HGTV Design Star: Ace Hardware, Fuscia, Cottonballs, Rnd 4

[smurfy]

I can't believe he thought he could paint over a varnished floor and it would work. Uncle Fester screwed that room's floor. I hope HGTV paid to have it stripped and refinished. I'd have sent him home just for being stupid.

I am pretty sure I read somewhere that they do go back and fix/finish stuff for this show. I read it in an earlier season, maybe on TWOP. Otherwise I would wonder why people let this happen. Any repairs/fixes could cost more than what you get for free.

I do enjoy this show, but one thing that bothers me, along from other shows that are timed. It is like the editors are more interested in showing the time part and have a cliffhanger before the commercial. I want to see the design process more.

[Aceon6]

I am pretty sure I read somewhere that they do go back and fix/finish stuff for this show.

Not sure about DS, as they're getting pros with fairly decent budgets. I know that Trading Spaces had to correct a lot of things and that a couple of homeowners got substantial sums to fix things that were out of code or downright dangerous. Remember the hay?

[rfisher]

I loved it when the owners were WTF???? on trading spaces. Some of them didn't hide their dismay very well.

[Tesla]

Not sure about DS, as they're getting pros with fairly decent budgets. I know that Trading Spaces had to correct a lot of things and that a couple of homeowners got substantial sums to fix things that were out of code or downright dangerous. Remember the hay?

I missed the hay but I remember the hundreds of flowers stapled to the bathroom walls. I heard somewhere that that was a lot to fix.

[milanessa]

I only saw 10 or so Trading Spaces episodes but do remember those plastic flowers.

I do remember them advertising a special compilation of the show where they broadcast the reactions of folk who really hated the makeover and made no bones about it. I never did see that but would love to.

[Fergus]

Hilde and Doug from Trading Spaces wouldn't be allowed within 100ft. of my apartment.

Vern can come over anytime he likes.

[Matryeshka]

The one with hay was even worse than let on--the homeowner had a toddler, and upon entering the room immediately started to pick off and eat the wall. The woman was allergic to hay and some other thingy that Hilde had managed to put EVERYWHERE. The homeowners had provided the producers a list of things she could not be around (though why if you have strange allergies you'd go on that show I have not a clue). Off-camera, supposedly, the friends tried to tell Hilde and the crew this won't work, to which Hilde replied, it's special hay.

My favorite though was this woman who had a SERIOUS aversion to orange. So what did her designer do? Paint everything ORANGE. Has there ever been a time when orange was a popular paint color? Don't most people not like orange, at least for their walls? So they brought the woman into her new ORANGE room--and it was really orange on TV, I can't imagine how horrid it was in person--and she attacked, literally, her friend screaming "why did you do this to me?"

I've read that moments after the crew left, those hastily built shelfs, usually by the hot male carpenter, fell apart, destroying thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Most of the time, HGTV did not pay for damages because they sign a waiver, but I know the hay woman got somewhere in the neighborhood of 20K, and they had to send in professional cleaning crews. Doug was also bad about going into other rooms and taking stuff to "repurpose" and ruined quite a few of grandma's antiques or other things that at least had sentimental value. The producers' response was: if you don't want the designers touching it, then move it from your house.

I read the tell-all book written by one very pissed-off homeowner. I think for a while there was a website. There was one with Doug where he put up a giant gorilla in the bedroom, and the homeowners were so they ended up selling the house!

[Rob]

I'd be a designer's worst nightmare. Things I do not like:

1. Dark walls or accent walls
2. Orange or bright yellow walls or decorations
3. Random colorsplash abstract art work that matches the couch - my art has to mean something to me whether it be the message or a memory of a trip where I got it
4. Random Pier 1 accessories that mean nothing to me
5. Brass (fixtures, knobs, animal statues, none of it)
6. Wicker
7. Shabby Chic whitewashed stuff
8. Accessories all over the coffee table
9. Heavy curtains
10. Ornate things that need constant dusting
11. Painted wood (trim ok, furniture not)
12. wall to wall carpeting or rugs on top of rugs (dust collector thing again)
12. Wallpaper

[skatesindreams]

I remember one homeowner on "Trading Spaces" who apparently lived in a very high-end community.
She found fault with everything the neighbors and designers did - so much so that I wondered why she agreed to appear.

She was almost threatening.
Does anyone else remember her?

Lesson: If you can't enter into the spirit of the program; or are averse to change - you shouldn't do it,

[Fergus]

*BUMP!*



There are some funky kitchens in that studio.

[Allen]

I remember one homeowner on "Trading Spaces" who apparently lived in a very high-end community.
She found fault with everything the neighbors and designers did - so much so that I wondered why she agreed to appear.

She was almost threatening.
Does anyone else remember her?

Lesson: If you can't enter into the spirit of the program; or are averse to change - you shouldn't do it,

A friend of my was a producer for Trading Spaces, she didn't work on that particular episode, because luckily she was filming in a different place. From what I hear, it was pretty bad though. She also apparently started picking apart the contract after the rooms were done.

[rfisher]

I'd have sent Kevin home tonight. And Cathy is a witch. Right now, I'd pick Mark FTW.

[BigB08822]

OMG, is anyone watching the sneak peak of Donna Decorates Dallas? This woman is GAUDY!!!! Her ring is about the size of my head, she has on at least 10 bracelets and her necklace looks like it weighs about 20 lbs. I would never let someone that looks like that decorate my home.

[rfisher]

Well, did you see that bedroom she was redoing? I think Donna and the homeowner are soul mates.

[Allen]

I'd have sent Kevin home tonight. And Cathy is a witch. Right now, I'd pick Mark FTW.

I'd be okay with Mark winning. I've liked a lot of what he has done and he's good on camera. I would NEVER watch Cathy's show.

[Lara]

The repeat is on now, and I yelled at Tyler not to buy that awful chair and waste time messing with the wall. Alas, he didn't listen to me.

Too bad, I liked most of his earlier stuff.

[Matryeshka]

Well, did you see that bedroom she was redoing? I think Donna and the homeowner are soul mates.

OMG! I thought they were related because surely there could not be two separate gene pools with such awful taste, and both were way into the deep end. When I saw the original, I thought surely whatever they do will be an improvement. For those that did not have the "pleasure" of seeing it, take the worst cliches of nouveau riche and everything's-bigger-in-Texas and combine it with Liberace with a bit of Mad King Ludwig of Neuschwanstein Castle fame...you will still not be anywhere near the horror of this bedroom.

I swear, that design is why peasants pick up pitchforks. If you have that money and do that with it, you need to lose your head because clearly, you're not using it.

[rfisher]

^^^I know. I think I'm going to love this show.

[skatesindreams]

For those that did not have the "pleasure" of seeing it, take the worst cliches of nouveau riche and everything's-bigger-in-Texas

Donna seems to fit right in, there.

[nerdycool]

Ya know, Cathy really bugs me. She does some nice things design-wise, but her cocky attitude is not winning me over. Who cares if she's a professional designer & stager and have worked TV before? That doesn't mean she gets to rule the roost and look down her nose at everyone else. And the fact that she often goes on the offensive doesn't help. Suffice to say, I doubt I would watch her show.

But overall, I'm really liking Mark, Leslie and Kellie. I generally like their designs and they all project a warmness that would draw me to watch their shows.