apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My all time favorite is still Changing Rooms (English version of Trading Spaces). Why is it that the English designers are so much more creative than the American ones on Trading Spaces? I know I'm English but honestly, there's no bias here!

I also love:
Home to Go
Holmes on Homes (even the husband loves this one)
Devvie Travis- although she does a lot of traditional stuff I definitely think she comes up with the most inventive stuff, although I wouldn't have the patience for half her paint treatments
ReDesign- I used to think he was great but he's graiting on me a bit
Divine Design- although I wish they'd ditch the cheesy humour
Designer Guys- but can't stand Room Rivals


Can't stand:
any of the cleaning up shows (Clean Sweep, Mission Organization)
Those two twins (can't remember the shows name)
Decorating Cents (although I like Joan)

My husband is Canadian and when he talks about wanting to move back there I start dreaming about the Holmes on Homes guy building me a house in Canada. It would be the best insulated house ever!

Reef

My favorites are Mission Organization, Small Space Big Style, and ReDesign (though I could never afford the stuff he does on there). I occasionally enjoy Design on a Dime, and sometimes Get Color. Trading Spaces usually just terrifies me and I've never really liked Designer's Challenge that much.

I like the idea of Freestyle but haven't had a chance to watch it yet.

I've recently cut way back on design show watching (perhaps because my big move was 6 months ago), but find I have to make time to catch Sarah Richardson's Room Service. (Why are all the best design shows Canadian, I wonder?) At any rate, I'd love to see this show get more exposure. Sarah has a quiet, livable approach to style that I find easy to take from and remind myself what I really like to have around me.

As to all-time great episodes, why I believe Maxwell has several from his Mission Organization days. I still like that orange storage wall from one of those!

Thanks for posting my question/suggestion! :) If it's possible at all, it would be cool to recap each episode and allow AT readers to comment on what they thought of the design done on that particular episode...

Canadians are just so... sensible! Tasteful! (Phew, I wish we were driving back from Toronto -- my luggage is going to weigh a ton if I'm allowed near a news stand.)

I have a secret pash for Joan Steffen and Decorating Cents, but that's because 99% of the ideas are so bad that it plays as comedy. "Come back in and paint it OUT!"

I really enjoy Divine Design with Candace Olsen. Debbie Travis gets on my nerves and I usually hate everything she puts together. So the shows I'd like to see reviewed are:

Divine Design
Design on a Dime
Small Space Big Style - can they get some new episodes please??
Curb Appeal
and my absolute favorite of the moment The City Gardner - I have loved everything he has done.

Come on! How can we forget "Sheila Bridges' Designer Living"
She's my girl. I have been late to work many a time due to obsession with her show.

I like Christopher Lowell's show, although I am not handy enough to do any of the stuff he does. I also like Divine Design, Small Space Big Style, Designed to Sell, Decorating Cents. Also, I recently started watching some of those canadian shows - they're really good. There was a whole marathon of this show called Holmes on Homes. Holmes is this contractor who goes in and fixes what other contractors have screwed up. So he's kind of a super-hero contractor. Can you tell I'm kind of a design show addict? I also love makeover shows (What Not to Wear is my favorite)

Seriously, SSBS is my favorite because it is pertinent and fun and I like how they walk the viewer through the floor plan, however quickly that may be, not to mention the obvious fact that our own Maxwell is on it, and we love to see his take on things.

Other than that, I like Debbie Travis AND Candace Olsen, and even kind of enjoy their schtick. I also like RE:Design, but Get Color gives me a tiny bit of queasiness. I also kind of enjoy Designer Finals, and While You Were Out. The Designer Guys kind of bug me but if they're on I tend to watch them anyway, but when they're doing that "Rivals" version of themselves, I simply must switch the channel.

Design for the Sexes can make me wince sometimes, but I like to see people make compromises that they really can live with, and end up getting along, so the Pollyanna in me likes seeing the resolutions of the little tugs-of-war. I just can't help but roll my eyes a little at the whole gender-specificity that keeps getting assigned to tastes.

Divine Design
Debbie Travis Facelift
re:Design (but his homeowners usually suck, and he never gets the lighting right, but at least the attempts are "grown up")
Decorating Cents over Design on a Dime any day, primarily for Joan and because at least when DC gets it wrong, they do it for only $500... I also like the DC room redesign segment they do. And we like Rob.
I've liked Room Service when I find it.
And Designer Guys or Design Rivals. But only with the sound turned off.

Design Remix lost me early on.
Not loving the new version of Sensible Chic, called Double Take, at all.

Old faves of This Small Space and Home to Go still on TiVo.

Oh! And I kind of like Design on a Dime, because I kind of like the people on there and some of their projects are kind of clever. Each of the two casts has one person who bugs me a tiny bit, but over all I like what they accomplish for so little money.

Christopher Lowell is a hard one for me, because I really have to be in the right mood for him. Between his mugging, his mincing, his cheesy costumes, his overly-earnest affirmations of the viewer's ability, I find it hard to cut through it all and assess what he's actually doing. Sometimes I like what's done, but really, sometimes the people he has on there make these craft things that are so flipped out that they make that Carol Duvall Show stuff look like high art (and that's saying something).

I like Divine Design but she's just a bit too much for me sometimes--when she redid a little baby girl's room as an over-the-top pink room with frou-frou curtains and trompe l'oeil gilding and candy stripes everywhere, I was just kind of horrified. I go back and forth on Debbie Travis. Designing for the Sexes is just a bit too much.

I watch Christopher Lowell occasionally for ideas about furniture arrangement and building storage, but I never like the style he uses. I like things that are clean and bright and quirky, not over-the-top flounces and ruffles and traditional patterns.

I don't really have any interest in Curb Appeal since I live in an apartment.

