like a missing Property Brother.

I thought the same thing!

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, illini1959 said:

I thought the same thing!

Me three!

[biakbiak]

The old boarding house was ugly as hell from the outside and I would have never have picked it but I thought they did a great job on the inside, I wish they had also done the kitchen because I liked their taste but good on them for not not taking it all on at once if they couldn't afford it.

I ffwd a lot of this show did they mention if they were the planning on renting out the lower apartment? 

They should probably mow the front lawn.

[Pickles]

I did not like the boarding house at all. Really ugly. So many steps inside and out! That would get old really fast. Did not like the wood railings they installed. I don't know what it needed, but that wood railing looked so generic.

[sheetmoss]

Couple was pleasant  enough...I also liked them because they 'got' character in a house  esp in the one that looked like a 60's design time capsule

    I thought the wooden railings were a miss, thinking maybe metal and more contemporary instead 

I found the  exterior of the house overall was ugly - one way to remedy would be  allowing  creeping fig  to cover which would give it a more Mediterranean villa  feel.

Kept thinking the water diversion onto neighbor's property was a lawsuit in the making

Edited July 3, 2017 by sheetmoss

[AuntiePam]

19 minutes ago, sheetmoss said:

Kept thinking the water diversion onto neighbors property was a lawsuit in the making

Oh yes.  And apparently they did it without asking first.  "We'll need to talk to them about that."  They could have gotten some flexible hose to take the water away from either house.  And we didn't hear about a permanent fix.  Did they have to dig a trench to get water to the storm drains? 

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, Pickles said:

I did not like the boarding house at all. Really ugly. So many steps inside and out! That would get old really fast. Did not like the wood railings they installed. I don't know what it needed, but that wood railing looked so generic.

I thought that was a bad call since they said they wanted a family. Schlepping kids, strollers, etc. up and down those stairs would be a no go for me.

[juliet73]

I agree about the boarding house.  It was ugly and all those steps!!  Once they have a child, climbing those are going to become a real PITA!  Also, I agree about the water diversion lawsuit and the wooden rails.  Metal would have looked sooo much better!  Considering the rail was $4600, it looked very cheap!  I was surprised at the end when they said they stuck to their $70k budget, but then I realized they didn't touch the kitchen.  That's a lot of money spent on a balcony and a master bathroom!  I couldn't believe they spent $6000 on tile for the porch! And $1800 on an ugly chandelier! And how does white subway tile cost almost $4500?!  It was only used in the shower!  I did like how the bathroom turned out, but I wish they would have used the decorative cement tile for the entire floor or maybe just use the black tiles around as a border.  I didn't like the placement of the toilet either - too bad they couldn't have added a water closet.  The closet system cost $2500?!  They could have bought all the shelves and rods at a home improvement store for half the price and did it themselves.  I know I sound cheap, but I have more common sense than money.  Are all these homeowners incapable of doing anything on their own besides paint?  Sometimes, I even wonder about that since this couple didn't even remove the draperies before painting the living room walls, let alone use tape or primer.     The house had so much wasted space - I would have liked to see built in bookshelves or custom cabinetry, etc instead of just a table or bench to fill up the area.  On the positive side, I liked the couple!  I thought they were nice and respectful to each other!

[twinks]

I didn't care much for the bathroom. They used that "antique" piece for the vanity and IIRC there was another piece near it (a hutch?) that was dark wood.

I will never understand spending so much on certain things (such as a chandelier in the closet) when you don't have the budget to do the kitchen. Makes me crazy!

[biakbiak]

22 minutes ago, twinks said:

will never understand spending so much on certain things (such as a chandelier in the closet) when you don't have the budget to do the kitchen.

I think they had just planned to do this all along, they mentioned they were do8ng it in phases, it wasn't like they ran out of money they stayed on budget.

[juliet73]

1 hour ago, stewedsquash said:

There was something off about the bathroom, whether it was the hutch you mentioned or the off centering of some things that made me not want to like the bathroom. I liked most of the things in there, they just didn't blend well together. It needed some tweaks.  

