Windy City Rehab - General Discussion

[deirdra]

4 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I remember yelling profanities at the TV when she did that.

And it looked like she didn't even prepare the surface beforehand since the paint job was extremely blotchy - smooth in some areas, rough in others, and non-opaque in areas that may have had grease stains. Amateurish & cringeworthy. I deleted the show from the DVR after that episode!

Edited April 8, 2022 by deirdra

[sue450]

On 7/28/2021 at 5:45 PM, deirdra said:

Are those supposed to be nude self-portraits in the front room?

yes they are

[CrazyInAlabama]

Season 3 starts tonight.     It's nine episodes, some in L.A. and Atlanta, as well as Chicago.   They'll also show her trip to Greece, and her brother's apartment flip.  

Sadly, her father died suddenly.  My condolences.  

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

some in L.A. and Atlanta, as well as Chicago.

At least they're spreading the misery around this season.  Chicago has enough problems.

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

5 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

At least they're spreading the misery around this season.  Chicago has enough problems.

 

Atlanta and L.A. have enough ugly flips, and problems, so they don't need more misery, or her.  

I predict she's going to hear "Bless your heart" a lot in Atlanta, and it won't mean they like her.   I bet she thinks that permits, and code enforcement will be easier in Atlanta or L.A., but she's wrong.   

Edited April 22, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[SuprSuprElevated]

Just now, CrazyInAlabama said:

Atlanta and L.A. have enough ugly flips, and problems, so they don't need more misery, or her.  

True

[MsTree]

Other than brass, the color black, and oversized corbels, I don't get why some folks dislike her. She seems to be a hard worker who picked the wrong person to go into business with early on...and now she wants to make it right. I give her credit for perseverance. 

[KeithJ]

I don't know what looked worse, the corbels (at least paint them the wall color and then they wouldn't be as bad) or those ugly movable islands.  I absolutely hate the old, run down looking stuff (she calls "vintage") that she always puts in complete remodels.  They look terrible and I just don't see how they add any value like she says they do.  If I was looking for a place to rent / buy and saw terrible looking stuff I had no way of hiding, I'd move on to the next place to look.

Also, the math on the graphic at the end didn't quite add up.  If you do the math just from those numbers, she should have taken over a $50k profit on it but they showed zero profit.  I wonder just how much she actually lost on it.

[LittleIggy]

21 hours ago, MsTree said:

Other than brass, the color black, and oversized corbels, I don't get why some folks dislike her. She seems to be a hard worker who picked the wrong person to go into business with early on...and now she wants to make it right. I give her credit for perseverance. 

She wants to “make it right” because of all the lawsuits filed against her. 
One reason I hate her is that she took a beautiful red antique Chinese chest and painted it black. 

[deirdra]

She wants to appear to “make it right” because of all the lawsuits filed against her. Perhaps the $50K was paid to one of her investors who had been waiting years for it, so she says she got $0 profit to make all the other lawsuits' people think more kindly of her.  

[MsTree]

Well, I hope she proves everyone wrong and eventually pays back all her investors/creditors.

Maybe that's why she was on "Rock the Block" for 2 seasons straight (making $$$$$).

I also hope her ex-partner absorbs some of that responsibility too.

[CrazyInAlabama]

6 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

She wants to “make it right” because of all the lawsuits filed against her. 
One reason I hate her is that she took a beautiful red antique Chinese chest and painted it black. 

And the house where she painted a beautiful, historic Chicago brick house flat black.   It didn't match the neighborhood, and took a long time to sell once it was really on the market. 

 

 

[mojito]

I hope we've heard the end of Allison's woes and her father and her need to impress upon us what a fine, moral, upstanding person she is who pays all her doubts. I have no problem with this first show, surely she should be allowed to explain herself after all the bad press. 

Now, let's move forward. And without outlining for us all your fine characteristics. If they're there, we'll see them.

[SuprSuprElevated]

Yeah, the preview I saw, wherein she is shown saying "I'm a force to be reckoned with" is all I need to see, to know that I won't be a viewer again.  Her hubris is too much for me.

[CrazyInAlabama]

https://chicago.suntimes.com/windy-city-rehab/2021/12/28/22824525/windy-city-rehab-alison-victoria-janssen-lincoln-park-michael-marks-flipping-hgtv-discovery-channel

I found this article about a previous season flip, and the two versions of the pricing and sale, and the episode has two different versions, and that her boyfriend was the actual buyer.  The first price was well over a million, and the price it actually sold to the investor (one of which is her real estate investor boyfriend) was a huge price reduction.     So, I guess the husband's gone, and she's not moving out of Chicago?   

