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Vanilla Ice Raps for DIY Network

During his 2004 stint on The Surreal Life, ’90s pop star Vanilla Ice was known for punching a hole in more than a few walls. Now, he wants to show you how to fix them.

Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, will front a new show for the DIY Network. It’s called the The Vanilla Ice Project,  a title as fresh as a pair of parachute pants. If they had asked me, I’d have picked up something from his hit list:

Ice Is Workin’ It

It’s A [Work] Party

Son Of A [Staple] Gun

To the Extreme [Makeover]

OK. Maybe not.

While none of those titles would allow me to take this show seriously, Ice is like a heart attack when talking about home renovation. According to the network’s release, he’s self-taught. Guess there was a lot of downtime in between hit records.

So we can all expect Ice to show off his non-rapping skills, as he spends 10 episodes performing a complete overhaul of a six-bedroom, five-bathroom house. Apparently, flipping foreclosures and other older homes has become Ice’s full-time gig — well, until he goes back on TV.

Look for The Vanilla Ice Project to premiere Thursday, October 14 at 9:00 p.m. (EST) on the DIY Network. Word to your mother.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 24, 2010 at 2:21 pm
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Ty Pennington Plans to Talk

ABC can’t give out those free homes forever, you know. Come 2012, Ty Pennington’s contract will be up with the network, leaving many to wonder about the future of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Whether the show stays or goes, you certainly won’t have to worry about Pennington. He is taking his high-energy demeanor to daytime audiences, with plans to helm his very own talk show. The coffee crowd and Pennington? Sounds like a perfect match.

Will the show’s producers have to “move that bus” and the rest of the Extreme Makeover cast off the ABC lot? Maybe not.

According to Deadline, it’s highly possible that Pennington will keep his primetime gig as a fall back. We shall soon see. If they do decide to keep Extreme Makeover, they should really consider dropping the “Home Edition” part. Wasn’t the whole plastic surgery version like five years ago?

As far as Pennington’s new career path, this is good time to strike the daytime market. Oprah and Tyra are leaving a huge gap in the format. Go for it, Ty!

The big question is what will Ty do to entertain the masses? Will it involve construction? Will tears be shed? Will he administer a few paternity tests?

There’s no word on the format, but we should see fairly soon. If all goes well, Ty Pennington should hit daytime airwaves this fall.

by Rachel Cericola

[Photo: © ABC/Bob Mahoney]

Written by editor on August 21, 2010 at 10:07 am
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Are You Watching This New House?

This Old House sounds dusty. This New House is fresh and vibrant. Maybe it’s a sign of the times — or just a TV spin-off.

Last week, the DIY Network debuted This New House. According to DIY, the show will air every Thursday at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on the cable channel.

The idea behind the program is to showcase some out-of-the-ordinary items, from building materials to techniques to must-have home gadgets. In other words, expect to see a lot very cool items that you don’t have (or can’t afford) at home.

A perfect example of what’s to come could be found in the first episode, which featured Blu Homes, Inc., a green builder out of Massachusetts. According to the builder, the house is what’s known as a Blu|Element, which is small and very eco-friendly. Designed as a single residence or vacation cottage, these homes typically come in three sizes, with one, two or three bedrooms. Options include a fireplace and various configurations for windows, doors and walls. Two of the standards in this open floor plan include bamboo floors and a towel warmer.

Not everything old is new again; This New House features the This Old House host Kevin O’Connor. He shares the grunt work with co-host Amy Matthews. Check out the clips below –  and tune in tonight at 8:00 EST.


by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 5, 2010 at 10:11 am
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Green Home Dream Home

Tonight at 8 pm EST,  the winner of the HGTV Green Home Giveaway will be revealed in a special show. 

I  wonder how that really works.  They show the winner all surprised at the door, but I don’t think it’s live.  It can’t be.  What if you’re not home when they come to call? 

 So, I guess if I haven’t heard by now, I didn’t win.  Darn.  I really wanted this one . . .near the ocean, decor in my favorite colors,  just the right size for my family. . . I entered every day.  Really.  It’s the first time I’ve ever been sucked into a contest like this. 

If, by any chance, you haven’t seen this lovely home yet,  check out this 90-second tour. 

And here are a few of my favorite features.

I’ve always loved white kitchens (as if it would ever look this pristine and uncluttered once I got my hands on it), and the backsplash glass tile is just my style, as is the red countertop. In fact, the counter top in my house right  now is a deep wine-ish red, but it’s laminate, not Ceaserstone.   And did you notice the piece of art hanging in the stairway?  LOVE IT! 

They call this the Tower Room, and if I had that window seat, I’d get all snuggled up in there, and everything else in my life would go right to hell.  OK then, maybe it’s best I didn’t win. 

My girls would love these bunk beds.  The decor is a little more sophisticated then they are, but they would grow into it. 

The point is that I live in New  England and I love all the local products and styling in this house. 

I want it. I’m going now to throw a little tantrum and sulk. 

by Lisa Oram

Written by editor on June 28, 2010 at 10:19 am
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Calling All Tools!

No doubt, you know a few tools. Your boss, the guy that served your McMuffin this morning, and even the mailman are just a few who might qualify.

Some tools know how to cash in. Just check any VH1 reality show!  However, you can do the same without summoning your inner jerk. Gladiator® GarageWorks and Family Handyman Magazine just announced their new “Sometimes It’s Good to Be a Tool” sweepstakes. 

“Whether being put to use on projects or resting comfortably in a tool chest, life is good when you’re a tool in a Gladiator® GarageWorks garage,” said Lou Ann Schafer, senior marketing manager for Gladiator® GarageWorks.

Get it? So really you don’t have to be a good tool. You just need to want to own a good tool.

To enter the contest, pick up a copy of The Family Handymanmagazine. The entry form is inside. One grand-prize winner will receive a 6-foot Modular Workbench, a Premier Modular GearBox, a Premier Series 41-inch Roll-Away, a Premier Series 41-inch Tool Chest, and one Gladiator®GarageWorks Stool. Second and third place prizes also will be awarded, but haven’t been announced.

Sadly, no other information is available online, so it seems like they really want only Family Handyman readers to reap the prize benefits. Go out and get your copy today. The contest ends on September 30, 2010.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on June 3, 2010 at 1:41 pm
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Country Living Builds City Home

Country Living magazine is looking forward to some big city living. 

The company recently announced its 2010 House of the Year, titled “Home Green Home.” It’s going up in the heart of New York City at the World Trade Center, right on the Hudson River. 

New York City and Country Living? It sounds a bit like the plot of a Sandra Bullock rom-com, but looks gorgeous.

The magazine’s editors worked with New World Home to design the 1,600-square-foot property and fill it with products that personify the “green” lifestyle.  The two companies formed a partnership earlier this year to develop modular homes under the Country Living Collection moniker. Other features of the 2010 home include two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a 1,100-square-foot wrap-around porch. 

Country Livingplans to unveil the home on June 3, 2010. The property will then be open to the public starting on June 4,  if you want to get a peek inside. You can also wait and see it when the house is featured in the magazine’s November 2010 issue.

Readers are also invited to purchase the home, although no asking price has been announced yet. Don’t form your bids around the location, though. Once the viewing is over, the home will be moved to Crystal Springs Resort near Vernon, New Jersey.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on May 5, 2010 at 9:26 am
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Extreme Changes Coming

We recently reported on one of the many Extreme Makeover families facing foreclosure. Now it looks as though the show is going under construction.

Don’t start yelling, “Move that bus,” just yet. This makeover will probably take more than 7 days. However, changes are coming. The Wall Street Journal says that producers plan to scale back the show a bit. So instead of giving away mini mansions, recipients may actually receive houses which they can afford to live in.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has always strived along with our volunteer builders to create not only ‘extreme’ homes, but homes that work for the owners for years to come,” a show spokesperson said. “As always, we are striving to build greener, more affordable and environmentally responsible homes, and redoubling those efforts for years to come.”

 

So a bowling alley isn’t green? Probably not. Apparently, it’s also not very cheap to maintain. As a result, many Extreme homeowners have been struggling with tax and utility bills.

