Whoah! I must have been CRABBY that day!

I actually really like this show, and I think he has a very interesting color sense. I like that they show the process, including mishaps along the way (but still stand by comments about lack of attention to installed lighting, and that some of his homeowners tend toward the slightly spoiled...)

he looks like martha stewart and his designs are hipster tacky. yes, 'hipster tacky' is a technical term.

also, he needs to work on his whiny, know-it-all voice.

otherwise, he's great. ;)

I've only seen two shows, but thought he did a great job both times (both were home offices). I am not really a fan of HGTV in general (I often find many of the remodels to be kind of amateurish, and who wants to see what I could do myself?) but I would definitely watch his show again.

I find his constant twirling a little annoying. Love his dress sense, hate his hairdo! I like his room designs but I tend to think they are a little safe. Mind you, maybe his clients want safe? I agree with PTOO about his lack of thought when it comes to lighting.

Reef

I can't vote on this because I need a middle vote possibility. I don't go out of my way to watch this, but sometimes if it's on I'll check it out a bit. I initially was repelled by his bubble cut ("looks like martha stewart" - haha, anon), but have since found him sort of cute as a tv personality. I too find the outcomes safe, bland, and overall not terribly interesting or amusing, but occasionally see a good idea. If this show were gone, I wouldn't miss it. It's part of a great, bland heap of middle of the road shows.

For those saying his interiors are "too safe" is there anyone on TV you *don't* consider too safe?
(not arguing, just trying to get a frame of reference...)

alright...I'll say it.

I HATE HIM.

he is like some wierd love child of Carson Kressley and Dorothy Hamill.

I hate his vanilla white boy milk-toasty waspishness.

I hate his clothes (enough with the t-shirt over the dress shirt thing you got goin' on)

I hate his hair...(wasn't there a sun-in thread about this?)

and I can't stand all the "custom" work he has done. custom concrete counters, custom vinyl banquets, custom cork wall treatments, custom glass cable shelves.

ugghhh....

that being said...I watch him like a car crash on the interstate.

Bravo!

Honestly, I don't care whether a room is "safe" or "funky", as long as it holds its own. I think Kenneth Brown's rooms tend to work pretty well.

And seriously, the home owner's taste has to be considered by the designer, or it just won't feel right to them. If everyone went in hammer-and-tongs like that hateful Doug guy on TLC, you might get some showrooms, but the people wouldn't be very happy.

Your average John & Jane Q. Public DO tend to like things that are safe, partly because they can't usually afford to change it all that often over the next few years, so making environments that reflect their personalities in some way, and give the designer something interesting to chew on, can't be an easy thing for the producers to figure out ahead of time. But after a show has been on a while, the viewers that try to get on the show end up getting a sense of what a designer's OWN style is, and to some extent, essentially make that choice based on what they've seen. That very choice is a direction, in and of itself.

And I agree that it's good to show that mishaps and wrong deliveries happen, and what you do when those things do happen can be kind of important.

I'm from Louisiana, and I have mixed feelings about Kenneth Brown's accent, but basically kind of enjoy his work on his show.

I think the "safe" designs are primarily a result of pleasing the clients who want "safe". He gives the clients what they want. Anything out of the ordinary he seems to have to fight to convince the client to try. It may be good business, but not always interesting design.

Hmmmn...some interesting comments here. I think Brown is ok. Sometimes interesting, sometimes boring. I agree there is a blandness going on in decorating shows, yet, I find some of the results to be unliveable. Creative, yes, liveable, no. Frankly, one of the nicest places I've seen lately was Patrick's on Small Spaces whatever because it was georgeous and liveable and has encouraged me to do something in my place.

Michael: Thou' must be a writer. Nice punch to your comments. I loved them.

My one TV design curiosity: I think when someone has a ceiling fan in their apartment/house, it could be because THEY NEED IT. No they're not great to look at, but if you really NEED IT, then why does absolutely everyone take them down for a cute fixture. Let's see the cute fixture keep your room cool in August in Texas, worse, NY in August if you don't have central air. Sometimes, you just need a fan! Just a thought.

I totally dig Kenneth's show.
He has a great sence of color.
His website is nice and shows alot of his work.
Super nice guy as well...

On another note talking about HGTV, why in the world is that Design On a Dime show still on?
Horrible horrible design.
Everything they do is awful, I have never seen one good episode.
Everytime they open the paint can I cringe.
Someone pull that show or get new designers- its so bad!
I just don't get it....

