The ‘Build Me Up’ Premiere Featured Two Gorgeous Renovations

The series premiere of Orlando Soria’s latest show featured a midcentury ranch renovation and a total guest house overhaul.

July 22, 2020

By: Michelle Regna

Show: Build Me Up

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Photo By: Erik Voake/Getty Images

Sarah’s House: The Exterior, Before

Orlando’s client Sarah is a recently divorced mom of three living in this Somis, California, ranch. On top of caring for her three kids, Sarah is also studying nursing during the day and working as a server at night. With a budget of $25,000, Orlando updated the exterior, two living areas, the dining room and main bedroom.

The Exterior, After

Orlando’s goal with the exterior was to tie it all together and give the home a cool midcentury feel to match Sarah’s taste and personality. To do so, he color-blocked the exterior with blue and light gray paint. For a major pop of color, Orlando opted for a coral front door. Privacy cladding was added to define a patio space and add architectural interest. For a final midcentury touch, Orlando freshened up the landscaping with desert plants.

The Living Room, Before

Sarah admitted that she and the kids hardly use this living room, describing the furniture as ‘shot’ and secondhand. In an ideal world, she would’ve liked to remove the left-hand wall to open up the space to the dining room. Given her budget, Orlando had other ideas for the space.

The Living Room, After

Because he wasn’t able to remove the wall, Orlando instead gave the living room a total refresh. Gorgeous photos of Sarah and her kids adorn the wall above the new comfy sectional. Midcentury furniture pieces fill the rest of the space and complement the beautiful ceiling.

The Living Room, After

In case you were wondering what became of the fireplace and/or piano, don’t worry — they’re still there! Orlando gave the fireplace a minor facelift by adding a wood mantel, tying it in nicely with the other wood accents in the room.

The Dining Room, Before

Sarah’s dining room consisted of several midcentury pieces she had collected over the years. Though the dining room table was a bit worn, Orlando knew a little TLC would go a long way. Aside from refreshing the table, Orlando also wanted to give Sarah a better workspace where she could be creative and store her art materials.

The Dining Room, After

Sarah dreamt of vintage wallpaper and Orlando found just the place to put it! The vintage floral design is balanced out by modern furniture pieces. Orlando brought in the experts to refinish Sarah’s dining room table and create a super functional modular desk system.

The TV Room, Before

On the other side of the dining room is an additional living space. Similar to the front living room, the couches had seen better days. In fact, Sarah was using a blanket to conceal a large rip in the one sofa.

The TV Room, After

Sarah told Orlando that as her kids grow up, she wants them to have a space they can call their own. This updated TV room is exactly the cool hangout spot she was envisioning. A large sofa, velvet accents and a shag rug render this room perfect for future movie nights.

The Main Bedroom, Before

Although Orlando liked what Sarah had done with her bed and end tables, there was no denying that this large main bedroom had a sad and lonely vibe to it. Orlando's priority in this space was to give Sarah the relaxing retreat she deserves!

The Main Bedroom, After

Orlando knew Sarah could handle a bold look so he absolutely went for it with a colorful wall (and ceiling!) mural of fun shapes. New furniture and carpeting give the room a fresh look, while a rug amps up the space's coziness factor. Not pictured? A fun little lounge area featuring a yellow velvet couch.

Scott's Guesthouse: The Exterior, Before

Orlando’s client Scott recently underwent two life changes. The first was that he went through a divorce and became a single dad to two kids. The second was that his mom Sandy moved in to the (unpermitted!) garage-turned-guest house behind his home in Valley Village, California. With a budget of $85,000, Scott asked Orlando to overhaul the guest house and spruce up his main bedroom. As you can see from the photo, the guest house still very much looked like a garage.

The Guest House Exterior, After

The new guest house is not only up to code, but it’s also totally adorable. After saying goodbye to the garage door, Orlando added a new front door, not to mention French doors and a window — all to allow as much natural light into the little space as possible.

The Guest House Kitchen, Before

A full fridge and oven were taking up a lot of space in this small kitchen. Having lived in the guest house himself during his divorce, Scott’s biggest gripe was the lack of a dishwasher. This led him to purchase a countertop one, which you can see right below the microwave.

The Guest House Kitchen, After

To maximize the space, Orlando swapped out the old appliances for a full suite of compact ones. A farmhouse sink complements the natural cabinetry nicely, while the gray countertops and backsplash tie in with the stainless steel appliances. New vinyl flooring throughout the guest house elevates the space even further.

The Guest House Bedroom, Before

The bedroom space in the guest house was dark and cramped. Without a closet, all of Sandy’s clothes had to be hung on a rack out in the open.

The Guest House Bedroom, After

By eliminating a storage area in the garage, Orlando was able to expand the guest house by 30 square feet. The newfound square footage, plus the addition of multiple natural light sources created what feels like a much larger (and livable) space.

The Guest Room Bedroom, After

Orlando wasn’t going to leave Sandy hanging when it came to having a place to store her clothes. A new closet and dresser offer all the storage she needs.

The Guest House Bathroom, Before

Though it was dated, the original bathroom was a good-sized space with potential.

The Guest House Bathroom, After

Ridding this bathroom of its old shower made all of the difference. In its place, Orlando opted for a gorgeous walk-in shower. New tile floors and an updated vanity bring this bathroom up to speed with the rest of the guest house.

Scott's Main Bedroom, Before

Over in the main house, Scott’s bedroom was also functioning as his gym and office. With permission to remove the elliptical, Orlando hoped to give Scott a more inviting and purposeful space.

The Main Bedroom, After

After tackling the guest house, Orlando didn’t have much budget left for Scott's main bedroom. Regardless, he was able to refresh the space with new paint, carpeting and furniture. To cut back on costs, Orlando updated Scott’s original bed taking it from rustic to modern with a satin black paint job.

The Main Bathroom, Before

If Orlando didn’t have much money to spend on Scott’s bedroom, he really didn’t have much left for Scott’s bathroom.

The Main Bathroom, After

Despite a tight budget, Orlando still found a few quick and inexpensive ways to update Scott’s bathroom. New mirrors bring a hint of modern into the space. A fresh coat of paint and new towels and mats in Scott’s favorite ocean hues make the space feel distinctly his.

Build Me Up

The ‘Build Me Up’ Premiere Featured Two Gorgeous Renovations

Related To:

Shop This Look

Sarah’s House: The Exterior, Before

The Exterior, After

The Living Room, Before

The Living Room, After

The Living Room, After

The Dining Room, Before

The Dining Room, After

The TV Room, Before

The TV Room, After

The Main Bedroom, Before

The Main Bedroom, After

Scott's Guesthouse: The Exterior, Before

The Guest House Exterior, After

The Guest House Kitchen, Before

The Guest House Kitchen, After

The Guest House Bedroom, Before

The Guest House Bedroom, After

The Guest Room Bedroom, After

The Guest House Bathroom, Before

The Guest House Bathroom, After

Scott's Main Bedroom, Before

The Main Bedroom, After

The Main Bathroom, Before

The Main Bathroom, After

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