Restored by the Fords - General Discussion

[car54]

If you haven't seen them, HGTV has a little series about the Fords growing up called Ford Family Classics--with home movies and stories about their family growing up---it is very sweet and it's fun to see that Steve and Leanne's dynamic has been the same since they were little kids.    

https://watch.hgtv.com/tv-shows/ford-family-classics/

[CruiseDiva]

3 hours ago, PennyPie18 said:

It was a nice touch introducing their Mom and older sister.....they seem like a close, loving family. 

I really enjoyed his excitement over owning his own home and that it turned out exactly how he envisioned it. He worked hard to make sure the basics were exactly what he wanted--the concrete kitchen counters and double bathroom sink and that awesome steam shower.

It was nice to see his mom and other sister take part in the reveal, but I was a bit put off by the way they treated him like a little boy. He's 40 years old, although I though he was younger than that until they mentioned it. The entire family is so sweet and loving.

[PennyPie18]

Thanks, car 54, I didn't realize this series was available. I will definitely watch it, while I'm still trying to identify the neighborhood!!!!!

[car54]

I just watched and I loved Steve's loft---think it was so great that he had saved things he liked for a long time to include.

I wondered why they didn't end up using that beautiful chesterfield he had in there before he started--it was a really nice piece.

I would love to live in a space like that with those huge windows and everything open.

I've seen pictures of Leanne's house--and hers looks just like her style and now Steve's looks just like him!

[CruiseDiva]

1 hour ago, car54 said:

I just watched and I loved Steve's loft---think it was so great that he had saved things he liked for a long time to include.

I wondered why they didn't end up using that beautiful chesterfield he had in there before he started--it was a really nice piece.

Hopefully the sofa in the reveal was just staging. That Chesterfield looked comfortable and more Steve's style.

[Horrified]

On 4/14/2019 at 10:35 PM, Sunnykm said:

Leanne and her brother both sound and act like they are on "edibles"  

Every time I catch this show, I always think "are these guys stoned?"

 just dropped in on this forum to see if anyone else thought so.

[pasdetrois]

Holy cow Horrified I've had the exact same thought every time I watch them.

[car54]

Nice article about Leanne's wedding

https://www.domino.com/content/leanne-ford-erik-allen-wedding-elope/

[pasdetrois]

Speaking of Domino, I had a subscription when it was a monthly printed magazine. I loved it, wept when they stopped publishing, and saved every issue.

[suebee12]

Just saw this and thought I would share!!

https://www.hgtv.com/shows/casting-steve-ford-leanne-ford-luke-caldwell-clint-robertson-new-shows

[NYGirl]

Just watching the mini-marathon today and I'm torn.  I really like Steve..maybe a little crush.. but geez her designing is just out there.  Every time she wants to discuss what she wants to do with him, no matter what he says she says no and does her original design thought.

She loves her white though.  One of the episodes started in her house and the room she was in was ALL WHITE!!! floor, walls, chairs, couch..way weird

[pasdetrois]

Thanks SueBee12 for posting the link. I like all four people and look forward to their shows.

Interesting to note that the homeowners must have at least $75K to pay for the renovations. I always wondered how much they have to kick in on these shows. That's a good bench mark.

[MartyQui]

Just saw an episode of a new show...Home Again with the Fords.  They did the living room, kitchen and mud room of an old Victorian house.  It was stunningly beautiful, the kitchen was just gorgeous.

[MsTree]

On 12/6/2020 at 7:47 AM, MartyQui said:

Just saw an episode of a new show...Home Again with the Fords.  They did the living room, kitchen and mud room of an old Victorian house.  It was stunningly beautiful, the kitchen was just gorgeous.

Was it on HGTV?  What day/time?

[MartyQui]

It doesn’t seem to have a fixed place on the schedule, it was on HGTV.

[CrazyInAlabama]

They have another version of this show, coming in February or March.    I hope she's not going to take some of the lovely vintage details off of the houses, and turn them into her minimalist (I call it stark) design style.  

[justdoit10]

On 1/22/2021 at 10:37 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

They have another version of this show, coming in February or March.    I hope she's not going to take some of the lovely vintage details off of the houses, and turn them into her minimalist (I call it stark) design style.  

