hgtv dream home | Visiting the HGTV Dream Home 2026

Hgtv dream home. A brief context to set expectations.

Hgtv dream home: Quick notes

This is my 5th HGTV Dream Home to visit in person and this one was a wow, as always. Situated on Lake Wylie outside Charlotte, NC, the timeless architecture meets lakeside charm. I’m always thrilled to be included in these events, mingling with other content creators (that’s the official name now, who can keep up?) and seeing the house and HGTV folks in person again. I don’t take it for granted and the fact that I am still getting to do these things after 19 years is just the icing on the cake. I’ve met so many wonderful people during this online career of mine and that’s been one of the best parts. I’ll share more at the bottom of this post on how to enter the contest for your chance to win this house! As always, it’s a huge package worth $2.4 million, including $100K cash. Who wouldn’t want to win that prize? I’m entering and I hope you do too! Someone will win this nature inspired lakeside retreat and it might be one of us!

We started off with drinks with Nancy McNulty, the dynamo PR gal behind Forest Home Media and she has handled the HGTV Dream Home PR events for a few years now. Nancy and I go way back to 2012, just after I moved from Birmingham and we’ve done several fun events together. We first met at the Southern Living Idea house in Nashville back in 2012. I met up with Sara, with Simply Southern Cottage, a sweet friend I’ve known for a few years, just when she was getting started on Instagram and now she is a powerhouse in the online world. You might remember I featured her cottage home in LA here on my blog back then. She’s as genuine and sweet in person and you would think! I also met new friend, Brendt, with She Gave it a Go, from Birmingham and even though we hadn’t met before, she’s great and it was so fun to hang out with these ladies.

It was so good to catch up in person with Sara and see how her life is going. She’s got a lot of exciting things going on!

The HGTV Dream Home 2026. I took this pic as we were leaving and the sun was going down. Isn’t it gorgeous?! There are so many pictures up online that you can scroll through and see all the details of this beautiful lakeside retreat, so I’m sharing my personal photos here today.

Welcome!

Nancy, Brendt, Sara and I after arriving at the house.

The house isn’t huge, but has a nice layout, with 2 bedrooms upstairs. I loved the layout of this room, with an attic feel. It had a sleeping area and a lounging nook that was so pretty.

Isn’t this gorgeous? Such a cozy area to relax in.

The adjoining bathroom had a vintage feel.

With bold terracotta colors in the tile and paint.

This mini kitchen was in the hallway upstairs. Nice to have a fridge.

This room overlooked the backyard and would be a perfect office or bedroom. They gave us the cutest bags with iron on badges we got to design on the bags ourselves with our name on them.

How about that view and those skylights? There was a seamstress there adding our names to the bags, which was so nice and personal.

Office area

And built in washer and dryer.

Looking down to the greatroom, designer Brian Patrick Flynn welcomed us to the house, along with 2 of the HGTV gals, Chesney and Chelsey. Everyone is so nice and welcoming.

Brian is always a hoot to listen too, he’s very funny.

The other bedroom upstairs was very nicely done.

Brian does a great job with these homes and I heard that Wayfair provided all the interior design pieces. You can find anything there!

Bathroom upstairs. Of course, the house had a coastal feel being on the lake.

The master bedroom was downstairs off the greatroom and very pretty as well.

More neutrals and texture in the bathroom.

Loved that nice shower with the gold hardware.

And the closet was spacious as well.

They had lots of food out and drinks too.

The kitchen is open to the greatroom with beautiful views out the back of the house.

Loved this cozy green pantry.

Open shelves in the kitchen.

Dining room as you come into the house.

And a good view of the greatroom with those spacious windows overlooking the lake. How beautiful is this?!

There was a photographer there taking pics, so I got a shot done here.

This room was warm and welcoming.

And this little sitting area off the kitchen was being used as a drinks station, but wow at the views.

I didn’t make it all the way down to the dock, but you can see all those pics online. It was cold and windy that day. The outside deck is gorgeous with two tiers.

Upstairs

The garage had a really nice dog washing station.

Again, the views! You can’t beat a lake view at sunset.

The professional got a couple of good shots I wanted to share, this one with us and Brian.

And a whole group shot with all the content creators, sponsors, and HGTV folks. Do you recognize anyone? I’ll admit I only knew a few people since this world is rapidly changing and there are so many new and young faces in the mix. I’m the grandma now!