My biggest pet peeve?
and yes..most shows do this, even the kenny kenneth kenster-

freaking "art projects"

can you say "what the f-"????
and it goes Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay beyond the jackson pollack meets liquitex fiascos...or praising the virtues of todays color copiers.

one time, lee synders actually just nailed scrap wood together and hung it on the wall.

oh NO..wait...I think I might be mistaken-

it wasn't one time, it is EVERYTIME.

good god!

thankfully I am perfect, so it makes picking on others alot easier.

Pardon me, I am going to check out my local community college and see if they have any openings in the "how to design your way out of a wet paper bag" and "on camera be-bopping, hand jiving and eye rolling for beginners"

Excellent observation on the anti-ceiling fan designers. Granted a lot of them are really ugly, but it's seldom established whether the homeowner actually wants a fan. It's always "well that has to go." Hopefully there was some off camera discussion. And if you have a high enough ceiling for a fan they are often more energy efficient for heating and cooling.

Ah yes -- "art" projects.

I've never figured out why these fiascos better than whatever the victims had before. Just because it's original, that doesn't make it good.

Having once framed 9 subtly coordinating types of scrapbook paper as a grid to cover a particularly annoying bathroom wall, I'm not against quick-and-cheap perk-up measures... but I'm not touting my ideas on TV as "design" either.

Different design shows have different budgets to accommodate the various stages of life people are in, including whether they rent or own, and I like the fact that some shows take on the challenge of making something out of almost nothing.

Figuring out which things one is willing to spend a lot of money on and which things need to be more flexible and changeable is worth thinking about, and the variety of shows gives some good persepectives.

I think it's kind of nice to have something custom in every home, if you can. It's nice for a project to have something that makes it unique to that situation, and really some things just can't be bought off the rack.

I don't really enjoy weddings, but the premise of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" is kind of a nice rule when you decorating, because "new" gives a little freshness, "old" gives a little familiarity, well, it kind of breaks down there, because borrowed can be a nightmare, but you know what I mean.

Are we watching different shows? I LOVE him! Yes, sometimes his overall redo is a little "safe" but those client love it, so I feel it was keeping them in mind which ANY good designer should be doing. Any I have been in many of my manhattan neighbors' ($$MM) homes and find them as bland as milk toast!

He has a real gift for clean contemporary lines with pizazz. When he has the clients with vision to unleash him- his work is fab. Incidentally I love his redo on his own LA place that was featured on another show. How he added that GIANT roll-up door to let in the outdoors! He achieved an industrial yet modern and still comfortable feel.

There are a ZILLION HGTV shows that everyone should be criticising (I agree with above Design on a Dime- yuck, def one of them.) I think the personal attacks should be excluded from this forum as well. Kenneth Brown definitely has one of the top 3 or 4 design shows on HGTV today. I look forward to seeing more from him in the future.

Curtis' comment of "I think it's kind of nice to have something custom in every home, if you can" reminds me -- custom is not necessarily mucho expensivo.

We have a pair of custom bookcases that we've hauled through three states. Though I don't remember the exact price, I do remember being surprised that they cost about the same as mass-produced bookcases of similar construction. And we got the finish, style, and proportions that we wanted.

When we went shopping for an apartment-sized sofa, we ended up having ours custom-made. It was the only way to get the arm style we wanted -- and down cushions -- and the exact fabric color -- while staying within our modest price range.

Curtis quoth: "well, it kind of breaks down there, because borrowed can be a nightmare,"

Borrowed = objects one's relatives have sent along because they can't bear to get rid of them, yet don't really want them back.

(Maybe I'll just start a project of annotating Curtis' insightful comments.)

While he seems fine to me, the production values of the show--another masterpiece from PieTown--are so low as to undermine the rest of the show. You'd think they could find camera operators who can find their shot and stay on it, and producers who can get the homeowners to sound intelligent. HGTV buys lots of shows from this prod. company--because of the low budgets.

In spite of my (minor) criticisms of the show, I agree with Ann. End-result wise, this is one of the few "grown up" design shows on HGTV or otherwise, and in my top 5 (top 3?) of all design shows on right now. And perhaps the fact that KB is California-based makes installed lighting less of an issue than on shows that are taped mostly in colder/darker climes.

And even when "safe" (which I don't necessarily agree with, nor take issue with even if true) KB manages to keep a really nice "collected eclecticism" in each room he completes.

