Sunday 29 June 2014

Thrifty and not so thrifty telly...

Here's my round up of my favourite interiors/style TV shows at the moment.

I mentioned this briefly before but Channel 4's The Auction House really is unmissable. Anyone who's ever won things on eBay or anyone with a passion for secondhand will love this. Okay, the items in question are worth hundreds or thousands rather than the few quid that you and I like to pay in charity shops, but the auction house in question is in the heart of Chelsea, and the regulars at Lots Rd are the super rich of London.


The buyers can get hooked on bidding and sometimes make expensive mistakes. Whereas we might stuff up and lose a few quid on a duff buy, these people can lose thousands, buying and re selling their items. You'll get to see inside some amazing houses as the programme makers follow buyers home.

The auction rooms are run by an eccentric bunch. As Roger the owner says, ''When I think of the characters that work for me here, I would say that they're bunch of odd balls and we're like a dysfunctional family.'' God, I'd love to work there!
Everyone who works at Lots Rd seems to have a problem with Roger. ''He's the most stubborn and demanding boss in Chelsea.'' His workers don't mind sharing this on camera! I wonder if heads have rolled because of this show.
I do hope the gamble has paid off and that people are heading to the auction rooms in their droves. If I still lived in London, I'd be there!

Oh, and I did google the whale scrotum stools. I won't spoil the surprise! Catch up on 4od.

Next up, a welcome return to our screens for Linda Barker. She's made a new series for Channel 5 called Brand New House for 5K.



The featured families hand over 5K and get their homes tarted up, learning some nifty DIY tricks along the way. 
Linda is looking incredibly hot these days. And things haven't changed since her days on Changing Rooms, you might not love everything she does but it's certainly not magnolia.

Last of all, did you see This Old Thing: The Vintage Clothes Show ?



Presented by the stunning Dawn O'Porter, who's on a mission to introduce the nation to vintage, it's certainly worth a watch. It seams there are people out there that think vintage clothing smells like dead people! Dawn attempts to convert them with her workshop and team of expert tailors.
But instead of hiring a seamstress to alter our ill fitting vintage, I think we're all rather more likely to have a bash ourselves. On a second hand sewing machine, naturally. But she's probably preaching to the converted here, right?

Enjoy a rainy day indoors checking out these shows if you missed them. Speaking of rain, Vix has been in my thoughts all weekend as she's at Glastonbury and it hasn't been a great year for the weather. I wouldn't have minded seeing Metallica there but I don't think it'd top seeing them play at the Marquee in London many years ago and being right at the front. (James Hetfield gave me a can of beer after the show! He said it was shit. Obviously I fell madly in love with him.)
I've not seen any of the TV footage of Glastonbury yet, so perhaps I'll spend my afternoon watching that as I work through a pile of ironing. Rock n roll...





17 comments:

  1. Oh dear Emma Kate, I confess I havent seen any of the above programmes. I seem to have so much going on at the moment. I think I would have liked the Linda Barker programme but even 5 K is a lot of money if you dont have it all in one go isnt it?

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    1. It's a huge amount of money. Damn fools bought NEW kitchen cupboard doors. xx

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  2. I don't watch much telly in the summer but these are worth watching. Saw Lots Road (do people like the rug woman really exist??!!!) and also This Old Thing - excellent for me for tips on how to do alterations as I do quite a lot of that for other people. But - nothing beats George Clarke's Amazing Spaces!!!! (Ch 4 Thursday 8 pm).

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    1. They really do exist Lizzie! I've worked for women like that!
      Thanks for that, I shall have to have a catch up with George Clarke! xx

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  3. I caught up with This Old Thing yesterday; it's OK, though I do find the whole "convert a high street lover to the joys of vintage" schtick a bit tiresome. Why not just talk to people who love it and are knowledgeable and passionate about it? And given the amount of material that is repeated/recapped (why do programme makers do that? So tedious!) the whole programme could easily be fitted into half an hour!
    Haven't seen the other two programmes, or even heard of them - I am hopeless!
    PS. How's your ankle doing? xxx

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    1. I agree about that repeating thing. Either they think the audience is thick and need reminding or it just saves money to keep using the same footage?
      Totally agree though, when you see real life enthusiasts on telly, it's so much more interesting. You can get swept along on their passion even if it's a subject that wouldn't necessarily otherwise appeal. They're missing a trick there.
      My foot is much better thanks. A different colour of the rainbow every day. xx

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  4. Ggrrr, you've done this to me before Emma Kate; mentioned something on the tele that sounds right up my street but I've missed it! My internet streamy thing is so slow that I only get 3 seconds before it cuts out. Will enjoy them through you instead...! x

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    1. If it makes you feel any better, the Auction House was quite dull last night! I felt guilty for raving about it as I didn't snigger once. I hope they up their game next time. xx

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  5. Hi, I work in a Secondary School and the young woman valuer is an ex-pupil named Meg, so it was quite a shock to see her on the auction programme, in fact her parents live at the bottom of my street!

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    1. How cool, I was so chuffed for her that her handbag gamble paid off!

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  6. I just thought, do you read "My Crappy House" blog - she has tools and a Jig ( whatever that is)

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    1. I've not heard of her, I'll have to check her out. THanks Teri x

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  7. The auction and £5k ones sound good- I'm going to see if they're on catch-up. In other news (I know you'll be proud of me) I ripped some parts of our kitchen cabinets today. The room looks bigger already and it's only the tip of the iceberg. That said, work will probably be moving at a fittingly glacial pace, because I tend to get bored and wander off to do something else. xxx

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    1. Haha me too. Apparently it's a personality trait of creative people. Can't wait to see! xxx

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  8. I caught the auction house programme, love the mad boss and his futile attempt to get his wayward staff in order. That terrible Italianate bedroom set was so awful it was almost good.
    We had so many first time vintage buyers over the weekend interested in buying because of This Old Thing.Shame they don't concentrate more on showing us gorgeous vintage pieces (including those amazing 1980s cocktail frocks) and explaining in easy terms how to take stuff in or revamp it rather than those dimwitted makeovers with people who really don't deserve the time and attention being lavished on them.
    Cool Metallica story. Did you watch them at Glasto in the end and did you see any of Royal Blood? Proper metal band who are gonna be massive! xxx

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  9. I've never heard of Royal Blood. I'm not very hip with music. Just stuck in a timewarp with my favourite stuff. Like an old person!
    I'm glad This Old thing is bringing you new customers! You're right though, a bit of instruction would be great. xxx

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  10. I'd gladly bone Linda barker .

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