Step Inside the HGTV Renovation of Bihl Manor

The spooky Bihl Manor is overdue for a makeover — and it's getting one a la A Very Haunted Renovation airing on HGTV Tuesday nights at 8|7c. Over the course of 31 days, six brave designers will compete to transform the historic mansion, facing its haunted history, hidden messages and eerie occurrences along the way. Actress Anna Camp is hosting, and HGTV's design guru Michel Boyd Smith is mentoring the contestants. Ahead, see the dramatic before-and-after photos of the renovation.

For the first challenge, the designers split into two teams of three to transform bedrooms belonging to the children of the manor's original owner. They had four days to accomplish their mission. Designers Patrick Peel, John Ryan and Diana Vogel tackled Alvie's bedroom. The room they walked into was dark and dated, with clashing colors and crumbling details. Alvie was known to love art, so the team wanted to create a bedroom filled with creative spaces that would feel personal while still welcoming future guests. Patrick took on the bookcase, John designed the desk and Diana built the headboard. “I’m going to make it the most cozy nook any kid from the time or adult right now would be happy to be in,” Diana says. Their plan called for layered hues of greens, neutral walls, dark chocolate-toned flooring and a statement canopy headboard.

Alvie's renovated bedroom hosts a lush palette consisting of soft and deep greens. Neutral walls allow the bold colors, dark flooring and mix of textures to stand out. Brass sconces and an iron chandelier add even more contrast to the bedroom. Diana's dramatic canopy headboard became the room's focal point, with its varied green hues and different fabrics. The refurbished desk matches the headboard's finish, while Patrick's bookcase doubles as a disguised doorway to the closet. Horror film director Eli Roth joined Anna and Michel as a surprise guest judge, bringing his own appreciation for the manor's eerie atmosphere. The trio praised the team's willingness to mix metals, colors and patterns, but felt the oversized headboard crowded the room and disrupted its proportions near the window. One detail that really caught their attention? Patrick's hidden bookcase.

At first glance, Patrick's bookcase looks perfectly ordinary, filled with books, vases and artwork. Unsuspecting. Look a little closer, though, and you'll discover a hidden doorway to a closet sitting right behind it. The clever camouflage door matches the bedroom’s trim and blends right in. The coolest feature? A tiny peephole replaces the eye in one of the paintings, giving the room an unexpected dose of whimsical mystery.

SK Stokes Kennedy, Bershan Shaw and Logan Wright took on Lizzie's bedroom. Left in shambles, with creepy dolls hanging out above the fireplace and dated finishes throughout, the team planned to add deep blue trim against neutral walls, dark wood flooring, plenty of gold accents and a vintage vanity to complete the look. SK tackled the desk, Bershan took on the fireplace and Logan focused on the headboard. As they pulled back the rug and explored the room’s nooks and crannies, they uncovered blue thistle, Lizzie’s favorite flower, and knew they were on the right track with their theme.

Deep-blue trim now frames the room's ornate details, while dark flooring and neutral walls give the space a polished foundation. A plush velvet headboard offers soft luxury. The designers carried Lizzie's love of blue thistle throughout the room — even including a hand-painted thistle detail on the vintage vanity mirror. A shadow box filled with Lizzie's favorite keepsakes adds another personal layer, while a portrait of Lizzie brings her story into the space. During the three-day renovation period, Bershan, spooked by living in Bihl Manor, fled in the middle of the night. This left SK and Logan a teammate down, but they overcame the hurdle by relying on each other. The judges felt the bedroom could have used more modern elements. However, they appreciated the high level of craftsmanship and noted that, although a team created the room, it felt as though “one person did it.”

The judges evaluated each bedroom on creativity, craftsmanship and compatibility. Walking through the archaic hallways of the historic manor, Eli joked, “I feel right at home.” After touring both bedrooms, the judges named Alvie's room the winner, giving Patrick, John and Diana the first-round victory. Diana also earned Most Valuable Designer for her bold creative vision, “exquisite” design choices and willingness to take risks rather than play it safe.

