The Property Brothers Show Kate Hudson the Ugliest Eyesore a Home Can Have on ‘Celebrity IOU’
HGTV
It’s nice to see a celebrity who’s making a huge comeback take time out of her busy schedule to give something to someone who has done a lot for her. Property brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott gamely step in to help with that on “Celebrity IOU.”
In the “Kate Hudson’s Backyard Build” episode, Hudson wants to help redo the backyard of Melissa, the mother of her fiancé, Danny Fujikawa.
Melissa is an educator who spends a lot of time taking care of Hudson and Fujikawa’s daughter, as well as Hudson’s other two sons. But Melissa broke both her ankles earlier this year and hasn’t been able to tend to her backyard as she usually does.
She needs a backyard where the kids can safely play and do artwork, and she can get around with more ease. She’s always dreamed of having a garden like the ones in the south of France.
The property brothers are more than game to help Hudson give Melissa the type of backyard she’s always dreamed of, and are able to work miracles in only six weeks. Here’s what they do, and some smart tips that might inspire a few changes around your own abode, too.
Stabilizers keep gravel from traveling
Stepping stones and stabilized gravelHGTV
Gravel is a great, drought-tolerant ground cover, but as people walk over it, it can tend to slide around. But the property brothers have a solution: Underneath the gravel, they place a grid that helps grip the gravel and keep it in place.
“We have stabilizer for rocks, so that your rocks don’t kick around like this,” Jonathan says. “It actually keeps them nice and solid.”
Hudson also picks new gravel made of tiny, smooth river rocks that will be easy on little ones’ bare feet. It’s a small detail that adds a lot in terms of comfort.
Ugly wires are huge eyesores
Note the electrical wires attached to the roof and running down the house through a pole in front of the kitchen window.HGTV
The wires that connect the house to the city power lines are connected to the roof, then run down the house right in front of a window. They look ugly on the outside of the house and uglier from the inside.
“We’re relocating the home’s electrical service drop from in front of the kitchen window to the side of the house where it belongs,” says Jonathan. “That way, no one will have to look at ugly wires coming into the house from the power lines.”
What a difference!
House free of visible power linesHGTV
Make steps safer
Safer steps made of railroad tiesHGTV
The backyard is on three levels, and there are about three steps leading from one to the next. The steps are crumbly and ill-defined.
“One of the biggest concerns we had for this backyard was how uneven the ground and steps were, especially since Melissa has recovered from two broken ankles,” says Jonathan.
“In order to create three nice, safe levels, we want to redo the retaining walls, and we’re just using railroad ties,” he continues. “That’s going to be a nice, earthy, organic way to get the effect that we want.”
When it’s finished, Drew is pleased with the results.
“The unique, tiered backyard has gone from being hazardous to structured,” he says.
Raised planter beds make gardening easier
Raised planter boxesHGTV
Melissa loves a veggie and herb garden, but planting everything in the ground can get a little unwieldy. But Jonathan has the perfect solution.
“Raised planter beds make it easier on your back and legs,” he says.
“She’s going to have raised beds with lots of variety,” adds Drew as he decides what to plant in the raised planter boxes. “She wants to be able to make a salad, make a stew. Whatever she’s cooking, she wants to be able to go to the garden and get something fresh for it.”
The gardening specialist advises him to mix in some flowers like marigolds for color and to attract bees to ensure pollination. He also advises mixing in oregano and dill, which give off a scent that keeps pests away.
Whatever gets planted, Melissa will not have to spend hours on her knees tending to it, and animals like rabbits and squirrels will have a hard time getting to it. Raised planters are a no-brainer!
Install a no-maintenance deck
No-maintenance composite deckHGTV
“How cool would it be for her to have a deck that she doesn’t have to worry about repainting?” asks Jonathan. “If we do it in a composition material that looks like real wood but is never going to need maintenance? She’ll love it!”
As workers add the deck to the back of the house, Jonathan elaborates, “Building a deck that lasts is always a priority, so we’re using a composite instead of wood. It’s very low maintenance, no sanding, no staining. You pretty much just have to hose it down every once in a while.”
When you think of the sanding and staining, and resanding and restaining, and replacing a wooden deck after several years, a composite deck seems like a dream.
Do the property brothers deliver?
Finished backyardHGTV
In the end, Melissa’s backyard features a fire pit, kitchen, and bocce court, plus a deck, art studio, and raised planter beds.
“You completely nailed my aesthetic,” Melissa says when she sees it. “This yard is going to make the life that I want to lead possible. I’m really overwhelmed.”
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