Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
How'd They Do That?
The Burns Family
Recap By J. G. Bird
March 22, 2005
This edition of How'd They Do That takes us behind the scenes of the Burns' Family Makeover. If you can call it a secret, it is revealed that a crowd can draw quickly, even at the 7am family wakeup call - the giant bus is quite a giveaway to the neighbors. This Makeover focuses on making it safer for Ben, with brittle bone disease (OI), and make it easier on the whole family. We get to see Ty greeting the crowd - even having multiple cel phones being handed to him so he might talk to spectators' disbelieving family members.
As I guessed in my original recap, there was asbestos being removed in at least one of the Burns' house rooms. Tile adhesive was found to have asbestos. Contractor Don Baker and his mom are briefly highlighted. We are also introduced to Alan, the go-between for the production company, who works in conjunction with the contractor.
Many volunteers from the neighborhood, from the City, (Firefighters especially) have come to help this build. They briefly touch upon the story of Paul, (no last name given), a guy hired on as a production assistant to the show after volunteering numerous times at various builds.
Andy Powers, a guitar-maker helps with the finer points of building the fantastic Guitar room. Preston and Paul DiMeo argue over headboard/footboard design for the bed embellished with guitar necks. Guitar clock w/parts. Guitar pick flowers. Ten working guitars. Fret board-style CD rack. Guitar cabinet with a guitar drawer. Guitar desk. Fret design dresser - there was more to this room than I realized
Ty's special room also received more explanation. Ty designed and built the bed to have a fabric hanger headboard/canopy w/storage for bolts of fabric. Ty additionally had to hand-draw the continuous thread design chalked on the rosy taupe painted wall. Ladies in the neighborhood helped stitch pillows and layer the fabric on the dress form.
As part of the background to all this intermingling of designer cast and volunteers, we are shown Paul accepting an invitation of a neighboring family to come over to dinner. Michael and Tracy are eating dinner at a Garden Grove firehouse.
Paul once again shows his affinity for children and animals. He built a great doghouse - 2 story beach house with a balcony. He also befriends Nicole, a girl with OI, helping her collect donations on-site for the OI Foundation. She and her mother get a run through the house in the final 30 minutes of prep for the Burns' Family's Reveal.
I'm still wondering if an entire spin-off show of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition How'd They Do That is going to come off well. Beginning in January the How'd They Do That specials will be regularly shown. Maybe I'm not the only one that likes getting the details of the design team's efforts. If you're like me, you have to take the time to check out the "As Featured On" list that runs on the ABC website page for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It's a good substitute for the How'd They Do That format (should you dislike the repetitive nature of the show as it stands now, especially). The best time to look is the day following the air date - Monday morning doesn't always find everything up-to-date.
An addition to my recap for the Burns Family episode: I am able to give proper credit to the Architect with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Karen Braitmeir, FAIA. I spelled her name closest to what I heard on the show, but the updated list now provides me the correct spelling.
Want to know where you can get some of the gadgets highlighted on the show? From collectible spoons and china (Franklin Mint, Replacements Ltd.) to accessibility and soft-sided safety features (Emtek, Studio Pacifica, Tubular Specialties Mfg., Whitespa)
And there's something special you can be a part of by purchasing from some of the suppliers to this particular Makeover. See the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation website: http://www.oif.org
Some of the vendors, like LoveSacs will be donating a portion of sales generated from this shows' exposure of their products to benefit more people living with OI.
Here's just an abbreviated list highlighting the individual rooms for the Burns' Family episode:
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE:
Nancy Hadley Murals and sculptures throughout the house (baseball field in the clouds mural, music mural) 714-423-7657
Studio Pacifica Architecture firm specializing in sensitive & accessible designs 206-292-9799
Tubular Specialties Mfg. Supplied all hand rails throughout home 800-GRAB BAR
PARENTS' ROOM:
A-1 Waterbed Parts Direct Softside bed 800 883-8828
Aztek Wall coverings Wall covering 818-901-9876
Infinite Storage Solutions, Inc. Pole Mounted Shelving & Closets in all bedrooms 877-477-5487
GREAT ROOM:
Activated Designs/ Art Walker Lift mechanism for Plasma Screen TV 661-295-1163
Bombay Furniture throughout the house 1-888-2BOMBAY
Replacements Ltd. China, Crystal, Silver Old & New 800-737-5223
Rite Lite Wall coverings Wall Paper and Paint 714-931-1401
Robert Wilhelm Campanian Society & American Spoon Collectors 845-876-0303
Soul Scrolls Art 858.759.7305
The Franklin Mint Fine Exclusive collectables 888-771-mint
PAMELA'S "FASHION ROOM"
Bernina of America Sewing Machine 630-978-2500
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Fabric, Mannequin, Art for walls & custom
Design Scholarship 800-624-1200
JEFFERY'S "GUITAR ROOM"
Great Big Stuff Giant Guitar Pick. 800-773-8832
About J.G. Bird
I have a direct, clear writing style useful in business, but if you wonder what I'm really thinking about, I keep a portfolio of creative writing on Writing.com/authors/walkinbird. My day-to day work is at a great metropolitan newspaper, proofreading ordered advertisements. Keeping an experienced eye to consistency in design elements also makes me an obnoxious, if not valuable, web editor and fact-checker. Due to my straight-laced demeanor, I need the occasional infusion of Reality TV. The home design shows are my only true addiction. I can be contacted at: walkinbird@writing.com
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