Renovation Resort winners keep it all in the family

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Father-daughter team was inspired by tradition, familiarity and a sense of comfort

When the father-daughter duo of Hollie and Graham Laird won Home Network’s Renovation Resort challenge this season — with hosts Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler judging their vacation home best overall — they took home far more than the $100,000 top prize.

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They also gained friendships for life, a new-found confidence and the drive to do it all over again.

And you could say they owe it all to Granny, whose hand-dyed, vibrant coloured wool rug served as the colour and design inspiration for the entire home.

“My granny’s rug was a really great piece to guide us in all of the directions we wanted to go,” said Hollie, whose design focused on creating “that feeling of familiarity, family and tradition with a modern take – something that didn’t feel old, but felt like you’d been there before.”

As partners in Orangeville-based Laird Kitchen and Bath, Hollie and Graham are used to working together. What was different about the competition was the time crunch, which often saw them butting heads over Graham’s hesitancy to turn in anything less than his best work while Hollie kept her eye on the clock.

“He’s looking back and really judging his work, and saying ‘I could have done better,’ but I’m looking at it like ‘Wow! You could not have done anything more in this space given the time that we had,’” said Hollie, quick to set the record straight that she doesn’t always say ‘no’ to her dad.

The pair found their footing by the third episode, winning the great room challenge with a comfortable design that provides extra seating and an imaginative hidden TV, courtesy of Graham. Hollie’s intention was to build a “backdrop for the life that’s going to be happening there,” as she pictured 16 guests and their belongings arriving for a fun vacation.

“When you walked in the front door and you saw the river and you saw that main room, it was just spectacular,” said Graham. “The way Hollie’s colours and styling captured it – that was the moment for me that the outside truly came in.”

The judges describe the Lairds’ winning home as a modern homestead. From the calming blues of the front room to the fun custom bunkbeds in mauve, to the luxurious green tiles in the primary bath, the warm and delightful colours of Granny’s rug are evident.

Though they didn’t know what to expect on the show, the pair say they were pleasantly surprised by the camaraderie that grew between the competing teams as they commiserated over lunch, and by the end they had formed lasting friendships.

They were also impressed by how well the Renovation Resort crew kept them seeing how other homes were progressing. “They did a great job of keeping those moments for the audience,” said Graham. “When you see us walking through the door (in the finale), that is us walking through the door for the first time, seeing the first hint of anything.”

Looking ahead, Hollie and Graham plan to invest the prize money into their business and are eying the possibility of doing their own vacation home – only this time without the time pressure.

“You’re always worried about how your design is going to translate on TV, but watching it back, I feel really good about the layout, the flow and the colours,” said Holly. “They’re simple, but they feel cozy and comforting” – just like Granny’s rug.

Watch the father-daughter duo compete in Season 2 of Renovation Resort by streaming it on StackTV.