10 Home upgrades HGTV made popular—but they don’t work for real families

HGTV has turned home renovations into entertainment, and while a lot of their ideas look great on camera, real life isn’t a perfectly staged reveal. Some of the upgrades that keep showing up on their shows are either too high-maintenance, too expensive to maintain, or simply don’t fit the way actual families live day to day.

If you’re planning updates and want your house to work with your life instead of against it, these are the ones to rethink.

Open Shelving in Kitchens

It looks clean and styled on TV, but open shelving gets chaotic fast in a real kitchen. You either have to constantly keep things tidy or live with clutter on display. And unless you’re using those plates and glasses every day, they collect dust and grease.

Families with kids or busy schedules usually prefer cabinets that close. You can still add one open shelf if you love the look, but replacing all your uppers rarely works as well as it seems.

Glass Showers Without Doors

The seamless walk-in showers HGTV designers love are visually appealing, but the no-door trend often leads to water on the floor, cold drafts, and a lot of extra cleaning. They’re more high-maintenance than most people realize.

If your bathroom layout isn’t perfectly designed for one, it can be more of a hassle than a luxury. A partial glass panel or a sleek door usually solves those problems without losing the open feel.

White Furniture in Living Areas

White sofas, rugs, and armchairs are always popping up on HGTV reveals. They look bright and clean under studio lights—but in homes with kids, pets, or snacks, they’re a stain magnet.

Most families end up covering them with throws or stressing about every spill. You’ll get more peace of mind with performance fabrics in darker tones or subtle patterns that hide wear better without sacrificing comfort.

Freestanding Bathtubs

Those big, sculptural tubs always photograph well, but they don’t work for every bathroom—or every body. They’re harder to clean around, tricky to get in and out of, and take up a lot of floor space.

A built-in tub with proper storage and support is usually more practical for families. Freestanding tubs are best suited for large primary baths, not tight shared ones.

Open Concept Everything

HGTV helped popularize removing every wall possible to create a single open living space. While it feels spacious, it also means there’s no escape from noise, mess, or distractions.

Most families need zones—places to work, rest, cook, or let the kids be loud without echoing through the whole house. Even partial walls, room dividers, or French doors help a home function better day to day.

Staging Full Dining Tables

HGTV loves to show dining rooms fully set with plates, glasses, chargers, and centerpieces. It looks fancy, but for real families, it’s completely impractical. No one wants to remove a dozen items just to eat a weeknight dinner.

Keeping the table mostly clear with one functional centerpiece makes the space feel lived-in, not staged. Save the full setup for holidays or gatherings when you’ll actually use it.

Wall-Mounted Faucets

These look sleek on camera and are often featured in HGTV bathrooms, but they’re a pain when it comes to installation and maintenance. Repairs usually involve opening the wall, and getting the water pressure balanced can be finicky.

Standard deck-mounted faucets may be less flashy, but they’re easier to clean around, install, and update later. Unless you’re doing a full custom bathroom build, wall-mounts aren’t worth the extra complications.

Giant Kitchen Islands With No Storage

A huge island is a crowd-pleaser on TV, but too many of them lack practical storage or function. When they’re just oversized blocks with barstools and nothing underneath, it’s wasted potential.

Families need drawers, shelves, and outlets—especially in busy kitchens. A smaller island packed with smart storage will do more for your daily routine than one that’s oversized and empty inside.

Decorative Range Hoods That Don’t Vent Outside

Some HGTV kitchens feature big custom range hoods that look impressive—but when they’re ductless or recirculating, they don’t actually clear the air. They’re decorative more than useful.

For real cooking, especially in a family kitchen, you want a hood that vents outside. It keeps grease and odors from lingering, and it helps protect cabinets and walls over time.

Statement Walls That Don’t Age Well

HGTV loves to add a splash of drama with bold wallpaper, reclaimed wood, or bright paint on one wall. It looks good for a reveal, but these choices can feel dated fast or limit how you decorate the rest of the room.

If you want long-term flexibility, go for texture or architectural interest instead of trendy patterns. You’ll still get a focal point without locking yourself into something you’ll want to undo later.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.