10 Wisconsin homes that were featured on HGTV

Calling all home hunters, architecture aficionados, and DIY designers: Check out these 10 Wisconsin homes that HGTV spotlighted. 

If your favorite pastime is scrolling through Zillow and imagining what your dream house would look like, chances are you’re also a fan of HGTV. For over three decades, this home and garden show has been on the air, inspiring home decorators, designers, architects, and everyday people as they watch buyers make tough decisions between multiple dream properties.

Throughout its long history, HGTV has experienced a surge in popularity. From humble “how-to” home improvement episodes, it has evolved into the home base (pun intended) for several successful series, including shows like “Love It or List It,” “House Hunters,” “My Lottery Dream Home,” and many more.

When we think of popular Wisconsin destinations with gorgeous, unique, and historical homes, plenty of places come to mind. From the Eastern shorelines of Door County to picturesque Southeastern Lake Geneva with its million-dollar mansions, it’s no wonder a few of these properties made the cut and have been featured on HGTV.

My Lottery Dream House

Last fall (in  Season 16 of the show), David met a Wisconsin woman who made a remarkable investment, allowing her to budget millions to spend on her dream home.

In fact, this was the biggest budget the show has seen in its entire existence. David showed her three gorgeous mansions with beautiful views of Lake Mendota in the Madison area.

Blackwolf Bluff (Madison, WI)

Sitting on over half an acre of land and spanning just under 5,000 square feet, Blackwolf Bluff’s contemporary style featured three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a host of other unique features. In addition to a putting green off the master bedroom, Blackwood Bluff also offered a boathouse, wide-open views, and a giant chessboard in the back.

Thornberry Bay (Madison, WI)

Next up is a more than 7,400-square-foot vision in white. The sprawling Thornberry Bay home lives up to its mega-mansion status, featuring gigantic picture windows (70 in total throughout the house), a winding white staircase, four bedrooms, and five bathrooms. The best part of the home? Views for days in every direction you turn in, and even a balcony over the boathouse you can cast off of for fishing.

Whistling Wake (Madison, WI) 

If you think Whistling Wake sounds more like a resort than a mansion, you’d be right. Although it’s the most expensive of the bunch, the amenities and features make it feel like an all-inclusive getaway.

Its four bedrooms and eight bathrooms are the least of its amenities, which also include a steam room, sauna, decked-out private gym, an elevator to get you to and fro, and a whole basement level containing a pickleball court.

Lakefront Bargain Hunt

This HGTV series, “Lakefront Bargain Hunt,” helps homeowners find their dream lakefront home without breaking the bank. Two of the homes featured in this series in the Northwoods Area are Clam Lake and Crooked Lake, plus Castle Rock Lake in Germantown.

Clam Lake (Northwoods Area)

The Clam Lake location is surrounded by a charming forested area with wide open yard space. The inside of the house has wall-to-wall wooden paneling and beautiful wooden flooring, the hallmark of a cozy cabin and a defined rustic vibe.

Crooked Lake (Northwoods Area)

On the other hand, the Crooked Lake home features a blend of rustic wood and more modern elements, like a black marble fireplace. The outdoor space is equally enjoyable, with a dark layered brick outdoor staircase surrounded by clean landscaping that leads down to the lake.

Nepco and Castle Rock Lake (Portage and Juneau counties)

This vacation home on Nepco Lake was featured on HGTV’s “Lakefront Bargain Hunt“. A family that grew up visiting the area enjoyed it enough to make a long-term investment.

This episode wasn’t only about showcasing this gorgeous house—decoration and staging were provided by a local store, Home Furniture, also in Wisconsin Rapids. Additionally, a home on Castle Rock Lake was featured a year before—both were in the buyer’s budget, around $350,000.

Ugliest House in America

It might not sound like the ideal HGTV series to be featured on, but the show “Ugliest House in America” is filled with good laughs, courtesy of Retta, and unusual, outdated living spaces.

No need to worry—landing on this list isn’t all bad—the home in the roughest shape gets a $150,000 renovation! Two homes in Wisconsin landed on the Ugliest Homes list, and although neither won the overall title, it’s easy to understand how they both got here.

Stone Cold Castle (Hartford) 

This home stays true to its name and looks more like a castle than an everyday house. Built in the 1960s, the original owners were fans of the medieval era, going so far as adding turrets to their designs.

The most recent owners wanted to update the “gloomy” interior, which included seemingly scary fireplaces and tavern-like elements in the kitchen area—concrete and uncomfortable, to say the least.

Tartan Party Palace (Lake Geneva)

You might think that this Lake Geneva house, built in the 1930s, is what dated this ‘Tartan Party Palace,” but the renovations it went through about 50 years ago are what’s really to blame.

It was between 1960 and 1970, so we all know what that means—wild carpeting, even crazier wallpaper, and of course, plenty of wood paneling to top it all off. One of the owners, Jessica, didn’t even see the house before purchase—something she says she does not recommend.

Ultimate House Hunt 2017 & 2022

Lake Geneva Estate

Not to be confused with the “Tartan Party Palace,” this Lake Geneva mega mansion makes Jay Gatsby’s mansion (from “The Great Gatsby”) look like a starter home—yes, it even has a private boat dock.

The home sits on over 400 feet of Lake Geneva shoreline, built as a Tudor-style mansion. The estate features so much more than just your average bedrooms and bathrooms—there’s a sweeping stone patio for outdoor entertainment and enjoyment, a massive sunroom that lets all the sunshine in, high ceilings with exposed beams, and more.

Uihlein Mansion (Milwaukee)

Although it wasn’t the winner of the 2022 Ultimate House Hunt, this Uihelin Mansion made it close to the final cut. Lake Drive, in Milwaukee, is home to many gorgeous and brilliant houses along the scenic route.

Built in 1914, the architectural details and sheer size make this an incredible mansion. The great room features floor-to-ceiling windows that let in tons of natural light, which continues through the dining room and other areas of the house. Upstairs, you’ll find four bedrooms and three bathrooms, complete with a meticulous stone outdoor seating area overlooking the lake.