Those new shows Freestyle and Double Take so far come off like poorer copies of previous shows. My current favorites in no particular order are The City Gardner, Design Remix, Divine Design and re:Design w/Kenneth Brown. I enjoy Small Space Big Style mostly for Maxwell's comments and the occasional opportunity to see the tasteful homes of AT regulars. When are they going to air Patrick(TOO)'s episode?!

Divine Design - Sometimes a little too flashy but overall innovative, functional and usually looks very good

Debbie Travis - has the best ideas - anyone see her double door entry to the baby room that was thick enough to put in those bottom hinged shoe cupboard type things? Ikea sell them
http://tinyurl.com/d6jzt
The walls were about 6" thick so the doors with storage fit perfectly.

SSBS - couple of new shows were on recently. One with the old host.

Lurve Holmes on Homes - mainly because I do DIY but he is a very charismatic man also and really helps ppl in need without the sickening schmaltz of Extreme makeover: home edition. Not sure about his penchant for wearing only a tank top under his Carhartt overalls but the rest of his look is dead on.

I kinda like redesign. Kenneth gets on my nerves but I am inexplicably drawn to him. Maybe it's his little twinkling eyes or his desperate attempt to hide his accent that he or the producers want him to drop. I could barely understand him when he first came on the scene on that show where three competing designers vie for the job of remodelling McMansions, but that's ok. I have nothing against any accents except possibly a Welsh one (kidding!). BTW, Lee Synder (Design on a Dime) also made his TV debut on the same 3 desginers competing against each other show and both he and Kenneth were the winners in each of their shows.
I can't remember the name of that show but I will sometimes watch it also.

Finally, one show that ptoo and I have discussed in the past which is on VHS in my home - alas I had to archive to VHS when switching from a standard DVR to a hi def one - is This Small Space. A lot of Peter's DIY projects were a bit cheesy, and he does a lot better on Home to go, but the kind of places and ideas they showed on TSS were on par and sometimes much better than on SSBS. I still miss Susan Crenshaw (wipes tear from cheek).

Hitting relaod and seeing Kenneth smiling away at the top reminded me of something else that I am drawn to: I like his dress sense a lot. He puts together different pieces very well and he doesn't wear everything too tight!

Oh, right, I almost forgot--Homes to Go has had some good episodes.

Faves:
1-Dwell
2-SSBS
3-Double Vision (Discovery Channel) - my new fave! I'm stuck on the great twin sister designers--they have such interesting mannerisms and intertwin communication. I love this show!
4-What you get for the money (not strictly a design show, but you see a lot of design and space useage)

Off my fave list:
Mission Org - once addicted, I forlornly return to this show again & again and find it's still trashed. Max, maybe you could do something on when design shows jump the shark.

Personality shows: Joan Steffen, Candace. Sometimes Kenneth Brown. Recently found some amusement in Christopher Lowell.

Some of the other shows that people say they like - eg Room Service - are either on at weird times or there's some other reason I've never caught them.

Wow, jamie pup, that makes one of us that misses her. I thought she looked like she wanted out of that show the whole time. I remember the episode that had Lee Snyders on it, and they STILL keep re-running it! Designers Challenge is the name of the show you're talking about, but I can't remember Kenneth's debut on that.

I was thinking of Home to Go for weird times. I would love to see This Small Space, which ptoo, jamie pup, and others have mentioned, but I guess that one's not rerun.

I never noticed Kenneth's accent. His bio says he grew up in Baton Rouge.

My favorite topic--again! Though technically not interiors, I think the only one I can sit through in its entirety is The City Gardener with Matt James. A close second for me was the limited-run Todd Oldham series on HGTV and DIY's Freeform Furniture. All three were well done and were equal parts entertainment and information.

Without going ON AND ON on this topic(as I have in the past on other threads), the other shows bug me because: they are so formulaic, place entertainment value (or pathos if the words "Extreme Makeover" are anywhere in the show's title) over actual design, focus too much on "the reveal" (aka the money shot), and don't tread any new ground. My least favorite trends in design TV programming: make over/stage a house for sale; blatant product-placement shows like I Want That, Kitchen Trends; talking heads (Sorry Maxwell)--a convention that barely works VH1 Best Week Ever. Sad to say, but after being an avid HGTV viewer for a few years, I almost never tune in now... except to catch City Gardener.

PS But I tune in to SSBS in hopes of catching smallest, coolest entrants. (Shhhh. I'm not really as grumpy as a I seem on this post.)

I would love Double Vision (the twin show) were it not shot in the style of the Blair Witch Project.
But if they want to work that creepy vibe, they should just do the twins dialogue as voiceovers, so it would seem like they are communicating telepathically.

Of the "stage it to sell it" show, I love A&E's Sell This House! because they do SO much with a fraction of Designed to Sell's budget, to the same or better result. Okay, so I MOSTLY like STH! because of Roger, the behemoth bodybuilder re-stager. She is a HOOT. And no doubt they shoot around the scheduling of events like the Folsom Street Fair... but I digress.

And I agree with Enrique... I really don't like the crap-gadget infomercial shows that seem to be popping up, except perhaps when it is a special built around an event like the Furniture or Gift Shows. Wish, actually, that they'd do a High Point special.

My biggest complaint about the retooled Double Take (the show formerly known as Sensible Chic), ASIDE from the hostess' faux-British-Madonna accent is the fact that there are TOO many people on the show, and that they seem to have totally removed a designer in favor of a mod-squad of uber-hip shopper/models. Ugh. One thing I DO like is that the talking heads actually dare to say when something DOESN'T work.

ps: jimkk--
I think I am scheduled to air December 8th, Episode 113.

Home to go is my favorite hands down, but I hardly ever catch it when it's on.

It's funny that everyone loves the city gardener. I get angry when I turn on HGTV for my fix and find it on, mainly because I have no garden, city or otherwise.

