After watching HGTV, I must hang my head in shame

[Milizard]

1. Because I have to share the master bathroom with my kids
2. My kids have to share a bathroom with each other
3. My laundry room isn't big enough, necessitating me to dump clothes on a bed or couch so that I  can fold them.


The shame!

[RFAAOATB]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

[Parizade]

I too must hang my head in shame. My kitchen, though perfectly functional, is "dated"

[wageslave23]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

I probably won't make as much money as my dad, won't have as nice of cars, won't eat out as much, will probably have the same size house since they have lived in the same 1000 sq ft ranch with one bathroom for the last 30 years.  But I'll be retired by 40, 20 years younger than him.  That's my priority 💪.  House size doesn't matter to kids, in fact I saw a study the other day saying families in smaller houses might be better off.  We had 5 people with one bathroom. It was rarely ever a problem.  And my friends were always hanging out at my house because we had a pool table in the basement and a basketball hoop in the driveway and played football across the three neighbors front yards.  That's what kids care about.

[herbgeek]

I feel a lot better about my house once we dropped extended cable, and could no longer get HGTV.

[kpd905]

You think that's bad?  My countertops are linoleum, not granite or quartz.  I wonder how that will impact my daughter's upbringing.

[daffodil2001]

My countertops are tile, kind of rust orange. They match the plaid orange and brown wallpaper in an adjacent room. The house was last updated in the 70s. I actually like some of the other wallpaper but I’m sure HGTV would tell me the whole house needs to be redone.

[ambimammular]

When I visit my folks over Christmas break, we end up watching a lot of HGTV. I love the rehabing parts (or rather I love watching other people do the rehabing. There's plenty of fixing up around our house that gets pushed off and ignored.)

I end up a little inspired and a little discontent. And then we go home and I settle back down.

[ysette9]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

“Poorer” is such a loaded term. My kids are growing up in a smaller house than I did and I certainly don’t think I am depriving them. For one thing we have more friendly interactions while at home because it is harder for people to go off and find a corner by themselves away from the rest.

[OtherJen]

Ugh, HGTV. We got rid of cable a decade ago. Haven’t missed it yet.
What It’s Actually Like to Be on House Hunters—Twice

My house is 950 square feet with one bathroom, no basement, no dishwasher, and no central A/C. Contrary to popular belief, we survive just fine. Our small house/lack of dishwasher horrified my BIL when he visited last summer, so I particularly enjoyed it when my 5-year-old niece announced, “This is a cool house!”

[Wrenchturner]

Where are you supposed to fold laundry, on a dedicated laundry-folding countertop?  I always thought a big laundry room was just a bad use of space...  Unless you make quilts or sails or something I guess.

[Khaetra]

3. My laundry room isn't big enough, necessitating me to dump clothes on a bed or couch so that I  can fold them.

I have such a poorly designed laundry/pantry/utility room seeing functional ones does make me a bit envious.  Not enough to cough up the dough to make it actually function better, but still a bit envious.  I time laundry to finish and being ready to fold when baseball games start so I can watch and fold at the same time.

Some (okay, most) of the things I see on HGTV are very much over the top, but I did get a few good ideas and used them when I remodeled.  It's also my guilty pleasure channel :).

[Rosy]

I used to love HGTV when it was geared towards good interior design as well as decorating for every budget. When it included series on makeovers from 100 bucks to 500 to 1000. When it included awesome DIY shows on everything from how to replace your sink to how to make your own cabinet and drawer pulls for practically nothing.
You can't get more mushtashian than that:)

Now it seems to be a Real Estate Channel. The extensive renovations are all big budget for people who apparently have no taste of their own with no idea of what good design is or how it can improve your (own, unique) life(style).
I haven't watched it in a long time, but last time I tuned in it had no inspiration to offer even remotely suitable to our life and style.

It isn't about updates, it is about finding good solutions for something in your home that does not function well or proves irritating or requires replacing and modernization anyway. Updates are for suckers or for people who have more money than sense.
Although a fresh coat of paint, new curtains and some furniture re-arranging and enhancing can certainly lift my spirits - I do like re-imagining all the things I already own and use them in new and different ways for no-cost decorating. I'm good at that sort of thing.