I understand what you're saying.  IMO, I think the room itself was too big (wasted space) and everything in it was not proportionate to the scale of the room. The shower was good sized, but the vanity, tub and toilet looked too small. It seemed like the hutch was put in there just to fill in an empty corner. I would have placed the double sink vanity where the hutch was and installed a water closet where the vanity was. Or moved the vanity and toilet to where the hutch was so all of the "bathroom"  would be in one area. Then install a linen closet and/or makeup table on the other side (where they had the sink vanity). 

[laredhead]

I also thought the bathroom looked like it could have used better space planning, but maybe the camera was making it look larger than it really was.  I have said before that when they tour houses with only 1200 sq feet it always looks like they are in a much larger house.  I think they should have made room for a water closet somewhere in that bathroom because the first thing I noticed was the toilet sitting smack dab in the middle of the wall out in the open. 

I think a metal railing would have looked much better than the white wood.  That is going to require periodic painting and more maintenance than metal, plus it's not as strong as metal.  I liked the ceramic tile for the porch floor, but again that's my low maintenance gene kicking in when thinking of having to paint a porch floor every few years.  They had already had to treat the house for termites, so the less wood the better IMO.  I agree about adding some curb appeal and turning the outside into a more Mediterranean style with a courtyard, vines, maybe a pergola, etc. down the road.

I hope they are featured on a future WATN episode.   

[AlleC17]

22 hours ago, sheetmoss said:

Couple was pleasant  enough...I also liked them because they 'got' character in a house  esp in the one that looked like a 60's design time capsule

    I thought the wooden railings were a miss, thinking maybe metal and more contemporary instead 

I found the  exterior of the house overall was ugly - one way to remedy would be  allowing  creeping fig  to cover which would give it a more Mediterranean villa  feel.

Kept thinking the water diversion onto neighbor's property was a lawsuit in the making

I was liking the couple well enough until they diverted the water into the neighbors yard!  So very rude!  Then the quick comment on oh we will have to tell them about it...yeah, ya think?  This hits home because I had my neighbor do the same type of thing and they never said a word!  We live on a steep hill, so the backyard is pretty useless, and when it rains, the water flows down hill and there are drainage paths to take it all to the street.  My neighbors stripped all the grass (mostly weed, but then they never replanted anything) off the hill and directed the flow...which is now MUD, not water...onto MY yard, since they messed with the drainage area on theirs.  I got a mudslide into my yard thanks to them.  I told the husband, and for a time he would come in my yard and shovel out mud, but I ended up planting a bunch of bouganvilla in the gap, which has solved the issue, but what nerve!  So, I hope that the renovations they want for the rest of the house come in way high on these two.  lol

[MaKaM]

3 hours ago, AlleC17 said:

I was liking the couple well enough until they diverted the water into the neighbors yard!  So very rude!  Then the quick comment on oh we will have to tell them about it...yeah, ya think?  This hits home because I had my neighbor do the same type of thing and they never said a word!  We live on a steep hill, so the backyard is pretty useless, and when it rains, the water flows down hill and there are drainage paths to take it all to the street.  My neighbors stripped all the grass (mostly weed, but then they never replanted anything) off the hill and directed the flow...which is now MUD, not water...onto MY yard, since they messed with the drainage area on theirs.  I got a mudslide into my yard thanks to them.  I told the husband, and for a time he would come in my yard and shovel out mud, but I ended up planting a bunch of bouganvilla in the gap, which has solved the issue, but what nerve!  So, I hope that the renovations they want for the rest of the house come in way high on these two.  lol

Yeah, a friend's neighbor diverted their drainage and washed out my friend's driveway. I'd have been LIVID. Water flows and drainage are not a "oh, lemme just try this" matter.

[Boothbay]

Did anyone else notice that the realtor that showed them the former boarding house was in a previously episode of HH Reno?  She and her wife redid a house in the LA area a few seasons ago.  

[Mittengirl]

I knew that realtor looked familiar, but I couldn't remember if she was a buyer or the realtor in the other episode.

[Empress1]

I thought the designer in the most recent CA episode was very cute. There was no way they were only going to spend $50K - and they would have spent even more if the husband hadn't been able to do some of the work himself and tap his friends for help. That kitchen was ugly as sin when they started. When the husband said "At this point, half of our house is one big room" I thought "That would be a huge drawback for me," but they seemed very happy. That rock garden was ... something.

