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Dazzling Designs From HGTV's Cousins Undercover

November 25, 2014

By: Jennifer Brake

With the help of local volunteers, cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri surprise unsuspecting heroes with beautiful home makeovers in a matter of days on HGTV's Cousins Undercover. See their best designs here.

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A covered patio and trellis with dining area.

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Outdoor Oasis

Cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri built a large trellis with an attached bench perfect for entertaining. Colorful pillows and glasses complement the colors of the flowers in the surrounding garden.

Green Living Roo, With Contemporary Furniture & Black and White Rug

Photo: Tricia Messeroux. From: Cousins Undercover

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Modern Funk

This living room is retro chic with its teal walls and chartreuse accents. The funky colors are balanced out by a black-and-white-patterned rug that grounds the room.

Industrial Basement With Blue Sofa, Pressboard Playhouse and Bar

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Macho Man Cave

This basement was transformed into the ultimate man cave complete with a foosball table, industrial lighting and a full bar with beer on tap. A sliding garage door leads out to the backyard where a grill and rocking chairs await.

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Boarded Up

The walls themselves can be an intricate design element when they're made of exposed oriented strand boards. The boards are a rugged alternative to traditional drywall, and the area looks finished with stylish chairs and hanging picture frames.

Gray Dining Room With White Table and Copper Globe Pendant

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Keep It Simple

A copper-colored light fixture hangs over a unique driftwood centerpiece in this dining room. The original archways in this older home were preserved because of the understated charm they add to the space.

Blue Living Room With Pale Wood Ceiling & White Sofa

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Fun Family Room

A formerly brown bookcase was given an update with black paint, helping it to stand out against the cobalt-blue walls. Pinewood ceilings do wonders to emphasize the light coming in through the large windows to make the room feel taller.

Traditional Kitchen with Light Blue Cabinets

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Cool Kitchen

Aloe-colored cabinets complement the red-orange color of the exposed brick, and antique glass is used for the backsplash to give the illusion that this kitchen is larger than it is.

Neutral Dining Nook With Tulip Table & Turquoise Chairs

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Dedication Wall

The cousins had volunteers write letters of appreciation for the owner of this home, who spent much of his time mentoring youths from low-income families. John and Anthony paired a small table with two painted chairs to create a sitting area in front of the letters plastered to the wall.

Transitional Brick Fireplace With Black and White Photos

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Flawless Fireplace

An old fireplace can be revived with a little paint. Whitewashed brick looks more modern than traditional red brick, and the position of the chair invites people to sit down with a book or look at the nearby family photos.

Light and Airy Living Room With White Couch and White Area Rug

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Game-Night Ready

For a family that loved hosting game night, the cousins built a custom coffee table that doubles as a game console and storage unit. The table is complete with built-in boards for checkers, backgammon and chess that all fold away easily when no one is playing.

Contemporary Deck With Paint Splatters and Ombre Railings

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Hint of Ombre

In addition to building this deck from scratch, the cousins used paint to make it unique and fun with splatters of white and blue on the floor planks and an ombre effect along the railings. The ombre continues down the stairs to create an interesting visual effect of depth.

Light Blue Dining Area With Green Chairs and Wood Table

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Light and Bright

Old is new again in this dining room. Country-style chairs were painted mint green and the tabletop was refinished to create a quaint, cheerful atmosphere alongside a large sliding door that lets in plenty of light.

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Wide-Open Storage

Open shelves are an alternative to traditional cabinets to make a kitchen feel more spacious. They're functional for storage but also make great stages for more decorative items, like teapots and fine china.

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Suite Office

A home office should be for more than just work — it should be for relaxing, too. Cool blue walls, plush chairs and a set of automatic doors that ensure privacy make this room ideal for getting some peace and quiet.

Blue & White Patio With Wooden Benches and String Lights

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Backyard Party

This patio is always ready for a party with built-in benches, painted siding panels and an outdoor television. A line of pillows in mixed patterns give a soft contrast against the solid wooden bench.

White Kitchen With Multicolor Cabinets, Vintage Oven and Gray Floor

Photo: Tricia Messeroux. From: Cousins Undercover

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Color Infusion

Straying from traditional single-colored cabinetry, these rainbow cupboards are an unconventional source of color in the kitchen. Their simple design and surrounding neutral colors keep them from being gaudy or overbearing.

Rustic Wood Storage Wall With Stainless Steel Refrigerator

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Storage Nook

This custom storage nook keeps everything in its place without looking cluttered or making the room feel crowded. In addition to its functionality, the shelves provide an extra rustic design element that resonates through the rest of the house.

Rustic Wood Bar With White Faux Sheepskins on Wood Stools

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Breakfast Bar

These faux animal skins give ordinary breakfast barstools a soft, cool look of comfort and style.

minimalist kid's bedroom with murphy bed

Photo: Tricia Messeroux. From: Cousins Undercover

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Sleepover-Ready

A Murphy bed folds down from the wall in this multipurpose room so the homeowners are always ready to accommodate guests. When the bed is stowed away, the desk can be moved to become a spacious study room.

Backyard With Privacy Fence & Three Dog Houses

Photo: Tricia Messeroux. From: Cousins Undercover

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Dog Days

Furry friends need nice homes, too. These custom doghouses are great hideouts for pets as well as unconventional yard ornaments that play off the design of the tall wooden fence.

Dazzling Designs From HGTV's Cousins Undercover

Outdoor Oasis

Modern Funk

Macho Man Cave

Boarded Up

Keep It Simple

Fun Family Room

Cool Kitchen

Dedication Wall

Flawless Fireplace

Game-Night Ready

Hint of Ombre

Light and Bright

Wide-Open Storage

Suite Office

Backyard Party

Color Infusion

Storage Nook

Breakfast Bar

Sleepover-Ready

Dog Days

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