A homeowner featured on HGTV last October has called out the network for “doing [her] dirty” in the way it presented her Victorian-inspired home.
According to People, New Orleans-based content creator and hairstylist Caitlin Orellana was featured on the HGTV Home Instagram and YouTube accounts in October 2024. In the video, Orellana gave viewers a tour of her 1901 house in the heart of New Orleans.
On July 23, Orellana took to TikTok, sharing a video about her experience and using the popular trend sampling Kendrick Lamar’s “United in Grief” to highlight when a good situation turns bad.
She started the clip by excitedly jumping up and down in her living room, with the caption reading, “Our house was featured on HGTV!” During Lamar’s “I grieve different” part of the song, the video cuts to a screen recording of her HGTV tour.
“They put a sepia filter over our entire segment and the house looked bad,” Orellana wrote over the video, followed by a crying emoji.
@caitlinorellanahome HGTV really did me dirty on this one 😂🥲 #hgtv #neworleans #moodymaximalism #igrievedifferent #homedecor #neworleanshomes ♬ original sound – Clipse ✟
She continued in the caption of the post, “HGTV really did me dirty on this one 😂🥲.”
In the original post, HGTV wrote, “Step inside Caitlin and Luis Orellana’s 1901 Victorian-inspired home in the heart of New Orleans, where old-world charm meets a dark, moody aesthetic. Inspired by the neighborhood’s rich musical history, they’ve kept the vintage touches intact while infusing their unique, witchy style throughout.”
“I really, really enjoy more witchy, darker decor. I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but lots of deep colors, jewel tones, gold tones,” Orellana added in the video.
However, because of the sepia filter, the HGTV video made the house appear darker than it actually is. As seen in Orellana’s TikTok videos, her home decor is more colorful and vibrant than it appeared on HGTV.
Fans agreed with Orellana’s take, with one TikTok user writing, “How did they manage to make such a colorful home look GREY 😭.”
“Your house is amazing but whyyyy would they slap that tone over it! I guess they felt that was your house’s mood? You’ve shot better content of your house than that!” said another.
“They somehow managed to make it look dusty,” another added.
One fan wrote, “They did you so dirty.”
“Omg they fumbled badly on this… ugh such a beautiful house!” added another.
“Awwww that filter sucks but your house is still cute!” one user said.