31 replies to this topic

[Lopethina]

This is the spin-off of HGTV's Kitchen Cousins, where people allow them to do shoddy, impractical renovations on other rooms in the house too!

I've seen two episodes now: one where they work with the Ellen show to surprise two first responders after their house was destroyed by Sandy, and one where a son surprises his parents with a trip to their home country of South Korea and they come back to a renovated main floor and backyard.

My entire reason for creating this thread is so I could express my horror that they thought it was a no-brainer to put a koi pond in the Korean folks' backyard.

[selhars]

From the promos, it does seem as if the re-dos are indeed over the top for the houses and neighborhoods....just lke most HGTV shows.

I love a great 'after' just like anyone else -- but to go over the top for the house and area is crazy.

Why can't these shows just do updates and remodels most people can afford. Putting a 75-100-thousand dollar kitchen or basement/attic room, in 300-350 thousand dollar house (which is what this work would REALLY cost) makes NO sense for the house or the neighborhood.

But whatever...it's TV.....

[Ketzel]

I watched the show for about ten minutes and that was it for me. These guys are even more boring in this setting than they were on the kitchen show. At least, with that show, I got to stare at kitchen renovation, which was interesting to me since I am hoping to do one in the next year or so. But this? These two are Property Brothers wannabes and don't, imo, even measure up to that very, very, very, low standard of interesting/entertaining.

[lu1wml]

I saw the Park redo, and thought the same thing about the koi pond.
It would have been so easy to ask the son about any elements that would add Korean touches, but they went for the "Asian" pagoda.
Wish they'd have left the living room and dining room as they were, but I guess Ikea wanted the new furniture throughout the area.
Mrs. Park did not look happy when they first walked in and saw the changes, and I can see that the modern furniture might not be to their taste.
They did really like the porch and stairs, and Mr. Park seem very happy with the greenhouse.

[Lola16]

Didn't know that there was a separate thread for this - was posting in the Kitchen Cousins thread.

The makeover for the Korean family was so so. The parents supposedly are too tired when they come home to do anything with their yard so the cousins get rid of 2 storage sheds (where did all that stuff go?) and put up a gazebo with generic Asian style and a greenhouse. I could see maybe planting a weeping cherry and some flowering bushes like a rhododendron which is relatively low maintenance but I'm not sure how much the parents want to garden when they are home. Also, I don't get why they changed the direction of the back staircase. It now juts more into the yard taking up a lot more area.

I really find the cousins lacking in design skill and practicality.

[ByaNose]

At least, like some said in an earlier thread if they took their shirts off it would be something to look at. They seem like nice guys but the show & designs are really lacking.

[gazerguy]

Saw the Jersey Shore episode and it felt like more of the same from the KC's, i.e. good intentions but missing the mark WRT both design and practicality or form and function.

Hoping those 2 had a garage that wasn't aired because I have no idea what happened to their laundry room. Oh well, details. Hey, they now have a bar, instead!

Never heard anything about HVAC for the former 3 season porch, current dining room. Don't believe they expanded or redid their heating system. Nice to open up the space but the volume ceiling will also require additional energy and the d/r zone may be very chilly. Also, it appeared they removed an attic when they opened up the ceiling so that may have reduced the home's storage capacity.

The surf board bar top was a nice idea but poorly executed - it wasn't properly fitted/installed. They needed to build that area out further or use the board as a bar front instead of simply attaching it to the wall as a bar top. Consequently, the bar refrigerator didn't fit in the space.

That water feature was obscene, IMHO. Beside the obvious Sandy connection, it was far too large for the space. If they wanted to add one, how about simple, natural and elegant?

Oh well, more of the same and JMHO.

Edited by gazerguy, Jan 14, 2013 @ 2:23 PM.

[NYGirl]

I thought the table looked stupid where they stenciled in Eat and Drink or something like that. It looked like a child wrote it.

[AllAboutMBTV]

Shirt removal! Gracias, Show.

[Lola16]

So there was a new episode about a man in Mexico wanting to redo a house for his wife's birthday. I'd say I watched the episode but that wouldn't be truthful. The TV was tuned to that channel but it didn't hold my interest at all. I wasn't even riveted by the reveal.

[ByaNose]

I must say though that the Cousins sure get around. They've been on with Hoda & Kathie Lee, then it was Ellen and I just saw them this morning on Good Morning America. Their agent(s) must be working overtime to get all of these gigs. They aren't the greatest designers (IMO) but they seem likable and have good tv presence.

