During Home Improvement’s eight-season run, the show’s characters went through many ups and downs. But while the Taylors struggled to stay together, their home was filled with subtle details that reflected their personalities. From the family’s yin-yang coffee mugs to their collection of Detroit Lions paraphernalia, the Taylor house has many little touches that fans might have missed.
When Home Improvement aired in the early 1990s, it was one of TV’s most popular sitcoms. Based on the standup comedy of actor Tim Allen, the show revolved around a tool salesman and his family. Tim’s most notable challenge was his struggle to keep the peace with his aggressive oldest son Brad and wily middle child Randy, played by Zachery Ty Bryan and Jonathan Taylor Thomas. During filming, the show’s cast and crew often found themselves in heated arguments. However, the most intense drama on set occurred between Richardson and Allen, who didn’t always see eye-to-eye on how to write for her character.
Even though Home Improvement ended in 1998, the series remains popular to this day. Most recently, Fox’s Last Man Standing worked a Home Improvement revival joke into its season premiere, causing the floodgates to open for requests that the show return for a ninth season. But while fans are eagerly awaiting another chance to see the Taylors in action, they’ll have to settle for an all-new Home Improvement DVD box set. And with the release date looming, it’s never been a better time to revisit some of the show’s greatest moments.
Home Improvement fans can relive the Taylors’ adventures at home, as the complete series was released on May 10 by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. The DVD includes all 204 episodes and special features. A limited-edition collector’s edition comes encased in a Home Improvement toolbox and contains a Binford “All-In-One Tool” tape measure.
The Home Improvement set was modeled after executive producer Matt Williams’ California home, but it wasn’t intended to evoke a specific interior design style. The series’ designer, David Sackeroff, explains that the Taylor residence was designed to be “homey,” with details like a wall-mounted Dustbuster and emergency numbers taped next to the telephone.
Home Improvement’s most famous feature was its live studio audience, which made attending a taping of the show’s popular repair segment Tool Time an unforgettable experience for viewers. In fact, the show’s first season was filmed in front of a full house that numbered over 4,500 people. But if you want to get a taste of what it was like to be in the audience, you’re in luck: Allen kept the original set behind for storage in his garage, so he can still host Tool Time in front of an actual studio audience.