Jury's still out for me on SSBS. I like Decorating Cents and Design on A Dime, but too much can get on my nerves, and it always ticks me off when they're like "ooh, and all this only cost $1000" when the labor alone probably would cost 4X that. But, when I get irritable over design shows, you know it's because I watch way too many. In general, I like shows with a DIY aspect, because I can't afford things like in Redesign or Candace Olson (and the schticky-ness on that show drives me crazy!), but I like the designs they come up with more.

I would love to see a design show where they have to keep white walls and have no carpentry tools on site. They can call it "Christine's Apartment"

What annoys me about some of the design shows - the ones that put a $ on the amount they spend - is that they don't include labor. I mean, not everyone has 3 handymen in the backyard ready to do all the work. And where are they getting such cheap stuff? I remember on Decorating Cents, they painted a large room in a deep color and then said the paint to do the entire room cost $20! I don't like Decorating Cents,especially the segment when they turn trash into different trash.

Oh right, this is supposed to be the shows we LIKE. Sorry. Well, I like Divine Design. Candace has a great eye and expensive taste. I WISH I could afford just one of her window treatments. But the repeats are getting really annoying. I think that kid she's carrying must be in grade school by now.

I miss, like some of you, This Small Space although I watch Home To Go when I can find it.

I think Designers Challenge is embarrassing for the designers who don't get picked.

I like Curb Appeal and would love them to do my mother's house.

But one of my favorites is/was Designer Guys. Another Canadian show. Where is that show now?! Those guys cracked me up.

As far as Kenneth Brown, I hate his "designer" hairdos and his annoying mannerisms butI like most of his work.

I've watched SSBS a few times but what I don't like about it is the commentators "face time". Some of those "experts" don't belong on TV. They look stiff. It would be better if they were "voice overs". (Maxwell excluded! - maybe because Max' has had a lot of on camera experience).

Hey, here's a question - when did Ringo Starr's ex-wife become a gardening expert?

Faves:
Facelift (Debbie Travis): My absolute favorite. Even when she does traditional, I get something out of it. I think her ideas are fantastic. If only Americans weren't so provincial, and were willing to decorate in the current century.
Devine Design (Candice Olson): Ocasionally Candice has some great episodes, but I am not so much into childrens rooms, and her projects are quite expensive.
Dwell: Although I wish they had more than six episodes in rotation.
Kenneth Brown: I have only seen his show a couple of times, and it's not bad.
Small Space, Big Style: Have only caught a couple of episodes, but living in 525 sq ft myself, my interest is there.

Shows that bore the hell out of me:
Design on a dime: I am not sure where they come up with some of their ideas, but they look like they cost a dime.
Christopher Lowell: He was interesting last century, but now just a cliche.
Design Remix: taking tacky ugly stuff and rearranging it.
House Hunters: Too predictable. I have only once seen an episode where they didn't get the house. The european one has been interesting a couple of times.
Mission Organization: Bad copy of Brit show.


Most shows on HGTV are just catering to the housewife in Montana, and I can't handle any more country chicken kitchens with ducks in the dining room. Why is it that the US has to live in the "design dark ages"?

I hate some of the talking heads on SSBS (not Max!) A couple of them are truly grating and say ridiculous, obvious things.

"Christine's Apartment" - that's funny!

Ptoo, I never caught a Blair Witch Project vibe from Double Vision! (maybe because I never saw the movie.) You must be kidding. I like the twin-iness of their attempts at design-mindreading. Now, when I watch, I'm starting to try discern which one is which. I think I'm obsessed with this show.

In some particular order:

SSBS, but I wish the producers would monitor this board as it would give them material for dozens of new episodes that they desperately need. I also wish they would ax the perky blonde interior decorator and make either Maxwell or the ReadyMade editor host (or ditch the on-screen host idea altogether)

Dwell and Shiela Bridges: are new episodes running? I had to give up my digital cable, but when I last had access to Fine Living they were running repeats or re-editing segments into "theme" presentations...I hope they have survived. I read that Shiela was very ill, and it was hard to tell if Dwell had found any kind of audience

House Hunters, I can't help it, I love real estate porn

Home to Go, this show really should be re-invented and given another life, the concept is so good

I also like watching Divine Design and reDesign, although I can't figure out why I would spend my time watching someone else's design dreams come true while I slave away just trying to keep my apartment clean!

Small Space Big Style is great- just wish they had some new episodes.
"Rezoned" is very cool- they show old churches/barns/warehouses, etc. that have been turned into homes.
"Debbie Travis' Painted House or Facelift" are very interesting, especially for painting ideas.
"Divine Design"- love Candace but she goes overboard with the windown treatments and accessories.
And I completely agree with one person's comment about "Design on a Dime". Kristen's team can do some really great work but Lee Snjder's work is absolutely awful. Why do they feel the need to pick a theme for every room? Just awful.
"Redesign"- Kenneth has some good ideas, but I think most of his rooms end up looking alike. It's all his taste in every house. He was on "House Hunters" and "Designer's Challenge" before he got his own show. His house on House Hunters looks like all of the homes he does on his show... I think he's pretty limited in his vision.

Yes, Max should be host of SSBS and get rid of the talking heads!

Dwell is still in reruns. I think I read that a new season was coming soon, but haven't seen any sign of it yet. I don't know about Sheila's show.

Why is Home to Go on at such weird times? Is it in reruns?

Oh yes, house hunters. I blow hot and cold with that. I only want to see the city apts and the one with the guy in London was one of the best!
I could have done with less of the bloke's too tight stripey suits and beer belly straining against his designer cashmere sweater but his sense of humour with his old boy network estate agent friend was so good I had to watch it twice.
Missed the Paris one because HH is not on my DVR to record but if they are doing other cities around the world then I may have to set it and forget it again.

BTW, if you think Manhattan prices are steep, how about $2.5M for a 1400 sqft 2BR in Kensington?

I've never heard of some of the shows mentioned. I don't get Fine Living so I'm guessing those shows, like Dwell, Rezoned, Double Vision or Sheila Bridges are on that network.