Edited July 9, 2017 by Empress1

[ByaNose]

I knew they were going to go over budget. When has anyone on HHR spent $50,000 and under? That said, they did a great job and really opened the place up. It was light and airy without being too stark. They seemed like nice people. As for the rock garden.......um, I'm sure it was cool back in the day. I remember someone back home in Philly that had water feature that ran through their living room. This was in the late 80's and even then I thought it was weird. Also, I liked that she saved & rehabbed the whicker lampshade. We had so many of them in my house back in the 70's & 80's. If it still looks good and just needs a lightbulb why not use it?  

[sheetmoss]

Hated the random stained plank  floors in this  reno - made the large space look way overly busy

Part of me would love the rock garden if it was more of an atrium w/skylight and planted w/trees and other foliage.  That said, a major no-no w/cats!

[laredhead]

As the prices of each item kept flashing on the screen, $50,000 was soon left in the dust.  As Empress1 said if the husband had not been handy, that price would have been closer to $150,000.  I guess they figured that since so much had to be fixed, they might as well go ahead and go all in and not have to come back later and deal with things that could be taken care on the front end before they moved in.

I liked the finished house and the views through all of the glass windows and doors to the backyard.  The boulders looked much better in the yard than in the house.  As the owner of 3 cats, my first thought also was that the rock garden would be a no go, lol. 

I appreciated the couple's interaction with each other and no sniping or ridiculous drama meltdowns over something minor. 

[juliet73]

I think a rock garden would have looked nice outside by the front door.  When they originally looked at the house, there were a lot of tall rain forest looking plants on each side of the door.  I would have removed those ugly plants and turned the area into more of a courtyard with a rock garden and fountain.

The renovation turned out nice.  I'm not a fan of the open concept, but it really worked for this house. I loved all the glass doors in the back!  They did a nice job on the kitchen - the only thing I didn't like was chevron marble backsplash behind the stove.  

I didn't like the different shades of the floor planks - I thought it was too busy.  They should have went with different furniture for the dining and living rooms. The table and chairs looked too small for such a large area.  The placement of sectional couch wasn't working - I think it would have looked better if it was moved over so it would be more centered to the room.   Also, there were too many pieces of furniture/cubes.  Obviously their style is eclectic, but all the mismatched and unnecessary furniture made the living room look more like a furniture store and not a place to relax/entertain/whatever. 

The bathrooms came out okay.  I didn't like the shower tile or the shiplap, but the rest turned out lovely.

The daughter's room was cute and I liked the shiplap in there as an accent wall.  

They went $50k over.  Since their original budget would only cover the cost of the kitchen remodel and not much else, I'm not surprised they spent so much more since they renovated the entire house.

Electricians must get paid a lot of money in S Cal to afford a $650k house...  

Edited July 10, 2017 by juliet73

[sheetmoss]

On 7/9/2017 at 11:28 PM, juliet73 said:

.

Electricians must get paid a lot of money in S Cal to afford a $650k house...  

 

IMO, take it with a grain of salt what they do for a living and the $$ they're able to shell out - there's always inheritances, insurance settlements.... parents' help/gifting too

     My friend's son lives in a condo in Seattle. He/they bought it a few yrs back for about $500k and now it's worth aboutd- $700k+ -   he makes mid-five figures yrly. 

            When he sells his parents will get their $$ back

 

I've always wondered if the $25,000 'gift' production give towards the reno is included in final amt figures  stated?

Edited July 11, 2017 by sheetmoss

[QuinnM]

I was almost as fascinated by the renovations done originally to the house to facilitate a wheelchair owner as I was by the new owners.  The cement path through the garden was my favorite.

Did anyone else notice that the little girl's play kitchen had stainless steel appliances. Just sayin.

[biakbiak]

7 minutes ago, QuinnM said:

Did anyone else notice that the little girl's play kitchen had stainless steel appliances. Just sayin.

My BFFs daughter got a play kitchen from her grandparents that is better equipped than their real one.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

Schlepping kids, strollers, etc. up and down those stairs would be a no go for me.

Those steps in the boarding house episode!  OMG.  The couple will have buns of steel, but no.  Imagine if you are going to entertain and have 5 - 10 bags of groceries?  They will need to set up some sort of wagon-system to haul things up to the house.  Do you ever want older relatives to visit?  Won't be able to.  How about the workers?  If I'm a contractor, I'd add an extra fee just for having to deal with the steps.  Carrying the baby up?  Auggh.  Once the baby is a toddler and wants to walk up or down the stairs, no way.

