HGTV Winter Thread 2023-2024

Prior thread here

So the Scott Brothers did a great job showing us the White House Christmas decorations.

The rooms looked beautiful!

I'm enjoying the House Hunters International Christmas shows but those home buyers are over the top with their Christmas comments.

And you know they were filmed in summer, so even worse.

Watched a House Hunters last night (12/21) and they were running a bunch of repeats. They had a young couple in KCMO.

The wife described him as an "alpha male" and apparently he was/is a trainer.

He did end up having a massive torso and biceps (showed them in the last segment) though I think he skips leg day - the bottom of him looks so out of proportions it's wild.

This was the guy in that HH episode.

My future ex-husband Brett Waterman on a game show from 1987 - he was 20, 21 years old, apparently.

Last week on House Hunters, some vile cunt and her husband and her two devil spawn, who lived in Center City Philadelphia, were looking for suburban properties with yard space for the kids (as is the wont of so many Center City dwellers).

They go to look at a property in Moorestown, New Jersey, a very desirable, sought after area. The realtor announces the property is 4100 square feet, and the first words out of the bitch's mouth was "it's too small, we can't live in such a small space." She truly needed to be roundly beaten to a pulp for letting such stupidity come out of her pie hole. Miss Thang then stated her boundaries: a minimum of 6K square feet was needed to make her happy.

last thread r59?

[quote]House Hunters S227/Ep 13 - Buyer is moving to Atlanta and her son is looking at properties with her, he is so fucking hot beautiful face and body with very hot ass! It's showing tonight.

I looked for that one on demand R9 but could not find it. If anyone finds it, snap a screenshot!

Just watched an In With The Old (Max or Magnoli) from Decorah, IA.

They have some hot guys there. One dude, a window expert, had an amazing ass.

Was watching House Hunters and they had a Christmas episode from Zurich.....

The married couple is M/F but he is the GAYEST married man.....scorching the screen, as it were.

Gross, R6

R12 That is so often the case on these shows. I have seen so many flaming men with wives.

His wife looked like Bree van der Kamp and he was giving Marcus Bachmann vibes.

It really is a trope at this point. I always turn to my BF and say, "okay so...does she KNOW she's married to a homosexual?"

R11 Oh hells yeah. We watched that episode and the window guy's ass was the best thing about it.

R16 Right? He had a sort of cute Andy Samberg with glasses vibe or something....but when he was on that ladder......that ASS!

Another hot contractor on the Alaska episode of In With The Old. Have to get a photo of him.

Unfortunately the shows themselves are getting boring. I liked this show because they didn't get all into "oh, this is my personal story" but now they are.

Home Town this week: OK, having Ben and Josh getting into a hot tub together was.......

Was pretty sure the Seattle guy was gay at the start of the show. But if he asked for THAT kitchen he can't be......it was ugly before and ugly after, too.

R19

They could have shown a little flesh while in the tub! The water was practically up to their necks. The unseen drop of their robes was cute. The steel hot tub was interesting.

No way that guy was gay, though there are many gays with bad taste. The house in general and the kitchen in particular was one of, if not the worst I've ever seen them renovate. The kitchen was horrid. The tile in the bathroom? The waterfall portion of the granite? It looked like some odious ranch in Texas. Adding the windows to the front of the garage was a great idea though. The solution to two shower controls was inventive (who's that plumber with the engraving business?). When will this obsession with gold fixtures, cabinet hardware, and appliance handles end?

Do these trendy people have any idea of how dated their houses will look once the trend dies out?

I hate green (and blue) houses, and a green house in the woods looks ridiculous - as if you wanted to camouflage it.

The show was one of their worst. A great example of trying too hard. (Season 7, Episode 8 - Chasing Waterfalls)

I REALLY didn't like it. Except the boys in the hot tub - or at least the tease that it was coming up.

R20 agree. And I generally like their renos. Or even if it's not my taste I see why they did something. But that one was just terrible, inside and out.

That's the second show I've seen recently where the new cabinetry looked really cheap. I know everyone loves wood tones right now but those cabinets looked like dated 80s ones already. And if they were going to keep the tile, why didn't they at least steam clean it and regrout? It looked so dirty and filthy.

My hard on for Josh remains unabated, though. The hot tub scene was cute, though it wasn't as hot as the scene a few years back where Ben picked Josh up and sat him on a work table......

Last night's Fixer to Fabulous "The Ultimate Cabin":

(1) I almost didn't catch it and had to rewind but Dave was doing some woodworking, cutting a circle out of a large slab of wood and Jenny said "you have a little tool for that" to which Dave replied "Don't ever say those words together again!" Okaaay then.

(2) The client's teenage son was quite clearly of the....let's say, Chris Colfer persuasion. Future DL'er, perhaps.

YASSSS

Finally, an HHI episode with our lady of Paris, Adrian Leeds!

(The clients were a straight couple - with a furry Frenchman and his Mexican GF)

I saw that episode last week. The Mexican was out of control.

She’s too demanding.

R24 not to mention so hard to understand they subtitled her.

But the Frenchman was kind of hot. They had a shot of him in a swimsuit and he was quite furry.

She was a “piojo resucitado”

Look it up.

😬

I was paying more attention to the Frenchman's furry chest......

Gay husbands looking in Costa Rica on the latest eoisode of House Hunters International. Haven't watched it yet, just saw the preview.

That should read "episode". Ugh.

Hot son or not.....Mike Holmes may not be the stand up guy he promotes himself to be......

