Brother Vs. Brother - General Discussion

[KittyS]

I thought the barn doors did not fit in at all with the glam master suite in Drew's house, even though Drew is my favorite twin. I much preferred Jonathan's reno, even the teal grass cloth accent wall. I wasn't crazy about the multi-colored bubble tile, but it matched the vibe. 

I do like how both houses have a consistent color scheme that is carried throughout. 

Wayne Newton's house was the tacky and gross. Also, it's really disturbing the way his face doesn't move.

[Gregg247]

I can't believe Drew's bathroom make-over didn't win the competition this week.  That shower/tub design, along with the master closet, was incredible.  Jonathan seems to be fixated with really wild, 60's-inspired designs and colors this season, and, while interesting, doesn't make for an attractive home.  I think he'll have a tougher time finding a buyer once the show wraps, because it will have to be a buyer with very specific tastes.  Drew's house, on the other hand, could be purchased by a wide range of buyers.

Have the brothers' parents followed the older brother's lead and simply moved in to that over-the-top house they share?  It must be getting crowded in there!

[hkit]

Personally, I'm just happy that someone on this god foresaken network is deviating from their standard design choices of neutral colors, clean lines, etc. Yes, it's what sells. It's also what I have in my home. But it is so boring to see the same design on every episode of Flip or Flop, Property Brothers, Love It or List It, etc. I don't necessarily find Jonathan's designs to my personal aesthetic, but I love seeing something different.

[LoveIsJoy]

Yeah, the designs have become so rote on these shows.  White (or gray) cabinets, white (or gray) subway tile backsplash, white quartz (or marble if they're feeling luxe) counter tops.  I thought the tile in Jonathon's room was ugly, but it was nice to see something different.  Still, I thought Drew's room was the clear winner so I was surprised at the outcome.  I mostly fast-forward through this show anyway.  Their sibling routine has reached the sell-by date for me, and I don't care about any of the hijinks or pranks.  I pause to see the general plan and construction issues, whiz through to the reveal, and exit before whatever lame "bet" gets played out.  

One thing I don't get in general about these types of shows, is the insistence on "wood flooring throughout" but then each room has these enormous rugs in them.  It's like you're paying for flooring twice.  

[HawaiiTVGuy]

7 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

I can't believe Drew's bathroom make-over didn't win the competition this week.  That shower/tub design, along with the master closet, was incredible.  Jonathan seems to be fixated with really wild, 60's-inspired designs and colors this season, and, while interesting, doesn't make for an attractive home.  I think he'll have a tougher time finding a buyer once the show wraps, because it will have to be a buyer with very specific tastes.  Drew's house, on the other hand, could be purchased by a wide range of buyers.

Have the brothers' parents followed the older brother's lead and simply moved in to that over-the-top house they share?  It must be getting crowded in there!

I think Drew's master suite did win.  I totally understand why Drew's renovation won, it was HUGE, I mean the bathroom/closet was probably the same size as my entire ground floor.  Jonathan's redesign was nice, but more standard.  It sure seems like having the bigger space is providing a huge advantage in the weekly challenges.

Can someone who has an architect/contractor eye explain how Jonathan renovated his master suite?  He said initially during the before/after animation sequence that the area originally was a garage, and then he walled off the area that looked to be the original bedroom area, and then ended up using the remaining area in that section of the house including the hallway and original bathroom and some other room and converted that into the master suite, but it seemed to make it smaller overall?

[NYGirl]

No.  Drew lost.  The Listed Sisters shockingly picked Jonathan's design.  I'm thinking maybe it was the barn door on the closet that lost it for Jonathan.  After all who could resist his and hers pottys???

[mlp]

I didn't like that barn door and didn't think it went with the rest of the décor at all. Otherwise, I liked Drew's room much better than Jonathan's so I was surprised when he lost.  I didn't care for the green tiles in Jonathan's bathroom and I especially disliked the dark green grass cloth or whatever it was in the bedroom.

[jumper sage]

I can't watch the whole show.  I am now DVRing the last 20 minutes and still have to put up with their juvenile crap.  Such a put off.

