I finally got to my TiVo today and started watching some of the shows that I have saved. One of them is actually pretty recent (showed on January 1st) but I (and my sister-in-law) was curious about it so we watched it together tonight: Paint-Over! is the new show that is hosted by Design Star 3 winner, Jennifer Bertrand. Earlier this week I mentioned that I thought the videos on the HGTV website were a bit boring and monotone but the show was different. Here are a few thoughts on each of the paint-overs she did on the hour show. (Will it always be an hour? I can totally see this show being 30 minutes and I think it would be easier to watch if it was 30 minutes… just saying!)
Like I said in my earlier post, the videos online weren’t exactly stellar… but the episode was much better. There were parts that I thought were a bit forced and the big grins made me laugh but then again, I’d be grinning too if I won a tv show!
The one thing that most of the rooms had in common was a design on the wall/floor/tile. Jennifer talked about stenciling but a lot of people wouldn’t even know where to start with those (such as myself!) So maybe HGTV should include some templates of the stencils that Jen used on the website? I think that many people who watch the show would love to steal the same designs for their rooms. Just an idea… but HGTV can pay me for it if they want! LOL
A sentence that was said a lot during the entire show was “Anyone can do that” but I disagree. I find it very difficult to free hand anything. If I did a freehand design, you’d end up with some pretty scary stuff. I also find that I wouldn’t be inclined to get some scaffolding in my living room to paint the higher parts of the walls. Maybe it’s just me, but “anyone can do it” is not something that actually encourages me to try. I look at it and think to myself “I can’t do that.” Here’s an example of a “freehand” work of art of mine. (I was young when I painted this and much more talented… and yes, there’s a monkey, 3 parrots, a giraffe, a banana tree which grows bananas individually and a fall colors tree!)
I did think, however, that the do it yourself tips on the screen were well done. They were helpful and interesting. I thought the info on the “green” alternative was great because I am totally green around the house if I can be. I also loved how Jen would give people in the family smaller projects so that they can say that they did something nearly entirely on their own. The furniture finishing was a great way to get someone involved who might not be as artistically inclined as others. I appreciated those projects the most but I wish that they had showcased those items more so that we can see what “normal” people are capable of painting and making look perfect!
Jen also pushed people out of their comfort zone but they seemed to enjoy the finished project so it was a good way to get the final product that she wanted. There were a few things in the rooms that I thought looked a bit strange… like the colors in the kitchen were a bit scary… and the stenciling in the living room of the first house was really busy and I agreed with the man of the house that it was too much… the painting over the outlets was pretty weird too. I like having that crisp look of the white outlets but maybe that’s just me??? The shelf that was also the color of the green wall was a bit strange. I thought it would have looked like to have the shelves the color of the rest of the moulding but the back could have been the brown color.
I thought that the 76ers rec room was amazing! The floor was so awesome (I know that it wasn’t really done by the show but it was so badass!). I thought everything looked great and the space will really be used and enjoyed by the kids in that neighborhood. Too bad the 76ers didn’t come for the big reveal! That would have made it so awesome. My SIL (sister-in-law) thought that the blues on the floor and the walls should have matched but it didn’t really bother me.
Another thing I appreciated about the show was that we were shown how to paint over many different surfaces: tile, walls, panels, concrete, and even the ceiling hanging thingy-jigger. It was nice to learn about so many surfaces and tips for each of them. If the show was shorter, maybe Jennifer could spend more time talking about tips for different options on each surface so that the viewers know of different options before they go to their Home Depot and get what she talked about on the show.
A few things that bothered me about the show was that we never knew how much anything costs. Did the families pay for the paint? Was it expensive? How much did these “paint-overs” cost? Would it cost an arm and a leg for me to do it to my living room?? Are there any affordable options for the poor peeps out there (like me)??? Also, it was more than just painting. There were other things added to the rooms (furniture, curtains, pillows, etc). Does this mean that a room can’t be improved with just paint? Does it have to have the new furniture and such to make it better?
I will probably watch the show again because I really rooted for Jennifer during Design Star. I was pretty happy when she won so I think she deserves a chance. Also, I’m interested to see how the next episode will be as I’m not sure if this is a special or the actual way an episode will look.
Last but not least… CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER (and hubby) on your pregnancy! If you want, you can name your baby Melanie. I hear that’s a really awesome name. 
