Here's How Michel and Anthony Were Able to Afford *That* ILVE Range in Their ‘Rock the Block’ House

If designer Michel Smith Boyd and couturier Anthony Elle have taught us anything on their show Luxe for Less, it’s that anyone can afford luxury — if they know how to play their budget right. It’s that mindset that won the creative pair and real-life friends Season 4 of HGTV’s Rock the Block. Their house was a careful combination of DIYs, smart saves and impactful splurges, especially in the kitchen, where the duo included one special touch that got us extra excited: a stunning, 50-inch black ILVE range with high-end brass hardware.

Designers have been loving the Italian-made ranges lately. In fact, you may remember Ophelia, Jennys Marrs' pink ILVE darling from Season 4 of Fixer to Fabulous, which instigated arguably the greatest reveal reaction of all time.

It's understandable. These ranges are immaculate pieces of art, after all. What they are not, however, is cheap. So how were Anthony and Michel able to include one in their Rock the Block kitchen with a budget on the line? Careful planning.

"Luxury for us means knowing how to spend the money and how to create an experience," said Michel. “If we spend what looks like about $65,000 on our kitchen, we’re going to make that $65,000 look like $100,000, and I stand by that.”

The duo saved big on smart swaps: Instead of using marble on the large island and for the lower part of the backsplash, they opted for durable porcelain with warm veining — a switch that saved them $4,500 and allowed them to snag the jaw-dropping range.

“Can I just stop you guys for a second and thank you for doing this right here,” said guest judge Dave Marrs while checking out the range. “It’s awesome.”

As Anthony so gallantly said: “If you’re gonna get a range ... get a rannnge.”

You can follow Michel and Anthony on Instagram at @michelboyd and at @anthonyelle and catch up on all of Season 4 of Rock the Block on discovery+.