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.

[sam_paine]

No. I didn't see that. (I probably clicked on past if I saw anything about makeup/makeover.) I just kinda like her attitude about the snorty designers...she just builds the stuff and rolls her eyes at all the drama.

In reading her bio online, it appears that she wanted to be an actress, but then excelled in stage/prop building and then went with it. I admire that.

[honeygrl]

"I don't know anything about any hay techniques. "

Hildy once glued hay to the walls as a sort of wallpaper in a home with children under 3.

[martin_fierro]

Yeah, and after a few highballs his Proper British Accent would probably turn Cockney:

"Oy, I say, ducks, 'at couple'sh tashte wash jus' 'ORRIBLE! 'ORRIBLE!" <|:)~

[Incorrigible]

Yeah, I agree, that the shakes (or even vinyl that appears as shakes) wouldn't do it on that "contemporary colonial".  I don't know what kind of maintenance goes into cedar shakes but I've seen them turn black and take on an awful appearance when not looked after.

The fiber cement siding can be molded into vertical planks or a stucco appearance which would more likely go better on this style house than the horizontal vinyl.  I'll probably bump out over the garage as well.

 

[Dead Dog]

Hell has T111 siding.

[Howlin]

For what I paid for this house, I better not have anything cheap on it.......LOL.

[honeygrl]

Did you guys see the episode where Hildi insisted on SPRAY PAINTING the people's couch hot pink? The couple doing the room hated it and the guy wnated no part in it. It ended up "accidently" being left outside during a rain storm while the paint was drying. I know those people did it on purpose because they hated it so much. It was hilarious.

[The South Texan]

I am so glad I don't belong to a homeowners association. They are becoming a bunch of Brown Shirts.

[RMDupree]

Too funny!

Or he'll go off on someone who was so incredibly difficult to work with. HAHAHAHAHA! That very opposite character of the patient and diplomatic soul he plays on television.

[honeygrl]

"Did you see the one where the lady said "NO BROWN" and Laurie painted the damn room "cocoa" or something (brown)? "

It never fails that if the owner says "No [whatever]" the designer puts that in the room everytime. I think they do it to attempt to show the people that a)they'll do what they want, and b)keep an open mind about it.

[discostu]

Walls are about the only thing Hildi doesn't want to pain. Couches, carpets, fans and your dog are all valid targets apparently. That couch getting rained on was either brilliant sabatoge by the owners or divine intervention... maybe a little of both.

[discostu]

Ooops, "doesn't want to pianT". Got another good typo for you Motley.

[Xenalyte]

I would love to paint a wall deep red like that.

You'd best be VERY sure you love the color. Xena's Guy painted my study burgundy (the paint chip says Merlot), and I'm utterly infatuated with it, but then I've always wanted a burgundy room. If it weren't exactly what I was after, it'd be oppressive.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I was OK with it when he started, but he really did go downhill. The marble top was great, doing the walls over was great, getting rid of the beer light I could understand - and the curtains were smart, especially in that climate.

But the crowning indignity was when he wanted shredded metal around the bar, when he probably could have used metallic paint - that and the old car mirrors.

Blech!!!

[honeygrl]

You girls like this show?

[The South Texan]

Idiot me. This has nothing to with Homeowners Associtations. SHould have read the darn thing. They are still Brown Shirts anyway.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Who cares about the stupid engineers. From a designer's perspective, engineers are nothing but rigid number crunchers. They throw something boring out with mystical "scientific" fanfare, and then wait to whether people fall asleep or just mistake it for a fire hydrant.

[RightWingMama]

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

LOL. My kids think I'm nuts! I have a fan in every room. In the bedroom I have two! One on the ceiling and one on the floor. But, the one that gets the kids laughing the most is the battery operated one I take camping. So, TS can paint my room pink with purple trim, but DO NOT TOUCH my fan's.

[Howlin]

Exactly.

[Let's Roll]

Agree with all your comments in #27 re best/worst designers etc. What's your sunsign? :-)