Real Housewives: Simon and Alex's Renovation Revealed!
[nggallery id=”31343″ template=galleryview] An hour before Simon & Alex’s house renovation was unveiled on last night’s new episode of The Real Housewives on New York, we stopped by their Cobble Hill house for a guided tour. The reality show couple livea in the lower duplex (plus renovated cellar) with their two kids and have two…
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An hour before Simon & Alex’s house renovation was unveiled on last night’s new episode of The Real Housewives on New York, we stopped by their Cobble Hill house for a guided tour. The reality show couple livea in the lower duplex (plus renovated cellar) with their two kids and have two rentals upstairs. Enjoy the pics! Update: As a commenter points out, how funny was that to see Marty in the background of their housewarming party on the show last night!
“For all of us, the best & worst aspects of our lives are the scenes that make it to air”
Please describe what of your “best” aspects of your life make it on the show???
and if the show does not accurately depict your “life” why would you sign on for TWO seasons (so far) of a show that portends to depict your life as “reality”????
You are certainly entitled to your view fsrg, but I think your vehemence and fury is misplaced. It is not the all-too-human desire to appear to have status in the eyes of one’s peers nor the desperate need to accumulate “beautiful” and expensive things that created the mess we are in. The psychopathology under THAT particular evil used and exploited the psychology of which we now speak. There is no indication that Simon and Alex have a moral compass that is askew. There is no indication that they have ever stolen from anyone, or that they have perpetuated near financial fraud on anyone. There is also little evidence to my eye that they are arrogant.
Well I always knew that our style of decor would draw nothing but controversy. Firstly the colors as captured above are not accurately reflected. Mr B took these images last night with a little digital point & shoot with a flash and that combined with the color adjustment on your individual computer monitors heavily distorts the actual color. This is not a complaint about Mr B’s photos, just a comment to take into consideration when viewing them.
For those that seem to hate our house largely based on their hate or disdain for us I would say that while, yes we chose to appear on this show, it is VERY hard to get an accurate picture of any of the people who appear on it. For all of us, the best & worst aspects of our lives are the scenes that make it to air and it is very hard to capture the totality of who we are based on a few selected minutes of us each week over a 12 week period.
We will be posting many before, during & after pictures on our own website over the next few days for those that are interested.
The parlor level was completely renovated with all new plumbing, electrics, HVAC, new structural support I beams, a completely rebuilt extension rear wall, a new kitchen & 1/2 bath, as well as new flooring & sheet rock in a 9 week period between Sept 4th 2008 & November 1st 2008. We managed to keep all the original moldings as well as the original pocket doors and the tin & plaster ceilings. The ceiling rose in the living room is made of wood and that we kept as well.
For anyone who’s renovated in NYC to achieve all of that under the glare of cameras in a 9 week period while complying with all NYC building codes, inspections and so on is remarkable and I am not afraid to say that! 😀
Our main contractors, the Pinnacle Group did a sterling effort as did the electricians, plumbers/HVAC guys, steel & roofers, Kitchen cabinet manufacturers and so and and so on. Without their commitment to get this job in 9 weeks there is no way we would have finished in time.
Simon van Kempen
I’ve never watched the show. But based on these photos, the reno looks pretty bad. They may or may not be great people, but they don’t have great taste.
I admitted it was hyperbole – it was to illustrate a point.
BxGirl watch half of one episode ( I think they are available free online somewhere – hulu maybe?) – then please tell me my (non-hitler) descriptions are even a little bit exaggerated.
Agree with bxgirl 100%.
No need to bring Hitler into it. ridiculous.
fsrq- to be honest- I never watched the show, or have any interest in it. But you seem a little – er- overexcited about your perception of them. I take you do watch the show. I can only go by what people who I know and who know them, say.
Sure it says something that anyone would want to be on a reality show like this, but a wholesale condemnation of them? those shows are edited to show the worst- you aren’t going to see any selfless acts or generosity on them. But that doesn’t mean they don’t perform them or that they are as flat and lifeless as the producer makes them out to be.
And really, Hitler? If you were hyperbolic before, you’ve gone to level 10 with that one.
bxgrl – maybe too hyperbolic an example – but many people thought Hitler was charming too…..so what
I’m not saying they are the equivalent of child rapists or animal abusers – I am saying that they are tacky, shallow, classless, shameless and pathetic – and I find it amusing that the people here who condemn people for such horrible transgressions as taking up too much sidewalk space while caring for children, driving an SUV or for simply being wealthy – can defend people who can have countless hours of their lives depicted on television and the only thing shown is materialism, snobbery, classism and pathetic social striving and not a SINGLE selfless act.
Ringo, a small correction: they didn’t condo the place. As typical, they own the whole building, live in the garden unit and the top two floors are rentals. Also, agree with you that reds are extremely difficult — the only time I’ve ever seen it perfect is basically pure cadmium red, done in a modern setting (see Bar Etats-Unis on 81st St).