Home improvement shows can give viewers an often-picturesque look into the world of home renovation and design, but reality is usually a different story, according to Nashville-area experts.
Contractors may show up late or not at all, project delays lurk around every corner and the idea of a partial or total takeover of a family’s home can be stressful.
So, is anything depicted in these shows realistic?
According to Nashville-based Interior Designer Justin Orton, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. From costs to time and availability, here’s how home improvement shows idealize home design projects:
Dining room drama. Submitted by Of Origin Design Studios.
Can we stick to the budget?
Orton, a luxury, residential interior designer, has been working with homeowners and businesses in the Greater Nashville area for seven years.
“There’s so much that varies in budget, like the cost of building in Nashville is going to be different than the cost of building in a smaller town, just with the amount of work that’s happening here, that drives cost up,” he said, noting the city’s exaggerated growth in recent years.
And as people found themselves stuck inside, seeking functional and aesthetic entertainment and work-from-home spaces, interest in home renovation projects continually rose throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
This renovated kitchen is already well broken in with many Italian dinners and glasses of wine. Submitted by Of Origin Design Studios.
And so did renovation budgets.
