Rainn Wilson Transformed His Nanny's Home Into a Lovely, Family-Friendly Space

Actor Rainn Wilson surprised his son's nanny, Leslie, with a home makeover. He worked with Drew and Jonathan Scott to completely update her kitchen, dining room, living room and backyard deck.

By: Chelsey Bowen

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Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Photo By: Dennys Ilic

Rainn Wilson + His Son's Nanny, Leslie

When the Property Brothers approached Rainn about giving back to someone in his life, he didn't hesitate for a minute: he wanted to transform Leslie's home. She had been his son Walter's nanny from the time he was 6 weeks old until he was 12. Even though Walter is 16 now, Leslie's family has remained an important part of their lives.

"When you meet Leslie, you just see immediately this is a person with tremendous integrity and heart. My wife and I didn't think things through very well. She was nine months pregnant and we realized we'd need a nanny. She was the first person we interviewed and we just fell in love with her immediately," said Rainn.

Leslie's family is originally from a small town in Guatemala, and they've poured their life savings into their home to achieve their part of the American dream. Not only is the home important to Leslie, but it became a special place for Walter as he grew up with Leslie's and her sister's children. Rainn wanted to turn Leslie's dated ranch into a stylish and functional retreat.

Taking It Down, Viking Style

Fortunately, the home makeover didn't require a lot of demo, but they needed to get the kitchen down to a blank slate. Rainn said, "I'm excited about the demo. I've never demo'd anything before." He decided to bring a little of his The Office character, Dwight Schrute, to the renovation, with some medieval tools.

The Demo Team

Rainn quickly discovered tools of yore don't work as well as a modern-day sledgehammer. "We kind of challenged him to bring his 'A' game to the demolition and he did," said Drew. Agreeing, Jonathan added, "He was ripping down cabinets one handed."

Before: The Living Spaces

Family is important to Leslie, who has three children, as does her sister. With constant family gatherings, Leslie's home is often filled with children. Not only did the home need to be kid-friendly with more storage, but it also needed a modern refresh. The mix of flooring – red hardwood and dated tile — created a disjointed look.

After: The Living Spaces

To transform these living spaces into family-friendly and stylish rooms, Jonathan and Drew started by removing the front closet and kitchen peninsula to open everything up. The multi-surface floors were traded out for medium-toned engineered hardwood to add sophistication and kid-proof durability.

Before: The Kitchen

The floating cabinets blocked the sightline from the kitchen into the living room, and the peninsula separated whoever is in the kitchen from the rest of the gathering spaces.

After: The Kitchen

With the upper cabinets and peninsula removed, the kitchen is completely transformed. Bright white cabinets are clad in Neolith® countertops, which have the look of real stone, but are much more durable and impervious — an essential requirement for a home full of kids.

Before: The Kitchen

The closed-in kitchen was a relic of the original house design and not conducive to a modern family that loves to cook and entertain.

After: The Kitchen

The center island doubles as a breakfast spot for the kids and entertaining centerpiece when family and friends are visiting. It instantly creates a better flow in and out of the kitchen area. A trio of gray upholstered barstools provides each child a place to sit for snacks or to finish up homework.

Before: The Dining Room

The dining room only had a collapsible dining table and chairs. Rainn informed the Property Brothers that Leslie's family had a dining set, but when they met another family that needed it more, they gave it away.

After: The Dining Room

A more functional table and chairs take center stage in the dining room for cherished family meals. A large built-in hutch provides ample storage.

The Reveal

Nervous and excited, Leslie was surprised by her home's transformation. "Every time I need something, [Rainn] comes and helps me without even knowing I need help. He's always there for me. He's like an angel," said Leslie.

Before: The Living Room

Black beams and a high, recessed ceiling were sucking the life out of the room. In addition, there were no lights installed, making the space particularly dark.

After: The Living Room

To set the refreshed scene, the ceiling beams are painted white and the new panels allow for recessed lighting. The once unused fireplace is turned into a five-star focal feature with a contemporary electric insert and flat-screen TV that doubles as art when not in use. The fireplace surround is covered in a faux finish, called tadelakt, a Moroccan technique made of lime plaster and black or olive oil soap.

After: The Living Room

When working with a smaller space, multifunctionality is key. A perimeter bench adds seating and has built-in drawers for stowing kids' toys and games. With smart solutions in the kitchen, dining room and now living room, the house doesn't lack storage anymore.

Before: The Living Spaces

The peninsula boxed the kitchen in, creating an unnecessary separation from the rest of the living spaces.

After: The Living Spaces

The center island takes the place of the peninsula, opening up the space entirely, so that Leslie has a full view of the living room, dining room and backyard. For the new flooring, Jonathan suggested an engineered hardwood that has distinct grain since it helps to hide scratches. In addition to installing recessed lights in the ceiling, natural light also pours in through the updated doors and windows to brighten the home.

The Backyard

The Property Brothers didn't want to have a beautiful space inside that felt disconnected to the outside, so they continued the makeover to the deck. Collapsible window walls in the living room and dining room completely open up to the new composite deck, creating a seamless flow between the indoors and out. Additionally, the awning is replaced with one that provides shade, rain cover and a little more height.

Time to Play

Leslie's three kids — ages 4, 7 and 10 — love being outdoors, so Rainn, Jonathan and Drew decided to add an extra-special surprise for them outside. This modular play structure will get a lot of use, and with the revamp of the interior of the home, Leslie will have a clear view to the backyard so she can keep an eye on the kids while they're playing.

The Ultimate Hangout

Rainn's and Leslie's families gathered for the big reveal and the first get-together on the new deck. "I never thought I was going to have something like this," said Leslie. "I won't ever leave my house again."

"This remodel is not just about nicer kitchen counters or something like that. This is helping create a more beautiful space for this family to operate with all of their love and all of their light," said Rainn.

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