I know some of these old Victorian  houses she has done.  I do not like her style at all.  She paints everything white and puts 2 pieces of furniture in a room.  There is nothing homey about them.  They are cold and museum like.  

[Kemper]

There was a marathon yesterday on HGTV.  I do love that they (well, I guess that is Steve?) tries to stay true to the bones of the house.  I would watch a show if it was him paired with a different designer.  Her rooms are pretty to look at if you like any and all versions of white.  And that in itself is fine; it is the furniture and overall feel and styling of the home that puts me off.  None, and I mean none, of the furniture looked comfortable.  It was very contemporary (again, fine) but just did not look like anything you would be able to put you feet up on and read or watch tv.  But the owners all seemed to love the designs.  

Granted, I only watched two of the shows, had never seen them before.  The kitchens were well-done.  One of the sinks/faucets was gorgeous.  

But.  It was such a treat to watch a show that I had not seen before and had not been "marathoned" to death recently.  Not sure I would watch  this on a regular basis due to the starkness of the design.  However, I do see why people would really like this show; the ease between the brother/sister team, lack of manufactured drama and the classic-ness of older homes.

[justdoit10]

On 1/28/2021 at 9:14 AM, Kemper said:

There was a marathon yesterday on HGTV.  I do love that they (well, I guess that is Steve?) tries to stay true to the bones of the house.  I would watch a show if it was him paired with a different designer.  Her rooms are pretty to look at if you like any and all versions of white.  And that in itself is fine; it is the furniture and overall feel and styling of the home that puts me off.  None, and I mean none, of the furniture looked comfortable.  It was very contemporary (again, fine) but just did not look like anything you would be able to put you feet up on and read or watch tv.  But the owners all seemed to love the designs.  

Granted, I only watched two of the shows, had never seen them before.  The kitchens were well-done.  One of the sinks/faucets was gorgeous.  

But.  It was such a treat to watch a show that I had not seen before and had not been "marathoned" to death recently.  Not sure I would watch  this on a regular basis due to the starkness of the design.  However, I do see why people would really like this show; the ease between the brother/sister team, lack of manufactured drama and the classic-ness of older homes.

You are so right about the manufactured drama on some of the others.  It is getting to the point on some that the design is an after thought.  And true these 2 are likable.  I just don't like her decor choices and the barren look.

[izabella]

Just watched the first episode of the new season, I think.  They renovated the top floor of a farmhouse for the parents of the couple who lives in the downstairs part of the house, which has been in their family for years.

I love the art studio they created for the mom by removing the attic ceiling in that room.  The glorious height of the new ceiling with the additional windows was perfect for a painting studio, as well as including a sink in the room.  I like the library for the dad, too.

I'm still not crazy about Leanne's total obsession with white, or "creamy white" as she likes to say.  It's just white, Leanne!  White!  I wasn't a big fan of the white paint on all the floors.  Maybe I've seen too many episodes of Home Town where they do an amazing job refinishing beat up old wood floors and the flaws are part of the charm.

[NYGirl]

I loved the art studio too.  I love that they put pegs all around the room!  What a great idea.

I wish they would have restored the old floors.  I didn't like the white floors either.

They did a good job on this one albeit everything white yet again.

I still have a crush on Steve.  His hair is either dyed blonde or it's gray now.

I always think Leanne smokes weed before she does her talking heads...  lol

[CrazyInAlabama]

I really have liked the older homes they've remodeled on this season.   However, the wife's voice on tonight's show is driving me bonkers.     I love the way the home was added onto, over and over, and each addition is a decorating style from a different decade. 

[NYGirl]

I liked the house they renovated last night.  Surprise surprise...not so much white.  There was some gray...wood cabinets in the kitchen, dark island counter, tan couch!  I was shocked. 

I loved the banquette but of course it was white.

The sun room was nice too..

Steve in a tux...yum.

[CrazyInAlabama]

That was a great episode, and they really tried to keep the family's needs in mind.   I had to laugh when they emphasized that the white banquette was treated to repel stains, at extra cost.    

[FoundTime]

On 2/3/2021 at 11:32 AM, izabella said:

Just watched the first episode of the new season, I think.  They renovated the top floor of a farmhouse for the parents of the couple who lives in the downstairs part of the house, which has been in their family for years.

