Million Dollar Decorators - we have opinions!

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Joni, Megan and I opinionate on the new BravoTV show Million Dollar Decorators starring Kathryn M. Ireland, Mary McDonald, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Nathan Turner and Jeffrey Allen Marks (along with their clients, family and friends).  If you follow the commentary on Twitter.com at either #milliondollardecorators or #mddbravotv you will know that everyone had a wide variety of opinions, both positive and negative.We'd love to know your thoughts!



Also, last December when we interviewed Kathryn Ireland right here, she talked a little about the show. We were asked to remove that segment as the show wasn't officially being promoted yet, but gained permission last week to publish it now. It's less than 3 unedited minutes, hope you enjoy!

Comments

lisa golightly said…
I love the show so far. ( like I need another guilty pleasure from the folks at Bravo ! ) Gotta love Kathryn and what a great vibe in her home.
June 7, 2011 at 3:15 PM
Splendid Sass said…
I really liked the show. I do hope that they have a little less theatrics tonight.
Teresa
xoxo
June 7, 2011 at 3:21 PM
Unknown said…
I'm dying to hear what the three of you thought of the pilot, but I keep getting an error message "401 Gone" when I click on the link for the podcast and there's nothing there.
June 7, 2011 at 4:40 PM
Jennifer @ Belclaire House said…
I'm getting the same "401- Gone" Error message. Can't wait to hear what y'all have to say!
June 7, 2011 at 5:05 PM
Visual Vamp said…
Love the show. Beats anything ever on HGTV.
xo xo
June 8, 2011 at 7:53 AM
Decor To Adore said…
Oh darn, the pod cast is not working! I so want to listen in on your conversation. Please let me know when the link is up and running.

I for one will be watching this show each and every week. Ms. Ireland's housekeeper is reality tv's newest star in my opinion.

Now, if I may take a moment to be a smarta** DIVA, (which if you know me at all, I'm not.)

Martyn, you made Ludwig Mies van der Rohe roll over in his grave by addressing his classic "Barcelona" chair as an "Eames".
It should be said that I am in Joni's camp in regards to the whole decorator/designer issue but please get your classics right.

As for everything else, I would like to say to potential clients "Yes, I can absolutely decorate/design your apartment in 3days IF money is no object."
June 8, 2011 at 8:21 AM
Mike Springer said…
Love the show and will keep watching but the over the top drama I could do without. I guess you need it to entertain the audience that is not tuning in for the design aspect of the show.
June 8, 2011 at 2:49 PM
Claudia Juestel said…
I was really looking forward to the show. After years of DYI, design on the cheap, mini make-overs, "design" being done in a day etc. I thought it would be nice to see what good design is all about.

Albeit the show is tremendously entertaining most designers I know, even very famous ones with whom I have had the pleasure of having conversations about business, do not spend their clients's money without any considerations for cost. For example, I have used antique French terra cotta tiles similar to the ones Nathan Turner installed on that veranda, and the floor did not end up being 50K. Nor do I think a decorative box without provenance or absolutely exquisite materials & workmanship is a deal at $ 2,500.00. I tend to question pricing, and want to make sure that everything we buy on a client's behalf is a good value. Essentially we don't only manage their design but also their money, and we need to do it wisely.

But then again, I do agree with Laura, if they want it done in three days and look smashing they cannot consider budget.

I do look forward the the rest of season, as you do get some insight into high-end design, and all the designers have captivating personalities. I should include Jacqueline in that regard, I love her!

