Good news for those of you who always wanted to live in Magnum P.I.’s Hawaii pad (who didn’t?)- the home is currently for sale. While it would be a dream come true to inhabit the ‘Robin’s Nest’ (turtle pond and all), there are at least 11 other famous television homes I used to wish I could live in. Some because they seemed very homey, others for more simple reasons, such as having multiple staircases (seriously, why is that SO cool? And why did SO many television homes have that feature?).
Since our headline is intended to limit us to television houses, we had to leave apartments off the list, even if they’re “de-luxe” and “in the sky”. As cool as Larry and Balki’s Chicago bachelor pad was, it’s off the table, and no matter how convenient it would be to be within walking distance of The Regal Beagle, the Three’s Company apartment is off the table. As fun as it would be to live amidst endless comic book and nerd memorabilia, Leonard and Sheldon’s Big Bang Theory apartment will have to be saved for another list.
Here are 11 television homes we always wished we could live in:
The Seaver house – Growing Pains
An apartment over the garage? As a teenager this seemed like the coolest thing ever. The possibilities would be endless with a place like this all to ourselves. So much room for activities!
The Tanner/Katsopolis/Gladstone residence – Full House
Room enough for three grown men, three children, Comet and a recording studio? Sold.
The Huxtable house – The Cosby Show
It was probably the good times and wholesome lessons that took place there that made the Huxtable house seem like such a cool place to live. Nope, it was the dual staircases.
The Stratton house – Silver Spoons
An arcade and a working RIDEABLE train set in your living room? I think we all used to grudge-watch Silver Spoons and not-at-all secretly wish we could switch places with Ricky Stratton.
The Walsh house – Beverly Hills, 90210
Regardless of the endless high school drama taking place within its wall, the Walsh hacienda still looked like a fantastic place to live. Jim Walsh must have been pullin’ home some serious cabbage back in Minnesota to be able to put an offer on this joint as soon as they moved out west.
The Keaton house – Family Ties
Hide the vanilla extract! This was another house that just felt like a “home”. Good luck trying to resell though, proximity to the Handlemans would keep the property value in check.
The Model Home – Arrested Development
No intrusive neighbors or pesky working television sets. And decorative-only fruit means less insects! WIN WIN.
The Brady house – The Brady Bunch
Carol had “much more than a hunch” that this single architect with a live-in maid was haulin’ down the big cheddar. I thought the Brady house was the bees knees, and that was BEFORE the episode where all of a sudden there was an attic room up for grabs that made all other bedroom ever look like linen closets.
The Banks house – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Always impeccably kept by Geoffrey, The Banks’ home was such a fine house to be thrown out of 105 times (which is what one website estimates is the total number of times Jazz was thrown out the front door by Uncle Phil).
The Forman house (specifically the basement) – That 70s Show
Having a private and comfortable place like the Forman’s basement to hang out with your friends in high school would be life-changing. Teenagers don’t get to drink beer and smoke weed in their parents’ kitchens or living rooms.
The Zbornak/Petrillo/Devereaux/Nylund residence – The Golden Girls
It’s not even that the house itself was that great. I know, THE LANAI. Whatevs. For me, there are three value drivers here: Florida weather, living next door to a family doctor, and being a Miami Dolphins fan I could go to 8 homes games a year. Oh, and when I grow old and senile (more so than I already am), Shady Pines is right down the road. I hear they have shuffleboard on Tuesdays.
The thing about the houses that made this list is that, in each show, the house was almost as important as the characters. So many great scenes were shot against the backdrop of the “living room” or the “kitchen” that it makes the room itself stand out in our fondest TV memories.
And by the way, another perk to living in the Golden Girls residence? Living in close proximity to the best cheesecake bakery in Florida.
well said.
Would live in the model home at the drop of a hat. Even if a drop of the hat might cave the floor in.
Another added bonus: GOB could be hiding in plain sight at any given time, just waiting to swivel around in a desk chair and brighten your day. Also: mustard and parmesan sandwiches.
Random GOB appearances seals the deal. Model home for me.
SEALS the deal!
Oh dear.
I still want to live in the Brady house.
It might need a slight amount of interior updating, but I agree, that place rules. Mike’s den, the turf-covered backyard, all awesome.
WHAT? Webster’s had the secret passages!
GAH! How did I miss that one?? Maybe because he burned that joint to the ground. #insurancefraud
I thought that was in the second house. The first house had the dumbwaiter?
Any of the huts in Gilligan’s Island, with The Brady Bunch house a close second. Or maybe it’s a tie. Sherwood Schwartz really nailed the suburban utopian ideal.
Stratton house for the win!
Although I’d really like to live in the Charmed house, even without the girls in it.
I also liked the not mentioned ALF household. Cool spaced-out garage, nice blue kitchen, and tons of hiding places and trap doors (if necessary). The only downside is those pesky Ochmoneks, but you can spray for those, right?
My high school boyfriend’s basement was just like the Forman’s. And it was 1973. I married him, of course.
You know, there is a problem with one of these houses. Stay tuned USF fans!