'Rock the Block' Episode 5: Who won exterior challenge? Mini-golf to fire pit, how the teams got innovative
In the latest challenge in 'Rock the Block' Season 2, each team, which is made up of two HGTV hosts that specialize in either decor or renovation is given a bare home, with a $250,000 dollar market value. It's up to these teams to redesign the homes and bump up the home's price. Armed with a sizeable budget and a construction crew, the race is on to see who ultimately wins the contest and the ultimate bragging rights — a street named after them!
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With the kitchen, master suit, living room and the basement done and dusted, the teams of 'Rock the Block' are inching towards some of the final challenges of the season and this week, they're taking on the outer facade and landscapes of their homes.
After the last week's episode, 'Rock the Basements', Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent scored their first win of the season, seeing that they converted their entire basement into a two-bedroom rental space, making it way to generate additional income. This 'out of the box' thinking bagged them their first win and a cash bonus of $4000, bumping up their budget.
This week, the challenge was double-loaded, seeing that the teams not only had to work on the exterior of their homes but also put together the landscaping and backyard. The judges for this week are Carmine Sabatella and Mike Pyle, hosts of 'Inside Out'. Both Sabatella and Pyle come with years of experience in real estate and landscaping respectively, making them the perfect pick to judge this challenge.
Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt
House style: Southern Craftsman
The Kleinschmidt's smart use of rock in their outer landscape added more character to their front yard. Although Pyle did point out that the grass they used would require maintenance, the front facade was gorgeously done, nonetheless.
Out back, the judges appreciated the utility of both, the upper and lower terrace, seeing that there was a BBQ, an outdoor kitchen and a fireplace.
The team's crowning glory, the pergola wasn't appreciated, seeing that the judges felt as though it was forced and didn't fit the design. However, they did think the pair successfully created a space that was functional and fun.
Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent
House style: European Farmhouse
Berkus and Brent's brick exterior instantly set their home apart, allowing it to not only look stunning but also effectively cutting back on maintenance costs, making the choice an investment. Sabatella and Pyle were quick to notice all the smaller details that went into the outer facade as well, such as the contrast and window details.
The lawn was a big win for them as well, seeing that the style itself was traditional but kid-friendly. Seeing that the pair created a rental space in the basement, they also added a separate entryway for the same.
Alison Victoria and Mike Holmes
House style: French Countryside
Victoria and Holmes' stone exterior definitely scored them a few brownie points, seeing that it tied in seamlessly with the home's stone walkway. The judges were quick to pick up on the team's smart use of plants, pointing out that the magnolias, azaleas and box hedges worked well.
However, they could've added some more shrubbery in general. Victoria's risky move with adding a golf turf was a hit and a miss, seeing that Sabatella was not a fan, but Pyle was.
David Bromstad and Tiffany Brooks
House style: Modern Tudor
For the judges, Bromstad and Brooks' attention to detail is what worked in their favor. Sabatella pointed out that the home gave him a sense of renaissance, which had the team beaming, seeing that it was the exact theme they were going for.
The front yard offered fantastic plant placement and the use of vegetable-based shrubbery was also a win, making it a farm garden of sorts. While the outdoor dining deck with a lake view seemed perfect, the fact that there was no dedicated lower terrace was definitely a hiccup for the team.
As Carmine Sabatella put it, he felt as though he was dating all four of the teams and now he had to break up with three of them, when it came to selecting a final winner. Seeing that it was a tough call, both Sabatella and Pyle ultimately picked Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent as the winners, making this their second challenge win of the season. The couple even grabbed the $5000 cash prize, which helped bump up their overall budget. Currently, the scorecard is as follows -- Alison Victoria and Mike Holmes have two wins, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent have two wins, Tiffany Brooks and David Bromstad have one win and Brian and Mika have none. However, seeing that the final winner depends on the home's over appraisal value, it is still anyone's game to win!
Check out the video below:
Catch Season 2 of 'Rock The Block' every Monday at 9 pm ET/PT on HGTV and you can stream the same on Discovery+.