Restoring Galveston is my new favorite show to watch
while I’m working out on the rower. I think the RG Team really knocked it out
of the park in the first episode and I want to take a few minutes to weigh in.
Although the episode is called The Pink Shack,
for me this introduction is about stellar design decisions on the flooring.
First off, the wood flooring. After adding sheathing and underlayment, they
salvage what they have to work with, and it turns out okay. Just kidding! It’ amazing,
and I really love the end results. I wish I’d have thought of it myself.
I’m not going to get into the specifics because I don’t
want to spoil anything. However, I will say that their plan A for the wood
flooring hits a major roadblock, and then Michael’s plan B is eclipsed by
Ashley’s Plan C, which is the way they go and better than I expected. When
renovating, it’s important to remember, that if Plan A doesn’t work, the
alphabet has twenty-five more letters.
The second flooring decision pertains to the bathrooms.
Excellent. A+. Again, no spoilers, but what they do is an example of minor
tweaks that cost a little time and money while having a major impact on the how
things look in the end. When you have a tight budget, you have to be willing
and able to find a way to be a bit unorthodox. Watch episode one and you’ll see
how it pays dividends.
The neutral colors they used for the walls, trim, and
fixtures help the flooring choices really stand out. Another cost-effective move
by the team. And those who know me won’t be surprised to learn that I
appreciate how Team RG repurposes the signs the couple discovered. Very cool
and it helps tell the story of the renovation.
Regarding the couple restoring the house. Michael is
clearly mindful of issues that can arise when work is done out of sequence, potentially
having a negative impact on the budget and schedule. Rehabbing in the proper
order is critical in projects like this and I’m glad his concern was included. And
Ashley. I appreciate her enthusiasm throughout, but my most favorite moment comes
at the end of the cabinet install scene when she kicks her leg like John C. Reilly
in Step Brothers while imitating Will Ferrell saying, “There is so much
room for activities.”
Ashley describes their project house as a diamond
in the rough. This has a nicer ring to it than a pig’s ear, but I will say
that in the end, they revealed a shining star of the block, or what I’d
call a silk purse.
Two enthusiastic thumbs up for Restoring Galveston.