I love the art studio they created for the mom by removing the attic ceiling in that room.  The glorious height of the new ceiling with the additional windows was perfect for a painting studio, as well as including a sink in the room.  I like the library for the dad, too.

Enjoyed this episode but I found myself obsessing over where the grandparents' bedroom and bathroom were. I couldn't tell if there were more rooms on the second floor that we just didn't see, or if those spaces were downstairs in the main family living area. Just thought that was an odd thing to omit, since those are rooms one uses every day. I know not all shows feature a bed/bath makeover, but at least it usually seems clear that those spaces exist in the structure. Might be just me ☺ Feel free to tell me to get over it 🙃

I will say that as a person who would love to have a proper library, I also couldn’t tell if there was really enough light in there to read by. I noticed one of those big Japanese-style lights near the couch, but it didn't look as though it would be very bright. The art studio was to die for, though, and they practically worked miracles with the kitchen. And extra credit for pronouncing "Carnegie" correctly, with the accent on the second syllable.

[CrazyInAlabama]

What a cool house on tonight's episode.   Literally in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.  

[justdoit10]

6 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

What a cool house on tonight's episode.   Literally in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.  

Squirrel Hill is a beautiful neighborhood and wealthy.  The houses are so unique and the streets are all tree lined.  That is where the synagogue shooting was in 2018.  

[NYGirl]

I loved the neighborhood in last night's show.  I wasn't crazy about putting the kitchen in the dining room though.  As usual they did a great job.  Also, the piano was in the kitchen?

I love the flashback movies to when they were kids.  I also love when they bicker..you could tell they are brother and sister.

Edited February 17, 2021 by NYGirl

[CruiseDiva]

6 hours ago, NYGirl said:

I loved the neighborhood in last night's show.  I wasn't crazy about putting the kitchen in the dining room though.  As usual they did a great job.  Also, the piano was in the kitchen?

I love the flashback movies to when they were kids.  I also love when they bicker..you could tell they are brother and sister.

I have Orthodox Jewish friends who live in that Squirrel Hill neighborhood. If that homeowner is Jewish, perhaps the reason the Fords 'added' the kitchen in the dining room is because she keeps kosher and needs two separate food prep areas.

[Refresh]

Architectural Digest has a story about it. Some photos of angles we didn't really get to see in the show.

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/see-leanne-fords-latest-project-before-hgtv-viewers-do

I was unsure about breaking up the kitchen too, but in a weird way it works. It's a little odd that they had a green wall phone in Marsha's kitchen. I also didn't really like the couches chosen for the living area but otherwise I thought it was very successful and unique but still functional. 

The mood of this episode was warmly nostalgic in a good way. From their bickering over the tshirt and painted jacket, to Steve's Mr Rogers, and the jokes about his mom buying cardigans, then her showing up with 7 giant ferns. Made me giggle.

[pasdetrois]

I loved this restoration because they didn't tear out all of the walls, didn't paint everything white, didn't bring in all 2021 design. Clearly waking up each day and seeing her mother's things is very important to the homeowner. (Who is a realtor BTW)

Those rowhouses might be gone if they were free-standing homes, given the propensity to tear everything down all over America. Or perhaps that neighborhood is protected.

This is among my favorite renovation shows. Steve and Leeann are the anti-HGTV-bimbos that are being jammed down our throats.

[Dehumidifier]

I turned the 9 pm new episode off last night as soon as I saw she was going to paint the room with nice woodwork and the wood ceiling all white. Why encourage her? Plus I find her cutesy-ness annoying.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Dehumidifier

[RoxiP]

Last night’s episode reminded me of why I didn’t like her designs initially. Where are they supposed to eat?  She put the kitchen smack dab in the center of the sunroom and as far as I can tell didn’t give them a table on which to eat. Fine if it is just her and her son but where are guests supposed to sit?  Certainly not on those wooden “works of art” in the living room!  Those things would be up for sale before the door hit Leann in the butt as she left!  And who wants a swing in the living room!  Her son is going to grow up - what is supposed to happen then?  I have actually liked most of her designs this season but I think she lost her mind for this renovation. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I really liked the remodels this season, until last night.   Painting all of the wood was awful.   The lack of dining space is terrible, and a swing in the living room?   The massive use of white paint to obliterate everything in the house that was classic was awful.   If this is how the series will be going forward, then I'm not watching.   

