Tour Jonathan and Jordan Knight’s Season 6 ‘Rock the Block’ Home

New England farmhouse expert Jonathan Knight first spun through Rock the Block’’s six-week whirlwind in Season 4. He and designer Kristina Crestin, his Farmhouse Fixer collaborator, fell just short of glory at the end of that competition — and he’s back for another battle, this time with a secret weapon. Jon’s brother Jordan pitched in to help him renovate a 10-cabin vacation property on Camp Revamp, and he made a cameo back in Rook the Block Season 3 as a guest judge. So, it was high time for him to step up, compete side-by-side with his sib and win it all. New Kids on the Block? Hardly. “We’re not just these pretty-boy band members,” Jordan said. “With us teaming up together, there’s no weaknesses here!”

The Knights aren’t the only veterans on the block this season. Windy City Rehab’s Alison Victoria competed in Season 1 and Season 2, and is back for a long awaited win with Season 4 champion Michel Smith Boyd (Luxe for Less) at her side. Chelsea and Cole DeBoer of Down Home Fab joined them for their first-ever renovation competition, as did Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama of Renovation Aloha. This year the ultimate throwdown took place in Grantsville, Utah, a fast-growing community just outside of Salt Lake City where property values have climbed 26% in the past five years. Each team began with a 5,500 square foot, three-floor home on a full acre of land. They had six weeks and $250,000 to take that home’s initial value of $750,000 as high as they could. Weekly competitions focusing on different portions of the homes put two prizes up for grabs. The winning team earned $3,000 for the next week’s work, and their fellow rookie or veteran team got a payday of $1,500. At the end of the competition, the team with the highest-appraised home would bask in glory on the block and have the street named in their honor.

The Knights invested $4,500 in sleek wood flooring … for the ceiling, which warmed up the open-plan portion of their first floor and established the modern-farmhouse aesthetic they’d carry through their home. They built a long, high table that functions as a second island and doubles their entertaining and prep capabilities without ballooning costs, then outfitted it with brass stools that complement the gooseneck faucet at the island sink and their luxury range’s hardware. The stove cove’s graceful arch echoes around the room in a quartet of Art Deco-inspired pendants. Warm, Shaker-style cabinetry makes the kitchen feel opulent and timeless.

Tasked with deconstructing an old ski chalet and upcycling it in their design, Jordan and Jon grabbed the door and reimagined it as a wall-mounted accessory rack. Its well-weathered white paint contrasts niftily with the warm cabinetry they carried in from the kitchen, no? “It actually looks pretty cool,” Jonathan noted. “It fits the vibe,” Jordan agreed. “The pantry is very modern,” Jonathan continued. “With one door, we brought the two worlds together.”

Here’s where the arch motif that began in the kitchen really gets going. To build a passage to the deck that accentuated the home’s spectacular mountain views, Jordan and Jon installed arched glass doors that bathe the dining room in natural light and create the ultimate backdrop for entertaining. Faux ceiling beams create a subtle transition from the kitchen to the living and dining rooms, and a sleek chandelier punctuates the dining area without interrupting sight lines.

For the feature wall in the living room, the Knights invested $6,440 in stone that riffed on their kitchen materials and created an elevated frame for their sleek linear fireplace. Symmetrical niches on either side of the hearth carry wood up the wall, and a balanced combination of modern touches (the plum velvet armchairs and minimalistic coffee tables) and farmhouse character notes (the black-and-white photograph above the fireplace, the wicker-shaded floor lamp) give the space a layered feel. “I think this is bringing some of the Utah outdoors inside; it feels very rustic [and] organic,” Jon said.

Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk came to Utah to serve as the competition’s first judge — and like all judges this season, he toured the Knights’ house without knowing it was theirs (or hearing their explanations of their design choices). Happily, their work spoke for itself. He loved the subtle differences between the stone in the kitchen and the living room: “It tied in together without being too matchy-matchy,” he said. He praised the detailed ceiling treatment and Jon and Jordan’s pendant choices, but felt they went a tad overboard. “I felt like I was walking into a lighting showroom a bit!” They fell short of the win in their first week, but they knew they were off to a strong start.

