2012 HGTV Dream Home

It’s kind of become a tradition here–my annual post at the beginning of the year on the lastest HGTV Dream Home.  I always look forward to seeing the dream homes, hopeful that there’s tons of inspiration to take away from it.  After all, it is a dream home, right?

This year, unfortunately, I wasn’t that impressed…or that inspired.  Gosh, am I just being a Negative Nellie?  Well, let’s take a look and you can tell me if I’m just being unreasonable, or if you also find it a bit blah.

For me, the disappointment started right off the bat with the exterior view…

The arrangement just doesn’t make sense to me.  Perhaps it’s because I like symmetry and order, but I don’t like the garage randomly jutting out of the side at an angle.  I find it distracting.

Next, the entryway…

In a brand new “dream home”, I would never expect to see such a low ceiling in an entryway…or anywhere in the house.  Maybe they’re not as low as they appear.  Perhaps it’s the huge light that makes it look that way. And the front door doesn’t even look like it would clear that light. I’m sure it does…barely.

From there, we venture into the kitchen…

I do actually really like the kitchen.  The blue and white looks fresh, and I’d give just about anything to have that kind of natural sunlight in my own kitchen.

But the dining room didn’t do a thing for me…

It just looks so plain.  No incredible light above the table?  No window treatments?  I think draperies on those windows would have gone a long way towards adding softness, color, texture, and personality to this room.  Without them, it looks like a home staged for sale…on a budget.

While I do really like the great room for the most part, I have the same issues with the windows…

Again, to me it just looks unfinished, and all of the stone gives it a very hard and cold look. Fabric on those windows would have gone a long way in softening up the room and making it cozy.

See what I mean?  Am I just being negative?  Too critical?  Or does this home fall short for you also?  Don’t get me wrong.  If I won it, I’d take it in a heartbeat!  But as it is currently, it just doesn’t look like a “dream home” to me.

Now the bedrooms…those I like!  Here’s one of the guest bedrooms…

And here’s the second guest bedroom…

And the master suite…

There’s much more to see of this home, including the outdoor entertainment areas, mud room, laundry room, and garage.  But these are the highlights.

So what do you think? Is this your dream home? Don’t forget…you can enter once a day to win this home!

 

 

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24 Comments

  1. I think the best parts are those that can’t be seen by most of the visitors, the bedroom! .. I agree with your comments. The attention to details were missing in the entrance,dining room and living room.

  2. I am with you… The bedrooms, the kitchen, and the bathrooms I like but everything else seems a little lackluster. I think the house looks like a bunch of storage sheds put together. I prefer a little more traditional and a little less abstract.

  3. Well, I pretty much agree with you on all of your points. I will never understand why garages are made to be a focal point on new builds.

    I adore the first guest bedroom so much. I’m adding it to one of my Pinterest boards (linked back to the source, of course). 😉

    **Sorry if this posts twice…the first one disappeared?

  4. The living room definately looks like it is missing something! Window treatments! I wonder how they pull off having so many different carpets and floors? Maybe the halls have wood floors?

  5. I agree with you on all points. The bathroom is nice but I like mine better. Of course, I had a fantastic designer/decorator!!! Still loving it. Thanks.

  6. I agree; I’m not even impressed with the kitchen. The only thing going for it is the natural light.
    And there are NO views outside those nekkid windows! Somebody dress those things and give that house a pool!

  7. I see what you are talking about but I like not having window coverings. To me, they are only good for shutting out the summer sun when its too hot. My old mountain home had no window coverings at all…..I found it slightly odd that there is a children’s play area, a master bedroom and two “guest bedrooms”. Who was this house built for? If it were my house there would be no “guest” bedrooms ‘cuz I need somewhere to house my own kids and that play area would be for storage. It needs at least one more bedroom.

  8. I am laughing over here b/c I distinctly remember an episode of “bang for your buck” where one of the designers told the owners that putting 2 hanging lamps over nightstands wasn’t a good idea b/c it stunted the furniture arrangement. Way to be consistent there HGTV!

