Changing Diy for ever? (Changing Rooms)

Member Name: Karon

Product:	Changing Rooms
Date:	20/12/00 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: See the neighbours squirm

Disadvantages: Wearing sunglasses to view the bright colours

Changing Rooms is the grandparent of the current crop of DIY programmes that litter our TV schedules (real rooms, house invaders, better homes, House doctor etc etc).

It has made stars of its designers ; Laurence Llewyllyn Bowen, Anna Ryder Richardson, Linda Barker, Graham Wynne et all and made the popularity of Carol Smillie soar.

Its basically a programme where two groups of neighbours (They have to live closish so that Carol can nip between the two houses) swop keys and redecorate each other's room with "help" from their designers.

The budget is usually £500 but I have spotted some shows where it is £750.

The designers usually decide to paint the room purple or lilac or pink. Occasionally they stretch their imagination and go for Orange or Lime green. They then add Leopard skin or other fake fur prints, paint lines around the wall and tear down the curtains to make blinds. If they need to build anything, they get Handy Andy to knock it up out of some MDF (what;s wrong with timber I want to know?!)

I often wonder where the £500 goes as these designers don't seem to frequent Wickes or B7Q very often. We see the BBC quoting prices for various materials, and having just completely gutted and redcorated my own house I know the prices are greatly inflated.

The joy of Changing Rooms is seeing the looks on people's faces when they see the room for the first time. While its great to see them swallow and spit out "its lovely" between clenched teeth, its far more amusing when the honest ones actually say what they think.

I suppose smiling at other people's misfortune is a Gt british trait - just look at the popularity of "You've been Framed".

Summary: