Before and After: HGTV’s “Two Steps Home” Turned a Dark, Empty Space Into a Cozy Reading Room

As life goes on, it’s common to develop new needs and ultimately outgrow a home. In the latest episode of HGTV’s “Two Steps Home,” husband-and-wife duo Jon Pierre and Mary Tjon Joe Pin help a couple find and design a new home that can accommodate a new baby and a few additional family members moving in with them. Translation: they need a lot more room with functionality.

Shortly after Jordan and Ryan got married, they became a family of three and had their first child. That combined with Jordan’s parents planning to move in made them realize that they needed a larger home to accommodate their growing family. After Jon and Mary helped them successfully find a new place to call home, they tackled the renovation for it to be move-in ready.

One room that needed some serious TLC was the living room, which had a peach-colored ceiling and walls and dated looking fireplace. In order to bring some life into the space, the renovation duo painted the walls and ceiling white and ripped out the carpet to be replaced with a light wood floor.

The team furnished the living room with all new items, including leather seating that added texture to the space, plus a white and gray patterned rug. Additionally, they removed the fireplace mantel (which was recycled in another room of the house) and created a herringbone backdrop in its place, which modernized the the room.

Another space that had the potential to be something great was to the left of the foyer, a bare room that had one wall with built-in wooden shelving. Just like the living room, Jon and Mary painted the walls white and added new wood floors, and they also added in some millwork on the walls for some extra texture.

Additionally, and most notably, they completely renovated the shelving wall, painting the shelves gray that created a nice contrast against the wooden backdrop. The overall presentation gave off serious museum vibes, with books and art beautifully displayed, and the rolling library ladder really brought home the feel of a cozy reading room.

To see more room transformations and the full reveal, check you local listings to catch the episode on HGTV.

Two Steps Home airs Wednesdays at 9/8 central on HGTV.