I don't mind spending my time and my money to make my home more liveable, more functional and more beautiful. It is part of who I am, even as a kid I cared about my space and my living environment - the cleaning up part - not so much:).

When I was younger I'd change all the rooms whenever the seasons changed - different colors, different throws, one or two items of seasonal decor. Ah, the energy of youth:) I still do the dining room for spring and the living room for Christmas, the other rooms get a facelift only whenever they appear to have become dull and lifeless.
I used to change the furniture layout so often that DH would regularly stumble over the furniture when he came home after dark from his six-week military maneuvers:) - back in the day.

I am always utterly fascinated by how people live and what is important to them about their home.

[Cranky]

I enjoy watching HGTV when I’m exercising, but it’s entirely fantasy and nothing to do with my perfectly ordinary and completely paid for house.

[Firehazard]

I wish HGTV had more DIY, creative and inexpensive renovations, upcycling, etc.   We did purchase a house in 2014 that had a nice layout, spacious rooms and the absolute cheapest builder finishes money could buy.  We remodeled pretty much everything, but furnishing has been a slow process because I'm cheap and not terribly creative or good with decorating.  I have to say that HGTV has helped tremendously in that regard.  It's not that hard to get a beautiful look on the cheap if you're not afraid to steal their inspiration and take your time to paint, refinish, sew, upholster, attend yard sales, etc.  It helps that I enjoy those activities.

[Firehazard]

Oh, and what drives me nuts now is that lately, I've seen shows where they walk into a pretty darned nice kitchen with solid wood cabinets, granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances and declare that everything would have to be ripped out because they want white cabinets.  If only there were some sort of inexpensive coating that could be purchased in any hardware store that could be applied to dark cabinets to make them white.  Alas.

[bacchi]

Ugh, HGTV. We got rid of cable a decade ago. Haven’t missed it yet.
What It’s Actually Like to Be on House Hunters—Twice

The crazy bathtub lady!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWoWHzq21tA  <== mitchell and webb spoof

[BTDretire]

I too must hang my head in shame. My kitchen, though perfectly functional, is "dated"

 Is "73" dated ? But I have changed the Olive Green sink to stainless steel. :-)
If I get right down to it, I guess the only thing original is the counter top and cabinets,
although the cabinets have been, restained.
  My kids would say, and have said, it needs updating.

[calimom]

Sadly, I seem to have no shiplap. I hear it's big in Waco, Texas.

[Fomerly known as something]

Oh, and what drives me nuts now is that lately, I've seen shows where they walk into a pretty darned nice kitchen with solid wood cabinets, granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances and declare that everything would have to be ripped out because they want white cabinets.  If only there were some sort of inexpensive coating that could be purchased in any hardware store that could be applied to dark cabinets to make them white.  Alas.

That's because after 5 years the white cabinets will look like crap and so one needs to re-do the entire kitchen again.

[Travis]

And I'll bet none of you remodeled your 10 year old's room to conform exclusively to a 10 year old's interests even though they'll turn 11 the next year and have new interests.

[Freedomin5]

Oh, and what drives me nuts now is that lately, I've seen shows where they walk into a pretty darned nice kitchen with solid wood cabinets, granite counter-tops and stainless steel appliances and declare that everything would have to be ripped out because they want white cabinets.  If only there were some sort of inexpensive coating that could be purchased in any hardware store that could be applied to dark cabinets to make them white.  Alas.

That's because after 5 years the white cabinets will look like crap and so one needs to re-do the entire kitchen again.

Because it will be the wrong shade of white. It’ll probably be white with cool blue undertones when everyone has moved to white with warm undertones. Duh.

[ReadySetMillionaire]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

Does anyone else think this is insane?

I grew up in a 2,600 square foot house with a finished basement, and both of my parents drove Mercedes.  They are both going to work until they are probably 70.

