'Celebrity IOU': Tyra Banks' Next Top Remodel

At this point, it’s hard to say what supermodel Tyra Banks is best known for. It could be her decades-long modeling career, gracing the covers of everything from Sports Illustrated to Vogue. Or it could be for her equally long television career, where she has hosted hit shows like America’s Next Top Model, her namesake talk show, Tyra, and, most recently, Dancing With the Stars. Or maybe you know her best as a New York Times best-selling author. Or perhaps as the founder of an Australian ice cream shop. Suffice it to say, Tyra has mastered pretty much everything … except a sledgehammer.

Lucky for Tyra, Drew and Jonathan Scott are going to trade posing tips for demolition how-tos when she joins the brothers to create a brand-new kitchen and living room for her deserving childhood best friend, Marisa.

While it may be hard to imagine this now, Tyra says that growing up in California, she struggled with low confidence, and her best friend, Marisa, was always there for her. “She saw me kind of struggling with a little bit of self-esteem … not being the chosen, popular girl at school and … even doubting my early modeling career," says Tyra. "And she talked me down and she was like, ‘Ty, you are amazing.’”

This fierce loyalty is what made Tyra get in touch with the brothers to surprise Marisa with a home makeover that would be life-changing for her. “This is something I could never, as a single school teacher, do on my own, ever,” Marisa says, still in disbelief after her childhood best friend delivered the news that she was gifting her this extraordinary surprise.

The issues with Marisa’s house are evident the moment you step inside — and that is meant quite literally. The living room floor bows so dramatically that the front door won’t even open wide enough to walk through. The space is also either very hot or very cold, stemming from mechanical issues that have been too costly for Marisa to manage on her own. “This is my friend,” Tyra says, breaking into tears, “her heat is not working.” The team agrees that fixing this will be a priority. “This is what everybody deserves and not what everybody has,” she says simply.

In the kitchen, the free-floating appliances and lack of cabinet and counter space are definitely problematic, but nothing says “please reconfigure my space” quite like a refrigerator that isn’t even in the same room as the rest of the kitchen. Drew, Jonathan and Tyra knew they had to rethink the layout completely.

After showing Drew and Jonathan how to properly pose with a sledgehammer — “legs open, elbows out,” Tyra commands — Jonathan reciprocates by teaching Tyra how to properly wield a sledgehammer — “bring your left foot forward more.” They then proceed to demolish the entire kitchen so that they can start from scratch to create the functional space that Marisa so desperately needs. “She’s so used to this, she’s going to be lost," Tyra tells Jonathan.

Tyra wanted to create something that showed Marisa that she deserved “something that looks like it should be in a magazine” — and that is exactly what they’ve given her. The modern black cabinets and dramatic integrated backsplash and countertop contrast with the craftsmen details, like custom stained-glass inserts, that fit the home’s architecture. “We are putting in charm that never even existed in here before,” Jonathan says.

Where there was a lack of function before, Marisa is swimming in it now. A brand-new layout allowed for counter space that now lines both sides of the galley-style kitchen, and new upper cabinets give Marisa at least twice as much storage as she previously had. “I never would have guessed that you would get all of this stuff in here at all,” Marisa says in disbelief while being shown her beautiful new kitchen. Best of all, the appliances are now all built-in, including the refrigerator. “Oh my God, that’s awesome,” Marisa squeals as she opens the paneled doors that conceal it.

There were major structural issues in the foundation of Marisa’s home, causing the floors to warp and bow to the point that she couldn’t even fully open her front door. “It’s like a 4-inch difference,” Jonathan says as he holds up a level to assess the damage.

After inspecting the 101-year-old home’s foundation, Jonathan and Drew decided that the best option was to completely redo the foundation to create a level and safer space for Marisa. After doing “everything that had to be done to ensure it was rock solid,” Jonathan explains to a teary Marisa that the existing floors have been replaced with new hardwoods. “I feel so fortunate that I’m in a safe home,” Marisa tells them.

Marisa’s living and dining room both share the same cozy space, and the dark and heavy furniture made it feel closed in and crowded. Tyra wanted to give her best friend a space that felt calm and relaxing instead. “She’s been through a lot lately,” Tyra tells the brothers. “She needs this in her life right now.”

The unexpected foundation issues were neither easy nor breezy, but the end results were definitely beautiful, giving this combined living-dining space a CoverGirl-ready makeover. The honey-colored floors, coordinating dining table and new, neutral living room furniture all lighten and brighten the entire space. A fresh coat of white paint on the walls and an unexpected robin’s egg blue on the ceiling also help add to the peaceful, serene vibe that Tyra helped create.

A beloved piece of art was the jumping-off point for the living room’s design. “Look at your ceiling,” Tyra tells an overwhelmed Marisa, “it was inspired by that photo.” Throughout the house, Tyra incorporated other mementos that she knows are meaningful to Marisa. A family cookbook is displayed on the kitchen counter, and a childhood photo of Tyra and Marisa has a permanent place on the bookshelf.