Interview: 'Totally ’90s House' Team Mauve on Their Winning Transformation

It didn't take long for Team Mauve to realize their '90s home renovation was going to be about more than just winning. The owners, Anna and Nico Vianatos, built their house in New Jersey around their family — and it's sheltered them through many challenges, including Nico's battles with a brain tumor and bladder cancer. As Team Mauve got to know Anna and Nico, their priorities changed.

Hosted by Jaleel White (Family Matters), HGTV’s Totally ’90s House pits two teams of ’90s television stars against each other to transform homes stuck in the '90s. After five weeks of competition, Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210), Beverley Mitchell (7th Heaven) and Jodie Sweetin (Full House) — aka Team Mauve — came out victorious. This trio transformed the Vianatos’ home with the help of designer Sabrina Soto. Together, they created a fresh, comfortable home inspired by the Vianatos’ Greek heritage.

Ahead, Beverley, Brian and Jodie talk about what made the experience so memorable.

Team Mauve Opens Up About Their Win

HGTV: Had the three of you met before the show?

Jodie Sweetin: Bev and I have known each other forever. When we were, like, 4 years old, we would go up against each other for commercials. And then we, of course, did a show together called Hollywood Darlings. I had met Brian a couple times because his fiancée, Sharna, was on my season of Dancing With the Stars.

Beverley Mitchell: I didn’t know Brian. But as soon as we got together, we clicked. We felt like a team right from the start.

Brian Austin Green: I knew Jodie a little bit before the show. I’d never met Beverley before. We just clicked really well, I think, because we have very similar senses of humor. We’re all three self-deprecating, and we were all there for the right reasons.

HGTV: Anna and Nico had big personalities and truly wanted to update their '90s home. Nico had also just battled some serious health issues. What was it like getting to know them?

Jodie: [The renovation] was something they’d been wanting to do, and life got in the way. Knowing they'd been through a lot, it felt really nice to be able to give them a new home and … in a short amount of time, [do what] would have taken them months, if not a year. They were adorable, so in love and such a unit. We couldn’t stop talking about how sweet and genuine they were.

Beverley: We loved Anna and Nico. You could feel their warmth and their gratitude for having us there. From day one, Team Mauve made every decision based on them, and we made sure the house was a place they would love for the rest of their lives.

Brian: I mean honestly, we just loved them as human beings. We loved the story of their family, where they came from, how they all loved each other and we just wanted to make sure what we gave them was something that represented who they were and what they loved.

HGTV: Your first challenge was the kitchen, and you lost. How tough was that, especially after putting so much time and effort into such a major space?

Jodie: We were really confident in our choices. We knew our homeowner was going to love the kitchen, and our motto was: Even if we don't win the challenge, as long as we design something that we know our homeowners are going to love, then that was more important to us. I’m not one to think just because you've lost the first round that you don't have a shot. At that point, it was time to up our hustle and our game and bring it for all the next challenges.

Brian: Losing the kitchen, of course, was disappointing because we put a lot into it. But we had a vision of the whole home, and so we knew going into it there was a possibility. When you just see the kitchen, you don't understand there is a cohesiveness with what it is we're doing … So we just kept our heads down, and we sort of knew what we were shooting for, and we just kept working.

Beverley: I was shocked we lost the kitchen, but design is so subjective. At the end of the day, we delivered the kitchen of Anna’s dreams, and that was all that mattered. It was not only beautiful but functional.

HGTV: You limewashed the walls and created an upholstered headboard using Greek-inspired fabric in the primary bedroom. How much did Anna and Nico's Greek background influence your design?

Brian: Their heritage played a big part. When we first went in, even though the house was dated, there was a lot of heritage in there. We wanted to make sure, as we redid it, [their heritage] was still represented in very subtle, unique ways.

Jodie: Some of the stuff we did gave off a Mediterranean vibe — we used the color blue and we had light fixtures with little olive leaves on them. We wanted to pull that in, but in subtle ways that weren't, you know, hanging a Greek flag on the wall.

HGTV: The primary bathroom, with its scalloped sinks, patterned tile, bidet and gigantic bathtub, was also a place where your team seemed to have different opinions about materials and finishes. In general, how did the three of you reach a consensus when you disagreed?

Jodie: Our egos were never in it. It was never personal. It wasn't like, “This is my choice”; it was more like, “What is the best choice for Anna and Nico?” And I think that made a huge difference, because we were not there fighting each other to get our way. We were there as a team to contribute and see what's the best we could come up with. We wanted to do our best and do what was best for the homeowners.

Beverley: We did bump on some opinions, but as a team we always found the best outcome. There is only one thing we were focused on, and that is Anna and Nico. With all they went through, we wanted to make sure they had a space that felt serene and gave them space to recharge.

Brian: We respected each other. There were three of us, and so ultimately, if there were two people that were leaning in one direction more than the other, that’s the win.

HGTV: Your team worked closely with Pennsylvania-based carpenter Tim Flegel, who handcrafted several beautiful pieces for the house. How important was he to your win?

Brian: I love DIY. I love building. So, I wanted to be around people who were true craftsmen, who understood the best ways of doing things. I wanted to learn. And I did. Tim is an artist. His involvement was absolutely vital. He did an unbelievable job. He really listened to what it is we wanted and worked to make sure it was done … He was a fantastic human being. I even went out and bought the same tools that he uses because they were fantastic!