 According to producers, the show will attempt to downsize — in square footage as well as amenities. “I think our hearts were in the right place, but we just got carried way,” says Tracy Hutson, one of the show’s on-camera interior designers. “It can be extreme without being the biggest house you’ve ever seen.” They will also continue to look for economic and earth-friendly products to incorporate into each home.

By Rachel Cericola

Photo Credit: © ABC/Bill Matlock

Written by editor on April 7, 2010 at 1:06 pm
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Burnin’ Down the House


Of course burning down (or destroying in any manner) the house is only amusing when it’s not your own.  The concept of destruction as entertainment  is as old as… well, as destruction itself.

I find it remarkable that so many movies also feature home destruction.  I find it even more remarkable that it is so difficult to actually find footage from these films.  But, being the diligent little writer that I am, I dug around a bit with a few titles in mind.

If you are a child of the 80s like I am, you’ll have fond memories of these clips.  Each of these movies became incredibly popular, in part, because of these scenes.

How can we Fix-It-Yourself-ers not hold this movie dear in our hearts?  Thank God most of us haven’t had this kind of experience  – though I know someone who has come pretty close. 

All of us action fans will remember this final clip.  It was one of the more ass-kicking scenes ever put in a film: Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) avenging the death of his girlfriend by destroying the hell out of a house with his GMC dually.

That zany Martin Riggs is just his own force of nature, isn’t he?

Any other FIY-nightmare-home-destruction movie suggestions?

by John Barker

Written by editor on March 27, 2010 at 8:29 am
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HGTV Dream Home: We Have a Winner!

We all like to think about our dream home – and Myra Lewis can stop now.

Myra, 63, was recently crowned the winner of HGTV’s 2010 Dream Home. She has the type of life story that makes for a 2-hour episode of Extreme Makeover. How’d they miss her? It doesn’t matter because now she’s got something better than one of those 7-day quickie builds.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the home that Myra shared with her now-25-year-old son, Chris.  They bounced around before renovating the ravaged home, which now serves as a rental property. Chris is autistic and pursuing a degree in fine arts.

Myra’s new address and brand new Pueblo-style home is located near Santa Fe, New Mexico. We were ogling over the beauty that’s inside and out just a few weeks back.

 And Myra doesn’t just get the house – it’s actually part of a $2 million prize package, which includes a 2010 GMC Terrain and $500,000. Other housewarming gifts include a 5-day wireless forecaster, a Cuisinart food processor, a countertop popcorn machine, a few Bobby Flay-branded goods, a baking set, and much more.

“I’m blown away,” said the emotional winner. “I’m blown away. This is just unbelievable!”

She isn’t kidding, either. Myra’s name was picked from more than 40 million entries.

And there’s still another chance!  The HGTV Green Home is under construction in Plymouth, MA, and the sweepstakes begins in April. 

By Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on March 26, 2010 at 3:21 pm
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Diggedy Dozer

 

Pretty cute, eh?  

Or creepy?  I have something of a problem when it comes to humanizing machines.  The whole zombie-apocalypse thing . . .

But I guess it’s never too early to learn about construction and home improvement.  And if  Thomas the Tank Engine is any indication, I guess the kiddies (those little, tiny ones that seem like they have no bones and drool everywhere) like this stuff. 

Unlike Thomas, which is created using miniature models and sets, Diggedy Dozer is entirely computer generated.  While no Toy Story, the animation gets the job done and gives the characters enough personality to relay the lesson of each episode.

Speaking of which, in this episode, the lesson was  compromise.  I’m not so sure that compromise is a big part of a Fix-It-Yourself-er’s vocabulary  What happens when you compromise on the wiring of your house?  Lots of flames followed by an army of firefighters, that’s what.  Compromise with the wife on a house project?  We all know it’s going to be her way or the highway. 

But maybe a drinking game. . . .Yeah, that’s it.  A drinking game with Diggedy and his pals.  Any ideas to get us through a Monday?

by John Barker

Written by editor on March 15, 2010 at 8:27 am
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