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weatherwife

HGTV please bring back the decorating shows!!

weatherwife
7 years ago
Leaving this thread open for as long as Houzz will allow it! Please share your thoughts and comments. If enough of us do this the powers that be at HGTV might hear us. How completely sick are you of the constant building, renovating, selling, buying, etc. etc? Enough already.

Comments (482)

  • PRO
    Urbanata/Steve
    5 years ago

    I am so tired of HGTV period. Lots of poor designs, box store style flips and budgets that are pure fabrication. There are very few true talented designers presently on HGTV with the exception of Joanna Gains.

  • ekara1968
    5 years ago
    I'm a long time fan of HGTV and continue to watch it; however, I absolutely agree that all their reality shows get tiresome. They focus on the drama of the renovation and not substance of showing the tv audience the 'how to' side or educating viewers on products...this is what made TOH so loved.
    It seems HGTV has gone to all renovation and reality shows without any decorating idea shows. I miss the decorating shows and want to see them return!! Why can't they have shows that are centered around the designer and not the homeowner or contractor? I enjoyed Christopher Lowell, Martha Stewart and Candice Olson.

    I also want them to add gardening...like their name says.
  • wmsimons85
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I have to agree most of the shows on HGTV are just terrible like that one with the two brothers and of course the couple in California. Yuk! But in addition to Joanna Gaines, it is not really my style a bit bohemian but I find the mother and daughter on Good Bones very good. They do some very pretty designs in my opinion.

  • Kay
    5 years ago

    I find myself watching more shows on DIY - love Salvage Dawgs and Barnwood Builders. I also enjoy the shows that feature restoring older homes, one in California and one in Pennsylvania - can't remember the names of them. There is also a "flip" show from Nashville that I enjoy, again more of a historical/vintage approach. HGTV gets very little viewing time from me anymore. So, YES, bring back something resembling the faves we have known and loved. In the meantime, I am grateful for sites like Houzz!!!

  • linda_cihak
    5 years ago
    It's time to mix it up with decorating shows and home improvement shows. The decorating shows were very helpful and entertaining.
  • mmilos
    5 years ago

    There are no Garden shows either in HGTV. They should rename it Real Estate Flipper Channel.

    However, most cable TV channels have lost their way with cheap, reality based programming.


    Discovery is buying Scripps, so maybe some changes will be made. But I'm not holding my breath as all those Discovery networks carry the same recycled formulaic programs.

  • Cheryl Maynard
    5 years ago

    I would LOOOOVE to see the old shows come back to HGTV! I loved Room by Room with Matt and Shari, Decorating Sense, Design on a DIme, and many, many others that I can't remember the names of. I loved Carol Duvall, Kitty Bartholomew, and many other people. When HGTV was newer, they focused more on people who couldn't afford million dollar homes--just regular people who wanted to redecorate!!!!

  • PRO
    Sativa McGee Designs
    5 years ago

    I want them to bring back trading spaces! The results were so personalized it was awesome!

  • simplify52
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    SOOOOO tired of HGTV and anyone who knows me would tell you that would never happen. The shows are stale. If I see one more Property Brothers show I will throw up. Same for Love It or List It. So tired of building stuff that most people cannot afford to do. I would love to see some decorating shows like Divine Design but toned down to be affordable to normal people. I loved Sarah Richardson. I love Fixer Upper. These have gone away and one will be done soon. Back to building!! I would actually like to see some gardening shows, after all, this is hGtv. We have no "G". It would be nice to see how professionals put together gardens that work with spaces designed using rocks, rock walls, sidewalks, patios, barbecue areas, pool areas, etc. I've quit watching HGTV. I live on Houzz and I love it.

  • Kay
    5 years ago

    Sativa McGee - they are bringing back Trading Spaces in 2018 https://www.today.com/home/trading-spaces-brings-back-designers-ty-pennington-t116287

    Simplyfy - the garden shows have migrated to DIY, although I don't see any of them on right now. I actually watch more DIY than I ever do HGTV. And, yes, I'm so sick of Property Bros and Love it or list it. And, I LOVED Sarah Richardson (and Tommie). Sigh.