Regarding play kitchens, look at those offered by Pottery Barn Kids.  To die for.

Loved the most recent couple.  They were so sweet and she was tearing up at the end.  I really liked how the kitchen turned out, and I KNEW immediately that the curved countertop was a bad idea.  (probably producer-driven drama)  Her decorating was less traditional that I thought it would have been.  Did not really like the finishes in the bathroom.  She was channeling Joanna Gaines.

 

 

[MaKaM]

The Nashville real estate guy--I am second house in and I don't know if I can stand the friend any longer. Or him since he keeps trying to up his level of whack to keep up with her. Plus the "I want historic (but open plan living!) is so done. Think it is time to fast forward to the reveal...

[Empress1]

The Nashville friend was SO EXTRA. From her pink extensions to her "I feel spirits" to her just general loudness, I was having a really hard time dealing with her. The house turned out well, although I hated the Aqua Fresh cabinets. Just not for me. I did like that he incorporated the kit instructions into the decor. That was cool. I would really want two bathrooms though, and all the houses were tiny.

[izabella]

I didn't like the navy blue bedroom with the painted ceiling.  I also must be the only person who doesn't like claw foot tubs.  Or maybe I like the tubs fine, but then when the shower is added, and they have to put up the circular bar for the shower curtain to go all the way around, I hate it.  Hate. 

Otherwise, I think the reno turned out fairly nice.  The farmhouse green cabinets were cute.

[Thumper]

36 minutes ago, izabella said:

I didn't like the navy blue bedroom with the painted ceiling.  I also must be the only person who doesn't like claw foot tubs.  Or maybe I like the tubs fine, but then when the shower is added, and they have to put up the circular bar for the shower curtain to go all the way around, I hate it.  Hate. 

Otherwise, I think the reno turned out fairly nice.  The farmhouse green cabinets were cute.

I don't like that kind of tub/shower either.  Looks very cramped, claustrophobic, and messy.  

[ByaNose]

The guy was okay but his girl buddy was OTT and annoying. While his design aesthetic isn't my taste I did appreciate his enthusiasm for what he wanted. I didn't care for the color of the kitchen cabinets but it did go with his theme. All in all, it was an okay renovation.

[MaKaM]

The Cali boarding house family needs a funicular. Or to discuss with the uphill neighbors about getting access from that direction. Oh, or to build an elevator tower and skywalk. The railings were also boggling. They seemed really tall, seemed to block the view, and they were wood? Dudes, no. I need new railings on my 36' front porch and they are going to be around $800 total and will be vinyl. Which doesn't need painting and handles power washing.

The Nashville house was weird with that front room and corner fireplace. He did the best he could with it and luckily the opened kitchen/dining was big enough to be a kitchen/dining/living room (barely) but I couldn't even imagine how my ancestors would have lived in that room with the door and the angles and doorways being where they were. ETA: And his mother-henning over the cutting of the countertops was just weird. Probably producer-driven but I would have refused to look that stupid thinking the sound of the vacuum hose hitting the wall was the thing breaking.

Edited July 17, 2017 by MaKaM

[twinks]

Too much drama over nothing. Didn't care for the bathroom, especially the vanity.

[juliet73]

Nashville ep - The kitchen turned out nice except I didn't like the aqua cabinets.  He should have stayed with the white - the space would look bigger and brighter and the white would still be "vintage".   I didn't like the bedroom walls - the rooms are too small for such dark colors.  The new bathroom layout was nice and I liked the floor and the tub, but I wasn't feeling the vanity it was too rustic compared with the rest of the house.  I'm surprised they didn't remove the fireplace or move it so it wasn't on an angle.  I don't know how much that would have cost or the labor involved, but it took up way too much space and was more of an eye sore than a focal point. I didn't like the light fixtures. What was the deal with the bunk beds? 

The friend was so over the top!  She was more obnoxious than quirky and fun. It was like she wanted to have her own reality show and this was her audition.  

Edited July 17, 2017 by juliet73

[biakbiak]

5 hours ago, izabella said:

The farmhouse green cabinets were cute.

