Before and After: On HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU,” Drew Barrymore Adds Warmth and Function to a Friend’s Kitchen
Drew Barrymore has always credited her makeup artist and best friend, Deb, with helping her get through her divorce. When Deb wound up going through her own divorce, Barrymore decided to give her friend a fresh start in her longtime home. In the latest episode of HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU,” Barrymore teamed up with Jonathan and Drew Scott to renovate Deb’s house.
The focus of the renovation took place in the kitchen and dining area, where Deb and her son spent a bulk of their time. While the kitchen was in decent shape, it hadn’t received any upkeep in recent years and the wear-and-tear had begun to show. The kitchen was scarce, lacked function, and had worn-down wooden floors. It was also in need of more storage, counter space, and room to host dinner parties.
With a timeline of five weeks, Barrymore and the Scott brothers kicked off the renovation by tearing down the old white shelves and cabinets. They removed the patio doors from the kitchen (and moved them to the living room), so that they could use the extra kitchen space to install additional cabinetry and storage. Barrymore picked out light wooden cabinets with black brass hardware and a light backsplash. The team tore up the old wood flooring and replaced it with new, light wood flooring in a herringbone pattern to add some “comfortable sophistication” to the room.
“Just because Deb likes modern doesn’t mean you can’t have a classic touch like herringbone,” Drew said. “This actually elevates the look of the space.”
In an effort to increase counter space (and give Deb and her son a casual breakfast bar), the team installed a kitchen island. They used white quartz on both the countertops and the top of the island, which featured a black base and two matching chairs. The white quartz helped give the counters a marble look, minus the easily stained properties of true marble. For additional storage, the team added floating shelves in the kitchen, which they filled with dishes and decorations.
They brought in totally new appliances, including a fridge that was easily concealed within the same wood as the cabinets. They also incorporated a hidden trash can and dishwasher within the cabinets, which helped give the entire kitchen a seamless and clutter-free appearance. They installed a stylish, customized oven and stove top range. Barrymore picked out a black stove with brass hardware to give the space a “timeless” look.
“With the wood cabinets and the darker island, the range will strike the perfect balance of modern-chic without overpowering the overall design,” Jonathan said.
The team also installed a pot filler over the stove, so that Deb could easily fill pots with water while cooking (rather than lugging a pot over to the sink). They completed the final look by adding plants, flowers, a new white dining table, and four comfortable dining chairs. They also added a pair of brass hanging lights, which matched the hardware on the stove and helped pull the entire space together.
“It’s just such a lovely enhancement to our lives,” Deb said. “I almost don’t feel worthy enough for it, because it is so beautiful and it’s so extravagant.”
“Celebrity IOU” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV and discovery+.