For some homeowners, having an ugly house might deter them from hosting visitors. But on an HGTV show – which will soon spotlight Colorado – tacky, weird and unsightly dwellings are points of pride.
In “Ugliest House in America,” actress and comedian Retta (“Parks and Recreation,” “Good Girls”) takes viewers on a nationwide tour inside of some of the most unusual floor plans, decor choices and household amenities you could find surfing realtor.com. We’re talking indoor alligator pits, heart-shaped bathtubs and wallpaper on every surface imaginable.
Season five, premiering on April 22, includes two Rocky Mountain residences in the towns of Sedalia and Jefferson where Retta visits what she calls “the fakest cowboy saloon of all time” and a home covered in shag carpet.
“I like Colorado, it’s beautiful,” Retta said by phone recently. “But they give everyone a run for the money with their ugly houses. So, you know, it’s the beauty and the beast out in Colorado.”
Along the way, she learned Coloradans don’t always buy homes for aesthetics, but rather for the scenery — even if she doesn’t quite agree with their logic.
“You may have an ugly house, but you often have a beautiful drive to that ugly house. That’s the added plus,” Retta said. “A lot of people, their reason for buying their home is the view. I’m like, ‘But you live inside the house.’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, but the view!’ OK, well, whatever floats your boat.”
Throughout the show, Retta rates homes on their ugliness, functionality (or rather lack thereof) and the surprising elements she encounters. She then chooses winners from each region to compete as finalists. The one crowned the ugliest house in America receives a $150,000 renovation by designer Alison Victoria of HGTV’s “Windy City Rehab.” The transformation will be revealed in the finale.
“Ugliest House in America” premieres on April 22 at 7 p.m. MST, and subsequent Mondays at the same time. Catch Colorado in the southwest portion of the competition on episode 3.
