Changing Rooms: Trust Me...I'm a Designer

The Brits invented reality decorating and guerrilla design, and here it is in all its (dubious) glory. This compilation disc, which collects high- and lowlights from the BBC TV series (which has inspired imitations on American cable such as Trading Spaces), features a slew of designers with over-the-top, made-for-TV personalities who bring garish colors and outlandish do-it-yourself projects into the homes of the unsuspecting, whose reactions run the gamut from "Oh my god!" to "I hate it." Granted, there is a kind of sadistic pleasure to be had (if that's your thing) in the looks of horror on the faces of the homeowners who've been hit-and-run by these mondo decorators, for whom the worst thing that can be said about a room is that it's "terribly neutral." Still, given the popularity of TLC's Trading Spaces (see review of The Best of Trading Spaces in VL-5/03), there is certainly an audience out there for this type of material, and they may well appreciate a peek at the “original.” DVD extras more than double the disc's running time, and include outtakes and never-before-seen featurettes with the designers discussing their favorite and/or memorable projects. Optional. Aud: P. (M. Johanson)