Beverley: Tim was our secret weapon. Any crazy idea I would dream up, he could make happen. Like us, he put his whole heart and soul into every piece.

Jodie: Tim was essential to what we did. I mean, the statement pieces he created and built were absolutely phenomenal. Not only the giant buffet piece we built into the dining room, but the entire office that he made out of walnut. It was stunning.

HGTV: It was great to see so many of those hardworking people during the homeowners’ walkthrough.

Jodie: There were many people who worked hard to make me and Bev and Brian's crazy decisions and ideas come to life. We fought to watch the reveal. We were like [to the producers], “You have to let us watch!” We made sure everybody who put time, effort and stress into creating this project was able to see just what it meant. We were passing around a tissue box; I mean, the guys were crying. And at that moment we were like, we don't give a shit if we win. Because those 45 minutes that we just got to watch them walking through the house were the best moments we could ask for.

HGTV: One thing that seemed really important to you was making the house feel timeless while still incorporating a few nods to the '90s. Was that something you consciously thought about as you designed each room?

Beverley: Knowing they haven’t changed the house in over 30 years gave us some good insight that they likely wouldn't change it again. So, it was important to go classic and timeless and stay away from trends so the design holds up for another 30 years.

Jodie: Yeah, we wanted to give them as much of a neutral-like base so that over the years they can change the pattern, change the material … We tried to keep it very classic.

HGTV: Speaking of those '90s nods, let's talk about the glider in the primary bedroom.

Beverley: That was all Jodie. I wasn’t a fan of the idea originally, but Jodie nailed it. She knew it would have meaning, and she was right. Brian also did a great job bringing it to 2026 so it worked in the room.

Jodie: [The producers] told us we had to save something, and I was like, “Guys, that glider!” Brian and Bev were like, “Oh no, that thing's ugly.” I knew there was a reason [it] was still sitting in the corner of the room. They eventually gave in, and when we were watching the homeowners tour the house, Anna turned around and goes, “That's the chair I rocked my babies in!” And I was like, "I knew it!” Now she can use it for her future grandbabies.

HGTV: No cellphones were allowed during the competition. You had to rely on pagers, answering machines and VHS tapes to announce each new challenge. How hard was it to stick to that retro technology?

Jodie: We were laughing with the many memories of pager codes and our first cellphones where you pulled the antenna out — just all this stuff going back. I hadn't heard the sound of a tape going into a VCR in years.

HGTV: As you got closer to the reveal, how nervous were you watching Anna and Nico react to everything you’d done?

Jodie: We were nervous. We went in and completely ripped up these people's house that they built … This wasn't some [sad] condo; this was their family home and they trusted us with it. And we felt really good, because we listened to them. We asked, “What do you like? What do you hate? What are things you don't want us to do?”

Brian: [During the walk-through], it was just the two of them … as it was happening, we were watching it in real time, and they were seeing things and crying about all these little touches. The fact that they noticed them on their own was exactly what we were hoping for. That was the win for us.

Beverley: They literally picked up on all the tiny nods. They saw that this house was handcrafted for them, and they felt the love.

HGTV: When you said goodbye after the reveal, Nico told you that you were always welcome in his home.

Jodie: We were like, "We'll come back for Greek Easter!" They roast a goat on a spit and have 70 people in their house. We want to see this kitchen space in action. So, there may be a revisit in our future.

Brian: It was a genuine offer to come back, and it was a genuine acceptance. All three of us — myself, Beverley and Jodie — we'd love to go back at some point and see them all and have dinner and enjoy the space, not run around worrying about how clean everything was.

HGTV: You guys seemed genuinely heartbroken when the competition was over. What was it about the experience that made you not want it to end?

Brian: You never know how well people are going to work together. And the three of us — chef’s kiss. We listened. We respected each other. We loved each other. We confided in each other. We helped each other grow. And we’ve seen each other since, and it honestly feels like we just pick up where we left off. So pretty amazing.

Beverley: Being a part of Totally ’90s House and this team was a dream come true. I genuinely loved every moment, from the designing to the actual work, all the blood, sweat and tears. They meant something. And my bond with Jodie and Brian is something I will forever be grateful for. They are family, and I truly love them. This was more than a show. This healed my heart, and Jodie and Brian made me realize so many things about myself. They valued me and loved me for me, and that was the biggest gift.

Jodie: We were like, look, this is stressful and crazy and insane. Let's have fun doing it. We were together all the time, even on weekends. We'd get coffee together every morning, then have dinner together. Bev and I had been friends for years, and we had some incredible conversations, and our friendship grew in a really wonderful, deep way.

HGTV: You won $22,000 for Habitat for Humanity. How meaningful was it to know that your win would benefit a charity that helps families with housing?

Beverley: The idea that we can give back and help other people create homes is everything. Everyone deserves a place where they can feel safe.

Jodie: We have a huge housing crisis right now and an affordability issue. So whatever we can do to help put roofs over people's heads and to give them homes and space and dignity for a place to grow their family, then, you know, I loved that we were able to do that.

Brian: I don’t know if there’s anything more important for a family than home. So whenever you can help someone gain that or remodel that, it’s a win.

How to Watch Totally '90s House

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