Paige Davis knows paint.Michael Simon, StarTraks.
Paige Davis is best known as the host of the series that can take a lot of the credit for starting the DIY craze, Trading Spaces. It originally ran from 2000-2008 and was revived in 2018. So when it comes to renovations, it’s safe to say she has seen and done it all. I recently sat down with Davis to learn what really goes on behind the scenes of the show and to share her favorite DIY tips.
When Reality Television Gets Real
Paige Davis, host of TLC’s ‘Trading Spaces’ in which neighbors switch homes for 48 hours and redocorate a room in each other’s home with help from the show’s host, designers and carpenters. (Photo by Bob Riha Jr/WireImage)
One of the first things Davis made clear to me is that Trading Space is absolutely real. The cast and crew only have 48 hours to complete each project—even under circumstances so dramatic, you just can’t make them up for reality television. For example, while shooting in Southern California for the most recent season, one of the carpenters went out to Lowe’s to pick up some supplies. While he was gone, authorities closed all the roads due to wildfires. He was stuck and there was no way for him to get back to the house. “We lost valuable hours,” Davis revealed, “Clearly the fact that fires were happening is the bigger news here and I don’t need to make light of it. But on set, we wondered if we were going to get the room finished.” The crew managed to complete everything on time.
Do It Right The First Time With Tape
Another problem that can occur when renovations have a quick turnaround time is that there isn’t room for fixing mistakes. That’s why Davis always recommends using ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape. “Don’t think of it as an extra step—think of it as a necessity. You spend the time to fix errors, which you may not even be able to fix perfectly—so why not just spend the time ahead of time?”
She explained, “If you are going to put in the work to paint, you want to do it right. There are so many times when I’ve messed up a room because I thought ‘I’ll cut corners.’ I know the secret to any successful paint job is always in the prep.”
Her personal preference is ScotchBlue because it rips easily, but stays put. She loves that they have a full line of tape for every surface from walls to exteriors, trims and baseboards, as well as wood floors. If you aren’t sure which tape is best for your project, Davis recommends taking a quiz on their website.
Teal Is The New Grey
In terms of DIY projects, Davis really believes in the power of paint. It is one of the easiest ways to makeover a room. Her best tip for choosing a color is to rethink traditional neutrals. “Grey is the go-to neutral right now. People aren’t leaving their walls white anymore and I think Trading Spaces can take a lot of credit for that. [It’s been] the catalyst for regular people believing they can decorate their home and make a difference.”
Davis says to think outside the box when it comes to colors. “Teal can be just as much of a neutral as anything else. You can put teal with grey, lime green, red, or black. Dark teal can be your neutral and your pillows can be grey.”
DIY Don’ts
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 12: President/General Manager of TLC Nancy Daniels (L), and (Top L-R) new cast members Joanie Sprague, John Gidding, Sabrina Soto, Brett Tutor, and Kahi Lee, and (Bottom L-R) original cast members Laurie Smith, Vern Yip, Douglas Wilson, Paige Davis, Ty Pennington, Hildi Santo-Tomas, and Frank Bielec of ‘Trading Spaces’ on TLC speak onstage during the Discovery Communications portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 12, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
While Davis doesn’t think you can make a mistake with teal, she shared some on-set snafus that we can all learn from. For example, not measuring doorways. “We have often made the mistake of not measuring a doorframe and building furniture that we then can’t get in the house. You would think we would know after well over 500 rooms.”
Another mistake is building furniture in the wrong location. “One time Carter Oosterhouse built a bed frame around the poles of Carpentry World. He literally built himself into a box,” she shared.
Best Moments
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 10: (L-R) Jonathan Scott, Hildi Santo Tomas, Ty Pennington, Drew Scott, Paige Davis, Doug Wilson, Genevieve Gorder, and Carter Oosterhouse attend the Discovery Upfront 2018 at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on April 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Discovery)
But the show isn’t about mistakes as much as memorable room makeovers. As for her favorites—she loves the room Ty Pennington designed in the most recent season. “It was spectacular, visually amazing. It was bold, brave and very much in the spirit of Trading Spaces. It was all done from scratch—even the curtains. They were packaged, but he stenciled paint from his own pattern on them. He pushed the homeowners out of their comfort zone. They were so afraid of bright colors, but he used orange and yellow. Everyone thought they were going to hate it, especially the neighbors who were doing the renovation. They were told ‘No bright colors.’ And sure enough, they loved it. To me, that is when Trading Spaces is at its absolute best.”
As for next season—Davis doesn’t have any spoilers because it hasn’t been shot yet, but she told me she is looking forward to working with the entire cast. It’s true! Everyone will be coming back.
Thank you to ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape for arranging this interview.