West Michigan Home Named Among the Ugliest in America

HGTV spotlights a West Michigan home on season 6 of "Ugliest House in America" hosted by Retta.

From the outside, the home in Jenison appears to be a charming riverside farmhouse. Inside, however, the design choices tell a very different story. Here's what makes this West Michigan home one of the ugliest in the entire nation!

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While three Michigan homes were featured on the 2025 season, the interior of this historic riverboat landing home shows how its quirky design sits atop Jenison’s riverside history.

Luke Lowing's Landing

Located along the Grand River in Georgetown Township near Jenison, the historic property is one of four riverboat landings in the area located within less than a mile of each other, according to the Michigan Genealogy website: Haire’s Landing, Ohio Dock, Luke Lowing’s Landing and Blendon Landing. 

The Lowings originally hailed from New York. In 1936, Stephen Lowing became the first family member to arrive in Michigan, working at a sawmill in Grand Haven before settling on a piece of land he had claimed near Jenison. After building a small cabin and recording the deed, he returned to New York to finish his schooling.

In 1840 Lowing and his new bride, Ruth, his brother Luke, and small daughter, made the trek back to Michigan and discovered living along the river came with its perks! As Michigan Genealogy writes, "They found that now the river boats supplied a welcome means of taking them to their new home".

The Lowings opened their first sawmill in 1843, however,

This was not the last mill Stephen Lowing was to build, for he later constructed two others on the same creel apparently with more success. He also went on building new and better homes, the third one was even later remodeled and was near the river with a fine view.

So, now we know the history of the property and the home, but we don't know how or why it ended up with so much carpet. There's carpet on the walls, there's carpet on the cabinets, and there's even carpet on the ceiling! The real eye-catcher however seems to be the yellow room with shag carpet-- complete with rug rake:

According to the Zillow listing the home was last purchased in 2024 for $655,000, 18% less than the original listing price when it hit the market in 2023. When the current owners appeared on "Ugliest House in America" they said they purchased the home because it had "good bones" meaning they see the potential the home has, but it will take a lot of work to get there.

Think of how long it will take to rip out that carpet alone! The upcoming new season of HGVT's "Ugliest House in America" returns January 7, 2026. Can you think of any other hideous homes in Michigan which should be featured on the show? Perhaps the "Castle That Ray Built?"