Separate toilets?  Count me in!  My sister just ordered a farm sink and something else from Wayfair and everything was at her house in 48 hours.  She loves it.

[Missy Vixen]

I can't figure out the rhyme or reason behind Drew's design. When the challenge started, he was all about the "family home". How long would the plush velvet chairs last in a typical family home, even with Scotchgarding? A week? I'm not nuts about mid-century modern, either, but Drew's design is too ornate for a family with little kids.

Their house is gigantic and Jonathan and Drew have said they are rarely home. The parents also have their own separate space. Nobody's in anyone else's way there.

[hkit]

What is Drew's obsession with two of things? Who wants two toilets in one bathroom? His and hers to use at the same time? Yuck. I just see more to clean, and an unnecessary use of space.  And, sorry Drew, but 2 washer and dryer stacks is not this homeowner's dream. I hope the water tank was upgraded to support something so frivolous. I think they showed gas lines, which is good, because if they were electric, I bet you'd run into issues running them at the same time. What a ridiculous luxury. 

[roctavia]

I agree that the two washers/dryers seems like overkill... I've never been doing laundry and really thought having another machine would be great... sure it'd get the laundry done  a little faster, but it's not all that inconvenient to change things over when the cycle is done.

The two toilets, though... I'm okay with, then you are responsible for your own toilet and it's cleanliness and your own TP roll put properly on the holder etc... I could handle that in my master bath :)

[Missy Vixen]

One has to imagine the power or gas bill would be astronomical running two washers/dryers at the same time.

I'm wondering why Drew thinks his designs are family-friendly. The velvet chairs, breakable accent pieces and other questionable design decisions show he's never spent much time around younger kids.

[NYGirl]

I don't think they are keeping the furniture in the houses they sell.  Are they?  I thought it was just staging as usual.

[Gregg247]

I was surprised that when Jonathan had to replace the AC unit on his house, the unit was actually perched up on the roof!  

Where I'm from, the outside unit goes on a concrete pad in the backyard.  Is there a reason why they do it differently in Las Vegas?  It seemed expensive to get that giant crane to come over and place the 800 pound unit up on the roof.  Also, annual maintenance would be much harder with all the roof climbing going on.

I don't think I liked how the brothers tried to "personalize" each bedroom in their houses (boy's room, girl's room, nursery).  Why not leave them generic and let the buyer decide who gets each room?  I'm always surprised, when watching "House Hunters", how many people can't look beyond paint colors and see a house for the floor plan itself.  By painting those rooms specific colors, Jonathan and Drew may be artificially limiting their potential market of home buyers.

Next week is the finals.  Am I the only person who's REALLY interested in seeing how the boys fix the yards of their houses?  Both are a total disaster right now!

[mlp]

I wondered why an a/c unit would be placed on a hot roof also.  Here in the Midwest, they're on concrete pads as said above and as out of sight as possible.  

I agree about the overdone decorating.  I disliked the bedroom with the beach theme and that would definitely put me off if I thought I had to live with it.  

Overall, I liked Jonathan's results better but I hated the optical illusion tiles in the bathroom and loved the wild tiles that Drew chose.

I'd like this show better if they'd stop all the sibling rivalry nonsense.  I'm sure it's supposed to be funny but it's just silly IMO.

[Lovecat]

Who won?  My DVR burped 8 min from the end, and by the time I reset it, I missed the results :/

[hkit]

1 hour ago, Gregg247 said:

I don't think I liked how the brothers tried to "personalize" each bedroom in their houses (boy's room, girl's room, nursery).  Why not leave them generic and let the buyer decide who gets each room?  I'm always surprised, when watching "House Hunters", how many people can't look beyond paint colors and see a house for the floor plan itself.  By painting those rooms specific colors, Jonathan and Drew may be artificially limiting their potential market of home buyers.

Ugh, don't get me started. It has bled onto first time home buyers, who don't know better. I sold a house about 18 months ago, and the "HGTV Effect" was prevalent. I never got feedback on anything tangible, always stupid things (I don't like the towel racks in the bathroom - that's my personal favorite). I got into some back and forth with a buyer who came under contract. After their inspection, they asked for the wall color of one room to be changed, and wanted the front door to be updated to something "more modern". I refused to do it on general principle - design choice is NOT a home condition contingency. The buyer's financing ended up falling through, and while I had to carry the home for another 6 weeks before I found a new buyer, I was very happy that I wasn't doing business with such an entitled brat. SEE WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED, HOUSE HUNTERS?!?!?!?!