I don't think I captured the best screenshots on my phone....but in last night's Fixer to Fabulous there were a few camera upshots that got Dave's bulge.

Another one

Yeah I saw those R31 / R32 - and immediately thought back to an episode a couple years back where Jenny said something about 10 inches and Dave just turned to the camera, smiled, and winked.

Any upshot like that HAS to be some cameraman who knows exactly what he's doing.

There were a few shots like that a few seasons back on Scott McGillvray's Vacation House Rules and same thing.....a big eyeful of Scott's bulge, they had to know exactly what they were filming.....!

Mike Holmes lost all credibility when he signed on for those HGTV competition shows, where most of the work - if not all - is cheaply and haphazardly done and often so shoddy it's apparent in (the ridiculous) reveals.

Okay the glassblowing dude (white guy with dreds) in tonight's Hometown... Woof!

Rico, the hot Hispanic dude who's the US answer to Mike Holmes, has a new season of his show.

Is Rico a gay?

R38 He doesn't seem to be.

I can't decide if he's hot or not. Sometimes I think he is, or gives off that papi alpha vibe, and other times not so much.

That glass blower on Home Town WAS hot! Fun fact, I’ve met that couple who own the loft that Ben & Erin renovated this week. Super nice folks. I’m happy for them.

Well, I want to know who the HOT pool builder is that renovated Sophia Coppola's pool in one of these fixer-upper shows. OH! And, I don't like Jeramiah, Jermaine, (or whatever his name is) and his husband's show that's based here in the New York metropolitan area. Finally... I really LIKE the "Rock The Block" or "Own The Block" show. I like that one a lot!!!

R41, do you mean Bargain Block? I love this one also.

Could be, R42. I thought it was "Rock The Block". All of these Designers from these various shows compete against each other. They all have the same exact structure. The team's structure that brings the highest sale valuation after a 4-6 wk time wins the competition and the block is named after that team. Dave Marrs and his wife... (whatever her name is) competed and that's how I learned about him. FABULOUS work aside from just being fabulous himself!

Yes, Rock the Block is a competition show.

I don't much care for the competitions, plus I think Rock the Block has had screechy meth head Ty Pennington and turbo cunt Alison Victoria. I have no use for Alison's show any longer, since hot DILF god Ari retired.

I generally do not like competition shows either, R44. There are 3 that I can name that I really enjoy. Two of them are cooking shows; "Chopped" and "Alex vs America". But this "Rock the Block" is one that I truly enjoyed! Just so many creative ideas!!! Yep, Ty Pennington was the host for season 1 (if I remember correctly) and while I do love Alice Victoria's aesthetics, she isn't very creative as far as bringing value to a property. But, yes, yes, YES, for Ari!!! Anyway, maybe it's because it's a short "take" between all that is happening is why I like the show. Sometimes I get bored when it's an hour long or episodic series of a project.

Yes, the glass blower dude on Home Town was nice, lean and muscly.

I also liked one of the guys that was working on the indoors with the crew. Ballcap wearing guy, cute in a NASCAR sorta way.

Is this the glass blower? He's been on before. Hot.

Jeremy Thomley

Mohawk Steel & Glass

Nice find, R47! I don't remember seeing him before but it's possible.

Nice furry torso

No mentions of David Bromstead?

Too much?

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

Michael Cordray shows his bare chest! Okay it's for 10 seconds tops and not close up but still.

It's in the beginning of the 6th (and last) episode of their special series "The Inn" where they bought and reno'd an old boarding house and made it a hotel.

Lean and nicely furry, as one would expect.

R49 If y'all like him, post all you want, of course! I just never cared for him much (and these days the tattoos are just.....waay too many)

Rico looks like he's been working out this year. Or he has some Denver gays dressing him for TV (and getting him to a good barber shop).

So in addition to hot Matt on Rico to the Rescue there's also Gregg Smith, who's been on a few episodes this season as a GC.

He's cute, maybe not quite as hot as Matt. But tall and beardy. (Straight, though...zzzzzz)

It's one of those times where there seems to be lulls in new content. Not too much to watch right now, other than Home Town and Rico.

Was so bored tonight I actually watched those damn twin homosexuals and their celebrity show. But it was Glenn Close, who was at least modestly of interest, vs. most of the has beens and never was'ers they usually have.

I'm watching Island Life and there's a gay married couple from Atlanta moving to St. Simons island.

I have to remember to check out the House Hunters and Island Life shows. Started watching HGTV on Max a few months back which is way better for skipping commercials, etc. but it doesn't make some of those shows easy to find.

On this week's Home Town episode they were mentioning romance novels, and at the end, Ben and Erin were mimicking the cover of one....and Ben's shirt was unbuttoned.

Damn, he's furry.

I could have told you that.

R58 you're just teasing me now lol

Last night when Ben and Erin started working on the scent store - which is Erin's idea but apparently Josh's dream to renovate the building - Ben and Erin were there, and Mallorie and Jim (Rasberry), but Josh (Nowell) was alone.

I wondered why Josh's wife wasn't there and that we see all of them on the show at various times, but to my knowledge never Josh's wife.

Be still my beating heart because I know he'd run to my arms, if only....

But I found a picture of her. Sad emoji.

I really need to go back and find a few older episodes. There's one where Ben picked Josh up and sat him on a table where I.....if I'd been alone when I watched that I would have shot a load in my shorts.

And I also miss Randy, crazy tats and all, who I often imagined took me roughly on that big workbench.

