Rehab Addict

Nicole makes a spur-of-the-moment bid and wins a house sight-unseen at auction. Will this Grand Boulevard Tudor be a case of buyer's remorse? Nicole visits the 6-bedroom, 3-bath manor and falls in love with its historic details and rustic charm. With some new paint, a landscaping overhaul and custom woodwork, the former eyesore begins to look revitalized. By working with the home's original style, Nicole is able to enhance its curb appeal without losing any of its early-20th century grand beauty.

Nicole knows that a ground floor powder room will see a ton of guests, so what will she do with a broken window, paint-covered floor tile, and an out-of-commission toilet? Avoiding the impulse to demolish and replace everything, Nicole restores the tile and sink fixture with elbow grease and an all-nighter. She adds dramatic wall color for flair, as well as a toilet and original glass that matches the classic style of the home. Nicole proves that when it comes to restoration, it's better to leave it, clean it, and make it functional again.

What do you do when thieves have stolen priceless windows and hardwood flooring from your twentieth-century estate? If you're Nicole Curtis, you adapt and recreate! As Nicole tackles the spacious dining room of her tudor home, she must use custom leaded glass and modern oak flooring to mask the missing details. In order to restore her formal dining room to its former grandness, Nicole makes sure that the new elements blend seamlessly with the original style of the home. A combination of antique and reproduction furniture, glass, and flooring leave the space stately and polished.

A dark basement that could have easily been overlooked as an unsalvageable and unusable space is transformed into a gorgeous family room. Exposed brick and an amazing fireplace are too beautiful for Nicole to ignore, so she sets out to elevate the room from subterranean cellar to functional family room. Nicole sources local salvaged pine for the flooring and restores it to its former shine, while using cost-effective new trim, stained to match. Finally, a vintage art Deco bar is hauled down below to serve as a focal point for the new space. Using as much as she can from the original home and time period, Nicole rebuilds a basement beyond even its original potential.

Nicole's newest home is 100 years old, and unsurprisingly the living room needs work from top to bottom. Despite major setbacks, Nicole is up for the challenge. The outdated textured ceiling is ripped down for electrical and water line repair while the ugly green walls are given a fresh update. Nicole sees the beauty in the original hardwood flooring by polishing and staining the existing oak. By utilizing as many of the original details as possible, the living room begins to finally take shape as a classic example of restoration done right.

When it comes to restoring kitchens, Nicole Curtis' rule is that it should look old and work like new! In her Grand Blvd. home, she has to work with a large kitchen that offers little wall space. After a couple of re-designs and some custom woodwork, she finally settles on a layout that allows for new, modern appliances while maintaining important design elements, such as the original upper cabinets. Despite some setbacks - including a literal hole in the wall - Nicole combines the old with the new to create a gorgeous kitchen that maintains its original charm while offering the comforts of the 21st century.

Nicole is ready to tackle the 2nd floor of the house - but one rainy day proves just how damaged the 100 year old roof is. Severe leaks are threatening to destroy multiple rooms, so Nicole gets on top of the house to inspect the damage. Most people would tear up the original clay tile and do a complete replacement, but not Nicole Curtis! Despite the extra cost, new tile is blended with old to keep the original, unique look of the house. Once the roof is water tight, two upstairs bedrooms are ready to be restored. A fresh window seat, antique glass knobs, and a stairwell re-do get Nicole closer to finishing her Grand 2nd floor.

Once a boarded-up eyesore, Nicole's first-floor solarium has the potential to be the best room in the house. With the help of her dad and a yard-sale crockpot, Nicole starts with an often overlooked detail: window hardware. Boiling the hardware removes years of paint and leaves them shiny and new, a great first step in making the solarium a bright and welcoming entryway to her Grand Blvd. estate. Some antique mirrors and light fixtures go a long way to make the room feel cozy and fresh, while maintaining the antique-feel of the 100-year old home. Nicole takes a much needed break with her son to celebrate a Thanksgiving parade in her home city, Detroit.

What's Nicole Curtis' favorite kind of bathroom to renovate? One with almost entirely original fixtures! With the help of a 1920's mint condition porcelain sink, Nicole is able to transform the Jack and Jill bathroom in her Grand Blvd. home without sacrificing its antique integrity. Two bedrooms - one girl's, one boy's - lay on either side. After stripping the wallpaper, restoring the original oak floors and adding some new paint, the rooms are almost move-in ready. All that's left is for her son to stage the room with personal touches, and clean the unique Inglenook that provides a centerpiece for the boy's room.

If Nicole is going to turn the entire third floor of her Grand Blvd. estate into a master suite, a custom new bathroom will have to be the first step. She starts with an overcrowded, neglected bath that doesn't fit her grandiose plans. By knocking down a wall and changing some angles, the floorplan is expanded to include a double vanity, claw-foot tub and walk-in shower. Despite a small plumbing mishap, Nicole's new bathroom is shaping up to be one of the most original and inviting spaces in her 1913 auction home.

Nicole's 1913 mansion in the heart of Detroit is topped with an old, dusty attic that was once servant's quarters. Though some homeowners might have just seen room for storage, Nicole sees the opposite: a master suite! A sitting room, dressing room and gorgeous master bedroom take form, thanks to a little salvaging and a lot of hard work. Nicole never wastes original fixtures, even if it's an ancient broken mirror or a period chandelier from a local commercial building. From gross to gorgeous, Nicole makes her master suite a million dollar space on a "Detroit budget."

The century-old Tudor house is one thing, but Nicole Curtis also wants to make sure the garage is up to par. Over the years, the structure has been neglected so there's a long road ahead: roof repair takes a lot of time, but Nicole is able to salvage some important tile and wood. By re-using original ceramic roof tile and finding new replicas, the look and feel is restored rather than forgotten. A restored porch is added off the solarium, as Nicole gets started on making the laundry room a warm and inviting space.

It's a family affair as Nicole tackles an old shack that desperately needs some loving restoration. With the help of her brother, her nephew and her son, Ethan, carpets come up, there's new paint and a new fence. Since this is basically a crash pad, Nicole tries to keep her costs to an absolute minimum. But at the end of the day, Nicole transforms this unlivable space into a cozy new home.