  • Chessie
    5 years ago

    Eh. I love Property Brothers. But I don't have cable so I only see bits and pieces of it when I am at the gym. :-)

  • love2browse
    5 years ago
    I miss Color Confidential and Before and After as well as Designers Challenge and Designing for the Sexes.
  • katinparadise
    5 years ago

    I enjoyed the HIgh Low Project with Sabrina Soto. She did a room in all high end furnishings and then went back and re-did it with more affordable pieces tailored to suit the client's budget. I also though Candace Olsen had a beautiful design aesthetic. Never saw a room of hers I didn't like.

  • teresale2013
    5 years ago

    I really loved designers challenge. and Candace Olsen.

    I had forgotten how much I used to like HGTV now I don't watch it

    sad

  • Jenny Capps
    5 years ago
    I'm relatively new to Houzz, so I just picked up this thread. Given all the negativity about HGTV on this thread, I suppose I will be thoroughly excoriated for saying that I love HGTV. Not everything about it, however, I do pick and choose. I enjoy House Hunters International, Carribean Life, and Mexico Life because I love seeing how people live in other countries. I love Hawaii Life, and any coastal related shows(Beach Hunters, Big Beach Builds, etc.)because I love the ocean and aspire to own a beach house on the coast of North Carolina. I love some of the newer home reno shows-some on other networks-such as Home Town, Good Bones, Texas Flip and Move, Stone House Revival, and Nashville Flipped, to name a few. I am from the south so I enjoy most of all the shows from that region because I can relate to the hosts. Barnwood Builders is a particular favorite, because those guys are so nice, and kind and funny that I feel like I could hang with them and be friends. I love Fixer Upper precisely because Chip is goofy-I relate to him because I am also a total goofball. My hubby will actually watch Barnwood Builders, Texas Flip and Move, and Fixer Upper with me. Thast being said, the only time I have ever watched Love it Or List It was this past year when filming was done in Raleigh, NC. We go there often, so I could relate to the people and places, if not the hosts. I appreciate some eye candy, so I would love to see John Gidding, Carter Osterhouse, and Scott McGillivray make a comeback. I miss Vern Yip because he is from North Carolina, and I love his style. I hate the proliferation of the Tiny House franchise. There are at least 10 different versions, and the only one I can stomach is Tiny Luxury, again because I like the hosts even though they aren't southern. I am also waiting for a comeback of Edwin McCain's show, Flipping Ships, which was on one of the country networks. I met him once, and he was so nice and genuine.Lastly I love the Property Brothers(I hear the collective gasps!)! I love what they do, and I love their personalities. I get from this thread that I am spoiled because I want a two bathroom house, with double sinks in the master. I grew up with 2 bathrooms with one sink each for six people, and it wasn't pretty! so if that's being spoiled, I'll take it!
  • wmsimons85
    5 years ago

    Jenny Capps, I agree with most of your comments but it is becoming annoying that most on HGTV are re runs, they seem to show the same programs over and over.

    I detest anything to do with Tiny houses, you would think how often they show it that there would be millions that aspire to a tiny house! I have never met anyone that wants one!! I also detest the Property Brothers and Love it or List it, not crazy about Nashville flipped and Barn Builders but really like the others you mentioned.

    However, if they only got rid of the Tiny House programs and Property Brothers, I would be happy! :)

  • katinparadise
    5 years ago

    Jenny, I miss Vern Yip. He is so talented and I never disliked one of his designs. I Scott McGillivray my t.v. boyfriend because he's so darn cute and I love his work as well. I just refuse to pay another $25 a month to get DIY since it's not on my current cable tier. Good Bones and Home Town are both great shows. Personally, I like them both way better than Fixer Upper. John Gidding's exterior makeovers were always fun to watch. I also enjoy some of the limited series that have been on such as Welcome Back Potter when Monica Potter from Parenthood went back to Cleveland and bought their childhood home and remodeled it. I always watch House Hunters International if it's in France, Spain or Italy because even though I've been to Paris, I aspire to visit Spain and Italy as well. There are still a lot of good things about HGTV but I think they could mix things up a little better.

  • Alexis Blaylock
    5 years ago

    I miss the design shows so much. I would be happy to even see some re-runs of Debbie Travis' and Candace Olson's shows.

