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In the category of “Most Amazing News Ever!!!,” TLC (The Learning Channel) recently announced that it will be bringing back its iconic show, Trading Spaces!

Besides Bob Vila’s This Old House (which I watched faithfully as a kid), Trading Spaces  influenced my love of all things home decor, plus it was just so fun to watch! Remember that fireplace reveal?? Homeowners reaction=priceless.

If you have a few minutes to spare, you have to watch it:

That was such a cringe-worthy moment but most of the reveals went much better!

If you didn’t spend hours and hours watching the show when it first aired, I’ll sum up the premise Cliff Notes-style (remember Cliff Notes?)…

2 teams of neighbors switch houses for a weekend and re-do one room with the help of a designer and a carpenter.  Throw in a chirpy host, late-night renos, low budgets and you get the formula for Trading Spaces’ success.

And I was hooked.

During my first pregnancy when I was too tired to do anything else and I didn’t have other kiddos to parent, I would come home from school and watch back to back episodes.  This was pre-DVR people so imagine the binge-watching potential it has now! Anyway, my oldest is lucky her name isn’t Paige, the show’s effervescent host; I guess she’s also lucky her name isn’t Butter because I devoured that just as much as the show during my pregnancy!

Pre-HGTV and the kingdom of all things Joanna, Trading Spaces  helped feed my desire to create a beautiful home on a budget and there was nothing else like it on TV.  Some of the reveals were really outrageous and over-the-top (think straw on the walls!) Check it out here.

But others showed practical, creative ways to make over your space in a short amount of time.

Like this room designed by one of my favorite Trading Spaces’ designers, Laurie Smith.  (Maybe that’s where my love of plates on the walls stems from??)

I loved Trading Spaces so much I even applied to be on the show but alas, they never picked me.  Now I have another chance! Maybe this time will be different?

Did you watch Trading Spaces too? I’d love to know!