Grand designes

03-10-2014 05:14PM #1

Am I missing out on something.

I like watching programs like grand designs and the like I like seeing the finished building its interesting, however I just don't get design and all the money they spent to get it just so. I mostly think the finished building look odd, its all about the texture and light bouncing off the bare concrete wall.... to me it an unfinished concrete wall grey and dull, am I just not getting it? or the 20,000 stainless steal kitchen that they are all wowing over.. to me its a catering kitchen or even wors they are all nearly having an orgasm over some piece of furniture by a famous designer that they just have to have because it would look so right in that space, I am siting there thinking thats exactly like something you would get in Ikea.

Am I the only one who just does not get it or am I missing something.

caustic 1 · 03-10-2014 05:21PM

It's all about Kevin mc friggin Cloud hoping they fail and go way over budget then walks all around at the end saying how wonderful it is.

KungPao · 03-10-2014 05:22PM

I prefer the poverty version; 60 Minute Makeover.

SEPT 23 1989 · 03-10-2014 05:22PM

Its a great show

AnonoBoy · 03-10-2014 05:25PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Its a great show

The designs themselves however are only grand.

03-10-2014 05:26PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Its a great show

It a great show but I keep expecting to see something amazing when the building is finished but 9 time out of 10 its does not look amazing and they have spent a fortune, maybe its me.

looking_around · 03-10-2014 05:26PM

My other half watches it...

I'm just left thinking... "waste of money, waste of money, waste of money" ....
And ALOT of the times, the money is from mortgages, it's not like they actually have this money to spend.

It's all about showing off "look what I can do/can afford".
There's only a couple of houses that are truly amazing, the one built around a tree? by mostly 1 person and the family wanted a "self sustainable living".

But most are simply "Look how much money I have, and I want to do something that's never been done before......=.=

frozenfrozen · 03-10-2014 05:28PM

it depends on how well it's done, but when the whole minimalism thing is done properly I think it looks great

ScumLord · 03-10-2014 05:29PM

I think the difference with grand designs is the people on the show are making somewhat artistic statements, or preserving old buildings in a modern way. It;s not just a renovation show showing you how to do things on the cheap.

Grand designs also runs exhibitions across the UK where you can go to talks and buy most of the things on the show. So they need to promote the lifestyle on the show to get people in the doors of their exhibitions and spending money.

KeithM89 · 03-10-2014 05:29PM

Shur it ends in divorce half the time.

03-10-2014 05:31PM

I was watching an episode last night that I think was a repeat. They spent more money than they intended to.

ScumLord · 03-10-2014 05:33PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I was watching an episode last night that I think was a repeat. They spent more money than they intended to.

That's no repeat, that's every show.

Pumpkinseeds · 03-10-2014 05:33PM

I haven't watched it for years. When I did watch it I found it all a bit meh. Essentially it seems to be couples spending ridiculous amounts of money building something that is so suited to their own tastes(not a good thing), that it would appear to be a bit of a white elephant if they ever wanted to sell up. As for restorations, I'm appalled by people who buy an old building and go ultra modern inside, it's neither one thing or the other then.

ArtyM · 03-10-2014 05:34PM

KeithM89 wrote: »

Shur it ends in divorce half the time.

I think you are mixing up Grand Designs and Swinging.

looking_around · 03-10-2014 05:38PM

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I haven't watched it for years. When I did watch it I found it all a bit meh. Essentially it seems to be couples spending ridiculous amounts of money building something that is so suited to their own tastes(not a good thing), that it would appear to be a bit of a white elephant if they ever wanted to sell up. As for restorations, I'm appalled by people who buy an old building and go ultra modern inside, it's neither one thing or the other then.

I love the old outdoor, modern minimalist indoor.

Unfortunately, don't see that much on grand design, most of the designs are over the top.

Owen_S · 03-10-2014 05:40PM

Interesting show, but some of the eejits on there make it tough to watch.

jiminho · 03-10-2014 05:56PM

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I haven't watched it for years. When I did watch it I found it all a bit meh. Essentially it seems to be couples spending ridiculous amounts of money building something that is so suited to their own tastes(not a good thing), that it would appear to be a bit of a white elephant if they ever wanted to sell up. As for restorations, I'm appalled by people who buy an old building and go ultra modern inside, it's neither one thing or the other then.

