The Finale

Hello, San Francisco! This season, we landed in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. We reinstated the traditional Brother vs. Brother rules: We each buy, renovate, and sell a property, and the brother with the biggest net profit wins, with all proceeds going to charity. This time around, we chose Rebuilding Together—a nonprofit that revitalizes homes, communities, and lives—and added an extra layer to our brotherly competition. Because houses sell so quickly in the Bay Area, we bought ours online, sight unseen, which is unprecedented craziness for Brother vs. Brother! Luckily, we had our older brother, JD, on hand to officiate and keep our renos going smoothly. 

For our final challenge of Season 6, we renovated the facades and drastically different landscaping of our houses: Drew’s tiny backyard versus Jonathan’s overgrown, junk-filled half-acre. Read on to learn about our inspiration and the design details we’re particularly proud of.

BVB S6E6 The Finale

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Drew’s Canyon House

I’ve been adding value all over the inside my house, so why stop now? My biggest challenge of this entire renovation was turning the pocket-size backyard into a luxurious oasis, without making it feel cramped. Compared to that feat, upgrading the facade—which included painting the stucco a soft blue to match the California modern ranch interior—was a breeze.

Drew’s Before & After

Drew’s Inspiration

Drew’s Design Highlights

DOUBLE DUTY

Replacing the old-school twin garage doors with a custom two-car option transports this house into the 21st century and sends its curb appeal skyrocketing. As a finishing touch, we removed the gnarly tree out front—it was on its deathbed; it was time—so passersby can full-on gawk at that handsome new garage door.

WONDER WALL

The goal for my backyard was to make a big impact in a tiny space, and the luxurious lounge area’s six-foot privacy wall nails it. We staged it as a gallery wall with nature-inspired artwork to play up the indoor-outdoor flow—which is further enhanced by the shiny new grill, hot tub, and dining area. Now an easy-to-maintain extension of the serene interior, this is truly the little backyard that could!

RAILED IT!

On the front and side of the house, we installed beautiful wooden slats that almost look like artwork. I had originally envisioned creating this railing feature with dark metal, but the wood lends a more natural touch against the soft blue facade.

Team Drew

Local construction support: Jason Bliss and Scott Bliss of Benchmark Construction
Local design support: Laura Martin Bovard of LMB Interiors
Exterior paint: Sherwin-Williams
Garage door: Armando Magdaleno at RW Garage Doors
Front and side doors: Meeks
Door hardware: Belmont Hardware
Windows: Dolan’s Lumber
Landscape services: Past the Gate
Composite decking: Fiberon
Furniture and decor: Wayfair

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Jonathan’s Hilltop House

My half-acre of land is a blessing and a curse: It offers lots of potential but also lots of unwanted surprises—its starting condition was just as rough as the interior’s, if you can believe it! I spent a sizable chunk of my budget on bushwhacking and junk removal, then got to work updating the siding and building a full-length multi-level deck in back. The final result is an eco-chic home worthy of its unbeatable views.

Jonathan’s Before & After

Jonathan’s Inspiration

Jonathan’s Design Highlights

CEDAR GREETER

And you thought the guest room’s massive 11-foot window was impressive from the inside! On the outside, I framed it with a cedar accent that pops so vibrantly from the stucco that I fully expect it to stop traffic. A complementary cedar groove on the house’s far right window ensures this standout feature doesn’t completely steal the show.

GARDEN VARIETIES

With the help of my friend and landscape architect Stephanie Shermoen, this house’s very first impression now screams eco-chic. (Actually, it’s more of a gentle whisper.) Concrete walkways are surrounded by sustainable spaces dotted with low-maintenance plants—native species, ornamentals, and drought-resistant varieties. Rainwater will flow into the rain garden, which is lined with pebbles and grasses, and collect there instead of creepin toward the house.

SUN (POWERED) ROOF

I’ve mastered eco-friendly design, but you can’t forget eco-functionality. An incredibly attractive selling point on the listing, these solar panels from Sunrun harness the power of the sun to offset utility expenses; plus, with the battery banks installed, the house is not affected if there’s a power outage in the community. This is the culmination of my eco-chic design and, hands-down, the feature that I’m most proud of.

Local construction support: Bob McLaughlin of McLaughlin Renovations
Local design support: Pamela Lin of Urbanism Designs
Exterior paint: Benjamin Moore
Garage door: RW Garage Doors
Landscaping: Terrain Integration
Composite decking and railings: Fiberon
Solar panels: Sunrun Solar
Furniture and decor: Wayfair