Adrian speaks about living in Budapest for 6 years, and he adores the city. They looked around at many apartments and liked the style and possibilities of this one. They also liked the area the apartment is in and it is easy to get around with the train station close by. Adrian says how he likes to mix styles with an modern and old feel together. He mentions how he and Alex think alike, and they want the flat to have a Mediterranean feeling as the courtyard has a Mediterranean style to it.
Alex talks about studying interior decoration, but she hasn't the necessary experience, that's why she asked her teacher(Juli) to help them plan their flat.
The teacher praises Alex saying she is a good pupil and that Alex and Adrian both have a very good sense of style. Alex says how she adores the baroque, but it does not suit this apartment.
Adrian’s name was spelled wrong in the first episode but corrected before the next aired.
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First there is a short summary of the first part:
Alex shows the different areas of the apartment: first the kitchen (the big hole) then the fridge (she shows it with both arms) a little study (when they are standing in front of the ladder) and you can go out to an areaway (it's called Lichthof in Hungarian, the same as the original German word) Alex still doesn't know what their plans are with this little open space, a barbeque area maybe, but there is the window of the neighbor, so there isn't a lot of privacy there.
There will be a bedroom upstairs, you can see a drawing where there will be a new window in the wall and behind the hole in the wall, there will be a bathroom. After being asked by the TV host about the Bathroom space Adrian says how he likes big bathrooms and would be happy if the whole upper level would become a big bathroom. Adrian then gets asked about the differences around the world when he has dealt with contractors in other countries. Adrian’s answer “You know that’s funny, contractors are usually the most unreliable people l have ever met and are the same everywhere, but Csaba is great, he is so on time l can not believe it” Alex then translates what Adrian has said.
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The reporter sitting in the armchair says that the floors are now being done and the walls painted.
The female reporter arrives saying that she got lost, because there are many rooms that lead into the apartment. The young men are just applying the stuccos. She asks why there are stuccos in the flat. The young man answers, not only because it looks good, but it is also useful. It hides a conduit with hidden lights. The girl says: just like her Christmas lights on the balcony. He answers it’s similar, but these lamps are more powerful. It’s a mood lighting of sorts. The girl discovers that the stucco is made of plastic and she says that they are cheating J. It will be painted twice and look like plaster. She is very unhappy, she hoped to meet Adrian but he isn't there. She asks when he will be there again, but the young man doesn't know. It’s always’s a surprise when he shows up. The girl would like to come back when he is there. He says that they try to make big changes before his next visit. She asks if Adrian and Alex are pleased with their work. He answers, yes, they are, and the workers do their best to work fast and well.
The girl and Juli chat about the differences between the traditional and the laminated parquet. Juli has a piece of hard-wood parquet in her hand. Laminated parquet is chipboard covered by a plastic foil and ally resin enamel. She asks which one is more durable. It’s the traditional parquet because it can be trimmed and it tolerates water too. But it costs more and its placement also takes more time. You can lay them using floor joist or adhesive. This parquet is glued.
There are many directions and lines in the flat. This is because of the difference between the old and the new level of the ceiling. They don't use many colors, because it would be too much, it would make a flickering impression.
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It is now time to have a look around at the finished home.
He asks if Alex made the cake, but she bought it. She had no time to cook or bake. But it's very fine, something Italian, with chocolate. She offers it to the reporter, and he says that he would like to have some, but they should visit the apartment first. He asks Adrian when he came back to Budapest. About a month and a half ago, He will be shooting a movie in Budapest in January, so a mixture of business and pleasure.
They are now in the living-room. Szilárd likes the fresco. He asks how they chose it. Alex tells that it was her father who felt that the ceiling seemed empty, compared to other parts of the apartment. Adrian wasn't there, so Alex began to look for a painting, they wanted something Italian, European. Adrian likes this room, he loves the ceiling but he also likes his office, because it only belongs to him. That is where he can relax best.
His "little office" is very comfortable. To make business, you need to be comfortable as Adrian could be sitting here the whole day. He writes here. The styles mix here, old and new. The paintings are part antique, part contemporary. This one is of a Hungarian painter, Tamás Ajtai.As Adrian said, many things mix here. The desk comes from Alex’s old flat. The armchair was bought at a flea market and then had it recovered. The bricks are old bricks with initials of different families. Until then, when Alex made the plan for a flat, she tried to save the original spirit of the house. We should respect the past of a building, we can't change everything. That was what Alex took into consideration.