In episode two, contestants had just two days to transform Bihl Manor’s living room and parlor into glamorous spaces. In the living room, John, SK and Diana planned to create a dark, moody space where the spirits of the manor can frolic with future guests. This room carries an especially eerie history. In 1922, Daisie and Clarence Wolfe moved into the manor. They both passed away in the living room, and Clarence’s wake was held in the space. “I get goose bumps thinking about it,” Diana said after hearing this. Each designer took on a feature project: Diana focused on the bookcase, John tackled the bar cart and SK handled the ceiling. For SK, bringing her vision for the ceiling to life in just two days was an ambitious undertaking. “I don’t think I bit off more than I can chew…” she joked, “but I’m choking a little bit.”

Dark green walls, warm mustard tones and rich wood finishes give the living room a moody, layered look. During the walkthrough, Michel said, “This ceiling can’t be ignored,” and the other judges agreed. SK treated the ceiling as the room’s “fifth wall,” covering the trim and surface in a deep, matte blue. Ornate molding, ruched fabric and an original light fixture from the mansion add texture. “I knew it was going to be good, but not this good,” Michel said as he took in the rest of the room. Along the wall, Diana’s floor-to-ceiling bookcase is packed with details that pay homage to the manor’s lingering spirits, by use of Victorian hair jewelry and hand-painted silhouettes. John gave the antique bar cart a clever second life by suspending part of it on the wall. This preserved the integrity and original character of the piece while giving it a fresh, modern application.

Patrick and Logan paired up to turn the parlor into a ghost’s paradise. Their vision? Create soft arches throughout the space to bring a softer, more traditional ambiance to the room. Patrick, a music lover, discovered an old piano hidden beneath a dusty sheet and immediately saw an opportunity. He planned to give the piece a high-gloss black finish with gold detailing along its edges. Logan focused on the fireplace, envisioning a cast-iron surround paired with wallpaper and clay finishes. “Wallpaper can make a strong impact in a short amount of time,” she told Michel during the design process.

The parlor now feels rich with character, anchored by a dramatic fireplace with a cast-iron face and a mantel finished in Roman clay. The textured material creates an imperfect, marble-like effect, giving the fireplace the look of a timeworn treasure rather than a brand-new renovation. Beneath the fireplace, green mosaic flooring brings color and anchors the surround to the space. Warm wood tones, patterned textiles and vintage-inspired furniture reinforce the parlor’s traditional personality. “The cast iron adds a story to the room,” Michel pointed out to Anna and guest judge Jack Osbourne, a paranormal investigator who joined the judges for the walkthrough. The judges were less impressed with Patrick’s piano, however. They felt his dramatic, glossy vision didn’t fully come through, noting the lack of gold embellishments and sloppy paintwork around the trim. For them, the piece stopped short of the polished finish the rest of the room achieved.

With craftsmanship, creativity and the manor’s history as the competition guidelines, the judges gave the win to John, SK and Diana for their living room transformation. From the intricate ceiling work to John’s inventive antique bar cart and Diana’s history-filled bookcase, every corner offered something to discover and marvel at. The judges felt the trio worked seamlessly together, describing them as “three designers acting as one.” SK earned Most Valuable Designer for the ceiling, which Michel considered to be the undeniable “showstopper” of the room. Then, the judges had to eliminate someone. They sent Patrick home because of the haphazard craftsmanship on his piano.

For week three, the designers split into two teams to tackle two parts of the home: the entry and the stairs, and the upstairs landing and reading nook. Legend has it that one of the owners’ mothers, Mary, collapsed and died in the entry of Bihl Manor. Over the years, visitors have reported a number of eerie occurrences throughout the entrance and staircase, making this an especially chilling challenge.

SK and John were tasked with renovating the front entrance and staircase (SK would focus on the entry and John would focus on the stairs). They planned to preserve the beautiful woodwork that anchored the foyer; add texture, pattern and color to the space; and ditch the dated carpeting on the stairs. They even discussed adding stained glass into the front door’s existing panes and a gallery wall above the stairs. As a mentor, Michel reminded them the entrance would “set the tone for the rest of the house.” No pressure!

SK and John found their footing by embracing the home’s Victorian roots. Painted floors with decorative motifs, rich textiles and antique-inspired relics create a maximalist backdrop for a brighter and airier palette. SK hand-painted a classic diamond pattern across the entry floor, while John arranged vintage photographs, candles and fabrics in an intentionally asymmetrical gallery along the staircase, which brought a personal, collected feel. The judges noted the painted floor lacked crispness and thought the craftsmanship of the windowpanes fell short. Still, they appreciated the wall of candlesticks and the spirit of the Victorian era. Everyone agreed: The patterned flooring and eclectic gallery create a welcoming entry that feels historic and refreshing.

