The Property Brothers Reveal 2 Things Every Backyard Needs

HGTV; realtor.com

Drew and Jonathan Scott renovate a lot of small, but well-loved, starter homes on their show “Property Brothers: Forever Home.” But their most recent project was never meant to be just a starter home. In fact, when this home was purchased, it was meant to be forever—only there was a catch.

In the episode “Into the Future,” Raymond and Binh explain that they bought their roomy Toronto, ON, home 18 years ago, with every penny of their savings. This meant that by the time they moved in, they couldn’t do any updates to the house. They could barely afford any furniture!

Now, almost two decades (and three kids) later, Binh and Raymond know that it’s time to treat their house to the upgrades it needs. Read on to learn how Drew and Jonathan deliver, and you may take home some tips for your own abode.

An entryway should make a great first impression

This white-on-white entryway was too bland.

HGTV

The front entryway is the first thing that guests see when they walk into a home, so it’s important for it to be both stylish and inviting.

Unfortunately for Raymond and Binh, their entry isn’t anything special. With a boring white door, white tile, and a white stair railing, the space looks seriously bland.

To make matters worse, a wall is blocking it from the rest of the house, making this dull space feel especially small and closed off.

With a few pops of color, this entry is transformed.

HGTV

The Scotts decide to spice up this area by adding color and a lot of personality. They replace the boring white door with a stylish dark wood one, repaint the stair spindles in a dark shade to add some dimension, and replace the lifeless white tile with a beautiful blue design with an art deco feel.

With some pops of color and that intrusive wall removed, this boring entryway has been transformed into one of the home’s greatest assets.

A three-sided fireplace can be enjoyed from every angle

This fireplace warms up the space.

HGTV

Raymond and Binh are excited to finally get both a living room and a formal dining room, but with a wall separating the two rooms, the brothers know that this can make each space feel closed off.

To open up both the living room and dining room, the brothers install a three-sided fireplace. This gives both the living and dining areas, and the kitchen, the benefit of a hearth. In addition, it opens up the space, allowing longer sightlines between the rooms.

Bring color into a kitchen with a colorful island

These old cabinets may have been white, but they were dated.

HGTV

Binh and Raymond love white cabinets, but they also would love their kitchen to have a splash of color. The brothers come up with a solution that accommodates both style must-haves, by installing modern white cabinets in the kitchen, then painting the island blue.

These cabinets are a big upgrade.

HGTV

This colorful island gives the space a playful splash of color, while the rest of the kitchen feels clean and fresh.

Include wood tones to warm up a room

Wood tones give this kitchen extra dimension.

HGTV

While white cabinets and a blue island may make for a stylish kitchen, the brothers want to finish off the look by adding some wood tones to the space.

The custom hood vent and the wood-tone stools add an earthy feel to the space, and adding a splash of dark color gracefully sets off all the white cabinets.

New windows and drapes can improve the view

Before, this window was old, and the curtains were outdated.

HGTV

One of the best things about Raymond and Binh’s house is the amazing view. The living room looks out on gorgeous trees and greenery, but it seems this family can’t enjoy that, because of the set of old windows and outdated drapes that obstruct the view.

Now, the window is the centerpiece of this living room.

HGTV

To fix this problem, the brothers install all new windows to improve the space, plus, they add some simple curtains that won’t upstage the gorgeous view outside.

Add a door and deck to the backyard

These glass railings provide a great view of the yard.

deck

Drew and Jonathan love Raymond and Binh’s backyard, but they think it’s strange that there’s no path from the living room outside.

So, the brothers decide to turn one rear-facing window into a door, and also to add a deck. These one-two punch upgrades make a huge difference, connecting the house to the yard out back.

Do the Scotts deliver?

With a maximum budget of $200,000, Raymond and Binh are determined to give their house the update it deserves.

So, the Scotts come up with a plan to improve the entryway, the living room, and kitchen, and even give the kids a separate space downstairs.

The brothers estimate a renovation cost of $185,000, but they run into some water damage along the way. Waterproofing around the basement windows ends up costing an extra $2,000, putting the final cost at $187,000.

It’s a little over the proposed budget, but the results seem well worth it. In the end, Binh, Raymond, and their three kids, have a beautiful home that they’re sure to enjoy for another 18 years.

The post The Property Brothers Reveal 2 Things Every Backyard Needs appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.