Interview: Team Taniya Nayak Wins 'Battle on the Beach' Season 4

Twice is definitely nice! After winning Season 1 and losing out to Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab) and Ty Pennington (Rock the Block) in Seasons 2 and 3, respectively, Build It Forward’s Taniya Nayak snagged her second victory.

And she’s not shy about her new “two-time” status as a mentor: “Believe me, next season, I will be gloating," she says. Taniya's mentees, Samantha and Sean Kilgore of Richmond, Michigan, competed against two other teams of designers led by Ty and Alison. Each undertook the renovation of a beach house in Oak Island, North Carolina, and were given just six weeks and a budget of $100,000 to make it happen. In fact, Samantha and Sean were considered the underdogs: They had only one project to glean experience from — the renovation of their family home, which took three years to complete.

After judging each week’s challenges, Bryan and Sarah Baeumler (Renovation Island) — alongside local real estate experts — awarded Team Taniya the grand prize of $50,000. They based their decision on the homes’ overall design, craftsmanship and resale value.

Read on to see Taniya’s thoughts on her second win as a mentor.

Taniya Nayak in Conversation With HGTV

HGTV: Coming into Season 4, you, Ty and Alison each had one win under your belts. How did it feel to be the first to win a second time?

TANIYA: It felt like a clean slate. So, here we are, the fourth season, and it felt like Season 1 all over again.

HGTV: Was there anything from your Season 1 win you brought with you this season?

TANIYA: The Season 1 win was extra special, because it was the first season, and we were just gunning it for the win. Alison, Ty and I were so competitive coming into it new. We’re still competitive to this day, but we’re equally excited for each other.

HGTV: How did it feel to be paired up with Sam and Sean, who were a little more inexperienced compared to the other teams you’ve worked with?

TANIYA: Naturally, I thought, “What am I going to do with this? How do I work with this?” They totally proved me wrong, but I was definitely terrified. I wasn’t sure they were going to pull off [an intense renovation] ... [but] they brought such a new perspective to their projects, because they haven’t been in this industry that long.

HGTV: Was there a particular project that surprised you or turned out differently than you envisioned?

TANIYA: I was blown away by the shell fireplace. As a mentor and a designer — I’ve been a designer for more than 23 years — I can’t believe I never thought of that before. I’m so disappointed we didn’t win, because I felt like it really spoke to the area. It was different, it was cool.

HGTV: Was the living room your favorite design in the house, or was there another room you loved, even if it might not have won?

TANIYA: There were two spaces. I loved the kitchen. I thought it was high end, but beachy. It’s a kitchen that will stand the test of time. It had so much storage, it was engaging for families to sit at, so I thought it checked all the boxes. But I also loved our bonus room, where we have a little mini spa. Where do you get that and how great for a listing, right?

HGTV: Were there any moments during the competition you wish you could have done more to help but were unable to?

TANIYA: Where I wish I could have helped them more was the kids’ bunk room. I was an epic flop. We were all disappointed, but there was so much to do. We changed the entire footprint of the house. I believe only three walls in the house stayed the same.

HGTV: What do you think won the judges over in the end? Aside from the cookies.

TANIYA: I feel like my team brought it with the design ideas. They brought it with their execution. They brought it with fitting the demographic of the area, adding value to the house significantly. They took advantage of the views. They really took into consideration family, all different aspects of how you use that space, whether you’re with a bunch of girlfriends, as a couple or with a large family. They just thought it all through and somehow my team — who only did one home in three years — managed to pull off this incredible winning renovation in six weeks with $100,000.

HGTV: Are you already looking forward to the next season or just enjoying the bliss of your win?

TANIYA: I want to be on a streak! I would love to be the person to get two wins in a row. And, believe me, next season, I will be gloating.

Catch Battle on the Beach on HGTV and stream it on Max. Follow Taniya on Instagram at @taniyanayak. For more home inspiration from Samantha and Sean, follow them on Instagram at @afterhoursfarm.