In regards to the "on a dime" and "cents" type decorating shows, I'd also like to chip in my frustration at their supposed low cost when so much carpentry labor is involved. In my apartment, I barely have room for my painting supplies and a small toolbox and drill. So I don't know where I'd fit all those carpentry tools and saws and things My father built a large amount of the furniture in my parents' house, but that's because he (a) is a former carpenter and (b) has a huge basement full of every possible type of tool. Sadly he lives to far away for me to use those tools.

Sigh...

many of these design celebutants seem like they went to some cheesy "act like this on tv" school..
they all have these annoying mannerism where they look like were told "never stand still" so they stand there and do these weird head bobbing wink-wink faces...

the worst is that red head from design remix, and the heavy daddy bear on design on a dime.

but kenneth browns highlighted and coiffed carol brady hair and greg brady outfits annoy me more that the marrionette choreography.

anyway..big ideas small spaces is my fave for one reason...most of us don't live in 5000 square foot lofts. and the ideas are real solutions to eye sores and problems by real people.

and I have yet to see anyone that looks like a muppet...or a brady.

The worst wriggler used to be Suzanne Wong on HH. Back when they pretended that the victims hadn't already bought one of the houses before the show was filmed, we always figured that every time she wriggled, she was lying.

Drinking game for HGTV. You must take a drink every time:

--A couple is referred to as "busy."
--A room decorated by the victim is referred to as "lacking personality" or "needing some personality."
--The decorator chooses a color scheme of gold, olive/sage, and burgundy/maroon.
--The decorating team doesn't cut in the paint and/or masks the light switches instead of taking them down.
--The decorator removes a ceiling fan.

There has to be more. Help, please!

Faves:
SSBS -- as I am in a small urban space
Mission Organization
Debbie Travis -- especially like her "modern" work
House Hunters International version only -- maybe I've missed certain episodes but for some reason the US version seems to show people moving from one house in the suburbs to another house in the suburbs while the Intl version seems more urban. fascinating to see what apartments in Paris & Rome are like...

Not Faves:
Get Color -- if I see one more room done with tomato red...
Designers Challenge -- I agree, embarrassing
Designed to Sell -- the homes all seem to look the same after the makeovers
I Want That -- too many junky things i don't need

I agree that it is very misleading that the low-cost design shows don't figure in labor costs. their assumption i think, is that most people would be doing the work themselves. not always so.

kenneth loves his hair a little too much and when zoomed in too closely as a very creepy face (i can't tell if it's plastic surgery or maybe he had terrible acne as a kid because he's wearing way too much makeup). but i do like his designs. and i LOVE small space big style.

can someone explain "get color" to me?

apparently it is based on the notion that most people are extremely disassociative.

for instance..if you give them a paint chip called "cranberry" "straw" or "blueberry" they apparently look befuddled as to what to do...but when that annoying soccer mom puts actually cranbberies, strawe and blueberries on a color wheel...

VIOLA!!!

it all makes sense to them now!!!

someone shoot these people.

man this has me fired up.

SSBS
re:Design with Kenneth Brown
Divine Design

I don't think anyone mentioned "Designer Guys" yet?!

Hey Michael
Say what you want about Kenneth's hair - cuz it is bad - but leave his clothes alone. He is my inspiration ;p

don't get me wrong...there is nothing worng with his look, if you are seth cohen of the O.C. or perhaps a member of weezer.

but for what I am asumming is a man well into his 30's, this is kinda clown-ish. freaking t-shirts over button-ups.

hold on...I have to go put a sweatband halfway up my arm and drive my vespa into the sunset.

barf-

I, too, am a total addict, but my main gripe is that so many of these shows do projects that either a) can't be cleaned, b) won't last more than a year, or c) only look good on television because the shoddy workmanship would look like hell in real life. This applies to almost all of the quickie makeover shows like Debbie Travis, Trading Spaces, etc. The two best shows, in my view, are Divine Design (can't afford to do what she does, but at least it's worthy of emulation) and SSBS (but could do without the talking heads).

Wende,

That's an awesomely good start!

The other drinking game triggers could be:

- Every time a designer tells the owner "this really makes bla-bla POP!" In fact, anytime anyone says anything pops.

- The phrases "outdated" and "curb appeal".

- Anytime someone destroys a perfectly serviceable item like a countertop instead of recycling it.

- When anyone mispronounces "patina".

Wende! LOL. I love your drinking game! We should meet up in SF and get a small group together to play it. We could tape the most annoying/heinous of all the design shows referenced above and convince a small neighborhood bar to play them back for us. I'll get the first few rounds...

More drinking cues:

Everytime Candace Olson's crew does drag, drink.
Everytime the more zaftig Design guy rolls his eyes, drink.
Everytime hateful Doug on TLC puts down a homeowner's taste, drink.
Everytime a SSBS talking heads says "I love what they've done here..." drink.
Everytime the I've Got Color hostess bugs her eyes out and forces a wide grin, drink.
Everytime Kenneth Brown gestures with his right hand, drink.
Everytime Kenneth Brown gestures with his left hand, drink twice.
Everytime Kenneth Brown gestures with both hands, drink three times.

I had a feeling nobody reads my posts! "I" mentioned Designer Guys, erin.

I saw K. Brown on Designer's Challenge once and his renderings were so bad it looked like a grade school crayon drawing! Most of the renderings these designers present are so bad. No wonder they don't get chosen.

One way to get drunk REALLY fast is take a drink everytime a designer says "Isn't that great!" Especially on Decorator Cents.

And I have to agree that Kenneth Brown needs to have his hands tied behind his back and then they can test him to see if he can talk. Same with Rachel Ray but that's a different network altogether.

Michael, I think you may have mistaken Kenneth for a straight guy. He does not do that ironic straight guy hipster look.

