"A MUST READ FOR EVERY FAN OF THE SHOW"

BEHIND THE SCENES AT TRADING SPACES is just that. A never- before-seen glimpse into what really happens during Trading Spaces including a profile of each designer, each carpenter, and Paige Davis, the host. What really went on in Seattle when one of the homeowners left the room in tears during the Reveal? Do Amy and Ty REALLY do all of the construction work? How were the designers chosen? How many ceilings fans does Laurie have in her own home? Why does Amy Wynn go by two names? The answers to these questions and many more are given in this fabulous book. Complete with an episode guide for seasons I-III, it is a must for every Trading Spaces fan. I read it from cover to cover the day I bought it and although I thought for a moment about selling it on eBay, decided I really can't bear to part with it. Although a paperback, it is definitely far from magazine quality. The pages are all of high-quality paper and the cover is a high-gloss quality paperback - far thicker than a magazine or even a normal paperback book.

Although generally interspersed with decorating tips from the designers, this isn't at all a how-to book. For that, I anxiously await the two Trading Spaces decorating books that are coming out this summer. Suffice to say, I don't see how any fan of the show could ever be disappointed in this book!

Reviewed by Maudeen Wachsmith
Posted April 10, 2003

Summary

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.