HGTV Launches 'Decorating Cents' Reboot

Decorating Cents, HGTV’s beloved and occasionally downright bizarre design show from the 1990s, is back and better than ever — and you can watch the reboot pilot right now on YouTube. It’s hosted by Lauren Makk, a lifelong DIY aficionado and designer, with the help of DIY expert Evette Ríos and custom builder Cole Gerdes.

The original Decorating Cents aired from 1997 to 2008 and featured decorator Joan Steffend, who would transform one room in a client's home with $500 or less and a few hours of work. The show had a bit of a viral moment in 2025, when comedian Rob Anderson (@heartthrobanderson) unearthed the show to his followers and shared his truly hilarious and unfiltered commentary. This led to memes and videos all over the internet, as everyone was reintroduced to, and shocked by, a bygone era in which Joan painted rugs onto hardwood floors and compared colorful, gaudy pitchers hanging from the ceiling in front of a window to (checks notes) stained glass.

Bringing the Spirit of Decorating Cents Back

HGTV's reboot takes the charm and thriftiness of the '90s version and gives it a 2026 edge, which, naturally, means the first update is adjusting for inflation: the $500 budget is now $999. That said, the soul of the show is exactly the same, according to Lauren, which is “proof you don’t need a massive budget to create something beautiful and meaningful.”

The reboot also embodies the familiar “pure chaos-with-a-deadline” vibe partnered with the “‘Wait, we can absolutely make that ourselves’ energy,” Evette reveals. She continues, “Our way of honoring it wasn't nostalgia for nostalgia's sake; it was sticking to the actual bones of the show: real homeowners, a painfully real budget and zero patience for anything that couldn't be sourced, thrifted or DIY'd by Friday.”

When asked what’s new about the show, Lauren says it’s all about the “why” behind it. “We’re not just designing within constraints. We’re teaching homeowners to see their own lives differently, to recognize that what feels disposable isn’t necessarily finished.”

“The heart’s identical,” Evette adds, but “the hair is better.”

Both Lauren and Evette grew up learning from the original Decorating Cents.

“I remember watching Joan Steffend and her design friends gather in a space and completely transform it,” recalls Lauren. “My mom (a DIY queen) and I would watch the show together and gawk, admiring their ideas. As a little girl growing up in Oklahoma, Joan gave inspiration and language for my gifts. It changed the trajectory of how I saw myself and what I could do.”

Evette shares Lauren's adoration: “I grew up in Bed-Stuy watching Joan Steffend stretch $500 into a whole new room while I was literally sitting on a couch my parents and I had just recovered ourselves,” she muses. “Decorating Cents wasn't background noise in my house; it was basically a training video.”

With that much connection to and care for the original, it’s no doubt the cast of the Decorating Cents reboot will bring authenticity and love to the series. That said, the reboot still has those splashes of bonkers that made the original so memorable (and meme-able) — and the repurposing of old training toilets into upcycled wall sconces is just one example.

“I wanted to take something that would likely never be used as a design element and show our audience how uncommon objects could be repurposed and cherished again,” says Lauren of the potty sconces. “And I know it was a big swing.”

It’s those big swings — the “fun, eclectic and joyous takes on home renovations,” as Cole puts it — that define Decorating Cents, and always have, for better or worse. “Decorating shouldn’t always be so serious,” he says.

Homeowners of Today: How to Decorate on a Budget

Perhaps the Decorating Cents reboot comes at a time when viewers need accessible ways of redecorating without spending more than they need to (or have). The hosts surely understand this and are quick to offer their expert design-on-the-cheap advice on the show to viewers. For example, both Lauren and Evette agree that paint is the fastest and most dramatic way to transform a space. “Paint is doing about 70% of the emotional labor in every ‘we can't believe it's the same room’ reveal, and it's the cheapest tool in your arsenal, so start there,” says Evette.

Editing a room, according to the DIY experts, should always come before buying anything new. “I always tell my clients, ‘It doesn’t cost anything to move your own furniture around,’” says Lauren. “Pull that sofa off the wall, float it in the middle of the room and move those pictures and accessories around your home. You’d be amazed at what a simple rearrangement can do to enjoy your home in an entirely different way.” Another small-yet-huge change that can transform a space and give it a “wow factor," in Cole's opinion, is upgrading a room’s trim work around doors, windows, baseboards and ceilings. “It can bring a whole new feeling to a room with relatively little expense,” he explains.

With advice like this, Decorating Cents will help viewers understand that they don’t need to be experts when it comes to home renovation. The show encourages homeowners to take the leap and go for it. “I cannot stress this enough: You do not need to be talented to be resourceful,” says Evette. “Being broke and stubborn will get you further in design than a fine arts degree ever will.”

This is the beating heart of Decorating Cents.

How to Watch the Decorating Cents Reboot

Stream the Decorating Cents reboot on HGTV's YouTube now.