8 Renovation Shows Worth Watching Right Now

There is something so satisfying about watching home renovation shows. Perhaps it's our constant desire for improvement. Or maybe it’s the dream of one day owning a home like the ones featured on the shows. Better yet, it might be all the fun drama you wouldn’t expect comes with picking out tile. Either way, home renovation and improvement shows have been around for decades and show no signs of decline in viewership. 

Their popularity can also be attributed to several other reasons like the accessibility of DIY materials and tools, more homeowners being conscious about their property value, and the growing desire for personalization and unique design. All of these elements can be found in most home renovation shows today. Even shows that have nothing to do with renovation or construction like Kitchen Nightmares or Hotel Hell have elements of remodeling in them, as the producers know how much this garners viewers’ interests. 

Several of these juicy home makeover shows really stand out among the crowd. Just be warned: renovation shows are really addictive and after watching one episode, you will be binge-watching entire seasons. But they’re also the perfect way to get the creative juices flowing for your own home projects.

1. House Hunters Renovation

With a whopping 200 seasons in, House Hunters is an HGTV classic and one of the most beloved home remodel shows on air today. Not only is it a long-time running, but it is also a franchise with 16 spinoff shows including House Hunters Renovation. The original House Hunters features 30-minute episodes, where host Suzanne Whang helps new homeowners find their ideal home by choosing from a number of candidates. The spinoff show House Hunters Renovations, however, has a slightly different format, with one-hour episodes where the first half is dedicated to picking a new house and the second to renovating and remodeling. Currently, in its 17th season, we are continuing to see an abundance of fun renovations and gorgeous design solutions on the show.

House Hunters Renovation will also give you a taste for the kind of interactions and conversations homeowners have with their contractors, construction managers, home inspectors, and all kinds of other renovation specialists that guide them through the process. You can also enjoy all the inevitable bickering amongst everyone involved in a home renovation project as they attempt to come to an agreement on stylistic and budgetary decisions. Each episode offers great insight into the intricacies of renovation and remodeling.

2. Queer Eye

Library of Congress Life, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The five hosts of Queer Eye, aka “The Fab Five”, are a mosaic of personality, expertise, but most importantly, style. Composed of fashion designer Tan France, cultural expert Karamo Brown, food and wine connoisseur Antoni Porowski, celebrity hairdresser Jonathan Van Ness, and interior designer Bobby Berk, the Fab Five are on a mission to turn people’s lives from drab to fab. 

Queer Eye is a truly inspiring show, as the Fab Five give makeovers to people’s homes across the country, helping them find their unique style and consequently, their true self. A big portion of their show is dedicated to interior design with Bobby Berk who has accomplished some truly amazing transformations on the show.

A great example of their work is when the team worked with Neal, an app developer whose interior was dark and gloomy and reflective of his somewhat antisocial character. By bringing more color to Neal’s interior, they were able to bring out the colors within Neal himself. 

With plenty of story, emotion, humanity, and a sprinkle of humor, Queer Eye is a must-watch Netflix pick for home- and self-improvement.

3. Fixer Upper

One of the Most Popular Renovation Shows, Ever

With the first five seasons on HGTV and later seasons airing on Magnolia Network, Fixer Upper is 79 episodes jam-packed with home remodeling inspiration. Hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines know their way around a tool belt and have a keen eye for design. Like House Hunters, Chip and Joanna assist new homeowners in finding the perfect property to suit all their needs. Their in-depth knowledge of real estate, interior design, and all things construction make them a powerful duo in the search for the ideal home.

The buyers have two separate budgets for purchasing the property and renovations, which are typically around $200,000 for the initial purchase and $30,000 for the repairs and remodeling. With Joanna’s keen taste in interior design and Chip’s contractor expertise, they work closely with the future homeowners to help them realize all their desires and expectations.

Grab your popcorn because jaws drop and eyes get teary as the duo surprises the homeowners with a dramatic big reveal of their new home waiting behind a huge sliding billboard that shows the couple what the house used to look like.

The show is being revived in 2021, so keep your eyes peeled for their new episodes as it is one truly fun home improvement show to watch. 

4. Property Brothers

Double the Renovation Trouble, Double the Entertainment

Produced by the Canadian W Network, Property Brothers stars Drew and Jonathan Scott; brothers, licensed agent and contractor respectively, and house flippers since they were college students. In fact, they bought, renovated, and flipped their first house at the age of 18. They are twins, which obviously makes things even more fun on screen. 