Futhermore, however close he may seem to be, he does not do the hipster gay look either
http://www.metroweekly.com/gauge/commentary.php?ak=1528

he looks more west coast, or maybe the window at Hollister, to me.

and trust me,
I did not mistake him for straight.
the foundation gave that away.

and rachel ray..(annes post)
OH MY GOD.

I want to beat the sunshine out of her.

f-ing "E. V. O.O."

do you need to say EVOO and then extra virgin olive oil every time? what is the point of having an abbreviation if you are going to say what it means every time?

and did you ever notice when she goes on 40 bucks a day..she Looooooooooooooooves everything? the food barely has time to hit her tongue and she is all eye rolls and facial expressions.

ok..it's a ham sandwich and a beer.
take the dosage down a few millegrams.

michael. LOL. Dying over here!

West Coast:just like week I was commenting that Kenneth needed to go on "what not to wear". Cant stand his hair, does he get a hair-stylist to stand-by on the set for blow-drys?, and high-lights, please stop...

His frame is just too small for the low-rise pants. Comes off as "girl-clothes" instead of the "Hip" desired result.

East Coast: Sheila Bridges rocks.

I wrote to $40 a Day and told them they were being totally unrealistic if they don't include tax and tip. They wrote back to say that the $40 didn't include that. I'd like to think it was 'MY' email that did it but now it does include tax/tip. I guess RR has to work a little harder to get her meals in at $40 plus plus. And yeah, yeah - we all know what evoo stands for now so she doesn't have to keep saying it over and over. One or the other RR!

I think we should bombard the producers of all these design shows with emails telling them they need to include labor to their $ shows and then let's see what crap they come up with!

How can I be the only fan of the twin designer show? I really like when they custom make paintings on the spot for the spaces they are decorating - large canvases of abstract swirls.

who are these twins whence you speak?

I am sure if I knew them I could find something insanely annoying about them.

Where's the love?
Am I the only one who holds a torch for both Susan Crenshaw and Kenneth Brown? I can feel another tear coming.

OK, now that most of the design "personalities" have had their quirks trash talked, what about the quality of their design work? Obviously its only based on what's been shown on the programs and not necessarily their full range. In spite of the sometimes "misses" I think Candace Olsen and Debbie Travis seem able to produce a variety of styles. I like much of Kenneth Brown's work that's been shown, but in the fewer shows so far it seems to be a limited style range. But I haven't been trained in design and that's just my gut instinct. How much of this is the designer and how much is the client?

Oh yeah! I enjoy "Home to Go" also. But enough with the MDF ;)

Almost forgot to mention, my favorite re:Design episode so far was when Kenneth redid that bachelor's studio apartment. It touched my AT small apartment heart.

Michael, there's much you would find irksome, I'm sure:

Double Vision
Discovery Home Channel
Wednesday, 9 pm

http://home.discovery.com/fansites/doublevision/doublevision.html

Anyone see the Restaurant Makeover show on Food Network? Good combo of bad FoodTV and bad HGTV, all rolled into one.

My favorites:
SSBS: Easily my favorite, tho i wish they showed dimensions as well as sq footage.
Rezoned: plays on HGTV for whomever was wondering.
Handmade modern
This Old House: currently renovating a 1950's (i think) modern house

I dont get DIY so im missing Freeform Furniture, and one that is about prefab housing but i forget the name.

jimkk--when it comes down to the actual designs, the only ones (of those I've seen) that I really like are Dwell, SSBS, and What You Get for the Money (the latter, of course, not a design show.) Most of the other ones I can think of I watch for amusement value of one type or another, mostly tv-personality-fascination of one type or another. Or to get inspired to take some action in my own space.

We're supposed to be watching these shows for the designs, not to make fun of the personalities?

Oh.

Um.

Candace Olsen's okay.

Enrique, love the bar idea!

Pixie, I've only been able to find/see a very few episodes of the Dwell show. All very nice looking spaces but to me it seems to be more about the architecture rather than interior design and I've found it a bit pretentious.

Maybe we should all try the "bar game" at our AT Holiday party?

michael--
I think the point of Get Color is that people who are normally rational and able to express color preference when looking at *things* (versus a wall of paint swatches) are able more able to express an opinion this way, without freezing up as people sometimes do when picking paint swatches. I think it an interesting tool to get people past their predispositions, but I do see your point.

The misleading apart about that show is that when the couple picks "blueberries" the host is the one that goes out and picks the right shade/hue of blueberry... which is the part people have the most trouble with.

jamiepup--
LOVED Susan Crenshaw. She was so sincerely cute and perky. In a good way.

and anne--
you didn't read mine, either, since I mentioned 'em too. :)

My all-time favorite was Nik Manljovic (NO idea on actual spelling) from Savoir Faire. He was HILARIOUS. And a little bit like Domino magazine: easy to look at, but way too girly. :)

oy, sorry for the typos.

P2 - Honey, I read EVERY post you write. :) It wasn't me that missed the references to Designer Guys.

It may be that why I love the Dwell show so much is because I also read the mag, and all the places in the show have already been in the mag. So, it's taking what I've already seen and loved to another medium and revealing more details about it. I can see why people might find the style of the show pretentious (that music). Still love it. Still slobber over it.

I've never heard of some of the shows mentioned. I don't get Fine Living so I'm guessing those shows, like Dwell, Rezoned, Double Vision or Sheila Bridges are on that network?

sorry I missed your DG reference, anne. it's tough to catch up to this discussion for those of us who entered late!

erin - no problem. This thread went pretty fast and furious. BTW, what's the link between you and Brockovich? (besides the obvious first name)

wow! no link...no appearance similarities, if that's what you're getting at...

btw, those shoes are on the Fine Living channel.

I looked quickly and didn't find an answer, but here it is anyway "is there a similar thread about design magazines?"