Oh, and glass blower Jeremy Thomley of Mohawk Steel and Glass Company. Him too. Badly.

Home Town is veritably a porn video fantasy with the men still in their clothes.

I want the Titan Men version of Home Town, where Ben, Josh and Jim get up to no good behind closed doors when glass blower dude arrives with a.....big package.

*bow chicka wow music*

R57, during that episode of HOME TOWN (I love pink!!!!), it was really obvious how much weight Ben has lost since he went on Ozempic (wink, wink). He's really looking good and quickly moving into the fit/fat genre. I also think he's been acting sexier for the camera.

R64 for sure. He really looked different.

The unbuttoned shirt was definetly pushing the sexy.

R64 I love how they seem progressive, even though they're from Mississippi. Ben looks great with or without the extra weight.

Jim isn't necessarily traditionally handsome, he kinda looks like an insurance agent, but he's definitely got some BDE. He's very confident.

I spent a weekend in Laurel a few months ago. I did see Ben and Erin. The weight loss episodes hadn’t aired yet, and I was shocked to see how much thinner he was—looked even thinner than on TV. Alas, I did not see Josh, and believe me, I was on the lookout!

I enjoyed my weekend there. I know it’s still Mississippi, but it didn’t feel as backward and regressive as the rest of the state.

It's the size contrast.....well, some of it.

*dick twitches*

Just watched Renovation Aloha. A straight couple are the hosts, of course. Husband is kinda cute. I mean he's no Ben/Josh/the bulge in Dave Marrs' jeans, but still, not bad to look at for an hour.

He's a big boy, too. Or maybe his 🐟 - I mean wife - is just very short.

Watched this week's "Fixer to Fabulous," where a Bentonville couple had a son "Who is going to marry someone one day". The couple ended up moving in with their son and "his roommate" for a few months. Dave and Jenny kept saying "and his roommate" like a dozen times during the episode, and the very male roommate showed up with the son during the house reveal at the end. The son & roommate were living in a 2 bedroom condo, and son "gave up his bedroom" so his parents could have it. Or, more likely, the son and "roommate" had an extra bedroom to spare.

Could Dave and Jenny possibly have done their first gay episode? Quelle surprise!

R71 I wondered the same thing! The son was sorta cute and the "roommate" was cuter.

Dave and Jenny had a gay man on before, a few seasons ago. He was never identified as such, of course, but it was mentioned that he was a "bachelor" when they did the house. He was apparently married before with a daughter, but he was clearly a late in life gay man. His style was described as "Palm Springs chic" and all the friends that came to his place at the end to see it were middle age gay men. The final shot was him on a big float with a cocktail in his hand, floating in the pool. LOL

Oh yeah R72 - I forgot about that dude.

I'll never understand personally, but kinda "get" why LGBT+ people live in red states. But here in Oregon I've seen quite a few Texas and Florida license plates lately - more than California plates, which used to be the norm. Maybe people are finally moving out of where they're not welcomed.

R70, in the first episode of Renovation Aloha, the house they started with was HORRENDOUS (see pic below). In any place except Hawaii, this would have been a teardown. Also, the money they spend on renovation is ridiculously low for Hawaii. I'm assuming that's because Kamohai uses mostly relatives to do the work. In any case, the final results were outstanding. As someone who lives in Hawaii, I'm looking forward to more of their episodes.

R74 yes, was totally shocked that they kept any of it, but I supposed with the limited amount of materials available on the islands it was cheaper to keep as much as possible.

Kamohai is growing on me. Hot....except for that backwards baseball cap. lol

Just watched an episode of Bargain Mansions, because nothing else was on LOL.

Tamara's vocal fry still annoys and her style is still basic bitch extraordinare.

But her dad Ward gets hotter and hotter. I think he's reverse aging. He looks younger than when they started, and dude's biceps are jacked now.

There's a new show called Small Town Potential and it's hosted by two lesbians!

And the butch one is VERY butch. She is one of those lesbians that when I was in my twenties I'd see across the bar and think, damn he's cute! Only to be disappointed *sad trombone sound*

Butchie also, hilariously, reminds me of Michael Cordray's loud somewhat butch wife.

"Small Town Potential" was inevitable after the success of Evan and Keith and "Bargain Block."

I'm guessing a few Theys will be hosting a show soon.

I didn't realize she was a woman, and I still wasn't sure after I watched it a few minutes.

Nicely hairy.

R81 He was finally shirtless in an episode......it waa brief but delicious.

Does anyone else enjoy the husbands? I do. I started watching Battle on the Mountain because I read an article on Outside that was pissed HGTV came to Breckenridge to drive up house prices. So I wasn't supposed to watch the show but it was fun! Team Rico.

R83 I've never seen them - usually don't watch the competition shows. Interesting!

Rico's show is so super faked. But he's not bad on the eyes at all

They are ALL faked.

It's getting harder and harder to watch them. They are over produced and getting sillier and sillier. Some of them have been fun to watch if you like the personalities, but even liking personalities isn't good enough anymore. Lots of fake personality cuteness and not enough about construction and design. And the crappy workmanship - such as it is - is getting more and more obvious.

It's unfortunately true that if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Just one person's opinion.

[quote]It's getting harder and harder to watch them. They are over produced and getting sillier and sillier. Some of them have been fun to watch if you like the personalities, but even liking personalities isn't good enough anymore. Lots of fake personality cuteness and not enough about construction and design. And the crappy workmanship - such as it is - is getting more and more obvious.

Are they getting sillier and sillier? Or are your tastes becoming more refined and many of these shows are not a good fit for you? I'm now watching the series "Little Jon Wants What!?!" and while I am impressed (and surprised) with his design capabilities, I'm not impressed with the show and am becoming bored with it. His approach isn't environmental design but more shock & awe. I recently finished watching "The Established Home" with Jean Stoffer on the Magnolia Network (via MAX). By the end of that series, I was SO SICK of "we'll put a coffee bar here" that I was even more critical of her design capability. My priority became her son, Dan Stoffer, who is HOT as all out and designs saunas!

My point is that maybe a lot of these shows are no longer meeting your needs. Unlike the poster that dislikes the competition shows, I LOVE THEM! I love the thought processes going into creating the spaces and the different approacxh of each contestant.

R86 I LOVE The Established Home - partly ironically because they are a bit precious, and between the coffee bars and the way she and her bitch daughter ooh and aah over basic bitch things it gets tiresome.

But all three of Jean's sons are hot, especially the one doing the saunas.

^I'll say this... She's like the Mr. Rogers of the design world. Such a soft and soothing voice and demeanor.

I'm sure Jean and Grace could do ASMR videos, yes.

Oh, Josh.....

I'm now watching season 1 of "Restored" with Brett Wetterman. So far, I like the premise of the show and the historical value of it. Brett? Hmm... yes or no. He appears to have an odd shape. The jury is still out on him, IMHO. BUT his assistants Dan or Andy or Brandon with those blue V-Neck shirts... SEXY and WOW!

Brett Waterman is one of my favorites. I think he's hot as fuck. But he is a bit of a nerd.

ps R91 I swear Brett and one of those guys in the earlier seasons were fucking. Either Brandon or Heath. You don't see them after Season 2 or 3.

I decided to look him up. His name is Brandon Malone (far right). Those V-Neck shirts and those guns!!!! WHEW!!!

R94 Just looked once you posted the name....sadly he's a born again.....

Today we're going to be looking at a 1908 Craftsman bungalow in Pasadena.

I see the interior being completely redone - rip out all this dated woodwork and pottery tile - being in a new palette of white, black, grey, off-white, off-black and off-gray.

A huge clunky leather sofa too big for the space right THERE.

Chop a few windows in on either side of the fireplace (get rid of the mantel and paint the brick white) and we'll install eight more bathrooms just in case your hobby is shitting.

Paint the exterior white, yank off the porch and replace it with a sun deck (perfect for parking a $5,000 barbeque on that you will use twice a year).

What's that I hear? Why it's our dump truck full of can lights! We're going to install them in every square inch of the ceiling. In fact we're going to build even more ceilings just for the can lights! Did you know I have a can light in my colon? Makes the proctology appointment that much easier!

But the crowning glory of this redo will be the...the....gasp....BACKSPLASH! Yes, the tile work that surrounds the kitchen counter is now a major selling point!!! Oh! OOH! I think I back-splashed just from thinking about it!

[quote] Every single one of these fucking shows

EXCEPT for Brett and Restored. Which is part of the reason I like it.

That, and the fact that I'm pretty sure he has sizemeat.

[quote]Brett Waterman is one of my favorites. I think he's hot as fuck. But he is a bit of a nerd.

He has narrow shoulders but wide hips. Childbearing hips...

My view would be a stretch for some, but he reminds me a little of Jim Fowler from that Mutual of Omaho Wild kingdom series. This is when I think he is cute. Then (depending on the shot and angle) he looks/reminds me of Big Bird which isn't so cute...

I've seen comments here and on Reddit that swear Brett is gay.

But he also seems pretty conservative.....he'd have to be if he's in the Inland Empire.

Where's the coffee bar, R96?

Ben and Erin did another gay couple's house in last night's (Sunday 3/10) episode. Elder gays moving from AZ to MS for retirement. I noticed that they never showed the primary suite like they do in every other show.

At least they had an LGBT+ episode.

R101, I know they did at least one other gay male couple and lesbian couple. A few of the single folks may have been family too.

R101 The smaller one was holding his hubby’s arm during the reveal. That was a first.

I think the gay couple episode is a repeat from an earlier season.....I don't think any new eps were on last night since the Oscars were on, but not sure.

And yes they've had a few gays. They had some young lesbians in one of the first few seasons.

R104 We don't have cable - only Discovery Plus. And the episode was brand new as of last night.

[quote]Paint the exterior white, yank off the porch and replace it with a sun deck (perfect for parking a $5,000 barbeque on that you will use twice a year).

LOL! GOOD ONE!!! Probably because it's true!

Don't forget when you see the balcony, deck, patio, etc. - "I can picture myself having my morning cup of coffee out here." Jesus, that could be a drinking game! :)

R105 I stand corrected, it was indeed a new episode.

When I looked on HGTV's website yesterday they showed only repeats. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Their taste was....not mine.

[quote]Ben and Erin did another gay couple's house

Wait a minute...

A straight couple doing creative/designing work for a gay couple?

Why am I confused by this?

r109 seriously, right?

But there have been a few others.

There's been at least one gay couple and one lez couple on Home Town.

There was also a young man who moved in with his mother who was nellier than Richard Simmons on the back of a pink unicorn.

The gay couple from Arizona that moved to Laurel, Miss., could have been an eldergay version of Ennis & Jack. The poor guys had to get rid of their horses when they downsized.

[quote]There was also a young man who moved in with his mother who was nellier than Richard Simmons on the back of a pink unicorn.

I believe I have seen that one. They were Asian? I forget what design show it was but they did a great job and I remember the mother being so nice and admired how devoted the son was to his mother. Oh, yesssss... he was nellier than Nelly herself!

I'm watching Fixer to Fabulous Italiano. Cannot say I like it so far after one episode. A show in Tuscany is usually a winner for me because I love the region. But the drama is a bit much, way too phony for my taste. So they make plans for the house, hire an architect, and then they figure out that there are obstacles. What do you mean that 4 ft wall is structural and cannot be removed? Oh my god, I had not idea that you need permits for everything in Italy. If I, the amateur, have more knowledge than they, the experienced builders, it takes me out of the show. Now I'm just guessing what else is fabricated.

Btw, why do US-americans believe that it needs to be them to fix up a house in Italy. Italy doesn't have one halfway decent builder? At least the Italians know that super thick walls are probably structural.

R113 Yes, I agree. I was really bored with it. The drama seemed staged/forced.

And Dave looked sick, kinda.

[quote]Btw, why do US-americans believe that it needs to be them to fix up a house in Italy. Italy doesn't have one halfway decent builder?

C'mon now! Just look at the Colosseum. It's falling apart! Of course they need us...

YAY! (At least for me)

It's a new season and episode of "Rock The Block"!

6 weeks/$250,000 budget, Treasure Island, FL

Contestants:

Bryan and Sarah Baeumler (Renovation Island);

Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (Bargain Block);

Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis (Unsellable Houses)

Page Turner and Mitch Glew (Fix My Flip)

Always sorry to see that Keith and Evan have sold out. This "everything is a battle" is tiresome - and, I daresay - I don't care if I get a "Mary!" for this - just another part of the crassness and anger and stress of modern life. Everything is a battle. Everyone has to fight. Competition competition. Never a show when people work together to help someone or better something.

Battle, battle, battle. Fight, fight, fight. Always pitting people against each other.

Shows like Celebrity IOU don't count. If those celebrities were serious they could do their IOUs with their own money, without those twin twits, and without having to be publicly lauded for their "generosity."

I suppose you take the money when you can.

HGTV is is dead and gone.

Rant over.

^ Wholeheartedly agree. That's why I love watching the UK Great Baking Show/Bake Off. It's so soothing to see some nice people just bake, challenge themselves while still having fun and help each other. I watched a trailer of the US version. The first candidate shouted out he's in it to win it. And I was out rolling my eyes.

I'm not quite as passionate as R117 about it but I loathe the competitions and always have. Much for the same reasons I hate things like Dancing With The Stars - it's a fake competition with fake stakes, a situation where the winner is likely already chosen, etc.

HGTV is scripted and faked all over, of course. But the puppet strings are more visible to me on shows like that.

R118

Thank you for that! A perfect example of nice people challenging each other without vitriol toward others, and always willing to help the others reach their goal.

That's why I LOVE The Great British Bake Off (with the exception of Noel.). Peaceful, kind, and fun. Love the camaraderie.

Thank you for the example.

I suppose it's how you look at it. I enjoy the competition shows--particularly this one. I really don't care about who wins or loses. What I enjoy seeing are the different and diverse design approaches brought to the table by each team. Some of the designs I would have never thought of and/or there are items that I would consider adding to my own space. It could be a certain style of art, flooring, cabinetry, paint, etc. I learned how skilled and what an excellent craftsman Dave Mars is! I'm also learning about many of the new products that are on the market and whether I like them or not.

[quote]Always sorry to see that Keith and Evan have sold out.

Sold out?

What about the exposure that such a program gives and brings to them? I had never heard of them before (but don't go by me because I've just recently signed up for cable or streaming (or whatever you want to call it) and am just now learning about and seeing many of these programs that many of you are so aware of, a la my comment at R91. Anyway, with these two, they wanted to prove to themselves (and others) that they were capable of designing on a luxury scale while enhancing function, value etc. They did not win one round in their first competition on the show, however, that doesn't discount their work! I still recall that artistic motif using a sail that one of them did! Just BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, work!!!

R121, I appreciate your enthusiasm but you may be putting too much thought into it.

As for the idea of "sell out" Keith and Evan are relatively new on HGTV and probably have contractual obligations to appear on filler shows like Rock the Block in addition to their own.

As for the design, most of that kind of stuff needs to be taken with an enormous, mountain sized grain of salt, as most of the behind the scenes real designers whose work is seen on TV aren't ever shown.....

[quote][R121], I appreciate your enthusiasm but you may be putting too much thought into it.

I respectfully disagree. IMHO, you get out of it what it is you want to get out of it. Make it work (or not) for you!

[quote]As for the idea of "sell out" Keith and Evan are relatively new on HGTV and probably have contractual obligations to appear on filler shows like Rock the Block in addition to their own.

That might be true, but I don't know...

[quote]As for the design, most of that kind of stuff needs to be taken with an enormous, mountain sized grain of salt, as most of the behind the scenes real designers whose work is seen on TV aren't ever shown.....

You raise a good point here, IMHO. I'm somewhat bothered by the budgets that these people have to work with. In my view, the average American doesn't have $80-$180K as a budget to work with. Many of us are just trying to "make" mortgage! Therefore, one has to make it relative to their circumstance which could be quite and ideas difficult. However, let's not discount the exposure to the design that one can pull from it. I'll be honest... (and nothing against anyone else) I personally would enjoy seeing a bit more minority contractors working with these programs. Finally, I do have an issue about those not receiving "due credit" for their work.

I've read and heard stories that most participants have to take out a second mortgage or a HELOC to pay for renovations.

The budgets are even higher in real life, but the ones quoted on HGTV shows can often achieve a lot, because most shows aren't factoring labor into those costs, and most of HGTV's advertisers give these shows discounts on materials.

I mean, I love unplugging my brain and watching the pretty shiny things roll by, but it shouldn't be taken as a documentary.....we priced out a small cosmetic change for small bathrooms, which most HGTV shows say can be done for 10K, and for ONE small bathroom it was closer to 50K. So like I said, HUGE grain of salt.

[quote]I mean, I love unplugging my brain and watching the pretty shiny things roll by, but it shouldn't be taken as a documentary.....we priced out a small cosmetic change for small bathrooms, which most HGTV shows say can be done for 10K, and for ONE small bathroom it was closer to 50K. So, like I said, HUGE grain of salt.

I agree with most of what you have posted, R124. My BIG problem with "John (Jon) Wants what!" is that in most of the episodes in order for his "vision" to become a reality, they had to resort to calling in "favors" from various vendors. Most of us ordinary folk do NOT have such resources and/or access to such largess which makes his vision(s) very unobtainable. Nor is it always possible to find a work crew that can get the job done in the time that they show on these programs. I mean... a major fireplace constructed in 3 days? C'mon now!

Exactly, R125.

It's why I eventually stopped reading Dwell, too. I loved the modernist houses in there, but everyone who was featured had multi-million dollar houses with multi-million dollar budgets, and they were almost always architects or builders themselves....a resource out of reach to most of us.

I've mentioned the impossibly low budgets on HGTV shows before. Two current shows - Home Town and Renovation Aloha - renovate entire homes for about $200K, some more, some less. Most of these renovations include replacing the roof, installing new plumbing and electricity, new HVAC systems, new exterior doors and windows, and landscaping. I'm sorry, but this can't be done for those ridiculously small budgets, even in Laurel Mississippi.

[quote] this can't be done for those ridiculously small budgets

And it shows when you pay attention to any detail in those properties.

The budgets are definitely not real world. They aren't counting labor as a cost in some cases, and they are getting discounts for sure on some of what they use.

I just love this!

Keith Bynum was given a challenge to create something from an old sailing ship. This was the ship's sail and he created this beautiful work of art!

Second view

[quote]Keith Bynum: I had so much fun making this wall art. It took so many hours but I was so excited to be doing a design challenge! Still can’t believe I got to do this for tv. What a dream.

I love Keith (and Evan.) Keith's three-dimensional stuff is weird and interesting, and not always practical.

But I wouldn't let him near my place with a paintbrush.

Unfortunately their naturalness is being replaced by fake production, as all HGTV shows are. I mean, they've always been fake, but the cracks are showing and the fake is becoming obvious and unbelievable.

At least Keith and Evan are still always laughing, for real. It's so refreshing that they both still think everything each other says and does is funny. Even though it quite often isn't that funny. They think so. Their laughter is the most natural thing about their show nowadays.

Yeah, some of Keith's painting/texture projects are......oh, my. Okay. That's.....something.

Sometimes it's good. Sometimes not anodyne and that can be good. But sometimes it was better in his head.

I really can't comment... yet, R133. I only know them from the "RTB" show and I liked what I saw of them. I understand that their show is about buying blocks of properties in Detroit (someone should just buy Detroit at this point) and renovating them. I'm excited to see their show but I still have to work my way through the Brett Waterman and his boyfriend Brendan Malone's show. Mmph! Something was going on there. Too many shots of Malone looking at Waterman with that "Nancy Reagan gaze". Something was being filled...

Anyway... Maybe there are just too many of these shows and/or some personalities have too many shows. I mean do those twin brothers really need (or can create compelling content) for something like 60 shows? Just too much! Also, (IMHO) some of these shows should just have a limited run and that'll be all she wrote! I'm sure bean counters and bottom liners would have an issue with that if a personality is popular. But, what I think one of the issues could be is that these television personalities have become "star-struck" and they're more into stardom rather than their passion(s) for the work/project. I mean... Dave & Jenny Mars rehabbing/renovating in Tuscany Italy? WHAT! Who in the HELL greenlit that? LOL!

Bargain Block is very fun. Their realtor Shea is also fun. Worth a watch.

[quote] Maybe there are just too many of these shows and/or some personalities have too many shows.

Yes.

Seriously, 95% of HGTV shows are exactly the same shows with different personalities. One doesn't remove walls, one deals with ugly houses, one does (did) what were considered mansions, and on and on. But they're all the same show, making the same design decisions with essentially what looks like the same materials (black fixtures, gold fixtures, mammoth islands, granite, gray walls, open plans, LVT and there is nothing luxurious about vinyl tiles, and on and on) All these houses are going to look massively dated because they all look exactly the same.

And there is enough information out there talking about how the personalities don't actually do the work.

I'm not even bemoaning the loss of the "old" HGTV any longer. Now, version 2 is turning to crap. Anyone who has done actual work and repairs around their own house recognizes how fake the shows are. How, for example, they leave out critical steps in any renovation so that anyone that tries to follow what they do on screen is fucked because that's not how it's done or that's not how it works.