Sorry, off my soapbox now.

Edited June 30, 2016 by hkit

[MsTree]

Gregg & mlp,  RE: A/C on the roof... don't know who's brilliant idea it was, but builders finally realized that it was a terrible idea. At least since the late 80s/early 90s, all A/C units are on concrete pads on the side of the house.

10 hours ago, Lovecat said:

Who won?  My DVR burped 8 min from the end, and by the time I reset it, I missed the results :/

Jonathan won...and got to witness a whole 3 minutes with Mr. Conceited.

[Nysha]

There's a house for sale in my area that is being marketed as "the HGTV lover's dream house." The homeowner remodeled it and everything is grey and white, except for the hardwood flooring. The only pops of color are accent rugs and pillows. 

[MsTree]

11 hours ago, Nysha said:

There's a house for sale in my area that is being marketed as "the HGTV lover's dream house." The homeowner remodeled it and everything is grey and white, except for the hardwood flooring. The only pops of color are accent rugs and pillows. 

Do you know what show on HGTV remodeled it?  Air date?

[hkit]

14 hours ago, MsTree said:

Do you know what show on HGTV remodeled it?  Air date?

I'm reading this as realtor marketing fluff, rather than a claim that it is an HGTV remodel. As in, it will appeal to HGTV fanatics in aesthetics. 

[LizDC]

They spoiled it with the preview of them blindfolded. The area behind JD looked like Jonathan's neighborhood and, big shock, he won. 

[NYGirl]

Am  I the only one who didn't like Jonathan's house?  I think it was that hideous green color he spread around the whole house that put me off.  I loved Drew's house so much more.

I guess it was Jonathan's turn to win.  It wouldn't look good if Drew won when he's only a realtor while Jonathan is a contractor.

[mlp]

I also liked Drew's house better and also the backyard.  I didn't like the green all over either and I like green.

I find all the dire emergencies every single week that always get repaired in the nick of time highly suspect.

[MsTree]

18 hours ago, NYGirl said:

Am  I the only one who didn't like Jonathan's house?  I think it was that hideous green color he spread around the whole house that put me off.  I loved Drew's house so much more.

Add me to the list of hating Jonathan's house...everything from the location down to the décor. A complete turnoff.  I'd take Drew's any day of the week.

[Ciarrai]

On 7/7/2016 at 5:24 AM, NYGirl said:

Am  I the only one who didn't like Jonathan's house?  I think it was that hideous green color he spread around the whole house that put me off.  I loved Drew's house so much more.

Nope, I also really didn't like it. I don't think I liked anything in his house, except maybe the backyard. Though I still preferred Drew's.

Jonathan's house was not my style at all.

[NYGirl]

Episode 1 tonight - iIt's a tight race on the Gulf Coast between Jonathan's 2980's seaside bungalow and Drew's 1970's two-story classic coastal.

[suebee12]

Am I the only one watching?

I thought Drew really out did Jonathan last night. I also thought it was funny that Egypt and David  thought that the two story was Jonathan's design! I was only half watching while I was sewing and I  thought it was his also. Am looking forward to seeing what the brother's come up with next.

Boy am I glad I wasn't the one who lost the challenge...I could never get on a ride like that once much less over and over and over.........

[ByaNose]

I didn't like either place. It didn't look very beachy. I'm looking forward to see what they do with the outdoor spaces. 

[netlyon2]

I liked Drew's space the best, but thought that Jonathan's change to the back door was great.  I'm intrigued by the different strategies they're employing:  cosmetic reno vs. gut job, family home vs. rental property.

I can't stand to watch their main shows, but for some reason I enjoy B vs. B.  I've only seen the ones where they compete without teams, though.

@suebee12, I couldn't even handle *watching* Jonathan on that thing.  Amusement parks are for skeeball and funnel cake, as far as I'm concerned.

