Trading Spaces

Here in Canada, we have several American cable channels such as TBS, A&E, TNN, CNN, CNBC and Headline News. We also have the The Learning Channel, a network that I'd rid myself of if I could. However, that won't happen anytime soon, because my live-in mother is addicted to TLC's Saturday-night hit, Trading Spaces.

Trading Spaces (another import from Europe, no surprise) has a pair of couples who go into the other's homes and redecorate a room with a $1000 U.S. budget and two days to do it in. We get to see these people in what could be labeled as "reality home improvement" as they battle to get the place looking the best with the help of interior decorators, carpenters, and others. Then we see the reactions of the two couples.

I will admit that the show can be intriguing at times and that Paige Davis is a perky, spunky, and very cute host. Still, this show can be silly and kitschy (though not cheesy, that's reserved for Britney Spears and her ilks videos) most times. A lot of the people they find aren't, shall we say, camera friendly. While everyone else wears fancy clothes, the couples are forced to wear lame looking bowling shirts with the "Trading Spaces" logo. Also, the theme music sounds like Night Court's music all remixed! Guys, it's 2002, not 1985, get something 21st century.

Honestly though, the show can be a good watch at times, and TLC is using it wall-to-wall on the dead Saturday night. Paige is a cool host, but the show needs some changes made to it before I can recommend it. I'd rather watch that couple on Canadian Tire commercials do a home improvement show than this right now.

There is waaaaaaay too much b**ching, whining,complaining and DRAMA on this show. Trim it by a half hour it would be interesting to watch. Less arguing and more of the details and ideas shown would be nice, leave it up to the Americans to ruin a perfectly good show.

Through the good and the bad this show always managed to have a good time. Some of the designs were downright gorgeous (anything by Genevieve/Laurie) and some hideous (Hildi). The homeowners were usually good people and good sports, which makes the show enjoyable to watch. And Paige is such a fun and engaging host. I've definitely gotten some design inspiration from this show!

I started watching "Trading Spaces" before I stumbled onto "Changing Rooms" on BBCAmerica about a month later. Talk about a difference!

While the American version tries very hard to capture the charm of it's older British sister, it, more often than not, fails miserably. First off, the homeowners of the British version, from what I've seen, are much more willing to be part of the team with open minds and work very hard in making the room a masterpiece. More than once have I seen the Americans whine about working, staying up long hours to finish their "homework", and the designs involved. Generally, the Americans just seem like a huge pain in the behind to work with, but the designers sometimes don't make it any easier, bringing us to point number two.

While many of the designs in "Changing Rooms" may be a bit unusual but still livable in an approach to decorating, some of the design ideas of "Trading Spaces" are completely off the wall and off the mark. Hilda must GO, just for the simple fact that she cannot work well with the homeowners and argues with them until she gets her way, much like a small child. One episode comes to mind when she painted the walls of a fellow's bedroom black, which the neighbours already knew he would hate, and ripped up the carpet he loved. Needless to say, the homeowner was appalled at Hilda's vision, which she was warned about and apparently didn't seem to care. I'm not crazy about Doug's design ideas, either, and it's a trial to watch when him and Hilda are at the helm. Genevieve seems to be the only designer who is down to earth in her designs generally and we don't see her nearly enough.

The few bright spots of the programme have got to be Frank, an extremely flamboyant designer whose one-liners are usually better than his designs, and Amy, the female carpenter who doesn't take crap or guff from anyone on the show when it comes to her building for them.

Well, I've sat through a number of these dull American rehashes of the vastly entertaining "Changing Rooms," and I'm not impressed.

"Trading Spaces" seems to lack all of the things that make "Changing Rooms" such a charming and entertaining program. First, the hour-long format is way too long, but only because it's filled with designer posturing and stupid homeowners with these "Hi Mom!" expressions on their faces. In the original show, the designers and host (Carol Smillie) have a rapport and chemistry, and genuinely seem to like each other, despite the odd quarrel. The folks on "Trading Spaces" just seem mismatched. Although I didn't catch their names, the lovely redheaded designer is pleasant and talented as is the female carpenter but these two elements don't make up for a dire show.

Try switching over to "Changing Rooms," on BBCAmerica, it's worth the price of digital cable.