'Brother vs Brother' Season 8: Tour Jonathan Scott's House Makeover

HGTV takes you through Property Brother Jonathan's oceanside, Brother vs Brother house from start to finish.

January 12, 2023

By: Rebecca R. Norris

Show: Brother Vs. Brother

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Brother vs. Brother No Rules: The Concept

Sibling rivalry is back and better than ever in the Season 8 of HGTV's Brother vs. Brother. Once again, Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott compete to flip their chosen homes and sell them for a higher price than their twin. Only, this time, there were no renovation rules: When it came to budgets and locations around Los Angeles, the possibilities were endless.

see more: Brother Vs. Brother

Jonathan's House Selection

To kickstart the Brother vs. Brother: No Rules competition, Jonathan relied on his partner, Zooey Deschanel, to help pick the perfect Los Angeles home to flip. Together, Jonathan and Zooey landed on an oceanside property built in 1951. The 2,000-square-foot home — which cost $1.25 million — had four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a detached garage.

see more: Feast Your Eyes on the White House Christmas Tour 2022

The Why Behind the House

“There were two key things Zooey and I made sure we had for this competition. We wanted a house by the ocean because having the beach at your doorstep is a huge selling point, and we wanted it in a high-demand area, so I’m guaranteed a good sale price no matter how much money I put into my renovation," Jonathan shared in the first episode. He also revealed the home's envious location: the beautiful neighborhood of Westchester. “[It cost] a bit more than I was hoping to spend, but unlike Drew’s place, this one’s in good condition and won’t need a ton of structural work.”

Before: The Living Room and Entryway

Jonathan set his overall renovation budget at around $500,000 "to create a teched-out, eco-friendly and completely carbon-free home." He allotted $80,000 to the entryway and living room — the first two spaces to be renovated and judged in the four-month-long flipping competition. His primary goals were to transform the existing porch into an expansive entryway complete with a full coat closet and powder room; to open up the threshold into the living room; and to make the space seem warmer and more inviting.

Getting Hands On

In order to create a more eco-friendly home, Jonathan dismantled the existing gas fireplace and brought in a modern electric one. What he imagined would be a straightforward task, however, turned into chaos when he and his contractor, Gus Diloretto, discovered a massive crack through the foundation of the fireplace. To fix the issue, the duo had to take down the structure brick by brick.

After: The Entryway

What once was a small, closed-off entryway transformed into a welcoming space at the forefront of the home. By opening up the threshold and adding black-framed windows, Jonathan created fresh contrast in the space while simultaneously flooding it with light.

From: Jonathan Scott

After: The Living Room

From the get-go, Jonathan's goal was to create an open, welcoming space with a modern, cozy ambiance. He achieved this by ripping up the existing carpet to lay sleek flooring. “Light hardwood floors will create a warm, inviting feel,” he predicted. "And since the house will be completely gas-free, a new electric fireplace with floor-to-ceiling dark stone and sleek bookcases on either side will create a striking feature wall sure to impress both buyers and the judges."

see more: The Property Brothers’ Best Living Room Design Ideas From ‘Forever Home’

From: Jonathan Scott

Gathering Grounds

To ensure that the space was as inviting and peaceful as possible, Jonathan provided plenty of lush seating. The jaw-dropper: He also installed windows specifically designed for noise reduction, given that the home is near the airport — which Drew was initially quick to criticize.

From: Jonathan Scott

The Judges Weigh In

From the moment HGTV guest judges David Bromstad (My Lottery Dream Home) and Kendra Wilkinson (Kendra Sells Hollywood) walked in the door, they were floored by all of Jonathan's evident planning and care that went into creating such a beautiful space.

“I think the space planning is flawless. I think the sofa and the size of the furniture is perfect,” David said, noting that he also loved the casual-yet-chic headboard in the entry nook. Meanwhile, Kendra was drawn to the updated fireplace, with its clean, modern lines.

Being a Good Sport

Despite the judges' praise, Jonathan lost the first round of the competition to his brother Drew. As such, he was condemned to clean-up duty at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, where he had the opportunity to sweep and shovel in a Mars-like atmosphere while Drew got to play with Rover models.

Check out the competition: 'Brother vs Brother' Season 8: Tour Drew Scott's Home Makeover

Before: The Kitchen

Hoping to add as much value to his home as possible, Jonathan settled on a $100,000 renovation budget for the kitchen and dining room. Having won every kitchen challenge to date — typically with a surprisingly large kitchen update — Jonathan's primary goal was to make the kitchen as spacious as possible. "I’ll start by knocking down the wall to the living room, as well as the laundry and bathroom walls, to maximize the space," he revealed. "Then I’ll add a wall back to separate the space from a room that I’ll be renovating later in the competition."

