Catch Up On Breaking New Ground—Trailer, Episode Recaps, Where to Watch, and More
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The brand-new MAX original series, Breaking New Ground, is out now, and you gotta watch! The series touches on everything from history to resiliency, honing in on your creativity, and the emotions that go into owning and renovating a home. Look forward to watching Robert Hartwell, a Broadway performer, educator, and entrepreneur, on his journey to reconstructing a legacy home that celebrates his individuality and his heritage.
From renovating the house top to bottom to restoring its historic elements and honoring those people who were living in the house before him, Robert takes us on a heart-wrenching journey throughout the entire series. We watch him dig deep into the historical significance of the home, the weight that it holds being a homeowner of such a space as a gay Black man, and what it means to create a home. Catch up on everything from the series right here, and let us know what you think about Robert’s gorgeous renovations on social media after each episode.
Episode Recaps
Episode 6: Mom’s Suite
In the final chapter of Robert’s historic home renovation, he focused all his energy into working on a luxurious suite for his mother, Elizabeth. He wanted to keep the original stairs as a tribute to his young dreams of owning a home with a beautiful grand staircase. One of his first visions of the space when he bought the home was adorning the staircase wall with family portraits and photos, chronicling his family’s history in pictures.
He also wanted to take the original census that he found of the home with the tally marks of unnamed Black servants, and frame it upon that same wall as a way to honor and thank them. Since finding one of their names, he also wanted to include it written down, and finally respected: John Vanderpool.
Mom’s Suite: Reveal
The Main Landing Into the Parlor
The Staircase
Mom’s Bedroom Suite
Mom’s Bathroom
Robert Shows Mom Her Finished Suite
His mother’s suite faces the woods and includes her favorite colors and tones, making for a space that feels authentically her. He wanted his mother to feel at home, comfortable, and welcome in this suite. “I love surprises, especially for people that I love, and even moreso for people who don’t always treat themselves… And my mom is the first person to treat someone else before she takes care of herself,” Robert says.
Episode 5: The Dance Studio and Family Spaces
As a dance instructor in New York City, Robert Hartwell’s love for choreography, theater, and music runs deep. And of course, as a professional, he needs a space at home where he can practice his art. Robert was so excited to have a space to celebrate and create joy in his home, both in his dance studio and in his family spaces. He and Alan also bumped out a few walls in order to create a future children’s room, a family bathroom, and plan out a large dance studio.
The Dance Studio and Family Spaces: Reveal
The Future Children’s Room
Kitschy, Imaginative Design
The Dance Studio
The Family Bathroom
A Multipurpose Work Space
While building out his dance studio, Robert’s contractor actually found the old 200-year-old cedar roof in the attic space, completely covered by a shed roof. This meant they could vault the ceilings in Robert’s studio, which helped create a huge open space for his practice.
Episode 4: The Living Room, Study and Exterior
The living room, study, and front facade needed a major face lift. Robert dreams of one day having a big, beautiful family. Because of this, designing a cozy, comfortable living room was extremely important to him. In order to create the most relaxing space possible, he reworked the original doorways to improve the room’s flow. Robert also wanted to honor his family in this space. William Hartwell, Robert’s father, has always believed that history, education, culture, and reading is empowering. So Robert dedicated a space off the living room specifically for books and Black culture to celebrate William.
The Living Room and Study: Reveal
The Main Living Room
Bold, Colorful Prints
The Study
Plenty of Seating & Pattern Play
Complete With a Large Bookcase
The front of the home was in pretty rough shape, too. The steps were uneven, the pillars weren’t structurally sound, and there was going to be a big construction bill to get the front facade safe and secure. However, the bones of the home were beautiful. They decided to harvest a couple planks of the 300-year-old live edge wood from the walls to be remade into a gorgeous desk tabletop later on.
Episode 3: The Primary Suite
Robert wanted to create a sanctuary where he could rest and relax; a serene escape. Because the size of the primary was so extravagant, he had ample room to make his suite as grand as he’d like. As Robert and his architect Alan assessed the space, they drew out a plan that incorporated the original fireplace, and added a bold, creative touch to his lounge area: a freestanding bathtub. He wanted the whole suite to truly feel like a haven, from top to bottom.
The Primary Suite: Reveal
A Cozy Place to Sit
A Grand Chandelier
Moody Primary Bathroom
A Standout Soaking Tub
The Primary Suite Bedroom
As Robert learned more and more about this house’s historical past, it inspired him to dig deeper into his own family history, too. And as he collected more pieces of his ancestors, he grew a better understanding of how special this renovation is—what it means not just to him, but to his family as well.
Episode 2: The Kitchen and Dining Room
This room is supposed to be where the magic happens—but when they began renovations, it was anything but. Looking back at the house’s previous censuses, Robert noticed that there were unnamed people that were accounted for in 1820, likely Black people who labored for the home. Because of this history, the house’s original construction included back stairs specifically for their use. Robert planned to remove these and turn this kitchen and dining space into a place of love, joy, and community.
The Kitchen and Dining Room: Before and After
A Bright Dining Space
A Large Island to Gather Around
The Kitchen Table
Robert and Alan decided to open up the wall separating the spaces to get some much-needed natural light flowing into the dining room. Though they ran into some issues with major previous water damage, they took that as an opportunity to make the space more custom than it would have been otherwise. The dining, kitchen, and breakfast nooks were all made specific to Robert’s wants and needs, and those back stairs were finally a thing of the past after renovations.
Episode 1: The Parlor
After purchasing the 200-year-old home in Great Barrington (a part of The Berkshires in Massachusetts), Robert discussed his plans to renovate and move into the home in nine months. This is not only Robert’s first renovation, but also his first house, and it needs a ton of TLC to turn it into the sanctuary he desires.
The Parlor: Before and After
The Main Parlor
Centered Around Music & Arts
The house was built in 1820 and still maintains many of its original elements and fixtures. Robert wanted to preserve some of these components, so he worked with a local architect, Alan Mayer, to help him do so, and come up with a successful plan for his full-home renovation. In the first episode of Breaking New Ground, the two get together to start mapping out the space and begin work in the parlor, the first room of the house.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Breaking New Ground Air?
Breaking New Ground premiered on Thursday, June 27 exclusively on MAX. One new episode will air every week through August 1, making it a six-episode series.
What Is the Series About?
The MAX series follows Robert as he buys and renovates a 200-year-old house with a complex historical significance. Robert transforms the house top-to-bottom, turning it into an entirely new home filled with love and thoughtful touches. Robert is determined to make this home a sanctuary, and he’s honoring his ancestors, family, and himself throughout the process.
This renovation story is one that celebrates Robert’s resilience, the journey of what it means to own and transform a home into your own, and celebrating the creation of a new legacy. As his first property, Robert will also be learning a lot about the renovation process and all of the ups and downs that come with it, especially in an old build.
Where Can I Watch the Trailer?
Watch the Breaking New Ground trailer right here! Let us know what you’re most looking forward to on socials, and don’t forget to hashtag #BreakingNewGround #StreamOnMax when you post.