Conversely, my wife and I live in an 1,100 square foot ranch and drive a Toyota (her) and Honda (me).  Our house is extremely low maintenance and we love it.  We are likely never going to upgrade.

I highly doubt my kid's life will be worse than mine merely because of these material differences.

[DadJokes]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

Does anyone else think this is insane?

I grew up in a 2,600 square foot house with a finished basement, and both of my parents drove Mercedes.  They are both going to work until they are probably 70.

Conversely, my wife and I live in an 1,100 square foot ranch and drive a Toyota (her) and Honda (me).  Our house is extremely low maintenance and we love it.  We are likely never going to upgrade.

I highly doubt my kid's life will be worse than mine merely because of these material differences.

No, I agree. I already have a larger house than I grew up in, and I don't think it makes my child's life any better. I would very much prefer to downsize, but our current house is similar to what my wife grew up in, and it makes her comfortable.

[ReadySetMillionaire]

As for the original post, yes, HGTV drives my wife and I insane. Others have already covered the ubiquitous style, so I'll leave my wrath for all these worthless spaces in the house.

The entire concept of a "mudroom" is baffling to me. As stated above, I grew up in a huge house, and we always, always, always took off our shoes and dirty clothes in the garage. Why on earth would you even want a space in the house *solely* for the purpose of getting dirty? Just put it in the garage and be done with it.

The modern "laundry rooms" are also silly. The last thing my wife wants to do is be stuck in a room to do all the laundry. She just grabs it from the basement and brings it into the family room to watch TV and fold.

The inability to share bathrooms -- or adults, sharing sinks -- is even more perplex. My two brothers and I shared one bathroom. It wasn't the end of the world.

And last but not least, the "open concept" stuff is just so non-functional. My wife's aunt, who I absolutely love, has one of these houses. You cannot be in isolation anywhere on the first floor. Running the dishwasher? Sucks for the people in the livingroom trying to watch TV.

All in all, HGTV has just become a constant infomercial for people to build bigger houses that all look the same. It's become so incredibly lame.

[LaineyAZ]

Agree about the "open concept" madness.  They exclaim how wonderful it is to be able to open the front door and look all the way into the back of the house.  Ugh, no.  If I'm in the house in my PJs and my SO opens the door to let someone in, I don't want to have to scurry to a bedroom.
And the noise bouncing all over the house without any walls to break it up?  That's another No Thanks. 
It's going to be funny to watch the next generation of rehabbers reinstall a few of those interior walls. 

But, I'm going to defend my laundry room.  Those of us without basements can appreciate having a small separate room to contain washer noise and to use as an inside clothes drying space.  In my case it's also big enough to include a small table and chair for crafts that I can leave out and work on without tying up the dining table.  I know some people who also install cabinets there for extra misc. like vases.
It all comes down to best use of space for you and your family's everyday needs.   

[Dicey]

Meh, we watch it all the time.  You see, we flip houses for fun and profit. HGTV teaches us what the house buying public can't live without. We prefer the renovation and flipping shows. We know the timelines are fake, but we get lots of good ideas. We can't stand House Hunters or anything to do with so-called Property Virgins.

I DVR it so we avoid the endless cascade of commercials.

.

[Papa bear]

Meh, we watch it all the time.  You see, we flip houses for fun and profit. HGTV teaches us what the house buying public can't live without. We prefer the renovation and flipping shows. We know the timelines are fake, but we get lots of good ideas. We can't stand House Hunters or anything to do with so-called Property Virgins.

I DVR it so we avoid the endless cascade of commercials.

.

Basically exactly this. And also to mock their silly budgets and how much better I can do with 1/5 the $$.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rosy]

...SNIP...

But, I'm going to defend my laundry room.
Those of us without basements can appreciate having a small separate room to contain washer noise and to use as an inside clothes drying space.  In my case it's also big enough to include a small table and chair for crafts that I can leave out and work on without tying up the dining table.  I know some people who also install cabinets there for extra misc. like vases.
It all comes down to best use of space for you and your family's everyday needs.

