Before and After: The Best of 'The Great Giveback With Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich'

Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich know how to give any space a happy makeover. HGTV has proof: all the prettiest makeovers from Season 1 of their show.

July 01, 2022

By: Rebecca R. Norris

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Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Erik Voake / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Scott Brothers Entertainment

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Scott Brothers Entertainment

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Scott Brothers Entertainment

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Scott Brothers Entertainment

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Gilles Mingasson / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Gilles Mingasson / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Photo By: Gilles Mingasson / Getty Images

Photo By: DENNYS ILIC

Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich Work Design Magic

Melissa McCarthy is known for her comedic genius on screen, but she’s also a self-proclaimed “card-carrying design and vintage fanatic.” It’s because of this that she and her cousin, Jenna Perusich (who also loves home design), set out to show some design love to folks who make it a point to give back to their community. And thus, The Great Giveback was born. The six-episode series showcases surprise multi-room home makeovers that not only leave homeowners overjoyed but viewers, too. Get a glimpse for yourself: We dug up the best before-and-after shots from the show.

see more: Get To Know Melissa McCarthy’s Cousin Jenna Perusich

Ryan and Kate's Garage: Before

Welcome to Ryan and Kate’s garage in Santa Clarita, California. Ryan nominated his wife Kate, a mother of two and an ICU nurse at a children’s hospital. As someone who works tirelessly to serve others, Ryan thought she deserved a place of her own to relax and unwind after a long day. Melissa and Jenna immediately went to work, transforming the couple’s garage into a serene oasis.

Ryan and Kate's Garage: After

Melissa and Jenna’s goal was to give Kate a special spot all her own to relax and recharge. To do so, they downsized the garage’s storage bins, installed built-in wall storage, updated the room’s attic space and added workout and lounge areas — all while sticking to Kate’s preference of a modern-but-cozy vibe filled with clean lines and a subtle pop of color.

Dawanna and Shelli's Bedroom: Before

Welcome to Dawanna and Shelli’s home in Inglewood, California. Shelli nominated her wife Dawanna, a career police officer who puts her life on the line day after day. Her hope was for Melissa and Jenna to transform her and Dawanna’s bedroom into the ultimate sanctuary.

Dawanna and Shelli’s Bedroom: After

Knowing that Dawanna wanted a calming space within her home where she can retreat to to let everything go after a long day, Melissa and Jenna went to work. With the help of Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott, they installed hollow beams to accent the ceiling, incorporated various textures to give the space depth, added ample lighting to brighten the room and focused on a neutral, serene color palette to tie the space together.

Dawanna and Shelli's Closet: Before

Shelli admitted her clothes took up most of the closet. She hoped Melissa and Jenna might be able to shake up the space's design so Dawanna could have plenty of room, too.

Dawanna and Shelli's Closet: After

To help make better use of the space, Melissa and Jenna removed the classic closet door and replaced it with a space-saving, sliding mirror door. Then, they lined the inside of the closet with built-in shelves, more storage and additional overhead lighting to make it feel fresh and inviting.

Dawanna and Shelli's Bathroom: Before

Dawanna and Shelli's closet serves as an entryway to the main bath, so, naturally, Melissa and Jenna wanted to work their magic there, too. To do so, they planned to remove an unnecessary secondary door the couple never used, which allowed them to expand the space.

Dawanna and Shelli's Bathroom: After

Dawanna and Shelli were in awe over just how spa-like their new bathroom felt. Melissa and Jenna transformed the space into a sanctuary by prioritizing double sinks, adding a creamy marble countertop paired with warm bronze fixtures and opting for an overall earthy-modern appeal.

Dawanna and Shelli’s Backyard: Before

Although Shelli's top request was a bedroom makeover, Melissa and Jenna took it a step further and surprised them with an updated backyard.

