This week on Home by Novogratz, Bob and Cortney headed to the west coast to make over the living room of Tony Hawk's California ski house. After a quick consultation on the slopes of Mammoth Mountain, Tony gave a "sure, whatever" green light to the design team and then snow boarded off into the sunset. Dream client? Yeah, I'd say so.
The house looked as if it hadn't been touched since 1982. Tony clearly has big air on his mind when he's in town, and not interior design. That's okay, though, because Bob and Cortney got to work and revamped the fireplace, painted the ceiling, bought new furniture, and did a cool wall of colorful, vintage skis.
But you know what I found so inspiring about this episode? The ceiling. That naughty knotty pine was screaming for overstuffed forest green and dusty rose floral print furniture a la 1980, and Cortney silenced it with a coat of white paint. And I found that very aesthetically empowering. If a home has some feature that your average Peggy Hill real estate agent would try to sell you on, you don't have to either walk away or resign yourself to designing around it. You can redeem it. And all the Hank Hills out there will gasp at your painting that wood, yes, but it isn't their house. This is the lesson I'm taking with me from this episode. Just because somebody, a builder or previous owner, decided to create a particular feature in your home doesn't mean it was a good choice or that you have to live with it.
(Images: Matthew Williams)






White Enamel Four-P...
LOL, "naughty pine". It probably was pretty naughty, and nasty too. Wish you had included a before pic.
The first pic I thought WAS the 'before'. The ceiling looks fine, but it sure was a fast, curving downhill from it> The fireplace; I see two eyes and a gaping mouth with white teeth. You have to get to pic five to see any class and coolness.
I love everything except that fireplace. Too much!!!
The log fireplace is not done well. The concept is that it should look like a stack of logs, not slices of log glued to the fireplace.
A great example of this is a project featured in AT last week:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/stone-creek-camp-176030
Love the wall of skis. Hate the kitchen.
Wow: I haven't seen the show and didn't know who these people were, but have to agree with the above commenter: very very underwhelmed. It looks like a generic mountain rental with a couple of faux fur throws on chairs. Disappointing!
To clarify (before two others commented in between!): I meant I thought the pics were BEFORE pics. I would think someone as dynamic as Tony Hawk would have given these people carte blanche/wouldn't be someone who would restrict a designer to ho hum choices, which means the designers themselves made these boring choices?
I agree w/the comments about the fireplace. Way too much going on.
I do like the wall of skis.
ANNA LISA: I can't see why you hate the kitchen. (?)
I like th openess of it but the furnishings look thrown together.
Yep. I too thought the final pix was the before. Keep skiing pix! Ain't nothing to come home to in this house.
I watched the show and the kitchen wasn't within the scope of work. I think they are on a tight timeline like most of those shows... Their old show on Bravo really showcased their abilities a lot better.
underwhelmed. I've been looking forward to this show and usually like the way they design. For some reason, I think the carpet may be part of the whole "blah" feeling I'm having. It's a pretty drab color and the fireplace could have been much cooler.
My biggest issue: a 'display' fireplace. Unless you live in an apartment with an old non-working fireplace, do not use the firebox as a display! Especially in a mountain home! It seems silly and contradicting to glue logs to the surround, but then put candles where logs actually belong.
I can't see Tony Hawk coming home and enjoying this. "Oh sweet, look honey we have a fireplace Ent now..." And they painted the pine ceiling white?? Apparently there's a new demand for ski houses to be cloaked in hints of Nantucket. Maybe stain it?? I guess the wingback is cool though.
The living area, dining area and kitchen don't look cohesive to me at all. Looks like three different designers furnished each section.
Underwhelmed. I can't get over those first apartment window treatments. So much potential in such an expensive makeover. Gluing vintage crap to walls is cool, but does not a whole show make.
Am I the only person who does not like the design sensibilities of the Novogratzes? I find their designs too uncohesive. Maybe people think that if you just throw a bunch of disjointed styles and periods together that it will create harmony. Sometimes it just doesn't. But it is very trendy.
The seating arrangement at the dining table just looks silly. The wingback chair at the head of the table is just totally out of scale with the CB2 fleet chairs, and not even in a whimsical, ironic way.
There are, however, some clever moments, like the vintage skis... and I think that the ceiling actually works. It seems to heighten the space. The chandelier of photographs is not a bad idea, but I think it is a missed opportunity to have chosen a truly awesome lighting fixture.
@scoot. The seating arrangement will look even worse when that fur is covered in jelly and chocolate syrup.
I have only seen bits and pieces of the show. However it appears they go into homes of already wealthy people and do make overs. People who have the means to afford designers of their own. How about sending them to my house where I could actually use design help with no means to pay for it on my own.Although, seeing this "after" -maybe I will just stick with my TJ Maxx and Target finds on my own
Yawn!!! Again, underwhelming project performed by two untalented, so-called designers!!!
Looks like crap!!!
I've been thinking about this project and I don't think the designers know Tony Hawk. I grew up as a fan of the guy because of my interest in skateboarding and this place doesn't have the professional skateboarder feel? Even the antiques skis seem too cute for a guy like him.
P.s. - does he even ski? I suspect he is a snowboarder.
This project is a flop.
@Dawnmarie04: I think their clients actually pay them. The show is supposed to show the busy daily life of them with their kids and their design firm, doing what they do which is makeover spaces for their clients, who pay them. Its not always living spaces as well.
Meh. I agree about the fireplace being a miss. Thanks to DUANE HILL for the link to a different fireplace log effect done well. Total night-and-day difference. And the floating photo display just seems distracting and busy; seems like an overused gimmick.
I have to admit, I don't know Tony Hawk from Tony Soprano. Is this the look the guy would want? I think it has sort of a cheap frat boy feel to it.
Wow, that fireplace makeover is terrible looking.
I don't hate this -- there are a few details (like the ski wall) that are clever. I think that it might look pretty dated in a few years. I can't imagine living with all this is 5 years times.
Can anyone tell me the source of the light in the first photo? It looks like a Ingo Mauer's Zettel'z but with different pictures.
fulinlin - Thank you for the information. I was not sure.