“Bargain Block” stars Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas hilariously rip apart some of their least favorite designs from their hit HGTV series.
The Detroit pair are sharing their real reactions with fans on social media through their aptly-titled series, “What Were We Thinking?”
A Look Back
Months after their beloved series was canceled by the network, Keith and Evan look back at some of their controversial design choices.
“On this week’s ‘What Were We Thinking’, we flashback to The Dollhouse!” the duo captioned a video shared via Instagram on Friday, May 15. “Yikes, not sure what to say other than we had a lottttt going on lol enjoy! #detroit #whatwerewethinking”
The former HGTV stars did not have a lot of good to say about the iconic season 2 “dollhouse.”
“We’re Keith and Evan and we’re taking a look back at some of our best and worst houses,” Keith began before Evan added, “And today we’re looking at the dollhouse.”
Keith tried to remain positive about the colorful cottage, saying, “I love it…? I love it.”
He quickly admitted, “No, it’s rough. I had to paint that couch with spray paint.”
The home — which was originally purchased for just $4,000 — featured a hot pink sofa with yellow and blue throw pillows. The men painted the archway between the living and dining spaces to match the couch. A striped coffee table and mustard yellow curtains completed the living room.
Greens, yellows, and oranges were scattered throughout the home, and a zebra-print rug overlapped a rainbow rug under the dining table.
“People don’t understand the amount of duress you are occasionally under when you’re designing for television,” Evan explained. “You have no money, no time, no one gives a [expletive] about anything. And you have to somehow make a house that is sellable later. It’s really hard.”
The colors were toned down in the kitchen, which featured white shaker cabinets and a dark green backsplash. The bathroom was also a neutral color palette.
“I love the tile floor in there. I stand by the fact that we saved that,” Keith defended.
However, there was no defending the pink, blue, and yellow bedding with zebra pillows and black curtains in the bedroom.
“Yeah, that was rough,” he admitted.
“There was a lot going on in our lives during these months, so let’s just like move on,” Evan explained.
The ‘Dollhouse’
Keith and Evan originally purchased the starter home in the Detroit, Michigan, area for just $4,000.
The 690-square-foot cottage appeared to have been a hoarders house as it was piled high with trash.
“If the backyard calls for a machete, the inside calls for a hazmat suit,” Keith said during the season 2 episode.
With a renovation budget of $45,000, the men quickly realized that may not cut it.
“This is going to cost a lot more than we realized,” says Thomas. “Probably an extra $7,000 just in dumpsters, not to mention labor.”
After originally budgeting for one or two dumpsters for the project, they ultimately needed 20!
They later found a carpenter ant infestation, which only further destroyed their budget.
“A carpenter ant infestation is definitely no joke,” agrees Thomas. “They’re kind of like termites. They can chew through wood and hollow out entire boards, and if you don’t take care of it, it can really become a big disaster.”
The renovation ended up costing $60,000, which was $15,000 over their estimated budget. They listed the home for $85,000, but it did not sell by the time the episode aired, according to Realtor.com.