[Destiny74]

I missed episode 1 but just watched episode 2.  I, personally, wouldn't want to rent a beach house for a week that was too modern.  I go to the beach to be comfy and feel like I am at the beach.  Jonathan's kitchen was way too modern/ city living.  I liked Drew's beachier kitchen, I thought he should have won.

Not to mention, I just really didn't like the light wood with the black in Jonathan's place.  I guess I just don't like black in a kitchen, too dark.

[WildPlum]

I tend to watch this with the sound off because I detest the "I want to beat my brother!" whining. Lol at the cabinet mistakes in both houses, though. I think I actually believe the 1 week timeline in this case, I think they had to get the measurements out before they were really done putting up the walls and they were apparently too rushed to do a double check.

Also, unlike a lot of home flipping shows, they were actually looking forward by adding gaskets to outlets (that is probably not a code requirement) or leaving the buyers more flooring. A lot of the flips I see are rush jobs designed to look good on the surface but doing the bare minimum to get it done - not what you would do if you were the homeowner living there.

The one design is a bit too modern for me but the other house seems so small and tight on the main floor. Also, I hate the brass/gold accents and it's something I would replace immediately.

[ByaNose]

I liked Drew's beachy kitchen 10x better then Jonathan dark modern kitchen. If I'm going on vacation near the beach I want to feel like I'm at the beach in a relaxing atmosphere. I thought the tile & shiplap (that's the new stainless, right) looked so pretty with the sea foam/light blue color. I didn't care for the mixed matched colors, grains & style,of Jonathan's cabinets 

[crazy4tv]

I found the addresses for both houses:

Drew's house is 22106 Deaf P Smith Dr,Galveston, TX 77554

Jonathan's is 21915 Guadalupe,Galveston, TX 77554

Just for anyone who is curious. 

[netlyon2]

I strongly prefer Drew's home, but continue to be fascinated by their differing strategies.  As a home intended for the rental market, Drew's two-story needs to be more "beachy" in its feel to appeal to an investor who will want to appeal to a wide range of short-term renters.  Jonathan, OTOH, is more focused on appealing strongly to a specific buyer, someone with a style that they would want to replicate in their home away from home.  It's not my style, but somebody will love it.

It was cool to see that Brett could identify not only which house was done by which brother, but also the rationale behind each brother's design choices.  I really need to catch up on the episodes of "Restored" currently cluttering up my DVR.

[ByaNose]

Once again, I prefered Drew’s Bedroom. Of course, he had more room to work with but I still like the beachy vibe. While I didn't think Jonathan's room was horrible it was just too dark for me.

Edited June 16, 2017 by ByaNose

[Destiny74]

6 hours ago, ByaNose said:

Once again, I prefered Drew’s Bedroom. Of course, he had more room to work with but I still like the beachy vibe. While I didn't Jonathan's room was horrible it was just too dark for me.

I totally agree.  Jonathan's visions aren't necessarily bad...they are just not suited to a beach house.  Too dark.  But I did like the driftwood he used.  That brought in the beachy a bit.

My only issue with Drew's room was the walk in closet.  Again, if I am renting this house out for weekly visitors, who needs a closet that big.  Then again, it would've been useless space.  It's not like they could've created another room upstairs or anything. It would've just made the sitting area larger.  

Anyway, I was glad Drew won.  I think this whole season for me will probably go to Drew simply because he seems to be keeping to the beach theme whereas Jonathan wants to modernize and darken everything.  We'll see.

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, Destiny74 said:

I totally agree.  Jonathan's visions aren't necessarily bad...they are just not suited to a beach house.  Too dark.  But I did like the driftwood he used.  That brought in the beachy a bit.

My only issue with Drew's room was the walk in closet.  Again, if I am renting this house out for weekly visitors, who needs a closet that big.  Then again, it would've been useless space.  It's not like they could've created another room upstairs or anything. It would've just made the sitting area larger.  

Anyway, I was glad Drew won.  I think this whole season for me will probably go to Drew simply because he seems to be keeping to the beach theme whereas Jonathan wants to modernize and darken everything.  We'll see.

