Orlando Soria's Unspouse My House Gives the Newly-Single a New Sense of Home
Deciding to move in with a significant other is a milestone for any couple. It’s the starting point for building a life together, where you can finally hang gushy photos on the walls and steal each others food without the awkward next-day confrontation. But what happens if—or when—it all comes to an end? How do you remove the memories of the life you had built with someone, without being able to remove yourself from the space that you created them in? Well, Orlando Soria is here to show us. The Los Angeles-based designer, Instagram superstar, and self-proclaimed “master of being dumped,” knows a bit about heartbreak—a block he’s been around a time or two (or three).
So, Soria has officially taken to television to help his clients rid their homes of their ex’s lingering possessions, while delivering fresh spaces for the newly-single. Because, after all, interior design is the best remedy for heartbreak. “It’s like a revenge body for the home,” Soria tells ED. Unspouse My House—which premieres on HGTV on June 6th—uncovers the incredible healing power of reclaiming your spaces post-breakup; a stylish silver lining that we can all get behind. Soria will not only remove the physical remnants of his clients' relationships—clunky knicknacks, drab decor, fraying loveseats (ha..ha..)—he will also help them rework their spaces to be exclusively their own. And, above all, his clients will indulge in one of life’s most simple pleasures: having a pretty place to retreat to each day. Part home makeover show, part uplifting therapy session, Unspouse My House is unlike anything we've seen before. "Not only are we helping the clients heal on each episode, we're also showing the world that it's possible to work through these tough times, and there's a great benefit to starting in your home," he says.
A post shared by Orlando Soria (@mrorlandosoria) on Jun 5, 2019 at 3:39pm PDT
Soria sat down with ED to discuss love, loss, and the healing power of unspousing your house.
ELLE Decor: Tell us a little bit about the Unspouse My House. How does your show stand out from other home makeover shows?
ORLANDO SORIA: Unspouse My House takes the traditional home renovation show model and flips it on its head. You still get that satisfying before/after reveal, but I've added a special twist: relationship drama. The people on my show are all people who recently went through a breakup. They're people who are in a painful, logistically challenging part of their lives. And I'm there to guide them through it. Our show is different because we embark on real emotional journeys with our homeowners. I'm helping them get over something terrible and having a ton of fun along the way. So not only is heartwarming, it's also just really funny to watch.
ED: Why is it so important, both aesthetically and beyond, for people to 'unspouse' their house?
OS: Healing from an old relationship can be so difficult. Not only are you mourning the loss of someone you (hopefully) cared about quite a bit, you're also having to deal with all sorts of logistical remnants of that relationship (maybe you split the furniture up, maybe you have to move, maybe you never liked your ex's furniture in the first place). Taking a moment to 'unspouse,' to create a home that truly reflects you and your style, is a way of reclaiming your identity. It's a way transforming your breakup into an opportunity to grow, to imprint your personality onto your home, to commit an act of self-care during a trying time. There are so many things about breakups that are terrible, but 'unspousing' your house is one silver lining that can help you move forward quickly.
ED: How do you believe this show will help people in a similar situation, and why do you think it's important to tell this side of the relationship journey?
OS: I hope that 'Unspouse My House' helps people in a few ways. First, it helps the people I'm working with on the show. I'm helping these people figure out how to live their lives post-relationship, starting with how they use their homes. This may seem like a small detail, but the way someone's home looks and functions has a huge impact on their daily lives. Second, I'm hoping that people who watch at home will feel seen and heard by the themes I'm exploring on the show. Most people have dealt with rejection and loss before. And watching people on TV picking their lives back up and actively working to make them better can be such an inspiration for viewers, whether they be going through a hard time or not. 'Unspouse My House' is a really feel-good show, and I like that because I feel like there's so much garbage out there right now, so much conflict. I just wanted to make something positive. At its heart, this is a simple show about me coming into peoples' lives and just doing nice stuff for them. It's a really great reminder about humanity to see people doing that, to remember people are ultimately good to each other.
Unspouse My House premieres Thursday, June 6th, at 9:30 p.m. ET.
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