  • texismc
    5 years ago

    Bring back the old ones of High Low project. Gennavieve, Any of the reruns would be better that another Flip or Flop

  • orec3
    5 years ago
    I loved Candace Olsen's show!
  • bsaunders361
    5 years ago

    I want more design shows too. I enjoy the flipping shows but I find that I only watch the end to see the the finished space. What I enjoyed about Candice Olsen, Sarah Richardson, Genevieve Gorder and a few others was watching their process. Don't you miss the tracing paper sketches Candice did and all the flea market to fabulous finds from Sarah. With the design shows I am motivated to do what they do for my own home because I can find a way to make it fit in my budget. I don't have a budget to gut and rebuild a house but I can open a can of paint. Please bring them back HGTV. I'd be happy with the old faces and some new ones but can't watch another new flipping show. The formula is getting a little stale but overall I'm still a fan.

  • terripinder
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I loved Colour Confidential. That was the one in which the host/designer, Jane Lockhart, would put together a little color wheel of small items (beads, pinecones, shells, berries, and whatnot...) and ask a couple which colors they preferred. The small items and whatnots represented special memories and moments from their lives together as a couple. Then, after each of the two had selected their favorite, the designer/host would redecorate a room using those two colors. I really miss this show, as well as Designing for the Sexes.

    And by the way, I TOTALLY agree that HGTV needs to go back to design and decorating shows, instead of so many home-purchasing and home-reno and home-flipping shows. SO Frustrating!

  • everdebz
    5 years ago

    terri, I totally forgot about that show - I liked it too.

  • sandtatompkins239
    5 years ago

    I was always a big fan of HGTV but my opinion has changed.I used to enjoy the decorating programs but HGTV has turned into a real estate channel. They have too many Reno shows. I miss the design shows, the craft shows, and they show too many repeat shows. They need a whole new revamp IR have a spin-off channel .Could call it HGTV design. Thanks for letting me vent.

  • Kay
    5 years ago

    So, for some reason, I decided to see if I could find any clips from some of the old Sarah Richardson shows. Lo and behold, I saw an article that she had a NEW show on HGTV Canada, starting last September, about building her dream house off the grid. So why can't HGTV US broadcast that here??!!!

    Plus, I saw a promo on TLC about the new Trading Spaces airing this spring. Here is the group photo of the designers who will be on it.

  • Cheryl Smith
    5 years ago
    Would love to see the shows based on design again instead of buying and selling. The reason I liked watching and seeing the design delemas on Houzz is for ideas for my own home. I can't afford and don't want to pay for a designer. Help me find things to make my home work better
  • Kay
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Trading Spaces set to air 4/7 at 9 pm ET on TLC.

  • judi holz
    5 years ago

    I agree + since purchase by Discovery they have almost eliminated new episodes of House Hunters. Viewers can only watch so many repeats before they are memorized & change channels. That was one of the top rated shows from HGTV.

  • Missi (4b IA)
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I miss Designing for the Sexes and that show..I forget the name of it, but the designer had a color wheel and she'd put things inside of it to stand as the colors? Anyone remember that? And the couple would choose from the Color Wheel of All the Things? I also liked Kitchen Cousins.

    Ohhh I scrolled up a little bit-Color Confidential, that was the Color Wheel of All the Things.

    And the design challenge show, loved that one too.

  • mcar248
    5 years ago

    I agree wholeheartedly!!! I'm tired of the flipping shows. What happened to decorating shows like 'room by room' and 'decorating on a dime'?

  • kaye1951
    5 years ago

    I loved the show that replicated a high end designer room on a reasonable budget. Does anyone remember the name of the show?

  • adb222
    5 years ago
    kaye1951, I believe you're referring to The High Low Project with Sabrina Soto.
  • Missi (4b IA)
    5 years ago

    There was also the Landscaper's Challenge show and I enjoyed that too.

  • kaye1951
    5 years ago

    Thank you for responding abd222. I did some online searching. One was Sensible Chic and the other was Double Take. I liked Sabrina's show, too.

  • HU-747680047
    4 years ago

    Thank you!!! I've totally stopped watching HGTV and have moved on. Their shows used to be so good. Now their just reality crap. They used to challenge designers to be creative, now everything is so bland and boring on every single show. Not to mention the whiny house owners. I got tired of that the second I heard them open their mouths, and they all have the same script. Sigh. I see that it's been 3 years since you've posted this and still no change. Sad.

