Trading Spaces

Trading Spaces is an hour-long television reality program on the cable channel TLC. The format of the show is based on the BBC TV series Changing Rooms.

In each episode, two sets of neighbors redecorate one room in each other's home. Each two-person team has two days (not including a "day zero" of planning and shopping for materials and furnishings, which in earlier seasons was not shown on camera), a budget of States dollar|USD$" target="_blank" >^*1,000, (or $2,000 if they choose the 'bonus room' pre-selected by the show's producers) and the services of an designer. Under the original format, the teams would share the services of a carpenter.

Beginning in March 2005, Trading Spaces moved to a "no host" format, eliminating the position of host in favor of allowing each team its own carpenter. The change allows the two homes to be farther apart. The most extreme use of this flexibiliy to date was with homes in New York and Oklahoma, but it is rarely exercised.

The teams have no say over what happens in their own homes, but can give input into what happens in the home they are redecorating. The teams must not enter their own home for the duration of the show, and the transformed rooms are revealed only at the end of the second day.

Cast

The show features different participants each episode. The host, designers and carpenters (the cast) are recurring (though there are only two designers, one host and two carpenters — originally one — each time).

Hosts

Paige Davis (season 2 halfway through season 5)
Alex McLeod (season 1)

Designers

Frank Bielec
Laura Day (from fourth season)
Genevieve Gorder
Laurie Hickson-Smith
Jon Laymon (winner of 'Pick the Next Designer' competition)
Christi Proctor (from fourth season)
Rick Rifle (from fourth season)
Dez Ryan (first season only)
Hildi Santo-Tomas
Roderick Shade (one episode in first season)
Kia Steave-Dickerson (from third season)
Edward Walker (from third season)
Douglas Wilson
Barry Wood (from fourth season on)
Vern Yip (left after fourth season)

Carpenters

Faber Dewar
Jimmy Little (several episodes in a row after Town Haul ended)
Carter Oosterhouse
Amy Wynn Pastor
Ty Pennington (left for Home Edition)

Andrew Dan-Jumbo, Jason Cameron, and Leslie Segrete of While You Were Out (which also airs on TLC) have also been featured in at least one episode as carpenter. Handy Andy of Changing Rooms also worked a "special" episode that was based in London and another that was based in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Trading Spaces: Family

A second series, entitled Trading Spaces: Family, also aired on TLC (2003-2005). It allowed larger teams of three or four, including children considered too young to participate in the original Trading Spaces program. The same designers and carpenters (one per episode, shared by the two teams) worked with host Joe Farrell.

Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls

Another spinoff, Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls airs as a part of the Discovery Kids on NBC Saturday morning block. Unlike the original, this version uses the same two designers and two carpenters for each episode. In addition, there is no budget limit, and the rooms are rebuilt into theme room, making the show look more like Monster House.

External links

Reality television series | 2000s TV shows in the United States | TLC programs | American programs based on British programs