Definitely - best use of space is paramount.
In our old house we only had one truly mini bathroom - in order to shower or use the bathroom you had to access it from the kitchen.
Talk about inconvenient.
The house was built in 1901 and previously only had a room big enough for a toilet, didn't even have a sink. Whoever "renovated" it turned the adjacent pantry along with the toilet room into a bathroom on the cheap.

I changed all that and switched entire rooms turning a spare bedroom into a kitchen etc. Anyway, my "laundry room" had vacation inspired scenery, a ceiling fan, a large, sunny window, and a linen closet.
Along with - a comfortable chair, a dressing area (it was right off the bedroom) a cool vanity-sink combo and a dedicated area, built-in between studs and very shallow, at eye level for my cosmetics, lotions, and potions.
I added an outdoor rug in an oriental rug pattern to hide the old kitchen tiles - it was a wonderfully functional space and actually relaxing to hang out in and get ready to go out while my gf sat in the comfy chair commenting on my outfit:) or critiquing whatever.
Not to mention it made it a bit faster to get ready for work in the morning.
... and yes, I had enough space to fold the towels and sheets right there and place them in the linen closet next to the dryer.

Space is whatever you decide it will be used for.

Dicey - good point about HGTV being inspirational for flippers who want to know what the house buying public can't do without. It used to be all beige and taupe - now it is grey:) Yuck!

[Parizade]

I too must hang my head in shame. My kitchen, though perfectly functional, is "dated"

 Is "73" dated ? But I have changed the Olive Green sink to stainless steel. :-)
If I get right down to it, I guess the only thing original is the counter top and cabinets,
although the cabinets have been, restained.
  My kids would say, and have said, it needs updating.

My condo was built in 1980 and while the appliances are newer and in good shape the kitchen decor hasn't really been updated. The blind corners in the cabinets are annoying, and I hate that they enclosed the soffit instead of making that space usable (it's a tiny kitchen), but there is no functional need to change anything. I'll probably paint the cabinets to brighten things up and remove the Laura Ashley wallpaper, that will have to be enough. If I had a spare $10K laying around I'd rather spend it on fun stuff like a camper van.

My favorite HGTV show was Rehab Addict because she recycled everything she pulled out during demo and went dumpster diving for her decor items. Her homes always came out looking very high end but she pinched every penny along the way. I loved it!

[ambimammular]

When I was younger I'd change all the rooms whenever the seasons changed - different colors, different throws, one or two items of seasonal decor. Ah, the energy of youth:) I still do the dining room for spring and the living room for Christmas, the other rooms get a facelift only whenever they appear to have become dull and lifeless.
I used to change the furniture layout so often that DH would regularly stumble over the furniture when he came home after dark from his six-week military maneuvers:) - back in the day.

I am always utterly fascinated by how people live and what is important to them about their home.

My bestie rearranges the furniture when she's stressed. When she was in grad school, trying to finish her clinical hours, and had no time for anything, her DH would rearrange rooms for her. I call that romantic!

[ambimammular]

The entire concept of a "mudroom" is baffling to me. As stated above, I grew up in a huge house, and we always, always, always took off our shoes and dirty clothes in the garage. Why on earth would you even want a space in the house *solely* for the purpose of getting dirty? Just put it in the garage and be done with it.

My blue-collar dad used the mudroom everyday to wash up from work. The sink and mirror were very necessary for degreasing so he could enter the rest of the house.

[ketchup]

I used to go to a laundromat that always had that shit playing on the TVs.  At the time we had four adults (two couples) and three dogs living in a 500 square foot house, so we found most of the complaints pretty hilarious.

My favorite though is "I'm a part-time celery decorator and my husband pokes holes in donuts.  Our budget is $700,000."  Every time.

[Proud Foot]

I always wonder how much "entertaining" these couples do that must have a large area to entertain guests. Always seems like a big waste to me.

[Fishindude]

I'm FIRED, have been married 36 years and have raised our kids and got them out of the house.   We never had a house with more than one bathroom until we bought our lake house / 2nd home several years ago.  Never had a dedicated laundry room either, the washer & dryer were either in a mud room or in the bathroom.