  9. Ah, Kristi. . .the interior design looks unfinished, unimaginative, and. . dated. . .already. I know I’m the odd-man-out, but I do like the garage palacement and the shed look of the house–maybe a daytime photo would have been better. The entry is definitely unimpressive–it just looks like a pass through, not a place to welcome anyone in. But, if I won the big “Dream House” sweepstakes, yahoooo, I’d move there in a second!
    Blessings,
    Sindy:)

  10. Actually I live in the gorgeoun Mountains of Park City, so perhaps I can shed some light on the Dream House which is located in Midway, Utah. First off, Park City was a mining town, and the surrounding areas or towns were ranches and farmed. Considering that Park City is a Resort Town the thinking might be that the house would be used as a second home, not that it couldn’t be used as year round housing. The house itself was raised three feet, I do believe that is what John Gidding stated. He also stated that they wanted the house to have the look that it had been added onto by a growing family. The house sits on an acre piece of land and the people in Park City and surrounding towns are eco minded. The views are better in person then perhaps they appeared on TV. If you looked at the over view there are no homes close by for now any way. In the mountains you have the opportunity to see Moose, Deer, Elk and more critters wander about and it is a joy that many of us in the mountains love. However with all of that said, I do feel it is a little lack lustered, I’m not a fan of Ethan Allen and it certainly doesn’t have enough rustic Mountain feel to me either. But…………I’d take it too Sindy if I won it. Seriously who wouldn’t? You can always change it up and make it what you want it to be!

  11. Another disappointment. I should think with all the creative talent at HGTV they would be able to come up with a real “Dream House”, full of fresh ideas and wonderful use of color and charachter. Instead, we are given bland, unimaginative spaces. The only room I really like is the living room for their creative use of stone. But even here, they need to add more color and warmth!

  12. Kristi….. It is a tradition on my blog too to critique the dream home and the green home but haven’t gotten round to it yet. :o) I LOVE the home but think it could have used some more pops of color….. but I don’t really love the checked carpet in the guest room…. would have liked the pop somewhere other than than the floor. I would love to win this place as I JUST added to my bucket list to do a winter vacation somewhere with snow…..

    1. Oh how funny…I’m not impressed with the actual home at all, but I actually really like the checked carpet in the guest room!! 😀 I suppose the world would be a dull place if we all had the same taste…and retailers would sell a lot less “stuff”. lol The past two or three years, I’ve been much more impressed with the Green Home. I haven’t even seen those pictures yet!

  13. Kristi,
    I 100% agree with your critique of the dream home and the decorating.
    It reminds me of “less is more” which is a modernistic approach and usually very cold appearance-wise.
    The home may be in the Utah mountains, but it reminds me of several homes on
    Topsail Island NC where I live. Sometimes I wonder just exactly what the architect was thinking.
    The foyer is rather plain and so much wasted space

    I have noticed that there are not nearly the number of decorating shows on HGTV as there have
    been in the past. I really am bored with all the variations on the house-hunting. Enough said.
    Money is in a crunch everywhere, even on tv shows just like with the world.

    Enjoy your blog! Keep up the critiques!

  14. I’m with you Kristi! Some of the previous HGTV dream homes put this one to shame. Don’t get me wrong…I’m gonna enter EVERY day, but I have seen much better from the folks at HGTV. I have to say that I agree with Pat too….enough of House Hunters already! As far as being negative…I don’t think it is negative to critique since this was put out there as a “Dream Home”….Love your blog, Lori

  15. Nope you are not being negative at all! I had the same feeling… maybe they were trying to scale back due to the economy or something, but I think that the whole house plan is a little lacking in interest and coziness!

  16. Meh. I’m with you. This is the house I would buy once I sold my HGTV dream house after realizing I couldn’t pay the light bill:).

  17. I wasn’t too impressed the last few years. Even though my house isn’t brand new, I feel it has a lot more charm and character. I think they kind of missed the mark.

  18. Is it me or is the door in the 2nd guest bedroom hitting the light fixture? I would take it if i won it, and then i would sell it and build the house of my dreams right here where I live. But I love that HGTV does this every year. Love seeing the very different design and decor ideas!

  19. I agree with you as well. I think they missed the mark on several things this time. But, I’m commenting for another reason…one that my husband and I comment on every time the dream home comes up. I really want to know what happens with the home when someone finally is chosen as the winner. Meaning, do the winners typically pack up lock stock and barrel and move to the house? We also wonder, how in the world do you even begin to pay the taxes on a “free” house such as these? Our guess is that people that actually win the house have to just turn around and sell it to pay the taxes on it. I keep telling my hubby that I would go up there, empty the space completely out and take all the furnishings back home with me and sell the house to pay the taxes. Oh, I would keep the car though! 🙂

    Seriously though, does anyone know what happens to the winners of these houses? Inquiring minds want to know (and by inquiring minds I mean my hubby and myself!)

    1. I’ve wondered the same thing! I know that the winner also gets a huge chunk of cash. I’ve always thought their thinking behind that was to give the winner some “cushion” to pay any initial tax they have to pay on their winnings. Other than that, I have no idea. I really like your idea, though! Clearing out the house, then selling it…that’s probably what I’d do as well. I don’t think I’d want to pack up and move across the country just for a house.