I very much like, too, the fact that it shows a designer's role is often talking clients down from the ledge when change/surprises happen.

re: diy "art"
I wouldn't mind the whole DIY art thing so much IF, on occasion, part of the show's assignment was to view/purchase "real" art from art shows or galleries. I myself have framed a postcard or gallery invite or two, so I don't mind the idea of "placeholder art" either. I think Michael (??) in the color contest also framed some book images of rollercoasters, no?, and that looked really great in his space.

jmarieb:
THANKS! You made my day!

regarding the whole custom thing-

I am not against custom creations. I just don;t see the need for a show that highlights using it.

"gee...how'd they do that?"

well, you see that lanky androgenous muppet in the corner? well, he looked in the yellow pages for custom fabricators and made a call or two, then faxed them over a doodle on the back of a cocktail napkin from "G" (where he has dirty martis with his gal-pals) and a bunch of engineers and craftsmen at the factory spent hours figuring out what he wanted"

ok..so I read between the lines. But why do I need a show to tell me that?

maybe I am a purist. but i believe is inventing what you can, and relying on your own enginuity.

that is what makes a designer.
otherwise, you are a decorator.

Michael, you're cracking me up! I agree with you and torquoise that Design on a Dime should be banned from TV. The only thing that seems to change is the wall color and the cheap window treatments.

In our first rant on these show hosts a couple of weeks ago I said that K. Brown had this weird hair thingy going on that sometimes looks like a little dutch boy and sometimes like on of the Back St. boys. And he seems to change is personality with every client. A true chameleon, that guy. And I think, like others here, that he plays it too safe. But again that may be what the client wants.

As far as shows that aren't playing it safe - the only time I see truly creative interiors on HGTV is on shows that have no designer/host on them such as Amazing Dream Homes or Vacation Homes, things like that. But when it comes to designers hosting the show and redoing the interiors I get bored. To be honest, I see the very beginning of a show (any design show) and then switch back to it at the very end to see the reveal. That's all I'm interested in and even then I see bad jobs.

But I love the shows that do backyards. That Designers Challenge for the backyard is good. I just wish I HAD a backyard.

I wonder if any of these designers read this. Do they care about our opinions, rethink some of the things we say, mention any of it to their producers, see the light!

wende -
Thanks! Feel free to annotate me as much as you like!

By the way, about Kenneth's hair -- the only thing that really bugs me about his hair is that MY hairline can't do anything like that anymore, but that's not his problem. He makes me a little nostalgic for my high school days. And I think that working your own personal look as well as you can, is not such a bad idea.

At least some really good examples of this will definitely be showing up to the AT Holiday party.

Okay, work with me -- but I don't care for teh way he wears his pants. It makes me very uncomfortable. They are very squeezed if you get my drift. Beyong that, I remember seeing this fella on Designers Challenge a couple of times and he had NO PERSONALITY. At least now he has a little sparkle. And when you get down to it, he's a fab designer. In one episode he did a cork floor that i NEVER would have gone for and it was brilliant. So -- C+.

michael--
While it seems you are playing the room for laughs, I do think you are selling rather short the whole "doodle on a napkin and call a fabricator" process. Even if the proess IS as boiled down as you outline it, it still takes vision, imagination and a shorthand and relationship with vendors.

And actually, of all the custom stuff done on these shows, Kenneth's usually are unique and specific (as are Candace's). The "custom" pet peeve I have is on Designer's Challenge... when "custom" is just a thin veil for "burn up as much of the budget as we can."

I like most of Kenneth Brown's designs, but agree that the production values of the show are very ho-hum. His taste seems to skew very West Coast; and that's clearly reflected in the finished product. So, possibly people are just not connecting with his sense of style? Also, I don't find his dress, hair or presentation offensive or annoying at all. In fact, he seems to present himself in a fashion that clearly reflects the laid-back contemporary aesthetic in which he seems to excel. Either you like it or you don't; but there's no denying that it's well done... So, the show gets a marginal "thumbs up" from me--mostly because he presents a consistent design philosophy. (But, overall, I find HGTV's programming to be a little boring and mediocre.)

I have to admit that I quite enjoy it when the opinions here get so heated! Design obviously includes passion in what you believe.

ABout KB - I like his rooms. The design may not edgy or ultra refined, but these are spaces where people actually live, and his best feature is that he seems to listen to his clients (although I wonder who foots the bill and where that tilts the balance). At the same time he seems to push them in those issues that he feels strongly about and knows will make a difference in the final outcome.

Not being a designer (or very creative!), and having just gone through a full remodel of my apt (construction done - furnishings not), I found it to be a very interesting relationship of having someone else guide you as to how the place you will live in should look like.

