Rate My Space

Rate My Space is an intriguing and engaging reality television show that was aired on HGTV in 2008. The show is a unique blend of interior decorating and social networking — a fascinating concept that sets it apart from other reality home and decor themed shows. This innovative design competition format is certainly a delight for those who love interior design, and it extends beyond just amusing entertainment by providing practical home improvement tips and ideas.

Rate My Space invites viewers to dive into a world where they can explore not just the beautifully showcased spaces, but also the innate creativity of real-life homeowners and the stories that these spaces tell. Each episode of this captivating series follows homeowners who have taken to the internet to rate and review each other's spaces on Rate My Space, an online community where people post photos and descriptions of their home's interior, hoping for positive feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Hosted by Angelo Surmelis, an accomplished and engaging interior designer, each episode focuses on a certain homeowner who is not satisfied with their room's rating on the site. Angelo, with his warm demeanor and commendable skill as a designer, helps these homeowners increase the ratings of their spaces. He uses the three top-rated rooms from the website in the same category as a source of inspiration to revamp the homeowner’s space.

The major highlight of the show is when Surmelis presents the homeowner with designs inspired by the top-rated rooms on the website. The designs are a blend of features that have achieved the highest ratings, which Surmelis interprets and syntheses into one design—interpretations and replications that lead to stunning transformations. The 'before and after' showcases are one of the most awaited moments on each episode, where viewers get to witness an ordinary room evolve into an extraordinary space.

What makes Rate My Space more special is that it combines the social interaction of networking sites with practical, reliable and artistic advice on home improvement that you would expect from HGTV. It's essentially a digital neighborhood where people can visit each other's homes without leaving their own, provide their own views, gather ideas, improve their space and along the way, even bring those ideas to life on television.

The show is excellent for those searching for inspiration for their own spaces, as well as those who simply enjoy seeing the transformation. The element of competition adds a fun and exciting twist to the common design show format, with homeowners aiming for the highest rating on their redesigned rooms. The added layer of an online community also incorporates a truly 21st-century feel, combining television and technology in a way that is both unique and engaging.

The show doesn’t discriminate between larger spaces and more intimate settings. Viewers get to see a wide variety of spaces - bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, offices, outdoor spaces being transformed with an equal level of interest and creativity irrespective of space size or shape, ensuring that every homeowner can find relatable and flexible options that are easily applicable to their own homes.

Rate My Space also offers lessons in design principles, trends, and techniques and offers countless ideas for any taste or budget. It's possible to pick up ideas for a room that matches the viewer's own needs or style, as the rooms being showcased fall into a broad spectrum of design philosophies ranging from traditional to modern, rustic to minimalist.

In summary, Rate My Space is a well-conceptualized and brilliantly executed show that offers inspiration, entertainment, practical advice, and an engaging user-interactive experience. It illustrates that anyone with a drive for creativity and desire for change can transform even the most mundane spaces into works of art. By taking a typical home renovation show and adding a layer of public interaction, Rate My Space proves to be an innovatively delightful gem in HGTV's lineup.