Like most of you, throughout COVID we have been spending a lot of time at home. We are finding more and more people want more space to work from home and enjoy family. Furniture pieces have been sold out online, landscaping stores and Canadian Tire are often lined up down the block. Home has been where the heart is during the pandemic. Do you find you are appreciating home and family more?
In light of this, we found a fun article from housebeautiful.com. My favourites are number 7 and number 5. Number 1 is one of Jenny’s favourite shows. What’s your favourite?
Some of the best TV shows center around families. It makes sense because there is bound to be drama between people who love each other, yet sometimes can’t stand to be around each other. But most importantly, family stories gather all your main characters under one roof, and on TV those roofs are often something spectacular. Whether it’s a castle or a ‘90s-era home, these houses brought joy to millions of viewers every week. So cozy up on that well-worn couch and stop bickering with your parents and enjoy our top 10 TV Family Homes.
10. Clarissa Explains It All
Nickolodean
If we’re leaning into 90s nostalgia, you can’t do much better than Clarissa’s bedroom in the Nickelodeon classic Clarissa Explains It All. It had everything a 90s teen could want—bright colors, the famous huge window where Clarissa’s best friend Sam climbs up (way before Dawson and Joey), fun posters, and basically eclectic knickknacks everywhere you looked. Elsewhere in the home, you had Marshall’s charmingly cluttered den (a pre-requisite for any modern TV family home), a pastel-colored bathroom, and a bright, homey kitchen that apparently went through a renovation at one point during the show’s run. It’s a throwback home done right, making it the perfect choice for number 10 on our list.
9. Gilmore Girls
Warner Bros. Television
The house where watched so many years of tears and takeout is as lovely as the fictional town its set in. Lorelai’s house has that stunning wraparound porch, archways galore and an adorable vintage kitchen. Most of the décor is a little old lady for us, which is weird considering Lorelai was supposed to be the cool mom, but she must have inherited a love of antiques and wallpaper from Emily.
8. The Brady Bunch
Splash
Like we could skip this iconic house when it was so recently the subject of a bidding war between HGTV and Lance Bass. The Bradys kept things groovy in this ranch-style home that basically has a different color palette for every room. How could we forget all the wood paneling, the mix of stone and brick, orange countertops in the kitchen, the sunken living room and the open-air staircase? All of it adds up to the ultimate place for a family with a bajillion kids to come together.
7. Modern Family
20th Century Fox Television
You can’t make us choose between the three awesome houses featured in Modern Family, so we’re not going to. We’re obsessed with the clean mansion that Jay and Gloria live in, with its huge windows, open modern kitchen and incredible pool house. Then you’ve got the storybook charm of Cameron and Mitchell’s duplex, with its little turret, mossy façade, archways, fireplace and cozy kitchen. Finally, Phil and Claire’s house has the most traditional vibe but with its living room full of squashy couches and spacious eat-in kitchen. Plus, they go ALL OUT for Halloween. The sheer variety of home styles makes it easy to see why Modern Family makes it to number 7 on our list.
6. Full House
Netflix
Maybe the ultimate classic family home, for 8 seasons we couldn’t help but want to spend time in this Victorian townhouse. Let’s break it down: You had the living room, with the weird nook in the back, the large eat-in kitchen where Michele was always begging for sweets, the basement, which ultimately became Uncle Joey’s room/amateur comedy club, and the adorable girls’ rooms (side note: who wasn’t jealous when DJ got her own room?). Then, later in the series, Uncle Jessie gets a sweet attic apartment. We went through a lot of change with this house and it was one set that truly felt like you coming home every episode.
5. The Jetsons
Warner Bros.
How do we still not live in the world of The Jetsons? Sure we have roombas but we still want a Rosie. There’s so much to envy here—the kitchen prepares food for you, the bathroom brushes your teeth for you, moving walkways, automatic laundry, vacuuming and basically all chores and even the chairs move so you don’t have to walk. Basically everything in this house would allow you to indulge in the laziest version of yourselves, which honestly sounds pretty great. Finally, can we just talk about how the entire house has a glass roof? 360 uninterrupted views of space might be the best reason this uber futuristic home is number 5 on our list.
4. Game of Thrones
HBO
We’re gonna be technical here but The Red Keep In King’s Landing for the duration of the show is a family home for the Lannister family. As Cersei has schemed to stay on top as Queen, we’ve gotten to enjoy the beauty of this castle. Beyond the stunning views, the castle itself is full of stunning rooms-the titular Iron Throne room, the room where Arya has her dancing lessons, the many bedrooms and the Hand’s Tower. Living like a King is why we can’t help but put Game of Thrones at number 4 on our list.
3. Fresh Prince of Bel Air
NBC Productions
From the moment that the smelly cab from Philly pulls up (at about 7 or 8), and we saw the majestic white columns of this house, we fell in love. Who didn’t dream of going to live with their auntie and their uncle in Bel Air? Inside was pure 90s luxury: chandeliers, that massive pale wood kitchen with all the expensive copper pots hanging from the ceiling, plus multiple living rooms full of refined yet comfy couches. And let’s not forget the sick backyard with a pool and plenty of room to entertain. That’s why the house from Fresh Prince is doing the Carlton all the way to number 3 on our list.
2. Silver Spoons
NBC
Now here’s a house with everything. Overlook a father who didn’t know he had a son and that father’s juvenile behavior kept in check by that son’s military academy upbringing, and you have what is probably the most fun home on this list. Arcade games in the living room? Check. A train you can ride through the house? Check. Young Jason Bateman as the best friend to share it all with? Super check. For all these reasons and more, that’s why the Stratton mansion hits at number 2 on our list.
1. Downton Abbey
TK
No other house on this list was actually the subject of its show like Downton. And it’s easy to see why, this temple to the traditional grand home of England is just room after room of absolute beauty. Standouts include the dining room, scene of so many fancy dinners, the parlor, Lady Mary’s bedroom and then the grounds. Throw in the well-appointed rooms for the staff with their workhorse kitchen, Carson’s cozy sitting room and the rustic charm of the staffs dining hall and you’ve got a manor that deserves to stand the test of time.
© House Beautiful