Jon knew that adding character was key to making this new build feel special, so he and Jordan committed $2,430 to a grand opening and installed crisp wainscoting on the long wall. “It’s gonna bring some texture and character to this house,” he explained. They painted the treatment a complementary neutral to balance its farmhouse feel with a streamlined look. “Last week Bobby dinged us for having a busy kitchen, so we’re going to go with a more minimalist look in the entryway,” Jon sald. Recessed lighting in the sleek paneled ceiling pairs with the flooring and a warm, rustic trestle bench.

The Knights color-drenched their den’s ceiling, walls, installations and molding in deep blue to unify its sophisticated, custom built-ins — built by the brothers to stretch their budget — and carried that hue into a long velvet sofa. Gold accents and pale, neutral textiles feel especially rich against the blue walls.

After keeping it clean and contemporary in the entryway and den — and in most of the powder room — Jon decided to get funky with fixtures. What’s a jewel box without a bit of jewelry, anyway? He paired masculine choices like geometric wallpaper, burnished sconces and stained wainscoting with unabashedly farmhouse-inspired faucet hardware, a tribute to the flock at his own home back in Massachusetts.

To make their mudroom properly multifunctional, Jon and Jordan installed the requisite appliances and storage, then invested $1,450 to build what might be the loveliest dog wash station in Utah (and installed a heavy-duty vacuum system to pick up dirt, for good measure). “Most people have dogs now, so I just think this is extra special and is going to add value to this house,” Jon said.

For the second week of evaluation, the Knights faced two Rock the Block Season 1 alums: Mina Starsiak Hawk (Good Bones) and first-ever champion Help! I Wrecked My House’s Jasmine Roth (who moved to Utah with her family a few years ago). The judges gave the brothers props for the wood paneling they added to the entryway and powder room, and they loved the addition of the dog washing station. The avian hardware in the powder room … was a big swing that didn’t quite connect. These veterans had to keep hustling for their first win.

“The bedroom was feeling a little bit flat, so we put some stained wood up on the walls and the ceiling. This is our take on a modern canopy bed,” Jon explained. Dissatisfied with the second-floor layout, he and Jordan swapped the main suite’s bedroom and bathroom to arrive at this best-case layout: Flanked by a chic fireplace, the bed now faces a sitting area that gives way to bifold doors and spectacular Utah views from the balcony. Clean lines and neutral hues strike a balance between the farmhouse character Jon loves and the modern details that catch Jordan’s eye.

With 180 degrees of mountain views just beyond the minimalistic plate-glass railing they installed, the Knight brothers knew the most sensible (and budget-friendly) approach was to stage their balcony with furniture, then stand back and let natural grandeur do their job for them. Large, pale pavers in a classic herringbone add subtle interest underfoot.

Jon and Jordan sacrificed a lackluster hallway to turn their main suite’s cramped closets into properly-palatial dressing areas, outfitting one of their creations with cabinets and the other with open shelving. They then highlighted their custom cabinetry — which sticks the landing between farmhouse character and contemporary crispness — with illumination at the ceiling and baseboards.

“We have been playing it a little safe with the budget, but this week we are going all out,” Jon said. The Knights created double arches leading to their expansive shower, where pecan-colored grout frames rust-glazed tiles arranged in an on-trend herringbone pattern. Each of the bath’s vanities is centered in a wall’s worth of slab marble and lower cabinets, and a spectacular, Old-West-evoking copper soaking tub has pride of place at the center of the room. “I don’t care who the judge is,” Jordan said. “Martha Stewart, Snoop Dogg, the Easter Bunny — one look at this bathroom and they’re going to be blown away.”

Jordan’s confidence was well-founded, as it turned out: Divided by Design stars Ray and Eilyn Jimenez raved about the Knights’ main-suite design. “[The] red tile, the reconfiguration of the room, the fact that [the suite] was laid out so differently, as somebody who has a lot of clothes and a lot of shoes, the closet felt very spacious,” Eilyn said. “Also the view from the doors, those bifold doors that bring the outside in really was incredible." "And the tilework inside the double entry shower was gorgeous as well," Ray added. The Knight boys notched their first win at last.

Jon had to think on his feet for the fourth week of competition. Jordan was called away from the block for a previous commitment, and the teams were given just 48 hours to complete their landings and bonus rooms. He kept his eyes on the prize and created continuity with the aesthetic he and his brother had established in the adjoining foyer. “We’re gonna have glass on the staircase and the railings, [and] on this big huge wall I’m thinking we do a custom wood wall, kind of like the wainscoting we did on the first floor,” he said. Not bad for a two-day whirlwind of work!