I hated the refrigerator so very much, it's placement, and how far it jetted out from the green cabinets I am still pissed off about it.

[QuinnM]

Quote

 hated the refrigerator so very much, it's placement, and how far it jetted out from the green cabinets I am still pissed off about it

I don't understand why they always have these elephant lockers that just 4 inches beyond the cabinets.  They make cabinet depth refrigerators and in a tight space do you really need the extra cubic foot you get in a behemoth?  

[sheetmoss]

Re: Nashville reno

Didn't like the refrigerator area either--stuck out like a sore thumb, and didn't care for bathroom sink setup....looked really low

The cabinet color reminded me of Jadeite Depression glass.

         Beta(?) didn't annoy me as I much as I thought she would,

What was the deal with the bunk beds? 

He may have musician/comedian  friends who need a place to crash while in Nashville - I watched  a show where a name musician was renovating a home in Detroit and he put in a bunk room for other musicians to  crash in while in town.

Edited July 18, 2017 by sheetmoss

[AuntiePam]

2 hours ago, sheetmoss said:

The cabinet color reminded me of Jadeite depression glass.

Yeah -- "Depression green".  It's a popular shade of green in 30's-era quilts too. 

My TV showed a few different shades of green -- mint, aqua, the soft 30's green.  Weird.  Must have been the lighting, from different angles.

[Lola16]

Not sure if this was a repeat... The episode title was "Renovating Walls and Wardrobes".  Alex, a spirit brand ambassador likes to rebuild motorcycles. Casey (or Kasey or KC who knows), is a fashion blogger, who likes to wear bold red lipstick, feathered eyebrows, and ombre hair. They have a dog (Lucy, Lulu?) who needs a backyard, and 2 cats (one is named Meatball!) who need a catio.  They buy a house in Lake Balboa that is old and outdated and has lots of small rooms. They want to turn it into open concept. Their designer Molly has to blend his industrial style with her style (which I don't know what that is except she hates grey cabinets or multiple wood tones). She doesn't seem to mind multiple metal tones(brass, gold, black). Surprise, the wall they want to remove is load bearing. But in a real surprise, they wind up coming in 8K$ under budget.

[AnnaRose]

My TVGuide said it was new.  I was so distracted by her eyebrows.  I normally like full eyebrows... but hers were so over the top, it was all I could notice when she was onscreen.  Well, that and her bright red/orange lipstick.   And those awful ripped up jeans.  Yikes! 

I thought the kitchen turned out okay.  At least it didn't have white cabinets.  And I really like the wood on the island and ceiling.

I helped my brother resurface a three car garage with that epoxy stuff and remember having to scatter the confetti pieces that get added to it.  The chemical smell was terrible - toxic, I'm sure.  (I had bronchitis for months because of it.)

The dog was cute, and I liked the outdoor cat spa.  I've never seen one of those.

And I have to ask... What the heck is a 'spirit brand ambassador'?   It totally sounded like a made up job. :D 

Edited July 23, 2017 by AnnaRose

[twinks]

Lake Balboa...where to begin? How do these (young) people afford these houses? Totally hated the brass hardware on the black cabinets. I had to laugh the way they talked about needing more room in the bathroom so they could do their hair. Really?

[suebee12]

3 minutes ago, AnnaRose said:

And I have to ask... What the heck is a 'spirit brand ambassador'?   It totally sounded like a made up job. :D 

Hee, I wondered that also so I proved the old saying that "google is your friend"! This is a real job!

https://talesofthecocktail.com/behind-bar/comprehensive-guide-becoming-brand-ambassador

I actually liked this couple...they weren't too picky and did some compromising. And they came in under budget even after worrying about blowing it with opening up the kitchen wall. I really liked their kitchen. I thought the touches of brass and wood was good. That cat patio was awesome...the cats could be outside and still not in danger...a fence will not hold a cat in so this was a great solution. Loved them describing it as a chicken coop for cats!!

 Her eyebrows, lipstick and torn jeans were very noticable but I thought she was pretty!

[Mittengirl]

I hope they are saving that $8000 the didn't spend on reno, because fashion blogger and spirit ambassador seem like jobs where your age renders you obsolete fairly early.  Although, some of that money should be invested in a comb and regular haircuts for him.   

