A Vermont couple recently reminded us that ugly doesn’t have to mean erased. Their wildly unconventional home in Vershire took top honors on Ugliest House in America, earning a $150,000 renovation. What made the story interesting wasn’t just the transformation. It was the restraint.
Yes, the redesign fixed the hard stuff. Unsafe levels, impractical rooms, and design choices that made everyday life difficult. It brought cohesiveness to the exterior which was much needed. But instead of stripping the house of its character, the designers kept playful nods to its original weirdness. Monkey-themed cabinets became mirrors. Dead trees were reimagined as part of a fairy-forest play space. The house still had personality. It just functioned better.
As someone who genuinely enjoys walking into the oddballs, I’ve learned that the homes people dismiss the fastest often have the most upside. Good bones, great land, mountain views, or a layout that needs a thoughtful reset rather than a total rewrite.
The takeaway isn’t that everyone needs a TV crew or a six-figure budget. It’s that ugly is often just unrealized. Behind dated finishes and questionable taste, there’s often solid structure, good light, and a setting that’s hard to replicate. Especially here in Vermont, where land and location tend to outlast trends.
So I’ll ask you this. What’s the ugliest house you’ve ever been in?
