Inside Keith and Evan's Fan-Favorite Reno Project: The Italian House

Bargain Block hosts Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas have a knack for seeing beauty in the broken. Which is why when Keith noticed a stucco house across the street from a former project, he was able to look past its dilapidated appearance and recognize its potential. “The stucco and the whole shape of it reminds me of a Tuscan villa — a little cute Italian house,” Keith said during the finale of Bargain Block Season 3.

The guys needed a little inspiration, so they called in the pros: Fixer to Fabulous hosts, Jenny and Dave Marrs. “Jenny Marrs knows how to do an Italian kitchen. She is the expert," said Keith.

The Marrs arrived in Detroit — fresh off a plane from Italy, in fact — more than ready to get to work.

The Italian House: Before

The inside of the home required a full gut renovation and the peeling stucco siding needed some major work, but some of the original features (e.g. the custom plaster molding) were in good shape. Luckily, Keith and Evan scored the house for only $6,500, so there was plenty of wiggle room to achieve Keith’s Under the Tuscan Sun dreams.

In the kitchen, Jenny and Dave stepped in to design a modernized Tuscan cook space with all the character and coziness of a real Italian home. They went with a porcelain terra-cotta backsplash in dual rusty and muted shades — a contemporary twist on traditional terra-cotta tile floors. Lush green cabinets bring to mind Italian olive groves, while a copper sink and maple butcher block countertops round out the rustic feel.

Keith and Evan sprinkled Italian flair throughout the rest of the home with the same terra-cotta tile on the floor and shower in the bathroom, stucco accessories, copper gutters on the exterior and a wood dining table that looks like it came straight out of the Tuscan countryside.

The Italian House: After

“It was really fun to work with Dave and Jenny," said Keith. "The house feels more special."

“It looks like our own Fixer to Fabulous in Detroit,” said Evan.

Stream The Italian House episode of Bargain Block — and the rest of Season 3 — on Max. Follow Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas on Instagram at @keithbynum_ and @emuralit.