All that stuff is nice, but it's just more space to clean, heat & cool, maintain and pay for.

[ReadySetMillionaire]

I always wonder how much "entertaining" these couples do that must have a large area to entertain guests. Always seems like a big waste to me.

I've always thought dedicated guest rooms were a waste as well.

[Bernard]

All fine and dandy if you buy a  house without "open concept," but when it comes time to sell, you'll get hurt. People want what people want, and nowadays they want open concept, chiseled hardwood floors (a fad), granite countertops (also a fad), and those sort of things. Selling a house 20 years later may require totally new "upgrades."

[ReadySetMillionaire]

All fine and dandy if you buy a  house without "open concept," but when it comes time to sell, you'll get hurt. People want what people want, and nowadays they want open concept, chiseled hardwood floors (a fad), granite countertops (also a fad), and those sort of things. Selling a house 20 years later may require totally new "upgrades."

Right, but these are just the trends now. Who knows what they will be in 20 years.

Following the trends will only lead you to a lifetime of renovations and upgrades of items that are otherwise personally fine.

[Miss Prim]

I don't have cable at home so when I am somewhere that has cable, I will watch HGTV.  I find it interesting, but not enough to change out my "oak "til you choke" kitchen and bathrooms!  I like my wood cabinets and would hate to have white because it looks dirty after awhile.  I have real oak flooring in my kitchen and foyer, but just replaced the carpet in the rest of the house after 20 years.  I am barefoot all the time at home and love my cushy carpet.  I guess I am just not a trend setter!

                                                      Miss Prim

[Fomerly known as something]

I don't have cable at home so when I am somewhere that has cable, I will watch HGTV.  I find it interesting, but not enough to change out my "oak "til you choke" kitchen and bathrooms!  I like my wood cabinets and would hate to have white because it looks dirty after awhile.  I have real oak flooring in my kitchen and foyer, but just replaced the carpet in the rest of the house after 20 years.  I am barefoot all the time at home and love my cushy carpet.  I guess I am just not a trend setter!

                                                      Miss Prim

Miss Prim you and I sound like soul sisters although I put in my oak flooring on the first floor (it was 20 year old carpet when I bought my place.)  I describe my preferred decorating style as "Brooks Brothers," I don't want trendy, I want something that looks nice overall now and will look nice overall in 10 years as well even if it never gets to be trendy.

[roomtempmayo]

All fine and dandy if you buy a  house without "open concept," but when it comes time to sell, you'll get hurt. People want what people want, and nowadays they want open concept, chiseled hardwood floors (a fad), granite countertops (also a fad), and those sort of things. Selling a house 20 years later may require totally new "upgrades."

But my 100k kitchen reno is an "investment."  Shouldn't it grow in value over time?

[YogiKitti]

I hated HGTV when were house hunting. All the horrible house flips where anything original was ripped out and replaced with gray.

[calimom]

I used to go to a laundromat that always had that shit playing on the TVs.  At the time we had four adults (two couples) and three dogs living in a 500 square foot house, so we found most of the complaints pretty hilarious.

My favorite though is "I'm a part-time celery decorator and my husband pokes holes in donuts.  Our budget is $700,000."  Every time.

Ha! This wrecked me! "And we have to have granite counters and stainless appliances* and a man cave and a gift wrapping room and a swimming pool with a waterfall".

*even though granite and stainless are now considered passe, she still wants it and will not settle for less.

[Dicey]

I used to go to a laundromat that always had that shit playing on the TVs.  At the time we had four adults (two couples) and three dogs living in a 500 square foot house, so we found most of the complaints pretty hilarious.

My favorite though is "I'm a part-time celery decorator and my husband pokes holes in donuts.  Our budget is $700,000."  Every time.

Ha! This wrecked me! "And we have to have granite counters and stainless appliances* and a man cave and a gift wrapping room and a swimming pool with a waterfall".