While I don't care for the brothers I am looking forward to seeing them continue the make overs. I'm not sure what's left. Bathrooms? Decks? The exterior? Whatever it is I'll be watching.

[Destiny74]

1 hour ago, ByaNose said:

While I don't care for the brothers I am looking forward to seeing them continue the make overs. I'm not sure what's left. Bathrooms? Decks? The exterior? Whatever it is I'll be watching.

I think they are doing exterior next week.  Should be interesting.  I think Drew could be in for a big shock.  I think it will cost a ton to give his place curb appeal.

[ByaNose]

Jonathan won this week & I actually liked his best. They both used their space wisely but the surfboard bar sold me. I think I found both of their outdoor dinning room table on Wayfair. P.S.: I still don't get Pergolas. They can't protect you from the rain & they don't give you that much shade. Maybe, it's just me.

 

https://www.wayfair.com/Beachcrest-Home™-Elsmere-9-Piece-Dining-Set-SEHO5527.html

and, 

https://www.wayfair.com/Darby-Home-Co®-Widmer-Extendable-Dining-Table-DRBC5734.html

[suebee12]

2 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I still don't get Pergolas. They can't protect you from the rain & they don't give you that much shade. Maybe, it's just me.

Not just you! Everyone seems to put them in and I don't understand why! Actually one thing that no one adds that I would want is a screened-in area! I have very fair skin and mosquitoes love me, so for me I would love a covered area with screens. And anyway, who wants flies all over their food? I know there are breezes but I lived in Florida for 40 some years and I want to be protected from bugs!

It is a shame that Jonathan couldn't keep the toilet because if that room had a shower(it didn't, did it?) and toilet, it would have been perfect for after boating so that sand and salt wasn't dragged in the house. The one thing about both of these houses is that they(at least to me) are way too fancy for the beach. I am used to not so fancy a place where you can really relax and enjoy the sun and sand without having to worry about keeping everything neat and tidy...who wants to do that while on vacation? Or is that just me?

[ByaNose]

4 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

Not just you! Everyone seems to put them in and I don't understand why! Actually one thing that no one adds that I would want is a screened-in area! I have very fair skin and mosquitoes love me, so for me I would love a covered area with screens. And anyway, who wants flies all over their food? I know there are breezes but I lived in Florida for 40 some years and I want to be protected from bugs!

It is a shame that Jonathan couldn't keep the toilet because if that room had a shower(it didn't, did it?) and toilet, it would have been perfect for after boating so that sand and salt wasn't dragged in the house. The one thing about both of these houses is that they(at least to me) are way too fancy for the beach. I am used to not so fancy a place where you can really relax and enjoy the sun and sand without having to worry about keeping everything neat and tidy...who wants to do that while on vacation? Or is that just me?

I only rented at the Jersey shore (Florida, too) and, it's never been that fancy. First off, I see no need to spend so much money on a rental for one or two weeks. I don't need top of the line of anything. I want beds, a working kitchen & a deck. I think they are doing the renovations more for the owners taste & lifestyle. Of course, if the new owners can rent it out it's a win-win for them. Yup! I am basic with low expectations. When we went to the jersey shore (I'm 53) you never even dreamed of having air conditioning. Now, people demand it. LOL!!!

[Kohola3]

Maybe it was just me but there was way too much stuff on both of their decks.  I don't head for a vacation to have to manage all of that furniture!  I want something a lot more simple and movable.  It seemed like both of the spaces were just crammed.

[netlyon2]

But @Kohola3, what do you do when it's time to entertain?  I mean, if HGTV has taught me anything, it's that every house, apartment, condo, trailer, houseboat, and yurt has to have a giant space for entertaining at least 10 people in style, with all of the bells and whistles.  ;-)

So, I continue to prefer Drew's house, but I've been thinking for the past week or so that his house is going to end up attracting Jonathan's target market:  a family that wants to buy a vacation home.  In this episode, I figured Drew was toast pretty early on in the game.  In addition to having to replace those pilings (which, yikes!), he spent a good chunk of his money installing a new boat slip, a feature that wasn't nearly as splashy as the margarita bar.  I don't know if the Good Bones ladies even noticed it (they surely didn't mention it in the footage that went into the episode).  Yet, it seems like something that a homeowner would want and look for in a property.  (Does anyone know how a boat slip would work in a rental?  Would the owner make a boat available to renters or would they bring their own?  Is it a feature that would attract a specific type of renter who would pay a premium for the house?  Soooo many questions!)

