A Very Brady (Ewing) Renovation

[Rove]

Given "A Very Brady Renovation" is about to air in America it has sparked my interest in asking if others would like to see the current owners of Southfork ask the surviving Dallas stars to participate in something similar. If so would you prefer to see the interior dressed how it began (1978) or later years.

I think something along the lines of this would give Southfork Ranch a boost in tourism....

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[Pamela_E]

Given "A Very Brady Renovation" is about to air in America it has sparked my interest in asking if others would like to see the current owners of Southfork ask the surviving Dallas stars to participate in something similar. If so would you prefer to see the interior dressed how it began (1978) or later years.

I think something along the lines of this would give Southfork Ranch a boost in tourism....

View attachment 17906​

Definitely would make fans happy. It's been the biggest complaint about visiting the ranch.

I watched a preview for the Brady renovation and they have put so much work into it. They did tease it would be used in the future, but any ideas for what?

It actually makes more sense to renovate Southfork as it's a tourist attraction but I do have to wonder for how much longer it can sustain itself.

 

[Rove]

to renovate Southfork as it's a tourist attraction but I do have to wonder for how much longer it can sustain itself.

Agreed. It must be bitterly disappointing for long time fans and those who have traveled some distance to gaze at the interior and think this isn't Southfork. If Southfork Ranch is to remain relevant I think it must change. Perhaps HGTV, the lifestyle cable channel behind A Very Brady Renovation in conjunction with the owners of Southfork Ranch could create a similar series.

It's been reported here in Australia the Brady house will remain the property of HGTV for channel events and is giving away contest prizes for lucky fans to stay overnight.

 

[Seaviewer]

A great idea. And just maybe it could spark another dramatic continuation of some kind.

 

[Billy Wall]

It’s a very good idea, but if they want what’s left of the original cast to participate, they better hurry up.

 

[Michelle Stevens]

A great idea but the dimensions of the Parker, TX Southfork compared to the California sets where the interior shots were filmed seem to make this really hard. Any improvement to the interior to make it look like the interior from the original series is a plus.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

It actually makes more sense to renovate Southfork as it's a tourist attraction but I do have to wonder for how much longer it can sustain itself.

Yes, it seems a bit late. Perhaps Lorimar should have swept up the ranch when the owner lost it in 1991 and the ranch sat fallow for a couple of years. Not that they would have done the right thing with it.

A great idea but the dimensions of the Parker, TX Southfork compared to the California sets where the interior shots were filmed seem to make this really hard. Any improvement to the interior to make it look like the interior from the original series is a plus.

A lot of it is actually doable, if they were to gut the entire house. That long stretch from where Jock's portrait hung at the end of the living room, thru the foyer, to the bay window behind Miss Ellie in the dining room would actually rather easily into the real house's structure.

And you could put in an entire 28' kitchen/breakfast area directly behind where the dining room would be (thus leaving the den from the actual house, the one with the fireplace and the two French doors on either side, intact). And the real kitchen turned into a kind of butler's pantry to serve the breakfast terrace.

Now, the wing containing the living room would be tricky because it's only ~21 feet deep on the real house, and the living room set from the show varied from about 16' to, later, ~21 feet deep (the entire dimension of that wing). And yet there has to be something behind the living room (originally, it was the study) between the living room and the breakfast terrace out back. So we could make the living room, maybe, ~15 deep, leaving maybe 6 or 7 feet more for a thin, long room behind it (like a sun room) with all those windows which would line up with those opening up on the breakfast terrace.

Make any sense?

The biggest problem would be upstairs. The central section of the house is ~42 feet deep (although it's at least 60' deep on the show). So you'd have to shrink Miss Ellie's room significantly, and then leave out entirely John Ross' room and Jenna's room directly across the hall.

And you'd be hard-pressed to fit Bobby's and Lucy's rooms into those tiny areas with the tiny dormer windows.

So, it would be fun. But who'd go to the trouble and the expense today? But doing so might make an interesting reality show, yes.

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"Bobby, I'm leaving you again -- the house is just too small and makes no sense architecturally..."

 

[Pamela_E]

Is the kitchen at SF the only part the same as the show or is the whole house different?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Is the kitchen at SF the only part the same as the show or is the whole house different?

The kitchen wasn't really all that similar.

This is a (terrible) blueprint of the actual house and its dimensions downstairs, and how the sets (based on the Calder house interiors) could fit inside (or not). I leave out balconies:

You'll notice the studio set kitchen (or its equivalent) is in the same location as JR's murder room (also Ellie's downstairs rose bedroom).

The skinny game room/sun room is where Jock's den was early on (but the real house is not deep enough there for it to be behind the living room).

 

[Grant Jennings]

As you say, much of this is doable. I'd focus on recreating the most iconic rooms: the living room, dining room and foyer. I'd recreate the kitchen. I'd redecorate the existing den in the style of Jock's study from the early seasons; it wouldn't be laid out the same but it could have some resemblance. I agree that there needs to be a butler's pantry adjacent to the dining terrace. I'd make the small area behind the living room a mudroom with access to the garage.

Upstairs I'd recreate J.R.'s bedroom, John Ross' nursery (the early version with crayon-drawing wallpaper and yellow trim) and the hallway. That would probably leave only enough space for one additional bedroom; I'm not sure if I'd make it Bobby and Pam's (the early version with yellow wallpaper) or Miss Ellie's (the later version, the first version appears to be J.R.'s room redressed).

 

[Garry]

A designer I know has already offered the owner of Southfork, Rex Maughan to recreate the famous MGM living room. hall and dining room interiors at the real ranch. The response was a resounding NO. Too costly. What a wasted opportunity!

 

[Alexis]

A designer I know has already offered the owner of Southfork, Rex Maughan to recreate the famous MGM living room. hall and dining room interiors at the real ranch. The response was a resounding NO. Too costly. What a wasted opportunity!

Well it wouldn't be too costly if a reality tv show was footing the bill.

 

[Billy Wall]

Yes, it seems a bit late. Perhaps Lorimar should have swept up the ranch when the owner lost it in 1991 and the ranch sat fallow for a couple of years. Not that they would have done the right thing with it.

A lot of it is actually doable, if they were to gut the entire house. That long stretch from where Jock's portrait hung at the end of the living room, thru the foyer, to the bay window behind Miss Ellie in the dining room would actually rather easily into the real house's structure.

And you could put in an entire 28' kitchen/breakfast area directly behind where the dining room would be (thus leaving the den from the actual house, the one with the fireplace and the two French doors on either side, intact). And the real kitchen turned into a kind of butler's pantry to serve the breakfast terrace.

Now, the wing containing the living room would be tricky because it's only ~21 feet deep on the real house, and the living room set from the show varied from about 16' to, later, ~21 feet deep (the entire dimension of that wing). And yet there has to be something behind the living room (originally, it was the study) between the living room and the breakfast terrace out back. So we could make the living room, maybe, ~15 deep, leaving maybe 6 or 7 feet more for a thin, long room behind it (like a sun room) with all those windows which would line up with those opening up on the breakfast terrace.

Make any sense?

The biggest problem would be upstairs. The central section of the house is ~42 feet deep (although it's at least 60' deep on the show). So you'd have to shrink Miss Ellie's room significantly, and then leave out entirely John Ross' room and Jenna's room directly across the hall.

And you'd be hard-pressed to fit Bobby's and Lucy's rooms into those tiny areas with the tiny dormer windows.

So, it would be fun. But who'd go to the trouble and the expense today? But doing so might make an interesting reality show, yes.

--------

"Bobby, I'm leaving you again -- the house is just too small and makes no sense arcitectually..."

Bobby really was the chosen one. Was his bedroom the biggest in the house?

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

once they renovate the interior, they should hire actors to roam around the house pretending to be the Ewings - like a tall, leathery older man striding around growling a bunch of “damns” and “hells” and how he needs a straight shot of bourbon, etc.

 

[Michelle Stevens]

Well it wouldn't be too costly if a reality tv show was footing the bill.

Exactly and I think Dallas and Southfork is more well known around the world than The Brady Bunch. Such a renovation would bring more people in.

once they renovate the interior, they should hire actors to roam around the house pretending to be the Ewings - like a tall, leathery older man striding around growling a bunch of “damns” and “hells” and how he needs a straight shot of bourbon, etc.

Well there was an older gentleman taking souvenir photos in the gift shop when I was there in April but he was no Big Jock Ewing.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

For the few who haven't seen these, this is what the interiors actually look like. They're quite odd, really.

Think of it this way (for those really attempting to imagine it) if you add the depth of the real dining room to the narrow hall behind it, and consider that acceptable for the re-made living room depth, you still have the depth of the bathroom (off the foyer) which is 6' or 7' deep, which could be the depth of a narrow study (which would be much longer, of course, than this bathroom) --- we're talking front-to-back here.

In other words, the re-done living room could be ~15 feet in depth (and ~35' long), while the study could be ~7' deep (as deep as the real-life lavatory) but much longer.

Is this incoherent?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Oh, just imagine a Southfork living room which looked like this! (I'd say S12 thru 14)...

 

[Toni]

Maybe now that Disney is buying everything that can be bought, they might buy the Lorimar properties from Warner and build a "Soap Land" in Disneyland. Imagine, Southfork, Falcon Crest, the cul-de-sac and "Flamingo Road"´s brothel, all in one street. I´d die right there and go to Heaven.

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[Pamela_E]

once they renovate the interior, they should hire actors to roam around the house pretending to be the Ewings - like a tall, leathery older man striding around growling a bunch of “damns” and “hells” and how he needs a straight shot of bourbon, etc.

They could make it into something like the Walking Dead experience at Uni Studios. You have to run through. Sue Ellen throws at wine bottle at you, Lucy falls down the stairs, Miss Ellie takes a rifle out "Get out of my home", Kristin takes a shot at you. Then as you leave Katherine tries to run you over.

 

[Rove]

Dallas and Southfork is more well known around the world than The Brady Bunch.

An Australian website had the audacity to state boldly The Brady Bunch house was second only to The White House as the most recognized house in America. I'd offer a resounding no way on this. Southfork would have to be more famous.

already offered the owner of Southfork, Rex Maughan to recreate the famous MGM living room. hall and dining room interiors at the real ranch. The response was a resounding NO. Too costly. What a wasted opportunity!

I agree. As Dallas begins to fade from peoples memories I'd imagine less and less people will visit Southfork Ranch. It would be a crying shame if one day the current owners realize no one is visiting and it eventually closes.