Take a Tour of Hilary Farr's New Home as Seen on 'Love It or List It'

Love It or List It designer Hilary Farr had a surprise for her co-host and realtor David Visentin. She bought a house — without him knowing! The renovation held a few surprises for Hilary, but she was able to rebuild and design a home that’s stylish, grandchildren-friendly and ready for entertaining.

David’s take on Hilary’s new home: “This is a phenomenal location. Unfortunately, there’s a shoebox sitting on it.” He couldn't get over how tiny the house was and wasn't confident Hilary would be happy with what she had to work with. Her response, “I saw it. I loved it. I bought it. I didn’t look at anything else. I’ve always had big houses and now I want to consider a different lifestyle. I like the idea of living in a smaller, but fabulous space.”

After a long process, Hilary designed the home of her dreams. But you may notice the oh-so-petite house had a bit of a growth spurt. Unfortunately, once the team took the original home down to the studs, they discovered the entire foundation had rotted and was full of termites. Hilary decided to rebuild on the exact footprint, but take her rebuilt house up and add a second floor.

Hilary was set on taking advantage of the expansive lot by adding an outdoor living space to the back of the home. Though David wasn’t happy that Hilary bought a house without him, he agreed a patio could be a game-changer for the property.

What a transformation! The backyard is a true escape from the daily grind, as well as the perfect spot for entertaining. The main element Hilary wanted to include was a saltwater plunge pool, and she got one with loads of style. A brick pool surround blends with the home's exterior, and the deck provides ample space for relaxing. Folding glass doors seamlessly meld the indoors with the outside.

Hilary’s little house was full of — you guessed it — little rooms. Her vision involved taking down a lot of walls, including this structural one. Of course, she ended up having to take the entire home down and rebuild, but she maintained the original footprint of the house while effectively updating the layout.

A fireplace was still a necessity, so Hilary moved it to the outer wall and surrounded it with steel cladding. Built-ins on either side provide much-needed storage. A rich, blue sofa centers the space, while comfy armchairs and stools round out the seating. Hilary wanted to keep the space open, minimal and casual so her grandchildren could run around and play while visiting. The showstopper: a modular brass light fixture that spans the width of the space. Finally, Hilary grounded the room with a natural jute rug from her own collection with Kaleen Rugs.

Narrow and outdated, the kitchen was ready for an overhaul. This space had no extra room for friends and family to congregate.

Here, Hilary added style at every stage, starting from the ground up with wood floors in a herringbone pattern. Contrasting black and white cabinets are topped with creamy white countertops, and extra-large veining on the backsplash brings movement to the room. Hilary chose a large island perfect for gatherings and grandchildren.

The amount of natural light that poured into the house is one reason Hilary fell in love with it. Through all the ups and downs of this project, she kept her focus on maximizing the light.

A live-edge wood table from Duvall & Co., statement-making light fixtures (Bau from Visual Comfort), and of course, an extra-large window make for one jaw-dropping dining room. Bonus: The decorative pocket doors that separate the kitchen from the dining room can be closed to hide any mess while entertaining.

The original home had only two bathrooms (one of which was in the basement), and not a powder room in sight. Of course, Hillary needed a decadent powder room. Thanks to this Moontide wallpaper from York Wallcoverings, entering this space feels like walking into a piece of agate. A floating vanity with a basin sink, an asymmetrical mirror and sleek, linear sconces add function to the space without interrupting movement from the wallpaper.

Hilary's home had three bedrooms before the rebuild. They were all relatively the same size and featured neither closets nor bathrooms.

Hilary’s main bedroom is a welcome retreat. Soft white walls and neutral fabrics create a calming environment while allowing the outdoors to shine through French doors overlooking the backyard. When working on any budget, decisions must be made. Instead of a full balcony, Hilary opted for a decorative railing so she could have the atmosphere of a terrace without breaking the bank.

One of the downfalls of older homes is the lack of closet and storage space. Since Hilary had to rebuild, she embraced, arguably, the best feature of most modern homes: a huge walk-in closet. Ample shelving makes for an extra-organized space.

David and Hilary knew they'd need to steal some space from the bedroom to make this bathroom the luxurious retreat Hilary envisioned.

Now, the main bathroom is a true spa experience. The whole space looks as if it’s wrapped in marble, but Hilary has a sneaky and price-smart solution: it’s actually marble-look porcelain. A white vanity, walk-in shower and sleek soaker tub complete the airy design.

Created for her grandchildren, this sweet space gives each child a twin bed for sleepovers.

Yep, that’s right. Each bedroom now has its own bathroom — a major plus for hosting guests and resale value (though Hilary swears she'll never sell it). The tub and shower combo, along with the simple, graphic tile will grow with the grandkids.

It had the sunlight Hilary loved, but that was about it.

Evoking the cozy-cottage charm she first loved in this home, Hilary decked out the guest bedroom in muted neutrals and calming shades of green. Leaf-patterned curtains nod to the outside. Lightweight, quilted bedding keeps guests cozy and warm.