- Open floor plans have been a popular renovation choice on HGTV shows like “Fixer Upper” and “Property Brothers.”
- But the style isn’t always used because it’s the best choice for a space.
- Ronda Kaysen, a contributor for The New York Times who has interviewed HGTV executives in the past, told Insider that the network uses open floor plans to attract male viewers.
- Kaysen explained to Insider that male HGTV viewers enjoy the demolition process that comes with creating an open floor plan.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Any loyal viewer of HGTV is familiar with open floor plans, in which areas like a kitchen, living room, and dining room flow together in one large space.
The style has been particularly popular on shows like “Fixer Upper” and “Property Brothers,” which take viewers on a journey from buying a property through renovations.
But as it turns out, open floor plans are often used on these shows for a reason other than being the best choice for the house.
Ronda Kaysen, a contributor for The New York Times who has interviewed HGTV executives like Allison Page, told Insider that the network uses open floor plans to attract male viewers.
"The network brought in shows like 'Fixer Upper' so the men wouldn't run out of the room the minute the channel turned to HGTV," she said, as executives from the network previously told her.
The demolition process involved in creating an open floor plan is what draws in the male audience. "Guys like to watch sledgehammers and, like, taking out walls," Kaysen said in a recent NPR interview.
"It's all for TV. It's not for what's in the best interest of the house, necessarily," she also said on NPR. "Dudes will only watch HGTV if there are sledgehammers. This is how you get your boyfriend to sit with you on the couch and watch it, only if you get to watch Jonathan Scott knock down a wall."
Kaysen told Insider that "the move has been wildly successful" for the network.
"HGTV is among the top-ranked networks on basic cable with a lineup of shows that invariably include a scene where the walls come down," she added.
Indeed, HGTV became the top-rated entertainment cable channel in July 2016, according to USA Today. It was also the third most popular television network overall in 2019, as reported by Deadline.
HGTV did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment on this story.
- Read more:
- WHERE ARE THEY NOW: 5 of the most iconic homes that Chip and Joanna Gaines renovated on 'Fixer Upper'
- The ugly truth behind your favorite HGTV shows, according to the contestants
- 12 easy ways to take your home design to the next level, according to HGTV's Leanne and Steve Ford
- 10 pieces of parenting wisdom from 'Fixer Upper' stars Chip and Joanna Gaines