Cheers,

Claudia
June 9, 2011 at 9:53 AM
Lauren said…
ok am off to watch the show for the first time! loved hearing your opinions & will come back. sounds like kathryn's fun.
xoxo,
lauren
June 9, 2011 at 4:55 PM
cecilia said…
Loved your discussion (esp. the part about Joni's crush on Robert Pattinson - which puts all of your personalities out on the "skirted table" and made me feel like I was sitting in on coffee with friends). I think you all gave the show a really fair review - I honestly expected differently based on the negativity in the blogosphere after Episode 1 (I'm commenting late - after Episode 2 has aired). Loved Megan's insight too - having been in Nathan Turner's shop and getting the tidbit on their real vs. "show" clients - and letting us know that he and Kathy Ireland have neighboring showrooms. Really enjoyed it (your discussion). Ep.2 was much better, I thought, than #1. Mary McDonald's rooms in the guest house were pretty amazing!
June 9, 2011 at 6:30 PM
Uttermost said…
I'm so excited to watch the show. I what to hear the amazing interesting ideas brought by them.
June 11, 2011 at 7:08 PM
Anonymous said…
This show is so much fun! I don't think it will influence people about decorators any more than Real Housewives influence people about housewives. As long as they don't get catty about each other, flip tables, or pull out extensions--I love it. As far as the $ amount thrown around, who cares! This is another world and I just love peeking into it.
June 12, 2011 at 8:37 AM
Sarah said…
I haven't watched the show yet, but I do want to comment about Jeffrey Alan Marks. He was featured in House Beautiful a few years ago, I want to say in about 2003 maybe, and he had decorated a fabulous mid-century modern house in LA. I was so taken with it that I wrote a letter to HB and they published it. His work is fantastic so I am anxious to watch the reruns. :))
June 13, 2011 at 2:51 PM
katiedid said…
Anyone who falls into a chocoholic trance to the exclusion of all else is A-OK by me! I am with Joni on this one. This is my new favorite show. I love the personalities. It looks like we get to see why clients want to work with these designers. They are funny, charming, talented and play well with others. And they must be....in the "real world" (hehe)...good business people to be where they are. I can hardly wait to see tonight's episode.

AND, it is VERY nice to see a show in response to the very unrealistic budgets and time frames that are constantly presented on HGTV. It's true, most of us cannot imagine the sorts of budgets on this show either......but bathrooms and kitchens can NOT be done in 3 days, and a quality room can NOT be done for $1000.
June 14, 2011 at 3:18 PM
Cass @ That Old House said…
Started with this podcast today, then listened to another, and another, and another as I purged and tidied our study; what a gift you gave me! The time flew by. (I'm in overdrive because of a daughter's upcoming wedding.)

Thank you for these interviews; you ladies are a fabulous find! Many thanks --
Cass
June 14, 2011 at 4:13 PM
Alicia said…
Being Bravo, naturally drama & antics will overrun the design & for me its a great shame.
Highlighting old jobs reminds me of the laments Joni & shared over this years HB Pink issue. Seen it, move on.
PS... Sharon returned to L.A. to host The Talk on CBS Daytime. The house in town they owned & sold after their dreadful MTV show, so thats why she bought the place. & as for product placement...yup Williams Sonoma Home bags were all over the floor of the apt & the outing to Rug Market & both were thanked in the credits...although none of what I saw in the reveal was from WSH.
June 14, 2011 at 9:22 PM
paperjunk-lc said…
It was so good to hear from TSR girls!
June 15, 2011 at 1:48 PM
www.designfabulous.com said…
I am in love with the show!! I don't think that the designers were portrayed as negative at all. I felt that Kathryn seemed funny and incredibly sweet. The way she interacted with her sons and maid made her seem very loving and not at all proud. Mary I loved! She cracked me up and reminded me of a designer I worked for not long ago. Typical fabulous designer mentality. I loved the way they give the public a glimpse into the designers mind while dealing with clients. I think this will actually help designers because people will hear them say things like Martyn saying to buy an expensive rug because it makes the room or Mary saying countless times she does what she wants anyway and the clients always love it more than they could imagine. She also said that sometimes you have to teach someone what they really want. I have said that myself but never to a clients face. Now people will hear that and maybe trust their designers more. I also think that it will teach designers how to make the sale. Finally I think the house that Jeffrey designed was great but he gladly changed things the client didn't like. It actually painted the client in a bad light and the designer looked so nice and flexible. Again like I said I LOVED it and think it will be great for the industry. Can't wait to see another episode!
June 16, 2011 at 6:19 PM
www.designfabulous.com said…
I agree with the people that are saying they are tired of the HGTV DIY shows that encourage buying cheap crap to fill your room with. Finally a show that showcases design as an art and not a coupon clipping afternoon. I hope this puts and end to those shows and the DIY mentality and encourages people to use designers again because there is no way they can make a room look that good on their own!!
June 16, 2011 at 6:26 PM
Anonymous said…
I had no idea it started! Will have to catch it and get back to you :)
-Jessica & Holly
Etsy.com/shop/chezjolly
June 30, 2011 at 6:25 AM
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