Erik, there is a link to the LA thread about mags:
http://la.apartmenttherapy.com/la/112805//interior-design-magazine-survey-005187
but the mother of all design mag threads is here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/062205//shelter-magazines-and-living-with-art-003080

Just clicked over to HGTV website to see what new programming I was missing... "My First Home - Celebrity Style"! Bleh. Are they kidding? Why should we care about how a working TV actor in L.A. furnishes their first bungalow? HGTV should just show more of Fine Living's programming. (The one Sheila Bridges show I caught on HGTV was pretty cool.)

Thanks Jamie

Is anyone looking forward to Design Star on HGTV next year?

erin - yeah, when you click on your name an ad for the movie appears. That's why I asked.

Erik. I'm not really looking forward to that show, but can already imagine it in my head... Design Star will probably: feature a dramatic "final reveal" (something new and different); contain no intrinsic educational value or usable information (like dimensions, resources or DIY directions); prominently feature blatant product placement (like Swiffer, Swarovski Crystals or Domino Magazine); be hosted/judged by someone "scary" like TLC-Doug, Karim Rashid or the stern-like-a-high-school-principal Debbie Travis as a primary judge and Eva Longoria as a celebrity judge (because she's becoming as ubiquitous as Dr. Joyce Brothers was in the '70s or as "celebrity" defense attorney Gloria Allred has been since the '80s). Oh, and at least one contestant has to cry on every episode--just like they do on America's Next Top Model. Their first celebrity client will be Janice Dickinson, Josh Duhamel or an Iron Chef. And then... we can all develop a drinking game. (Wende, you first.)

Wow Enrique - you could have ended up totally soused from just that post alone! When I read it I was thinking "drink".... "drink"....."drink"....

Has anyone watched Assembly Required on DIY?

In the begining of the DIY boom I had to consume as much of these shows as possible but today I have narrowed down my choices. I agree canadians have what I consider better design shows. I loved loved Home To Go and can see on the HGTV canada website it has gone into many more seasons but the US HGTV channel does not aire them and my question is why? Anyone know or have any future news on this? One draw back to HGTV Canada website is that they do not show before and after photos of the rooms and projects. I would even settle for this if I could not actually see the episodes on TV!

My partner and I have been watching waaaaay too much HGTV on the weekend for the past six months. If my fellow posters will indulge me, my opinions, and a few derogatory comments along the way, here goes:

Favorites:
1. DEBBIE TRAVIS' FACELIFT.

What I like about it:

Even though most of the work is labor intensive, it could be done by average people who don't have a huge budget to work with. The "makeover" is generally well done, even if I don't like the style. The concepts are imaginative and try to take advantage of new materials.

What I don't like:
Not enough new episodes.
The episodes with the landscaper were pretty over the top. I hope she doesn't fall into the "oneupsmanship" syndrome that some others have.

Favorite Episodes:
Nico's basement apartment.
Grandma's house with the hidden door, mentioned above.

What I want to know:
Who did Jim marry?

The running joke:
"high adhesive primer."

2. SMALL SPACE BIG STYLE.

What I like:
A variety of apartments, some focus on what makes the apartment special in how it is designed and the space is used. I also like the fact that the square footage and layout are described.

My favorites: The San Francisco row house and the Miami apartment with the inflatable furniture.

What I would like to see:
More specific focus and commentary on what makes the apartment special in how it is designed, how the the space is utilized, or how the design makes the space appear bigger. Especially helpful would be dimensions (as noted above), commentary on other ways the concept could be used, how something was achieved, and the difficulty and cost achieving it. If sources on the internet or otherwise for special or unusual items could be added to the website that would be great (the yellow-green inflatable chairs for example). More of all of the above on the website would be beyond great.

What I don't like (sorry):
Libby. Please say something helpful for once instead of just gushing about how good or bad it is. Please take your Lithium.

I concur with the above comment that a general call on this website for entries would produce enough material for several more seasons.

Least Favorites:
1. ReDesign. Would Kenneth please stop trying to look like a hip 21 year old posterboy for Sun-In? The hand problem, mentioned above. Everything is custom, the budgets are obviously out of the reach of us mere mortals. How can the porfolio on his website look so good and some of the designs on the show turn out so awful?

2. Design on a Dime /
An occasional good idea; but often tacky. The one episode I liked was the living with the blue/silver walls and the black furniture.

3. House Hunters:
Most of the time the couple buys the biggest, most generic, house. I won't speak for other frequenters of this site, but virtually no one I know can afford a $300K house.

3. As a whole:
Impossible budgets for a room ($40K for a front porch), multiple ugly concepts, too many RED or YELLOW rooms, recaps after every commercial, homeowners who always want "earthtones," "warm," "cozy," "hardwood floors," and "crown moldings," show hosts who do nothing but recap and make inane comments periodically, please tuck your shirts in, supposed experts saying nasty things about every house (how about constructive criticism or concepts?), people who have $50K or $60K worth of fabulous junk in their garage or basement, the "reveals" that consist of the designer pointing out and gushing about how fabulous their own work is, and finally shows that, no matter what the concept, are really just another redecorating show (Oops! Sorry, a tantrum).

What I wished I'd been able to see more of:
THIS SMALL SPACE.

The biggest surprise (the show I didn't expect to like but did):
SELL THIS HOUSE.
A couple of times I have recommended this show to coworkers who wanted to spruce their place up. A big effect from a little money and a lot of effort and clearing away clutter.

Thanks again for everyone's indulgence.

Walt

Enrique:

Thanks for bringing some humor to this. I suggest that the first celebrities be the gang from "The Surreal Life": Charo, Brigitte Nielsen, or that guy in the helmet.

Walt

Wende, that no cutting in thing bugs me so much! And those little bitty strokes with a too-small roller on a wall with the makeoveree as they cut to the commercial!!!

Take a drink when --

-someone says "pop."

-someone says "space" when they *could* say "room" (as in a discrete space which is a room).

-someone says "punch."

-you spot a Container Store-exclusive product. (Take another if you know the cost. And another if you own it. Take one more drink if the product is on a different show than MO.)

