HGTV Bitch Thread

[mojogirl]

May 17, 2020 21:33:12 GMT -4 madangela said:

My favorite things are 1) when they knock out kitchen walls to create an open floor plan, thereby typically getting rid of a bunch of cabinets and storage space as well as putting the food prep area on display for all and sundry. (I would despise having dinner guests being able to see all the mess when we sit down to eat.); 2) when they take out the coat closet by the front door to create some kind of fancier entry area.

Yes, especially when they put in all open shelving in the kitchen so your dishes are just stacked up there. Ignoring the dust/grease issue, I guess they don't have an extensive collection of plastic cups like I do.

ETA: My 1928 house has no coat closet and I wish it did, but no place to put it. The master bedroom is on the main floor so for big parties we have people put their coats/purses on the bed, for smaller gatherings there's a bench in the living room we use.

[famvir]

I have a 1970s house and I love it. In our major overhaul, we did take out the over the counter pass through cabinets to the kitchen eating area. I really miss that cabinet space, and needed to go to the ceiling with cabinets to replace the space, and I can’t reach half our storage space.

But I’ll never regret telling (and firing) the designer that wanted to knock down all the walls. Besides the structural problems (which would necessitate pillars between the spaces to, like, hold the second floor up), you can watch tv in the family room when someone is doing homework on the kitchen table or talking on the phone!

You can eat in the dining room while the dishwasher is running!

My veddy veddy rich brother in law, however, has an entirely open concept house. Including an open bathroom in his master bedroom...with a huge hot tub and can see from the bed shower stall. (Love the idea of running a hot tub, then sleeping in the steamy remains).

His bedroom is the size of my first house (not even kidding). His toilet, however, is only about 2 feet by 4 feet and had a landline phone and a tv (back before cells). I guess that’s where he spends the most time.

[mojogirl]

When we lived in Wichita, there was a 1920's mansion that we looked at when we first moved there, but with newborn and a 2 year old we didn't want to take on the renovation. It came up for sale again about five years later and we seriously considered buying it. It was 9000 square feet over four stories - full height basement, first and second floor, and full height attic, with an elevator running between all four! It had like eight bedrooms and seven baths.

We did not buy it. The guy who did, combined like four of the 2nd floor bedrooms into the master suite. I think one whole bedroom was the closet. So now you had a 9000 square foot house with three bedrooms, WTF? (He opened it up for the Wichita Symphony Home Tour fundraiser, which we attended so that's how I know all this.) It's been on and off the market ever since, seems that nobody wants a giant house with only 3 bedrooms and basically an entire house as the master suite, go figure.

[Mugsy]

I suppose anyone who can afford a 9000 sq ft mansion could afford to put some walls back in.

We had a four bedroom house when we had one kid, so we took out a wall between two to make a bigger master with a closet. It was an old farmhouse with tiny bedrooms and tiny closets. We moved after kid two was born, and a later owner put the wall back in. Your house has to work for you.

Although I am amused when HGTV home buyers are touring potential homes and the realtor shows them a big master with a private balcony or a big seating area, and says, "You can sit out here with your morning coffee" or "This is a nice place for you two to get away." Well, if they have kids, good luck lounging peacefully on your balcony in the morning with that coffee, or watching a movie together in your sitting area. If you don't have kids, then you don't need to get away from anything. You can sit on your regular deck or watch tv in your living room. They're selling an idea that sounds good, but doesn't work.

[Mutagen]

May 18, 2020 11:01:56 GMT -4 mojogirl said:

When we lived in Wichita, there was a It's been on and off the market ever since, seems that nobody wants a giant house with only 3 bedrooms and basically an entire house as the master suite, go figure.

There was a house on Million Dollar Listing: LA like this once! Awesome house but I think it only had 2 bedrooms. The poor agent kept desperately trying to sell it as a party house but nobody was willing to pay that amount of money for so few bedrooms.

[famvir]

Yes yes yes.

We saw a house on a Southern California fancy house tour that was a new build, 6000 square feet, with one bedroom. I guess if you have so much money resale means nothing to you...

I can’t even put in carpeting or paint a wall without thinking resale value/will the new owners like this? And I’ve lived in the same house since 1980.

(I think that plan is no one can stay at your house if you don’t have a guest room. Kids? Grandkids? Sorry, no room/lists hotels).

I do know retired friends that move to a small apartment because they are done hosting.

[zwinter]

My new favorite show (technically on DIY) is Restored. The host restores older homes in the style of the home's architecture, preserving the style. As someone with an old Victorian I appreciate this approach. I've toured so many Victorians in my neighborhood that on the inside are open concept mid-mod, and it makes no sense!

One episode, working on a '40s bungalow, the owner mused that the host would probably recommend gutting the kitchen. It had all the original cabinetry and woodworking, and the host was visibly horrified at the idea of gutting it! It was awesome.

[Brookie]

What's up with the "there's no separate gigantic playroom for the kids" crowd? When I lived with the folks, I had a bedroom to play in or the yard. There was no "Gee we need a separate play area for Brookie" bullshit.

[Mugsy]

Because kids nowadays (get off my lawn!) have so many damn toys, they need an entire room to hold it all. I've seen families with two kids under 3 that have more plastic shit then my 4 kids accumulated during their entire childhoods.

When we lived in Wichita, there was a 1920's mansion that we looked at when we first moved there, but with newborn and a 2 year old we didn't want to take on the renovation. It came up for sale again about five years later and we seriously considered buying it. It was 9000 square feet ... The guy who did, combined like four of the 2nd floor bedrooms into the master suite. I think one whole bedroom was the closet. So now you had a 9000 square foot house with three bedrooms, WTF? (He opened it up for the Wichita Symphony Home Tour fundraiser, which we attended so that's how I know all this.) It's been on and off the market ever since, seems that nobody wants a giant house with only 3 bedrooms and basically an entire house as the master suite, go figure.

I looked at the link and it has 4 bedrooms, not 3, and looked like it had room to add more bedrooms.
I like it, and wouldn't renovate much.

[madangela]

May 18, 2020 10:37:15 GMT -4 famvir said:

I have a 1970s house and I love it. In our major overhaul, we did take out the over the counter pass through cabinets to the kitchen eating area. I really miss that cabinet space, and needed to go to the ceiling with cabinets to replace the space, and I can’t reach half our storage space.

But I’ll never regret telling (and firing) the designer that wanted to knock down all the walls. Besides the structural problems (which would necessitate pillars between the spaces to, like, hold the second floor up), you can watch tv in the family room when someone is doing homework on the kitchen table or talking on the phone!

You can eat in the dining room while the dishwasher is running!

My veddy veddy rich brother in law, however, has an entirely open concept house. Including an open bathroom in his master bedroom...with a huge hot tub and can see from the bed shower stall. (Love the idea of running a hot tub, then sleeping in the steamy remains).

His bedroom is the size of my first house (not even kidding). His toilet, however, is only about 2 feet by 4 feet and had a landline phone and a tv (back before cells). I guess that’s where he spends the most time.

Ha!

I’ve been in an otherwise lovely house that had a completely open first floor. Everything was beautiful and well-constricted - top of the line appliances, gorgeous comfy furniture - but it was like being in a gymnasium with a kitchen at one end and clumps of furniture throughout. Just not my thing.