The Property Brothers Reveal the One Thing We Should Add to Our Homes Today

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Drew and Jonathan Scott often update home layouts for growing families. But on their latest renovation on “Property Brothers: Forever Home,” they have to make every square foot count.

In the “New Family, New Floor Plan” episode, Bruce and Patricia tell the brothers that they love their Toronto home. They raised their son, Logan, there, and it was a perfect house for their family of three. But recently there was a change to their family when Bruce’s brother tragically passed away. That’s when Bruce and Patricia stepped up and adopted their young niece and nephew, Ruby and John.

Now, their small home has gotten crowded with five people and not enough bedrooms to go around. The Scott brothers need to get creative—here’s how they make this house feel bigger without expanding its footprint. And with all of us a bit space-starved these days, you might pick up a tip or three for your own home along the way.

Reconfigure the kitchen for better flow

This kitchen was too small for a family of five.

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One big problem with this house is the cramped kitchen and dining room.

The large dining table makes it difficult to move around the space, plus the kitchen is around a corner, cutting it off from the rest of the house.

So, the brothers decide to make a radical shift: Reconfigure the space and move the kitchen into the dining room. This way, when Patricia and Bruce are in the kitchen, they’ll have clear sightlines to the living room.

Now, this kitchen looks stunning!

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Plus, the brothers dress up the kitchen with an island that’s so big that Bruce and Patricia decide that they don’t need a formal dining space anymore. Instead, the brothers use that space to add a much-needed bedroom.

Of course, Bruce and Patricia love the change.

“The way it used to be, it was like the kitchen was kind of removed way over there,” Bruce says, “and now it’s all, like, flowing together, and it feels modern and fresh and new.”

A deck can expand a home’s living space

This back deck is a perfect place for the family to gather.

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With Drew and Jonathan taking away the dining room to make space for another bedroom, the brothers know that this family will need more common space to be together.

So, as a surprise, they give the existing back deck a face-lift with new glass railings, new furniture, and even a raised platform for the hot tub. When the brothers are finished, the deck looks amazing. It’s a perfect second living room, where this expanded family can all spend time together.

A beautiful fireplace warms up a home

This fireplace adds a soft pop of color to the updated living room.

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While Bruce, Patricia, and their kids will probably want to spend much of their time on their beautiful new deck, the brothers are still sure to give them a cozy living space where they can sit together as a family.

One way they brighten up this space is giving the room a new gas fireplace decorated with light-blue penny tile. Then they add function to the wall by installing shelves and cabinets around the fireplace.

These features give what was once a boring sitting room a much-needed update and a more modern look.

The one thing all homeowners should add: More storage

This cabinet was great, but a big family needs lots of storage.

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When Drew and Jonathan first tour Bruce and Patricia’s home, they are impressed by Patricia’s woodworking skills. She says that she built the dining table and some bedroom furniture, and even installed shelves to display pictures at the entrance.

While the brothers love how much work Patricia has done on the home, they know that this family of five will need more storage. In fact, they think that pretty much all homeowners could probably stand to add more storage to their homes.

So, the Scotts turn the display shelves into a more useful coat closet.

“I felt bad taking out the cabinet that you had installed ’cause you did a really great job, but check this out,” Jonathan says, showing off the new closet.

A closet works better in this space.

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Bruce and Patricia love the upgrade. The closet is compact, but provides just enough space to store coats and shoes.

“You need function in a home,” Jonathan says, “especially with a family now of five.”

Get creative with paint and wallpaper

This mural is perfect for Logan’s bedroom.

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Bruce and Patricia need to add a fourth bedroom to their home, so Drew and Jonathan take space away from the master bedroom and the dining room in order to make that additional room.

While each kid now has his or her own bedroom, none of these rooms is very large. So to make these small rooms feel special, the brothers get creative with fun wallpapers and colorful paint.

This blue wallpaper looks great in the nursery.

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They start in big brother Logan’s room, commissioning a fun soccer mural to add some personality.

“He’s the older brother, so I want his room to stand out,” Drew says of the mural. “And of course I want the other rooms to have a personalized feel as well, so adding wallpaper is another great way to create a feature.”

For the master bedroom, they put up a colorful patterned wallpaper behind the headboard. In Ruby’s room, they add a splash of soft pink to the walls, and in John’s nursery they add a beautiful blue wallpaper behind the crib.

Do the Scott brothers deliver?

Patricia and Bruce have a healthy budget of $155,000 for their home renovation. However, the brothers need to get creative to make this small home work for a family of five.

In the end, Drew and Jonathan add an additional bedroom, renovate the kitchen, update the living room, and even surprise the family with an updated deck—all while staying right on budget.

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