OMG what have you done to my house?!! (tv show, shows, HBO)

[Mercury Cougar]

Well, not mine really...but I watch some of the "design" shows on HGTV and they make me wonder if the "designers" are smoking crack or dropping acid.

For instance, there's a couple of shows that go in and redesign a room of choice for the homeowner. Rarely do they do one that I actually think looks like a nice room. More often, they end up looking like a combination of a hippie garage sale combined with industrial waste.

But always, the recipients of the redesign always ooh and ahhh and act like the new room is the best thing since sliced bread. Is it possible that there are that many people with no taste whatsoever? Or do the shows pay the recipients to make nicey noises and be sick about it off camera?

No kidding, yesterday I saw one where the show redecorated a living room/dining room combo. They painted one wall brown, one pea green, one a rusty orange, and put in blue and gray draperies. It looked like a circus vomited all over the room.

It's hard to believe people actually like that crap!

[rkb0305]

It probably depends on the show, but I wonder if they have to give a positive response for the cameras even if they hate it. Or, their taste may be taken into account more than we see, so they might actually like it. I've seen some negative reactions on Trading Spaces. On a show like Clean House, anything would be an improvement...

[senalj]

I saw one woman cry on Trading Spaces. Then she went off camera and bawled like a baby (we could hear her) and her husband finished the interview. She didn't want them to paint her fireplace (it was brick), so Doug (the designer of her house) built a wooden faux wall to put over the fireplace and she hated it. Personally, I would have been okay with that, because I could always take the faux wall down when they left.

On another episode of Trading Spaces, a couple decided they didn't like their bedroom, so they told Paige they were going to put it back the way it was once the cameras left.

I don't see the breakdowns on the other shows, but some of them should break down. I remember in last season's Design Star that the kitchen the contestants designed was so unfinished and unprofessional-looking that the show had to send in professionals to finish the room. The face of the wife fell when she saw her kitchen, but she didn't say anything bad. She just wasn't as excited as she was before they started.

[chilaili]

In the UK version of Trading Spaces, which was called Changing Rooms, there was the one episode I will never forget. They redid the neighbour's dining room so she ended up with a black/white tiled floor, walls painted dark red, a lovely wooden farmhouse dining table and a small renaissance-style chandelier. The wife whose house it was HATED it! And she made absolutely no secret of her feelings as she walked in. The presenter was desperately trying to get her to like SOMEthing about the room:

"What about the new floor?"
"NO!"
"The lovely new painted walls?"
"NO!"
"The nice old table?"
"NO!"

The show ended with everyone sitting around the table and the presenter was still trying to stay upbeat whilst the PO'd wife was glaring at the table top and you just knew the minute the camera turned off, there was one unholy row in that house. It was HILARIOUS!

[perticusrex]

When I used to watch Trading Spaces, there was an older man who was one of the designers, I forget his name but his designs were the absolute worst! I never saw a space he did that I actually liked. It was just always so tacky, ridiculous, and practically unliveable!

[Niftybergin]

Originally Posted by senalj

I saw one woman cry on Trading Spaces. Then she went off camera and bawled like a baby (we could hear her) and her husband finished the interview.

Crying Pam. She's a legend. I was hoping I could find a You Tube clip of her breakdown, but no such luck.

I did find this link that showed before and afters of her room.

http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/tr...eveals_08.html

I never had any sympathy for the Trading Spaces homeowners. They were operating under the assumption that they'd love their space...a space they had no say in designing. I think that's just foolish.

[westhou]

Originally Posted by Mercury Cougar

Well, not mine really...but I watch some of the "design" shows on HGTV and they make me wonder if the "designers" are smoking crack or dropping acid.

For instance, there's a couple of shows that go in and redesign a room of choice for the homeowner. Rarely do they do one that I actually think looks like a nice room. More often, they end up looking like a combination of a hippie garage sale combined with industrial waste.

But always, the recipients of the redesign always ooh and ahhh and act like the new room is the best thing since sliced bread. Is it possible that there are that many people with no taste whatsoever? Or do the shows pay the recipients to make nicey noises and be sick about it off camera?

No kidding, yesterday I saw one where the show redecorated a living room/dining room combo. They painted one wall brown, one pea green, one a rusty orange, and put in blue and gray draperies. It looked like a circus vomited all over the room.

It's hard to believe people actually like that crap!

I think your talking about HGTV Showdown. I think those redesigns are amazing and would looooove for them to do that to my apartment.

Now Trading Spaces was a mess! I would sue if someone did that to my place.

[Mercury Cougar]

Speaking of "Clean House", and the revolting slobs whose houses get cleaned and organized...I would be interested in seeing the show go back unannounced at some point later (a few months perhaps) and see if the pigs are wallowing in filth again.

[rkb0305]

Originally Posted by Mercury Cougar

Speaking of "Clean House", and the revolting slobs whose houses get cleaned and organized...I would be interested in seeing the show go back unannounced at some point later (a few months perhaps) and see if the pigs are wallowing in filth again.

I think they do that sometimes. I know they revisited a messiest home in America. It was in pretty good shape, but the mom wouldn't let the cameras see her closet.

[Roselvr]

I think there was one on American TV too although I didn't see it.

The one real estate show is fake - where they redo a few rooms for people that can't sell their house. Supposed buyers walk in and say what they love about the changes - fake. They are friends, relatives & neighbors.

I couldn't do one of those shows because they always use gold & red. Not my 2 choices.