Tonight's new one, I turned the channel too early and saw the last couple of minutes.    The man raving about the brass kitchen knobs is bizarre, the pendant lights in the kitchen are huge, and look bad.    And then the man is raving about her butt ugly range hood. 

 Everything is her usual decorating style, bland and boring.  It's a typical trendy flip house, and to me it already looks dated.  The medium gray trim, and off white everything else exterior is so out of place for the neighborhood, and boring.  And as a sharp eyed viewer noticed, it's right next to the apartment house from last week. 

 Next week's preview, she's going to decimate a house in L.A.  That house is a spanish style, and I hate to think what she'll do to that one.        

Edited April 30, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[buttersister]

23 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I found this article about a previous season flip, and the two versions of the pricing and sale, and that her boyfriend was the actual buyer.      

LOL! Trash.

[KeithJ]

For some reason I don't remember them before giving the exact address of houses on the show but they did yesterday.  2222 W. Ohio.  And, again, she seems to have taken a loss on the house.

On the show, they say they are going to list it for $1.6m.  Nope, they listed it at $1.55m.  It then sold for $1.5m.  The graphic on the show showed no profit at $1.6m so now, whatever that loss was, add another $100k to it.

Now, back to the show. Is it me or does she just make way too many mistakes?  First, the water meter.  How are you not finding out where that is going to come into the house before they show up and install it?  Then, just losing 2 feet off the room because of it is a terrible waste of space.

Then, the fireplace.  I'm not sure what exactly happened with it but it seems she settled for something she didn't originally want.  At least she took the blame for it but I think the viewers know she's blaming the fireplace company on the inside.

Personally, I hate the front of the house. It looks terrible with the three upstairs windows protruding out of the top. 

I do like the stained glass piece but I don't think it's adding any value to the house like she thinks it is. 

I still do not like new construction with old pieces in it that you can't get rid of.  Yes, island, I'm looking at you.

For once, the corbels don't look terrible and out of place with the arch but they weren't really needed.

Ari must really have it bad for her (he is married right?) because I don't know why else he would do so much for her.  She really seems to take advantage of him.

And, I'll leave this post with this, Alison really knows how do pat herself on the back doesn't she?  The way she complements her own work when she's doing a walk through at the end of the show is a little sickening.

[LBS]

4 hours ago, KeithJ said:

I do like the stained glass piece but I don't think it's adding any value to the house like she thinks it is. 

It’s not adding anything and it’s not that ‘crazy’ as she made it out to be.  So many houses here have them when the windows face brick. My parents house built in 1912 have them (they had to replace them a couple of years ago but kept the original lead/glass and incorporated it in). My grandparents bungalow had 4 stained glass windows.  I did love what she did with it and the butlers room which makes my heart hurt. 😂

 

4 hours ago, KeithJ said:

Ari must really have it bad for her (he is married right?) because I don't know why else he would do so much for her.  She really seems to take advantage of him.

My husband and I joke that she must have incriminating tapes of him. 
 The building next to this build is the apartments from last week. So in a block of red Chicago bricks you got one painted black and another in white siding.  Cool.  Seamless.  

 

 

i

 

[deirdra]

The Hollywood hat lady should have called Brett Waterman to fix her Spanish home, instead of Alison with her ENGLISH iron circular staircase, MOROCCAN tiles on a non-Spanish fireplace and FRENCH something or other as well as other random non-Spanish stuff.

Edited May 7, 2022 by deirdra

[KeithJ]

How did her projected sale price of $2.6 million from the beginning of the show drop to $2.0 million value by the end of the show?

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 4/29/2022 at 4:19 PM, KeithJ said:

Ari must really have it bad for her (he is married right?) because I don't know why else he would do so much for her.  She really seems to take advantage of him.

I remember Ari saying that being on the show helps promote his art business, or whatever his other work is.    

I'm so sick of the commercial for this show.   I don't think someone who is sometimes lucky enough to break even is exactly "a force to be reckoned with".   

Edited May 7, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I remember Ari saying that being on the show helps promote his art business, or whatever his other work is.    

Gotta say I would go out of my way not to hire him. 

[Sewlitaire]

On 5/6/2022 at 5:12 AM, deirdra said:

The Hollywood hat lady should have called Brett Waterman to fix her Spanish home.

I was done with the show when she took a beautiful 1880s church arch, painted the poor thing black and then put it on top of a bookshelf in a modern penthouse. She should be made watch Restored till she understands what "period and style appropriate" means. In the meantime keep her away from anything with an architectural value.

[KeithJ]

So now she’s in Atlanta and I hated pretty much everything she did with the loft.  Her brother was so concerned about getting his cash back and then they decided to keep the loft for the family?

I really don’t like how Alison treats everyone she meets (vendors, store owners, contractors, etc) like they’ve been best friends for years.

