7 TV shows to whet your inspiration
Who doesn’t love a good property show? There’s something about nosying around extravagant mansions, guided by the owners themselves and peering into every detail of their lives that appeals to our innate curiosity. Then there are home makeover shows, where we see owners react to a completely new look. Equal parts entertainment and inspiration, these shows can give us a nudge to make changes in our own homes, or even take a chance on the property of our dreams.
Check out our favourites among TV’s most popular property shows:
#1 The World's Most Extraordinary Homes (BBC)
This series will have you glued to your chair. Award-winning architect Piers Taylor and actor Caroline Quentin explore remarkable homes all over the world, set in mountains, forests, coasts and even underground. The programme follows this quirky pair as they hop around the globe, scouting for spectacular architecture to blow you away.
#2 A place in the sun (Channel 4)
One of our top picks from the UK, A Place in the Sun has featured one of our very own properties. The series helps buyers find their perfect holiday retreat in a blissfully balmy climate. Made to appeal to Brits, a lot of time is dedicated to destinations like the Costa Blanca, Benidorm and the Algarve. The programme also offers a glimpse into life and real estate markets in different parts of the world. From quaint French cabins to stunning penthouse apartments, these properties will have you hooked from the start!
#3 Grand Designs (Channel 4)
The British designer and presenter Kevin McCloud is the face of this award-winning programme launched in 1999. Each episode plunges us right into the action as we discover what it takes to build a truly remarkable home. Share the protagonists’ self-build dream and watch them bring their intrepid visions to life.
#4 Casas alucinantes (Netflix)
The unconventional owners that appear in this series have shed blood, sweat and tears in the service of their dreams. Homes that reveal an obsession with horror films or the circus aesthetic, a medieval-style dining hall, floor-to-ceiling pink... Love them or hate them, they certainly make an impact. There’s nothing “meh” about this show.
#5 Stay Here (Netflix)
Transforming an unsightly mess into a thing of beauty needn’t cost the earth. Designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate guru Peter Lorimer travel the length and breadth of the USA to help owners bring out the best in their holiday homes, revamping plain vanilla rental apartments into sumptuous abodes.
#6 Toc Toc, ¿se puede? (Telemadrid)
One of the most popular programmes showcasing weird and wonderful homes to come out of Madrid. Expect extraordinary apartments, lofts with jaw-dropping views, picture-book villas and lavish mansions. This series will give you a glimpse into some of Madrid’s most astonishing, original and historic residences.
#7 ¿Quién vive ahí? (LaSexta)
Another Spanish TV classic. Anonymous owners take us on a journey through the life and times of their very special homes. Hear the stories behind the doors of extraordinary properties all over Spain, told in their custodians’ own words.