I wouldn't take fashion advice from someone willing to go on national television wearing Wally Cleaver's gray tobogganing cap.  Maybe that's just me.  And his fashion sense?  Yikes!  But then again, I'm old.

 

Cool catio, though.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Mittengirl

[AnnaRose]

2 hours ago, suebee12 said:

Hee, I wondered that also so I proved the old saying that "google is your friend"! This is a real job!

https://talesofthecocktail.com/behind-bar/comprehensive-guide-becoming-brand-ambassador

I actually liked this couple...they weren't too picky and did some compromising. And they came in under budget even after worrying about blowing it with opening up the kitchen wall. I really liked their kitchen. I thought the touches of brass and wood was good. That cat patio was awesome...the cats could be outside and still not in danger...a fence will not hold a cat in so this was a great solution. Loved them describing it as a chicken coop for cats!!

 Her eyebrows, lipstick and torn jeans were very noticable but I thought she was pretty!

Oh, I thought she was very pretty too.   She may not have realized how bad the lipstick was coming across on camera.  And ripped jeans have always been a fad I loathe.  Some people love them though... while I just have to roll my eyes.  But to each her own.  I still thought they looked awful.

I liked them way more than I thought I would when I saw the previews.  They seemed nice.  I laughed at the comment he made when she was swinging in the closet.  I hope they are happy in their newly renovated home.  I thought it turned out nice, and I'm glad they salvaged those cute dining room built-ins.

[sskrill]

What was with her need to use "vintage" slang?

Hipsters ?

[juliet73]

Lake Balboa:  Superficial stuff - she was very pretty, but if she lost that harsh colored lipstick and shaped her eyebrows properly, she would be gorgeous!!!!  She was a fashion blogger? I guess I'm old because everything she wore, looked like a fashion "don't", IMO.  He needed a haircut.  On to the house...

I'm glad they picked house 1 because it had the most potential; unfortunately, they (the designer) ruined what could have been.  The kitchen had so many textures/patterns/metals, it was dizzying!   I know they were trying to go for an industrial/farmhouse look, but it didn't work.  I liked the wood beams on the ceiling and the dark colored cabinets.  I didn't like like the brass hardware, fixtures and trims, the basket weave tile walls and the one lone upper cabinet next to the hood - it looked like a total afterthought.  They should have centered the oven and put cabinets or open shelving on each side.  With the addition of the island, they should have kept the sink in the corner - it would have been a more cohesive layout. Every time they need to go to the refrigerator while they are cooking, they need to walk around the huge island.  Thinking of the island, I didn't understand the gold trim around it or on the floor.  It looked liked the trim and the floor planks were missing.  The "bar" was more of a liquor cabinet and I didn't like the wire inlay.  The bedroom turned closet/office was pretty underwhelming.  I liked the catio.

Edited July 23, 2017 by juliet73

[MsTree]

I really wish these designers would stop trying to make brass hardware/accessories happen. Most HH, when entering a house built in the 90s with all the brass fixtures, immediately say "ugh...that's got to be replaced".  So is it any different in the kitchen?  Am I missing something?  IOW, why is brass okay for cabinet hardware & trim, but not okay for light fixtures, etc.???

For the record, I had ANY type of brass. Don't care if it was gold plated...hate it.

[juliet73]

West Hills, Ca ep:  I think this is one of the best renos I've seen from this show.  Ironically, no "designer" was brought in.  The husband (and his dad) did most of the design and all the work.  I loved that the house was considered open concept even though the rooms were defined by widening the entrances.  Great call on moving the kitchen to the back of the house and increasing the height of the ceiling in the entryway.   I thought all the rooms and finishes were all pulled together beautifully.  Nothing crazy, not too much brass, no mismatched cabinets, not too trendy. etc.  It looked clean and modern, but at the same time, classic.  Believe it or not, I really don't have anything negative to say about the house.

The friend commenting that it looked like it was done by a professional was rude considering that is the husband's job. I'm glad he responded with "Well, I am." I thought he did an awesome job with everything and I'm sure he'll have some increased business after the public watches this episode.   Maybe HGTV will hire him for shows in the future or give him his own show.  

My only snark is about the wife.  Her constant laughing was soooooo annoying.  I don't know if it was nervous laughter or what. If she wasn't pregnant, I would have thought she was stoned.