The glass ball and post (whatever they called it) looks horrible and so fragile.  How long until someone pulls that glass ball off that post?

Is it me or does Alison have, by far, the most setbacks of any HGTV personality?

It seems they are making this show more about her personal life than her designs.

Is it just an HGTV thing that everyone uses FaceTime on their phones?  I have never FaceTimed with anyone.

[cameron]

3 minutes ago, KeithJ said:

So now she’s in Atlanta and I hated pretty much everything she did with the loft.  Her brother was so concerned about getting his cash back and then they decided to keep the loft for the family?

I really don’t like how Alison treats everyone she meets (vendors, store owners, contractors, etc) like they’ve been best friends for years.

The glass ball and post (whatever they called it) looks horrible and so fragile.  How long until someone pulls that glass ball off that post?

Is it me or does Alison have, by far, the most setbacks of any HGTV personality?

It seems they are making this show more about her personal life than her designs.

Is it just an HGTV thing that everyone uses FaceTime on their phones?  I have never FaceTimed with anyone.

And once again, she has underestimated cost, time and size in doing this do over.  You would think after Chicago, she would have learned her lesson.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Am I really supposed to believe that the brother just decided to keep that hideous loft that his sister redid?    No way that's the real story.  I love how it took a year to do that too. 

I tuned in right before the end, and the artwork was horrible, the range hood was horrible, and everything looked cheap.   

Edited May 14, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Fellaway]

1 hour ago, KeithJ said:

The glass ball and post (whatever they called it) looks horrible and so fragile.  How long until someone pulls that glass ball off that post?

I thought the glass ball, itself, was pretty, but on top of a newel post, something people sometimes need to use for support when they come down a staircase? Absurd. I had visions of someone putting their hand right through that glass.

[tinderbox]

“We can use it as a wonderful gathering spot for Christmas.  We will invite the whole family!”  WHAT?  Are they crazy?  Sell the place.  The market was great.   Return your brother’s money and give him his profits.  Stick to the plan.

I pretty much disliked everything she did to that space.  

[MsTree]

17 hours ago, KeithJ said:

I really don’t like how Alison treats everyone she meets (vendors, store owners, contractors, etc) like they’ve been best friends for years.

It seems they are making this show more about her personal life than her designs.

I don't mind her friendliness towards people. That's just part of her personality.

My guess is that HGTV is trying to show more of personal life in the same way as they have with the Property Brothers, Joanna & Chip Gaines, Mina & Karen (from Good Bones), etc. etc. It gives the viewer some insight into her personality.

I think the show did a good job of giving us an equal balance of both. 

[deirdra]

11 hours ago, MsTree said:

My guess is that HGTV is trying to show more of personal life in the same way as they have with the Property Brothers, Joanna & Chip Gaines, Mina & Karen (from Good Bones), etc. etc. It gives the viewer some insight into her personality.

I watch HGTV for the houses & gardens, not fake "real-life" drama. I have to record shows so I can FF past their treacly parts.

[CruiseDiva]

7 hours ago, deirdra said:

I watch HGTV for the houses & gardens, not fake "real-life" drama. I have to record shows so I can FF past their treacly parts.

I do the same. As a rule I can watch most one-hour shows in about 15-20 minutes.

[MsTree]

12 hours ago, deirdra said:

I watch HGTV for the houses & gardens, not fake "real-life" drama. I have to record shows so I can FF past their treacly parts.

I doubt her brother is "fake" and I couldn't care less one way or another. I was merely responding to Keith's post. BTW, I also record all shows. I don't know what "treacly" means.

[SuprSuprElevated]

6 hours ago, MsTree said:

I doubt her brother is "fake" and I couldn't care less one way or another. I was merely responding to Keith's post. BTW, I also record all shows. I don't know what "treacly" means.

Overly sweet/sentimental.  Word that is also used to describe food/desserts sometimes.

[LittleIggy]

14 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Overly sweet/sentimental.  Word that is also used to describe food/desserts sometimes.

And Hallmark Channel movies.

[tessabq]

In the latest episode, one of Allison's "brilliant" ideas is painting the stairs black. As with most of Allison's ideas, "brilliant' becomes synonymous  with "ridiculous." Oh, the joy of having to wipe footprints off your stairs every day!

 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I have to laugh at the commercial for this show that have the carved mantle for on the giant range hood.   I remember seeing that clip, the mantle was supposed to hold pictures or other stuff, and it was way too narrow.   I think they had to put a spacer to make it deep enough to put anything on it.     Who wants a mantle on the range hood, over the stove?  

[MsTree]

9 hours ago, tessabq said:

In the latest episode, one of Allison's "brilliant" ideas is painting the stairs black. As with most of Allison's ideas, "brilliant' becomes synonymous  with "ridiculous." Oh, the joy of having to wipe footprints off your stairs every day!

