It’s clear that I’ve developed quite the voracious appetite for home-centric programming. From Flip This House on A&E to Flip That House on TLC, and nearly the entire HGTV oeuvre (with the notable exception of Decorating Cents, a show not entirely undone by its budget-minded approach to design, but rather its early-90’s production values), I’ve filled almost two TiVo units with what I, and others, refer to as “House Porn.” We like to watch others do it, design-wise.

My interest in these shows started innocently enough, initially exchanging Saturday Night Live for the true comedy of Trading Spaces. (Remember Hilde’s completely impractical glued-straw walls or indoor big-top tent? Get ready to relive the magic, as she and many of the show’s original cast of characters, including host Paige Davis, return this year.) My consumption of shows like My First Place and Find Your Style grew as our own home-buying drama unfolded, only intensifying upon closing, faced with rooms in need of purpose, color, and style.

Yet instead of taking hammer, screwdriver, and paintbrush in hand, inspired by the scenes I’ve seen, I much prefer to remain on the sidelines, watching. Wise to editing-room magic, I (and most of America) get it. Real life is messy, which is why we’re still jonesing for more of these comparatively perfect, four-walled fantasies.

And because I’m still in search of the perfect dining room fixture, I’ll be tuning into this Sunday’s premiere of Light It Up.