If you grew up in the ’90s or just appreciate a good DIY disaster, you probably remember the golden age of budget design TV. Long before Pinterest and HGTVs sleek modern makeovers, there was a beautiful chaos happening on your television. Hot glue, sponge paint, and questionable fabric swags were the name of the game. Two shows stood out in this glorious mess: Decorating Cents and Trading Spaces.
Decorating Cents (1997-2009) was all about making over a room on a budget – specifically, under $500. Hosted by the perpetually cheerful Joan Steffend, the show specialized in design hacks that often involved spray paint, reupholstered dining chairs, and a suspicious amount of faux greenery. Every episode featured a “Designer on a Dime” segment, where creativity soared and taste sometimes plummeted. I am still reeling at the episode where they painted a rug – yes you read that correctly – PAINTED A RUG on a hardwood floor! Still, there was something endearing about watching a living room transform using only elbow grease and a glue gun.
Check out this fun recap of Decorating Cents by TikTok’er Rob: https://www.tiktok.com/@heartthrobert/video/7519967549644197151
Then came Trading Spaces (1999-2008), the wild child of design TV. Two neighbors would swap houses for 48 hours and redecorate a room with the help of a designer and a carpenter. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. Hildi Santo-Tomas once glued hay to the walls. Doug Wilson infamously turned a bedroom into a jail cell. It was part home improvement, part psychological experiment and we couldn’t look away!
These shows didn’t always result in good design, but they were wildly entertaining. They taught a generation that creativity doesn’t require a big budget, just a little imagination, some glitter paint, and the nerve to staple fabric to your ceiling. 😂
And honestly? We kind of miss them.
– Candice