You can sand the finish, and bleach the wood, or use a light stain.    That white paint everywhere was awful. 

Edited February 24, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[Dehumidifier]

11 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I really liked the remodels this season, until last night.   Painting all of the wood was awful.   The lack of dining space is terrible, and a swing in the living room?   The massive use of white paint to obliterate everything in the house that was classic was awful.   If this is how the series will be going forward, then I'm not watching.   

Yes, if the wood is "too orange" as she said I'm sure it can be toned down with some sort of coating or counteracted with a wise choice of wall color. (Color, what am I saying?) Can you imagine a future owner trying to strip the paint off that ceiling? I read somewhere that Pittsburgh has a great number of cloudy days each year. I wonder if that is the reason for her love of blinding white paint.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Dehumidifier

[ChicksDigScars]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I really liked the remodels this season, until last night.   Painting all of the wood was awful.   The lack of dining space is terrible, and a swing in the living room?   The massive use of white paint to obliterate everything in the house that was classic was awful.   If this is how the series will be going forward, then I'm not watching.   

Yeah, I've never watched these two before last night, and saw her put a freaking SWING in the living room, and weird white chairs that looked like they were designed by Little Tykes. I'm currently watching them put a DISCO BALL in a room? Okaaaaayyyyyy.

[Treehugger]

I thought that I was overreacting last night when I became angry at what had been done to the ranch home for single mom and her young son. Were any closets left in the house? Where will everyone put bulky winter coats, snow boots, hats, mittens, etc.? Storage isn't needed in a bathroom? Thank goodness Steve found a way to incorporate some shelves back into the bathroom so that the bump out shelves in the living room could be built. Then the travesty of painting all the wood in the home plus the grandmother's table! And, yes, it was a stupid unusable layout. 

It just felt the redo was a total failure. The homeowner seemed happy, so that's a plus.

[MartyQui]

I really liked the last episode’s redo.  I loved the kitchen, and that island had 6 chairs all around it so it served as a table as well.  It would be so sunny and bright I’d be happy to work in there all day!  The living room I wasn’t in love with, but that’s LeaAnn’s style, and if you don’t like it I guess you don’t hire her. I hate all that wood, I’d feel like I was in a coffin, so painting it white wasn’t an issue for me.

[Kemper]

I don't mind all the white, because as has been stated...that is her style.  However, I will never understand what she has against comfortable furniture.  Almost every remodel they have done reflects the brother's talent and insight; unfortunately it also reflects the "sameness" of all her designs...and a lot of it I like.  Just not, never, no way, no how, her "upholstered" and/or necessary furniture to live comfortably day-to-day.  For that reason I would consider her a "fail" for me but do understand why a lot of people like the designs.
 

[Refresh]

9 hours ago, MartyQui said:

I really liked the last episode’s redo.  I loved the kitchen, and that island had 6 chairs all around it so it served as a table as well.  It would be so sunny and bright I’d be happy to work in there all day!  

I did too. It was certainly more heavily her style than the house last week, which I also loved but in a different way. 

I'm realizing that I need to see photo stills before I fully judge from the show itself. The quick pan gives you a general sense, but I do think Leanne does think about details and space planning but those are somehow missed for me via the relatively short reveal pans at the end.  In looking at the pictures on her Blog Source Guide, the room between the living and kitchen (on the other side of the office) could be used as more formal dining if you were hosting something bigger. There are basically 2 living areas so one of them as a flex space makes sense? 

That said, the couch in that area is built in, so it's not getting moved. Hmmmm. This show, like Fixer Upper it's so unclear what is there for staging and what is being kept, but that's just typical HGTV. 

We never saw bedrooms or the bathroom so I'm assuming there are closets in other parts of the house? Who knows for sure but my personal experience with mid-century houses is that closet storage was important. (Grandparents had one, I grew up in a mid century house and I live in a 60s era building now and while our apartment is less than 900 SQ FT even we have a coat closet, a linen closet and 8' closets in each BR - for comparison.) Hard to know for sure but it seems fair to assume especially since we didn't see those parts of the home. 

 

[Refresh]

Alrighty. This Aspinwall Victorian with the Mid-Century/Scandinavian makeover.