*even though granite and stainless are now considered passe, she still wants it and will not settle for less.

I know granite is "over", viva la quartz. I also know SS is on the way bye-bye, but we couldn't find a full complement of any of the new appliance finishes, so we went with it in the flip house. Fingers crossed the buyers don't know that. BTW, since I don't love SS, what exactly us the next thing? Any consensus yet? Will white appliances ever come back?

[Metalcat]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

Does anyone else think this is insane?

Utterly and completely insane.

People are supposed to feel shame if their house is smaller than their parents' house??? What kind of nonsense is that?
What forum are we on???

Ugh, my house is literally less than a quarter of the size of my parents' house.

As for comparing to HGTV homes...HA!
I think mine is as far from the "must haves" of most HGTV homebuyers: not open concept at all, everything is original from 1971, no laundry room (no laundry period), no dishwasher, one small bathroom.

[Sugaree]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

My parents built the biggest house that they could (kinda, sorta) afford.  There have been a few times where the extra space has been used, but for the most part it's too big for them.  They have a second floor that they rarely ever go up to.  I'd rather have a smaller house with nicer options.

[Sugaree]

I used to go to a laundromat that always had that shit playing on the TVs.  At the time we had four adults (two couples) and three dogs living in a 500 square foot house, so we found most of the complaints pretty hilarious.

My favorite though is "I'm a part-time celery decorator and my husband pokes holes in donuts.  Our budget is $700,000."  Every time.

Ha! This wrecked me! "And we have to have granite counters and stainless appliances* and a man cave and a gift wrapping room and a swimming pool with a waterfall".

*even though granite and stainless are now considered passe, she still wants it and will not settle for less.

I know granite is "over", viva la quartz. I also know SS is on the way bye-bye, but we couldn't find a full complement of any of the new appliance finishes, so we went with it in the flip house. Fingers crossed the buyers don't know that. BTW, since I don't love SS, what exactly us the next thing? Any consensus yet? Will white appliances ever come back?

We redid the kitchen last year.  I had intended to go with quartz, mainly due to the lower maintenance requirements than granite.  But when I went to the yard to pick out a slab, the granite just looked so much better than the quartz.  We will be in the house 20 years, so I ended up going with what I liked.  The value of the house doesn't even figure into my retirement plans.  I'll give it to the kid or sell it to one of those "we buy ugly houses" realtors on my way out of town.

[AMandM]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

I don't understand this at all. If my parents were corporate lawyers, do you really think it's shameful for me to be (say) a teacher because I'll earn less than they did and won't be able to afford as big a house or as many activities for my kids?

[Aelias]

It’s only shameful if your parents had it better and you’re giving your kids a poorer childhood than you had.  It’s still my goal to buy a bigger house than my parents.

Does anyone else think this is insane?

Oh, very much so.   Although this concept of each generation doing better than the previous one has been touted as "The American Dream," it strikes me as just another flavor of "Keeping Up with the Joneses" where, weirdly, the Joneses you're competing with are your own parents.

My parents grew up in a different time than me, had different jobs than my husband and I have, lived in a different part of the country than we do, and have different preferences than we do.  Of course our lifestyles are different!

They bought the house that best suited their lives and preferences.  So I should buy an even bigger house in the ex-urbs to . . . prove that our family has generationally improved itself?  Total madness.

[Aelias]

The entire concept of a "mudroom" is baffling to me. As stated above, I grew up in a huge house, and we always, always, always took off our shoes and dirty clothes in the garage. Why on earth would you even want a space in the house *solely* for the purpose of getting dirty? Just put it in the garage and be done with it.

So, we don't have a garage.  We have a tiny, closet sized room between our storm door and front door that we use as a mudroom.  Lots of hooks for coats, a little bench with shoe storage, and shelves for a few outside toys.  We use it to take off shoes and coats before going inside the house.  ESSENTIAL to keep the outside snow / salt / mud / sand outside and the floor relatively cleaner inside.

Now, a big ass, fancy HGTV style mudroom that you're afraid to actually get muddy?  Silliness.