After: The Kitchen

In order to bring his vision to life — and to support the weight from the load-bearing walls he removed — Jonathan and his team had to install a massive 1,500-pound, $7,000 steel beam. While it was a tricky process, he eventually got it into place by removing a few extra ceiling joists, thus allowing him to begin designing.

To create a bold, modern look that's also welcoming and chic, Jonathan swapped out the original wood floors for light hardwood. Additionally, he focused on seating, with six bar stools at the island and enough seating for six more at the custom banquet.

see more: The Property Brothers' Best Kitchen Ideas From 'Forever Home'

From: Jonathan Scott

Waterfall Accents

In the realm of kitchen renovations, a waterfall feature refers to countertops that extend over the edge, all the way down to the floor. Jonathan felt such a feature — which he designed to match the backsplash — would make the perfect dramatic statement.

From: Jonathan Scott

Stormy Gray Cabinetry

Rather than opting for a classic white color palette, Jonathan went for custom gray cabinetry to create a moody allure in the kitchen. When HGTV guest judge Chef Alex Guarnaschelli (Alex vs. America) first laid eyes on Jonathan's creation she said, "This is more sleek ... It’s like an international man of mystery rolls up in his sports car and sips an espresso at the counter, ya know?"

From: Jonathan Scott

An Eco-Friendly Island

Jonathan's island is beautiful — but there's more behind its pretty face. When designing the kitchen, he installed solar panels to power all the appliances. "A state-of-the-art smart panel that will keep everything running in the most energy-efficient way possible," he said. What's more, rather than adding a classic stovetop to his design, Jonathan opted for a hidden induction cooktop. "It creates a magnetic field in the pot, so the stone never gets hot, the pot is what heats up,” he told Gus Diloretto from his construction team. “This is the future of kitchens, I’m telling you.”

From: Jonathan Scott

The Ideal Host Set-Up

When touring Jonathan's kitchen, Alex applauded the appliance layout. From a chef's perspective, she found it ideal for anyone who loves to cook and host. Guests can sit at the island and along the banquet while the host serves food and drinks from behind the counter.

From: Jonathan Scott

Plenty of Storage

Another of Jonathan's priorities was to add plenty of storage space to his kitchen without letting it become the defining characteristic of the space. He erected a custom pantry in a light wood wash similar to the floors and complementary to the stormy gray cabinetry. As striking as his space was aesthetically, he predicted, "It’s the tech I’m putting in that will really attract top dollar from buyers when I sell.”

From: Jonathan Scott

A Corner of Opulence

HGTV guest judge Veronica Valencia (of the upcoming series Revealed) felt Jonathan's custom-built banquet added an opulent allure to the space. While she dubbed his renovation "handsome, classic and charming," she admitted she's drawn to kitchens that "almost feel like any other room in [the] home." With this idea in mind, Veronica and Alex agreed: As beautiful as Jonathan's kitchen and dining room creation is, Drew's Hillside House — with its lived-in design ripe with Old World charm — came out on top.

See the Winning Design: 'Brother vs Brother' Season 8: Tour Drew Scott's Home Makeover

From: Jonathan Scott

Before: Main Bedroom Suite

After losing the first two challenges, Jonathan decided to up his spending for the main bedroom suite to $100,000 in hopes of finally stealing a victory. With that budget, he planned to knock down the wall between the main bedroom and the adjoining room to create an expansive suite. "The main bedroom itself is pretty small but when I combine it with the other room, I have enough space to [create] a bathroom, a walk-in closet and a big bedroom," he predicted.

After: Main Bedroom Suite

For this challenge, Jonathan had a few key goals. "In the main bedroom, I’ll bring in tons of natural light by adding French doors that walk out to a backyard oasis," he said. "Warm wood flooring with contrasting tones all around and sleek furnishings will give off a relaxing spa-like feel and complete my modern cottage aesthetic by the ocean."

From: Jonathan Scott

French Door Feature

Jonathan's design boasts an array of impressive ideas, but HGTV guest judge Jasmine Roth (Help! I Wrecked My House) loved the idea of the French doors leading out from the main suite. "This door to go outside — that’s a really nice touch," she said while touring the space. "I think buyers are really going to appreciate being able to have that private entrance."

From: Jonathan Scott

An All-Encompassing Suite

Off the main sleep space, Jonathan added a small-but-functional built-in closet along with a luxe bathroom.