I was lucky to find the balance with architect and designer, but it was a strugle sometimes to just based on a chip or a sample imagine this wall or that couch (not to mention costs) and hope that the restult is something I will be able to live with for a long time!

The shows that bother me are those where the clients gets kicked out and the designer decides to do what they think its best - and then the "client" has to look happy - Debbie Travis for one...

Such a nice calm conversation posting today...

Well, all-in-all, KB is a show. It's a show. Watch or not. KB lives in a Santa Monica loft and having life in the LA area for several years I'd agree that he reflects that aesthetic and I think its overall quite good. I think they're all quite good, like self help books, you take a bit from here and a bit from there and dump the rest.

Patrick: That unit in your dressing area, was that a custom? I love it. I wouldn't mind a version of it myself on a smaller scale.

Re: DIY art. I have sold enough work to know whether I'm good or not. So I'm ok. But then I had a hole in my LR to camouflage until I could fill it in and repaint and it annoyed me to look at it. I had a canvas, some brown lunch bags, some orange beads and copper wire. I did a "thing" on it and a neighbor came in and bypassed this HUGE piece I had in the hallway (which is now sold) and went directly to the paperbag thing (which was crumpled up bags glued and washed with something and looked like an abacus) and wanted to know how much I wanted for it. So, you see, its all in the eye of the beholder. No, I didn't sell it. It's junk. It's my junk.

But yeah, it would be nice if they actually bought some art on these shows. And even I have anger - I want to smack Lee Snyder every time he walks toward the camera with that "bop" thing going on. He was also on Designer Challenge once and was not so boppy. Boppy, boppy, I don't like boppy.

jmarieb--

That unit is the Rolly from The Terence Conran Shop, but West Elm, Ikea, and Bo COncept all have variations of it out now.

P: Thanks. I guess I'm going shopping, or building.....I don't remember, are there photos on AT of your place? It's a long day....

I think I probably said enough negative things about Mr. Brown in my first review of this show among others. Sorry, I still don't like him. But hey, I have discovered this great technique for dealing with this- I don't watch him! If you happen to like the show and find it interesting / helpful- hey, go for it.

I think the earlier post on this thread about the homeowner having no input into the design Debbie Travis implements is a good one- hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks for making me think.

Walt

ok, so this isn't about kenneth exactly, but...

what is it with the girls who are always wearing supertight baby doll t-shirts to accentuate their (fake?) boobs?

this is a design show, right?

i'm a girl, and don't normally care about these things, but even i find it hard to pay attention to the design when it seems like the girls are bebopping around with their boobs in the air.

i guess they have to do that to get through the audition, but couldn't they tone it down once they have the job???

patrick, you're crabby all the time. take a pill and get a grip.

Couldn't help it, I just had a flashback to tacky doctors' offices and childhood when I looked at that picture. I see a few elements which I might take away from the picture though.

Sorry, this is off topic, too.

Anon Too, this is one of my biggest complaints about Sell This House- the host- Tanya M-----(substitute another word for boobs that is similar to her last name).

I caught a very thoughtful post about production value across the shows produced by Pietown. I will have to watch across shows for this over the weekend. It certainly does seem that most of the HGTV shows have the same format.

My biggest problem with Mr. Brown's show, as well as a lot of the others, is the they operate at an economic strata way above what I think most people can afford. Especially, when everything Mr. Brown does is custom, yet usually looks off the rack. If you can afford to operate at this level, good for you. But (I know that here in upstate NY the standards are different as compared to NY Metro) I can't imagine any of my coworkers spending $40K for a new dining room. As I said to a coworker, "I will be impressed when they do a show where everything comes from the Salvation Army, Walmart, and "Dollar Stores."

Oops, I broke my promise not to say anything more nasty about this show...

Hey, I still miss "Interiors by Design."

Walt

I definitely have the impression that KB's clients are paying. I think most of the time, with most of the shows, that tends to be the case. So when people are saying things are ho-hum (which I don't think is the case, but like I said, I've only seen two shows), it's probably because the client does not want anything crazy. I mean, a designer has to accommodate the client in real life. I'm with Patrick in that I'm curious as to what's an example of not being ho-hum. I find KB to be a lot less ho-hum than a lot of the other shows, which is why I don't watch HGTV.

Also, to the person who posted anonymously above, as someone who has met Patrick in person, he is decidedly NOT crabby. In fact, he's a lovely person.

