With help from Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott, actress Kate Hudson redesigned her mother-in-law Melissa's backyard on Celebrity IOU. Melissa, a 30-year educator and glowing grandmother, always puts her family and grandchildren first. “This opportunity highlights how much [Melissa] does for everyone else. We’ve never done anything like this for her before,” said Kate. Melissa suffered two broken feet several months prior to the renovation and was still recovering, so Kate knew reinventing the backyard of the home she raised her two boys in would not only add function and appeal, but take a weight off Melissa’s mind.

Melissa instilled in her family a love for gardening, so Kate invited her own daughter Rani to help plant new garden beds for “Moo Moo" (Rani's nickname for Melissa). “We have a garden at home too,” Rani proudly shared with Jonathan. New raised planter boxes provide Melissa with a place to foster her homegrown fruits and vegetables. Now, her mature fruit trees and grapevines can continue to thrive.

The porch leading off Melissa’s kitchen was not only completely overgrown, but it needed some safety-related repairs. Damaged railings, an old metal roof and obtrusive wiring systems compromised Melissa’s ability to enjoy the space she once loved.

A brand-new, hotel-worthy porch spans the entire length of the home. The electrical wiring that previously hung in front of the kitchen window was relocated. Two pergolas painted white offer shade from the California sun. Kate knew Melissa always wanted to have porch access from her bedroom, so Jonathan and Drew swapped one of her bedroom windows with French doors. Constructed of durable composite decking and comfortable seating, this maintenance-free deck and modern railing system is the ideal upgrade to suit Melissa’s backyard lifestyle.