Tasked with designing the bonus room around one of four predetermined themes, Jon was assigned a shipping carton’s worth of wellness-space materials. Luckily, his former Rock the Block teammate and longtime Farmhouse Fixer collaborator, Kristina Crestin, was able to tag in and elevate his work. Jon dreamed up the illuminated rock-salt wall with warm woodwork and chaises for relaxation. Kristina urged him to create an integrated unit that made those chaises part of a solid bench. Textural grass cloth wallpaper anchors the long wall, where floating shelves display an array of loose teas above a beverage station. A wide massage table offers a spot to knead out stress.

For the last twist of the week, Jon and his competitors faced each other rather than guest judges when it came time to evaluate their spaces. They each received scorecards for rating their opponents, and the team with the highest point total won all of the round’s $4,500 prize money. “They went full into the theme — this is the most calm I’ve felt in the last two days, so [there’s] something to be said about that,” Chelsea said. Michel agreed: “The LEDs on the salt blocks?! I think we might be in trouble. This is really good.” The landing wasn’t quite as well-received as the bonus space, given its interaction with the darker stair treads: “This floor is very specific and has a lot of browns and ... honey tones, versus very ... bleachy and peachy [on the wall installation],” Alison noted. Jon didn’t get the back-to-back victory, but his bonus space was bound to boost his bottom line at the end of the competition.

Week five was all about the competitors’ 1,300-square-foot lower levels, where they were expected to build out fully-functional second kitchens and outfit unfinished space. With decades of experience making themselves at home in new cities, thanks to their time touring with bandmates, the Knights knew they wanted to create the ultimate green room (that is, a space where performers relax when they’re not on stage or in the studio). “It’s just a place to hang out, lounge, have fun. There’s always a pool table or ping pong table,” Jordan said. He and his brother cozied up their green room with opulent cork wallpaper, warm wooden cabinetry, a custom ping-pong table and caramel-colored leather upholstery. Rich, matching paint on the ceiling gives the space an even more intimate feel.

The Knights invested $2,850 in black walnut for their custom bar area. “This is the green room that I wish we always had!” Jordan said. “We call our basement a green room, but really it’s just an extension of the living room upstairs and a more casual place for the family to hang out,” Jon explained.

For their unfinished space, the Knights created both an old-school, masculine music room and a soundproof vocal booth. “We’ve been in the music business all our lives, basically,” Jordan said. “We wanted to make this space special and unique to us and our experience. I think we did a good job down here.” They stained the walls’ tambour a dark, rich color to cultivate a retro studio vibe, then balanced that finish with contemporary touches like wraparound LED lighting and a playful black-and-white headphone installation.

So, what did Kim Myles (who won the second season of Design Star and mentors Battle on the Mountain contestants) think of the Knights’ labor of love? “I’m feeling some kind of way! This is very sexy vibes in here!” she said. “The palette in here is inky and rich and sumptuous and yummy and I love that it is so dark. The built-in: the tone is beautiful, the grain is really pretty. I’m looking at so many finishes that are luxurious and beautiful. The wallpaper? Give me a cork with a little bit of a little sparkle! I’m very pleased.” It seemed that the brothers might take their second victory — but Kim conceded that the recording studio was “very niche, very specific,” and another team’s power move was able to take them over the top.

When their sixth week on the block rolled around, the Knight brothers were faced with a massive outdoor renovation. It was time for them to put the 'farm' in 'modern farmhouse.' Bolstered with the $50,000 budget bonus allotted to each team, Jon and Jordan set out to lean into Utah’s homesteading tendencies. On the raised patio, they installed a less-is-more plate-glass railing that maximized access to the views below. They also installed automated blinds, “which I think will bring this space above what the other teams are doing,” Jon explained.

Jon followed his heart in building out the backyard. “I love the greenhouse at my house,” he said. “You can use it to grow plants, [but] if you don’t want to grow plants you can use it just to hang out.” He and Jordan outfitted their home’s greenhouse with electricity and plumbing that made it the perfect setting for a garden or a gathering. Who wouldn’t love to have a dinner party in this space? At Jordan’s suggestion, they extended the yard’s capabilities even more by building raised beds to accommodate more crops.

Jon sensed the backyard needed another showstopper, “something none of the other teams are going to do.” “What if we do a small barn and we put it back here? And we could either do chickens, we could do goats…” “Goats!” Jordan exclaimed. And that is how Rock the Block scored its first-ever goat enclosure (which, though adorable, does not double as a space for human dinner parties).

