Before and After: HGTV’s “No Demo Reno” Keeps the Southern Charm But Adds Functionality to a Family Home

When Greg and Alicia Jardine originally moved into their Texas home, they were planning to demo everything. But after living in the house — a spacious property built in 1989 — for a short time, they quickly learned that they loved the old-school charm of the layout. Now, they’re looking for more practical updates on a design level (while still maintaining the original integrity of the home). The family called on their close friend, “No Demo Reno” host Jenn Todryk, to help them turn their home into a slightly more updated space that is more functional for their children.

On the latest episode of HGTV’s “No Demo Reno,” Jenn received a whopping $150,000 budget and month-and-a-half-long timeline to give the home a targeted makeover. “We don’t want to change it,” Jenn said. “We just want to elevate it.”

She kicked off the renovation with work in the kitchen, which was the space that would use up the biggest chunk of the budget. The original kitchen was congested and mildly outdated, but its greatest fault was that it lacked function for a family with young kids. Alicia requested that the center island become a space that the kids could actually sit at for meals. The original dark wood floors were great quality, but the walls had old wallpaper and dark trim. The dark wood cabinets and countertops were also decidedly vintage in a way that the Jardines didn’t like.

Alicia’s main hope for the kitchen was that it would feature some color, beyond just the standard white cabinets found in many current homes. Keeping the request in mind, Jenn and her team painted the cabinets a subtle, light green. They took out the original central island and moved a new stove into the wall-facing countertop. The new central island — with a light wooden base and white counter — was designed in a slight L-shape, which left enough room to accommodate four stools.

The sitting room remodel was the most relaxed of the renovations, since the space simply required some stylistic updates (and no demolition). Jenn dubbed the original room “a very storage unit,” since it held odds-and-ends and miscellaneous furniture. Alicia requested that the room — which featured vintage-looking wallpaper and white trim — become “a grown-up space” more in line with her dark and earthy color preferences.

Jenn stripped the wallpaper and painted the room dark green. She installed floor-to-ceiling shelves (also green) on either side of the windows and added picture frame molding to the room. To help complete the study’s transformation into a reading room, Jenn brought in a white couch, white chairs, and a glass coffee table. 

The main bathroom was the most outdated part of the entire house, and featured some old-fashioned tributes to the late ’80s and early ’90s. The entire bathroom was carpeted and the toilet was nestled behind wooden saloon doors. The shower took the form of a gold-framed box with clear doors, but the frame was too low and Greg smacked his head on it (frequently enough that he opted to shower in a different bathroom before the renovation). The bathtub was the highlight of the space and Alicia requested that the remodeled bathroom also feature a tub.

Jenn and her team pushed out the toilet area by six inches and extended the shower area, creating more space for Greg to be able to use the facilities. They installed terracotta tile flooring for an “organic, modern feeling” and added a subtle complimentary tile in the shower. They also brought in a sleek, updated double sink vanity (with a black base and white top). 

“I love that you added so much charm and detail to every little space,” Alicia said. “It has so much personality.”

“No Demo Reno” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV.