Designing producers

Here’s a charming little piece about the experiences of the less-than-enchanted on the show Trading Spaces, where one of the show’s goals seems to be “two bad reveals for every 10 shows.”

Which wouldn’t be that bad, if the folks with some of those insane redecorating results weren’t then stuck with them.

Susie Molnar of Northampton, Pa., knew that her family room, with its baby blue paneling and carpeting, needed serious help. But she found the red satin curtains chosen by designer Hildi Santo Tomas better suited to a “brothel,” and described the walls as being “the color of baby poop.” Around a new sisal area rug, Santo Tomas left a border of toddler-hostile concrete. What’s more, the sisal triggered allergies Molnar says she discussed with the producers. But the designer, says Molnar, “could care less that I had young children, that allergies were a big issue for us.”
There were other grievances. Glass bubbles and beads Molnar had made, plus hundreds of river stones, were used to pave the brick surround of the gas fireplace. “We had to chisel them off to get to the controls. Some of the glass bubbles fell off and there were shards on the floor. All I wanted was a room that was safe for my children. I cried all night.”
[…] “Our room was called ‘urbane,’ ” Susie Molnar says now. “There were a lot of curse words. I swore when the cameras were turned off. I was walking around the room blowing candles out. I have an 18-month-old. What were they doing with candles?”
“They kept telling me,” she says, ” ‘Controversy makes good TV.’ ”

Harumph. Give me the Ground Force crew, anytime. If I want my interior decor screwed up, I can do it on my own, thanks.

(via Doyce)