HGTV® Smart Home 2024: Before and After Transformation Story

The HGTV® Smart Home Giveaway has been an HGTV® staple for the last several years, known for gifting one lucky winner with a home that seamlessly blends luxury with cutting-edge technology. This year, the tradition took an unexpected twist as HGTV team chose to remodel an existing home, showing how any residence can be elevated into a haven of sophistication and functionality with the right materials.

While every aspect of the home underwent a stunning transformation, our focus lies on the exterior transformation led by HGTV® Smart Home 2024 designer Tiffany Brooks with a helping hand from landscape designer Carmen Johnston. With a strategic blend of siding, landscaping, and a curated collection of Trex products, the duo sculpted a contemporary masterpiece out of what was once a relic of old-school architecture.

The journey begins with curb appeal—an often overlooked but vital part of setting a home's tone. The original space gave visitors a sense of neglect, with a cracked driveway, overgrown greenery, and a dated color scheme. Brooks and team infused the home with a modern color palette, fresh landscaping, and a new driveway. The addition of a modest porch serves as a warm invitation to guests, while a living wall breathes newfound vitality into the once-dated exterior.

With the front of the house now a welcoming entryway to the home, the team shifted their focus to the backyard. While it sported a medium-sized deck initially, its potential for maximizing outdoor living was far from realized. Drawing from years of design expertise, the duo replaced the traditional wood decking with the unparalleled benefits of composite decking from Trex. As Johnston aptly puts it, "You get so much more bang for your buck with Trex because you spend so much more time enjoying your deck instead of maintaining it."

True to the mission of marrying form with function, the home now boasts a "smart" composite deck from Trex, known for its resistance to rot, stains, fading, and splinters. Opting for a hue from the Trex Transcend® Lineage™ decking collection, an instant classic due in part to its heat-mitigating properties, further enhances the allure of the outdoor space. The creamy taupe shade of Carmel strikes a harmonious balance with the home's dark exterior, elevating its aesthetic appeal.

But the ingenuity doesn't end with the choice of decking material. The main deck features a host of upgrades, including a Trex® Outdoor Kitchen for al fresco culinary adventures, a cozy corner shaded by a Trex® Pergola, and an industrial-chic Trex Signature® railing with glass infill, adding a touch of sophistication to the outdoor oasis.

Descending to the lower level reveals a contemporary mesh rail and discreet lighting fixtures embedded within the rails and stairs, enhancing both wayfinding and ambiance. Here, an intimate gathering space awaits, complete with plush seating arrangements and two fire tables, promising evenings of warmth and camaraderie beneath the stars.

Brooks and Johnston were also mindful to leave ample space for garden beds, impromptu sports matches, and whatever else this year's winner desires to truly make this space their own. This outdoor space stands as a testament to the transformative power of design, where innovation meets inspiration and blurs the line between the indoors and out in the best way.

*Although Trex Transcend Lineage is designed to be cooler than most other composite decking products of a similar color, on a hot sunny day, it will get hot. On hot days, care should be taken to avoid extended contact between exposed skin and the deck surface, especially with young children and those with special needs.