  • everdebz
    4 years ago

    It won't 'go back' to the old ways I think: our culture is so personality-driven. Much revolves around a person's likeability and their jokes and what's supposedly entertaining....

    but I wouldn't 'down' Fixer Upper which seems to show something about architectural salvage. Nothing wrong with that - in person I bet it's charming....

  • terripinder
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I think that PBS should look into providing actual decorating shows (not shows about renovation/remodeling, or buying/selling real estate, and not contests between decorators) that help average people with average (modest) budgets learn to decorate their homes themselves, like the early days of HGTV. Just like PBS's cooking shows have not morphed into contests/competitions, or travel shows, or restaurant/chef reviews, but have actually remained focused on actual cooking in the kitchen... I think PBS is the perfect choice for getting back to fundamentals for people who only have a couple hundred bucks to spend but still want to create beautiful spaces.

  • HU-13076788
    2 years ago

    Decorating shows please bring back!!

  • HU-13076788
    2 years ago

    Restored with Brett we want back

  • Jacqueline Parker
    2 years ago

    The decorating shows were my favorite and I got so many neat decorating tips from those episodes. I would love it if they return at least one of those shows. Not everyone is purchasing a new home or renovating a home. I just want tips in moving around the furniture in my home. You know, go shopping in your own home to create a new look. Please, please, HGTV, bring the decorating shows back!


    Jacque from the South

  • Elizabeth McLaren-Davies
    last year

    I am part of this choir; no longer interested in HGTV. I think the people who can afford the renos that are promoted are probably too busy working or calling their brokers to actually watch them, either! If I could afford to spend hundreds of thousands on a kitchen reno, I could probably afford a professional decorator. Sarah Richardson and Tommy.... Debby Travis... Colin and Justin.... these are the people that I miss! If COVID lockdown has taught us anything, its that: yeah, a lot of us had time at home - but could no longer afford a sheet of plywood!!. A show geared toward using what you already own would have been a huge draw.

  • Ramie
    last year

    agree . how about the shows where one of the couples act like a spoiled brat while spending hundred to thousand of dollars. while in reality normal people can’t afford a basic 2*4 or , even had to stop work on their home because no body wants to work anymore. thanks to free goverment hand out.

  • SeattleMCM
    last year

    I'm just pissed that Discovery bought HGTV, launched their own streaming service, and took their shows off of HULU. Sorry Drew and Jonathan Scott, you are dead to me!

  • fyrnicesam
    last year

    I used to watch HGTV EVERY day, now I wait until all the episodes of Home Town are available, binge watch them over a weekend, and I don't watch the network again for at least 6 months. I guess I should thank HGTV for playing the same thing over and over, as I don't waste nearly as much time on shows as I did when they actually showed people about DIY. Hate the new formats of their shows, if you don't have 100K for a remodel, you aren't even beginning to be in their market. Thank you!, HGTV, you got me unhooked from tv!!!!!

  • Kay
    last year

    I went to YouTube again to see if I could find any of the older Sarah Richardson shows. Lo and behold, there is a relatively new channel, Abode, that has the shows from the Design Inc. series as well as some of the other Sarah shows. Plus some other content I wasn't familiar with. Glad to find this happy diversion.

  • Valentina
    last year
    last modified: last year

    I agree! i want decorating show again! i miss Color Confidential where we learned about color and design! where are the design shows! not many people can rip their houses apart, but they could design a room!

    i might add, Home Town comes close since they dont rip the house apart. still it doesn’t teach design

  • jt6512
    last year

    Why is it every time I try to see if something new is on HGTV it’s either Love It or List It or The Property Brothers or their spin offs? These shows are excruciating to watch after the 1000 time. I’m having trouble deciding on what to put on my new walls and adding decor to my new kitchen and den. A show like that would be ideal! I search Pinterest and youtube, but not the same.

  • Jen K (7b, 8a)
    last year

    @Valentina we loved Color Confidential! My husband never remembers the name of the show except 'the lady with the color wheel of objects'.

  • Beverly Peterson
    10 months ago

    Totally agree. i esp loved Sensible Chic. Really tired of the real estate shows. But I also loved the show Before and After where people remodeled their own homes.

  • Red
    10 months ago

    I agree, what happened to the decorating show. I stopped watching HGTV because of the dumb shows they have now. If I wanted to know about buying a home we don't need to see it on HGTV.