Trading In Trading Spaces - When the Facelift Flops, The Homeowners Take Action

Washington Post ^ | 5/29/03 | Annie Groer

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The instant she opened her eyes -- after two grueling days and nights of giving her neighbors' kitchen a facelift -- Ruth Nelson was stunned by her own tarted-up Alexandria living and dining rooms. "I love it," she blurted as TV cameras recorded the moment.

Trouble was, she didn't.

A wall, once eggshell, was painted four-alarm scarlet. Two print sofas were obscured under hastily made off-white slipcovers with exposed seams stitched in black and red. A poster-size photo of her teenage son, Chris, showed only his chin; another just part of the family cat. Also baffling were 24 fluttering gold and silver paper squares pinned like insect specimens to said red wall.

Designer Genevieve Gorder, a regular on "Trading Spaces," the wildly popular TV decorating show, called the look edgy on the episode that aired in November 2000.

[RMDupree]

I agree. And the best thing about Frank's art is that is can easily be removed. It's either a hanging piece or painted on, not stapled to the wall like Hildy's flower bathroom nightmare! Ugh! That said, I like pretty much 95% of everything Frank has done, including his art. :)

Vern is great because he's clean, classic and simple lines all around. A bedroom by Vern is going to be soothing and neat..you know it from the get-go.

Frank is better for common rooms (family rooms, etc) since the funny touches and "comfy" designs play better there.

[RockyTop4GOP]

Still can't figger out if he's gay or not. He frequently mentions his "wife," but that's no indicator. There are gay couples that call each other by hetereo spousal terms.

Actually, Frank is very happily married to a woman named Judy. They have one son, Matthew, and a deceased daughter, Mosey, for which their cross-stitch business, Mosey'n Me is named.

[RMDupree]

I think it's healthy and a sure sign of our sanity! We actually enjoy things besides politics. :)

[Dead Dog]

$500 for a half hour....that sounds about right, minus transport costs. Perfect for "remodelling" all Mid 1980s to early 90's construction, or anything else with T-111 siding.

Now, if a competing channel wanted to take some share, they could run a show called "Dozer Bait" where people's dumps are purchased and then dozed by a team of young bikini clad women..wearing proper eye-protection of course.

[MotleyGirl70]

My living room/dining room has Italian stucko (sp?). It gives nice character to the rooms. It's a 1930's bungalow and looks great with country living green and pure white ceilings. It's built like a rock.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I'm just looking forward to "The Spike Network".

[Lil'freeper]

The one problem with "While You Were Out" is that hostess. She's awful. I hate people that sneer out of habit.

completely agree. she comes across as a snooty, spoiled, er ...witch.

[honeygrl]

I saw a lady cry on there once when it was so bad and she hated it. Usually it's Hildy that does the worst rooms. Normally Genevieve does stuff I like. I love Frank and Vern too. Doug is a *major* jerk but someitmes his work isn't so bad. I'd love to have Frank decorate my toddlers bedroom. He'd be good with that.

[MotleyGirl70]

She is nasty and treats the others like children. I love when Andrew talks about her. He gets so irritated by her,

[Howlin]

Exactly. We're versatile.

[RMDupree]

I agree with you both!

I can picture her off-screen whining about anything they ask her to help out with. All she seem to do is moan and groan about time running out. At least Paige volunteers to help when she can!

[martin_fierro]

Does anyone remember the much-hyped and disasterous "Trading Spaces LIVE REVEAL" taped in Vegas?

I'm not sure what aired in the rest of the country, but here on the Left Coast, when the Big Live Reveal Moment was to have come, we were mistakenly treated to a bunch of overweight, pasty behind-the-camera slugs making snide imitations of what they thought the homeowners' reactions would be.

[scott7278]

Thanks for the post!

[discostu]

Off the top of my head I can't think of a Frank room I didn't like (well there's the one that didn't need redecorating in the first place but that's not his fault). And like you said the country touches are easily eliminated if you don't like them.

I only saw the reveal on the flower room, that would actually have been a cool effect in a limited area like around a mirror. For the whole room it was just too much, like living in an Allegra commercial.

Vern is cool but he suffers some from the Laurie problem, not a lot of room to put down a beer. Although when he decides to he can break out of his mold very well (this last Saturday's when he made the convertable ottoman/ coffee table, you could put a beer down in that room), it's a definite sign of talent that he can still make a good room that's outside his norm.

One of the things I like about Laurie is she's good at quickly refurbishing furniture. If there's one thing I've learned from the show it's that $10 worth of new fictures can completely change a look. When we moved into our new place the kitchen was awful, too white, we got shiny black nobs for the cabinets and walla new kitchen. That was something straight out of the Laurie playbook.

[Wright is right!]

"We once went to the beach with another family who are "fan sleepers." It was like a JPL wind tunnel in the upstairs bedrooms."

Me, too. Oh, and I left out the MOTORHOME fan, which blows on me all night, too.

We went on a European motorcoach tour of several countries back a few years ago, and one of the things that did NOT get packed was a 220V fan - because I couldn't find any in the states. So at our first stop, my primary sightseeing priority was shopping for a 220V fan that could accompany us on the remainder of the trip.

On a later trip, I found an even better fan in Marrakesh, so that's the 220V fan for now. Of course, we haven't been to Europe the last 2 years...

Michael

[martin_fierro]

LOL!!!

STUCKO IN THE HEY ROOM!!!!!

[MotleyGirl70]

BTW, I'm not a grammer nazi, but your post really had me in tears.

[Howlin]

http://r1.east.rmi.yahoo.com/rmi/http://www.jandr.com/JRProductPage.process/rmivars%3ftarget=_top?RestartFlow=t&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=1&Product_Id=2846366&Source=yahoo.rmi.sku&showcase=t

[scott7278]

Yes, I remember it. They did so much promotion that I got sick of hearing about it. I knew that it couldn't match the hype -- it was just another TS episode to me.

[MotleyGirl70]

gramher