From: Jonathan Scott

A Well-Built Walk-In

Wide-plank, matte-finish light wood floors ground the new space. Unsurprisingly, Jasmine was a fan — and although Jonathan's closet wasn't the largest, she applauded how smartly it was designed.

From: Jonathan Scott

A Modern Masterpiece

In an effort to dramatically increase the value of his home, Jonathan honed in on creating a "modern masterpiece of a bathroom," which he planned to do with a beautiful double vanity and luxury walk-in shower.

From: Jonathan Scott

The Ultimate Shower Experience

To make this space stand out, Jonathan opted for unique fixtures, wall accents and flooring. “In the main bathroom, the herringbone shower tile and elegant flooring will give off a serene, spa-like finish,” he said. And, in the end, it was the bathroom that really caught Jasmine's eye — particularly the sleek herringbone tile that extends from the shower to behind the vanity.

From: Jonathan Scott

But Once Again, He Lost

Although Jasmine admitted Jonathan's main suite design is likely more appealing to the masses, she didn't think it stood up to Drew's creation. As a result, Jonathan had to accompany Drew on stage at The Magic Castle (an exclusive clubhouse for magicians), where he was Drew's assistant and pretended to be sawed in half in front of an audience. As a magician himself, this was a low point.

See the Winning Design: 'Brother vs Brother' Season 8: Tour Drew Scott's Home Makeover

From Garages to Guest Suites

Jonathan and Drew's fourth challenge was to transform their accessory dwelling units (ADU) — i.e. their garages — into gorgeous guest suites. “Because my property is so close to the water, I really want to bring that beach feeling to my ADU,” Jonathan said while beginning his brainstorming design sesh.

ADU: Before

To transform his 400-square-foot ADU, Jonathan allotted $85,000 of his $500,000 total renovation budget to create a calm, cozy guest suite that reflected the oceanside neighborhood — and the frequent flyers within it. “This is where my whole airport strategy comes together because I know there are a lot of flight crews that live in this area and they like to rent out their garage, their guest space, their extra bedrooms to other flight crew members,” he said.

Plenty of Natural Light

Jonathan wanted to create an airy, inviting guest suite, and he knew to do so he'd need to bring as much natural light into the ADU as possible. Originally, he planned to implement collapsible glass walls to "infuse the space with an indoor/outdoor feel." However, in an effort to stay on track with his budget, he opted for floor-to-ceiling, paneled sliding glass doors, which cost $8,000 less.

From: Jonathan Scott

A Full Kitchen

Despite the small square footage of the ADU, Jonathan insisted on going all out in his cook space. "A full kitchen with light sand custom cabinetry, marble countertops, a hidden induction cooktop and a flush ceiling vent will look luxe while still saving a lot of space," he predicted.

From: Jonathan Scott

A Beautiful Breakfast Nook

Jonathan added four barstools to the kitchen counter, but he also wanted to create a dedicated breakfast nook where for guests to eat or relax with a crossword puzzle. When HGTV guest judge Breegan Jane (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and The House My Wedding Bought) caught a glimpse of the black marble table, she couldn't help but swoon.

From: Jonathan Scott

The Full Bath

Jonathan was set on carrying his modern cottage theme from the main house to his ADU. He accomplished this by using textured marble and chic brass fixtures. The specialty tile cost $3,500, but Jonathan felt they were well worth the splurge — and Breegan agreed. “The tile in here! Even though it’s white, that’s the most interesting white square I’ve seen," she marveled when stepping into the bathroom.

From: Jonathan Scott

The Judges' Reactions

Jonathan's renovated ADU captured the attention of Breegan and HGTV guest judge Trixie Mattel (Trixie Motel). While they admired everything from the custom, eco-friendly surfboard above the couch in the living room to his two (two!) ADU entrances, one element of his design stood out the most.

The Pièce de Résistance

When Breegan and Trixie found a remote, they realized that the wooden ceiling accent was much more than just an aesthetic feature — it was a comfy spot to sleep. With a press of a button, a bed descended from the ceiling. The two judges could hardly contain their excitement. "Snaps for the floating bed," Trixie said, dubbing it the "flying bed from outer space."

From: Jonathan Scott

And the Winner Is...

Ultimately, it was Jonathan's incredible floating bed that secured him the win in the fourth challenge of Brother vs. Brother: No Rules — his first of the season. To celebrate his win, he got a branded tour bus. Meanwhile, Drew stepped into the role of his Hollywood celebrity tour guide.

check out the competition: 'Brother vs Brother' Season 8: Tour Drew Scott's Home Makeover

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