[lu1wml]

I saw one on the schedule where they were to do a room for a Kardashian, and then that Mexico one, and that's not the type of show I like.
That sounds more like Million Dollar Rooms, and Selling NY. I'm not interested in lifestyles of the rich and famous.

I'm liking the Brothers' show more than the Cousins' one.

[Lola16]

Caught the last 5 minutes of tonight's episode with Khloe and Lamar. What a hideous room. I liked the before better - sure it was tacky but it was set up like a theatre room should be. Light colors and 2 oversized sofas? Is Lamar going to be kanoodling with his teammmates? Ridic.

[NYC2007]

Caught the last 5 minutes of tonight's episode with Khloe and Lamar. What a hideous room. I liked the before better - sure it was tacky but it was set up like a theatre room should be. Light colors and 2 oversized sofas? Is Lamar going to be kanoodling with his teammmates? Ridic.

I also didn't like the redwood. It was beautiful wood, but just didn't go with anything in the room/house. Also, what was with the horses' head sculptures?

The only thing that surprised me is that I totally didn't hate Khloe. I usually never watch anything that stars anyone in that family.

[hitchcock3011]

I like the show and the cousins. I had a question about a design element in Kitchen Cousins I posed via Facebook and actually got a response back. Nice. That said, as soon as I saw a Kardashian was appearing, I changed the channel

Edited by hitchcock3011, Jan 24, 2013 @ 3:03 PM.

[midvale]

Just saw the Tulsa show. That guy really said some weird things: the Dynasty comment, the comment about disco balls on his jacket, the comment about the Tiki theme (it was someone's bed, which I don't think he was going to buy), and the comment about spelling his name out with his patio/deck. A little odd.

She declared that she liked the first house's countertops, which were laminate, but then declared that she didn't like laminate at all at another house. Also, if you have to ask if the floors that you're standing on are hardwood....oh, never mind.

I, too, was a little surprised about the flat surfaced stove being hard to clean. Mine is the easiest one I've ever had to keep clean.

About the school yard....I was not aware that in some places cops would chase you from using school property. That certainly hasn't been my experience as a resident of three cities in three different states, where I've used school property many times recreationally (crossing fields on walks, jogging on tracks, playing tennis, playing basketball, having softball practice). Clearly, city policies of such things vary. It would seem in this case that the real estate agent was correct seeing that there was a back gate leading out to the school property from the home's back yard.

[diydude]

Did you mean HH, midvale?

Can you share your design q&a with the rest of the class, hitchcock? Who's their background designer, BTW? Well, you probably heard from a design asst or other minion responding on their behalf. Agree, nice when someone acknowledges and/or responds to fan postings.

Ashamed to admit seeing the Kar-trash-ian episode. Home ill so that's my excuse!

Khloe: "What color is redwood?" (Duh.) "No way - that's real wood? Not used to real wood, guys!"

Let's fly to SJ to select 6 pieces of redwood, even though we could most likely do it via email or, better yet, use an LA supplier! Methinks the SJ guy paid up. Then, we can destroy the redwood by inserting speakers into it!

You're right, NYC - noticed they didn't repeat the element of the redwood/rustic wood (well, maybe in the refreshment area and part of the shelving but it wasn't enough/didn't seem to jive) or use that as a theme. They combined rustic with the contemporary furniture - didn't work for me. P.S. Someone made a lousy cut on that countertop.

How about glaring Edison lights as "stars"! (Huh?) Don't they use them in almost every episode? They must have paid more. Lightening up a theater room? (Huh?) Demo'ing everything when we could have simply worked with the bones and made changes to remove the Lakers' colors, update the feature wall and open up the refreshment area, etc? (Whatever)

If you're going lighter with the off-white/beige couch, why not order off-white for the loveseats instead of grey for consistency? Didn't care for that much contrast. Felt as if someone ordered everything late.

And this family's famous for what reason? Being famous? Don't know what network their show airs on but it must be owned by Scripps or have a joint marketing agreement with them. Nothing like watching a 30 minute promo.

All JMHO, again.

Edited by diydude, Jan 24, 2013 @ 6:38 PM.

[NYC2007]

I, too, was a little surprised about the flat surfaced stove being hard to clean. Mine is the easiest one I've ever had to keep clean.

I have one and find that every water spot takes scrubbing to get off. It's a pain because even the special cleaners don't always get off the stuff and you can't use anything abrasive because it scratches.

