Guess who I met today!?!?!?!!!

[MeanLaureen]

DOUG WILSON
from Trading Spaces!!!!!



I also have some juicy Trading Spaces gossip I might share if you ask me nice enough!

 

[caseylouandtyler2]

Pretty please share. I love that show. Is he as cute in person as he is on TV? I'm actually watching it right now. Frank is doing a very un-Frank room.

 

[winniedapooh]

OK I will beg too.....please. I have grow to really like Doug, I didn't say his designs, they scare me-but I like him. Please share, I took some strawberries that we picked and froze this summer out of the freezer and made some bisquits as well. How about a nice sweet bribe, lol?????

 

[MeanLaureen]

okay.. I'll spill!

Someone in the audience asked Doug where Vern was. Doug replied "I don't know where Vern is and I really don't care". Everyone was kind of shocked with his reply - like, what's up here?

Later on a little girl asked if he had ever gone over budget and he said not since season 2. He mentioned about how all the designers are to turn in receipts from all the stores for their purchases.. and that they do, except for one individual who just hands in a computer printout of his expenses (you didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know he meant Vern)

Then a bit later he was discussing how they like to shop in stores like Target, TJMaxx and places where the viewers could get the same buys and stuff that they get - so they can see that they don't get outlandish bargins to make the $1000 work. Except none of them can ever validate the "bargins" that Vern gets - like sheets of maple of $10.

Then a few secs later he says that "Vern is no longer with the show". From the sounds of the way the Q&A progressed.. it pretty much sounds like Vern was let go from the show for "fudging" the amount he actually spent on materials! I always wondered how he could do things like new hardwood flooring and pottery barn couches for under $1000.

Oh.. and no. He isn't as good looking in person. He's better looking!!

 

[Disney Ella]

Stop teasing us like that, Lauri! Spill it!

 

[Disney Ella]

Looks like we posted at the same time. I say so what if Vern went over. Raise the limit to $2,000 and make him promise to be good from now on. The show needs Vern.

 

[caseylouandtyler2]

WOW!! Audience? Was it at a talk show or something? I always wondered how on earth Vern was putting in those floors too. My kitchen wasn't cheap to do and it is smaller than most of those rooms he was putting the floors in. But, I still miss his designs.

 

[luvmydogs]

Oooooh Doug! I've got such a Bad Boy Crush on him! Vern...fraudulent...no! I'll miss him!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Thanks for the dirt.

 

[DopeyRN]

I'd be willing to bet the real reason Vern is not there anymore is because he is busy with the rich and/or famous who saw him and are paying big bucks to get him. When I win the lottery he will be doing my new house!

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

Too bad I loved Vern. He was by far the best designer they had.

I wouldn't let Doug or Hildie do my shed, well maybe the shed - no on second thought not evn my shed.

Another good show starts its slide into mediocrity.

My new favorite show is Clean Sweep, maybe because I could use one so badly.

 

[swea_pea1]

Laureen, I am so jealous!

For those not in Richmond, Doug was at the Home & Garden show. I heard about it and was so tempted to go, but it was so cold out today, I didn't feel like going out at all.

I guess I'm not too surprised about Doug trashing Vern...he is the "bad boy of design" and all. But I think it does show some pretty poor taste...

 

[Lollipop Mom]

I'd be willing to bet the real reason Vern is not there anymore is because he is busy with the rich and/or famous who saw him and are paying big bucks to get him.

Ty was at the Home Show in Atlanta months ago and mentioned that Vern does a lot of work for some of the big names in Hip Hop and Rap. He mentioned a few of them who have homes in Atlanta that were decorated by Vern.

The only person Ty seemed down on was Kia. It was also obvious he wasn't thrilled with the Trading Spaces: Family show either.

 

[CEDmom]

That's so cool that you met Doug but I'm really bummed Vern is off the show. They had a new designer on last night but I fell asleep before the reveal. How did she do?

 

[pixiemomma]

My husband bought (a gazillion) sheets of maple and cherry plywood at an auction for $3 a sheet so it can be done. People drive down from NYC to this auction. (In their suits and Land Rovers, no less.

 

[Alice28]

Thanks for confirming my thoughts....I knew Vern wasn't on the show anymore----he hasn't been on since one of the very first episodes of TSFamily.

You are such a lucky duck that you met Doug- I love him too...

I can understand why esp the carpenters aren't huge fans of trading spaces family- the only added ONE extra carpenter (who IMHO can be a doofus sometimes) so it really increased their work load....and I would probably get exasperated trying to teach an 8 year old how to use a jigsaw- but that's just me.

 

[Jen S]

My mom and my sister went to the 7:30 show with Doug last night. Mom said he is absolutely adorable and is even better looking in person. I'm so jealous of everyone that got a chance to go! Just waiting for my sister to send me a couple of the pictures. They were in the front row so her pictures should be pretty good.

For anyone in the area, I think he's supposed to do another show this afternoon, but I know it's supposed to snow today. Take care if anyone goes!

 

[palmtreegirl]

Then a bit later he was discussing how they like to shop in stores like Target, TJMaxx and places where the viewers could get the same buys and stuff that they get - so they can see that they don't get outlandish bargins to make the $1000 work. Except none of them can ever validate the "bargins" that Vern gets - like sheets of maple of $10.

Wow Vern's a definite loss to the show, I don't really enjoy any of the new people and Hildi's just ridiculous.

None of them EVER spend a true 1000 anyway, after all the discounts they get, 50% off at Home Depot etc.... Not to mention the extra labor help- there's the seamtress, extra carpenter & painters. Doug has also blurred the line, how about the actual car he got for the one kids room from his fathers trucking company. I think Doug enjoys his role of the catty designer a little too much-lol.

It's funny because I like the show but if I want to really see only 1000 spent I watch Design on a Dime, the designs are a lot less elaborate but much more realistic.

 

[KristiKelly]

Palmtreegirl, Design on a Dime has improved, but when it first started the rooms were soooooo tacky, much better now. I still wouldn't let any of them come in my house and have no say so, if the best one's sometimes do the ugliest things. I do like the show on HGTV Divine Design, I might let her do a room.

 

[janette]

I think they are stricter on the $1000 rule than they used to be. This is the first season that they seem to be making the decorators return items to get under $1000 rather than just saying at the end that they are over.