UK television programme largely responsible for the revival of DIY as 'cool' in that country.

Presented weekly by Carol Smillie, this farce revolves around two neighbouring couples swapping houses for two days with the object of transforming one (chosen) room in the other's abode. This is done at a strict budget, and usually leads to the use of copious amounts of MDF and emulsion paint. Fear not, however! The teams, kitted out in BBC-supplied dungarees, are each aided by one of a team of professional interior designers. These are:

In addition, both teams have access - when they're obsequious enough - to Andy 'Handy Andy' Kane, the show's resident carpenter and joiner who has knocked up panel units, beds and wardrobes over his time on the show. All out of MDF, of course.

Changing Rooms' success lies arguably in the fact that it has combined the typically dry DIY format with a perverted game show combining all the best (?) elements of Who Wants to be a Millionaire's 'phone-a-friend' and Blind Date. Both teams, surprisingly, are required to pay the budget for the decoration (usually £500) in full, and they deem this to be a worthy expense due to the high quality of design exhibited on the programme.

Five books have been released under the Changing Rooms brand, and the pun just doesn't get any funnier. These are:

  • "Changing Rooms": Complete Home Makeover (ISBN 0563537817)
  • "Changing Rooms": Handy Andy's Weekend Workbook (ISBN 0563384255)
  • "Changing Rooms": Finishing Touches (ISBN 0563551577)
  • Changing Rooms (ISBN 0563551011)
  • Changing Rooms: Colour (ISBN 0563551127)
The show airs at the primetime slot of 8:30pm on the BBC's first channel and shows no sign of just quietly slipping away with dignified grace. There has been a remake made in the USA, Trading Spaces. (Thanks atesh.)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/changingrooms/
If anyone has any information about the last two designers, please /msg me.

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