Dawanna and Shelli’s Backyard: After

Since Shelli and Dawanna love to entertain, Melissa and Jenna wanted to ensure the couple had plenty of space and seating to do so. With that in mind, they built a composite deck with a dining table, bar and extended grill station. Then, in the opposite corner of the yard, they set up a cozy lounge space complete with an outdoor sectional and lounge chairs.

Katie and Lily’s Kitchen: Before

Welcome to Kate and Lily’s home in Chatsworth, California, a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles. Lily nominated her fiance Katie, a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and continues to give back to her community since returning home.

Katie and Lily’s Kitchen: After

Knowing that Katie loves to cook, Melissa and Jenna wanted to give her plenty of space to prepare meals. So, they expanded the counter space, raised the ceiling and took advantage of vertical storage. Then, to further cater the space to Katie, they drenched it in a saturated blue hue — her favorite color.

Katie and Lily’s Dining Room: Before

Nestled between the kitchen dividing wall and the living area, Katie and Lily’s original dining room felt cramped and cluttered. Melissa and Jenna wanted to make the space feel more inviting, so they set out to do just that.

Katie and Lily’s Dining Room: After

Melissa and Jenna wanted to make the main floor feel more welcoming, so they took down the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room and continued the blue color palette into the space. Then they added wainscoting on the walls and lined pillows along the bench seating to make it extra cozy.

Katie and Lily’s Living Room: Before

Katie and Lily like to lounge after a long day, but their original living area looked less than inviting thanks to clutter and mismatched furniture.

Katie and Lily’s Living Room: After

To make the space match the rest of the home, Melissa and Jenna brought the dining room’s palette, wainscoting and wall sconce lighting into the living area. Then they outfitted the room with a coordinating neutral couch to brighten it all up.

Katie and Lily’s Nursery: Before

At the time of filming, Katie and Lily were expecting their first child but didn’t feel fully prepared for the new baby. Though Melissa and Jenna originally planned to only update Katie and Lily’s kitchen, dining room and living area, they couldn’t help but add a nursery to their list of to-dos.

Katie and Lily’s Nursery: After

Katie and Lily were absolutely shocked by Melissa and Jenna's surprise nursery transformation. Like the rest of the house, the nursery featured shades of blue, and to make it even more special, Melissa and Jenna hired artist James Mobley to paint a one-of-a-kind watercolor mural on the wall.

Lucia’s Kitchen: Before

Welcome to Lucia’s house in Los Angeles. Nominated by her daughter Bonnie, Lucia (nicknamed Mama) is a mother of seven who spends every day caring and cooking for not only her children and husband (who was permanently injured in a car accident) but her community, too. Since cooking is her passion — and because her kitchen is the oldest space in the home — Melissa and Jenna got to work to update it.

Lucia’s Kitchen: After

One of the first things Melissa noticed when looking at Mama’s original kitchen and living space was how drab it seemed compared to her bright, vibrant persona. As such, she and Jenna made a point of not only updating all the appliances, walls, ceilings and floors, but adding color, too.

Lucia’s Dining Room: Before

As a mother of seven, Lucia needs plenty of space for entertaining. So Melissa and Jenna took it upon themselves to create a dining area all to itself — one that reflected Mama's personality.

Lucia’s Dining Room: Before

The new dining room boasts colorful seat cushions and a large window. Melissa and Jenna outfitted the walls with handmade artisanal baskets and, to put it lightly, Mama was overwhelmed by just how beautiful the space turned out.

Ryan’s Studio Home: Before

Welcome to Ryan’s studio home in Los Angeles, California. Ryan, a performer who spends his spare time volunteering and singing at a local senior home, was nominated by his best friend Enrique. Given the size of his space, Melissa and Jenna hoped to do everything they could to maximize Ryan's square footage.

Ryan’s Studio Home: After

Melissa and Jenna added new flooring and appliances, more cabinets, lots of texture and glam lighting. As well, they infused as much color in the space as possible to match Ryan's bold and beloved personality. Naturally, he was over the moon with the results.