I can only think of handful that spend "ridiculous amounts of money". Btw what is considered ridiculous amounts when building a house? The vast majority of the homes would be in the 200-400k bracket and they get a hell of a lot more for their house then the standard person buying would.

"suited to their own tastes" - why would you build a house if not to suit your own tastes? What would be the point in building a standard dormer bungalow? The majority of these people are building their forever homes so what does it matter.

"As for restorations, I'm appalled by people who buy an old building and go ultra modern inside" - well that's just your opinion. It can look old on the outside and modern on the inside and still look very impressive. The majority of people don't want that Victorian tea set look in their home.

You should try watch it again, maybe your opinion will change

The Diabolical Monocle · 03-10-2014 05:59PM

Opportunity for the rich to show off how educated they are and how much good taste they have.
Then that guy at the end says something he doesn't really understand himself but contains words like 'quintessential' 'evolution' and 'aesthetic foreplay'.

yaw yaw one sees the prolific grandeur representative of the phallic influence that is todays postmodern society in these faux ivory door handles, chortle chortle, quite amusing, yet ironic in a carbon neutral fair trade sense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLIOLhQDzM4

DLMA23 · 03-10-2014 06:01PM

Fantastic water tower conversion in Belgium known as the Chateau d'eau

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/bham-design-studio-chateau-deau

kylith · 03-10-2014 09:36PM

I like watching Grand Designs because I love having a nosey around the houses. Recently there's a mad trend for open plan stark white places that look really uninviting. I prefer a house to look like the kind of place you can walk into, kick off your shoes and flop on the sofa, not somewhere that looks like a show home, or has painted concrete block walls so it looks like a warehouse with a sofa in it.

03-10-2014 10:23PM

ScumLord wrote: »

That's no repeat, that's every show.

Oh(!)

03-10-2014 10:24PM

kylith wrote: »

I like watching Grand Designs because I love having a nosey around the houses. Recently there's a mad trend for open plan stark white places that look really uninviting. I prefer a house to look like the kind of place you can walk into, kick off your shoes and flop on the sofa, not somewhere that looks like a show home, or has painted concrete block walls so it looks like a warehouse with a sofa in it.

Dark wood paneling, fire, wingback chair.

Call Me Jimmy · 03-10-2014 10:30PM

Is it weird to want a bath situated in front of the fire? Just think it'd be a cracking combo, anyone feelin me?

kylith · 03-10-2014 10:33PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Dark wood paneling, fire, wingback chair.

Add a wall of bookshelves and I'm there.

woodoo · 03-10-2014 10:37PM

There was a similar show on the BBC the other night where they gave a woman from Birmingham a concrete floor and a concrete counter top along with bare mdf kitchen cabinets. They raved about how good it looked. But it was absolutely hideous.

LETHAL LADY · 03-10-2014 10:39PM

I don't watch it that often but I liked the house the Northern Irish farmer built out of shipping containers.

Slicemeister · 03-10-2014 10:41PM

Was at a wedding once back when the Celtic Tiger was in full swing. This irish lady had an audience as she explained how herself and her husband had filmed for this series, an overhaul to an old grainmill. La de da, she's stinking in it so I thought.

Saw the episode a few months later, they hadn't two beans to rub together. Opened my eyes, even if it did turn out brilliant for a finish. But jaysus they sacrificed everything to build and exhibit their own mecca( in their eyes).

03-10-2014 10:44PM

kylith wrote: »

Add a wall of bookshelves and I'm there.

How else would one get into the room?

Aidric · 03-10-2014 10:47PM

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

Then that guy at the end says something he doesn't really understand himself but contains words like 'quintessential' 'evolution' and 'aesthetic foreplay'.

yaw yaw one sees the prolific grandeur representative of the phallic influence that is todays postmodern society in these faux ivory door handles, chortle chortle, quite amusing, yet ironic in a carbon neutral fair trade sense.

Lol, nice take-down. You get a share of bells on the show but overall I give it the benefit of the doubt. It's a pleasantly distracting hour of television with some real gems and the theme tune blows everything else out of the park.

miss no stars · 03-10-2014 10:53PM

The comments in this thread show why Irish people live in generally crap boxes cloned all over the country with miserable decor and furnishing.

Ruu · 03-10-2014 10:55PM

One in the US called Property Virgins, oh yeah!

Grand designes

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