As we've mentioned here, it has depended more on personalities when choosing to watch a show. So i would watch Keith and Evan, Ben and Erin, and Dave and Jenny. But now even those shows are becoming unwatchable. Dave and Jenny in Italy is the best and worst example. Italy? Did they run out of properties in Bentonville? Ben and Erin have run out of properties in Laurel, so a lot of the work they do now is - surprise - NOT in Laurel. Keith and Evan's cheap flips were at least altruistic and always better than what was there before. They were changing the decaying landscape of Detroit. (That they were sold furnished - "so well" - was always suspect, though.)

The Napiers and the Marrs? There is no fucking way their transformations are done with those budgets. Sure, most of us know that it's not real, but that's how you end up with a show like "I Wrecked my House" - people think these bullshit renovations are easy. That they are even possible.

And most of the work they do is shoddy, and it's becoming more and more obvious. Sometimes I wonder if the camera people are sabotaging the producers by showing the crappy workmanship.

So even the personalities can no longer substitute for quality.

And they are not. If you want quality and realistic renovation you need to go to PBS and watch "This Old House."

HGTV has become the "Cheap Renovation Network", just like The Food Network has become "The Guy Fieri Network."

They're both examples of a dumb downed viewing audience.

R137 I don't disagree.

You have to unplug your brain to enjoy those shows, and after an hour of watching the news, I am OK with not looking too closely at the seams and just watching the pretty stuff.

But yes, the shows are hosted by personalities who in many cases don't do the actual remodeling or design, for budgets that aren't real, facing problems along the way that are totally manufactured. Even House Hunters is totally fake.

I wish HGTV embraced a bit variety in their shows. They do 20 home renovation shows with almost exactly the same focus. Great, you're going to Italy. But you are showing the same people just knocking down walls again and mocking up the same problems that the audience knows about for twenty years. How about a show that focuses on yards? Or one that focuses on carpentry? You know, go just a tad deeper into niche areas of home renovations, show some craft there where experts explain the ins and outs of their craft. The general stuff covering all aspects really has been done to death. Not a crowd pleaser? Air it on Saturday night and On Demand.

R139

You must be young. That's exactly what the original HGTV was.

Look up, if you can, for example, 'Design Time Saturday Night.' A block of Saturday night programming including all your suggestions.

That's what we're all complaining about. It's now a shadow of itself, and basically useless.

[quote]If you want quality and realistic renovation you need to go to PBS and watch "This Old House."

You're dating yourself and some would argue that you're stuck in a time warp.

[quote]The Food Network has become "The Guy Fieri Network."

I wanted to add Bobby Flay but although he still works a lot for the network, I think his personal issues have finally caught up to him. Yep... Guy Fieri owns that network.

[quote]But they're all the same show, making the same design decisions with essentially what looks like the same materials (black fixtures, gold fixtures, mammoth islands, granite, gray walls, open plans, LVT and there is nothing luxurious about vinyl tiles, and on and on) All these houses are going to look massively dated because they all look exactly the same.

I agree. Although I don't have an issue with the color gray. It's like white to me. But yes, I do take issue with some of these products that these builders are pushing. Engineered floors, laminated floors, or whatever they're called, I just can't stand. I don't care if they're more durable, will last longer, or can save the world, I want solid wood flooring! It's unbelievable that you have builders that try to push this garbage even in what has been defined as luxury housing.

Many of today's products I view as simply photogenic--meaning that they photograph well but look like (and are) shit in reality.

[quote]How about a show that focuses on yards? Or one that focuses on carpentry? You know, go just a tad deeper into niche areas of home renovations, show some craft there where experts explain the ins and outs of their craft.

I'd enjoy that. A landscaping show would be VERY interesting. I think I would like and enjoy a show that has a master craftsman training apprentices and teaching about the work and process.

[quote]they're all the same show, making the same design decisions with essentially what looks like the same materials (black fixtures, gold fixtures, mammoth islands, granite, gray walls, open plans, LVT and there is nothing luxurious about vinyl tiles, and on and on)

Clearly, they are not! My designs acknowledge the importance and need for a coffee bar!

Jean Stoffer

The Established Home

R143 Hah, I love that stuck up bitch! She's so fucking extra.

A lot of the bad changes of HGTV started once Discovery bought them, because then the hosts became samey samey.....and also, they started trying to make it Bravo Lite - eg life problems, divorces, kids.

Some really good, interesting people have had shows that have gone by the wayside, only to be replaced by Third Fundie Couple from the Left, putting reclaimed wood everywhere while banjo filled, hand clappy songs play in the back ground.

When I first started watching HGTV circa 2008 or so, they still had Curb Appeal, with the hot John Giddings, and they did landscaping.

There was also the various Crashers shows, some were indoors but I remember their being a version called Yard Crashers, and they also did outdoor stuff.

The only gardening one I've seen lately is Inside Out, where the gay Italian muscle Mary does the inside and the hot baldie plant daddy does the outside.

What? Doesn't everyone want a kitchen with dark blue cabinets? It'll be timeless!

I might consider blue cabinets, but fuck this hideous green trend

What Is the Most Popular HGTV Show?

Love It or List It. W Network. ...

Flip or Flop. HGTV. ...

House Hunters. Scripps Networks Interactive. ...

Good Bones. Mother-daughter duo Karen E. ...

Beachfront Bargain Hunt. Matt Levitan. ...

Brother vs. Brother. ...

House Hunters International. Suzanne Engelberg. ...

Rehab Addict. Nicole Curtis.

Which HGTV show does the best quality work?