[Kohola3]

Oh, you're right, netlyon2, there is that entertainment vibe that just screams for surfboards hanging from the ceiling and dozens of places to sit.  What was I thinking.  I love being on vacation and having to cook and clean all of the time.

All I could think of was how many places there were for spiders to string webs among all that stuff.

[HawaiiTVGuy]

Anyone else think that Jonathan missed out on not having a shower stall in the changing area?  I mean it is nice to change out of dirty wet clothes, but is it that useful if you can't rinse off too?  I am guessing the French plumbing being allowed for a sink is OK for a shower?  Might have cut into the changing room size a little bit, but I think it would have been worth it.  

And I echo the confusion by the attraction of pergolas, I mean it just feels lazy and incomplete not even having a soft top stretched over it or something.  I was a bit surprised that Jonathan didn't do a soft top material to stretch between his random posts he was using to string lights by the dining area.  In my development a lot of people use a triangular piece stretched between the house and the carport to shade the lanai, I was thinking something like that could work well in Jonathan's deck in the sitting area.  It would be semi-permanent and easy to take down in times of extreme weather.

On 6/23/2017 at 0:24 PM, netlyon2 said:

But @Kohola3, what do you do when it's time to entertain?  I mean, if HGTV has taught me anything, it's that every house, apartment, condo, trailer, houseboat, and yurt has to have a giant space for entertaining at least 10 people in style, with all of the bells and whistles.  ;-)

So, I continue to prefer Drew's house, but I've been thinking for the past week or so that his house is going to end up attracting Jonathan's target market:  a family that wants to buy a vacation home.  In this episode, I figured Drew was toast pretty early on in the game.  In addition to having to replace those pilings (which, yikes!), he spent a good chunk of his money installing a new boat slip, a feature that wasn't nearly as splashy as the margarita bar.  I don't know if the Good Bones ladies even noticed it (they surely didn't mention it in the footage that went into the episode).  Yet, it seems like something that a homeowner would want and look for in a property.  (Does anyone know how a boat slip would work in a rental?  Would the owner make a boat available to renters or would they bring their own?  Is it a feature that would attract a specific type of renter who would pay a premium for the house?  Soooo many questions!)

I think that is the tricky thing for a boat slip.  I mean it seems useful, but it would either mean the renters would have their own boat, or the owners would be storing their boat there and trust the renters not to wreck the boat while renting/using it and also it would be a pain to maintain for an absentee owner I would think.

[MaKaM]

So I didn't get Jonathan putting the bed in front of the window that I believe looked out at the water. I don't like beds in front of windows in any case but facing opposite to the best view? Mind-boggling. I liked Drew's better overall but I wasn't watching closely. The mattress people must have paid tons for all that product placement.

[suebee12]

These places are just too fancy for me! BUT I know the perfect person for Drew's house! The woman from the other night's House Hunters. She wanted a mini-mansion and this would fill the bill with five bedrooms and loads of bathrooms...only problem is they live in Memphis and they were buying on the Florida coast. I'm guessing Galveston is a bit too far for them!

Another question is what was Jonathan thinking with that electric toilet? Those things are really expensive and just another thing to break! Do they have an override if the electricity is out? I remember when these shows were showing the "top hat" toilet which is quite similar and they have disappeared now! I checked on the price and they averaged $6000....for a toilet! No thank you.

One final thought...who wants Drew or Jonathan when there is J. D. Scott? He is so hunky! Talk about eye candy!

[MaKaM]

I agree that J.D. is the best looking one of the group. Even in his goth phase, he was tons better looking than the twins.

[Kohola3]

I was really surprised that Jonathon won. I thought the additional bedrooms would be a great addition and I liked the designs much better.  I agree with MaKaM about putting beds in front of windows.  And that stupid toilet?  What a total waste of money.