Let's fly to SJ to select 6 pieces of redwood, even though we could most likely do it via email or, better yet, use an LA supplier! Methinks the SJ guy paid up. Then, we can destroy the redwood by inserting speakers into it!

They removed those hideous speaker things from the original wood strips and then added back hideous speakers inserted into the redwood. It hurt to watch them cut that wood.

[AllAboutMBTV]

If you're going lighter with the off-white/beige couch...

Why go "lighter" at all in a screening room? Shouldn't screening rooms be on the dark side? (Especially since the mistress of the house said she liked dark colors like espresso.) I couldn't even tell what color the room ended up being -- putty? flesh-toned? Eesh... Pass me some candy. It'll go with the eye candy -- which is the only reason I watch this show.

[diydude]

Agree, AllAbout, as mentioned above. "Lightening up a theater room? (Huh?)" Yes, the color read as putty on my screen.


WRT those speakers, NYC, I'd rather see them hidden. Wouldn't preclude them from using the redwood in the room. Perhaps a rustic-contempo theme would have worked. Contempo-rustic fell flat, IMHO.

Didn't appear that Khloe's style was either rustic or contemporary, however, so not convinced the room flowed with the remainder of the house. But, that's another issue -

Edited by diydude, Jan 26, 2013 @ 3:45 PM.

[ByaNose]

The cousins did a great (on of their better ones) for a family of five. It started out just to be a new kitchen but they extended the house and added a deck off the bedroom. Obviously, it cost a lot of money which wasn't disclosed exactly ow much. I would have loved it for me. It was one of their more normal & nice looking projects.

[Lola16]

The last episode was OK but the kitchen island? Massive and the only place to eat. So all the family members have to sit side by side. How does that encourage conversation?

[iwasish]

The Jersey shore house thing just bugged me. It was a nice gesture BUT tons of homes were destroyed and need rebuilding. WHat was so special about that couple? They were first responders, that's nice and I can see doing something for them however they had all kinds of special treatment that homeowners all around them can't get to rebuild their own homes.. fast tracked permits and inspections. If I lived around there I might be a bit miffed. Maybe the cousins could have helped out several familes on the same block instead of focusing on just one.

If it were me, I'd be uncomfortable relaxing and enjoying my tricked out place while others were struggling to get their homes rebuilt.

[sistersledge]

I think this show is kind of a flop. They should have stuck with just kitchens. Did anyone see the Hoboken house redo this week? I thought it was really ugly and the couple pretty delusional about their future partying prospects with a child on the way.

I lived in Hoboken for 8 years, the Hoboken St Patty's day is a hot mess- the streets are literally littered with obnoxious, drunk 20somethings from 9am on. They actually canceled it last year (not sure if its back on) and moved the parade to a weekday bc of all the issues.

That said, I kept waiting for the wife to ixnay those open stairs with a future toddler in the house, but I guess first-time parents and two single guys wouldn't catch that.

I think Anthony is the catch of the two, but he seems a little depressed in some of the episodes. I hate the flat hair look though.

Edited by sistersledge, Mar 1, 2013 @ 6:46 PM.

[ByaNose]

I haven't really watched the new format of this show since I was never crazy with their kitchen designs. I think they are lucky they are good looking guys becasue if they weren't they wouldn't be on TV & be on with Ellen & TODAY. I think their work is abysmal. Also, which one is Anthony? Is he the taller or shorter one? Like I've said in the past. They seem like nice guys but I wouldn't hire them unless they did exactly what I wanted. I wouldn't want to be in the dark & surprised by their work. I don't think my heart could take the risk.

[gazerguy]

Have a feeling they're still on b/c of all the promotions they do.

IIRC, Anthony's a little taller. His parents appear on the show from time to time.

John's the cousin who proposed on air (blech).

[Lola16]

Both cousins are hot and seemingly nice. That's enough I suppose to get your own show! There's some new show on the Style network that features hot carpenters - I'm not sure if they are real carpenters or models.

[diydude]

Their looks probably increase ratings and help them score the promotions and tie-ins that Scripps prefers.

[BuddhaBelly]

I liked the master suite they did last night. The bathtub across from the fireplace was a bit much but hey if encouraging married sexy times is never wrong. I wanted that closet for myself. I need it! I need it now.

[AllAboutMBTV]

What's the over/under on how soon they rip out that vitrine fireplace? I say after the third time one of them slams into it in the middle of the night headed for the bathroom. Those sharp edges are gonna leave a mark.