I don't watch HGTV but my daughter does. What my daughter has learned out of the show is how things are "supposed" to look. She moved into an approximately 22 year old house. Yes, the appliances are old. Yes, the paint in the kitchen is a bright yellow. But, considering she's going through a divorce with two little kids, she's pretty lucky to be living where she does.
I don't like shows like that, or segments on morning talk shows that tell us how we're supposed to look.