The Most Realistic HGTV Shows, According to Real Estate Pros

“My First Place”

“Property Brothers” ...

“Fixer Upper” ...

“Love It Or List It” ...

“Beachfront Bargain Hunt” ...

“Flip or Flop” ...

“Tiny Luxury” ...

“House Hunters” ...

[quote]I might consider blue cabinets, but fuck this hideous green trend

What do you mean? It's such a rustic and country look

Yes, and the color is timeless.

Blanco! I love him on London House Hunters!

He’s great.

That is a pretty green color, actually, at R150. As long as there are not a lot of cabinets, that can overwhelm the space.

That green color is pretty, R152. But how will you feel about it in ten years?

The same way you feel about your 2003 glass block shower?

Richard Bianco is okay, though his beard dye distacts me.

But he doesn't quite compare to our Parisian goddess, Adrian Leeds!

And here's the blue

That link at r153 is this typical sales pitch article about outdated interior design. Vessel sinks are impractical. Why didn't you tell me that when it was all the rage? Or did you just figure that out? Faux wood tiles are out because they were in too much. No other reason. Oil-rubbed bronze is outdated so instead you recommend black fixtures. And yet at the end they recommend to use features that don't look dated right away. So... black fixtures are here to stay? How about we just ignore trends and go by practical things we just like?

Dark blue

I like the dark blue of R157, and if my style was more French Provincial I'd consider the periwinkle.

Scott McG being cute, pt. 1

Who wants to get into bed with Scott? (Cute, pt 2)

Scott McGillivray is really really handsome, but I find his personality grating. And am I the only one who thinks that he is boning his 'design partner' Debra Salmoni?

R161 I really don't think they are. The first few seasons they were really like oil and water, but it got better as time went on.

I did think his beefy carpenter guy had a thing for him, though. Just like Brett and Brandon on Restored LOL

[quote](someone should just buy Detroit at this point)

If the photo is accurate, we're talking about deterioration in just a matter of 4 years

O/T - I'd be really interested in the story behind how, why, and what happened to each of those houses. That looks to be a drastic change in four years.

Sorry R163. I don't know how I totally missed your comment.

Clearly one of those houses caught fire.

They were all razed since then. This is what the site (12477 Mackay) looks today.

Detroit has done a good job of clearing abandoned houses. So many of the larger cities lost significant amounts of population but left housing stock to rot.

I'd be more interested in a show that follows up (2,5,10 years later) on the various participants in the HGTV universe. Are the fat , lazy cunts who couldn't keep their kids' toys out of the living room still using the ample storage provided through a $50k remodel? How many times did a "prefect for entertaining" deck/bonus room/huge kitchen island/home theater get used after moving in to the dream home? How did the ratty old furniture look in the sparkling renovation when owners opted out of buying the staging decor? Whose mortgage on their 5 bedroom starter went underwater after the surprise divorce?

R169 They do that every so often with House Hunters. Or used to. Have never seen it on anything else, though.

So, I've taken a bit of a break from Brett, Brandon, and their ogling eyes at each other, to watch a few (3) episodes of "Houses With Histories" I LIKE THAT!!! Mike Lemieux is HOT--although losing 12-15lbs wouldn't hurt him...

While the houses are small, I do like their dedication to preservation while renovating. I also like his wife's job. She just walks into a space and says this, then that, points over there, then over here, and leaves! You don't really see her again until nearly the end of the show when everything (ahem... that she has specified) is done! LOL!!!

But, what I really, REALLY, like about the show are the crafts people that they feature!!! There are still glass blowers? People who make stained glass? On and on... WOWEE!!!

This week's Small Town Potential is DOUBLY LEZ TASTIC - the lez hosts of the show have lez clients.

I do like the houses they show in the Hudson Valley.

Mike looked really good with long hair, but I can't find a good picture of that.

He and his wife, Jen MacDonald, seem so unmatched. I would never have put them together, but we all like what we like.

Rich Soares has a look, too. A very different type, but I'm eclectic in my types.

[quote]Rich Soares has a look, too. A very different type, but I'm eclectic in my types.

I agree, R173. It's not my type but there is definitely "a look" there which I can see others being very attracted to.

This week's Rico to the Rescue has as the client a firefighter, Jon.

Jon is hot as fuck.....a big emotional mess, apparently, and possibly a MAGAt, but still, a hot mess, in the way many cops and firefighters are.

He looks a little rough in the beginning but once he cleans up a little....rowr! The episode is called "Burying The Hatchet."

New thread here

I have finished watching "Houses With Histories". I really, REALLY, enjoyed that!!! I learned so much! I've never heard the term "Keeping room", etc. Very enjoyable! Season 2 were dealing with more realistic budgets, IMHO. I don't believe that there was an episode that was under $200K. The downside of season 2, (and yes, I'm shallow), Jen put on some pounds! She was a big girl before but now as a bigger girl? No bueno... Season 2 felt "over-produced" to me. Rich Soares looked "hotter" in Season2

I’ve been watching quite a bit. Two things strike me as weird. First, is how many people have refrigerators that open the wrong way. You want the fridge door to open in the opposite direction of your countertop to make it easy to get things out and on your workspace. Second is WTF is with wooden hood vents?! Wouldn’t that be a fire hazard and hard to clean?

[quote]Second is WTF is with wooden hood vents?! Wouldn’t that be a fire hazard and hard to clean?

I'm sure they're properly treated but I must admit that I found those design elements "interesting". I tended not to like them but I must admit that I found them "interesting"....