The Property Brothers Unveil the Coolest Bed We Guarantee You’ve Never Seen—Take a Look
HGTV
Property brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott know that guest suites are more valuable than garages—particularly in places like California where cars can park in a driveway without enduring much inclement weather. So it’s no surprise, then, that a garage conversion is the next renovation challenge on the latest “Brother vs. Brother.”
In the episode “Garages to Guest Suites,” they’re both starting with detached garages roughly 400 square feet in size, and they’re converting them into accessory dwelling units perfect for housing visitors or making short-term rental income on Airbnb.
The judges for this challenge are the indomitable Trixie Mattel, of “Trixie Motel” fame, and Breegan Jane, one of California’s top interior designers and the woman behind “HGTV Dream Home.”
Both brothers work hard to impress the judges and come up with a bunch of fun features—including one we’ll bet you’ve never seen before. Read on to get a gander, as well as plenty of tips you might be inspired to try around your own abode.
When renovating a garage, check the foundation first
New footings under the garageHGTV
“Garages are not always built with the support needed to hold up a full structure, so before we build on top of this slab, we need to make sure it has the support footing it needs to withstand the load of additional walls and beams,” says Jonathan. “The big question here is, ‘What kind of support does this garage have?'”
He digs a hole along the side of his garage and finds that the slab has no footing whatsoever, so they’ll have to add new support footings underneath the house all the way around. It’s going to cost an extra $10,000 he hadn’t included in the budget.
Meanwhile, Drew also has issues with his foundation. He has a huge crack in his garage floor, which is sloping and uneven as well.
To save money, he decides to add a “skim coat,” which is “basically like applying a liquid concrete to the existing slab, and that’s going to level out all the uneven sections. It will add a bit more height to the floor, but I can live with that to save money and time.”
Lack space? Install a floating Murphy bed
Bed descending from the ceilingHGTV
Since living space is in short supply, Jonathan finds the coolest way to hide a bed we’ve seen yet—call it a floating Murphy bed.
It’s got “brand-new, state-of-the-art technology we’ve never worked with before,” Jonathan explains. It allows a bed to descend from the ceiling at the push of a button.
It even has tiny little feet that automatically pop out and safety sensors in the wall that stop it from descending if anything is underneath.
The judges are duly impressed when they see it, and Mattel dubs it “the flying bed from outer space.”
This could be what ends Jonathan’s three-challenge losing streak. It’s just that cool.
In small spaces, don’t go deep with furniture
Furniture that’s comfortable and stylish, but not “deep”HGTV
In these guest suites, there’s not a lot of space for giant sofas and chairs that you sink into. But comfort and style are still possible.
“For a sofa, we don’t have a ton of space for the clearance we need, so I’m thinking something that isn’t too deep with seating,” Jonathan tells his design team.
They find a nice sofa with a comfortable texture (velvet) and a pop of color that makes a big statement without taking up a lot of space. They also get stools that fit perfectly under the bar, which is also not oversized.
Budget-friendly porcelain can look just like pricey terrazzo
Warm porcelain floor that looks like expensive terrazzoHGTV
Drew is excited that his design team has come up with porcelain tile that has the appearance of pricey terrazzo, but it’s far less expensive and very durable.
As it goes in, Drew observes, “In the main area, the porcelain tiles with the look of terrazzo are bringing in artistic old-world charm. I think it’s such a great, cost-effective way to have that beautiful terrazzo look.”
He’s really into it.
“The tile choice is artisanal, it looks gorgeous, it has that really nice color tone, it brings an elegance to this guest suite,” he continues. “It’s the kind of thing that adds value and adds wow factor.”
Save money with sliders rather than collapsable glass doors
Jonathan had originally designed his ADU with collapsable glass doors in two different places, but he finds out they will cost $16,000. He needs to save every penny at this point, because he’s overspent on all the other challenges.
Sliders might not be as glamorous, but they cost only $8,000. It’s a tough decision for Jonathan.
“The collapsable glass doors are a key element for me winning this challenge,” he says. “But, yes, I need to save money because the new support fitting was a big, unexpected expense, but I cannot let Drew win his fourth challenge in a row against me.”
His final decision?
“I wanted this challenge to have collapsable glass doors so bad, but we need to find some savings,” he says. “We’re still getting the same glass, I think the sliders could work, so OK, let’s do it.”
Sliders have come a long way since the ’70s. They end up looking great and impress the judges.
Which property brother comes out on top?
This is the first time Jonathan doesn’t go over budget, and he finishes his project for the estimated $85,000.
But Drew also hits his estimated budget of $75,000. That, however, has nothing to do with the judges’ decision.
Their decision ultimately has everything to do with the flying bed from outer space. Jonathan finally wins, and breaks Drew’s three-week winning streak.
The loser of this competition has to serve as guide on a “homes of the stars” tour bus. That’s pretty difficult for these brothers, as they know little about Hollywood history and even less about where celebrities (other than themselves) live.
Jonathan takes great pleasure in booing Drew as he stumbles and stammers his way through his bus top Hollywood tour. Maybe the property brothers need to get to know their famous neighbors a little bit better!
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