Interesting thoughts about HGTV in general, which I tend not to watch less and less because I find their programming to be so homogenous. I've soapboxed before about the cookie-cutter quality of their programming, so no need to go there again. But, I did catch a program that is worth noting because is co-produced by the Food Network and HGTV (though not using Pietown as production company): Restaurant Makeover. I remember someone mentioning the show on a previous thread, and made note to look for it. In contrast to the standard HGTV offerings, this show was actually interesting to watch. Despite using all the usual makeover show conventions (a budget, a time-constraint, a design team, a reveal), the show had good unscripted drama and actually held my attention. True, the show didn't focus on just interior desisgn or break down the demo/reno process, but it got me thinking... why can't HGTV produce (or acquire) something better for its own network?

Walt--

YES! Interiors by Design! I miss it too! But just had the extreme pleasure of meeting Chris Casson Madden in person at a function benefiting Alpha Workshops.

She was absolutely delightful.
Even to my chill-pill-needing crabby old self. ;)

(thanks, Fiona!)

Patrick:

I think the difference between "Interiors by Design" and the current crop of shows illustrates what I keep referring to in what I previously posted (I assume I am preaching to the choir here). I remember the show being "high end" but something we could all aspire to and take an idea away from to use or dream about- a perfectly decorated, totally serene future and space. Somehow this has degenerated into the current crop of mediocre taste, overpriced, manic design work we see now (Pietown needs more good design sense and more sedation).

By the way, your apartment on SSBS was top notch. I actually caught the show a second time for another look. I will freely admit that I intend to rip off some of your concepts and ideas for my own space!

Help, I think I'm becoming addicted to this site!

Walt

i really dont mind the design aspect of the show Design on a Dime, but what i do mind is the all-together too perky host and her fake boobs. every show she is wearing a tight t-shirt which displays her entirely obvious bra lines. i distinctly remember that when this show first started she was a little pudgy and wore conservative, loose clothes. and then all of a sudden a few seasons or so ago she got stick thin and her boobs increased astronomically in size. i watch the show to see design, not boobs akk over the place!

Hi! I think the show is fantastic! As a single "self decorating" mom, having just become disabled, I wish they would come to help me to RE-DESIGN my dad's home that I just had to move into alone. (Dad is now in Assisted Living) A small cape cod in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY. (Clarence), one of the most sought after suburbs to live in, I have "stuff" from my ex-married house, dad's "stuff", and my stuff and it is almost impossible for me to try to paint or even begin to think of how to made it look modern as I become frustrated as I cannot, with my back, even hold my arms up to paint 1/4 of a ceiling. (typing this is difficult). So to all of you people who have nothing nice to say about the program, the results of the homes, and especially you superficial people who are so nasty, talking about the hosts of the show, I can only say...you should be thankful that perhaps you CAN PAINT & DECORATE YOUR "OWN" HOMES. I WISH I STILL COULD DO MINE. I CAN'T. YOU ARE BLESSED. THANKS "REDESIGN ON A DIME!" I THINK YOU ROCK! MARCY WOOD, CLARENCE, NY

TO all of you people who have nothing nice to say about the program, the results of the homes, and especially you superficial people who are so nasty, talking about the hosts of the show, I can only say...you should be thankful that perhaps you CAN PAINT & DECORATE YOUR "OWN" HOMES. I WISH I STILL COULD DO MINE. I CAN'T. YOU ARE BLESSED. THANKS "REDESIGN ON A DIME!" I THINK YOU ROCK!

I think the show is fantastic!
As a single "self decorating" mom, having just become disabled, I wish they would come to help me to RE-DESIGN my dad's home that I just had to move into alone. (Dad is now in Assisted Living) A small cape cod in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY. (Clarence), one of the most sought after suburbs to live in, I have "stuff" from my ex-married house, dad's "stuff", and my stuff and it is almost impossible for me to try to paint or even begin to think of how to made it look modern as I become frustrated as I cannot, with my back, even hold my arms up to paint 1/4 of a ceiling. (typing this is difficult). Your welcome to my home anytime!

THANKS "REDESIGN ON A DIME!"
I THINK YOU ROCK!
MARCY WOOD, CLARENCE, NY

Just swell ---what could you do with a 91" x 96" bathroom from the 1913's?????????????????????

I love this show. The rooms are beautiful and the host is very creative when he designs. He also has a great personality. I don't agree with all the negetive thoughts about this show or the host.

I am an old friend of Kenneths and am trying to get in touch with him. If you can get this to him, please ask him to call or email Dana (Heist) Elkins at 512-259-8898. I am living in Austin TX and would LOVE to catch up with him!