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.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Doug has this thing about metallic themes. Remember the living room that went metal, down to fan folded screens? I'd have had to hit him.

[ethical]

Actually for what she has to do I think shes perfect. She transitions really well even if the situation is awkward.

[SaveTheChief]

IIRC, that was a show taped before the national falling-out with the Vichy Chicks

[martin_fierro]

At this point I think about the only room I'd let any of them in would be a redesign of a child's bedroom. But I'm not even sure about letting Doug Hildy or Laurie do those.

There was the show where Doug got the bright idea to saw two actual CAR BODIES in half and crammed them into a little boy's bedroom.

Even Ty (who I'm convinced is on peyote buttons most of the time) had a hard time with that concept.

[CougarGA7]

The sheep skin thing was over the top. Fortunately, that is a short trip to the dumpster to fix it.

[GrandMoM]

....ONE OF THE DUMPEST PROGRAMS I'VE WATCHED-can't imagine anyone of them being a real designer!

[discostu]

Most of that info is on the website, they're pretty straightforward about some people hating what they got. It's part of the fun. Some couples I've rooted for them to hate it because they bugged me.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

As I looked at the car bodies, I was yelling "Sharp edges for a small kid's room, in a space he gets into (toybox and bed)? What the hell are you thinking?"

[martin_fierro]

The one problem with "While You Were Out" is that hostess.

You mean Treesa Strasser? I didn't know what to make of her at first, but have come to enjoy her snappy sense of humor.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I liked the one where the two girls (college aged roommates, not lez) went out instead of doing the homework, and then (as memory serves) brought a couple of guys home from a bar to do the work.

[ethical]

Yeah Doug does like metal. I thought the garage movie theater was good though.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I don't remember that one.

[finnman69]

I want to see the budgets upped to $2000 and 3 days allowed for work. The difference in quality and the results would be amazing.

[MotleyGirl70]

I have seen some good make overs on that show and some horrible ones.

I saw an episode where a woman said NO BROWN!!!! And they painted it brown/tan. She was soooooo mad. I thought fistacuffs would break out.

[martin_fierro]

I repeat: Doug and Hildy need to face execution with extreme prejudice.

Oh, and as to Genevieve: Nice rack, and her work is okay, but the giggly-blondie-airhead thing gets old after awhile.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

At that point, there'd be no excuses about time and budget making the room less than desireable.

[Mr. Bird]

I'm curious as to how the black lady and the bald, heavy, older guy ever get out of town alive. I'd probably shoot them before they got into my house, and not a jury on the planet would convict me....

[Howlin]

They all like to take down ceiling fans. I don't get that.

That's my main beef!

[TexasCajun]

God I hate this show!

I just know one day, one day when I return from a business trip, I'm going to have a living nightmare!

I don't know when, but I've already been warned.

[martin_fierro]

Yeah, I saw that episode too (a "fight" did break out - she put her friend in a headlock).

While I'm not a big fan of Laurie's, I thought that homeowner woman was an extremely immature raw nerve. I confess to a schadenfreude moment when she hated her beige living room.