The Burns Family

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Season 2, Episode 9
The Burns Family
Recap By J.G. Bird
November 28, 2004
When they rush through and have little detail stringing the episode’s parts together… when before you know it, you’re at day 4, you come to realize that half of the action will be in the next night’s “How’d They Do That?” special. Garden Grove, CA is not far from Anahiem, Home of the California Angels and Disneyland. Let’s guess what the shows producers can do with a double-hitter of marketing for their network parent company on this one.

Safety features to the house take top-billing for this family. The Burns family loves and cares for the smallest, youngest and most fragile among them, Benjamin Burns. In their application video, mom explains that Ben likes sports but can’t participate in his favorite spectator games like baseball or football. Ben Burns has been diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. His “glass bones” make falling a danger. A walker is one of his assistive devices, but he appears to prefer scuttling around the house on his knees.

“Think before you build!” is little Ben’s advice to Ty on the fine points of cardboard playhouse building. Ty promises him plenty of boxes to be creative with when he returns with the family in a week.

This house holds 6 family members: Gerry (Gerald), the dad, and mom, Ellen were not aware of their son’s genetic condition from birth. It took a series of easily broken bones and a doctor’s later diagnosis for them to overcome false charges of child abuse. These parents aren’t concerned about modifications to the house as a whole. Ellen wishes to display her collected spoons. These parents also swear-by their waterbed. Jeff (older brother, 16, shares a room with Ben), is physically active and a musician. Pam (older sister, 18) has dreams of being a fashion designer. Aunt Diana recently moved into the Burns home to help with Ben’s care. Upon sending the family off to the Four Seasons Resort in San Diego, Ty takes charge of the family’s Bassett hound, Oobie. Maybe in the expanded episode (HDTDT Mon 11/29 8pm PST ABC) we’ll find out to what doggie resort the dog was sent.

A pool is part of the design plan so Ben can get exercise that builds muscle, yet is easiest on his fragile bones.
Karen Braitmeir, Architect (in a wheelchair) had suggestions on how to provide active space for Ben in his room and throughout the house
The contractor is California Additions – Don Baker
The seven dwarves help with demolition and deliver a family pack of annual passes to the Magic Kingdom

Paul and Preston, “frustrated rock stars,” I think I recall Michael calling them, take the lead on a Guitar themed room for the oldest boy. Tracy & Preston sneak into Angels Stadium and literally “Stole Third Base” as part of the decor for Ben’s room. Michael shops in Bombay. A total of 4 baths is mentioned – segue to a Sears run.

A crane is called in to place the backyard pool. With not enough water play in that, Ty bases one of his call-ins to the family on the idea of “What happens if…we overfill the waterbed – uh, with the fire truck hose!?” This was harmless fun. I won’t get down on this silliness. I agree, many people are curious to find out what would happen if I just kept fillin’ her up?

So what’s going in to Ben’s room? Soft things - curved walls, waist to floor level cushioning adhered to the walls, and double layered rubber flooring.

The whole great room of the house gets extremely stylish Cork flooring. This isn’t the cork board color either. Elegant patterns are laid with much of being in a deep dark brown that matches the Bombay store décor.

LoveSacks, a store at the mall, gets thoroughly raided for its soft (bean bag-style) furniture – then, back at the build, Mr. T shows up: He motivates the volunteer crewmembers, talks to the family over the phone, and tests the soft factor of this pile of furniture with Ty as the test projectile.

The reveal brings in quite a crowd; I saw bleachers assembled for the main body of the crowd for the first time.

Ben seems delighted by the retractable plasma TV that can lower out from the ceiling in the great room. He’s wowed not only by Intelligel walls and rubber floor in his own room, but a rubberized bathtub surface. His dad is impressed by the added detail of railings running along the walls, throughout the home, that met a need for Ben.

The surprises: Giant spoon oversees the multitude of spoon display racks Paul has fashioned for Ellen’s collection. Ben’s room has every Angel’s baseball item imaginable. Pam is the recipient not only of Ty’s special room, but a ticket to her dreams in the form of a full scholarship to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). The adult rooms are suites. And the parents get an updated waterbed. Every room is unique and yet unified by that unmistakable elegance coming from the Bombay furniture.

Again I’ll note, not everything was covered. Other than peering into the stocked refrigerator, no time was edited into this episode regarding the kitchen.

You can see before and after photos of the décor and the kitchen at www.abc.go.com
There’s also adorable photos of this kid, Ben, with his mom, and with the designers.