 

I agree, but did she paint them or stain them? If the latter, at least they could be sealed.

[tljgator]

17 hours ago, tessabq said:

In the latest episode, one of Allison's "brilliant" ideas is painting the stairs black.

I swear, "Paint It Black" is her theme song -- it's all I hear in my head every time she says she has a great idea for some fabulous architectural or antique piece (or frankly, just junk she overpaid for at some "vintage" store) that I just know she's going to ruin...

[CruiseDiva]

14 minutes ago, tljgator said:

I swear, "Paint It Black" is her theme song -- it's all I hear in my head every time she says she has a great idea for some fabulous architectural or antique piece (or frankly, just junk she overpaid for at some "vintage" store) that I just know she's going to ruin...

The step into my sunroom is painted dark brown and it's held up well for 7 years now, but it was several coats of heavy duty paint. The only bad thing is that it shows dust big time. Those homeowners are going to curse Alison Victoria every time they have to sweep/dust off those black stairs. Getting dust out of the corners is a bitch and has to be done by hand.

[cameron]

She is so over herself.  Only reason that I watch the show is because we lived in Chicagoland  for 10 years and love to see the different areas that are showcased.

Edited May 23, 2022 by cameron

[hurrrz]

On 5/14/2022 at 6:17 AM, cameron said:

And once again, she has underestimated cost, time and size in doing this do over.  You would think after Chicago, she would have learned her lesson.

I don't get how she is so terrible at this. Like, repeatedly. 

The curtains in the loft for privacy were impractical af, since there were broken up by the water sprinkler and a huge beam (that'll leave a huge gap). Jeez. 

[Mittengirl]

I would think painting stairs black could be a dangerous idea.  Can you imagine having to navigate those stairs if the power is out?  Catch your heel/toe on the edge of one and you would go tumbling ass over teakettle in the dark!

Edited May 27, 2022 by Mittengirl

[SuprSuprElevated]

5 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

I would think painting stairs black could be a dangerous idea.  Can you imaging having to navigate those stairs if the power is out?  Catch your heel/toe on the edge of one and you would go tumbling ass over teakettle in the dark!

Yeah but for the most part, these home designing shows are not showcasing practical design, but what looks pretty for photography/videography.  I mean, open shelving in kitchens is cool and all when you have a 1500 sqft kitchen, but most of us do not, and must hide our scabs, callouses, and bric-a-brac behind a solid wood door, lol.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I turned on this by accident, and saw Alison getting her eggs frozen.   Does anyone keep anything private any more?  

Edited May 27, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[deirdra]

On 5/23/2022 at 9:54 AM, hurrrz said:

I don't get how she is so terrible at this. Like, repeatedly. 

The curtains in the loft for privacy were impractical af, since there were broken up by the water sprinkler and a huge beam (that'll leave a huge gap). Jeez. 

She was surprised that they wouldn't allow her to make the mezzanine walls go to the ceiling; that would have left the bedroom with no windows or natural light. I doubt that is allowed in Chicago either. It is really dark with half walls as it is.

I'm sick of watching her on the treadmill and wearing shirts tied around her waist like little skating skirts.

Edited May 27, 2022 by deirdra

[MsTree]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I turned on this by accident, and saw Alison getting her eggs frozen.   Does anyone keep anything private any more?  

She's on TV. Nothing's private anymore. BTW, does anyone know who her partner is? Are they also in show business?

[SuprSuprElevated]

3 hours ago, MsTree said:

She's on TV. Nothing's private anymore. BTW, does anyone know who her partner is? Are they also in show business?

She has probably figured out how to self-procreate, as no one else would be suitable.

Edited May 27, 2022 by SuprSuprElevated

[CrazyInAlabama]

9 hours ago, MsTree said:

She's on TV. Nothing's private anymore. BTW, does anyone know who her partner is? Are they also in show business?

He's the investor who bought that apartment house at a huge discount after it didn't sell.    

https://chicago.suntimes.com/windy-city-rehab/2021/12/28/22824525/windy-city-rehab-alison-victoria-janssen-lincoln-park-michael-marks-flipping-hgtv-discovery-channel   (This might be behind the paywall). 

The end is in sight.   No Demo Reno comes back on 23 June, so 16 June should be the last episode.  

Edited May 27, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[LittleIggy]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:27 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I turned on this by accident, and saw Alison getting her eggs frozen. 

Aren’t they already frozen in her ovaries? 

[chessiegal]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Aren’t they already frozen in her ovaries? 

Not really. Eggs age in the ovary. There are reasons for wanting younger eggs. Did she say why she was doing it?