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Szilárd says, that in every party, everyone always ends up in the kitchen, they chat there. Alex says, that it's normal, this is why the American kitchen is open, and she asks Juli, for how many years people build American kitchens in their homes in Hungary. I think she answers approximately 15 years.
Alex says, that the joiner worked very well, everything is "tailor-made" in the kitchen. Juli explains, that they only had a small space for the kitchen, because behind the door next to her, there is a gas furnace that heats the whole flat. Also the machines, the dishwasher, the oven, the microwave should be built-in. There was not much space for storage, that's why every little corner is used.
Szilárd asks how often they are in the kitchen. Alex answers quite often and points out Adrian, saying that it's him who cooks here. Adrian assents and shows a rack for spices that he finds very practical. He loves the rolling drawers, the simple things.
Szilárd asks if they often have a romantic dinner at home, after Adrian cooked it. He notices the wine rack. Alex says that it's very important. It's part of the European, Italian style. Wine is very important in an Italian household. Juli helped to plan it. She shows how the wall behind the cupboard isn't straight, but they did not want the cupboard to follow this corner. Alex wanted for the upper cupboard and the counter to be in the same line.
Adrian opens a cupboard and says that all Alex knows is that this is a pan, that's all she knows, then while laughing says sorry and that Alex does cook sometimes.Szilárd asks Adrian if he can cook Hungarian food. He answers that he cooks pasta.
Szilárd asks him if he cooks "gulyásleves". Adrian answers, it's easy, it's only a soup. (They all laugh about it, because for Hungarian people, the gulyás soup is much more than "just a soup".
Note: After asking Helga how to characterize this soup, if it is science, or art or mystery. She answered, it's all of these :) *Helga is the wonderful lady who taped all of these episodes that made these clips possible.
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Adrian says, now come the ladies' rooms.
Alex asks Szilárd if he likes the handrail. He answers, he likes it very much. Alex says the name of the artisan who made it. It's wrought iron. Szilárd mentions how the material and color matches those of the luster. Alex says that they bought the luster first, and the handrail was made to look antique in order to match the luster.
Szilárd likes the bathroom very much. The vault is original.Alex says that the contractor helped a lot, because he understood very well how Alex imagined her future home.
Alex tells about the mirror. First she bought a smaller mirror, made photos and sent them to Adrian in the USA. He wrote back saying that he didn't like it, because it was to small. Alex admits that he was right, because they changed it into a bigger one and it looks much better, it makes the room seem bigger. She also says that they didn't debate about it. Szilárd says that the Italian temperament won.
Adrian enters and brings them cakes, He says that the mirror was very small, it didn't make the space big enough. He loves big bedrooms, but here, the room is small, because it's the second floor and the arches in the room which he likes. Some compromises had to be made. There are also many corners, many points were fix, like the stairs, you couldn't make a bigger room. The area where they are standing is used as a dressing room with the bedroom on the other side of the wall. Adrian speaks about if a contractor says it will be ready in one week expect it in two to three weeks. It's the same everywhere. Adrian says the contractor Csaba and workers worked very well. He likes people who respect other people's work.
Alex says that it was hard, but Juli helped her very much. Juli says that Alex doesn't know the Hungarian conditions too well, but she is a good decorator and she would have succeeded without Juli's help too. Szilárd likes the flat and wishes them good times here. Adrian promises that they would only relax here :)
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Adrian talks about the workmen, bedroom and the
renovation process.
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Once again, thanks to the Hunlander group for sharing these videos and to our beloved Victoria (RIP)for all of her hard work putting them online.
We all hope you enjoy!
Peace.....Adrian's Angels
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Interviews dating back to 2004
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Watch the renovation of Adrian & Alexandra's Hungarian home.
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A great Hungarian TV Interview with Adrian and Alexandra, Translation & Links
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Adrian's most recent visit to Russia with great screencaps and links.
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Sadly, over the years many of the interviews have disappeared. We've attempted to give you a fairly detailed list and if we are missing anything..or a link does not work...
please E-MAIL me and let me know.
We've tried to keep this current and if we are missing anything, feel free to contact us so we can keep this the Ultimate Fan Site with the Ultimate information!
Thank you!!
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