The show usually stars buyers or clients who are on a deadline. Whether they are expecting a child or getting ready for retirement, they need a new, stylish home and fast. Drew and Jonathan are there to offer professional insight and design an interior that is as close to what the buyers are looking for and for a budget under $200,000.

With this show, you get a glimpse into all aspects of buying a home. Drew takes on the role of the real estate advisor, touring other homes to offer them inspiration on their future design choices. Jonathan works as the architecture technician, creating a computer-generated sneak peek into his vision of the design and what the buyers could expect to see after the renovation. Once the clients come to a decision, Drew and Jonathan get to work on renovating and fixing up the house without the presence of the buyers.

As with most renovation shows, there’s no lack of excitement and build-up. Once the renovation is finished, the buyers are brought back to their house and you, the viewer, get to share in their thrills of seeing the results boxes. Property Brothers is everything one needs from a renovation show;  informative, enlightening, and enthralling to watch dream homes turn into reality.

5. Escape to the Chateau

Quench Your Thirst for French Chateaus with this Fun Show

Let us take an ocean liner (or preferably something faster) across the Atlantic to Martigné-sur-Mayenne, France where a British couple, Angel Adoree and Dick Strawbridge are on a quest to turn an old French chateau into a beautiful home for themselves and their two children.

The couple purchases a run-down chateau in France, as many British homeowners do. But when we say “run-down”, we mean really run-down, as this historic building has been uninhabited for over four decades. It is up to Angel and Dick to restore this historic piece of French architecture and turn it into a comfortable and fully functional home. 

You have no choice but to accompany the couple in their excitement, the frustrations, and the joys in breathing life into the chateau. Watch as they install heating, water, electricity, and other essentials in the chateau, as well as repair all the heavy damage that the building endured over the years. It’s a fresh take on the renovation show template. If you’re looking for an escape as well as a breath of fresh inspiration, tune in to the french chateau dream on HGTV.

6. Design on a Dime

Working on smaller-scale projects, the Design on a Dime team features a diverse group of renovation and construction specialists. Their task is to repair, remodel or renovate a single room with a budget of $1,000.

The show saw its debut back in 2003 on HGTV and is still on the air. The host Casey Noble’s design ideas and solutions are great for viewers to use as inspiration for their upcoming projects. But it’s not just her doing all the work. With her are a team of expert designers, each of whom brings their own unique design concepts to the table.

With 30 minute episodes, Design on a Dime is a surefire way to pick up new design ideas and get inspired to change something in your own home on a dime.

7. Amazing Interiors

Netflix has no shortage of reality shows. Amazing Interiors is one that is definitely a look into realities like no other. While it currently sits at one season with 12 episodes, the show is fascinating as it explores some of the most quirky interior designs out there. Without a formal host or the structure of a typical reality show, Amazing Interiors is an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Each episode is divided into three separate segments, each one taking place in a different house. The main segment shows a house that is under renovation, giving viewers a tour of all that is being worked on and installed or repaired. The other two segments are usually smaller and not featured. They demonstrate completed unique interiors to change up the scenery throughout the episode.

For example, one of the episodes featured the Talliston House and Garden in Essex. It is a bizarre mishmash of occult decor and claustrophobic spaces, which creates this somewhat frightening atmosphere. This is just one of the many examples of unique interiors featured on the show. 

8. The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes

The ugly truth is, you’re probably ever going to be able to take a peek inside as many extraordinary homes as you will if you take this journey with Caroline and Taylor. The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes is the perfect beautiful Netflix documentary to give you some inspiration for interior design. The award-winning architect Piers Taylor teams up with actress Caroline Quentin to present some of the most unique houses from various countries. They’ll be the ones guiding you as you discover different architectural designs and the stories behind them, and learn about the houses’ most remarkable features.

While viewers are not likely to attempt imitating all the designs in the show, the two hosts go into great detail on the designs and can be a great source of inspiration for anyone looking to remodel a room.  With 12 episodes released and more to come in the future, The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes should definitely be on your watch list.

So grab a light snack, get comfy, and get ready to start designing the house of your dreams with every inspiring interior design and transformation you watch.