Before and After: Lisa Kudrow Gives an Outdated Condo a Sleek, Modern Update
Lisa Kudrow understands the importance of being a good friend, which is why she decided to give her cousin and best friend Thea a thorough condominium renovation in the latest episode of HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU.” The “Friends” star wanted to craft an updated condo that was also pet friendly for Thea’s many adopted animals.
The condo began as a big, light-filled space with several outdated features. The walls and ceilings were white, with visible signs of water leakage. The floor was an uneven Spanish tile that easily absorbed spills and pet-related messes. The room also featured a fireplace with no mantle and an excessively large hearth. Thea had already done some work in the kitchen, so the main indoor space that needed attention was the living and dining area. In addition to modern updates, Lisa requested lots of storage space for her cousin’s vintage clothing collection.
With a three-and-a-half-week deadline, Jonathan and Drew Scott (“Property Brothers”) began the transformation with Kudrow. Kudrow kicked things off by taking a sledgehammer to the half-wall that divided the kitchen and dining area. By knocking down the unnecessary wall, the trio were able to open up the space and help the entire room flow together in a more cohesive manner. A clunky post in the dining area turned out to be load-bearing, so the brothers incorporated it into a new pantry space for Thea.
Kudrow, Jonathan, and Drew stripped the light fireplace tiles and instead used a black plaster finish. They reduced the large hearth space and added a mantle, which turned the fireplace into a modern statement piece. It began the focal point of the entire living space, rather than an eyesore. “The new fireplace is fantastic,” Kudrow said. “It’s still modern, but earthy.”
After removing all of the Spanish floor tiles, the Scott brothers added thick, luxury vinyl flooring. Jonathan explained that while the vinyl had the sophisticated appeal of regular wood flooring, it was “so much more durable than any species of hardwood,” which would help with any accidents from the pets. They created a closet near the entrance of the living area for Thea’s vintage clothing, using custom wooden doors. For additional storage, they incorporated free-floating maplewood wooden shelves (with holes for the cats to play with).
They finished off the room by adding updated furniture (including a new dining table and chairs, a sleek couch, and a coffee table). Any of the furniture that might be used by the pets was upholstered with durable fabric that could protect against tearing and stains. Kudrow helped pick out designs that fit with Thea’s “eclectic” tastes.
The living area flowed into an outdoor patio space, which had seen some wear-and-tear over the years. The area started out with a dirty and dilapidated red floor and outdated furniture. The brothers cleaned up the patio and used weather-proof seamless concrete for the new floor. They also added new seating, several plants, and a handy turf pet run with drainage so that the animals could use the bathroom without ever having to leave the property. They also added a slate feature that provided additional shaded seating.
“Celebrity IOU” airs Mondays at 9/8 central on HGTV and Discovery+.