Why HGTV Fans Were Less Than Thrilled With Down Home Fab
When Chelsea DeBoer (previously Chelsea Houska) left reality show "Teen Mom 2," she mentioned that she was going to try new projects. One such project that she and her husband Cole DeBoer have been hard at work on is a home renovation show on HGTV called "Down Home Fab." Chelsea unexpectedly landed the HGTV show with a simple DM on Instagram. Chelsea messaged the HGTV Instagram account in March 2020 to say they were missing out on not having a show based on her and Cole's renovation adventures (after remodeling their own house, the DeBoers started getting clients and renovating other peoples' properties).
Although Chelsea deleted the DM shortly after sending it, the message did its job. Two years later, their very own HGTV show was announced, and season 1 aired in early 2023. "Down Home Fab" has already been picked up for a season 2 due to high ratings, and Chelsea and Cole have expressed gratitude and excitement at the news.
However, some viewers of the show are not fans of Chelsea and Cole's design choices and do not understand how the show got renewed. Many have taken to the internet to voice their disappointments and opinions on the renovations.
The repetition of the same color scheme is a major complaint
One of the issues that viewers of the show found with the house remodels was the overuse of a black and white color scheme. In a promotional video for the season 1 finale on Instagram, Chelsea mentions that she loves black and white because of their contrast. A commenter remarks that they enjoy "Down Home Fab" but that the color black is over-utilized "in every design features, on every episode. It's too much." Another Instagram user says that Chelsea only has three colors in her color wheel, the third being gold.
Many people have also posted on the HGTV Reddit regarding their feelings on "Down Home Fab." In one post, a Reddit user comments that they have " no interest in watching Chelsea paint everything black and highlight it with gold accents." In the comments of another post reviewing Season 1, Episode 4, one person says, "If this is all it takes, we should all have a show on HGTV."
Others felt the choices did not align with the clients' wishes
Besides the repetitive color scheme, people also thought the home designs were not harmonious and that Chelsea follows her own desires instead of doing what the clients want. For example, in one episode, the couple getting the renovation asked for a farmhouse-style design, but after Chelsea and Cole's remodel, the house was mid-century modern instead.
In that same episode, Chelsea and Cole transformed a children's playroom into a dining room, adding a bench to store toys behind the table. "Your house doesn't have to look like all you are as a parent," Chelsea says in the episode. A commenter on Reddit says that they were bothered by this, because now the kids cannot use that room to play anymore. A commenter on an HGTV Instagram post remarks on this as well and says that does not seem to be what the clients wanted.
Season 1 of "Down Home Fab" currently has a 47% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, so despite some negative reviews, there are plenty of people who say they enjoyed watching the show and are excited for what comes next. Season 2 is set to release in early 2024.