Home makeover shows have been a popular staple on television for decades. Whether you are an avid watcher or a sick day watcher, all of us have watched a home makeover show at least once in our lives.
But what makes them so popular? Is it the satisfying removal of gross interior decorating? Is it the impressiveness of the transformation? Is it the glossy, attractive show hosts?
It’s hard to pin it down to just one thing, but here are a few traits that make home makeover shows just so good.
Unbelievable Houses
Perhaps home makeover shows are so popular because they are a kind of wish-fulfillment. For millennials, owning a one meter by one meter flat seems out of reach. But home makeover shows display the most over-the-top, amazing houses that most millennials could only dream about.
Watching home makeover shows is, in part, so brilliant because you get to sit there and think, yes, I’ll have a spiral staircase in my imaginary home. When your imagination is the only limit to your dream home, why not draw inspiration from Sally and Mike, who are willing to spend one million on a four-story house with a pool and stables.
Incredible transformations
Fix & flip houses have seen a boom since the arrival of home makeover shows on our screens. And why not? The comparative shots at the end of the shows are to die for.
When you start with a decrepit hole of a house at the beginning, there’s always a part of you that thinks: how can they make this into a beautiful house? Then the construction seems endless, and you’re losing hope. But there it is at the end, like a shining beacon of beauty.
Some might think the Mona Lisa is the height of art. For those of us in the know, it’s clearly Frank’s mansion that started its life as a shed.
The relief of seeing all the hard work pay off is so strong you’d think you’d renovated the house yourself.
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing that ugly 1970s themed kitchen replaced with marble counter-tops and white, transparent cupboards—chef’s kiss.
The Drama
You’d think, with a show surrounding construction, that there wouldn’t be much drama. Yet somehow, you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat with every episode.
The biggest snowstorm in a decade is happening, and they haven’t finished the roof yet! What are they going to do?
The electrics need to be put in before they can continue, but – what’s this? – the supplier has sent the wrong kind of insulation!
It’s amazing how quickly you become an armchair expert on construction. Rookie move! you think to yourself: clearly, your budget needs to be ten grand more.
Why do these shows get their viewers so tense? Of course, it’s going to be a happy ending. But for a second they get you – will John and Alice finish the house in time for their big Christmas party?