Upstairs, Diana and Logan faced the landing and reading nook. The existing hardwood and architectural arches gave them a strong starting point, but the rest of the setting offered little inspo. They planned to bring shades of plum and raspberry into the design, carried out through geometric ceiling patterns, built-in shelving and upholstered furnishings. For her feature project, Logan imagined transforming the reading nook into a “cozy alcove,” while Diana focused on giving the landing a daring new identity.

Plum coloring throughout the space pulls the subtle, rosy undertones of the original woodwork out, while Logan’s striped upholstery echoes the varied lines stretching across the ceiling and walls. These lines were a bold design choice by Diana, one that made an immediate impression on the judges — but not necessarily the one she intended. During the walkthrough, Michel shared that the look felt “less haunted house and more fun house.” However, the judges noted a few wonderful details. Grass cloth wallpaper and patterned upholstery give the reading nook a tactile, layered quality, while a seamlessly integrated bookshelf turns the alcove into an interesting respite. The judges also praised the central table arrangement and coordinating ottomans, which simultaneously maximized and anchored the space.

To help evaluate the designers’ transformations, Anna and Michel invited LuLu Wilson, an actress known for her roles in horror films and projects, to tour Bihl Manor. From unconventional patterns to uneven craftsmanship, both teams delivered plenty to discuss. Michel, Anna and LuLu selected SK and John’s work in the entryway and staircase as the winning design. The duo successfully mastered modernizing the space while salvaging clear connections to the mansion’s Victorian roots and haunted history. John earned the title of most valuable designer for his thoughtful approach to the staircase gallery. His decision to layer photographs and artwork over fabric, pair them with historic picture frames and mix wallpaper with a variety of shapes and textures gave the staircase a distinctly collected character.

The carpet is “absolutely disgusting,” Logan said of the sight in the attic. The attic of Bihl Manor was one mass of underutilized space, with sloped ceilings and awkward angles everywhere. Back in its heyday, spaces like this were used as secret speakeasies and saloons. So for the fourth competition, the final four designers were tasked with bringing that history back to life, transforming the neglected attic into a moody Gothic game room and speakeasy — and in just two days’ time. Each designer was assigned a feature project: Logan would curate the artwork, SK would create the game area, Diana would tackle the lighting, and John would fashion the bar and seating.

The group’s goal was to make the attic feel cohesive and interesting, with the bar as the focal point. The designers envisioned dark floors, smoky blue walls, warm brown woods and plenty of texture to give the space the atmosphere of a tucked-away retro hideaway. Everyone decided how they’d leave their mark: John looked forward to adding maximalist details like flapper-inspired fringe to the bar, while Diana planned to combat the low ceiling with a dramatic chandelier. SK wanted to create a custom game table, and Logan planned to honor the manor’s history through artwork and old family photographs. “Artwork is like the jewelry to a black dress … it can make or break an outfit,” she added.

SK’s massive, hand-finished game table rests on a single pedestal-style base and is unmistakably the centerpiece of the game room, with three different games painted onto its surface and rich layers of deep blue, warm wood and caramel upholstery. Complete with a cozy booth, striped pillows and rich blue walls, the room seems made for settling in and losing track of time. Michel and Anna brought Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer Billy Porter of American Horror Story along during the walkthrough. Billy didn’t love that the base of the game table didn’t match the rest of the slab, but Michel and Anna didn’t mind. Everyone agreed SK’s craftsmanship was excellent. The trio also took note of Logan’s spooky artwork and, better yet, the doorway to the downstairs of Bihl Manor she fixed up.

The show-stopping bar gets better the longer you look at it. John added an earthy, reflective faux crocodile backsplash and gave the upcycled stools a 1920s-inspired makeover with fringe. Diana’s bronze sconces warm up the deep blue walls and add an interesting mix of metals. The judges loved the texture and styling throughout the space, though Diana’s substantial chandelier sparked some debate over whether it felt a little too bulky for the low-ceilinged space. “It makes the space feel a little crowded,” Michel observed. The heavy design paired with shades of blues was a bold choice — one the judges weren’t so sure about.