Trading Spaces: How It Works

1. Arrival: The Trading Spaces crew arrives.
   
   
2. Filming begins: Paige's first lines and goofy segments of the designers are filmed at a geographically significant site.
   
   
3. Home visit: The cast and crew visit the homes and also meet with the carpenter.
   
   
4. Shopping time: The designers and carpenters shop.

Day 1

1. Show Time: The homeowners join Paige outside and perform the sacred Key Swap.
   
   
2. Meet and Greet: The homeowners describe what they'd like to see happen in their neighbours' room, and then the designers tell the homeowners what they're planning to do.
   
   
3. Lead Out: The designers and the homeowners clear the room. It takes about 15 minutes.
   
   
4. Paint Reveal: By noon, most rooms already have a first coat of paint, and the main carpentry or sewing projects have begun.
   
   
5. Special Segments: Segments with sewing, painting, building, and arts and crafts can take up to 45 minutes to film (sometimes a project is filmed several times).
   
   
6. Homework: Although it looks like the designers leave at night, most of the cast and crew stay to help the homeowners with their tasks.

Day 2

1. More work: Designers meet with their homeowners to discuss what did and didn't get done the night before. Paige assesses the homeowners' mental and physical condition.
   
   
2. Load In: Regardless of how much time is actually left, Paige films a few "Hurry Up" scenes in which she pushes everyone to finish.
   
   
3. Designer Chat: Paige interviews each designer, highlighting key projects.
   
   
4. The Reveal: Because the homeowners' reactions can't be refilmed, lighting, sound, and camera angles must be perfect. Cast and crew will often watch reactions on a video monitor.

- information from "Trading Spaces Behind The Scenes"