Restored

I really love that this is not just your standard redecorating show. Homes are restored to be what they were originally supposed to be. All sorts of architectural styles are presented, and even when the style isn't one I would typically care for, it is always interesting to learn about the different styles and the elements that define them. I'm an architecture junkie, but I think anyone who enjoys home remodeling and decor shows would enjoy this. I find the host to be really likeable and he comes across as a really nice, laid-back guy.

I'm obsessed with this series! What sets this apart from all the rest is its genuine focus on preserving rather than a modern renovation that doesn't stand the test of time.

It's so refreshing to watch a preservation show where you actually learn a lot about different architectural styles. Brett has a great eye for sensing what the house had and more often than not, he's exactly right. In one episode, he guessed where a sconce once may have been and with a hammer, he found it in just one try!

I love that this show now airs on both DIY and HGTV. The renovations are fun to watch and the more viewers get introduced to traditional design, the better.

You know that in every episode that Brett will insert 'pony walls', pocket doors, a mud room and an island bench in the kitchen.

He will also laugh like a drain and bear hug the wife.

I like this show and I like Brett Waterman, but the show does have a few things that could be improved for me. But first, the good things: Brett is a wealth of knowledge and skill, and obviously has great love for the types of houses he chooses to work on. The people he works with all seem to be wonderful craftspeople, suppliers and artisans, and the results he achieves are always very well done. Some of the turnarounds shown are simply remarkable transformations. And sometimes you get a real winner, such as his recent resto of the 1960s California bungalow that was simply outstanding. Shout out to Sara Zofko, his usual designer, for her fine work on this.

What I don't like quite so much are some of the changes that seem imposed upon the homeowners for the sake of originality and design integrity. We aren't living in the 1900s and with some of these restorations I find myself wondering how long the result shown lasts after the cameras leave and the owners need to live in it day to day. The budgets are usually large, yet the results sometimes don't seem to reflect that level of investment because of the costs of finding the right vintage tile for a fireplace, dull linoleum for the kitchen floor, or reproduction (and to my eye, not always attractive) period light fixtures. Spending $150K on restoration to end up with a house with 2 small bedrooms and no place to watch TV doesn't always seem the wisest investment to me, but I guess that is what the owners asked for. I also find the repetition of scenes before and after commercial breaks, especially the predictable one near the end before revealing the kitchen, pretty tiresome. But a good show overall.

This is NOT your same-old house renovation show. Brett carefully returns homes to as near original glory, while preserving but disguising modern necessities to fit the period. As an owner of a 106 year old home myself, I've learned SO much from this show and it has both broadened my thinking and also allowed me to key in to exactly the approach I want to take.

Another thing this show has made me realize is that EVERY era of home can be beautiful, you just have to be true to the home's original function and be consistent with finishes and style choices throughout. I've also learned that I can like linoleum, and that it is NOT the same thing as vinyl flooring ;)

The only thing I would change about the show would be for him to go to other parts of the country, as he stays mostly in Redlands and always in Southern California. I want to hire him! Brett come to the Midwest!! But for real though, I would thoroughly enjoy seeing how his approach might vary for areas that experience freeze/thaw, snow load, and otherwise more precipitation.

Brett's vision: A+ Interior designers: A+ Cabinet makers: A+ Master carpenter: A+ Landscapers: A+