The Knight brothers’ efforts made a major impression on Unsellable Houses’ Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis, the block’s reigning champions (seen here at the exact moment Leslie realized she was looking at a “GOAT BARN!”). “Raised beds like this [are] beautiful and such a value add,” Leslie said. “So many people are gardening at home now, this is something that anybody would use!” The greenhouse was equally impressive: “This is such an added value for entertaining!” Lyndsay added. “The beautiful thing about it is you just gained a huge structure. It could be used for so many different things!” Jon and Jordan were victorious again. “Any win feels great,” Jordan said, “but I feel like we really put our minds together and our creativity together and came up with something really cool.”

In the seventh and final week of competition, it was time for the Knights to complete a final interior space — a smallish bedroom on the second floor adjoining their 48-hour challenge space. With just $30,000 of their budget remaining, they had to get creative. “We’ve had so much experience on the road, being in good hotels, bad hotels, great hotels … we could use that experience and make this the best suite for guests,” Jordan suggested. He prioritized high-tech blackout shades that would close and darken the room with the touch of a button, and Jon conceptualized the statement headboard with symmetrical charging stations, built-in lamps and floating nightstands. “This room is the cherry on top I’m telling you; I think this is going to clinch it, it’s going to wow the appraisers!” Jordan said.

Building on the greatest-hits hotels recalled from their decades of touring, Jon and Jordan gave their VIP guest bedroom a restful, ethereal palette that complemented the wellness space beside it. A curvaceous lounge offers a spot for weary travelers to unknot their muscles, and a coffee station to facilitate a quiet drink. “We understand how important it is to have a really relaxing bedroom to retreat to, so we created this space kind of like a hotel room — where, when guests come to stay with this family, they’ll have a place to go and have some privacy, have a little bit of luxury,” Jon said.

The Knights’ final week on the block also meant wrapping up the exterior plans they’d put in place when they arrived. They opted for a classic, cohesive look that wouldn’t fall apart or feel stale in a few years. “I think a lot of homeowners now are going for a more low-maintenance exterior,” Jon said. “The stone and the stucco [are] going to give these homeowners peace of mind for decades.” They created a small front yard with sod to give the home a bit of curb appeal and life, “but we’re also surrounding it with some white rocks, which will help keep the dust down and make the yard low-maintenance as well,” Jordan added.

Low-maintenance shouldn’t ever mean boring, mind you. Jon added subtle warmth to the patio by covering the ceiling with cedar. “The front door should be something different, too — instead of just a plain white door, maybe a glass and metal arched door,” Jordan suggested. That elegant detail hints at the graceful stone arch in the kitchen and the French doors leading from the dining room to the patio. The square, tone-on-tone pavers set in the white pebbles on the walkway, in turn, foreshadow the pale wainscoting the Knights installed in their foyer to usher guests into the home. “Whenever you put in a lot of work, you do reap the benefits,” Jordan said. “Now it all comes down to the final appraisal, and I’m confident they’re going to love this house just as much as we do,” Jon agreed.

One last tour came before that appraisal. Coming to the block for the second year in a row, Property Brother Jonathan Scott joined Ty on walkthroughs of all four houses. He then conferred with three local appraisers who calculated their added value and arrived at a winner for the season. When it came to the Knights’ house, “You guys really brought your a-game,” he said. “You walk into that main suite and it was like, you guys were ready to impress! In that bathroom, the symmetry when you walk in, the two arches leading into that extended shower — you could have showers with 20 people in there! It was massive! But that tile choice, the color was gorgeous, the copper tub — all of these elegant finishes, it just makes you feel good being in there.”

Alison made a beeline for the swan faucet and duck handles in the first-floor powder room: “You know I love brass and you know I love these,” she told the Knights. She also loved their atmospheric study: “Very moody, very sexy, very blue, very masculine!” Absolutely everyone, in turn, fell for the goats. “I mean, none of us have live animals in our yard,” Kamohai said. “It’s hard to compete with live animals!” Tristyn added.

The G.O.A.T. on the block, of course, was the team that added the most value to their home over the course of seven weeks. In Utah, the winning home’s appraisal increased by $350,000 to a whopping $1.4 million — and the designers behind it were none other than Michel (who clinched his second win in a row) and Alison (whose third time on the block brought her victory at long, long last).