[I love CS; would be working there if I could.]


I love Home to Go, dislike Debbie Travis's (perceived-by-me) attitude, love Candace's designs, love Joan's demeanor, love Karen M.'s demeanor also, love SSBS and wish they'd focus on a smaller number of places.

I really liked the projects on the late Awesome Interiors.

Okay. Back to the drinking game... Y'all should play it at the AT Holiday Party! And since Stirrings is an advertiser, Stirrings cocktails should be served. (On a side note, I LOVE Stirrings. I always have 2 bottles of their Lemon Drop mix, a tin of their Lemon Drop--ahem--Rimmer, and a few bottles of Danzka Vodka on hand for an impromptu cocktail party. No lie.)

Walt:

I haven't thought about Sun-In in a very, very long time. That comment made my day.

Does Sun-In still exist??

I like Candace and Debbie for contemporary ideas and their barely masked aggression.

I like Doug's Moving Up on TLC because it amazes me that people buy a house with a new kitchen (or whatever) and rip it out because it's dated or not their taste. I like the segment when the old owners tour their previous house and are broken-hearted at what's happened. (OK, that's mean, I know). Plus Doug is SO two-faced - warm, understanding and noncommittal with previous owners and mean about their taste when the new owners come in.

I think we'd all be better off with less tv, but I don't see it happening in my house.

Walt, forgive me if you have posted before and I missed it but what a great first post! Please keep posting.

Now Nico's basement apartment - was that the one where he had a load of brothers and they knocked down the massive expanse of brick, where they made a two piece coffee table out of a hollow core door, and the finished basement looked very sleek and modern ? I think that was the debut episode in the US. That finished basement is still my favorite of all of Debbie Travis' remodels. That's another one I archived to VHS from the old DVR.

ptoo - glad you liked Susan Crenshaw too.

I think I want a bobbing head doll of Kenneth Brown with lots of different outfits I can change him into.

i agree with kristian, shelia bridges was my favorite home design program. it truly was a magazine format and had shelia's point of view. i'd rather watch a program that had an aspiratinal, and eucational point of view. most home shows try to show how you can make a great piece of furniture with plywood and craft paper or decorate your bedroom with a tropical island theme because that was where you vacationed once. television made fashion designers household names to millions who now follow the collections each season, when will the same happen for interior design?

OMG -- this is such a GRAND idea. House Hunters, Debbie Travis Facelift, My First Place, The City Gardener, Dream House, ReZoned... the list goes on and on. I no longer feel so alone!

This is just me talkin', but one thing I like about these design shows is the RELATIVE lack of bitchiness that you have in most reality shows, and the relative lack of violence and hatred in most TV, in general.

I almost can't watch that Extreme Home Makeover thing, because I'm afraid that I'll get diabetes from it.

And Doug on the various TLC shows that he's on, makes me queasy because I think he's not just mean, but VERY inconsiderate as a designer. He really runs rough-shod over home-owners and basically says, "I'm the designer, so we're doing it like this," when he's on Trading Spaces.

The DIY show I love or love to hate lately is Designer Guys. I'm not sure if Steven and Chris are partners in life or just partners on the show, but the innuendo of it all is amusing. If tacky at times, they seem realistic and kind.

Why I love to hate Designer Guys . . . they consult the occasional astrologists for ideas on how to make a room, Steven's little segments about how to make things at home -- candle holders out of fence posts, candle holders with glass etching, enough with the candle holders, they seem to be obsessed with re-doing 80s fireplaces (maybe that’s some kind of Canada thing?)

Not only do we watch these stupid shows, but then we chatter endlessly about them. And take a drink every time someone says "pop." I guess it all goes together.

he is the best from HGTV

I don't have a TV, but I have seen most of the shows people are talking about.

There was an episode on a show (I don't know the show name - the one where neighbors re-do each other's rooms with the "help" of a designer) where they did one room totally black and the other totally white. The guys with the white room were so upset, even crying when they saw the results. Did anyone else see this episode?

Still hoping for feedback on if Sun-In still exists?

Oh yes, Sun-In is still with us! Click my name to order...

I would be afraid to what sun-in would do to my hair.

Wow! Thanks. Not looking to use it, just curious.

Curtis, It would make your hair look like Kenneth's.

It's definitely you, Curtis.

jamiepup: Be careful what you wish for. http://headbobble.com/

Haha! Thanks Enrique. I actually like the idea of that. I think I'm going to have to do the whole family along with Kenneth. I hope they get his highlights right.

Love the galleries with the photos.

Pixie -
I hope to meet you at the AT Holiday Party, and you'll see that my slightly receding hairline would prevent ANYTHING from making me look like Kenneth Brown.

Curtis, Why not a Sun-In comb-forward?

Napoleon on the Riviera? Can't quite picture it in the mirror as an optimal option.

does anyone else love it when barry on trading spaces goes shirtless?

or evan farmer of WYWO gets caught in the rain out in carpentry world..and his shirt sticks to him like saran wrap.

no?

just me?

awe-ight...

Oh my goodness . . . flashbacks to summer evenings with my cousins, aiming a hair dryer at our Sun-In-ed hair, trying to accelerate bleaching process. With uniformly unfortunate results. (Italian girls and Sun-In don't mix!)

yeah, sun in always seemed like a great idea when you saw the commercial while on vacation at the jersey shore

then the next day you had red chemical burned scalp showing through copper-brass colored hair, and those wierd white funny smelling fingertips from the peroxide.

afterwards I would don my miami vice jacket with a little DEP styling gel, and hit the boardwalk.

good times...

i can't stand the short, chubby woman on designed to sell.

i had high hopes for kenneth "hipster" brown, but his designs are tacky.

i love debbie travis' shows, she's super creative, though she seems to have a thing for mixing indian designs when someone asks for mid-century -- i don't quite get that.

i can't stand the short, chubby woman on designed to sell.

i had high hopes for kenneth "hipster" brown, but his designs are tacky.

i love debbie travis' shows, she's super creative, though she seems to have a thing for mixing indian designs when someone asks for mid-century modern -- i don't quite get that.