Sigh. I watched this today as a break from a bad day, so maybe my attitude and irritation is more about that than the homeowners, but honestly, probably not. I am disgusted at the homeowners lack of knowledge about Mid Century & Scandinavian Design from this couple who claim to like it. Do they actually like it or just think they like it because its trendy? I think I know the answer and just wish they were more honest about their cluelessless, using adjectives and not eras. 

They're design bozos.

Because of that, there are elements of the design that I don't think will age well, like the kitchen and parts of that mud room.  I like when styles are blended but this one just felt really haphazard, it gave me an unsettled feeling.

I didn't know much about Japanese paper lamps but the one they found in the vintage shop was cool.  I could tell that one was handmade and delicate with the smaller ridges. The big paper lantern in the kitchen may have been an original but on camera it looked like any mass produced dime store version.   

 

[MartyQui]

Was it my imagination, or was last night’s episode a re-run, even though it was labeled new and had a new title?  I swear I’ve seen it before.

[RoxiP]

On 3/4/2021 at 4:08 PM, MartyQui said:

Was it my imagination, or was last night’s episode a re-run, even though it was labeled new and had a new title?  I swear I’ve seen it before.

I had never seen it before but it was very similar to another recent episode - a Young couple purchasing a home to be near their cousins.  I thought the same thing until I got a little further into the episode.  

[Refresh]

On 3/5/2021 at 10:13 PM, RoxiP said:

I had never seen it before but it was very similar to another recent episode - a Young couple purchasing a home to be near their cousins.  I thought the same thing until I got a little further into the episode.  

A few months ago they showed a “preview” episode, could it have been this episode with different editing?  (It didn’t record for me because of the show name change that I hadn’t set up yet.) 

The Poets Den from season 2 used a lot of green but a cousin story isn’t ringing a bell with me. 

[izabella]

On 3/3/2021 at 10:04 PM, Refresh said:

Because of that, there are elements of the design that I don't think will age well, like the kitchen and parts of that mud room.  I like when styles are blended but this one just felt really haphazard, it gave me an unsettled feeling.

To me, the design felt like it didn't fit that house, so it ended up looking and feeling awkward and uncomfortable. 

[Refresh]

On 3/3/2021 at 8:04 PM, Refresh said:

I don't think will age well, like the kitchen and parts of that mud room

Quoting myself, feels weird. BUT I figured out what the kitchen reminded me of. A fancier version of the "kitchen" at an Aloft Hotel (or similar "modern" hotels with communal lobby kitchen).   I'm sure the finishes are nicer but that's what it reminded me of. 

42 minutes ago, izabella said:

To me, the design felt like it didn't fit that house, so it ended up looking and feeling awkward and uncomfortable. 

Yeah I agree. And I don't feel that you have to stick exactly to the style of the house when remodeling but those two styles shoved into a Victorian felt so awkward. 

[jaimesommers]

I just finished watching the French-inspired (“pied-à-terre”) episode. I’m glad the homeowners were so happy with it, but I can honestly say I didn’t like one single thing about the renovation. Not one thing.  

[Grrarrggh]

They should have painted the streetlamp black and kept the mirror gold. I am so sick of people claiming rooms are unusable if it's a single room with a kitchen in it. Same when they complain about not being able to talk to anyone when they're in the kitchen. If they're across the flippin room you can't have a conversation with them anyway! Have they never heard of an eat in kitchen?? 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I hated the kitchen island with the white and black slabs mixed.    It looked horrible to me.   If they would have gone with quartz, they have entire slabs with the pattern through the slab, and a mirror image on the other slab, so they could have used as many slabs as they needed.  

I hope the streetlamp was secured firmly.     I hated the fireplace painted black.    She seems to be going back to her everything black and white design style.   My guess is the first blown bulb in that streetlamp, and someone will drop one of the globes, and the lamp will no longer have matching globes.   

Edited March 10, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[NYGirl]

Yes!  Just no on the 2 different marble counter... I kept yelling at the homeowners to say no no no when she suggested it.  And then Steve brings up the first red wine stain and Leanne laughs it off... I was like...whaaa?  These people have 2 little boys...why marble???

I didn't mind the black fireplace because that whole room was white to begin with.  I like that they used the sunroom and I loved the amount of storage in the kitchen.

I didn't like that stupid outdoor lamp..especially with 2 little boys.