Ever seen someone sob because of home decor?

Almost every time I turn on the tube, there’s always some sort of reality show that pits one friend against another. But when I came across The Learning Channel’s “Trading Spaces” last year, it not only entertained me, but it showed me that these friends are in it for the pure fun of helping out their neighbors.

“Trading Spaces” isn’t your usual reality TV show. The show’s concept is simple. Two designers have two days to inspire and work two sets of neighbors to death to completely make over one room in each other’s houses.

With only $1,000 in hand, the professional interior decorators and the handy carpenters toss in a little know-how and a lot of creativity to make a once-plain-looking room into something that most homeowners wouldn’t have the guts to do themselves.

Each couple does most of the work in their neighbors’ house, and they don’t get

to see what’s happening in their own until the 48 hours are up.

The charm of “Trading Spaces” isn’t really in the detailed work or even the outcome of the new rooms — it all comes down to the quirky antics of the six designers and the anticipation of what the homeowners will think of their custom-designed rooms.

As the third season approaches, “Trading Spaces” — based on the British series “Changing Rooms” — has fans all over the Internet asking what weird or motivating ideas these designers will come up with next, from straw — yes, straw — glued to the living room walls or tire swings hanging from the kid’s playroom ceiling.

“Trading Spaces” is a show that gives viewers great ideas for their own rooms or leaves them asking themselves why anyone would ever think of such a bizarre idea.

But one of the reasons I really like to watch “Trading Spaces” is the designers. All of them are very different, with their own styles and their own eccentric personalities. Let me introduce you to a few.

First meet my favorite, carpenter extraordinaire Ty Pennington. The former model’s antics on the show are hilarious. Not only is he easy on the eyes, his wit can charm the paint off any old armoire.

Take, for example, the episode in which he was asked by designer Frank Bielec to take apart an awful-looking ottoman. Well, instead of taking it apart staple by staple, Ty decided a steep hill was all he needed.

With a one, two, three — GO!, Ty jumped on the overstuffed ottoman on wheels and rode it right into poor unsuspecting Frank. The designer got a little irritated, but heck, it made for great ratings.

Another favorite designer of mine is Doug Wilson — the most “divaesque” of the whole group. In most of the episodes, the couple will give the designers their two cents about what should be done in a room. With Doug, it’s his way or no way.

In one of the most famous episodes, Doug seemed to have his mind made up before he even walked into the room.

The homeowners wanted to make their television/playroom a little more contemporary than they had it. In walks Doug with his grand master plan. Without even asking or caring what the neighbors thought about what he had in mind, he put them to work on a state-of-the-art theater room.

Picture flowing brown fabric from ceiling to floor, brown floors underneath a brown platform that held six very uncomfortable-looking chairs. Yes, the platform was lit with these snazzy lights and the television was hung from the ceiling, but the idea was just too unrealistic for the family.

After the two days were up, the homeowners walked into their new room and their faces just dropped. I think I read somewhere that the homeowners changed their room back that next week.

The reaction on the homeowners’ faces is what I think I love the best — whether it be good or bad. I remember one woman walked into her new living room after slaving for two days at her neighbor’s house and her mouth just dropped. Tears, not of joy, but of sheer shock, came rolling down her face, and she couldn’t even stay in the room. Viewers could hear her off-camera sobbing while her husband had to stay and try to make up something nice to say about their new room.

More often than not, the subjects on “Trading Spaces” love their new rooms. They shout “Oh, my God!” and jump up and down. Sometimes they get so excited that it looks as if they’ve never been so happy in their lives.

So, the next time you turn your television set on at 5 p.m. weekdays to TLC, don’t try to second-guess what could happen — because usually you can’t.

Don’t think that the valuable antique desk won’t be taken apart to create an art piece or that the new window treatments won’t be used for pillow fabric.

You have to be ready for anything when you watch “Trading Spaces.” I guess that’s what makes it such a great show.