There seems to be a new Designer Guys without Steve and Chris. They have 3 new guys. But I'm totally confused by the schedule. There doesn't seem to be a routine, just random times.

http://www.hgtv.ca/tv/shows/show_details.asp?showID=52318

i'm obviously late to the game, but fave shows:

-ssbs (hgtv)
-city gardener (hgtv; british)
-trading up (hgtv; british)
-homefront in the garden (bbcamerica)
-(sometimes) rezoned (hgtv)
-(sometimes) generation renovation (hgtv)
-house hunters when they're special episodes like the international ones or the ones in nyc (hgtv)
-used to like (sometimes) homes across america (hgtv)
-used to like (sometimes) homes to go (hgtv) but are there ever any new episodes?
-sell this house (a&e)
-move this house (a&e)
-moving up (tlc)
-(sometimes) property ladder (tlc)
-changing rooms (bbcamerica)
-location location location (bbcamerica) but needs new episodes
-life laundry (bbcamerica) but needs new episodes
-house doctor (bbcamerica) but needs new episodes

i liked kenneth brown when he guested on shows much more his own show

wish i got fine living and discovery home channels. i've liked sheila bridges and a show called neat when i saw them on cable on demand.

susan crenshaw bugged me but i liked the small spaces that were presented on the show

designer guys was entertaining, but did anyone see that other weird show with them where they would come up with competing ideas, and sort of slam each other the whole time?

reDesign
Home to Go - finally a show for renters
Martha Stewart -m The orginal show not the talk show
Room Service - She has great taste though after watching a couple dozen eposides I feel she can be a bit beige.
Sensible Chic - Gives me confidence to attempt what I see in magzines. I still don't know how I feel about Double Take
I Want That! - Guilty Pleasure
Divine Design
Find and Design (on A&E)
Weekend Warriors - I am warming up to the show. Didn't like it at first.
Lynette Jennings - I am dating myself

I will say that the only good shows on HGTV are DEVINE DESIGN, DESIGNERS FINALS, DeSigners Challange, and Designing For the Sexes. Candice Olsen is an absolutely talented designer! I like Designers Finals, because I am an interior design student and love to see other students work, but as for the rest of those design shows out there COME ON!!!
Debbie Travis is AWFUL!!! and the woman has 2 shows!
Design on a Dime is the up there with Debbie TRavis as being awful decorators. I am saying this about both teams: Lee Snyders and Kristen Cunningham! I know that they only have $2000 budget but hey THERE STUFF LOOKS LIKE CRAP!
Sorry I had to vent...loved HGTV but the stuff they are putting on are bad bad bad...

I do love Designer Guys. THey are awsome! (I know they arent HGTV) thought that I would throw that one in there...

Wish they would put on some new shows with REAL DESIGNERS! dang

I will be doing a renovation of my kitchen and bathroom. Any chance that Candice can come and do her devine designs. I have seen all her shows and can't find one that I don't like.

Maria Jackson

I finally got to see Fine Living. The show's I like are Dwell and the show about catalog shopping is fun. Guessing the prices of the furniture is the best part. The host is horrible though.

I love, love, love room redo shows! Wouldn't cross the street to see a personal makeover, but show somebody's house/flat/room and redo it and I'm right there.
Could be I am just nosy, but man, I love peeking in to see how others live and solve space/design problems.
FREESTYLE
Budget: $0
This makes it really interesting. Rearranging furniture, raiding other rooms for stuff...Great!

DESIGN REMIX
Budget: about $50 plus paint
I love the concept of reusing what you already have or making stuff using creativity. I have picked up a lot of tips, most especially painting techniques from this show.
And I think Karen is terrific. She just pronounces "didn't" strangely. Perhaps that could be a drinking game in itself.

SMALL SPACE, BIG DESIGN
Terrific show that I have only caught a few times but I have added it to my TiVo schedule as if I needed more.

FIND AND DESIGN
Budget: $1000 tops
I love the shopping part of this show most of all because I live in Manhattan and can only dream of yard sales and cheapo flea markets, so this is my vicarious thrill.

TRADING SPACES
This show is very entertaining. Some of the designers are evil. (Hildy comes to mind, although Doug can be, too.) For really snarky, amusing reviews of TS, go to televisionwithoutpity.com and laugh your butt off.

I also enjoy NEAT, MISSION:ORGANIZATION and CLEAN SWEEP for inspiration.

Actually, all these shows are inspiriing. Watching them really got me into experimenting with color and going bold and I love them for it!!

wow, reading these comments was the perfect way to help kill a boring Friday afternoon at work.

Some questions:

How come the talking heads on SSBS always wear the same clothes? That annoying blond, Libby, hasn't taken off that blue shirt since the show aired. Ditto for the other woman (brunette) who only wears that blue-and-white striped shirt.

How did the annoying chick on Designed to Sell ever get a job? Terrible personality and design sense. I can't bear her condescending upspeak.


Hope this post isn't too late. But these musings have been going on for months. Keep 'em coming!

does anyone know the name of the home show where by they remake say a 40,000 bedroom spending only 1 or 2,000?

Didn't anyone like the great Joan Kohn shows Kitchen Design and Bed & Bath Design on HGTV? I wish I could buy these shows and This Small Space on DVD.
I also love Homes Across America and Designer Guys with Chris and Steven.

Debbie Travis show is terrible with dreadful designs.I am dismayed by how many designers who do not really care what their clients want;They just impose their like on their clients.I would be furious with the lack of respect.Some people just like whites and neutrals and they make them feel relaxed in this chaotic world.If a client likes lots of color and pattern great but respect them if they don't.I lost respect for Candance and Vern on Design star.