We're living in the golden era of renovation shows. Gone are the days of only getting our fix once a week (shout out Trading Spaces)-today, there's a little something for everyone, all the time. You have your House Hunters, holding up a mirror to anyone who doesn't cook yet desires a six-burner Viking stove. You have your Love It or List It, making you question how passive-aggressive you are to your loved ones. You have Flip or Flop, making you certain you could tell the foundational integrity of a home from just a 10-minute walk-through. The reno-opportunities are endless, and each are as soothing as agreeing with your partner on getting a white subway tile backsplash.
Watching these shows brings me the same organization-related pleasure as cleaning my house, but without requiring me to move or think or actually improve my space, which is ideal. If you're after the same mental health benefits, grab a pen and paper like it's 1999 and take the below quiz to determine which home show best suits you. Mark down which number most reflects your feelings for each question.
Which number did you get the most?
Real estate drama. Couples negging each other. Unrelenting dissatisfaction. Extensive dialogue about "eat-in kitchens." House Hunters is THE guilty pleasure reno-show.
You're the on-trend friend. People rely on you to get into the function, to hear about the new app, and to know what the youth are laughing at. On House Hunters, couples search for their dream home with requirements that often contradict each other (ex: "We want a cottage with old-world charm that is completely updated.") They bicker a lot, and one gets the sense they're doing it for show, which you appreciate. ("I need a man cave," demands the husband who makes no mention of what he would do in said cave aside from watch TV.) Like House Hunters, you're always looking for the better option. You gravitate towards the new and interesting and you actually have a good eye for it. Just remember to spread some of your clout around and that the best things in life aren't trending.
Analysis paralysis. Never having enough bathrooms. Intense driveway conversations. Going on national television just to prove your spouse wrong. This is Love It or List It.
Would you happily spend an hour weighing every possible option when making a decision? Congrats, it's always Libra season on Love It or List It. This Canadian show has one divided couple decide if they want to remodel their existing home or just buy a new one. While they flounder, a designer and real estate agent bend over backward to get the couple's favor. Like Love It or List It, you tend to patch up your indecision by doing the most. No one can be everything to everyone, so keep in mind that the most important person to please is yourself, no matter how over-budget the remodel may already be.
Of all the house show hosts, Rehab Addict's Nicole Curtis is The Actual Business. She's TOUGH. She's a SINGLE MOM. She pays for the homes in CASH.
You love a project, a challenge, and sometimes plunge yourself into a lost cause. People depend on you to get shit done and completing that shit feels deeply satisfying to you. On the poorly named but brilliant Rehab Addict, Nicole Curtis won't give up on old homes until they are restored to their previous glory. She sands, paints, and reframes with a charming mix of love and obsession, and teaches the viewer as she goes. Like Nicole, you take pride in your work. Just remember that working through a problem yourself isn't always the best answer-sometimes you really do need to abandon ship (unless that ship is Rehab Addict).
LA. Drama. Sunglasses. Taking a call on speaker while holding your phone flat. B-roll of highway driving. Bronzer. All of this and you're only 45 seconds into an episode of Flip or Flop.
You've got spontaneity, glamour, good stories, and chaotic energy. Your friends depend on you to lighten things up and be real (even though they sometimes have to talk you off a ledge from some bad decisions). On Flip or Flop, Christina and Tarek have seemingly low-key conversations behind trendy sunglasses. Only on later episodes does it become clear they recently divorced and all their bickering about tiles has some very real baggage to it. On Flip or Flop, there is more going on than meets the eye. This is true for you too. You're good at being vulnerable but can mistakenly label something as "good" simply because it's intense.
*Rooster Crows*
Hello, old reliable. Welcome to Waco, Texas, where the living is easy, Joanna's skin is perfect, and Chip will build you a screened-in porch by supper. Fixer Upper is the hometown favorite.
You're a settled-down babe. Friends find you loyal, dependable, and welcoming. Fixer Upper is heart-warming and predictable. Some may learn some renovation tips, but people mostly watch Fixer Upper to see Joanna and Chip at work. They truly respect the value each one brings. Chip likes to SMASH. Jo likes to THINK. They are cute and flirty and let each other thrive and it feels more like couples-counseling-by-example than a home renovation show. Like Fixer Upper, you're at your strongest when welcoming others into your happiness.
Graphic by Dasha Faires, Photos via HGTV.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
