'Scariest House in America' Season 2: The Transformation

After a nationwide search for, in the words of comedian and HGTV host Retta, "the 15 scariest, most hauntingly horrible houses we could find," the Scariest House in America Season 2 team narrowed their haunted habitats down to one finalist: Appalachia's "Gables Over the Graveyard." The house — located in a small Pennsylvania town — was once home to a cemetery gatekeeper. It overlooks a graveyard, which is visible from almost every window in the home.

Why did a perfectly nice pair of homeowners, Kat and Ed, opt for this unsettling home with their two young children? "I like spooky old things," says Kat. "I like quiet," adds Ed. To get their house up to date, Windy City Rehab's Alison Victoria contended with a wonky layout, possible asbestos tile in the library, a potentially haunted children's room and other renovation nightmares. Step inside the renovation.

This creepy cottage boasts the unusual feature of a backyard (and side yard) cemetery that circles the home like a moat. "It's surrounded by death," says Alison, appraising the situation. "Let's bring it more to life." The home also features treacherously steep stairwells; a bathroom that once served as the guillotine room for a seasonal haunted house; and a children's room visited by a little girl with a bow in her hair, who Kat and Ed's toddler daughter says lives with them in the house.

Alison starts her renovation exorcism with a plan for fresh paint on the home's 19th-century exterior and landscaping to draw the eye away from the headstones that circle the home. There are some definite nail-biters along the way. Will Gina from the Historical Review Board OK the colors Alison has chosen for the home exterior? Will Kat and Ed go for the Christmas Story leg lamp that Alison has sourced at a local antiques store? Will a fallen tree take out the family's shed?

From its low ceiling to its lack of adequate counter space and nonexistent dishwasher, this rudimentary kitchen was one of the most challenging rooms for Alison to reimagine. Thankfully, she was up to the task, adding a plethora of counter space, plenty of cabinets and a crisp white colorway.

Alison believed raising the kitchen ceiling was critical because Kat, who loves to cook, needed a functional and less cramped prep space. However, when the contractors cut through the ceiling, they saw that the second-floor joists prevented them from going any higher. So, Alison pivoted, using lighting and paint to create the illusion of openness.

Open shelving, new white cabinets and a comfortable dining table transform a clunky, hard-to-use kitchen into a bright and practical workspace. Beyond the kitchen is a charming porch with an outdoor kitchen for cooking and dining when the weather is nice.

Alison created a U-shaped configuration of cabinets to give Kat plenty of work and storage space. Open shelving adds to the room's airy feel.

With a gorgeous new propane stove in place, and landscaping that creates a visual barrier between the home and the graves beyond, every square inch of this previously scary space has been rendered charming thanks to Alison and her team.

The possibly haunted children's room got a brand new layout, some luxury vinyl floors and an application of Alison's favorite colorway: green. "I can't believe we're doing green," jokes Retta when she discovers Alison had returned to her most beloved of hues. The built-in bookcase features a cozy seat for reading and a special surprise: a hidden doorway and a secret staircase that lead to a peekaboo window above.

For this much-needed bedroom redo, Alison was tasked with figuring out how to fix a strange eyesore: a pair of wooden doors above the bed in Kat and Ed's room that were hiding an old shingled roofline. Yikes. Alison commissioned the creation of a new headboard using that pair of louvered doors, turning wonkiness into a win. New floors and color-washed walls create a lighter, brighter and more cohesive space.

The home's original primary bathroom was small, cramped and had nothing but a toilet and a sink, forcing Kat and Ed to shower downstairs. Alison remedied the situation by pushing out the bathroom wall to buy more room for a shower, the family's original clawfoot tub (reglazed and painted black) and a vanity with double sinks. Oversized terra-cotta-colored penny rounds on the floor and deep, rust-colored wall tiles add a contemporary touch to the historic space.

Nothing flowed or felt conducive to relaxation in Kat and Ed's previous uninspiring living room.

Painted serene gray, the new living room is a tranquil and harmonious oasis with a built-in window seat and a vintage stained-glass window sourced from a local antique store. (The stained glass successfully minimized the view of the tombstones outside.) In a humorous nod to the ever-present cemetery, two subtle headstone shapes are carved into the built-in bookcases.