Customer Reviews

Trading Spaces Behind the Scenes: Including Decorating Tips and Tricks

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm a huge fan of TLC's "Trading Spaces". I love the concept (based on the fabulous BBC show "Changing Rooms") and I love the designers (they really are the ones that make this show a hit) and I love home design. BUT - if you are looking for a HOW TO book. This isn't for you.... this is a fun and gossipy book ABOUT the designers, carpenters and host Paige Davis. If you want HOW TO tips, wait until later this year when THAT book comes out.

This book if full of profiles, home pictures, tales and reviews of each of the designers and their most famous rooms. It's a fun look inside their lives and recommendations. It's a marketing person's dream :) It's fluff --- but in a good way. It's a great soft sided book that takes your mind off more serious topics of the day.

My favorite spotlights are Hildi (it really shows her softer and sweeter side) and my all time fav. groovy girl Genevieve. She's such a wonderful free spirit. BUT - without a doubt, my crush on Vern's talent is even greater after reading about him in this book.

"Trading Spaces - Behind The Scenes" is just a great pick me up and I enjoyed every minute of it!

This book is a good example of savvy marketing at it's best. My husband and I have watched the show ever since the Alex Mcloud era, and we were hoping to get some tips and how-tos on some of the designs we've seen over the years. This book is basically a big biography of the designers- I could give a flying fig where Doug Wilson went to High School, I want to know how he does those cool paint techniques! If you're looking for tips and techniques like me, hold out until August- TLC will be releasing two more books from the TS camp; one on furniture, paint and fabric, and the other on accessories. However if you're really looking for poster-size photos of the designers (I kid you not), look no further.

The book is an inside look at the designers and others who appear on the TV show. It is not meant to be a "How To" book. Within the scope of its purpose, it does well. It shows many pictures and gives a lot of information about the people. It's a sort of introduction to the show through its stars and does a good job of showing their personalities, quirks, & mess ups. It does show a little about the rooms that have been decorated on the show and has a list with comments about every show at the end of the book. It also does show a few tips about decorating. There are two more books scheduled to be published that will be more like decorating "How To".

This is the ultimate inside scoop! In this book, you get to peer behind the camera and see what really happens on the set of Trading Spaces. Not only do you get in-depth profile chapters on all of the designers and carpenters, you also get to glimpse their inspiration. Plus, it's full of design tips. The book is long-it is really full of everything-including Gen's design inspiration, Frank's humor (which is hilarious) and even a picture of Doug when he played Danny Zucko in a production of Grease. If you are a junkie-or even just a compassionate fan-there is an episode guide at the back of the book so you can find all the different cities they've been to and what rooms were re-done etc. The retro illustrations, colorful photos, and funky design make it fun to page through. It's also written really well--the text is engaging, chatty and easy to follow (I even found my husband sneaking a peek and he got caught up in a chapter)! While it's fun to see photos of Laurie in highschool and pics of Hildi in Paris, the stories about how these folks became designers and how they like to work is quite inspirational. The photographs of the finished rooms are gorgeous and you can see how some of the design decisions were made. Tips about fabric choice and applying stylistic influences are icing on a picture-perfect cake. I highly recommend this for any TS fan or aficionado.

After a long wait for a Trading Spaces book (the series in now in its third year!), when this book finally was announced, I expected it to be a companion piece to the tv show: a step-by-step how-to on some of the highlights of the show. It is not. Instead, they chose to give us photos and bios of each of the cast members, along with limited "tips and tricks." And even at that, they failed to go the distance: I mean, com'on: aren't you the least bit curious to see what Hilde's home looks like??? Unfortunately, this book does not go that far.

Also, the look of this "book" is somewhat disappointing: it's more of a bound magazine. The layout is what I would call "retro 60s" and the flow is kind of rough on the eyes.

I wouldn't dismiss this book entirely, tho. For what it is (OK, so it isn't the book we all expected!), it is interesting and readable. They promise 2 more books come August, more along the line of the show. Let's hope these forthcoming books are more promising.

This is excellent light reading material. When I saw it in the store, that was the first I had even heard about the book. After a minute of paging through it, I know I wanted it. I read it while in the checkout and then grabbed it again immediately when I got home, but my family members couldn't wait to get their turns at it. I didn't expect it to be an in-depth how-to book, (I've got enough of those sitting around). The show is about the challenge of doing two rooms in two days with $1,000 each and it's about the personalities of the designers, Paige and the carpenters. It's also about doing some wild designs that sometimes work and sometimes don't. I was glad they included pictures of rooms I liked (like Kia's India room) and ones I didn't (like Hilde's Tiffany room with all the white airbrushed squiggles on blue walls and fabric). I loved learning the backgrounds of the designers and I think I can now at least see the reason behind why they act the way they do sometimes. I didn't find it in the least bit disappointing (ok, I'd like to see what Hilde's home looks like too). I'd recommend it to anyone who is hooked on the show and who enjoys the fun of the show as much as they do the designing.

I think this book is great. It's interesting to read about the designers' backrounds and where they got their start. I like the synopsis of each episode at the end. I didn't expect this to be a "how-to" book. That type of thing is pretty much explained on the show. I recommend this highly to any "Trading Spaces" fan.

The book is a great extension of the show. Lots of fun to read the bios of each cast member. It's like the People mag of the decorating world. Lots of little tidbits about your favorite (or not so favorite) TV decorators. If you're looking for a "how to" decorating book, try something else but if you're looking for some dish and inside scoop...buy it!

Got my copy. Cool. Fun. It answers lots of questions my husband and I have had about the cast and what they're really like. There is so much in the book that I haven't had a chance to read the entire thing yet. I had no idea that Hildi lives in Paris. I didn't know that Frank was really a painter although I could have guessed. The book is crammed with information, and it's fun to read. The behind-the-scenes pics are fun too. There are some decorating tips in the book but I was glad to see the page about coming attractions because I see that two Trading Spaces decorating books will be out soon. Can't wait. Love the show.

I love watching Trading Spaces -- especially because the hilarious, creative cast! This book gives each cast member a chapter to really shine! All the designers are covered, plus carpenters Ty and Amy Wynn, and host Paige Davis. There are a lot of facts, funny stories, and personal pictures (Doug Wilson's baby pic is a hoot!) for each cast member. While I wish there were more "tips and tricks" like the cover promises, I'm hopeful that the future books on decorating projects will take care of this.

Also, the Episode Guide in the back of book is really cool. It covers EVERY single episode of the show through about halfway through the 3rd season-- plus is tells you when homeowners cry or the designers have a "diva fit". I thought I'd seen all the episodes, but it turns out I missed several in the 1st season that sound really funny.