Paperback: 176 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.56 x 10.82 x 8.12 Publisher: Trading Spaces; 1st edition (March 18, 2003) ISBN: 0696217120

Book Description

Fans of cable TV’s mega-hit Trading Spaces know the rules: Two sets of homeowners, each helped full-time by a designer and part-time by a carpenter, swap houses and dive into a frenzied, two-day redo of a designated room. 

They have $1,000 apiece to pull off the job—no peeking at the other team’s work until time is up. But there’s more to reality TV than meets the viewer’s eye. This book tells all, including the actual number of days and off-camera supporting players needed to dramatize just one hour of on-air excitement and tension. 

This book is like a backstage pass for Trading Spaces groupies. They’ll read juicy biographical tidbits about quirky cast members, as well as design dos and don’ts. Bold graphics and splashy photography show off myriad styles: country kitsch, classic with a hint of modern, contemporary and sleek, rustic comfort, Euro chic, and even the outrageously weird.

This is the ultimate inside scoop! In this book, you get to peer behind the camera and see what really happens on the set of Trading Spaces. Not only do you get in-depth profile chapters on all of the designers and carpenters, you also get to glimpse their inspiration. Plus, it's full of design tips. 

The book is long-it is really full of everything-including Gen's design inspiration, Frank's humor (which is hilarious) and even a picture of Doug when he played Danny Zucko in a production of Grease. 

If you are a junkie-or even just a compassionate fan-there is an episode guide at the back of the book so you can find all the different cities they've been to and what rooms were re-done etc. 

The retro illustrations, colorful photos, and funky design make it fun to page through. It's also written really well--the text is engaging, chatty and easy to follow (I even found my husband sneaking a peek and he got caught up in a chapter)! 

While it's fun to see photos of Laurie in high school and pics of Hildi in Paris, the stories about how these folks became designers and how they like to work is quite inspirational. The photographs of the finished rooms are gorgeous and you can see how some of the design decisions were made. 

Tips about fabric choice and applying stylistic influences are icing on a picture-perfect cake. I highly recommend this for any TS fan or aficionado. - kris8045 from Pacific Palisades, CA United States

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